Toulouse–Bayonne railway
Encyclopedia
The railway from Toulouse to Bayonne is an important French
319-kilometre long railway line, that connects the southern city Toulouse
to the southwestern town Bayonne
, running along the foothills of the Pyrenees
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1861 and 1867.
south of Toulouse city centre, and follows the Garonne left bank upstream in southwestern direction. It crosses the Garonne twice near Saint-Martory
, and turns west, still on the left Garonne bank. It crosses the Garonne again at Saint-Gaudens
and at Montréjeau
, where it leaves the Garonne valley.
Beyond Lannemezan
the railway turns northwest towards Tarbes
, where it turns southwest towards Lourdes
. At Lourdes it turns west again and starts following the Gave de Pau
downstream, on its right bank. At Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre
the river and the railway turn northwest towards Pau and Puyoô
. Beyond Puyoô the river and the railway take a western direction. The Gaves réunis is crossed at Hastingues
, and the railway continues downstream along the left bank of the river Adour
until it reaches Bayonne
, its western terminus.
. The first section that was opened in 1861 led from Toulouse
to Portet-Saint-Simon
, a section that is shared with the railway to Foix
and further. The line was extended to Montréjeau
in 1862. The section between Puyoô
and Pau was opened in 1863. In 1864 Bayonne
was connected with Puyoô, and in 1866 Tarbes
was connected with Lourdes
. Finally in 1867 the missing sections from Montréjeau to Tarbes and from Lourdes to Pau were opened.
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...
319-kilometre long railway line, that connects the southern city 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...
to the southwestern town Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
, running along the foothills of the Pyrenees
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1861 and 1867.
Route
The Toulouse–Bayonne railway leaves the Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau in southern direction. It crosses the river GaronneGaronne
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...
south of Toulouse city centre, and follows the Garonne left bank upstream in southwestern direction. It crosses the Garonne twice near Saint-Martory
Saint-Martory
Saint-Martory is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, and turns west, still on the left Garonne bank. It crosses the Garonne again at Saint-Gaudens
Saint-Gaudens
Saint-Gaudens is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.Saint-Gaudens lies at an altitude of 405 m on a ledge overlooking the valley of the Garonne...
and at Montréjeau
Montréjeau
Montréjeau is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-History:Montréjeau was the site of one of the French Revolution's last pitched battles between republicans and royalists. In the summer of 1799, anti-revolutionary insurrection broke out in the Haute-Garonne. For a...
, where it leaves the Garonne valley.
Beyond Lannemezan
Lannemezan
Lannemezan is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-Geography:The Petite Baïse has its source in the commune.Lannemezan is around 30 km east of Tarbes, and around 100 km south-west of Toulouse.-References:*...
the railway turns northwest towards Tarbes
Tarbes
Tarbes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.It is part of the historical region of Gascony. It is the second largest metropolitan area of Midi-Pyrénées, with 110,000 inhabitants....
, where it turns southwest towards Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
. At Lourdes it turns west again and starts following the Gave de Pau
Gave de Pau
The Gave de Pau is a river of south-western France and a left tributary of the Adour. It takes its name from the city Pau, through which it flows. The river is in length, and its source is at the Cirque de Gavarnie in the Pyrenees mountains....
downstream, on its right bank. At Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre
Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre
Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.-References:*...
the river and the railway turn northwest towards Pau and Puyoô
Puyoô
Puyoô is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-Geography:The town is situated on the Gave de Pau, a river running through the region, and some of the river's tributaries, including the streams of Lataillard, Espérance and Loulié...
. Beyond Puyoô the river and the railway take a western direction. The Gaves réunis is crossed at Hastingues
Hastingues
Hastingues is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France. Its nickname, due to its location on a rouded-shaped hill, is lou Carcolh ....
, and the railway continues downstream along the left bank of the river Adour
Adour
The Adour is a river in southwestern France. It rises in High-Bigorre , at the Col du Tourmalet, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near Bayonne. It is long, of which the uppermost as the Adour du Tourmalet. At its final stretch, i.e...
until it reaches Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
, its western terminus.
Main stations
The main stations on the Toulouse-Bayonne railway are:- Gare de Toulouse-Matabiau
- Gare de TarbesGare de TarbesTarbes is a railway station in Tarbes, Midi-Pyrénées, France. The station is located on the Toulouse - Bayonne railway line. The station is served by TGV , Lunéa , Intercités and TER services operated by the SNCF.-Train services:The following services currently call at Tarbes:*intercity services ...
- Gare de PauGare de PauPau is a railway station in Pau, Aquitaine, France. The station is located on the Toulouse - Bayonne and Pau - Canfranc railway lines. The station is served by TGV , Lunéa , Intercités and TER services operated by the SNCF.-Train Services:The following services currently call at Pau:*intercity...
- Gare de BayonneGare de BayonneBayonne is a railway station in Bayonne, Aquitaine, France. The station is located on the Bordeaux - Irun, Toulouse - Bayonne and Bayonne - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port railway lines...
History
The railway was built by the Compagnie des Chemins de fer du MidiChemin de Fer du Midi
The Chemin de Fer du Midi, often abbreviated to CF du Midi, was an early French railway company.In 1934 it merged with the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans to become part of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Orléans et du Midi ....
. The first section that was opened in 1861 led from 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...
to Portet-Saint-Simon
Portet-sur-Garonne
Portet-sur-Garonne is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, a section that is shared with the railway to Foix
Foix
Foix is a commune, the capital of the Ariège department in southwestern France. It is the least populous administrative centre of a department in all of France, although it is only very slightly smaller than Privas...
and further. The line was extended to Montréjeau
Montréjeau
Montréjeau is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-History:Montréjeau was the site of one of the French Revolution's last pitched battles between republicans and royalists. In the summer of 1799, anti-revolutionary insurrection broke out in the Haute-Garonne. For a...
in 1862. The section between Puyoô
Puyoô
Puyoô is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-Geography:The town is situated on the Gave de Pau, a river running through the region, and some of the river's tributaries, including the streams of Lataillard, Espérance and Loulié...
and Pau was opened in 1863. In 1864 Bayonne
Bayonne
Bayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
was connected with Puyoô, and in 1866 Tarbes
Tarbes
Tarbes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in south-western France.It is part of the historical region of Gascony. It is the second largest metropolitan area of Midi-Pyrénées, with 110,000 inhabitants....
was connected with Lourdes
Lourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
. Finally in 1867 the missing sections from Montréjeau to Tarbes and from Lourdes to Pau were opened.
Services
The Toulouse–Bayonne 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 Paris to Tarbes on the section between Puyoô and Tarbes - 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 Bayonne to Toulouse - TER Midi-Pyrénées 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