If you took into account all potential stops along the longest intercity line connecting the different regions of Paris, it could take you about as long to get to your destination within Paris as it does to get from Rennes to Paris!
The SNCF is a source of pride for the French. Working for the SNCF as an engineer has generally been a stable, respected and even prestigious job (although there are still frequently strikes). The TGV train became a national symbol of pride when it was introduced in the 1980s, and even forty years later Emmanuel Macron (the current French President) touted it une fierté historique et d’avenir (a historical and future pride).
