Books can be stirring, moving or funny, but they really come alive when they are read aloud. Find out for yourself with the SNCF webcast, for books you'll never forget.

What could be better than enjoying a good book during your train journey? Well… possibly having it read to you by professional narrators! Yes, you can now have your book read to you by actors … completely free of charge! True to its role as a trailblazer, in June 2006 the SNCF created the first literary podcast in France, in partnership with the publisher Nouveau Monde.

Since then, at http://podcast-litteraire.sncf.com/ (new window) the company has continued to offer excerpts from recently published books read aloud by actors (in French).

You are free to listen to these excerpts directly on the SNCF website or to download them in MP3 format to your PC or your MP3 player (whatever the make), and enjoy them wherever you like.
Each month you'll find five new excerpts at the link above: novels, essays or even comics in French, published by a number of major groups or small publishers.

Additionally, parents will find two full stories for children, a foolproof recipe for making train journeys with your kids a whole lot easier!