Fellows traveling to le Moulin à Nef are responsible for their own transportation to France. All residencies at le Moulin à Nef begin on a Monday and end on a Thursday; VCCA staff are available to assist with shuttle pickups and drop-offs from the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) and nearby train stations only on Mondays and Thursdays during set hours.
Information regarding transportation around Auvillar can be found in the Fellows Handbook.
Please Note: A new Entry/Exit System (EES) will be implemented in France starting October 12, 2025.
New Travel Requirements - EES & ETIAS
France will start a gradual rollout of its new Entry/Exit System (EES) on October 12, 2025. It is likely to cause delays in the beginning.
All travelers without an EU passport or a long-stay visa entering France for a short stay (90 days or fewer) will be photographed, right hand fingerprinted, and asked to answer a short list of informational questions (name, entry and exit points, arrival and departure dates, etc.). You don’t have to do anything before your trip, as there will be kiosks at the airports. Your data will be stored for three years, after which you will have to do it again.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be a pre-screening system that you will have to do before you fly, but it won’t be starting until at least the last part of 2026.
Both of these systems apply to countries in the Schengen group (a system of open borders that encompass 29 European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their common borders).
American, British, Canadian, and other non-EU citizens with a French residency permit or carte de séjour will be exempt from the EES system. This applies when you enter or exit the Schengen Area via France or any other Schengen Area country. It’s not quite clear yet how this will work in practice, but it is likely that you will be able to use the in-person passport control desks and simply present your residency card as is already the procedure. More details on this will likely be released closer to the time.
Follow this official link for more information: https://www.immigration.
Pickup and Drop-Off Arrangements
All residencies at le Moulin à Nef begin on a Monday and end on a Thursday; VCCA staff are available to assist with shuttle pickups and drop-offs from the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) and nearby train stations only on Mondays and Thursdays during set hours and for an associated shuttle fee.
To ensure pickup/drop-off arrangements during designated VCCA shuttle hours, we require that your travel details be submitted to Géraldine Chevallier no less than three weeks prior to your requested shuttle date.
Shuttle Locations & Fees
🚂 Valence d’Agen train station: 12€ /trip
🚂 Agen train station: 45€ /trip
🚂 Montauban train station: 60€ /trip
✈️ Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS): 110€ /trip
Please note that we do not provide shuttles to/from Toulouse city center; it is easy to get to Auvillar by train from the city center.
Monday Pickups
VCCA staff can arrange pickup times between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Mondays from the above locations for the associated fee.
Thursday Drop-offs
✈️ For Fellows departing by air (Toulouse-Blagnac Airport), VCCA staff can depart Auvillar between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. for pre-arranged drop-offs.
🚂 For Fellows departing by train from Valence d’Agen, VCCA staff can depart Auvillar between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. for pre-arranged drop-offs.
🚂 For Fellows departing by train from Agen or Montauban, VCCA staff can depart Auvillar between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. for pre-arranged drop-offs.
It is sometimes possible to share a shuttle if there are other Fellows traveling on the same day.
Possible travel scenario examples: An arriving Fellow flies in late on Sunday to be able to train to Valance d’Agen early on Monday, or a departing Fellow gets dropped off at the airport on Thursday so they can spend the night and fly out on Friday.
If you have questions please be in touch with Géraldine Chevallier for assistance.
By Train
Although the French rail system can seem daunting, a website on how to use the SNCF clearly explains the process. You may purchase tickets online via the official site for train ticketing in France. There is also an app, “SNCF Connect: Trains & Trips,” available for your smartphone. If you have trouble using your credit card on the official site you can use Trainline, which has a good English site and charges the same prices as SNCF.
From other countries, you may be directed automatically to a RailEurope site. With RailEurope, you can opt to have tickets mailed to you or call them for help in understanding the process. However, they add surcharges and don’t always offer all options.
There is a shuttle between the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) and the Toulouse-Matabiau train station. The Tisséo website and app “Tisséo: Metro, Tram, Bus” will be helpful if you decide to use the tram or metro or if you will be staying in Toulouse for a few days before or after your residency.
From Gare Matabiau you can take a train directly to Valence d’Agen. Current prices and information are available on the SNCF site and Trainline.
With advance notice*, we can arrange a VCCA shuttle between Auvillar and the destinations listed below. This service is available only on Mondays and Thursdays between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. with the following fees per trip:
- Montauban train station: 60€ /trip
- Agen train station: 45€ /trip
- Valence d’Agen train station: 12€ /trip
We encourage you to consider booking a hotel stay near your train station if your arrival or departure time is outside of VCCA’s Monday and Thursday shuttle service hours.
Please consider that smaller train stations do not have elevators. You may need to transport your luggage up and down flights of stairs. You must be able to handle your own luggage.
* Information about your arrival and departure is required no less than three weeks prior.
By Air
The closest international airport to Auvillar is the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS).
With advance notice*, we can arrange a VCCA shuttle between Auvillar and the Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS). This service is available only on Mondays and Thursdays between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. with the following fee per trip:
- Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS): 110€ /trip
We encourage you to consider booking a hotel stay if your flight arrival or departure time is outside of VCCA’s Monday and Thursday shuttle service hours. There is a hotel in the airport, as well as several hotels near the airport in Toulouse that offer airport shuttles.
Please note that we do not provide shuttles to/from Toulouse city center. It is easy to get to Auvillar by train from the city center.
* Information about your arrival and departure is required no less than three weeks prior.
By Car
Le Moulin à Nef in Auvillar, France, is near Exit 8 from the A62 autoroute about 60 miles (91 km) west of Toulouse and about 100 miles (166 km) east of Bordeaux. The Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS) is 55 minutes away in non-rush hour times. Autoroutes have tolls and it is best to have cash on hand in euros, as U.S. credit cards are not always accepted and there is rarely a manned booth. When approaching the toll, follow the cash sign to go through the booth for cash payment (see picture below).
For information about rental car options, see the Fellows Handbook.
Car Services
If you plan to arrive outside of the VCCA shuttle hours you can look into booking transportation with the following companies:
- NAVECO
nav-eco.fr/en
- LUXURY VTC
luxury.vtc31@gmail.com
+33 783 768 975
Driver Garanian provides reliable transportation to and from Toulouse. He speaks English and is very helpful.
Maps
A map of le Moulin à Nef property and related structures in Auvillar is available in the Fellows Handbook.