creative tours by c-LAB
side quest
4-day train wander through France
“cried on a train unrelated to childhood. WILL do it again.” — future participant
By Train. By chance.
Ethan Hawke got an Oscar nom so the only reasonable thing to do was plan a train side quest across France
Live inside a Before Sunrise like filmic wanderSide Quest is an idyllic group journey through France by train — built around conversation, movement, and the belief that something meaningful happens when you stop optimizing and start noticing.It’s not a tour.
It’s not a retreat.
It’s a structured slow wander.
For anyone, not just lovers.
don't watch a film, be your film
HOW IT WORKS
on SIDE QUESTBoard trains with strangers who become familiar fastPlay conversation and observation games inspired by cinemaCapture moments on your phone (we’ll show you how)Create:Write, sketch, wander, or simply noticeShare wine, coffee, stories, and long conversationsFeel like you stepped into a film — without acting
slightly mad. Carefully planned.
THIS IS FOR YOU IF
- FAILING VALENTINE gifting forever now
- NEED a Galentines adventure.
You love adventure, trains, and long conversations
- You crave connection
- You want to travel France but not alone, community without pressure
- You want structure without control
- You can journal. Sketch. Film. Or just be there, respecting the process others may be participating in.
- No one is forced to create
- **This is not a dating tour though the Before Sunrise film is a romcom. **We will not force you to mingle or pair upBut if you do, we demand full credit for it (just kidding)
nothing planned, everything Perfect
WHAT YOU GET
- Curated 4-day route & guidance
- Daily creative prompts & games
- 2 group dinners
- Small group (max 15 people)
- Time together & time alone
- Budget hotel stays (clean & comfy, not hostels)
- Train tickets
- Guides in English & FrenchNOT INCLUDED
- flights
- luxury hotels, but you can book your own and we remove your stay costs
deadline approaching, 'cos trains are real
inaugural side quest, June 5-8, 2026
4 days, 3 cities, countless storiesParis → Lyon → Avignon → Nice
Ideal for first-time Side Questers; we try hard to keep flow easy on this inaugural tourBalanced pace, lite bondingAll participants board in Paris. We travel together with creative prompts, games, and exploration along the way. The adventure ends in Nice, but you can stay longer if you wishParticipants are responsible for their own travel insurance and highly recommendedPrice
€900 Early Bird/ Deposit €540NOTE: REFUND POLICY IS STRICT DUE TO SUMMER TRAIN TICKET RUSH EARLY MARCH.€1111 Regular PriceEARLY BIRD pricing ends 15 February, 2026
ALL deposits hold your place. Refundable until Feb, 22, 2026. Balance due 30 days before departure. Limited to 15 participantsDEPOSIT & REFUND POLICY AT END OF THIS SITE
deadline approaching, 'cos trains are real
October 16-19 , 2026
4 days, 3 cities, countless storiesParis → Lyon → Avignon → NiceIdeal for first-time Side Questers; we try hard to keep flow easy on this inaugural tourBalanced pace, lite bondingAll participants board in Paris. We travel together with creative prompts, games, and exploration along the way. The adventure ends in Nice, but you can stay longer if you wishParticipants are responsible for their own travel insurance and highly recommended**Price
FULL PRICE: €900
Deposit €300NOTE: REFUND POLICY IS STRICT DUE TO TRAIN TICKET RULES€1000 Regular Price
ALL deposits hold your place. Refundable until Feb, 22, 2026. Balance due 30 days before departure. Limited to 15 participants
Valentine’s Day, but make it inconvenient
THIS IS OUR FIRST SIDE QUEST
This is our first edition.You're helping us build something new. It’s small. Thoughtful. Human.We have made side quests solo across France though and loved them and wanted to extend the joy.We promise you will walk away with a creative tour kit full of stories stickers of your safely but fun side quest.
this started as a joke and became logistics
A Thoughtfully Designed Experience
- Small group
- Clear code of conduct
- Zero tolerance for harassment or abuse
- Group facilitators present throughout, French & English
- Optional exploratory call before booking
- This is designed to feel safe, social, and supportive — especially for solo travelers.
shared dérives through France
Side Quest is part of The Dérive Line
dérive: to drift (French)Side Quest is the public, playful arm our Museum de Alt —
a roaming cultural project exploring cinema, movement, and how people craft culture through our immersion tours.Each year, a different film.
Same structure.
Same belief in wandering and mingling.We are a **tiny team of passionate artists, socio-anth majors, and designers at c-LAB **— a roving creative lab exploring culture, movement, and storytelling beyond traditional cultural institutions like popular museums.The tour is designed and facilitated by Mc (mac), the Programming Director.
This started as a joke and became logistics
Refund & Deposit Policy
Deposits are fully refundable until Feb 22, 2026After buy tickets March 1, deposits are non-refundableRemaining balance is due 1 May, 2026REFUND POLICYJUNE SIDE QUESTCancellation before Feb 22:
Full refund minus €75 admin feeCancellation after Feb 25:
Non-refundable (we're purchasing tickets March 1 based on final count)
Force majeure (rail strike, COVID travel ban): Full refund minus unrecoverable costs (Euro 100-150 per person)
If WE cancel (if we get under 12 participants by Feb 15):
Full refund, no admin feeWHY THE EARLY DEADLINES?We are an indie real world experiential lab with no special deals with French Trains.We purchase all train tickets March 1 to lock in summer prices (summer trains fill up and get expensive fast). And so we sit together as a group.Your FINAL deposit deadline is Feb 22 so we have time to finalize the count and book everyone together as a group.After Feb 22, deposits are non-refundable because, if you cancel, we can't get your ticket money back.OCTOBER SIDE QUESTSame as above and,
Deadline for Deposit: 1 July 2026
Deposits non-fundable: 15 July 2026
side quest train tour
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What if I travel solo?
No worries, we expect solo, duos and trios.2. Why is the deposit 60%?This deposit pricing is only for summer trains rush this inaugural year. In France, summer trains book up early and we need to get seats in one car for the smoothest experience. Early booking by 1 March is safest for this tour.3. What if I don't speak French? Most of us won't. That's part of the adventure. (But we have volunteers who do.)4. Will I be stuck with strangers the whole time?
You'll have tons of free time. Group activities = about 3 hours/day.5. What if I need to cancel?Before Feb 22: Full refund minus €75 admin fee
After Feb 22: Non-refundable
Also, see Deposit & Refund Policy