The Friends of the Garabit Viaduc were, this Saturday, November 9, at the initiative of the departure of an event train which traveled the Causses line. In partnership with the Occitanie Region, this train celebrated the reopening of the line between Saint-Chély-d'Apcher and Neussargues. 220 passengers had purchased their tickets less than 24 hours after the places were put online.
After 8 months of work and €43 million invested by the State, the Aubrac line is reopened to traffic. This Saturday, November 9, some 220 passengers took their seats on an event train departing from Béziers and which celebrates the reopening of this beautiful railway line which crosses the Massif Central and which once linked Paris to the Mediterranean coast. “We can only rejoice at the work that has been undertaken on this line that we have defended for decades, confirmed Patricia Rochès, president of the Friends of the Garabit Viaduc association crossed by the railway line. The reopening of this intercity line is a very beautiful thing and will highlight all the heritage crossed by this line. It is also a part of the history of the railway in France which is brought to the fore. This line is historic and its evocation attracts people. The proof is that 220 places were sold in a few hours to take advantage of this trip. From now on, we must be ambitious and make the Aubrac line the first line in France to win back passengers. We can do it. It’s possible.”
A symbol for this line which crosses rural departments
If this were the case, it would indeed be a first. Quite a symbol for this line which crosses rural and mountain departments. Béziers Neussargues, 277 km of journeys through fields and valleys. A lifeline for many municipalities which have remained mobilized to maintain it. It remains for many the Causses line, the Aubrac line rather designating the section which ran from Neussargues to Clermont, then Paris. It was completed in 1888. Electrified in the 1930s, it gradually lost its appeal but remained one of the rare lines to survive railway desertification. However, it almost disappeared if enthusiasts had not taken up the issue in the 2000s and did so without ever giving up. It should be remembered that on two occasions, in 2020 and 2023, the Causses line was distinguished as one of the six most beautiful lines in Europe by the British magazine The Guardian.
People on the line
To carry out this event, the friends of the Viaduc de Garabit brought together local stakeholders. “Many partners will punctuate this trip with highlights, assured Patricia Rochès. There will be the journey and its landscapes, but also tastings and discoveries during the different stops. Everything will be an excuse for delicious moments and very nice visits.” Of course, the highlight of this event will be the crossing of the Garabit viaduct, built by Gustave-Eiffel and which is a candidate for world heritage of humanity. It was classified as a historic monument in 2017.
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