LGV Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Encyclopedia
The LGV Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, also referred to as the LGV PACA and LGV Côte d'Azur, is a high speed rail project intended to extend the LGV Méditerranée
towards the Côte d'Azur. Operations are set to begin around 2020.
, Aix-en-Provence
, Toulon
and Draguignan
.
Additionally connections between the mediterranean coast between Barcelona
, Montpellier
, Marseille, Nice and Genoa
and the southern cross route towards Toulouse
and Bordeaux
would be affected; the new line would link Marseille to Genoa in 3:15, and Barcelona in 3:35 (thanks to the LGV Perpignan-Figueres
).
The final route alignment decision and its details were announced by French Ecology Minister Jean-Louis Borloo
on 30 June 2009, opting for the longest route via Marseille, Toulon, and Nice.
There was much local opposition to the project, particularly by various environmental organisations. Additionally differences of opinion due to the vested interests of the three départements concerned (Bouches-du-Rhône
, Var
and Alpes-Maritimes
) caused friction. Local elected officials have approved the project and the presidents of the general committees of the three départements have agreed to propose an alternative route in order to reconcile their respective positions.
LGV Méditerranée
The LGV Méditerranée is a French high speed railway line of approximately 250 km length, which entered service in June, 2001. Running between Saint-Marcel-lès-Valence and Marseille, it connects the regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Languedoc-Roussillon to the LGV Rhône-Alpes, and from...
towards the Côte d'Azur. Operations are set to begin around 2020.
Route
Three principal route options were considered, mainly concerning the alignment between AvignonAvignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
, Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
and Draguignan
Draguignan
Draguignan is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in southeastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department and self-proclaimed "capital of Artillery" and "Porte du Verdon".The city is only from St...
.
- The option providing the most time saving between Nice and Avignon uses the speed of the ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
-NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
connection to offer the largest potential clientele base (to compete with one of the strongest internal air traffic routes) - The most northern route is the shortest between Avignon and Nice and may have a station serving the 'pole scientifique' close to CadaracheCadaracheThe CEA Cadarache facility is a French scientific research centre which specialises in nuclear energy research. It is located in the commune of Saint-Paul-lès-Durance, Bouches-du-Rhône, in the southern region of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur...
- The longest route passes by MarseilleMarseilleMarseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
and ToulonToulonToulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
, offering the quickest travel time between Marseille and Nice (1:10)
Additionally connections between the mediterranean coast between Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, 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....
, Marseille, Nice and Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
and the southern cross route towards 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 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...
would be affected; the new line would link Marseille to Genoa in 3:15, and Barcelona in 3:35 (thanks to the LGV Perpignan-Figueres
LGV Perpignan-Figueres
The LGV Perpignan–Figueres is an international high-speed rail line between France and Spain. The line connects two cities on opposite sides of the border, Perpignan in Roussillon, France, and Figueres in Catalonia, Spain. It consists of a line which crosses the French–Spanish border via the ...
).
The final route alignment decision and its details were announced by French Ecology Minister Jean-Louis Borloo
Jean-Louis Borloo
Jean-Louis Borloo is a French politician, and was the French Minister for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and Town and Country Planning between 2007 and 2010.-Professional résumé:Education...
on 30 June 2009, opting for the longest route via Marseille, Toulon, and Nice.
Controversy
This project was subject to public debate between 21 February and 8 July 2005.There was much local opposition to the project, particularly by various environmental organisations. Additionally differences of opinion due to the vested interests of the three départements concerned (Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River. It is the most populous department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Its INSEE and postal code is 13.-History of the department:...
, Var
Var (département)
The Var is a French department in the region Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in Provence, in southeast France. It takes its name from the river Var, which used to flow along its eastern boundary, but the boundary was moved in 1860...
and Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
) caused friction. Local elected officials have approved the project and the presidents of the general committees of the three départements have agreed to propose an alternative route in order to reconcile their respective positions.