Paris–Marseille railway
Encyclopedia
The railway from Paris to Marseille is an important French
862-kilometre long railway line, that connects Paris
to the southern port city Marseille
via Dijon
and Lyon
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1847 and 1856, when the final section through Lyon was opened. The opening of the LGV Sud-Est
high speed line from Paris to Lyon in 1981-83, the LGV Rhône-Alpes
in 1992-94 and the LGV Méditerranée
in 2001 has decreased its importance for passenger traffic.
in Paris
in southeastern direction. It crosses the river Marne at Charenton-le-Pont
, and follows the right Seine
bank upstream until Crosne
, where it follows a course east of the Forest of Sénart
. It crosses the Seine near Melun
and follows the left Seine bank upstream, along the Forest of Fontainebleau
. Beyond Montereau-Fault-Yonne
, the railway follows the left Yonne bank upstream. At Migennes
the Yonne is crossed, and the small rivers Armançon
, Brenne and Oze are followed upstream. Beyond Blaisy-Bas
the railway enters the watershed of the Mediterranean Sea
, descending the Ouche
river valley to central Dijon
.
At Dijon the railway turns south, running along the east side of the Côte d'Or
escarpment with its famous vineyards. At Chalon-sur-Saône
the railway reaches the river Saône
, and follows its right bank downstream until the city centre of Lyon
. Before and after the Gare de Lyon-Perrache
it crosses the Saône and the Rhône
respectively, and continues downstream along the left Rhône bank. Between Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or
(north of Lyon) and La Guillotière (a southern quarter of Lyon) there is a parallel line to its east, on which the other main station of Lyon, Part-Dieu
, is situated. There is also a long parallel line on the right bank of the Rhône between Lyon and Nîmes, which is mainly used for freight transport.
The railway passes through Valence
, Avignon
and Arles
, where it leaves the Rhône and turns east. It passes along the northern shore of the Étang de Berre
. After a total length of 862 km, it reaches its terminus Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles.
in 1857. The concessions Lyon–Avignon and Avignon–Marseille had already been united in 1852. The first section that was opened in 1847 led from Rognonas
near Avignon to Pas-des-Lanciers
near Marseille. Marseille was connected in 1848. In 1849 a line from Paris to Tonnerre
(Yonne
) and a line from Dijon to Chalon-sur-Saône
were built, and Avignon was connected with Rognonas. Tonnerre and Dijon were connected in 1851. In 1854 the line from Marseille to Avignon was extended to Valence
, and the line from Paris to Chalon was extended to Lyon-Vaise
. In 1855 Valence was connected with La Guillotière, a southern quarter of Lyon. Finally in 1856 the passage through Lyon from La Guillotière to Vaise was 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...
862-kilometre long railway line, that connects 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 the southern port city Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
via Dijon
Dijon
Dijon 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....
and Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. The railway was opened in several stages between 1847 and 1856, when the final section through Lyon was opened. The opening of the LGV Sud-Est
LGV Sud-Est
The LGV Sud-Est is a high-speed rail line, which links Paris' and Lyon's suburbs, in France. The inauguration of the first section between Saint-Florentin and Sathonay on 22 September 1981 marked the beginning of the re-invigoration of French passenger rail service.This line, subsequently...
high speed line from Paris to Lyon in 1981-83, the LGV Rhône-Alpes
LGV Rhône-Alpes
The LGV Rhône-Alpes is a 115 km-long French high-speed rail line situated in the Rhône-Alpes region which extends the LGV Sud-Est southwards. Opening to service in 1994, this line bypasses the built-up Lyon area towards the east, and in addition serves Satolas station, now renamed...
in 1992-94 and the LGV Méditerranée
LGV Méditerranée
The LGV Méditerranée is a French high speed railway line of approximately 250 km length, which entered service in June, 2001. Running between Saint-Marcel-lès-Valence and Marseille, it connects the regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Languedoc-Roussillon to the LGV Rhône-Alpes, and from...
in 2001 has decreased its importance for passenger traffic.
Route
The Paris–Marseille railway leaves the Gare de LyonParis-Gare de Lyon
Paris Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. It is the northern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway. It is named after the city of Lyon, a stop for many long-distance trains departing here, most en route to the south of France. In general the station's SNCF services run...
