Des volcans d’Auvergne aux rivages bleus : un voyage ferroviaire légendaire – MG

Des volcans d’Auvergne aux rivages bleus : un voyage ferroviaire légendaire – MG

Today, traveling
by train is a formality. THANKS. But far from speed records,
there is another way to escape on the rails of France. On board venerable steam engines
steeped in history or more contemporary regional trains,
let’s explore these exceptional lines that have written
the legend of the railway in our time. Taking the train in the 21st century
has a hint of adventure. We embark on a
cinemascope journey aboard legendary machines. Hello, the tickets, please.
THANKS. The scenery is never the same. You can spend the whole journey
at the window without getting bored, no problem. It’s magnificent. Through the train windows,
we admire the panoramas from the Massif Central to the
shores of the Mediterranean. There it is, the sunrise
over the Côte Bleue. A marvel. On four spectacular railway lines
, we will access vast
wildernesses shaped by rivers. In the shoes of an explorer,
we will embark on an expedition to the center of the Earth. We will stop over with those
who live in harmony with nature. We will be speeding along viaducts
whose construction is a true challenge to gravity. At the pace of the train, we will meet
those who inhabit the valleys. And we will delve into history,
following in the footsteps of the railway pioneers. Extraction. Over 160 kilometers,
we are about to experience a thrilling adventure within easy reach by train. Our journey begins in the foothills
of the Massif Central, in Auvergne. The
village of Langeac is the starting point of a legendary line: the
Allier Gorges train. It only runs six times a year. Everyone in the car. Those lucky enough to embark on board
will discover one of the most spectacular routes in France. Ultimately, may this journey take place
under the best possible conditions. Right in the heart of the Gorges,
the railway line would pass as close as possible to the river. The train travels through landscapes
shaped by water and volcanoes. Good morning. Hello, hello. Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. Good morning. A volunteer on the line for ten years,
Henri takes his role as train conductor very seriously. And when he talks about it,
it’s always with enthusiasm. We end up with places
where only the train can pass. Only the railway line was built,
which gives this train magnificent views. The train travels through
wild and inaccessible areas. It is nicknamed the train at the end of the world. Thanks to its construction 150 years ago,
the region will gradually develop. You can see the remains of walls on top of a rock
. These are the remains
of rock castles. I would like to remind you that rock castles
were not intended to be inhabited.
The lords used to post scales there. And for Louis, the train’s entertainer,
she has plenty going for her today. Upon exiting the next tunnel,
you will have an unobstructed view of the river. One of the starting points for
canoeing or kayaking trips, which remains an excellent way to discover
the Gorges de l’Allier and its treasures. On the banks of the Allier, men
built hilltop villages. Chilak’s is one of the gems. At his feet, we find Jérémie. This local boy knows the history
of this town, built in the Middle Ages, very well. We have Chiac, on the right there,
which is a medieval village perched on a volcanic flow. And what’s interesting
is that we can see that the river has worked, in fact,
the lava flow and that it has formed organ pipes, in fact, all around the perimeter
of the flow, lava organ pipes. And that’s quite
characteristic of the region. They can be found
in almost all the gorges of the city. In
the Gorges, for about a hundred kilometers,
the river becomes wilder. A few more twists and turns later,
Jeremy arrives at the village of Avoucci-Lac. Here, men have shown
ingenuity in adapting to the constraints of the river. You can see that the houses were built
very high up because the floods here can be quite violent. So, all the houses,
all the living rooms are 10, or even 15 meters high. And we can clearly see that the men
really tried to work with the topography of the place,
to use the river, but also to work with it to build their houses. The topography of the Allier Gorges is exceptional in more ways than one. It was in these rugged landscapes,
clinging to the side of the cliff, that the oldest
railway in central France was built. That we are going to go through. Between these two tunnels,
you will be able to see a stone embankment. A perré is an arcaded wall containing
the lateral walls of the Gorges. During the construction of the line,
workers often faced landslides and
rockfalls. That is why these
retaining walls were built. Along the route we are taking,
49 sectors are equipped with stone walls whose sizes vary from 5
meters to 25 meters high. The history of
the line’s construction in the 19th century is a challenge. The goal is to connect Paris to Nîmes by passing
through one of the most inhospitable regions of France. More than 6,000 men will be needed
to complete the project. It is one of the most
important achievements of the Second Empire. What impresses me about this trip
is imagining that 150 years ago, workers from Piedmont
and distant regions did an absolutely monumental job
under very difficult conditions. Moreover, one can see on the side
of the road small cottages which provided
these workers with comfortable accommodation during their workday. The train passes through a series
of tunnels, 51 in total. A remarkable feat when you consider that a tunnel is
dug at a rate of 25 cm per day. Among the viaducts that span
the river, the most impressive is that of Chapeau de Chaperou,
with its 28 granite arches and its 433 meters in length. During a technical stop at Chaperou station, observant travelers
may spot fly fishermen on the river. The waters of the Allier are among the
purest and most abundant in fish in France. On the river, we meet François,
a lover of the Allier. Beautiful river.
