[ RURAL RAILWAYS IN FRANCE ][ CHEMINS DE FER RURAUX DE FRANCE ]

[ Bourg-en-Bresse - Oyannax - Saint Claude ]

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All rights reserved /  J.G.Skinner  / 2005 - 2007

The Compagnie des Dombes et Sud-Est was responsible for the construction of the railway from Bourg-en-Bresse to La Cluse, 37km long, opened in 1877.  It was extended in 1882 for a further 28km to Bellegarde.  The line passes through difficult terrain and required extensive civil engineering works; the 1.6km long Tunnel de Racouze, the magnificent viaduct at Cize-Bolozon( 52metres high, it was destroyed in 1944 and reconstructed in 1950), the 2.5km long Tunnel de Mornay, and six other tunnels between La Cluse and Bellegarde.

In June 1884,the line was transferred to the ownership of the PLM company which opened a branch from La Cluse to Oyannax in 1885, extended to Saint-Claude in 1889, and to Morez in 1912.

Trains from Bourg to Oyannax and Saint-Claude had to reverse at La Cluse until 1996 when a direct connection towards Oyannax was built with a halt named Brion-Montréal-La Cluse.  The original station at La Cluse was abandonned.  The line from La Cluse to Bellegarde had been closed in 1990.

A project to reconstruct and electrify the line from Bourg-en-Bresse to Bellegarde is now underway. The new line will be used principally by TGV's serving Geneva, Evian and St Gervais.  A saving of 30 minutes on the journey between Paris and Geneva will be possible. 

In connection with this project train services between Bourg, Oyannax and Saint-Claude were suspended on August 28th 2005, and replaced by motor coach services.  After the reconstruction is completed it is expected that train services will be reinstated to and from the busy town of Oyannax in "Plastic Valley".  Connection with TGV's will be at a new station at Nurieux.

Meanwhile, progress on the project was slower than originally planned due to delays in finalising the financial deal with all the parties.  This has now been done and work on the ground has started but the date of opening has been put back until December 2009, some three years later than originally planned.

Below are some glimpses of the line seen in March 2004 before closure.

Bourg-en-Bresse.  An RGP unit prepares to leave for Oyannax.  Services from Lyon heading to Saint-Claude reversed here.

For many years RGP and X 2800 units operated the train services on this difficult line.  The powerful MGO motors in both types of units made them very suitable for the steep gradients.  All RGP units have now been withdrawn from service, but three units have been preserved and run on private lines.

An RGP unit crosses the Cize-Bolozon viaduct.  For more pictures of this site see this page

X 2903 emerges from the Tunnel de Mornay and coasts into Nurieux with the mid-afternoon service to Oyannax. 

The halt at Brion-Montréal-La Cluse is less than ten years old.  Here the line climbs over the D979 and heads northwards

A blue RGP unit accelerates northwards away from La Cluse in March 2004.

The former station at Martignat, now in private ownership.

Jeurre-Vaux, another ex-PLM rural station preserved for posterity by private ownership.

This station is located between Saint Claude and Oyannax.  There is a limited train service between these two stations while the railway line is closed south of Oyannax.

Molinges seems abandonned, but is served by trains from Saint Claude to Oyannax and back.

A blue RGP unit heads south towards Bourg-en-Bresse.  The unit has since been withdrawn from service.

An uncertain future, also, for this attractive rural line through the foothills of the Jura, at present closed between Oyannax and Bourg-en-Bresse.

Page revised March 2007

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