Getting Around - PART I, by Planes, Trains, Automobiles

Apps are a game changer!  (Especially for those of us who have done it "old school" in the past.)

Uber is available in a lot of places in Europe (although when I was there I never found Lyft.)  However, Uber can be hit or miss.  It's not always available in smaller towns, and I think even in some bigger cities it is restricted, maybe because the state run transportation systems are supposed to take precedence (but don't quote me on that, I'm really not sure how that goes.)

BlaBlaCar is a ride share app in France but I can't really recommend it for American travelers.  The difference from Uber is that it is intended for traveling from city to city, not just around town. Another difference is that the drivers don't work FOR BlaBlaCar, it is just a platform for drivers and riders to find each other.  Therefore, there is really no recourse if you have an issue.

Proceed with Caution!

And there are issues.  Few of the drivers speak English very well so there is often a communication gap when trying to book a ride.  But the real problem is that each driver makes his or her own "rules," and they often aren't very accommodating.  Like I'd find a driver going from Town A to Town B and book a ride only to have the driver refuse to pick me up or drop me off at a train station.  Some of them insisted they could only pick up/drop off at a highway exit.  Then if you canceled the trip because they couldn't accommodate you, they wouldn't refund your money and you'd have no way of getting it back.  And good luck contacting BlaBlaCar to complain about the driver if your French isn't pretty solid.  Even then, there is limited recourse (it's all in the fine print - in French, of course!)

G7 Taxi is kind of a cross between a traditional taxi and a ride share service like Uber.  You call it up on your app, like with Uber, but it is an actual taxi service rather than a private driver with their own car.  I requested a ride to the airport the night before, and the taxi was there and waiting on the dot the next morning.  And again, with the language barrier, this is much easier than trying to CALL for a taxi in French.  ("Bonjour monsieur, j'ai besoin d'aller á l'aeroport á 10:00h, pourriez-vous me chercher?"  "Desolé, Madame, je ne vous comprends pas.")

Rome2Rio is a very useful app for finding out HOW to get around, especially between countries.  It will give you the various options, along with approximate prices of each.  You can compare a flight versus a train and see the time schedules and costs of each.  You can book some forms of transportation through the app as well (it redirects you to the booking sites, I believe.)  This is the absolute best app for planning purposes, especially on the fly (no pun intended!)

Easy Jet from Lille to Nice was faster AND cheaper than the train

Oui SNCF  is what you'll use all over France for trains and buses.  They have an English version, so it's user-friendly and a lot easier than buying your tickets in person if you can't speak French, and you get your tickets right on your mobile device.

The TGV - Train de Grande Vitesse 

Note: there are three main tiers of train service in France,

1. The TGV is the high speed train for long distance trips between major cities and makes few, if any, stops along the way. It is a comfortable and FUN way to travel and see the country.
2. The inter-city trains go between the mid-sized cities that are no more than an hour or two apart and usually makes stops along the way (where you might have to make a transfer.) 
3. The TER is regional service for short hops and runs between small towns and villages, and usually connects small towns to a mid-sized city where you can make connections.

NOW!  For the Channel Crossing!