Du Pays Basque à la Cerdagne : voyage dans les Pyrénées en train – Sur les rails de France – MG
Today, traveling
by train is a formality. THANKS. But far from speed records,
there is another way to escape on the rails of France. On board venerable steam engines
steeped in history or more contemporary regional trains. Let’s explore these
exceptional lines that have written the legend of the railway in our regions. Suspended on a bridge. I am simply amazed
when I see this majestic work. At the edge of a cliff. There’s always the wow factor. Let’s travel together on the rails. Let’s get some fresh air, right now. That’s pretty cool. From the Basque Coast to Catalonia,
let’s embark with train enthusiasts across the Pyrenees. We can already see
the ocean peeking out. On four legendary railway lines
, we will descend to the most surprising ones. Spectacular. If you put a piece of wood on it, it will
catch fire and instantly ignite. And exciting stopovers. You can feel the force of the
mountain rising up. At least, that’s how I feel. To the rhythm of vintage trains
and an express train. These 230 kilometers
promise an extraordinary journey. Our journey begins
between Saint-Jean-de-Luz and the Spanish border. High above the Basque Coast,
this small station is the starting point for a star of the railway:
the Rhune train. Hello, hello. Please check for the return, thank you. In
this vintage train carriage, nothing seems to have changed since its inauguration in 1924. Isabelle is a lover of this line. She has worked there for 18 years. This is an adventure that begins,
because here we are, we are on our way at 9 km/h to the ascent
of the summit of La Rhune, to go up to 905 meters altitude. The summit of La Rhune is a
mythical, emblematic summit, since La Rhune is part of the landscape
and for people, in fact, it is like a landmark,
like a lighthouse, in fact, this La Rhune. With its telecommunications antenna
and panoramic restaurants, the summit of La Rhune is the totem of the Basque Country. To reach it,
our train climbs steadily for a little over four kilometers. A 35-minute climb
to an exceptional viewpoint. We can already see the ocean
peeking out. In fact, we discover it little by
little, at the pace of the train. That’s what’s so nice about it,
because at nine kilometers per hour,
we have time to calmly discover this landscape that gradually unfolds before us. Below, we will be able to see
the first suburbs, so to speak, of the village of Sare. It’s a very beautiful village to discover. It is also classified among
the most beautiful villages in France. The architecture is magnificent. There are some very beautiful old houses, with
red half-timbering, red shutters, etc. For history
and architecture enthusiasts, the ascent of La Rhune will
therefore be an opportunity to make a short detour to this wonderful village. Here, the etches, in other words the
houses, are more than just architecture. They represent a family memory
that is passed down from generation to generation. Built in 1660, Horty-Lopes offers its
visitors a plunge into Basque history. Jean-Élie, its current owner,
knows all its secrets. Horty-lopes is one
of the houses of the common people. Ordinary people could afford such houses
here on the Basque Coast ,
simply because feudalism did not exist here. So the money earned was used to
support both the family and the village. Ortilopitre
is representative of architecture with timber-framed facades. The paints we were using were actually leftover paints we
had used to paint the hulls of our boats. These are basic colors. That’s why we mainly find
the colors red, green and blue on the Atlantic coast. On the ground floor,
a cider cellar and stables. The original staircase leads us
to the first floor where time seems to have stood still. So here we are
in the main room of the house, which is
the living room: the kitchen. We in the Basque Choucaldea,
on the side of the fire, since it was the only room in the house where we
had a fire point. So here we find
the sink from the house, but another very important thing,
it was a large one from Dore who stopped the shower stone from the house. The Sisailu,
which is the representative piece of Basque furniture,
with a backrest, since it is always placed facing the fireplace. And this water feature allowed us, on the one
hand, to retain some of the heat from the fireplace and, on the other hand, to protect ourselves from
drafts coming from the rear. We find a lot of
nautical techniques inside our homes. The floors are made of durable materials, using
marine techniques, just like the corridor. A large corridor,
exceptional for the 17th century. Yesterday, generally,
when there were rooms elsewhere in Europe, all the rooms
were in a row. You had to go through all
