Chemins de Fer de Provence

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The Chemins de Fer de Provence is a small rail company providing a daily train service between Nice and Digne-les-Bains in Provence. Their one route, which dates from the 1890s, is known locally as the Train des Pignes.

The railway's terminus in Nice was until 1991 at Gare du Sud and since then Gare de Nice CP. The station is the terminus of a narrow-gauge railway from Digne-les-Bains.

Construction of line began in 1890 followed by a partial opening in 1892. Construction ended on 3 July 1911 and conceded to Sud-France. Lines from Nice stretched to Grasse, Puget-Théniers (opened in 1892), Digne (opened in 1911) and Annot.

After World War II, the line to Meyrargues closed and almost took the entire network with it. The Chemins de Fer de Provence closed the Gare du Sud in December 1991 and moved its terminating services to Nice CP.

On 5 November 1994 an important flooding of the river Var cut the line in several places and forced upon the line a total closure. A new bridge at Gueydan was built and the reopening of the line occurred ion 12 April 1996.

The remaining line is 151 km long. It comprises 27 tunnels, including the 3457 m long Tunnel de la Colle Saint-Michel. The exit of the tunnel, Dignes-side, is at 1023 m high.

[edit] Current operations

The railway line is not part of the Réseau Ferré de France. It is the Syndicat Mixte Méditerranée Alpes, SYMA, who received its concession for ninety-nine years in 1972 who owns it. The SYMA is a grouping of several authorities (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Alpes-Maritimes, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Nice and Digne-les-Bains). It is presided by Gérard Piel, vice-président of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région and delegate of transport of Antibes. Service of the rialwya is assured by the CFTA.

135 persons compose the workforce.

[edit] Services

Passenger service is provided between Nice and Digne-les-Bains as well as a more frequent urban service between Nice and Plan-du-Var. Steam trains are operated during the summer season between Puget-Théniers and Annot. A postal service is also operated.