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 southeastern direction. It crosses the river Marne at Charenton-le-Pont
Charenton-le-Pont
Charenton-le-Pont is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe....
, and follows the right 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...
bank upstream until Crosne
Crosne, Essonne
Crosne is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.Inhabitants of Crosne are known as Crosnois.-References:** -External links:* * *...
, where it follows a course east of the Forest of Sénart
The Forest of Sénart
Located in Essonne, it covers 3,500 hectares in area, this forest is very important to the local population. The local government has kept roads and agricultural companies from cutting down parts of this forest...
. It crosses the Seine near Melun
Melun
Melun is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris, Melun is the capital of the department, as the seat of an arrondissement...
and follows the left Seine bank upstream, along the Forest of Fontainebleau
Forest of Fontainebleau
The forest of Fontainebleau is a mixed deciduous forest lying sixty kilometres southeast of Paris, France. It is located primarily in the arrondissement of Fontainebleau in the southwestern part of the department of Seine-et-Marne...
. Beyond Montereau-Fault-Yonne
Montereau-Fault-Yonne
Montereau-Fault-Yonne, or simply Montereau, is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Name:...
, the railway follows the left Yonne bank upstream. At Migennes
Migennes
Migennes is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France....
the Yonne is crossed, and the small rivers Armançon
Armançon
The River Armançon drains part of north-western Burgundy in France. It rises in the département of Côte-d'Or and flows into the River Yonne at Migennes...
, Brenne and Oze are followed upstream. Beyond Blaisy-Bas
Blaisy-Bas
Blaisy-Bas is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.-Population:-References:*...
the railway enters the watershed of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, descending the Ouche
Ouche
The Ouche is a river in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Saône, which it joins in Échenon. Its source is in Lusigny-sur-Ouche. The Ouche flows through the following towns: Bligny-sur-Ouche, La Bussière-sur-Ouche, Fleurey-sur-Ouche, Velars-sur-Ouche, Dijon,...
river valley to central Dijon
Dijon
Dijon 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....
.
At Dijon the railway turns south, running along the east side of the Côte d'Or
Côte d'Or (escarpment)
The Côte d'Or is a limestone escarpment in Burgundy, France that lends its name to the department which was formed around it...
escarpment with its famous vineyards. At Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
the railway reaches the river Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
, and follows its right bank downstream until the city centre of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. Before and after the Gare de Lyon-Perrache
Gare de Lyon-Perrache
Gare de Lyon-Perrache station is a large railway station in the quarter Perrache, in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon, France. It is situated on the Paris–Marseille railway, and it is the western terminus of the Lyon–Geneva railway and the southeastern terminus of the Moret–Lyon railway. It was built...
it crosses the Saône and the Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
respectively, and continues downstream along the left Rhône bank. Between Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or
Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or
Collonges-au-Mont-d'Or is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.-References:*...
(north of Lyon) and La Guillotière (a southern quarter of Lyon) there is a parallel line to its east, on which the other main station of Lyon, Part-Dieu
Gare de Lyon-Part-Dieu
Gare de la Part-Dieu is the primary railway station in Lyon, France. It is situated on the Lyon–Geneva railway.This zone is served by the metro line and -History:...
, is situated. There is also a long parallel line on the right bank of the Rhône between Lyon and Nîmes, which is mainly used for freight transport.
The railway passes through Valence
Valence, Drôme
Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Drôme department, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon on the railway to Marseilles.Its inhabitants are called Valentinois...
, Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
and Arles
Arles
Arles is a city and commune in the south of France, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the former province of Provence....
, where it leaves the Rhône and turns east. It passes along the northern shore of the Étang de Berre
Étang de Berre
The Étang de Berre is a body of water adjacent to the Mediterranean, about 25km north-west of Marseille.-Geography:Created by the rise in water levels at the end of the last ice age, this small inland sea is composed of...
. After a total length of 862 km, it reaches its terminus Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles.
Main stations
The main stations on the Paris–Marseille railway are:- Gare de LyonParis-Gare de LyonParis Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. It is the northern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway. It is named after the city of Lyon, a stop for many long-distance trains departing here, most en route to the south of France. In general the station's SNCF services run...