the rooms to play a piece from the back. Here on the Basque Coast,
these wide corridors were widespread. It is also a marine technique that has
been adapted to the construction of our houses. Although the sea influenced the architecture
of Orthylopitz, its stone and wood framework comes from La Rhune,
where we find our little train halfway up its ascent. With Isabelle,
we walk along the most fascinating section of this unique route in France. This rocky massif
is called the Alchang ridge. We can clearly see the railway line
winding below this ridge. At the summit, there are remains of the
Napoleonic redoubt from the battles of Wellington in 1813. At the beginning of the 19th century,
the advance of English troops on the Pyrenees front led Napoleon
I to build a defensive system. On the mountain range, this dry stone star
is the last remaining evidence of Napoleonic battles. Two centuries later, it is
no longer soldiers who face each other, but the trains of La Rhune. On this single track,
trains going up must give way to those going down. We find Isabelle
in the company of the train conductor. Now we’ll get to the point of avoidance. This is precisely the point
where the trains cross paths. We’ll have to wait
because the train is coming. Pantcho knows this; he only has a few seconds to perform this maneuver. I’ve never done the switching. I’m not telling you this, but
it’s going to be really nice to discover this with Pantcho. We have security, we have a padlock,
we insert the key, we open the padlock. Here, we’re going to turn what
‘s called the hammer. I’ll let you do it.
Go ahead, go ahead with the hammer. Come on. Come on. And that’s perfect. For
travellers, this short stop is a privileged moment to observe those
who populate the Rhune massif. Like the Manec sheep,
the griffon vultures or the splendid Potoque ponies. The luckiest might have
the pleasure of meeting Jean-Michel, a passionate breeder of this
emblematic breed of the region. La
Rhune is the cradle of these potoques who live just a few
meters from the railway. Come on, come on, come on. They can smell, there is the sense of smell. As soon as I approach,
they have a very refined sense of smell. They can smell when I arrive,
they can smell the bad weather. In the past, the farmers and miners
of the region greatly appreciated the small size, robustness and
dark coat of the Pautoc, which did not show dirt easily. They need to be resourceful,
we can’t be constantly on their backs from morning till night, putting
a blanket on them and blah blah blah, no. It’s not part of the house. But that doesn’t stop us from
loving them and taking good care of them. Affectionate with humans, the Pautoc
nevertheless has a formidable character. So… Make the world count. I prefer to have an animal that has
character and is frank. Whether you like it or not,
that’s it, let’s not talk about it anymore. He is Basque too, and we
too have our own character. Fortunately, too. We don’t let ourselves be walked
all over. Jean-Michel is especially careful not to
get run over when the Rhune train
comes close to his mates. A train that continues its slow but
sure ascent towards the summit. He’s the brother, he’s a manual. As soon as I put down the amount,
I let go of the brother. That’s not going to smell like smoke. Inside the machine’s innards,
the noise is infernal. At this point, the venerable machine must
give everything it has in it. We’re crazy, the
steepest part of the course. Even if we leave,
and we will make strength, we set off. Despite being 94 years old, the Rhune train still climbs its rack railway with gusto. Thanks to this gear-like toothed wheel mechanism
, it can climb slopes four times
steeper than a conventional train. We’ve arrived. Thank you for bringing us this far. We’ll still have to climb
a few more small steps to really reach the top. But at the summit, there’s no view. We’re a little bit
out of it. We have a view that is a little bit obstructed,
but that also gives it a slightly mystical, mysterious feel, actually. We can see walkers arriving
from I don’t know where over there, in the distance. So, that also creates another
image of La Rhune. The image of La Rhune
is also that of nighttime trafficking, which once represented
a real industry. Because the summit of La Rhune is also
a border, with France on one side and Spain on the other. On the other side of the border,
there are products that are not present in France, and vice versa. And so, quite simply,
we engage in exchanges. La Rhune is a place conducive
to smuggling since one climbs up from the village of Sare. There’s nobody here anymore,
so we’re all right. Customs officers chase us
when we smuggle goods on the Rhune massif. But it’s true that it’s
still a more or less quiet place. And then, finally, we
