Le Train des Mouettes-Gare de Mornac. — Attraction in Rochefort

For anyone interested in old trains, Le Train des Mouettes is definitely worth a visit. There are both steam engines and diesel engines pulling restored carriages along tracks going between Saujon and La Tremblade. Everything is restored and run by an association of volunteers, and the trip includes a commentary (in French) of the area as well as the trains themselves. A return trip between Saujon and La Tremblade lasts 3 hours. You can get off at several of the stations to visit local attractions, and the schedule generally allows a hop-on-hop-off experience. It's well worth a visit and even a detour if you're at all interested in how trains were in the l9th and early 20th centuries. On certain days, like during European Heritage Days, the train shed at the station in Chaillevette is open for visits. The association has recovered a large number of engines, wagons, and carriages of all sorts, including several pieces left by the American army. Renovation is underway, and the website of Le Train des Mouettes is full of detailed information regarding all of their holdings. We've been twice now and are going to celebrate our 20th anniversary on board the Seudre-Ocean-Express Restaurant Train. Edit Sept 2023: Just got back from my 3rd trip during this year's European Heritage Days, and the trip was just...

Nice old train on an old rail track. The first part of the tour is driven by a diesel engined locomotive, and then they change to an old steam locomotive later on. It runs very slowly, and almost all the way the guides are telling stories in French, only accompanied with warnings all the time of how dangerous it is to stick your head outside. Of course, hanging out of a train car is potentially dangerous, but when there's no obstacles and the train moves at only 15 to 20 km/h, it feels overexaggerated. Overall...

Very enjoyable day out for everyone. We put our bikes in the guards van at la Tremblade so we could cycle through Mornac. We took the train again to Saujon and after an artisanal lemonade from the station café and a quick tour of the locomotive for my son, thanks to the kind volunteers on duty, we headed all...