Performance in France: From appraisal methodologies to ex-post evaluation

The purpose of this paper is to set out the reasons for this success and, in particular, the propitious environment in which it was achieved: an environment which certainly does not prevail today. Having had the political courage to launch the first high-speed line in Europe, France will no doubt soon have to summon the courage to say that its LGV network is almost complete. However, this will be a difficult decision to take because France nurtures a kind of 'TGV mania' whereby all the regions and most of the large conurbations feel that they must have a high-speed train (TGV) service. The development of high-speed rail in France is a practical experience which has many lessons to offer in terms of the relevance of high-speed rail travel.