very quickly cross over to the other side. And it is first on the Spanish side
that the clouds dissipate. Then suddenly,
the Basque Coast unfolds before us. A small opening,
so we must take advantage of it quickly. We have a view of the Biarritz lighthouse,
the beginning of the Landes beach. The summit of La Rhune offers us
an exceptional panorama over the entire Basque coast, from Hendaye
to the beaches of the Landes. So, an unobstructed view of the ocean. Those who love these old little trains
and the Pyrenees mountains will certainly not stop at La Rhune. They will grow a little further east,
in the Ossau valley, where another little treasure awaits them. From Lake Fabrèges,
a cable car allows you to reach a legendary rowing boat. Here, tourists flock
to board the Artouste train, reputed to be the highest in Europe. Matthieu is a regular
on this extraordinary route. Okay, let’s go. I’m taking you on a
magical excursion. We’re on the Artouste train,
here, at an altitude of 1900 meters. We’re going to take a journey
of about 50 minutes. We’ll start right away
with the passage through the Bear Tunnel. A tunnel that was built in the early
1900s, 318 meters long. So, this tunnel always has its little effect,
a bit like the Tunnel of Terror, for little ones. The tunnel is built to
the correct dimensions for the train. We have 10 centimeters on each side
of the train, it was a tight fit. At the end of the tunnel, the 70 travelers
enter another world. So, there’s always the wow factor
of this valley stretching out before us. So, the Sous-Ouiou valley. So, a natural, wild territory
where fauna and flora will mingle. Look, we can see a mammoth,
right here, which are also used to trains and come to say hello
to our visitors, our travelers. What is really great, and I would
even say unique, is that we are truly in a
territory untouched by any construction. We have nothing else but this road,
the train, a few shepherds’ huts at most that we might come
across with their animals. Pastoralism in the Ossau Valley is
truly rooted in tradition. There are still many shepherds
who come with their animals, whether sheep or cows. It is also part of the institutions
of the Ossau Valley. In this magnificent glacial valley,
the Artouste train has also become an institution. Since the 1920s, it has been winding for about ten kilometers, following the
tight curves of an old mule track. You can see how it was
actually carved directly into the rock. And we can imagine that in the
beginning, there was nothing. So the men,
with pickaxes and shovels, using the rudimentary means of the time,
had to dig directly into the cliff to set up a track,
create retaining walls just below, lay the rails
and bring in the locomotives. This train, basically, let’s be clear,
is not a tourist train, it’s a technical train to transport
the men and equipment that came to build the Artousse dam in the 1920s,
which we can see just behind. The construction of this dam
has all the hallmarks of a Greek epic. For 8 years, 2,000 workers shaped
this gigantic masonry dike. Objective: to increase the capacity of this
natural lake to make it a powerful electricity producer. Here we are on the
Artouste dam, a stone engineering structure, the stones of which were taken
from the mountain around us. The remains
of the stone factories can still be seen. There, all the remains of the construction,
the barracks and the supports of the old cable cars that made it possible
to lift all the loads up to the dam. This lake is the largest reservoir
in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region with 23 million cubic meters of water. So, the artificial dam is 20 meters
high, knowing that the natural lake is about a hundred meters higher. Olivier is an electromechanical technician. He works under Lake Artouste. He gives us a behind-the-scenes look
at his hydroelectric plant. In this area closed to the public,
we make our way through galleries to a gigantic machine room
where there are giant taps. Inside,
the equivalent of 1,000 bottles of water flows in one second. We are now under the dam. On this side, there is the lake. Here, these are the taps,
which we call valves, which allow, when we open them, the release
of water, the means to go to the machine. Next, the principle is
identical to that of a dynamo. The water will arrive in this pipe,
it will turn in this kind of spiral to drive the wheel. When the wheel turns with
the force of the water, it will drive the alternator and produce
electricity which will then be fed into the grid. It’s 100 percent clean energy. The water will fill the dams
when the snow melts. It will go through the machine and it
will return to the river just as it is. So. And here we arrive in front of the magnificent
Lake Artouste, and its 23 million cubic meters of water. For us, it’s still something
