Le Velay Express, France's highest steam train!

Velay Express, imminent departure of the train, watch out for the closing of the doors! Since 1902, the railway has been opening up the world to us!
With its track culminating at 1062 meters above sea level, the Velay-Express is the highest steam train in France. Winding 27 kilometers between Raucoules, Tence, le Chambon-sur-Lignon and Saint-Agrève, it takes you on a cross-country tour of the Haut-Lignon.
Steam locomotives over a hundred years old, 19th-century wagons, railcars from the 1930s… take a trip back in time, guided by the volunteers who keep this community railroad alive.

The "slow pace" in the story

The Chemins de Fer Départementaux (CFD), founded in 1881, signed an agreement in 1886 for the construction and operation of the following lines: La Voulte sur Rhône to Le Cheylard, Tournon-Lamastre and Lavoûte sur Loire to Yssingeaux connects Dunières to La Voulte-sur-Rhône, henceforth nicknamed by the inhabitants of the Plateau the “Ca file doucement” because of its dusty 20km/h speed. It’s easy to imagine the constraints created by the harsh winter weather during snowy spells, when large snowdrifts form, and the men hire out their hands by the day to help with the snow-clearing work, which didn’t prevent the train from being blocked for 9 days in 1909.

For all the villages it served, the Voies ferrées du Velay train – and today’s Velay Express – was a symbol of opening up to the outside world, of opening up the region, transporting goods such as the wood used to line the mining galleries in the Saint-Etienne basin, and passengers – who were soon joined by many tourists. The development of green tourism, which began before the First World War, enabled the inhabitants of the plateau’s villages to get to know “foreigners”. Hotels, guesthouses and children’s homes were built to accommodate these tourists, while farmers also got into the habit of welcoming holidaymakers into their homes and picking them up at the station!

Le Velay Express, refuge train

The train was also used to transport “Enfants à la Montagne” (children in the mountains ) from the Loire, then from the Thann valley in the Haut-Rhin, before the Spanish Civil War, when the Haut-Lignon opened its doors to some twenty Spanish families. The Eyrieux Valley tortillard joined its counterpart on the Saint-Agrève-Dunières line and, from 1940 onwards, enabled the rescue of new refugees, including anti-Nazis, Jews and political opponents. In all, almost 31 nationalities were brought together here. In 1941 and 1942, in successive waves, thousands of children escaped from the hell of the French internment camps, mainly Gurs, Rivesaltes and Les Milles. Albert Camus went to the Bellevue hospital and took the train nicknamed La Galoche, discovering this rural world, observing it and recording in his Carnets a number of events that left a deep impression on him.

1985, closure of the line but a formidable revival is already on the horizon

1969

Saving the Dunières Saint Agrève section of the Chemins de Fer Régionaux (CFR) network

1970-1985

Tourist trains run thanks to volunteers
- end of the concession between the State and the CFD company and closure of the line

1986

Creates the Voies Ferrées du Velay association

1987

Dunières-Saint-Agrève tourist railway (SIVU owns the line and part of the rolling stock).

1993

Trains between Tence and Montfaucon then Dunières ...

2002

100 years of the line and full opening

2005

Operation entrusted to the Voies Ferrées du Velay volunteer association

2010

The Corpet-Louvet n°22 steam locomotive from 1923 is presented for the first time after 6 years of work by volunteers!

2011

Steam circulations resume

Focus on loco vapeur 22, a rebirth!

In 1923, Société Corpet Louvet of La Courneuve delivered loco number 22 to the Paul Frot public works company in Meaux. It was used on various sites until the outbreak of the Second World War. The TODT organization, a German civil and military engineering group, requisitioned it on the Anglo-Norman island of Jersey (Manche) in 1942, then returned it to its owner at the end of the war without putting it back into service. The Fédération des Amis des Chemins de Fer secondaires (FACS) preserved the machine until the early 1970s, when it was entrusted to the CFV, which operates the Tournon-Lamastre line. It was even exhibited at a freeway service area on the A7! Finally, in 2004, Facs entrusted it to Voies Ferrées du Velay, who undertook its renovation.

Full steam ahead...

The train runs between the Raucoules-Brossettes station (alt 835 m), a former junction of the Yssingeaux – La Voûte sur Loire line. The station is in the middle of the countryside, and the swing bridge and water tower used for steam traction stand alongside the gas-oil pumps installed with the arrival of the first railcars. It crosses the Trifoulou stream and winds through woods and meadows on the Plateau Vellave to Tence. It winds its way under the Pont de la Papeterie, Salettes and its level crossing until it crosses the Mazeaux stream after a 17km journey to Tence station.

From here, after jumping the Sérigoule stream, the route climbs upwards, giving a glimpse of the Château du Besset (XV), then through pines, firs and fayards (beech trees), overlooking the Lignon gorges with Mont Mézenc (alt 1753 ) in the background. Then the climb to Le Chambon-sur-Lignon is confirmed, with Le Lizieux (alt 1388m) finally in view. Numerous level crossings require extra use of the horn. After a stop at Le Chambon station, the train crosses the Fayolle stream and the Combelle ravine, while on the right appears the “Maison des Roches”, now a contemporary art center. Stop at Ladreyt, you’re in Protestant country, and note the family cemetery tombs on either side of the track.

The route spans the Cholet river on a viaduct with three unequal arches. A tough 3.5 km climb punctuated by marshy areas, peat bogs and pine forests. In spring, huge fields of daffodils, and in summer, flowering broom, punctuate the landscape all the way to the Atlantic-Mediterranean watershed and the Ardèche. On this rugged plateau at an altitude of 1061 m, often windswept in memory of the CFD mechanics who fought against the snowdrifts, the view is splendid: Mont Gerbier, Suc de Sara, le Mézenc, Le lizieux: a breathtaking panorama!

Finally, after 30 kilometers and 400 meters of ascent, we enter the Saint Agrève station (alt. 1040 m), dominated by Mont Chiniac. Saint Agrève, everyone, come on down and take a deep breath!