there are TGV trains that lead us to the other side of the country in a few hours. And there are these trains of another era, which interfere in the far corners of our regions in spitting a plume of steam. Take place on board a diesel train or a wagon of wood, it is also go back in time and relive the golden age of the railway. Restored and operated by associations of fans of the rail, these trains are today for a single tourist use. For not rushing it and machines sometimes hundreds of years old, the speed rarely exceeds 30 km/h. The time to enjoy the scenery of the sea or mountain.
France 1 200 km of railway tracks destined for tourist use, according to the Union of the operators of tourist railways and museums to nature rail (Unecto), and each year the hundred networks were recorded generates 2 million visits. The Figaro has selected a tourist train to discover in every region of metropolitan France.
[in view of the health situation, the operators of tourist trains provide for a reopening sometime in June. Check before you schedule your activity. The number of seats on trains can be reduced to allow for the separation physical. Therefore, it is preferable to book in advance.]
read also : summer Holidays 2020 : the guide to the Figaro Journey to reside in France Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes : the Tramway du Mont-Blanc The “TMB” ends its run at the Eagle’s Nest (2372 m above sea level), the main starting point of the ascent of Mont-Blanc. OT Chamonix
It is a train that is well known to hikers and mountaineers. Thanks to its rack-and-pinion, the tramway du Mont-Blanc (or “TMB”) easily crosses the height difference between the station of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains – Le Fayet (580 m altitude) and the Nid d’aigle (2372 m, Haute-Savoie), the main starting point of the ascent of the highest summit of Europe. The line, long 11 km, is managed by the Compagnie du Mont-Blanc, which also operates the railway of the Montenvers and the ski lifts in the Mont-Blanc massif.
The Tramway du Mont-Blanc. Access : SNCF train station of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet. Price : 39 € round-trip-Le Fayet-Nid d’aigle per adult, 33,20 € per child from 5 to 14 years of age and senior ; access included in the Mont-Blanc Multipass.
read also : Savoie-mont Blanc : our 10 most beautiful hikes in altitudeBourgogne-Franche-Comté : the Coni’ferLe Coni’iron circulates on a stretch of 8 km of the old line from Pontarlier to Vallorbe, in the forests of the Haut-Doubs. Jean-Claude Lengacher
the old line of the swiss-French Pontarlier-Vallorbe (27 km), it remains only a stretch of 8 km, still in activity. It is the distance travelled by the Coni’Iron between Hospital-New (single departure at 15h) and the Fountain-Round (Doubs), in the Massif of the Jura. The ride is assured by steam train the summer and diesel train in winter. The association offers an authentic dining car of the Orient-Express Simplon in which it is possible to dine throughout the year.
The Coni’iron. Access : railway station Hospital-New. Tel. : 03 81 49 10 10. Rates : 10 € per adult, 5 € per child from 6 to 16 years.
Britain : the Steam Trieux
It is a locomotive centenary survivor of two world Wars, who walks the passengers from Paimpol to Pontrieux, Côtes-d’armor). During the trip of 1 hour 20 minutes (35 minutes trip), the passengers can visit several monuments : the castle of la Roche Jagu, the suspension bridge of Lezardrieux and the bridge of Frynaudour, designed by Gustave Eiffel. A walk along the estuary of the Trieux, commented by hostesses in period clothing.
The Vapor of Trieux. Access : railway station of Paimpol. Tel. : 02 96 20 52 06. Price : 23 € round-trip per adult, 13 euros per child from 4 to 13 years, 62€ family package (two adults, two children).
Corsica : the Balagne The line of the Balagne links Calvi to l’ile Rousse along the coast. jean-philippe delisle – stock.adobe.com
“Tramway de Balagne”, “shuttle to the beaches” or “trinichellu” (the “little train” in corsica)… so Many nicknames that define the rail line, which connects in 40 minutes Calvi and Ile Rousse (Haute-Corse). Up to six times per day in each direction, the railcars of the Railways of Corsica, and stop at few meters from the beaches and campsites. In the railway station of l’ile Rousse, train continue in the direction of the principal cities of the island of Beauty, including Ajaccio, Bastia and Corte.
Chemins de fer de la Corse. Access : train station of Calvi and Ile Rousse. Tel. : 04 95 32 80 57. Price:€ 6 one-way between Calvi and Ile Rousse.
read also : Lifting of restrictions on flights: relieved, Corsica declares the summer season ouverteCentre-Val de Loire : the Train of the valley of the LoirLe Train of the valley of the Loir realizes a route of 36 miles (round-trip) in 2 hours 45 minutes. ADT41
It is on board a rail-car of the 1950s, throughout the 18 kilometres that connect thethoré river-La-Rochette in the troglodyte village of Trôo (Loir-et-Cher). The trip, visits, lasts 2 hours 45 minutes round-trip. The train that moves at 30 km/h makes a stop at the top of the high-speed line Atlantic, in the exact place where the speed record of 515,3 km/h was achieved on 18 may 1990.
the tourist Train of the Valley of the Loir. Access : railway station thethoré river-la-Rochette. Tel. : 02 54 72 95 03. Price : 14€ round-trip for adults, 8,50€ per child from 5 to 16 years.
read also : Where do the vélorail in your area ?Great Is : the forest railway of Abreschviller
Until 1939, the logging railroads of Abreschviller (Moselle) accumulating 73 miles of track. It was one of the largest railway systems forest in Europe. Since 1969, only a section of 6.1 km is still owned and operated by tourist trains. Led by a steam locomotive dating back to 1906, the convoy’s advance to 15 km/h in the valley of the Sarre rouge. At the terminus of the Great Soldier, while the locomotive refuels in water, the passengers are invited to visit a sawmill at haut-fer. Provide 1h30 round trip of 12 km.