extraordinary to work in a place like this. It’s hard to imagine that this haven of peace supplies electricity to a city comparable to Bordeaux. A feat that could not have been
achieved without the little train of Artouste. Just. On board, Matthieu knows that the train has just
entered the most perilous section of the route. Guaranteed thrill. The landscape changes a bit there. We can see that around us,
the grass is becoming scarcer. The rock, however, becomes predominant. Just behind me, there,
you can see those very steep cliffs. The edge of the locomotive and the wagons
is 10 cm from the cliff. That’s quite impressive. We are really above a
very vertical area of the cliffs. It’s true that it can
be quite dizzying. For those who are less comfortable,
we advise them to position themselves on the cliff side, and those who want to enjoy themselves
and have a bit of a thrill should position themselves on that side. The further the train travels, the more
breathtaking the views become. We have magnificent views
with the train behind us. There’s a waterfall below. We’ll see
some snow patches behind us as we round the bend. So this is the Peak of the Palace. Approaching 3,000 meters in altitude,
the Pic du Palace is the highest point in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. For us, this is also the end
of this 50-minute train journey. We’re going to cover the last few meters
that separate us from the Artus train terminus. It’s over, if everyone gets off. Hello, we came to a glass of a lake. We came into a glass of lake,
we came into a glass of lake. We came into a glass of lake,
we came into a glass of lake. We came to a glass of a lake. For the most intrepid passengers of the little
train, a hiking trail leads to a hidden gem in the heart
of the Pyrenees National Park. From Lake Artouste,
a 300-meter elevation gain is required to reach another lake,
Lake Aremouly. For
lovers of authentic experiences, this period refuge is a must. Yes, absolutely,
in principle, until the 14th. Don’t hesitate to go
into the kitchen to ask Eric, the warden, to tell us about his refuge. The refuge warden:
We are in the mountains, we live in the mountains. In May, when we open,
there’s snow everywhere. The refuge is almost completely covered in snow. So that’s how a season starts. It’s three degrees in the building,
but we light the stove and manage to get a little bit of comfort. The kitchen, the
essential element, is the piano. We also have a fridge that runs
on gas, because energy in mountain huts
is something very complicated. We produce energy on site,
everything related to electricity, photovoltaic panels, but often
very limited to just lighting. Everything is brought in by helicopter, so
the gas cylinders are limited. Two, one size of gas,
it needs to last us six days. If we spend too much, we are forced
to do another helicopter transport. And so, it costs us a lot. And so we are forced to count everything. In May and June, it will be
mountain people who arrive there. They arrive on touring skis
or snowshoes to go and climb a summit or things like that. And in July,
it’s very different. There, we’re going to have smaller
hikers arriving there, maybe even just to spend the night. Eat in a shelter, sleep.
That’s the goal. And in September,
as is currently the case, we find a much
higher number of visitors to the mountains and also many, many fewer people. And so, we find time when we can
escape from our refuge from time to time.
And there, I would say, we come back to life, you know. We relive our lives in the mountains, that’s what it is. Let’s now leave Eric in these
mountains to return to the frenzy of the city. Our exploration of the Pyrenees from the perspective of the train
continues in Toulouse, on the banks of the Garonne. Well known for its Capitole and
Saint-Sernin Basilica, the pink city is much less known
for being the starting station of an extraordinary line. Antoine usually drives this regional train, but today he is boarding as a regular passenger. This enthusiast will reveal all
the secrets of the man nicknamed the Trans-Pyrenean. We are now leaving Toulouse. We’ve passed the major level crossing. We cross this bridge,
leaving the Garonne behind us. Quite symbolic, because the Garonne
is the face of the Southwest. And the train goes over the Garonne
and that’s kind of the gateway to Ariège. We leave Toulouse and immediately, there,
we find ourselves surrounded by fields, trees, and small forests. Let’s get some fresh air, right now. That’s pretty cool. Heading towards the international station
of La Tour de Carole, Notre-Terminus, this trans-Pyrenean line
crosses the heart of Ariège. Over a hundred kilometers
, a wild
and historically rich department unfolds behind the train windows. But before reaching the summits,
