Orléans–Montauban railway
Encyclopedia
The railway from Orléans to Montauban is an important French
544-kilometre long railway line, that connects Orléans
and northern France to Montauban
and southern France via Limoges
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1847 and 1893, when the section from Limoges to Brive-la-Gaillarde
was finished.
, entering its terminus Gare de Montauban-Ville-Bourbon
after a total length of 544 km.
–Châteauroux
was built and exploited by the Compagnie du Centre, that became part of Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans in 1852. The PO extended the railway afterwards. The first section that was opened in 1847 led from Orléans
(on the existing line from Paris
to Tours
) to Châteauroux
. The line was extended to Argenton-sur-Creuse
in 1854. Limoges
was reached in 1856.
The opening of the Limoges–Périgueux
railway (1861), the Périgueux–Brive-la-Gaillarde
section of the Coutras
–Tulle
railway (1860) and the Brive-la-Gaillarde–Toulouse
railway (1858-1864) offered a much shorter connection between Paris and Toulouse than the existing line via Tours and Bordeaux. The opening of the Nexon
–Brive-la-Gaillarde railway in 1875 shortened the distance by 69 km.
The distance between Paris and Toulouse was shortened by a further 42 km by the opening of the Limoges–Montauban section of the Orléans–Montauban railway, in three stages: Cahors
–Montauban in 1884, Brive-la-Gaillarde–Cahors in 1891, and finally Limoges–Brive-la-Gaillarde via Uzerche
in 1893.
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...
544-kilometre long railway line, that connects 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 northern France to 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....
and southern France via Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1847 and 1893, when the section from Limoges to Brive-la-Gaillarde
Brive-la-Gaillarde
Brive-la-Gaillarde is a commune of France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Corrèze department. The population of the urban area was 89,260 as of 1999. Although it is by far the biggest commune in Corrèze, the capital is Tulle.-History:...
was finished.
Route
The Orléans–Montauban railway leaves the Gare des Aubrais-OrléansGare 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...
, entering its terminus Gare de Montauban-Ville-Bourbon
Gare de Montauban-Ville-Bourbon
Montauban or Montauban-Ville-Bourbon is a railway station serving the town of Montauban, Tarn-et-Garonne department, southwestern France.-The station:...
after a total length of 544 km.
Main stations
The main stations on the Orléans–Montauban railway are:- 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 de VierzonVierzonVierzon is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A medium-sized town by the banks of the Cher River with some light industry and an area of forestry and farming to the north...
-Ville - Gare de ChâteaurouxGare de ChâteaurouxGare de Châteauroux is a railway station serving the town Châteauroux, Indre department, central France. It is situated on the Orléans–Montauban railway, between Vierzon and Limoges.-Services:The following services currently call at Châteauroux:...
- Gare de Limoges-Bénédictins
- Gare de Brive-la-GaillardeGare de Brive-la-GaillardeGare de Brive-la-Gaillarde is a railway station serving the town Brive-la-Gaillarde, Limousin, France. The station opened on 17 September 1860 and is located on the Orléans–Montauban, Coutras - Tulle, Brive-Toulouse , Nexon - Brive railway lines....
- 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:...
History
The section OrléansOrléans
-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...
–Châteauroux
Châteauroux
Châteauroux is the capital of the Indre department in central France and the second-largest town in the province of Berry, after Bourges. Its residents are called Castelroussines or Castelroussins....
was built and exploited by the Compagnie du Centre, that became part of Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans in 1852. The PO extended the railway afterwards. The first section that was opened in 1847 led from 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...
(on the existing line from 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 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...
) to Châteauroux
Châteauroux
Châteauroux is the capital of the Indre department in central France and the second-largest town in the province of Berry, after Bourges. Its residents are called Castelroussines or Castelroussins....
. The line was extended to Argenton-sur-Creuse
Argenton-sur-Creuse
Argenton-sur-Creuse is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It lies on the Creuse River, 19 m. SSW of Châteauroux, close to the A20 motorway.-History:...
in 1854. Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
was reached in 1856.
The opening of the Limoges–Périgueux
Périgueux
Périgueux is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Périgueux is the prefecture of the department and the capital of the region...
railway (1861), the Périgueux–Brive-la-Gaillarde
Brive-la-Gaillarde
Brive-la-Gaillarde is a commune of France. It is a sub-prefecture of the Corrèze department. The population of the urban area was 89,260 as of 1999. Although it is by far the biggest commune in Corrèze, the capital is Tulle.-History:...
section of the 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:*...
–Tulle
Tulle
Tulle is a commune and capital of the Corrèze department in the Limousin region in central France. It is also the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulle...
railway (1860) and the Brive-la-Gaillarde–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...
railway (1858-1864) offered a much shorter connection between Paris and Toulouse than the existing line via Tours and Bordeaux. The opening of the Nexon
Nexon, Haute-Vienne
Nexon is a commune in the Haute-Vienne department in the Limousin region in west-central France.Inhabitants are known as Nexonnais.-References:*...
–Brive-la-Gaillarde railway in 1875 shortened the distance by 69 km.
The distance between Paris and Toulouse was shortened by a further 42 km by the opening of the Limoges–Montauban section of the Orléans–Montauban railway, in three stages: Cahors
Cahors
Cahors is the capital of the Lot department in south-western France.Its site is dramatic being contained on three sides within an udder shaped twist in the river Lot known as a 'presqu'île' or peninsula...
–Montauban in 1884, Brive-la-Gaillarde–Cahors in 1891, and finally Limoges–Brive-la-Gaillarde via Uzerche
Uzerche
Uzerche is a commune in the Corrèze department in the Limousin region of central France.In 1787, the English writer Arthur Young described the city as "The Pearl of the Limousin," nicknamed because of its picturesque setting, and a name by which it is still widely known today...
in 1893.
Services
The Orléans–Montauban 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 Orléans and Brive-la-Gaillarde - 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 Bordeaux to Lyon on the section between Limoges and Saint-Sulpice-Laurière - 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 whole line - 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...
, TER LimousinTER LimousinTER Limousin is the regional rail network serving Limousin région, France.- By train :-By bus:* Limoges - Uzerche - Tulle* Limoges - Aubusson - Felletin* Ussel - Felletin* Ussel - Auzances - Montluçon* Montluçon - Aubusson - Felletin...
, 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...
and TER Midi-Pyrénées regional services on the whole line