Narrow-gauge railways of France

The French National Railways used to run a considerable number of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge lines, a few of which still operate mostly in tourist areas, such as the St Gervais-Vallorcine (Alps) and the "Petit Train Jaune" (little yellow train) in the Pyrenees. The original French scheme was that every sous-prefecture should be rail connected. Extensive 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge lines were also built for the sugar-beet industry in the north often using ex-military equipment after the First World War. Decauville was a famous French manufacturer of industrial narrow-gauge railway equipment and equipped one of the most extensive regional 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) narrow-gauge railway, the Chemins de fer du Calvados. Corsica has a narrow-gauge network of two lines following the coast line, that are connected by one line crossing the island through highly mountainous terrain. The petit train d'Artouste, a tourist line in the Pyrenees, uses 500 mm (19+3⁄4 in) gauge.

Main article: Rail transport in France

Narrow-gauge funiculars

1,300 mm (4 ft 3+3⁄16 in)

1,200 mm (3 ft 11+1⁄4 in)

1,100 mm (3 ft 7+5⁄16 in)

600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)

1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in)
A Chemins de Fer de Provence train at Gare de Nice CP.

750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in)

700 mm (2 ft 3+9⁄16 in)
  • Chemin de fer d'Abreschviller; 6.1 km, operating

600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in)

In France, a 600 mm (1 ft 11+5⁄8 in) gauge towing tramway ran along the Marne-Rhine Canal between Arzviller and Niderviller.[3]

  • Chemin de Fer de la Vallée de l'Ouche;[4]
  • Chemin de Fer de Saint-Eutrope;[5] 2.5 km, defunct
  • Chemin de fer des Chanteraines; 5.5 km, operating
  • Chemin de Fer des Combes;[6] operating
  • Chemin de fer du Haut-Rhône; 4 km, operating
  • Chemin de fer touristique du fort de Villey-le-Sec; 1.3 km, operating
  • Chemin de fer du Val de Passey at Choloy-Ménillot
  • Chemins de fer du Calvados; (1891-1944)
  • Compagnie du chemin de fer de Semur en Vallon
  • Conservatoire provençal de patrimoine de véhicules anciens
  • Froissy Dompierre Light Railway; operating
  • Le petit train de Bligny sur Ouche
  • Le petit train de l'Yonne; 2.5 km, operating
  • Le p'tit train de Saint-Trojan; 6 km, operating
  • Petit train du Port-aux-Cerises; 3 km, operating
  • Rail Rebecq Rognon
  • Tacot des Lacs; 2.5 km, operating
  • Train de Rillé; 3 km, operating
  • Train touristique du Musée de la Mine de Noyant-d'Allier; 1.8 km, operating
  • Tramway de Deauville; (1876-1905)
  • Tramway de Pithiviers à Toury; 80 km, part (30 km) operating as a heritage railway
  • Tramway de Rothéneuf
  • Tramway de la Trinité à Étel
  • Tramway de Royan
  • Tramway du Cap-Ferret; operating
  • Tramway du Touquet-Paris-Plage
  • Trianon tramway; (1906-11)

500 mm (19+3⁄4 in)

400 mm (15+3⁄4 in)
  • Train de l'Andorge en Cevennes

See also

References

Notes
  1. "Trams of the World 2017" (PDF). Blickpunkt Straßenbahn. January 24, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017.
  2. Image of Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat funicular
  3. Towing tramways
  4. Le bulletin du CFVO
  5. Le Chemin de Fer de Saint-Eutrope
  6. France's historic train routes

Bibliography
  • Organ, John (1999). Vivarais Narrow Gauge: featuring Mallets in the Massif. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 1901706311.
  • Organ, John (2000). Southern France Narrow Gauge. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 1901706478.
  • Organ, John (2002). Northern France Narrow Gauge. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 1901706753.
  • Organ, John (2007). Vivarais Revisited: featuring the Ardèche and Haute-Loire regions. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 9781906008086.
  • Organ, John (2014). Majorca and Corsica Narrow Gauge. Narrow Gauge Branch Lines series. Midhurst, West Sussex, UK: Middleton Press. ISBN 9781908174413.

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