our electric train pierces the plains at 140 km/h,
very close to its maximum speed. The rural image of our line with
farmers at work, there, we can clearly see that the plains section
is really focused on crops. These are truly
purely rural landscapes. Between the sunflowers and the small valleys
that are taking shape, we will soon arrive at Saint-Verdin. Attention, please,
for your safety when descending, pay attention to the gap
between the step and the watchtower. From Saverdun station, a
two-hour walk will allow us to discover the
natural riches of the Basariège. And if there is one small town that you
should not miss, it is Mazère. Its architectural heritage
is simply remarkable. To understand it,
the mayor invites us to stroll through this 13th-century fortified town. You are in the heart of the bastide. The bastide suffered greatly,
particularly during the religious wars between Protestants
and Catholics. But there are still very
strong signs of this new medieval town and in particular
the organization of the Bastide. All the streets intersect at right angles. And then there was the typical
Bastide layout, with a large square where we are, with a superb large market hall whose
framework is absolutely magnificent. And then, of course, the church,
the bell tower which was the heart of the village, the heart of life at that time. And all of that remains with us. Mazères’ heritage
also includes these pink half-timbered facades which are
reminiscent of those in Toulouse. You can really see the architecture
of the Bastide: the brick fragments, the pebbles, and then the brick which is
roughly aligned and arranged. And that’s really typical. It’s an old wall,
it’s an original wall, and this is the Bastide de Mazars. No, there is no desire for
perfect harmony, and that is what makes these buildings so charming today. From the 13th century onwards,
it was the cultivation of pastel that enabled the growth of the Bastide. A witness to this era, this
listed hotel offers one of the most beautiful views of the region. On this side are
the hills of the Orayais. And then, beyond the Bastide
and in the background, unfortunately, today there is a bit of noise, but
you have the whole Pyrenees mountain range. The Pyrenees mountains,
into which our regional train is about to plunge. We leave Saint-Verdun and we will
gradually almost leave the plain. In the distance, we can see that the landscape is
starting to take on a little more relief; that’s where we’ll
really start to become aware of the mountain line. The break will be the time when
it rises on both sides. We arrive at faith. So, in the distance, at the front of the train,
you can see the castle overlooking the city. You can immediately see
the bridge painted in the colors of the country. And so there you have it, accessible just by this
little footbridge, you can immediately reach the castle. Those most passionate about history
stop at Foix station. An unmissable stop located
in the heart of Ariège. With its narrow streets,
abbey church and monastery, the medieval town invites you to travel back in time. But here, the most impressive thing
is the castle. Built in the year 1000
on this rocky promontory, the very well-preserved building
occupied a strategic location to fight against invasions. From these impregnable walls,
the lords watched over the lowlands and controlled access to the Upper Valley. A high valley through which our
train is now making its way. At this point, it is only traveling at 80 km/h,
as an invitation to observe the wilderness. First small tunnel. The views there are quite magnificent. We have a very clear view. Here, we are really in the realm
of mountain lines. All the way to the Tour de Carole,
the train benefited from this possibility because it is slightly elevated,
because it seeks out a little bit of foothills which were
perhaps simpler to build. At one time, it was
done by hand. It allows you to have a magnificent view of the
surrounding valleys. And really, very often,
you realize that it’s the train that allows you to have the nicest view
of the surrounding mountains. On the mountains, but also on the one
that gave its name to the department. Over about fifty kilometers,
we repeatedly caress and hug the Ariège river. This mountain river,
which originates on the borders of Andorra, represents a true
playground for adventure lovers. All along the Ariège,
it is possible to go canoeing and kayaking with descents that are, let’s say,
more or less strenuous, depending on the section you are going on. Since we embarked,
the trans-Pyrenean railway has allowed us to discover what lies
all around the mountain. But how many people know about the treasure
hidden inside? To find out, we need to get off
