The yellow train
Le Train Jaune is not yet on UNESCO’s world Heritage List, but has been a willing candidate for several years now. The track was laid at the beginning of the century to link the Catalan mountain plateaus with the plain below. The construction of this line began in 1903 and by 1910 Villefranche was linked to Mont Louis. By 1927, this perilous construction was completed as per the 1st plans with a terminus in Latour de Carol. Construction of the 63km railway line required the commissioning of 650 works of art including 19 tunnels and two remarkable bridges: Séjourné’s Viaduct and Gisclard’s suspension bridge - all of which allow Le Train Jaune natural geographical challenges. Open-topped carriages reveal a stunning panorama as the train winds up the mountains making this a wonderful day trip amid breathtaking scenery. Le Train Jaune is the highest railway in France, reaching 1596m at Bolquère station. It runs year round, with a changing timetable according to the season. Tickets can be purchased either at the station or directly from the conductor if boarding at one of the smaller stations.
Tourist maps and timetables are available from tourist offices and information kiosks throughout the area.
We recommend: Two open carriage trips– one leaves from Latour de Carol and travels to Mont-Louis crossing the high plateaus and villages of Cerdagne, this takes about 1 hour, the second option is to leave Mont-Louis and travel down to Villefranche de Conflent, which takes about 2 hours. Leave early in the morning to make the most of the day out.
For more information please visit http://histoireduroussillon.free.fr/Thematiques/Batiments/Histoire/TrainJaune.php
Contact TER : 08 91 700 900 / SNCF : 36 35
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