Le Train Bleu | A Global Legend

This week I am reading The Mystery of the Blue Train (which I claimed because I love the movie version, in spite of Monica and Ross's dad from Friends doing a ridiculous impression of a rich American, and in spite of the fact that Agatha apparently hated this one), so I was moved to see if Le Train Bleu, or the Calais-Mediterranee Express, was still running the route from Calais to the glamorous French Riviera #vacay #lifestylesoftherichandfamous.

Some of the fabulous night trains upon which Agatha sets her stories are still running their routes [more on those in later posts!], but this one does not appear to be. However, in searching for information about Le Train Bleu, I found that there are a few interesting stories keeping the legend of the famous transport alive. A couple of my favorites:

• Beating the Blue Train This story from Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car magazine tells the tales of two different racing drivers who undertook the mission of racing the famous Blue Train either from Calais to its glamorous destination, a 750 mile journey, or on the return trip (in a Rover in 1928 and a Bentley in 1930). The drivers braved thick fog, off-road mishaps, and interrupted cocktail hours (quelle horreur!) to successfully beat the train.

• Secret Manhattan eatery Le Train Bleu Manhattan's well-known Bloomingdale's flagship store is home to a much less widely known eatery, Le Train Bleu. A hidden sign in the housewares department and a winding path down a narrow hallway lead to a replica train car, decorated in period style and replete with French cafe music and white table cloths. If any of you make a trip to NYC any time soon, follow the tips in the linked Business Insider article to find this hidden gem! Agatha certainly would. 

Photo from another story from inhabitat.com about the restaurant with lots of images, found here

Stay tuned for an upcoming post about Agatha's contribution to the historic myth of the glamorous Blue Train later this week! 

-E.