Amid the distractions of Donald Trump and Davos, France’s state-owned railway operator decided last week was the opportune time to slip out some news. Welcome to ‘Optimum’, the new and exclusive area of the train where kids are not welcome. Business people and misopedists travelling to and from Paris on the weekday high-speed TGV services will no longer have to tolerate the under-12s.

The operator, SNCF, justified its ban on children by stating it would enhance the travelling experience of those who cherish ‘exclusive comfort in a fully dedicated first-class carriage, with seating arrangements designed to preserve your privacy, for a calm journey, ideal for working or relaxing’. And to ensure that little Gallic brats don’t stray into this haven to shatter this calm, even briefly, it will be ‘located at the end of the train to prevent other passengers from walking through the Optimum-dedicated area.’

But if SNCF hoped this innovation would pass without remark, they were mistaken. In a rare moment of political unity in France, MPs from all parties expressed their outrage at the ban on children. Sarah........

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