Several rack railways operate in France. Some of them are of no importance to travellers, but three of them should be noted by railway enthusiasts and people who like railway attractions.
Rack railways in France
Tramway du Mont Blanc – the highest railway line in France and one of the highest railway lines in Europe. The only railway line in France reaching a height of over 2,000 m above sea level. The 12.4 km long line runs from the SNCF station in Saint-Gervais-les-Bains to Nid d’Aigle station. It was built to 1,000 mm gauge. The journey takes from 45 minutes to an hour, and from the train windows you can admire the beautiful mountain peaks, the Bionassay glacier and the valley. The first section of the line (to Col de Voza) was opened in 1907, and in 1914 the line was extended to Nid d’Aigle. The expansion work was interrupted due to the outbreak of World War I and was never resumed. The line was electrified in 1956. The three historic vehicles serving the line were named Anne, Jeanne, Marie, after the daughters of the line’s owner in 1957, after the electrification of the line. Trains run to Nid d’Aigle station only in summer.
Chemin de fer du Montenvers – a 5.1 km long rack railway line from Chamonix to Hotel de Montenvers station, right next to the Mer de Glace. Rail gauge 1000 mm, terminus located at an altitude of 1,913 m. The height difference between the starting and ending stations is 871 meters. The first section of the line was opened in 1908, electrification in 1953. The journey takes 15-20 minutes and trains run every half an hour.
Panoramique des Dômes – a rack railway with a total length of 5.1 km, which connects the city of Clermont-Ferrand with the viewing platform at the top of Puy-de-Dôme. Built in 2012, it continues the traditions of the former railway line that operated in 1907-1926. The old line was over 14 kilometers long. After the new line was commissioned in 2012, there were several accidents but now the line is one of the greatest railway attractions in France.
Petit train de la Rhune – a heritage rack railway in the Pyrenees. The route leads from the Col de Saint-Ignace (169 m above sea level) to the summit of La Rhune (905 m above sea level) on the French-Spanish border. The length is about 4.2 km, but the travel time is about 30 minutes, with an average speed of 9 km/h. The railway was put into operation in 1924. The slow ride is rewarded by the views from the train and from the top, from which you can even see the waters of the Bay of Biscay. Despite the relatively high ticket prices, in the summer there are crowds of people willing to ride the rack railway and you have to wait several hours in line at the ticket office.
www.rhune.com – official website
The rack rail can also be found on line “C” of the Lyon metro (rail gauge 1,435 mm). The line, which is only 2.4 kilometers long, is very interesting for railway enthusiasts – part of the line runs along the route of the former funicular railway (1894-1967). Apparently it’s also the steepest metro line in the world. It looks more like premetro.
A rack railway with a rail gauge of 600 mm probably operated or operates in the Chiron cement plant. I haven’t found any up-to-date information. In addition to the preserved rack lines, there were much more rack railways in France in the past.
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Funiculars in France
Most beautiful railway lines in France
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