Paris–Le Havre railway
Encyclopedia
The Paris–Le Havre railway (Ligne Paris–Le Havre) is an important 228-kilometre long railway line, that connects Paris
to the northwestern port city Le Havre
via Rouen
. Among the first railway lines in France
, the section from Paris to Rouen opened on 9 May 1843, followed by the section from Rouen to Le Havre that opened on 22 March 1847.
in Paris
in northwestern direction. It crosses the river Seine
at Asnières-sur-Seine
, and again at Houilles
. After Poissy
it follows the left bank of the Seine. At Mantes-la-Jolie
, the line to Caen
and Cherbourg branches off. Between Rolleboise
and Bonnières-sur-Seine
, and again between Aubevoye
and Venables large meanders of the Seine are bypassed.
Near Rouen, the Seine is crossed at Le Manoir
, at Oissel
and at Sotteville-lès-Rouen
. After crossing central Rouen and the main station Gare de Rouen-Rive-Droite, it climbs in northwestern direction onto the Pays de Caux
plateau. At Motteville
it turns west, crosses the town Yvetot
and descends to the Seine estuary. After a total length of 228 km, it reaches its terminus Gare du Havre
.
was appointed as its engineer. Determining that bids submitted by French contractors were too expensive, he suggested that British contractors should be invited to tender. Thomas Brassey
and William MacKenzie
, two British contractors, jointly tendered an offer, which was accepted in 1841. (Between 1841 and 1844, Brassey and Mackenzie won contracts to build four French railways, including the Orléans and Bordeaux Railway.)
In January 1846, during construction of the 58-mile (93 km) long Rouen and Le Havre line, one of the few major structural disasters of Brassey's contracting career occurred, the collapse of the Barentin Viaduct
. The 100 feet (30 m) high viaduct
that crosses the Austreberthe River
was built of brick at a cost of about £50,000. The reason for the collapse was never established, but a possible cause was the nature of the lime
used to make the mortar. The contract stipulated that this had to be obtained locally, and the collapse occurred after a few days of heavy rain. Brassey rebuilt the viaduct at his own expense, this time using lime of his own choice. The rebuilt viaduct still stands and remains in use today.
The section from Paris–Rouen had been completed a few years earlier by two different firm, but both parts were united and became part of Chemins de Fer de l'Ouest
in 1855. The first 8 km of the railway, until La Garenne-Colombes
, are shared with the line to Le Pecq
that was opened in 1837 and extended to Saint-Germain-en-Laye
in 1847. The original terminus of the railway was the Gare de Rouen Saint-Sever
on the left bank of the Seine. When the line was extended to Le Havre in 1847, a new station was built on the right bank of the Seine, the Gare de Rouen-Rive-Droite (originally: Gare de Rouen-Rue Verte).
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 northwestern port city Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
via 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...
. Among the first railway lines in France
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...
, the section from Paris to Rouen opened on 9 May 1843, followed by the section from Rouen to Le Havre that opened on 22 March 1847.
Route
The Paris–Le Havre line leaves the Gare Saint-LazareGare Saint-Lazare
Paris Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
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 northwestern direction. It crosses the river 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...
at Asnières-sur-Seine
Asnières-sur-Seine
Asnières-sur-Seine is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France, along the river Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:...
, and again at Houilles
Houilles
Houilles is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Transport:...
. After Poissy
Poissy
Poissy is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center.In 1561 it was the site of a fruitless Catholic-Huguenot conference, the Colloquy at Poissy...
it follows the left bank of the Seine. At 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:...
, the line to 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 Cherbourg branches off. Between Rolleboise
Rolleboise
Rolleboise is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France....
and Bonnières-sur-Seine
Bonnières-sur-Seine
Bonnières-sur-Seine is a commune in the Yvelines department in north-central France.-References:*...
, and again between Aubevoye
Aubevoye
Aubevoye is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Population:...
and Venables large meanders of the Seine are bypassed.
Near Rouen, the Seine is crossed at Le Manoir
Le Manoir, Eure
Le Manoir is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
, at Oissel
Oissel
-Population:-People:* Daniel Horlaville, footballer born in 1945.* Raoul Grimoin-Sanson , cinematographic inventor.* Grégory Tafforeau, footballer born in 1976.* Thierry Foucaud, 1954-, Politician.-Places of interest:...
and at Sotteville-lès-Rouen
Sotteville-lès-Rouen
- Transportation :The métro connects the commune with Rouen and Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray.The commune used to be a railway town in the days of the old Rouen tramway.- Population :- Places of interest :* The three churches of Notre-Dame, St...
. After crossing central Rouen and the main station Gare de Rouen-Rive-Droite, it climbs in northwestern direction onto the Pays de Caux
Pays de Caux
The Pays de Caux is an area in Normandy occupying the greater part of the French département of Seine Maritime in Haute-Normandie. It is a chalk plateau to the north of the Seine Estuary and extending to the cliffs on the English Channel coast - its coastline is known as the Côte d'Albâtre...
plateau. At Motteville
Motteville
Motteville is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A farming village situated in the Pays de Caux, some northwest of Rouen at the junction of the D20, D89, D53 and the D336 roads...
it turns west, crosses the town Yvetot
Yvetot
Yvetot is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-History:The name is of Scandinavian origin . The town is most likely of Scandinavian origin too. There is also a locality in Bromölla municipality in southern Sweden bearing the same name...
and descends to the Seine estuary. After a total length of 228 km, it reaches its terminus Gare du Havre
Gare du Havre
Gare du Havre is the main station serving Le Havre and its suburbs in France. It is the western terminus of the Paris–Le Havre railway, opened in 1847. The station was built in 1932 by Henri Pacon for the CF de l'Etat replacing the older building along with a new clock tower. It is a terminus and...
