The Cévennes line, which connects Alès, Nîmes and Clermont-Ferrand, continues its colossal transformation

Deux véhicules posent, un par un, des tronçons de voies de plus de 800 kg. Midi Libre – Paul Barraud

Pendant ces vacances de Pâques, la SNCF réalise des travaux d'envergure pour rénover un tronçon de la ligne, d'Alès jusqu'au nord de Génolhac.

The large rail-carrying machines have been out for several days. From the buildings next to Alès station, you can see them carrying the railway line end to end along the railway. 

A ballet that began shortly before the holidays. During these two weeks, SNCF network continues the large-scale work launched almost eight years ago to renovate the Cévennes line, which links Nîmes, Alès and Clermont-Ferrand via the north of Gard. – La Grand-Combe, Chamborigaud, Génolhac – then Langogne and Lozère. A project which, for this year 2024, amounts to 12 M€ costs, shared between the State (61%), the Occitanie Region (31%) and SNCF Réseau (8%).

An essential interruption

The work in progress concerns three areas: Boucoiran, Alès (at the station exit) and the Molette tunnel north of Génolhac. 1920 (and melted down in Alès itself), but renovated several times until today, 12 km of railway must be completely replaced, ballast included. Two tunnels, including Molette, must be reinforced. Just like a wall overlooking the line north of Alès. 

Necessities which pushed the SNCF to completely interrupt traffic on the line during the holidays and for a month on the Génolhac-Langogne section for the Molette tunnel. An interruption announced well in advance and which is the best solution for the site despite the disadvantages. "There are three reasons for this closure, explains Catherine Trevet, territorial director of SNCF Réseau Occitanie, who visited on the Alès construction site this Wednesday, April 10. First of all, the safety of our travelers and our agents. Then for optimization of planning and costs and, finally, to limit disruptions."

If the work had been carried out without line interruption, it would have lasted "between four and six months" instead of a few weeks, because employees would have been forced to work only at night. In addition, this would have imposed "a limitation on the speed of trains during the day".

The interruption of traffic during school holidays, a period considered to have the least impact on travelers, is not a first in the renovation of the Cévennes line. Others are planned until 2026 on other sections.

The problem of Chamborigaud

During the work, replacement coaches are set up by the SNCF, "around fifty per day between Nîmes and Alès and more than ' around twenty north of Alès", specifies the company. 

However, the work in progress had naturally not anticipated the collapse of the Chamborigaud road bridge on March 18. Apart from the 45-minute detour by car to connect the village to Génolhac, only the rail line, currently interrupted, remains the best transport solution. 

Despite "searches for a solution to open, even partially, the" line, it was &quotimpossible& ;quot; for the SNCF to maintain its trains during the work. "The construction site had already started, the work began about a month before the replacement of the tracks, indicates Catherine Trevet. Suspending it would also have caused too many penalties for the companies involved in the project."

The director indicates, at the same time, that the reinforcement of the service to Chamborigaud, in place since the fall of the bridge, will continue to be reinforced at the start of the school year. "We are also studying the possibility of a shuttle between Chamborigaud and Génolhac, but this is not yet a given."

The trains should return to the line at the start of the school year, Monday April 22. Except for the northern part of Génolhac, towards Lozère, which is interrupted until May 24.

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