Ligne de Paris - Caen
Encyclopedia
The railway from Mantes-la-Jolie to Cherbourg is an important French
228-kilometre long railway line, that connects Mantes-la-Jolie
, a western suburb of Paris
, with the northwestern port city Cherbourg via Caen
. At Mantes-la-Jolie, the railway line is connected with the Paris–Le Havre railway
. The line was opened between 1855 and 1858 by the Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest
.
The line serves the towns Mantes-la-Jolie
, Évreux
, Bernay
, Lisieux
, Caen
, and is extended to Cherbourg
. It is 313 km long from Mantes-la-Jolie to Cherbourg (370 km from Paris). It was electrified in 25kV AC in June 1996.
The railway
from Paris to Rouen
via Mantes-la-Jolie was opened in 1843. A concession for a railway from Mantes to Caen was already granted in 1846, but the first section from Mantes to Lisieux
was only opened in July 1855. Lisieux–Caen
followed in December 1855, and the final section Caen–Cherbourg in July 1858.
The line was known for using the post-World War II
, American-built SNCF 141R
steam engines as well as turbotrain
-type trains from September 1970. After electrification in 1996, BB16000
and BB 26000
locomotive-hauled trains are used.
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...
228-kilometre long railway line, that connects Mantes-la-Jolie
Mantes-la-Jolie
Mantes-la-Jolie is a commune based in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center. Mantes-la-Jolie is a sub-prefecture department.-History:...
, a western suburb of 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...
, with the northwestern port city Cherbourg via Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. At Mantes-la-Jolie, the railway line is connected with the Paris–Le Havre railway
Paris–Le Havre railway
The Paris–Le Havre railway is an important 228-kilometre long railway line, that connects Paris to the northwestern port city Le Havre via Rouen...
. The line was opened between 1855 and 1858 by the Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest
Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de l'Ouest , often referred to simply as L'Ouest or Ouest, was an early French railway company.- Birth of the company :...
.
Route
Mantes-la-Jolie
Mantes-la-Jolie is a commune based in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center. Mantes-la-Jolie is a sub-prefecture department.-History:...
, Évreux
Évreux
Évreux is a commune in the Eure department, of which it is the capital, in Haute Normandie in northern France.-History:In late Antiquity, the town, attested in the fourth century CE, was named Mediolanum Aulercorum, "the central town of the Aulerci", the Gallic tribe then inhabiting the area...
, Bernay
Bernay
- Communes :*Bernay, Eure, in the Eure département*Bernay-en-Champagne, in the Sarthe département*Bernay-en-Ponthieu, in the Somme département*Bernay-Saint-Martin, in the Charente-Maritime département...
, Lisieux
Lisieux
Lisieux is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Lisieux is the capital of the Pays d'Auge area, which is characterised by valleys and hedged farmland...
, Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
, and is extended to Cherbourg
Cherbourg-Octeville
-Main sights:* La Glacerie has a race track.* The Cité de la Mer is a large museum devoted to scientific and historical aspects of maritime subjects.* Cherbourg Basilica* Jardin botanique de la Roche Fauconnière, a private botanical garden.* Le Trident theatre...
. It is 313 km long from Mantes-la-Jolie to Cherbourg (370 km from Paris). It was electrified in 25kV AC in June 1996.
Main stations
The main stations on the Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway are:- Gare de Mantes-la-JolieGare de Mantes-la-JolieGare de Mantes-la-Jolie is a railway station serving the town Mantes-la-Jolie, Yvelines department, northwestern France. It is situated on the Paris–Le Havre railway and the Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway.-Services:...
- Gare d'Évreux-Normandie
- Gare de Lisieux
- Gare de CaenGare de CaenCaen, Gare de l'Ouest or Gare Calvados, is the main and now only station serving the city of Caen. The station stands on the main line from Paris to Cherbourg and although it mainly is an intercity station many regional trains use the station. Typical services link Caen to Lisieux, Evreux, Paris,...
- Gare de CherbourgGare de CherbourgGare de Cherbourg is the railway station of the city of Cherbourg, France. It is the western terminus of the Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg railway....
Line history
Paris–Le Havre railway
The Paris–Le Havre railway is an important 228-kilometre long railway line, that connects Paris to the northwestern port city Le Havre via Rouen...
from Paris to Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
via Mantes-la-Jolie was opened in 1843. A concession for a railway from Mantes to Caen was already granted in 1846, but the first section from Mantes to Lisieux
Lisieux
Lisieux is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.Lisieux is the capital of the Pays d'Auge area, which is characterised by valleys and hedged farmland...
was only opened in July 1855. Lisieux–Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
followed in December 1855, and the final section Caen–Cherbourg in July 1858.
The line was known for using the post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, American-built SNCF 141R
SNCF 141R class
The SNCF 141.R was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives of the Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français . They were used all over the French rail network from 1945–1974.- History :...
steam engines as well as turbotrain
Turbotrain
The Turbotrain was an early French high-speed, gas turbine train.It was born in 1967, for use on France's SNCF intercity lines. There were several versions, four in total with the last exiting service in 2005 and it is the Turbotrain that made advances possible for the TGV.* The experimental...
-type trains from September 1970. After electrification in 1996, BB16000
SNCF Class BB 16000
The SNCF BB 16000 are a class of 25kv 50Hz AC electric locomotives produced by MTE. They are the AC version of the BB 9200s A total of 62 were originally built between 1959 and 1963, although some have since been withdrawn. 15 BB 16000s were reclassified as BB 16100s after fitment of TDM control...
and BB 26000
SNCF Class BB 26000
The SNCF BB 26000 locomotives are a class of dual voltage, four axle B'B' electric locomotives capable of a top speed of 200 km/h built by GEC Alsthom between 1988 and 1998 for SNCF...
locomotive-hauled trains are used.
Services
The Mantes-la-Jolie–Cherbourg 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 Cherbourg to DijonDijonDijon is a city in eastern France, the capital of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Burgundy region.Dijon is the historical capital of the region of Burgundy. Population : 151,576 within the city limits; 250,516 for the greater Dijon area.... - 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 Caen, Cherbourg and Saint-LôSaint-LôSaint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement... - TER Haute-Normandie and TER Basse-Normandie regional services