Groups will be able to travel direct to Lyon from London St Pancras.

Eurostar is to introduce three new routes running directly from London St Pancras station to the south of France.

From 25th March groups will be able to travel to Lyon, Avignon and Marseille direct from the centre of London.

Lyon

Lyon is packed with culture and surrounded by snow peaked ridged mountains, making it particularly suitable for ski goers.

The city is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site with plenty of museums and cultural activities for groups to enjoy. The Musées Gadagne, the Cathédral St-Jean and the Musée des Beaux-Arts are just some of the options.

The journey from London will take approximately four hours 41 minutes.

Avignon

Those with an interest in architecture should appreciate a trip to Avignon, which can be reached in five hours 49 minutes from London St Pancras. Here, groups will be able to capture views of ancient French architecture – from cathedrals to the city’s 14th century fortress-castle, Palais des Papes.

Groups travelling in July can coincide their visit with the Festival d’Avignon, an annual contemporary performing arts festival, which will this year take place between 6th and 24th July.

Marseille

Marseille is the second largest city in France, second only to the capital, Paris. It is recognised as one of Europe’s most vibrant destinations and groups can venture around the numerous multi-ethnic markets in the city, which fill the streets with scents of spices and coffees.

The new service will get parties there in just under six and a half hours.

The direct service will run three time per week on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays until 5th July. The service will then increase to five times per week for the period between 6th July and 31st August, and will be available on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

From 1st September to 1st November the service will revert back to three times per week.

Eurostar tickets can be booked up to six months in advance.

For more information visit www.eurostar.com/uk-en.