We have beautiful water. Look.
It’s fresh, it’s clear. And here, we are in a suitable area for
everything related to grayling and trout. And we even have the presence of salmon. François and his friends are fly fishing. An aesthetic and majestic activity
which, beyond the spectacle it offers, requires real expertise. The movement is precise and leaves
little room for chance. The idea is to imitate an insect that flies
on the surface of the water and then lands on the water. All the insects we see
on the river are larvae that are hatching. Next, the fly walks above
the water, then it comes to lay its eggs on the surface of the water. And it is when she comes to lay her
eggs on the surface of the water that the fish come to capture them. François practices catch and release fishing. He immediately releases
the fish he has hooked. For him, fly fishing is a way
of life that allows him to feel in harmony with nature. I am 56 years old, I have been fishing
since I was 5 years old. When I’m fishing, I’m happy. When you’re fishing, you forget
all the little miseries of life. Everyone in the car. Along the river, the train continues
towards Angogne, without a terminus. We find Louis, our guide, there. I take notes all the time
because nature is constantly changing and from one time to the next, so
there are things that change, there are points of view that change,
ways of seeing them. The scenery is never the same. That’s already a difference between
the outbound and return journeys. The light is not the same. So there are almost three hours
between the two passages. So, one shot of lighting comes
clearly from the east, another from the west, and the views are completely different. You can spend the whole time,
the whole journey, at the window without getting bored, without any problem. This first journey on the trains
of Auvergne is coming to an end. Those who wish to do so can follow
Louis’ advice and take the train back in the other direction
to its starting point. Others,
lovers of vintage trains, will have to go a few kilometers
further, beyond the mountains and forests. We now set off to meet
those who are bringing forgotten machines back to life in an original workshop. Olivier and Pierre restore
museum pieces from the 1950s to put them back into circulation. In 1986, they put back on the tracks
a unique train, a little gem of railway heritage, the panoramic railcar
built by Renault in 1959. It is the only one
still in service today. I love the railway environment,
I love taking care of the equipment. So there you have it, I’m trying to preserve
a little bit of this heritage that we all have. We’re all trying. We do what we can, but that’s it. Of course, when you’ve spent days
on it, you’re happy when it works. This morning, Nicolas is in charge
of starting the panoramic camera the old-fashioned way. A few turns of the crank later, the diesel engine purrs. They’re off. We embark on a 1 hour 20 minute journey
to discover the mountain landscapes of Livradou to Forez, whose peaks
reach an altitude of 1,600 meters. Nicolas took the controls
of his railcar. In the city,
he is a mathematics teacher, but his passion is trains. He spends all his holidays
aboard these machines. So, I learned by driving with
older people, volunteers who were already driving here. And then, with a little bit
of experience, you get going. We can go on our own. The journey I will give you a
number of explanations, whether it be about the history of this
railway or about what there is to do and see in this territory. The double-decker compartment offers a
360-degree panoramic view of the countryside rushing by at 30 km/h. This bocage landscape is at the heart of a
classified natural park of 320,000 hectares. Surrounded by the mountains of L’Ivraadois
and Forez, the meadows and woods that can be seen from the train
are a paradise of biodiversity. So we can also see on the left,
since this is the town centre, the rather imposing bell tower of the church
of Marsac, in l’Ivraie-d’Oie. Is everything going well, ladies and gentlemen?
