Paris–Bordeaux railway
Encyclopedia
The railway from Paris to Bordeaux is an important French
584-kilometre long railway line, that connects Paris
to the southwestern port city Bordeaux
via Orléans
and Tours
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1840 and 1853, when the section from Poitiers to Angoulême was finished. The opening of the LGV Atlantique
high speed line from Paris to Tours in 1989 has decreased the importance of this section of the line for passenger traffic.
in Paris
in southeastern direction. It follows the left Seine
bank upstream until Juvisy-sur-Orge
, where it starts following the small river Orge
upstream. Beyond Melun
it follows the left Seine bank upstream, along the Forest of Fontainebleau
. Beyond Lardy
, the railway follows the small river Juine
upstream. Beyond Étampes
it crosses the Beauce
plains until it reaches Orléans. The Gare d'Orléans
is a terminus; many long distance trains call at the nearby Gare des Aubrais-Orléans
instead.
At Orléans the railway turns southwest, following the river Loire
downstream along its right bank. It passes through Blois
and Amboise
, and crosses the Loire at Montlouis-sur-Loire
, an eastern suburb of Tours
. The Gare de Tours
is a terminus as well; many long distance trains call at the nearby Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
instead. The railway turns south again, crosses the rivers Cher and Indre, and follows the right Vienne bank upstream beyond Maillé
. At Châtellerault
it crosses the Vienne and continues upstream along the river Clain
, through the city Poitiers
.
At Voulon
the railway leaves the Clain valley and it follows the Charente valley from Saint-Saviol
downstream. It leaves the Charente at Ruffec
, crosses it again at Luxé
and passes through the city Angoulême
. It follows the small rivers Tude and Dronne
downstream until its mouth at Coutras
, where the railway crosses the river Isle. It follows the left Isle bank downstream to Libourne
, where it continues west and downstream along the left Dordogne bank. It reaches the right Garonne
bank at Bassens
, and crosses the river at Cenon
, entering its terminus Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean after a total length of 584 km.
to Juvisy-sur-Orge
, a southern suburb. The line was extended to Orléans in 1843. Tours was reached in 1846, and Poitiers in 1851. In 1852 Bordeaux was connected with Angoulême
. Finally in 1853 the section from Poitiers to Angoulême was opened. The Gare d'Austerlitz is the original terminus of the Paris–Bordeaux line. At the occasion of the 1900 Exposition Universelle
the Gare d'Orsay
was opened as the new terminus, with a more central location. The richly decorated Gare d'Orsay was only used by electric trains. After 1939 it was only used for suburban trains. Since 1986, the station building is a museum
of 19th century art.
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...
584-kilometre long railway line, that connects Paris
Paris
Paris 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...
to 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...
via Orléans
Orléans
-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
and Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1840 and 1853, when the section from Poitiers to Angoulême was finished. The opening of the LGV Atlantique
LGV Atlantique
The LGV Atlantique is a high-speed railway line running from Paris to Western France. It opened in 1989-1990. It divides into two parts at Courtalain, one going westward to Le Mans , the second one going southwestward to Tours .-Route:The line leaves Gare Montparnasse to cross Paris's southern...
high speed line from Paris to Tours in 1989 has decreased the importance of this section of the line for passenger traffic.
Route
The Paris–Bordeaux railway leaves the Gare d'AusterlitzGare d'Austerlitz
Paris Austerlitz is one of the six large terminus railway stations in Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine in the southeastern part of the city, in the XIIIe arrondissement...
in Paris
Paris
Paris 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...
in southeastern direction. It follows the left Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
bank upstream until Juvisy-sur-Orge
Juvisy-sur-Orge
Juvisy-sur-Orge is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Juvisy-sur-Orge are known as Juvisiens.-Geography:Neighboring communes:* Athis-Mons* Draveil* Savigny-sur-Orge* Viry-Châtillon...
, where it starts following the small river Orge
Orge
The Orge is a 53 km long river in France, left tributary of the Seine. Its source is in the village Saint-Martin-de-Bréthencourt. Its course crosses the départements of Yvelines and Essonne. It flows northwest through the towns of Dourdan, Saint-Chéron, Breuillet, Arpajon, and Savigny-sur-Orge,...
upstream. Beyond Melun
Melun
Melun is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris, Melun is the capital of the department, as the seat of an arrondissement...
it follows the left Seine bank upstream, along the Forest of Fontainebleau
Forest of Fontainebleau
The forest of Fontainebleau is a mixed deciduous forest lying sixty kilometres southeast of Paris, France. It is located primarily in the arrondissement of Fontainebleau in the southwestern part of the department of Seine-et-Marne...
. Beyond Lardy
Lardy
Lardy is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Lardy are known as Larziacois.-Geography:The village lies on the left bank of the river Juine, which forms all of the commune's southern border....