the train at Tarascon station. Jacques is in charge of the
Nio caves, one of the most beautiful European prehistoric temples. From 300 meters from the entrance,
we will discover the first geometric signs. Here we can see a rare sign
called a claviform, which is composed of a rod with a loop. This is a particular feature of the
Pyrenean and Ariège caves, since claviform signs are found
in eight Ariège caves, including the cave of
Mais c’est au bout de la galerie principale, dans cette vaste rotonde,
que s’est concentre environ 80 représentations
animaux en un état de conservation exceptionnel. The bestiary represented in the caves,
in fact, is a very limited bestiary consisting of a few large herbivores,
the horse, the bison, the goat and the deer,
which represented symbols in the minds of the Magdalenians. They were symbolic animals. The Magdalinians are the people
who lived here 16,000 years ago. These cave paintings
are therefore the same age. Here we can see the horns of this
bison, which are particularly well done. Very fine horns that
were drawn with a brush. They look as if they
were just drawn a few moments ago. We can see certain anatomical details
such as the hooves and horns, which are drawn in a very spectacular way. It is a particularity of
Macdalenian-Ariège art, the fact of finishing the animals,
which is quite rare, and of detailing them. It is a place that is
particularly charged with emotion. This emotion is
reflected back by the visitors. There really is this special atmosphere
that can be felt in this cave and in this room. While the Magdalenians were content
to decorate natural cavities, nowadays man shapes the mountain
as our regional train gives us the opportunity to see. Just a few minutes from Tarascon,
you’ll find the most surprising scenery on the line. Next stop, Luzonac, Carennes. Luzonnac’s distinctive feature is that
it is a major center for talc mining, as
one of the largest open-pit talc quarries is located above Luzonnac. You can even see the little cable car,
in fact, that brings the talc down there. The blocks were transported down from the quarry
to the station in bins. The talc is processed in a factory which is
attached to the station and then transported by rail to Europe. And it is partly the transport of this
Orblanc that has allowed us to perpetuate our trans-Pyrenean railway line. At kilometer 123, another activity
that is closely linked to the railway. So here we arrive at Axel and Thermes. The town of Axel and Therme is
primarily characterized by its thermal baths. There are baths, in fact,
for spa-goers who come for medical purposes and baths, let’s say,
a little more recreational, with hot, sulphurous water that comes
directly from the mountain. People often
dip their feet in the water after a day of skiing or hiking. It must be said that
the hikes here are beautiful. More than 2700 kilometers of trails
crisscross the Pyrenees-Ariège region, some of which run very close to the railway. Here, the idea is that we take the TER,
like we would take the RER in the Paris region, in the heart of Toulouse. And in an hour and a half,
we’ll find ourselves at the foot of some very well-known hiking trails. We see people with
their hiking backpacks. So it really is
the perfect illustration. With family ownership,
we’ll be able to go for hour-long walks in the heart of the forest. The idea that there is something for all
levels, all tastes. It’s a line that’s
quite extraordinary for that. Little by little, the valley narrows
until it reaches the border with Andorra. Our regional train plunges
into the 5.5 kilometers of the Puy-Maurince tunnel,
one of the longest in France. Upon its release, we discover
a new universe. We’re going to cross a viaduct here. And behind the ruins,
you can see the slightly more arid side and the vegetation becomes lower, drier. These are plots of land that are less watered, and
a bit windier too. The Mediterranean Sea and the Tramontane wind
play a role in the terrain here. And we arrive here,
at Tour de Carole station, which is the terminus of the French line. This station is massive,
very imposing, because historically it was a border station. And from this station depart the
yellow train, the train to Barcelona and our line from Toulouse. The three of them meet
at the Tour de Carole station. Also, go to the station with friends. We arrive at La Tour de Carole station. And this is where we leave Antoine. As he departs for Toulouse
aboard this night train. Bye. We are about to embark on one last
journey which, luckily, starts from the same station. This journey
will take place aboard the famous yellow train. Axel is a fanatic about it. He loves spending his free time
traveling in this legendary railway heritage site. There it is, the famous legendary ciflé