Alright. Alright ? You like the scenery, you’re
almost what you wanted to do, yeah. Eh ? Be careful. Lower your head. We go through a tunnel. It’s beautiful. So here is the Arlan plain and just
above it, there you go, that’s the Forez element. In the heart of the plain,
the village of Arlan reveals its architectural treasures. Just a few minutes from the city centre,
you can discover the castle of Mons. It’s one of the most beautiful in the region. Its history is
over ten centuries old. The building, whose foundations date back
to the feudal era, was transformed on numerous occasions. Philippe and Catherine
bought it in 2005. Becoming castle owners had been their
dream for over 40 years. We discovered the castle on the
Internet; we weren’t at all decided. However, when we arrived,
20 minutes later, we told the owner that we
were taking this castle because we liked it very much. At one point we dreamed
of having a beautiful Provençal country house. And then, finally, this is where
love at first sight happened. What appealed to Philippe and Catherine
was the Italian-inspired Renaissance architecture. With its imposing stone staircase,
the Château de Mons is in fact a copy of a Medici villa that can
still be found in Tuscany today. Well, here, the owner
wanted to have a Florentine villa. Well, he took that
logic to its logical conclusion. He created this immense hall with a ceiling height of 75
square meters, 10 meters from the floor. Let me tell you, it needs
heating in winter. At the top of the stairs,
a huge trompe-l’œil also recalls the style of
17th-century Florentine villas. Philippe and Catherine
had to be content with guessing at the story for a long time, as they carried out their
restoration work, until they discovered a manuscript
dated 1738 at a Parisian bookseller’s. This book recounts the entire history
of the castle in minute detail. We often find ourselves imagining
concretely how the nobles lived here, or in the Middle Ages, or in the 18th century. Philippe has turned his castle into a showcase
to house a treasure that he is determined to share with us. He owns the largest
private French collection of prints. He has hung hundreds of them on his
walls, the oldest of which date back to the Middle Ages. Philippe is a passionate and enlightened individual. He knows every last
secret of his engravings in detail. Here we have this one, which is very well known,
which shows this woman crying with stars. It is France that weeps
because the king has been arrested. Beneath a leap, the mourner, she weeps. Stopped by this beast here,
which breathes fire, it is a dragon that represents the revolution. And in reality, what does this print
represent? Here she represents in white King
Louis XVI, who is depicted, his wife with her hair,
which can be clearly seen here, who is also in profile, of course,
and three children who are in the tree. You don’t see them at first glance, you only
realize it afterwards. For me, the print can be read because it
appeared at a time when people did not know how to read. In my opinion, the equivalent of what
happened in the 14th century, the birth of printmaking in Europe,
well now, the equivalent is the Internet. We are returning to Arlandes station. So, ladies and gentlemen,
we’ll start in the Arlande. Where the train picks up
the last passengers. We are in real estate.