Chemin de fer forestier d Abreschviller. Access : 2 place Norbert Provost, 57560 Abreschviller. Tel. : 03 87 03 71 45. Rate : 13,50€ round-trip per adult,€ 10 per child.
Hauts-de-France : the railway of the bay of SommeCréé in 1887, the railway of the Somme Bay now serves four stations on a route of 27 km. Olivier Leclercq
This is the best way to make the tour of the bay of the Somme without getting tired. The old network of the sea baths of the Somme, created in 1887, now serves the seaside resorts of Cayeux-sur-Mer, Saint-Valery-sur-Somme and Le Crotoy, at the start of the SNCF train station of Noyelles-sur-Mer (Somme). A route of 27 km through fields, salt marshes and salt meadows.
Chemin de fer de la Baie de Somme. Access : SNCF train station of Noyelles-sur-Mer. Tel. : 03 22 26 96 96. Price : 15€ round-trip for an adult, 46,50€ family package (two adults, two children ages 4 years to 16 years).
read also : From the bay of the Somme to the Vosges mountains, these places near us where we would like to be ressourcerÎle-de-France : the steam train of LonguevilleLe living Museum of the railway is located in the former train depot in Longueville. Provins Tourism
one hour (by train) in Paris, the living Museum of the chemin de fer de Longueville (Seine-et-Marne) will appeal to lovers of old locomotives. Open all year round, it occupies a former train depot which the rotunda of wood created in 1911 is listed as a historical Monument. The association that manages the place, the Ajecta, also run a few days per year steam trains on the network STATION. During the “days of vapors” (the next are scheduled on 19 and 20 September), trips are organized between Longueville and Villiers-Saint-Georges, along the same lines as the Transilien up to Provins.
Ajecta, living museum of the railway. Access : railway station of Longueville. Tel. : 01 64 08 60 62. Price : 4€ per adult, 2€ per child from 6 to 11 years for the museum ; rates 2020 not disclosed to the days of steam.
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Window, furniture, advertising signs… Into the station of Pacy-sur-Eure (Eure), the decoration reminiscent of the fifties. As if everything had remained frozen since the closure of commercial line that once connected Orleans to Rouen. Since 1993, the station serves the starting point of two circuits : one to Breuilpont, the other towards Cocherel.
railway of the Valley of the Eure. Access : railway station of Pacy-sur-Eure. Tel. : 02 32 36 04 63. Price : 10 € round-trip per adult, 7 € per child (4 to 15 years), 28 € for a family pass (two adults, two children).
New-Aquitaine : the train of Rhune
It was beautiful, dating from 1924, the train of Rhune does not lack force. The wooden cars to electric traction are 35 minutes to climb the mountain of the same name (905 m) from the col de Saint-Ignace (179 m), 10 km of Saint-Jean-de-Luz (Pyrénées-Atlantiques). At the summit, the panorama stretches from the atlantic coast to the Pyrenees. Once back on land, travelers will be able to continue their ride in the back of the basque country in the direction of the prehistoric caves of Sare.
Train de la Rhune. Access : col de Saint-Ignace, 64310 Sare. Tel. : 05 59 54 20 26. Price : 19,50€ round-trip per adult,€ 12.50 per child (4 to 12 years), 59€ family package (two adults, two children).
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A trip of 40 minutes at full steam through the national Park of the Cevennes. Operated from 1909 to 1971 for the carriage of passengers and goods, the line that connects Anduze and Saint-Jean-du-Gard (Gard) is, since 1982, the playground of the steam Train of the Cevennes. A dozen tunnels and viaducts along the 13 km ride through landscapes of garrigues. Along the way, travelers can make a stop of two hours at the Bamboo, an exotic garden where coexist 240 varieties of bamboo, waiting for the next train.
steam Train of the Cevennes. Access : railway station of Anduze and Saint-Jean-du-Gard. Tel. : 04 66 60 59 00. Price : 16,50€ round-trip per adult, 11,50€ per child from 4 to 12 years.
read also : the Cevennes mountains in wonders pays de la Loire: chemin de fer de la Vendée The chemin de fer de la Vendée crosses three viaducts during his career of 22 km, including Coutigny. CFV
ten kilometers from Cholet and the Puy du Fou, it is a line that crept between the hills of Vendée. To navigate through this rugged terrain, the steam train can count on a number of important works of art back and forth between Mortagne-sur-Sèvre et Les Herbiers (Vendée) has a duration of 2h30. A train-restaurant, composed of two authentic cars of the Compagnie internationale des wagons-lits done the same trip several afternoons per week.
Chemin de fer de la Vendée. Access : railway station of Mortagne-sur-Sèvre. Tel. : 02 51 63 02 01. Price : 18€ per adult, 11€ per child,€ 60 for a family pass (two adults, three children aged 5 to 13 years).
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The Provence verte view of the rail. From April to October, the train touristique du Centre-Var iterates by 1: 30 the old military line between Brignoles and Cardoules (Var). In addition to the regular trains, the Association of the tourist train of Central Var (ATTCV) organizes several times a year trips to the Alps and Provence, always at the edge of the “Caravelle”.
Train touristique du Centre-Var. Access : train station of Brignoles, Cardoules the Plane or Ste-Anastasie. Tel. : 06 07 98 03 09. Tariff : 11€ per adult, 6€ per child from 4 to 11 years.
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