of the yellow train, authentic. And here we begin. We are in the ZR,
so Trailer, Discovery Boat 2030. We will have time to appreciate
the landscape and experience the unique sensations of the yellow train
visually and audibly. Here we go. From La Tour de Carole to
Villefranche, the yellow train crisscrosses the Catalan Pyrenees. For a little over 60 km,
it crosses the fertile plains of Cerdagne to reach
the steep mountains of Haut Conflent. Despite appearances,
this old machine is indeed a regional train. On board what is nicknamed the Canary
without and without, the experience is unique. You can hear the distinctive clatter of the wheels of
the boats on the Jolanne by ear;
you would think you were on a train in the Wild West. We begin a ramp,
we hear a little more of the noise of the traction motors, the famous deep sound. We hear the
particular sound of the boats. That’s truly wonderful to hear. You can still smell grease
and sheet metal too, the sheet metal of the crates. No other train has this look,
this sound, these smells, etc. So, we are truly on a train that is unique
in the world, and that’s also why we love it. It happens frequently,
people honk at us, we give them a little wave like that. The yellow train is whistling. It’s really very musical and lively. It happens spontaneously and it’s
like that every day. If our train is the pride of
an entire region, it is certainly because it has managed to retain its Catalan colours. Built at the beginning of the last century,
this railway line was intended to connect the high
plateaus to the rest of the department. Today, on this UNESCO-listed line
, runs one of the oldest railway pieces of equipment in France. As the train travels along, a
postcard of Cerdagne unfolds, as beautiful as it is surprising. The solar furnace of Odeillet. The solar oven is one
of the must-see attractions in Font-Romeu. Moreover, we are now arriving
at Font-Romeu station, Odeyovia. It would be a real shame not to visit this UFO nestled in the
Catalan landscape. World-renowned, this furnace,
larger than the Arc de Triomphe, is a pioneer in solar energy. Marianne, a researcher at the CNRS,
will demonstrate this for us. So here we are in the
control room which is located between the large parabolic reflector of the solar furnace and the
mirror field that you see next to us. The goal
is to orient the mirrors so as to reflect solar radiation
towards the parabola and then concentrate it at the focus. And that’s where we reach
high temperatures. In a few seconds,
this oven is capable of concentrating up to 10,000 times the solar energy. Okay, so here we have a small
one-kilowatt oven and by sending water through it, we can clearly see the focal point
at the confluence of the two cones. If you put a piece of wood on it, it will
catch fire instantly, you see? There, it was instantaneous,
it ignited immediately. It’s very fast and here,
we can reach almost 4,000 degrees. 4,000 degrees is almost 15 times
more powerful than our household oven. So, I put some pebbles there. Enough to melt even
the hardest materials. So, you see that they
are… They are boiling over. There, you can melt lots
of different materials. It’s well melted. You can see that it’s very, very red. And that makes a marble. This is just an experiment. So there you have it, a pebble. You can still see a bit of pebble behind. But within this prodigious structure,
the CNRS envisions many others to invent the energy of the future. At the beginning of the 20th century,
our yellow train was also considered a true
technical feat. Axelle knows something about that. With him, we head towards the
most impressive works of art. So we are leaving from
Font-Rebeu station, from Yovia. There, we are really going to be a little amazed,
that is to say astonished by this magnificent landscape, both plain
and truly mountainous. The first mountain that is here
with the shape of bays, which are two ski slopes,
is El Campre d’Aze, in Catalan. It means Anne’s room. So now we’re going to go
to Bolcaireine station, which is the highest point on the
Sardinia line, at 1,592.78 meters altitude. It is also the highest station
in France, the SNCF and Europe. A unique prestige, especially
for the line and for our Canary. Just after this station,
we pass the Col de la Perche. Hey, good morning, Macarena.
Cusci, thin. We then leave Cerdagne
for Haut Conflent. Change of scenery. From now on, it is the mountain
that embraces us. Here, we are at the edge of a forest
of fir trees of various colors. And when you see this environment,
you might think we are in the great forests of Canada.
Not at all. This is here in the Pyrénées-Orientales,
a Catalan country, in the Haut Conflent. We see our Canary turning in front of
us in the curve with the light just at sunset illuminating it.