Yes. Gradually, we leave the
plains behind to cross through forests of fir and beech trees. Our ascent of the
Forez mountains has begun. Our journey through the
Forez mountains has begun. Our journey takes us to the end of the 19th
century, when Charles Frécinet, Minister of Public Works,
wanted to develop the French railway. It was planned that each sub-prefecture
in France would be served by the railways. And that’s how this
line was built. It was used for the transport of passengers
and also for the transport of goods, particularly here,
for the transport of timber, since there were up to 1,200 wagons
of timber per year that passed through. The Forez mountains are therefore rich
in natural resources. Here, Forez and Rivière
share the territory. This abundance of water then allowed
the region to establish itself as the cradle of papermaking in France. From this golden age, today
only one paper mill remains, that of Richard de Bas, and the last one
in Auvergne still in operation. Nestled 5 km west of the line,
the postcard-like building dates from the 15th century. Flowers are grown in these terraced gardens
. They will be used to decorate the paper
made within these walls for almost seven hundred years. The technique is unique. To obtain the paste,
old recycled rags are used. They are crushed by mallets,
powered by water. A manufacturing secret whose
inner workings Michel knows intimately. There, as you can see,
it’s exactly the same techniques of “which is very
old-fashioned,” which is very old-fashioned. This is truly work that dates back to the
14th century. It’s really old-fashioned work. The more liquid the pulp,
the thinner the paper and the more difficult it is to make
and lay down the sheet. Yes, it’s a real skill,
it can’t be learned overnight. Over time, the papermakers of the mill
have turned their manufacturing technique into an art form in its own right. It was on his paper that
the only copy of the Constitution of the Fifth Republic was printed. Today, the mill produces 200
exceptional sheets per day, prized by publishers and artists
like Picasso or Dali in the past. Launched to conquer the peaks,
the panoramic railcar travels the last few kilometers of the line. He crosses one of the viaducts built
by Paul Sejournet at the beginning of the century. Nicknamed the Eiffel of Railway Bridges,
the engineer participated in the construction of most of the
mountain lines in France. But this
exceptional heritage is under threat. So Nicolas does everything he can
to prevent it from disappearing. For 30 years, we have been fighting
to keep the line alive. The trains need maintenance, and
volunteers and enthusiasts need to be found. It’s really very engaging,
but also very, very exciting. Nicolas is on the verge of succeeding in his bet. Each year, he takes
15,000 people on board his train. And his greatest satisfaction
is seeing the smiles of the passengers when they discover
the abbey church of Chaises-Dieu. Nestled on its granite promontory,
this 14th-century masterpiece is the highlight of our second stop. We are now leaving the
Auvergne mountains and heading towards the Cévennes. Our odyssey takes us
to Saint-Jean-du-Gard, a small southern town that stretches along the Gardon river. Recognizable by its white temple, the
city was a major center of Protestantism. Today it is known as
the starting point for one of the most scenic train journeys
in this region of France. This is the Cévennes steam train. On board, Arthur will reveal
the secrets of this old iron lady. It’s quite cramped. And sometimes it happens that at the beginning,
when we haven’t experienced it, we feel a sense of anxiety inside. In the worst-case scenario, one might faint. There, we have to be pushing it to
around 40, 45 degrees. It looks a little bit like a barbecue,
but with the water I use, it’s more like
a barbecue smoker. So, there is a
free sonave every morning. Okay, so now
I’m going to put the wood in. So, the wood
is made from old railway sleepers, so it weighs a certain amount. This is the last one. So. Every day, the same
ritual begins again. It will take Arthur about two and a half hours
to start his locomotive. Now we have a fire
that is at a good intensity. The coal burns at the right temperature. The pressure is starting to get
at least very high. We’re at 9 bars now. We have a light that’s good enough
to be able to go to the station. We are ready to start. Attention at the start. We embark alongside Arthur on
a unique adventure in the heart of the Cévennes. In the stifling heat
of the boiler room, Arthur and his mechanic feel like
railway pioneers in the 19th century. With their eyes glued to the pressure
and speed indicators, they push their machine forward at all costs. A machine is something you listen to, something you feel. You can almost hear a
heartbeat with the compressor. It’s very sensitive. One too many blocks of coal and the pressure
rises unmanageably. We must always pay attention
to what she tells us. Like a living being, it cannot be learned. It’s something you gain through experience. Distraction. In the back, away from the fire and sweat,
the tourists enjoy the open-air landscapes passing before their eyes. Along the river, for
a fleeting moment, they glimpse a herd of goats and its herder. This shepherd is Claude. Every day, he walks
his goats on his land. Claude is a producer of Pélardons,
the emblematic cheese of the Cévennes. It is protected by a
designation of origin. To benefit from it, Claude must
comply with a strict set of specifications. To make Pélardon cheese, the cow
needs to be outside for at least 5.5 days a year. Depending on its characteristics, but in addition
to what’s at home, the diet is varied. It can go in the autumn,
chestnuts, acorns. And then, as soon as spring arrives