.
Main stations
The main stations on the Paris–Le Havre railway are:- Gare Saint-LazareGare Saint-LazareParis Saint-Lazare is one of the six large terminus train stations of Paris. It is the second busiest in Paris, behind the Gare du Nord, handling 274,000 passengers each day.-History:...
(Paris) - 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 de Rouen-Rive-Droite
- Gare du HavreGare du HavreGare du Havre is the main station serving Le Havre and its suburbs in France. It is the western terminus of the Paris–Le Havre railway, opened in 1847. The station was built in 1932 by Henri Pacon for the CF de l'Etat replacing the older building along with a new clock tower. It is a terminus and...
History
Following the success of the early railways in Britain, France was encouraged to develop a railway network, in part, to link with the railway system in Britain. To this end the Paris and Rouen Railway Company was established, and Joseph LockeJoseph Locke
Joseph Locke was a notable English civil engineer of the 19th century, particularly associated with railway projects...
was appointed as its engineer. Determining that bids submitted by French contractors were too expensive, he suggested that British contractors should be invited to tender. Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey
Thomas Brassey was an English civil engineering contractor and manufacturer of building materials who was responsible for building much of the world's railways in the 19th century. By 1847, he had built about one-third of the railways in Britain, and by time of his death in 1870 he had built one...
and William MacKenzie
William Mackenzie (contractor)
William Mackenzie was a British civil engineer and civil engineering contractor who was one of the leading European contractors in the 1840s.-Early life:...
, two British contractors, jointly tendered an offer, which was accepted in 1841. (Between 1841 and 1844, Brassey and Mackenzie won contracts to build four French railways, including the Orléans and Bordeaux Railway.)
In January 1846, during construction of the 58-mile (93 km) long Rouen and Le Havre line, one of the few major structural disasters of Brassey's contracting career occurred, the collapse of the Barentin Viaduct
Barentin Viaduct
Barentin Viaduct is a railway viaduct that crosses the Austreberthe River on the Paris–Le Havre line near to the town of Barentin, Normandy, France, about from Rouen. It was constructed of brick with 27 arches, high with a total length of...
. The 100 feet (30 m) high viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
that crosses the Austreberthe River
Austreberthe
The Austreberthe is a 18-km river of Seine-Maritime. Its source is the village of Sainte-Austreberthe. It meets the Seine at Duclair.The Austreberthe is crossed by the Barentin Viaduct, a noteworthy 30 meter high brick railway bridge built in 1846, about 19-km from...
was built of brick at a cost of about £50,000. The reason for the collapse was never established, but a possible cause was the nature of the lime
Lime mortar
Lime mortar is a type of mortar composed of lime and an aggregate such as sand, mixed with water. It is one of the oldest known types of mortar, dating back to the 4th century BC and widely used in Ancient Rome and Greece, when it largely replaced the clay and gypsum mortars common to Ancient...
used to make the mortar. The contract stipulated that this had to be obtained locally, and the collapse occurred after a few days of heavy rain. Brassey rebuilt the viaduct at his own expense, this time using lime of his own choice. The rebuilt viaduct still stands and remains in use today.
The section from Paris–Rouen had been completed a few years earlier by two different firm, but both parts were united and became part of 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 :...
in 1855. The first 8 km of the railway, until La Garenne-Colombes
La Garenne-Colombes
La Garenne-Colombes is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from Notre Dame de Paris which is the center of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-Name:...
, are shared with the line to Le Pecq
Le Pecq
Le Pecq is a commune 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.-Geography:...
that was opened in 1837 and extended to Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the centre.Inhabitants are called Saint-Germanois...
in 1847. The original terminus of the railway was the Gare de Rouen Saint-Sever
Gare de Rouen Saint-Sever
Rouen Saint-Sever was a large station serving the city of Rouen, Normandy, northern France. The station was situated along the quais of the River Seine to the east of city's centre....
on the left bank of the Seine. When the line was extended to Le Havre in 1847, a new station was built on the right bank of the Seine, the Gare de Rouen-Rive-Droite (originally: Gare de Rouen-Rue Verte).
Services
The Paris–Le Havre 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 Épône - MézièresÉpôneÉpône is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is situated on the left bank of the River Seine west of Paris. It is the most populous commune in the Guerville canton. Together with Mézières-sur-Seine and La Falaise, it forms a settlement of...
and Le Havre - 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 Le Havre and from Paris to DieppeDieppe, Seine-MaritimeDieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled... - TER Haute-Normandie regional services on the whole line
- TransilienTransilienThe Transilien is the brand name for suburban railway services of the SNCF-owned railway network operating within the Île-de-France région...
regional services on the section between Paris and VernonVernon, EureVernon is a commune in the department of Eure in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.It lies on the banks of the Seine River, about midway between Paris and Rouen... - RER ARER AThe RER A is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line runs from the western terminuses Saint-Germain-en-Laye , Cergy Le Haut , and Poissy to the eastern terminuses Boissy-Saint-Léger and Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy .* First inauguration: 12 December 1969*...
Paris rapid transit on the section between NanterreNanterreNanterre is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located west of the center of Paris.Nanterre is the capital of the Hauts-de-Seine department as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Nanterre....
and Poissy