This is an op-ed – an opinion article.
Although the title sounds as if it might be a little frivolous, even silly, there is a serious aspect to this story namely the creation of a quiet and respectful space in train carriages for all passengers to enjoy. There would appear to be stricter rules and enforcement of those rules in France compared to laissez-faire Britain in this regard.
The story: A woman was travelling on a high-speed train between Vannes in Brittany and Paris with her cat in a carrier. She had paid the fare for both herself and her cat which meowed too much for the other passengers sharing the carriage. They complained and the on-site conductor/guard summarily fined the woman £95 ( 110 euros) because she refused the reasonable suggestion to move to a carriage that was largely empty.
I stress that this would have solved the problem. It was, I would argue, a reasonable way to resolve the problem but the cat’s owner, it is reported, refused to move leading to the fine.
I sounds harsh but in all the circumstances I think it is fair. It does not matter how the disturbance is created. The lesson for other passengers who wish to take their cat on France’s trains is to ensure that their cat is quiet which is an impossibility.
There would seem to be no guaranteed way to take proactive steps to avoid creating a disturbance when travelling with your cat unless you are sure he/she will be quiet through past experiences.
However, as all cat owners realise, cats transported in carriers to strange places will become anxious and meow accordingly. The simple act of placing a cat in a carrier is enough for a cat to complain vocally and persistently.
Domestic cats are often poor travellers in carriers as they are taken out of their comfort zone; their familiar surroundings. This grates against their territorial instincts. They like to be inside their established place.
Camille, the cat’s owner was travelling with her boyfriend, Pierre. Her cat is Monet who meowed a bit at the start according to Camille. She said that “after a passenger complained, the conductor came and fined us €110.”
She was very annoyed as you can expect. I would suggest that she contributed to the problem but she added: “It’s a shame that the SNCF allows itself to fine people who are simply travelling with their animals and who are respecting all the rules.”
A ticket for a cat on SNCF is seven euros.
The rules on France’s trains regarding disturbance:
Passengers on France’s high-speed trains (TGVs) can be fined if their behavior is assessed as disturbing other passengers. This applies to various nuisances, including the use of “sound devices or instruments” or causing disturbances through “noise” in public transport spaces.
This regulation is based on Article R2241-18 of the French Transport Code.
For example, a man was fined €200 in February 2025 for using his phone on loudspeaker in a train station waiting area. While using a phone on loudspeaker is not illegal in France, causing a disturbance on public transport through excessive noise or other means is considered a violation.
Here’s a summary of the key points:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Basis | Article R2241-18 of the French Transport Code prohibits using “sound devices or instruments” or disturbing “the peace of others by noise or disturbances” in public transport spaces. |
| Application | These rules apply on mainland train services run by SNCF (the national rail operator). |
| Examples | Examples of disruptive behavior include using phones on loudspeaker, playing music without headphones, or engaging in loud conversations that disturb other passengers. |
| Fines | Conductors or security personnel can issue fines for these disturbances. The initial fine can increase if not paid immediately. |
| Appealing Fines | Passengers who believe they have been wrongly fined can appeal the decision. If a fine is not paid within three months, it can be passed to the public prosecutor, leading to potential additional fines and even legal action. |
Note: While there are no specific laws in France banning phone usage on loudspeaker in public places, passengers can be asked to stop using them and can be fined if they don’t comply with the request. This also applies to other types of disruptive behavior. Source: Google Gemini.
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