train tours by c-LAB
side quest
4 Day Living Film Experience Through France
By Train. By chance.
What if you lived inside a "Before Sunrise"–style movie for four days?
Not a watched one.
Not an analyzed one.
A Lived film.From Paris to the South of France, we travel by train, drift through cities, talk too long, notice small moments, and let stories happen.This isn’t film school.
It’s not a tour.
It’s a shared cinematic experience.
SIDE QUEST
HOW IT WORKS
Board trains with strangers who become familiar fastPlay conversation and observation games inspired by cinemaCapture moments on your phone (we’ll show you how)Create:Write, sketch, wander, or simply noticeShare wine, coffee, stories, and long conversationsFeel like you stepped into a film — without acting
SIDE QUEST
THIS IS FOR YOU IF
- You love adventure, trains, and long conversations
- You crave connection
- You want to travel France but not alone
- You want community without pressure
- You want structure without control
- You can journal. Sketch. Film. Or just be there, respecting the process others may be participating in.
- No one is forced to create
- This is not a dating tour though the Before Sunrise film is a romcom.We will not force you to mingle or pair up
SIDE QUEST TRAIN TOUR
WHAT YOU GET
- Curated 4-day route & guidance
- Daily creative prompts & games
- 2 group dinners
- Small group (max 15 people)
- Time together & time alone
- Budget hotel stays (clean & comfy, not hostels)
- Train tickets
- Guides in English & FrenchNOT INCLUDED
- flights
- luxury hotels, but you can book your own and we remove your stay costs
TOUR 1
June 5-8, 2026
4 days, 3 cities, countless storiesParis → Lyon → Avignon → Nice
Ideal for first-time Side Questers; we try hard to keep flow easy on this inaugural tourBalanced pace, lite bondingAll participants board in Paris. We travel together with creative prompts, games, and exploration along the way. The adventure ends in Nice, but you can stay longer if you wishParticipants are responsible for their own travel insurance and highly recommendedPrice
€900 Early Bird/ Deposit €540NOTE: REFUND POLICY IS STRICT DUE TO SUMMER TRAIN TICKET RUSH EARLY MARCH.€1000 Regular PriceEARLY BIRD pricing ends 16 February, 2026
ALL deposits hold your place. Refundable until Feb, 22, 2026. Balance due 30 days before departure. Limited to 15 participantsDEPOSIT & REFUND POLICY AT END OF THIS SITE
TOUR 2
AUGUST 7-10, 2026
4 days, 4 cities, countless storiesParis → Lyon → Avignon → NiceIdeal for first-time Side Questers; we try hard to keep flow easy on this inaugural tourBalanced pace, lite bondingAll participants board in Paris. We travel together with creative prompts, games, and exploration along the way. The adventure ends in Nice, but you can stay longer if you wishParticipants are responsible for their own travel insurance and highly recommendedPrice
€900 Early Bird/ Deposit €540NOTE: REFUND POLICY IS STRICT DUE TO SUMMER TRAIN TICKET RUSH IN MARCH.€1000 Regular PriceEARLY BIRD pricing ends 16 February, 2026
ALL deposits hold your place. Refundable until Feb, 22, 2026. Balance due 30 days before departure. Limited to 15 participants
TO BE HONEST
THIS IS OUR FIRST SIDE QUEST
This is our first edition.You're helping us build something new. It’s small. Thoughtful. Human.We have made side quests solo across France though and loved them and wanted to extend the joy.If you want luxury or perfection — this isn’t it.
If you want something honest, cinematic, and alive — welcome
real talk
A Thoughtfully Designed Experience
- Small group
- Clear code of conduct
- Zero tolerance for harassment or abuse
- Group facilitators present throughout, French & English
- Optional exploratory call before booking
- This is designed to feel safe, social, and supportive — especially for solo travelers.
but who are we?
Side Quest is part of The Dérive Line
— an ongoing pop culture museum experiment in movement, history, and story shaped by Place.It is part of our creative immersion tours. We are tiny team of passionate experience-designers at c-LAB by otherwrlds— a roving creative lab exploring culture, movement, and storytelling beyond traditional cultural institutions like popular museums.The tour is designed and facilitated by Em Peré, the Programming Director.
side quest train tour
Refund & Deposit Policy
Deposits are fully refundable until Feb 22, 2026After March 1, deposits are non-refundableRemaining balance is due 1 May, 2026REFUND POLICY
Cancellation before Feb 22:
Full refund minus €75 admin fee
Cancellation after Feb 22:
Non-refundable (we're purchasing tickets March 1 based on final count)
Force majeure (rail strike, COVID travel ban): Full refund minus unrecoverable costs (Euro 100-150 per person)
If WE cancel (under 12 participants by Feb 15):
Full refund, no admin feeWHY THE EARLY DEADLINES?We are a newbie indie artist tour.We purchase all train tickets March 1 to lock in summer prices (June trains get expensive fast).Your deposit deadline is Feb 22 so we have time to finalize the count and book everyone together as a group.After Feb 22, deposits are non-refundable because we're committed to buying your ticket. SNCF tickets are non-refundable, so if you cancel, we can't get your money back.
side quest train tour
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What if I travel solo?
No worries, we expect solo, duos and trios.2. Why is the deposit 60%?In France, summer trains book up early and we need to get seats in one car for the smoothest experience. Early booking by 1 March is safest for this tour.3. What if I don't speak French? Most of us won't. That's part of the adventure. (But we have volunteers who do.)4. Will I be stuck with strangers the whole time?
You'll have tons of free time. Group activities = about 3 hours/day.5. What if I need to cancel?Before Feb 22: Full refund minus €75 admin fee
After Feb 22: Non-refundable
Also, see Deposit & Refund Policy