Families should consider taking the children's travel suitcases to Lille this summer.

According to chairperson of the Association of European Rail Agents Toni Rixson, the French city could prove popular with Britons in 2010 as it is easy to access by train.

She explained that the difference between travelling by plane and using Eurostar is that the latter is a "city to city" service.

"If you're flying you've got to travel [to the airport] and when you arrive, you're there, you're in the centre … which puts an awful amount more onto your journey time," Ms Rixson remarked.

She particularly recommended visiting Lille's beautiful churches and cathedral.

Ms Rixson was commenting in the wake of a survey published by Eurostar, which was carried out following the volcanic ash problems which grounded planes across Europe earlier this month.

Some 84 per cent of Britons would now opt for high speed rail rather than air travel when heading onto the continent, according to the poll.

Posted by Eileen KirkADNFCR-3005-ID-19745971-ADNFCR