From this week, passengers who book by internet on certain long-distance French trains can arrange to sit next to other passengers with similar interests.

The online booking site for these special trains – idtgv.com – will now have a sister site – idtgvandco.com that enables you to browse through the interests and offers of fellow passengers. Travellers are invited to fill in a questionnaire, with information such as the last film you watched, your best quality, your job, your favourite food etc.

The French national railway system stipulates that there must be no lonely hearts or erotic proposals. There will even be a manned chaperone to weed out suspected lonely hearts. Pfft I say! Everyone should get to fall in love on a train in France at least once.

Boring travellers who wish to spend the entire journey in privacy will have specially set aside “silent” areas in the “internet TGVs” so they aren’t forced to eavesdrop.