It’s magnificent. The topography of the region required tunnels, viaducts and bridges to be put into service on this route. In total, 650 large-scale constructions. In a few seconds,
we will pass over one of the most typical places on the yellow train line
: the Gisclar suspension bridge, which was built between 1905 and 1907. It is a bridge that is
253 meters long and weighs 873 tons of steel, equipped with thousands of rivers. It is a titanic masterpiece that
required monstrous engineering. And it has been classified as a
historical monument since 1997. Standing 62 meters high,
the Gisclar is the first metal railway bridge built in France. It is now the last
remaining suspension railway bridge still in service. Here we are, crossing the famous
Gisclar bridge, and there, we are really in a surge of steel, of metal. I am simply amazed
when I see this majestic work. I’m also thinking of the men who were
there, who made all those steel cables. Seven kilometers of track later,
a second iconic structure. The viaduct spans National Route
116 and the River Tate, leading us to
an unmissable stopover. There are many travellers who,
in general, take the yellow train from Villefranche and get off
at Tuesca-Arenza to go and climb the famous Gorges. And there, in fact, we can see them. We’re really experiencing a lull. As Axel suggests,
this Grand Canyon of the Pyrenees is well worth a short getaway. An incredible display of raw rocks
and hanging vegetation, the Gorges de la Carença are among
the most spectacular in France. Isabelle is a geologist,
specializing in the Pyrenees mountain range. So. Everything you see above
the Carença Gorges, and the entire Carença Gorges,
is this hard rock called gneiss. To prove the strength of this
rock, I brought you my hammer. And as you can see,
I can’t break it. However, this indestructible rock has
given way to a formidable adversary. What the Gorges
de la Carença tell us is the power of the torrent. It was the water that carved
the Gorges as it passed through. The water took the most direct path
over nearly 2,000 meters of elevation change, until it reached the entrance to the Gorges
which we crossed earlier. For millennia,
the torrent has carved in depth what it could not gain in width. As a result, the gorges
seem to swallow us whole. We are here
because the scenery is simply superb. These are
mineral environments like that. It exudes a certain strength. You can feel the force of the
mountain rising up. At least, that’s how I feel. Conquering its terrain
is the daily routine of our yellow train. For over 100 years it has been winding its way
through its natural wonders. To the delight of travelers. We will soon be returning
to Villofranche de Complon. It is a hotel that was founded in 1992
by the Count of Sardinia, Guilhem Ramon. The fortifications were reinforced
in the 17th century by Vauban. In particular, she says who founded
Fort Liberia, which overlooks the village. Villefranche, which is of course classified
among the most beautiful villages in France, and for ten years,
classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A formidable reputation. The village is there,
the citadel hidden in the trees. The Canigou that we
can finally see, there it is. And when the sacred mountain of the Catalans
finally appears, three hours of travel have passed. And here, we will arrive at the station with,
in particular, the depot, maintenance workshop for the yellow train on the left. So, this is wonderful because we
see the cars parked in front of the workshop ,
waiting to either be serviced or to be serviced. Arrival is truly
the time to appreciate. And we arrive at the terminus at the
Ville Franche station, Verne-et-Léven, Feuillard. Esakabat is finished. Our Catalan Canary has
finally returned to its nest. A terminus that marks the end of a
fantastic railway adventure. For those who wish to
discover the Pyrenees in turn, the little trains of Artouste
and La Rhune, the regional trains of Ariège
or Cerdagne will offer an unparalleled travel experience. On board these legendary French railways,
they may encounter enthusiasts who will be happy
to tell them their story.
Monter dans la rame d’époque du Train de la Rhune, gravir ses pentes à 905 m d’altitude, survoler la Côte basque et les maisons labourdines, croiser brebis, vautours et poneys pottok… puis filer vers l’est jusqu’au mythique Train d’Artouste, accroché à flanc de montagne au-dessus des eaux turquoise. Entre deux panoramas, l’histoire se raconte : crémaillère centenaire, ouvrages d’art, barrage d’Artouste et usine hydroélectrique où l’eau devient électricité.
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Cap ensuite sur l’Ariège avec le “transpyrénéen” : bastides médiévales, grottes préhistoriques et vallées sauvages vues depuis le TER. Final en apothéose sur le flamboyant Train Jaune, canari catalan classé à l’UNESCO, ses viaducs légendaires (Gisclard, Séjourné) et les gorges spectaculaires qui mènent aux contreforts du Canigou.
Patrimoine vivant, ingénierie de montagne et nature grandiose : une traversée des Pyrénées au rythme des trains historiques et régionaux, pour une évasion hors du temps…
Réalisé par Brice MARTINELLI.
© MORGANE PRODUCTION