Little Trains of the Pyrenees

The Yellow Train tackles the French Pyrenees, travelling through medieval Villefranche-de-Conflent and past viaducts and forests to Mont Louis. Later, another line, the Red Train, crosses vineyards and tunnels between Rivesaltes and Axat. The final highlight is a ride on the Núria Valley rack railway — an electric cog train climbing into a remote mountain valley where deer and marmots are occasional passengers. Figueres, Dali’s birthplace, rounds out the week with a stroll through its calm old town and a visit to the surrealist’s museum and crypt.

Paced for unwinding as much as seeing, the holiday includes a free day in Roses to rest by the sea or try the spa. It’s a gentle mix of rail travel, mountain air and Catalan culture, without a sense of rushing to the next stop.

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