, the railway follows the small river Juine
Juine
The Juine is a 53-kilometre-long French river. It is a tributary off the left bank of the Essonne River.Its source is in Loiret, in the forest of Chambaudoin, less than 3 km south-west from Autruy-sur-Juine...
upstream. Beyond Étampes
Étampes
Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southwest from the center of Paris . Étampes is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department....
it crosses the Beauce
Beauce
Beauce is a natural region in northern France, located between the Seine and Loire rivers. It now comprises the Eure-et-Loir département and parts of Loiret, Essonne and Loir-et-Cher. The region shared the history of the province of Orléanais and the county of Chartres, which is its only major...
plains until it reaches Orléans. The Gare d'Orléans
Gare d'Orléans
Gare d'Orléans is a railway station serving the city Orléans, Loiret department, central France. It is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway. The Gare d'Orléans is a terminus; TGV and most other long distance trains only serve the nearby Gare des Aubrais-Orléans.-Services:The following services...
is a terminus; many long distance trains call at the nearby Gare des Aubrais-Orléans
Gare des Aubrais-Orléans
Gare des Aubrais-Orléans is a railway station serving the agglomeration of Orléans, situated in the town Fleury-les-Aubrais, Loiret department, central France. It is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway, and it is the northern terminus of the Orléans–Montauban railway...
instead.
At Orléans the railway turns southwest, following the river Loire
Loire (river)
The Loire is the longest river in France. With a length of , it drains an area of , which represents more than a fifth of France's land area. It is the 170th longest river in the world...
downstream along its right bank. It passes through Blois
Blois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
and Amboise
Amboise
Amboise is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. It lies on the banks of the Loire River, east of Tours. Today a small market town, it was once home of the French royal court...
, and crosses the Loire at Montlouis-sur-Loire
Montlouis-sur-Loire
Montlouis-sur-Loire is a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department in central France. Ancient name was Laudiacum mons under Roman Province Lugdunensis III. -See also:*Communes of the Indre-et-Loire department...
, an eastern suburb of Tours
Tours
Tours is a city in central France, the capital of the Indre-et-Loire department.It is located on the lower reaches of the river Loire, between Orléans and the Atlantic coast. Touraine, the region around Tours, is known for its wines, the alleged perfection of its local spoken French, and for the...
. The Gare de Tours
Gare de Tours
Gare de Tours is a railway station serving the city Tours, Indre-et-Loire department, western France. It is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway, the Tours–Saint-Nazaire railway, and the non-electrified Tours–Le Mans railway...
is a terminus as well; many long distance trains call at the nearby Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps is a railway station serving the town Saint-Pierre-des-Corps and the Tours agglomeration, Indre-et-Loire department, western France...
instead. The railway turns south again, crosses the rivers Cher and Indre, and follows the right Vienne bank upstream beyond Maillé
Maillé
Maillé may refer to the following places in France:* Maillé, Indre-et-Loire, a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department, site of a 1944 war crime* Maillé, Vendée, a commune in the Vendée department* Maillé, Vienne, a commune in the Vienne department...
. At Châtellerault
Châtellerault
Châtellerault is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in France.It is located to the north of Poitou, and the residents are called Châtelleraudais.-Geography:...
it crosses the Vienne and continues upstream along the river Clain
Clain
The Clain is a 144 km long river in western France, left tributary of the river Vienne. Its source is near Hiesse, in the Charente department.The Clain flows generally north through the following departments and towns:*Charente...
, through the city Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
.
At Voulon
Voulon
Voulon is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France....
the railway leaves the Clain valley and it follows the Charente valley from Saint-Saviol
Saint-Saviol
Saint-Saviol is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.-References:*...
downstream. It leaves the Charente at Ruffec
Ruffec, Charente
Ruffec is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:...
, crosses it again at Luxé
Luxé
Luxé is a commune in the Charente department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
and passes through the city Angoulême
Angoulême
-Main sights:In place of its ancient fortifications, Angoulême is encircled by boulevards above the old city walls, known as the Remparts, from which fine views may be obtained in all directions. Within the town the streets are often narrow. Apart from the cathedral and the hôtel de ville, the...
. It follows the small rivers Tude and Dronne
Dronne
The Dronne is a 201 km long river in southwestern France, right tributary of the Isle River. Its source is in the north-western Massif Central, east of the town of Châlus at an elevation of 510 m...
downstream until its mouth at Coutras
Coutras
Coutras is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-History:The Battle of Coutras, one of the most important battles of the French Wars of Religion, was fought there on 20 October 1587.-Population:-References:*...
, where the railway crosses the river Isle. It follows the left Isle bank downstream to Libourne
Libourne
Libourne is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.It is the wine-making capital of northern Gironde and lies near Saint-Émilion and Pomerol.-Geography:...
, where it continues west and downstream along the left Dordogne bank. It reaches the right Garonne
Garonne
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...
bank at Bassens
Bassens
Bassens is the name of two communes in France:* Bassens, Gironde, in the Gironde département* Bassens, Savoie, in the Savoie département...
, and crosses the river at Cenon
Cenon
Cenon is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.It is a suburb of the city of Bordeaux, and is adjacent to it on the east side.-Population:-External links:*...
, entering its terminus Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean after a total length of 584 km.
