Bordeaux–Sète railway
Encyclopedia
The railway from Bordeaux to Sète is an important French
476-kilometre long railway line, that connects the southwestern port city Bordeaux
to the southern port Sète
via Toulouse
and Narbonne
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1855 and 1858.
upstream on its left bank. It crosses the Garonne at Langon
, and continues upstream along the right Garonne bank in eastern direction, turning southeast near La Réole
. It crosses the river Lot near Aiguillon, and passes through Agen
. At Castelsarrasin
the railway leaves the Garonne and runs east towards Montauban
on the river Tarn, where it turns sharply southeast, and then south to Toulouse
.
At Toulouse the railway leaves the Garonne again, following the small river Hers-Mort
in southeastern direction. Beyond Carcassonne
it follows the river Aude downstream, in eastern direction. At Narbonne
the railway turns northeast until Béziers
, where it turns east. At Agde
it reaches the Mediterranean Sea
coast, and runs northeast along the spit
that separates the Étang de Thau
from the sea. It reaches its eastern terminus Sète
after 476 km.
. The first section that was opened in 1855 led from Bordeaux
to Tonneins
. The section between Tonneins and Toulouse
was opened in 1856. In 1857 the line was extended to near Sète
. Finally in 1858 the line was connected with the existing PLM
line from Sète to Montpellier
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
476-kilometre long railway line, that connects the southwestern port city Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to the southern port Sète
Sète
Sète is a commune in the Hérault department in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. Its inhabitants are called Sétois....
via Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
and Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1855 and 1858.
Route
The Bordeaux–Sète railway leaves the Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean in southeastern direction, following the river GaronneGaronne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
upstream on its left bank. It crosses the Garonne at Langon
Langon, Gironde
Langon is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Geography:Langon is in the southern part of the department southeast of Bordeaux on the left bank of the Garonne river...
, and continues upstream along the right Garonne bank in eastern direction, turning southeast near La Réole
La Réole
La Réole is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Geography:La Réole is located on the right bank of the Garonne, southeast of Bordeaux by rail.-History:...
. It crosses the river Lot near Aiguillon, and passes through Agen
Agen
Agen is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in Aquitaine in south-western France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux. It is the capital of the department.-Economy:The town has a higher level of unemployment than the national average...
. At Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in Midi-Pyrénées region of France. The inhabitants are called Castelsarrasinois.-History:The first signs of life in the town is from 961...
the railway leaves the Garonne and runs east towards Montauban
Montauban
Montauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
on the river Tarn, where it turns sharply southeast, and then south to Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
.
At Toulouse the railway leaves the Garonne again, following the small river Hers-Mort
Hers-Mort
The Hers-Mort is a 90 km long river in southern France, a right-bank tributary of the Garonne. Its average flow rate is 4 m3/s. The Hers-Mort rises in the Lauragais region, near the village Fonters-du-Razès, in the Aude department...
in southeastern direction. Beyond Carcassonne
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
it follows the river Aude downstream, in eastern direction. At Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
the railway turns northeast until Béziers
Béziers
Béziers is a town in Languedoc in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Hérault department. Béziers hosts the famous Feria de Béziers, centred around bullfighting, every August. A million visitors are attracted to the five-day event...
, where it turns east. At Agde
Agde
Agde is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. It is the Mediterranean port of the Canal du Midi.-Location:Agde is located on the river Hérault, 4 km from the Mediterranean Sea, and 750 km from Paris...
it reaches the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coast, and runs northeast along the spit
Spit (landform)
A spit or sandspit is a deposition landform found off coasts. At one end, spits connect to land, and extend into the sea. A spit is a type of bar or beach that develops where a re-entrant occurs, such as at cove's headlands, by the process of longshore drift...
that separates the Étang de Thau
Étang de Thau
Étang de Thau or Bassin de Thau is the largest of a string of étangs that stretch along the Languedoc-Roussillon, French coast from the Rhône River to the foothills of the Pyrenees which form the border to Spain. It is the second largest lake in France.-Description:It is about 21 km long...
from the sea. It reaches its eastern terminus Sète
Sète
Sète is a commune in the Hérault department in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. Its inhabitants are called Sétois....
after 476 km.