(Paris) - Gare de Dijon-VilleGare de Dijon-VilleGare de Dijon-Ville is the main railway station serving the city Dijon, Côte-d'Or department, eastern France. It is situated on the Paris–Marseille railway.-Services:-References:*...
- Gare de Lyon-PerracheGare de Lyon-PerracheGare de Lyon-Perrache station is a large railway station in the quarter Perrache, in the 2nd arrondissement of Lyon, France. It is situated on the Paris–Marseille railway, and it is the western terminus of the Lyon–Geneva railway and the southeastern terminus of the Moret–Lyon railway. It was built...
- Gare d'Avignon-Centre
- Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles
History
The sections Paris–Lyon, Lyon–Avignon and Avignon–Marseille were built and exploited by three different companies, that became part of Chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la MéditerranéeChemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée
The Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée was a French railway company ....
in 1857. The concessions Lyon–Avignon and Avignon–Marseille had already been united in 1852. The first section that was opened in 1847 led from Rognonas
Rognonas
Rognonas is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
near Avignon to Pas-des-Lanciers
Gare de Pas-des-Lanciers
Gare de Pas-des-Lanciers is a railway station in southern France. It is located in the hamlet of Pas-des-Lanciers, on the territory of the commune of Saint-Victoret. It is situated on the Paris–Marseille railway.-References:* -External links:...
near Marseille. Marseille was connected in 1848. In 1849 a line from Paris to Tonnerre
Tonnerre
Tonnerre is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France.-Twin town:* Nenagh, North Tipperary, Ireland-References:*...
(Yonne
Yonne
Yonne is a French department named after the Yonne River. It is one of the four constituent departments of Burgundy in eastern France and its prefecture is Auxerre. Its official number is 89....
) and a line from Dijon to Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
were built, and Avignon was connected with Rognonas. Tonnerre and Dijon were connected in 1851. In 1854 the line from Marseille to Avignon was extended to Valence
Valence, Drôme
Valence is a commune in southeastern France, the capital of the Drôme department, situated on the left bank of the Rhône, south of Lyon on the railway to Marseilles.Its inhabitants are called Valentinois...
, and the line from Paris to Chalon was extended to Lyon-Vaise
Gare de Lyon-Vaise
Gare de Lyon-Vaise is a railway station in Lyon, located in the district of Vaise, in the 9th arrondissement. The station is on the Paris-Lyon-Marseille main line; it is also served by metro line D.- History :...
. In 1855 Valence was connected with La Guillotière, a southern quarter of Lyon. Finally in 1856 the passage through Lyon from La Guillotière to Vaise was opened.
Services
The Paris–Marseille 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 most of its length, except the section between Combs-la-VilleCombs-la-VilleCombs-la-Ville is a commune in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris, in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France in north-central France...
and MontbardMontbardMontbard is a commune and subprefecture of the Côte-d'Or department in the Bourgogne region in eastern France.Montbard is a small industrial town on the river Brenne. The Forges de Buffon, ironworks established by Buffon, are located in the nearby village of Buffon... - 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...
and 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 Nevers (on the section between Paris and Moret – Veneux-les-Sablons) - 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 Clermont-Ferrand (on the section between Paris and Moret – Veneux-les-Sablons) and from Bordeaux to Marseille (on the section between TarasconTarasconTarascon , sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:...
and Marseille) - TER BourgogneTER BourgogneTER Bourgogne is the regional rail network serving the Burgundy region of France.- Rail:-Road:* Autun - Le Creusot-TGV* Paray-le-Monial - Le Creusot-TGV* Châtillon-sur-Seine - Montbard* Corbigny - Avallon - Montbard* Saulieu - Montbard...
, TER Rhône-Alpes and TER Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur 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 MontereauGare de MontereauMontereau is a railway station serving Montereau-Fault-Yonne, Seine-et-Marne department, northern France. It is situated on the Paris–Marseille railway.... - RER DRER DThe RER D is one of the five lines in the RER rapid transit system serving :Paris, France.The line officially runs from the northern terminus Orry-la-Ville – Coye to the southern terminuses Melun and Malesherbes...
Paris rapid transit on the section between Paris and MelunMelunMelun is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. Located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris, Melun is the capital of the department, as the seat of an arrondissement...