J'aime le Train is over
J'aime le Train 2009 featured one new event every minute over a 6-day period. The watchwords of the weeks festivities were exchange and sharing. The videos from this 2009 edition will be on line for another few days. We hope you really enjoyed it. See you next year!

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FRIDAY 15 MAY

We were there...:
Taking the controls
You were sitting comfortably on the 7:00am Bordeaux to Paris service when the Train Manager came to see you. You had just been drawn out of the hat to drive the TGV! What an incredible experience! The video will be available soon.

... and tomorrow:
Find out about working for the SNCF
Meet some unusual but passionate railway workers in our video section. The SNCF employs 160,000 people in more than 150 types of job. Check it out!

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THURSDAY 14 MAY

We were there...:
Seeing double?
To a chorus of laughter and surprise the "J'aime le Train" twins caused a stir in various stations, by acting out a number of situations that passengers encounter in daily life. In Paris, Bordeaux and Lille, it was a whole lot of eccentric fun for passengers and railway workers alike - in the ticket office, at ticket validation points and on the trains.

... and tomorrow:
Politicians love trains, too
This Thursday "J'aime le Train" invites local politicians. The mayor of your town or city will be meeting the local Station Manager. And when they get together, there will undoubtedly be some new projects to promote intermodality in our cities.

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WEDNESDAY 13 MAY

Watch videos of the talks on line!
Special lectures and discussion took place on-board trains on Tuesday, featuring Luc Ferry, Jean-Louis Etienne, Hubert Vedrine and Alastair Campbell and a whole number of passengers enjoying the chance to liven up their journey.

...and tomorrow:
Kids First!
This year, as every year, "J'aime le Train" is focusing on children, with activities including getting your train driver's licence, treasure hunts, class visits etc. Visit the sign-up site to find out the programme of activities in your area. In celebration of Children's Day, children's newspaper "Le Journal des Enfants" has released a special edition for the "J'aime le Train" festival. Find out all the secrets of the train drivers' cab.

At the same time, jedessine.com offers kids a chance to draw the station or train of their dreams and enter a big drawing competition. Click here:
jedessine.com

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TUESDAY 12 MAY

We were there...:
Podcasts of the in-train talks are now on line!
Special lectures and discussion took place on-board trains on Tuesday, featuring Luc Ferry, Jean-Louis Etienne, Hubert Vedrine and Alastair Campbell and a whole number of passengers enjoying the chance to liven up their journey.

As if you were there...
If you haven't yet got down to your station, we can take you there. Check out this behind-the-scenes view of "J'aime le Train".
Visit the sign-up site for the full programme of the "J'aime le Train" week and to sign up.

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MONDAY 11 MAY

We were there...: Train-lovers head for the station
300 people who are mad about trains invaded stations all over France on Monday. Check out the funny and strange happenings. And stay on your guard this week, because things could still get a bit crazy.

... and tomorrow: First-class discussions
On Tuesday, hundreds of events are planned throughout France. You could find yourself on a train with a high-profile guest and take part in a first-class discussion.

Talks will be given in the buffet carriage. Experts such as Hubert Vedrine, Jean-Louis Etienne, Alastair Campbell or Luc Ferry will be discussing ecomobility over a nice cup of coffee. These guests will also be travelling with a member of the SNCF's Executive Management team.

Here are the 4 return journeys involved:
Luc Ferry > Paris- Lyon - Lyon/ Paris
Jean- Louis Etienne > Paris/ Nantes - Nantes/Paris
Hubert Vedrine > Paris/ Strasbourg - Strasbourg-Paris
Alastair Campbell > Paris/ Brussels - Brussels/ Paris

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FRIDAY 7 MAY

It all kicks off on Monday with our very own town criers!
"J'aime le Train" starts on Monday with an event in 22 stations across France.
The "J'aime le Train" town criers are all suited up in their white boiler suits and armed with megaphones and a little podium, and they're off to stations today.
Their mission is to create an atmosphere of fun and friendliness, and they are sure to surprise you.

You'll find SNCF town criers in the following stations
Paris Nord, Paris Est, Paris Gare de Lyon, Paris Montparnasse, Lille Flandres, Lyon Part-Dieu, Chambéry, Strasbourg, Bordeaux, Clermont Ferrand, Dijon, Rennes, Tours, Reims, Montpellier, Limoges Bénédictins, Nancy, Toulouse-Matabiau, Rouen, Nantes, Amiens, Marseille Saint-Charles.

There is still time to sign up for the behind the scenes tour of the SNCF!
This week is all about you.
Get down to the station, become a train driver or train manager, learn how to change the points, learn about the tampers...Soon you'll know all the tricks of the trade. If you haven't signed up yet, go to the sign-up site where you will find your town's own programme (click " Programme and bookings" ).

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From 11 to 16 May, SNCF threw wide its doors and let the public go behind the scenes. Our railway workers made you marvel at the train, and maybe even the SNCF...

1 million visitors expected. The 5th edition of the "J'aime le train" event is exceptional. No bling, no contests. All doors are open and railway workers are sharing the inside of a company that puts over 14,000 trains on the tracks every day.

For one day becomea train driver at 320 km/h, a pointsman glued to your many screens, a technician with greasy hands in the maintenance workshop, a station manager with your whistle, a ticket inspector we weren't expecting to see, or the Chairman of SNCF!

Head over to one of 200 sites and 50 stations throughout France. Over 500 activities to experience. Be a star for a day.
Monday 11 May: an event for passengers in 22 stations across France... Tuesday 12: all about commuters. Open discussion in stations and on board with "business" passengers. Wednesday 13: freight dayTonnes of mail or yoghurt roll into the station. Thursday 14: children's day to discover SNCF careers. Friday 15: photo shoot. Local politicians and station agents pose together and talk about trains. What day are you coming?

View the press release