Main stations
The main stations on the Bordeaux–Sète railway are:- Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean
- Gare d'AgenGare d'AgenAgen is a railway station in Agen, Aquitaine, France. The station was opened in 1856 and is located on the Bordeaux–Sète railway, Niversac-Agen railway and Agen-Auch railway, which is used for freight...
- Gare de Montauban-Ville-BourbonGare de Montauban-Ville-BourbonMontauban or Montauban-Ville-Bourbon is a railway station serving the town of Montauban, Tarn-et-Garonne department, southwestern France.-The station:...
- Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau
- Gare de CarcassonneGare de CarcassonneCarcassonne is a railway station in Carcassonne, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. The station is located on the Bordeaux - Sète and Carcassonne - Rivesaltes railway lines...
- Gare de NarbonneGare de NarbonneNarbonne is a railway station in Narbonne, Languedoc-Roussillon, France. The station opened on 22 April 1857 and is located on the Bordeaux–Sète railway and Narbonne–Portbou railway. The station is served by EuroCity , TGV , Téoz , Lunéa and TER services operated by the SNCF...
- Gare de BéziersGare de BéziersGare de Béziers is the railway station serving the town of Béziers in the Hérault département of southern France. It is situated on the Bordeaux–Sète railway.-Train services:As of August 2011 the following services call at Béziers:...
- Gare de SèteGare de SèteGare de Sète is the railway station serving the town of Sète in the Hérault département of southern France. It is the eastern terminus of the Bordeaux–Sète railway.-Train services:As of August 2011 the following services call at Sète:...
History
The railway was built by the Compagnie des Chemins de fer du MidiChemin de Fer du Midi
The Chemin de Fer du Midi, often abbreviated to CF du Midi, was an early French railway company.In 1934 it merged with the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans to become part of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans et du Midi ....
. The first section that was opened in 1855 led from Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
to Tonneins
Tonneins
Tonneins is a town in the Lot-et-Garonne department of south-western France. It stands above the river Garonne between Marmande to the west and Agen to the east and is the first major town below the confluence of the two rivers the Lot and the Garonne after which the department is named. Until...
. The section between Tonneins and Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
was opened in 1856. In 1857 the line was extended to near Sète
Sète
Sète is a commune in the Hérault department in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. Its inhabitants are called Sétois....
. Finally in 1858 the line was connected with the existing PLM
Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée was a French railway company ....
line from Sète to Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
.
Services
The Bordeaux–Sète railway is used by the following passenger services:- TGVTGVThe TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
from Paris to Toulouse on the section between Bordeaux and Toulouse - TéozTéozTéoz is a brand name used by France’s national railway company, SNCF, to denote long-distance passenger rail services in France. SNCF established the Téoz system in 2003 as an upgrade of the former Corail network. Téoz services are interregional, unlike most TER services, and do not use the...
from Paris to Toulouse and Perpignan on the section between Montauban and Narbonne, and from Bordeaux to Marseille and Nice on the whole line - IntercitésIntercitésIntercités is a brand name used by France’s national railway company, SNCF, to denote medium-distance passenger rail services in France. SNCF established the Intercités system in January 2006 as an upgrade of the former Corail network...
from Nantes to Toulouse on the section between Bordeaux and Toulouse - TER AquitaineTER AquitaineTER Aquitaine is the regional rail network serving the Aquitaine région, France.- Rail :- Road :* Agen - Villeneuve-sur-Lot* Ossès - Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry* Dax - Mauléon* Bordeaux - Pauillac - Le Verdon* Mont-de-Marsan - Hagetmau...
, TER Midi-Pyrénées and TER Languedoc-Roussillon regional services on the whole line