Main stations
The main stations on the Paris–Bordeaux railway are:- Gare d'AusterlitzGare d'AusterlitzParis Austerlitz is one of the six large terminus railway stations in Paris. It is situated on the left bank of the Seine in the southeastern part of the city, in the XIIIe arrondissement...
(Paris) - Gare des Aubrais-OrléansGare des Aubrais-OrléansGare des Aubrais-Orléans is a railway station serving the agglomeration of Orléans, situated in the town Fleury-les-Aubrais, Loiret department, central France. It is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway, and it is the northern terminus of the Orléans–Montauban railway...
- Gare d'OrléansGare d'OrléansGare d'Orléans is a railway station serving the city Orléans, Loiret department, central France. It is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway. The Gare d'Orléans is a terminus; TGV and most other long distance trains only serve the nearby Gare des Aubrais-Orléans.-Services:The following services...
- Gare de Saint-Pierre-des-CorpsGare de Saint-Pierre-des-CorpsGare de Saint-Pierre-des-Corps is a railway station serving the town Saint-Pierre-des-Corps and the Tours agglomeration, Indre-et-Loire department, western France...
- Gare de ToursGare de ToursGare de Tours is a railway station serving the city Tours, Indre-et-Loire department, western France. It is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway, the Tours–Saint-Nazaire railway, and the non-electrified Tours–Le Mans railway...
- Gare de PoitiersGare de PoitiersThe Gare de Poitiers is a major railway station in the French city of Poitiers, in the department of Vienne and region of Poitou-Charentes. The station is situated on the Paris–Bordeaux railway.-Services:...
- Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean
History
The sections Paris–Orléans and Orléans–Bordeaux were built and exploited by two different companies, that became part of Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans in 1852. The first section that was opened in 1840 led from ParisParis
Paris 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...
to Juvisy-sur-Orge
Juvisy-sur-Orge
Juvisy-sur-Orge is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Juvisy-sur-Orge are known as Juvisiens.-Geography:Neighboring communes:* Athis-Mons* Draveil* Savigny-sur-Orge* Viry-Châtillon...
, a southern suburb. The line was extended to Orléans in 1843. Tours was reached in 1846, and Poitiers in 1851. In 1852 Bordeaux was connected with Angoulême
Angoulême
-Main sights:In place of its ancient fortifications, Angoulême is encircled by boulevards above the old city walls, known as the Remparts, from which fine views may be obtained in all directions. Within the town the streets are often narrow. Apart from the cathedral and the hôtel de ville, the...
. Finally in 1853 the section from Poitiers to Angoulême was opened. The Gare d'Austerlitz is the original terminus of the Paris–Bordeaux line. At the occasion of the 1900 Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1900)
The Exposition Universelle of 1900 was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from April 15 to November 12, 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next...
the Gare d'Orsay
Gare d'Orsay
Gare d'Orsay is a former Paris railway station and hotel, built in 1900 to designs by Victor Laloux, Lucien Magne and Émile Bénard; it served as a terminus for the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans . It was the first electrified urban rail terminal in the world, opened 28 May 1900, in time for the...
was opened as the new terminus, with a more central location. The richly decorated Gare d'Orsay was only used by electric trains. After 1939 it was only used for suburban trains. Since 1986, the station building is a museum
Musée d'Orsay
The Musée d'Orsay is a museum in Paris, France, on the left bank of the Seine. It is housed in the former Gare d'Orsay, an impressive Beaux-Arts railway station built between 1898 and 1900. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture,...
of 19th century art.
Services
The Paris–Bordeaux 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....
on the section between Juvisy and Orléans, and on the section between Tours and Bordeaux - 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 Paris to Montluçon (on the section between Paris and Orléans), from Bordeaux to Lyon (on the section between Coutras and Bordeaux) and from Paris to Tours - 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 (on the section between Paris and Orléans) - TER CentreTER CentreTER Centre is the regional rail network serving Centre région of France.- Rail:-Road:* Tours - Loches - Châteauroux* Bourges - Issoudun - Châteauroux* Vendôme-TGV - Château-Renault* Chartres - Brou - Courtalain - Droué* Dreux - Chartres - Orléans...
, TER Poitou-CharentesTER Poitou-CharentesTER Poitou-Charentes the regional rail network serving the Poitou-Charentes région, France.- Rail :- Road :* Angoulême - Jonzac* Poitiers - Parthenay - Bressuire - Cholet - Nantes* Thouars - Loudun - Chinon...
and 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...
regional services on the whole line - RERRERThe RER is a rapid transit system in France serving Paris and its suburbs. The RER is an integration of a modern city-centre underground rail and a pre-existing set of commuter rail lines. It has several connections with the Paris Métro within the city of Paris. Within the city, the RER...
Paris rapid transit line CRER CThe RER C is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France. It is operated by SNCF.The line runs from the northwestern terminuses Pontoise , Versailles – Rive Gauche and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines to the southeastern terminuses Massy-Palaiseau , Dourdan-la-Forêt , ...
on the section between Paris and ÉtampesÉtampesÉtampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southwest from the center of Paris . Étampes is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department....