in March, it starts attacking the green grass. Taking the goats out
also helps maintain the space. From the forest. If there are goats, if there are
sheep, there is less fire. There is also less flooding, because
vegetation tends to gain less ground. So it’s important for everyone. Claude’s Farm has been in the family
since the beginning of the 17th century. It regularly welcomes
passengers from the steam train. During a stop at the station,
they came to discover the secrets of Pélardon cheese production. As a breed, they are alpine,
the brown ones, and the white ones are saenes. For all these goats,
there are only two dads. We don’t need any more dads. Two is enough. Claude makes about 200 Pélardon cheeses
per month, between March and November. 100 percent handcrafted. So, once we have our milk, we
need to cool it to a temperature of 22, 23 degrees. Once our milk has cooled,
we will add the whey. So, whey is what
you find on top of yogurt. So, this is what will lead us
to the milk, the acidity, and which will also lead to the first molds. So, the first molds are
those that float on top of the milk, there. So. The tourists are thoroughly enjoying themselves. As I say, my cheese is made
of valves of freedom and journey. But it’s already time to leave again. In the valley, the train makes its way,
propelled by a rush of steam. Two viaduct bridges,
the iron horse spans rivers with crystal-clear waters. In the 1900 carriages,
passengers are treated to a true immersion in the history of the railway. And everything is there to set
the mood: the noise, the jolts and even José,
the ticket inspector, with his punch card machine. Hello, the needle, please.
THANKS. José knows the history
of the line like the back of his hand. He tells us about the exploitation of the
silkworm which contributed to the region’s renown in the 19th century. The train was created for silk,
because Saint-Jean-du-Gard was a major producer of luxury silk. There, by train,
we cross landscapes where there are vestiges of the old era, in fact. We have many branches all along
the route which also follows the Gardon river. The line, which was closed for a time, was saved in
1982 by a group of enthusiasts who wanted to use
their steam locomotive as an extra in a film. Three decades later,
the line welcomes more than 150 tourist cities per year. And to enhance their journey, an additional stop was even created. This stop is at the Bambouseret,
a garden. It is a remarkable hotel that offers an
enchanting interlude to visitors. Bamboo and bamboo. This 12-hectare paradise is an invitation to travel to the four corners of the world. More than 240 species of bamboo
line the route. Course. The first one was planted in 1856 by a wealthy
landowner in the area. He wanted to dedicate his fortune
to creating an exotic garden on his property. 160 years later, the bamboo garden
has become a reference in Europe. After this stopover, it’s time to get back in the car towards other horizons. Have a
good trip. Good morning.
THANKS. In the Unirame, we find José, the conductor. Even as a child, he dreamed of adventures. There’s a magical aspect to it. When people arrive, they
ask us: Is it real? Yes, it’s real. It’s still running.
They are astonished. So, it’s really…
For us, it’s really rewarding. And although he did not experience the era of
steam trains, he now understands the attachment of older generations
to these machines made of steel. The older folks, when they come to our place,
tell us: When I was young, I used to travel from Marseille to Paris. I have the same smells, the same
cinders as in my time. Thank you, thank you for bringing this back to life. They are really very happy
that I am being steamed again. The mountains and valleys pass before our eyes. This wild and unspoiled nature
is the wealth of the Cévennes. But to discover these hidden treasures,
you have to look underground. Less than ten kilometers from the line,
the Trabuc cave is the largest in the Cévennes. The
concretions, veritable stone culture, are incredible witnesses
to the geological history of the Cévennes. Stéphane is one of the last
explorers of the cave. In just a few years,
this passionate speleologist has opened a kilometer of tunnels. We are in the Midnight Lake room. The limestone that surrounds us
is 200 million years old. And the cave, in fact,
through nipple-like movements, was fractured and the water was able to rush
underground and begin its work of dissolution. In the 17th century,
the cave served as a refuge for Protestants who had taken up arms
during the War of the Cévennes. But before them, many inhabitants
had already colonized the cave. The first traces of occupation
date back to 5000 BC. During our explorations,
we discovered bones, including human bones. So this skull is in a perfect
state of preservation. The rounded forehead led Stéphane
to hypothesize that the skull might be that of a woman. Judging by the recent teething
and the wisdom tooth, this person must have been 16 years old. It is estimated that this young lady lived between less than 2,500 and less
than 800 years before Christ . Besides men, queens,
deer and bears were numerous in the caves of the region. In there, you can clearly see the canine and
the upper molars. And so, we can very well imagine here,
the snout and behind it, the skull, the occipital part of the skull
of seven inhabitants of the caves. So, we’re not going to be
facing him too often. The first explorations
took place in 1823. But it was not until
1945 that a certain Georges Wauchet discovered the galleries
that can be seen today. For ten years, he never stopped digging. His tenacity will be rewarded. 100 meters underground,
he will discover a mysterious natural phenomenon, still unexplained today. Georges Wauchet arrived in this
gallery, this gallery of warriors of 100,000 soldiers.
