Cheapest SNCF Tickets for July 2023

[AgeoftheTrain7]

Hi all,
I'm looking at booking some SNCF tickets for a trip between Paris -> Angouleme for around the 10th to 14th of July 2023, one-way (will be returning ~7 days after that).
I got the ticket alert on email saying that the advance fares are now available, but upon looking (albeit a couple of days later), the only fares seem to be around 69 euros per person, per way.

There would be three of us travelling.
Is this usual pricing for that time of year, or are the prices for that journey likely to fluctuate any more? It just all seems a little expensive to me, despite not having much experience of French long-distance train travel!

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Many thanks.

 

[30907]

I don't know if this helps?
https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/train/deals/low-price-solutions

However, there is an enormous variation between the OUIGO price from Massy-Palaiseau and the normal TGV from Montparnasse.

Conventional TGV fares do seem to have increased substantially - since the launch of Ouigo?

 

[AgeoftheTrain7]

I don't know if this helps?
https://www.sncf-connect.com/en-en/train/deals/low-price-solutions

However, there is an enormous variation between the OUIGO price from Massy-Palaiseau and the normal TGV from Montparnasse.

Conventional TGV fares do seem to have increased substantially - since the launch of Ouigo?

Thank you - I'll have a look through the site.
Yes, it does seem like the TGV fares have increased, although, the 1630 TGV inOui was only about £10 more expensive than the Ouogo option at 1230!

 

[dutchflyer]

Quatorze juillet=the FR national holiday, when also many school hols etc start-so a peak of the peak day. Going back to this ´ville lumiére´ a week later should go anti-peak/main stream so may offer a better deal.
What the lowest price is-use a few dates (if willing to spend that time for it) that are not that busy and check what it then says.
But indeed as above also tells: it does seem that fares on normal TGV have gone up-or rather, do not offer the lowest ´buckets´ now that the competetive and also by SNCF budget-trains also run-if they run, just hope the many strike-issues have been settled by then! Same happens here in Spain (whee I sit now, with outlook on a sunny beach) where on some hi-speed lines there is now even more competition.

 

[Myb]

Sales for the summer months have opened this week and usually tend to increase from now.

I regularly book TGV tickets in bulk right after sales open and it is usually surprising that even with these early fares there can be a big difference in prices (from 30 to 85€) on the same train but on different dates (I guess depending on the day of the week, bank holidays, etc.).
Demand is also very strong in France at the moment with SNCF making good trade.
So I would suggest 69€ for Paris - Angoulème is a fair price, and would book it quite quickly.

Also, if you travel one-way on a Saturday or a Sunday (or round-trip with a Sa/Su night stay), I would suggest checking the Avantage Adulte rail card which is 49€ and gives 30% discount for 2 people + 60% for children. If the 3rd traveller is a child or you have some more French rail trips planned it will come out cheaper.

 

[AgeoftheTrain7]

Thank you, both.

Quatorze juillet=the FR national holiday, when also many school hols etc start-so a peak of the peak day. Going back to this ´ville lumiére´ a week later should go anti-peak/main stream so may offer a better deal.

I'll try and search again with some different dates to see if that makes a difference - we might need to change a couple of other things already booked though.

Sales for the summer months have opened this week and usually tend to increase from now.

Thanks for the info.