But he didn’t see them right away. He first saw the edge of the course
and imagined this edge of the basin as the Great Wall of China,
with behind it the 100,000 Mongol soldiers who invaded China. There are no other concretions of this type anywhere
else in the world. When you explore,
it’s absolutely magical. We are outside of time,
outside of any external point of reference, and we find ourselves alone with ourselves. It’s the only place
where you can hear your heartbeat when you’re
sitting quietly listening to the cavern. In the open air,
the train travels the last few kilometers of its journey towards the
small town of Anduz. Arthur, his face blackened by coal, enjoys the last moments of the journey leaning out of the door
of his locomotive. I think it’s
an exceptional opportunity that a young person like me can do what the older generation
did for years and understand a little bit of the
hardship they endured throughout their careers
and their exhaustion at the end of the day, because they go
home satisfied. The train arrives at Anduz station. This is the end of the journey and the time
for us to leave the Cévennes mountains and head further south. We
cross the plains of the Caustière de Nîmes, on the Vineyards route,
with the promise of the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean. We dive into the Côte Bleue,
between Marseille and Martigues. There, a new getaway awaits us
aboard an exceptional train. For over 30 kilometers,
the train travels along a single track, clinging to the side of a cliff, with
breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. This morning, Eric,
comfortably seated in his cockpit, is taking us
on a tour of the Côte Bleue. He has been a driver on this line for
26 years and despite the years, he still enjoys it just as much. There it is, the sunrise
over the Côte-Bleue coast. A marvel. The Côte-Bleue line
winds directly along the sea. And it’s called the Côte Bleue
simply because the waters are consistently blue in the morning. This is linked to an effect of
air currents and ocean currents. It’s magnificent. And so, at every moment of the day,
the colors change. Because we have the sunrise. The day, then, with those beautiful,
full lights like the painters of Estac loved. And in the evening, the landscape is different,
as we have the reflection of the sunset over Marseille. It still produces majestic colors. Estac l’Estaques is our
first stop on the line. It was the great painters who made
this northern district of Marseille famous. At the beginning of the 20th century, Cézanne, Braque,
Renoir, and then Picasso found an endless source of inspiration there. Christiane was born in Estaques. She never left her village. She is very attached to it. I am taking pictures
of this magnificent landscape, where there is the small Wagonnés viaduct,
which comes from the quarries behind it. There are the two railway lines, the
one from Paris which is below, the one from the Côte Bleue which is above,
the village of Rio which is the place where
Guedigian’s film, Marius and Jeannette, was shot. It’s exactly between the two
rocks you have in front of you. L’Estaques is part of me. For me, there is nothing more beautiful.
So. And I think that if all the
famous painters came to paint here, it wasn’t by chance. Christiane is keen to show us
one of the remarkable vestiges of this era: the Villa Bellevue. Built in 1872 in the heights
of Estac, this manor house was then surrounded by woods and gardens. It was noticed for
miles around. Cézanne included it in his
painting: Rocher à l’Estac. For Christiane, the building
is a true heritage. For over 40 years, she has
lived there with a collective of artists. I made a request to
ensure that it will never be demolished. It’s very, very important
to preserve these buildings. It is made of dressed stone,
just like all the viaducts you have along the coast and here. And that testifies to the skill of
the people of that time. Not to mention that how can you paint
stars with anything other than light, colors, and the sun?
It was impossible. Below Christiane’s window,
our train has already resumed its journey towards Martigues. As it travels,
the train passes by numerous coves with translucent waters. In the train carriages,
the atmosphere is that of a holiday. Go ahead, go ahead, get in.
Yes, yes, yes. Here, you can go up and
down freely. Then, you buy your ticket
directly from the ticket inspector. Ladies, good morning. Tell me everything. Christelle works
regularly on the line. It’s one of her favorites. Yes, I like it,
especially when the weather is nice. The clientele is pleasant, and
there’s a lovely view. It’s true that it’s pleasant. It’s nice, quite simply. During the day, there are many
people who go to the beach, absolutely. So.
Morning, it’s subscribers. You see, they’re starting…
There, we are… I didn’t go until 9:00, a little later. It’s about 9:00 AM. So now we’re starting to see
hikers going for a walk in the cool of the evening. The train stops at Niolons station, the
starting point for many hikes. It will take approximately two hours, including short breaks, etc. I think that’s a fair estimate. For Aline and her group, the walk
begins along the railway line. This gave our guide the opportunity
to discuss the Côte-Bleue line. So, you see, here
we have the Jonquier viaduct, which has the distinction,
among the 18 viaducts that were built on the railway line,
of having the pier in the water. It’s the only one that has a pillar in the water. As they climb towards the summits,
hikers gradually discover steep hills dotted with Ruygues. The mist clings to the rocky ridges,
draping the landscapes in a veil of mystery. We are also in
Western-style settings. Finally, it’s true that the person
who isn’t expecting that there, they might have the impression
of seeing the Indians, the cowboys, appear from behind the rocks. So, if I were a filmmaker,
this is certainly a setting that might interest me for shooting a film. In the middle of these Wild West landscapes
stands the fort of Niolon. It was built in 1880 to strengthen
coastal defenses after France’s defeat against Prussia. But 60 years later,
the Germans took the Côte-Bleue line and occupied the fort. So, they really had a view
of the entire harbor and therefore, they could
completely control Marseille. Today, you can still see
the soldiers’ barracks and the gun emplacements
that were once aimed towards the sea. For Aline and her friends,
the walk is over. Perched on a rocky spur, it
enjoys the colors of the setting sun. It is 7:00 am and the first trains on the line are already running. In the cockpit,
we find Eric, our driver. His train crossed one of the
most emblematic structures of the line: the Eaux-Salées viaduct,
which was built in 1914. The engineer Paul Séjourné was
in charge of the works at the time. To carry the line over
the void, he envisioned a 50- meter arch capable of spanning the cove
and allowing the railway to continue its journey. The construction of the line with its 18
viaducts and 23 tunnels is a remarkable feat. It was inaugurated in 1915,
in the midst of the war. Thousands of workers toiled there
in precarious conditions, risking their lives. Thanks to them, the Côte Bleue line has
become a legend that still lives on today. Our journey is coming to an end. We arrive in Martigues, our final destination. We are enjoying
the blue of the Mediterranean one last time. Our trains lived up to their promise. During a journey on four
extraordinary lines in Central and Southern France, they took us
through unforgettable panoramas.

Des sommets d’Auvergne aux calanques de la Méditerranée, un voyage inoubliable sur les rails.

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Des gorges sauvages de l’Allier aux collines lumineuses de Provence, cet épisode nous entraîne à bord de trains de légende : le mythique train des gorges, l’autorail panoramique, le train à vapeur des Cévennes et la ligne spectaculaire de la Côte Bleue.
Entre viaducs vertigineux, villages perchés, patrimoine ferroviaire et paysages naturels d’exception, chaque kilomètre révèle un fragment du génie humain et de la beauté française.
Un périple où la passion des cheminots, des artisans et des bénévoles garde vivant le souffle de l’histoire et le charme du voyage lent.

Réalisé par Jean-Luc Lénée
© MORGANE PRODUCTION

#train #Auvergne #Train #VoyageEnFrance #Patrimoine #Cévennes #Méditerranée #CheminDeFer