Little Yellow Train

[RichmondCommu]

G'day all,

Just curious to know whether anyone has travelled on the line between Villefranche-Vernet les Bains and La Tour De Carol. Basically does the line live up to its billing and how busy does it get in late July?

I've managed to persuade my wife that its a good idea to take the TGV down to Perpignan and to take the overnight train back to Paris from La Tour.

Any contributions to this thread would be very welcome!

Richmond Commuter!

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I travelled on the route in 1999, prior to the new rolling stock being ordered- I think the old 1900s-era wooden-framed EMU stock is still used during the summer as it was then.

The views from the line are pretty spectacular and I'd say it's definitely worth a trip. If you get good weather the open-cars are ideal. Myself being a stick-in-the-mud even back then, insisted on travelling in the covered cars though, as they were a 'proper' train!

 

[davetheguard]

Villefranche itself (where the standard gauge meets the metre gauge) is worth a visit - though you'd probably need to do it on a different day to the trip on the Little Yellow Train. Oddly, the station name "Villefranche-Vernet les Bains" is different from the village "Villefranche-de-Conflent"; something to be aware of when consulting timetables and guidebooks, but I can assure you they are the same place!

Villefranche is basically a small fortified village high in the Pyrenees and surrounded by mountains. You can climb the footpath to visit the Chateau and get a bird's eye view of the railway & village below, and you can wonder round the village and have lunch at one of the cafes or restaurants.

Other good day trips by train from Perpignan that would appeal to your other half too, might be Collioure - small attractive coastal town with winding streets and an artists' community; or via Narbonne to Carcassonne to see the perfectly preserved "Cite" where Robin Hood Prince of Thieves was filmed. Although it does get very busy here, your wife might particularly enjoy it if she has read any of Kate Mosse's novels.

Alternatively, across the border in to Spain, Girona or Barcelona are probably reasonable day trips now that the new line extends all the way....

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

I've just got back from a week in the next valley south - the Tech.
The old Tech line ends now just west of Le Boulou (where the LGV to Figueres/Barcelona starts), but there are several places up to Prats de Mollo where the former rail bridges have been adapted to road use.
Beautiful country, snow still on Le Canigou, and very easy to cross into Spain.
You can reach the Spanish Vall de Nuria rack railway at Ribes de Freser (also reachable from Latour de Carol).
But all this is not much use to you unless you have a car!

As noted by others, Collioure is very nice, and so is the whole coastal route past Cerbere and Portbou (border stations with SNCF/RENFE trains, gauge changing points and freight yards in an impressive mountainous setting).
All very easy to do under Schengen, although the timetables are generally unhelpful for cross-border use.
I did think of doing a circular trip Perpignan-Cerbere-Figueres-LGV-Perpignan, but the logistics defeated me with only 2tpd on the LGV.

I also had a look at doing the Petit Train Jaune, but apart from being on the wrong side of the mountains for us, it seemed like a line you essentially have to devote a day to - not enough trains for short journeys. Also pricey (but then so is everything).

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Highly reccommended - especially if you can catch the old stock (100% so when I did it about 10 years ago) - the route can be a bit of while knuckle ride as they storm down towards a sharp bend to get a run at the uphill sections ! Classic old traction too with lots of switch gear clicks etc. Terrific scenery.

Villefranche is a nice little town - if you manage to get to La Tour - there used to be a very fine station resturaunt (closed for renovation when we were there but we were directed to an excellent local place down the road) - La Tour is a crumbling interchange with masses of derelict sidings etc when there was a 3 way gauge "transfer" of freight as well as passenger. Wrap up though for the high points.

 

[30907]

Oddly, the station name "Villefranche-Vernet les Bains" is different from the village "Villefranche-de-Conflent":

That's because the hyphen is the equivalent of "and" (or perhaps "for") in UK station names - Vernet-les-Bains is a spa town up a side valley to the south.
I suppose V-le-C-V-les-B would be strictly correct as there are plenty of Villefranches (Villes franche?) but it's sufficiently clear for SNCF purposes.

Back to the question: yes, it's well worth it, I've been 5 times in 40 years!

Perpignan to Villefranche is pretty ordinary, though faster than it was.
Villefranche to Mont Louis is well worth the trip, beyond there it's less exciting but worth it if you're going to pick up the couchettes to Paris.
Last time I was there our train was formed of the modern Stadler railcars, but they only work one diagram, and it was mid morning from VF. In July the morning trains "uphill" will be very busy, but if you are only going one way you'll not be wanting those anyway.
If you've got baggage I don't think you'll find anywhere to leave it during the day, which is a shame because both VF and ML are Vauban fortified towns and deserve to be visited. From that point of view you'd be better on a day-trip, but not clear how long you've got.
BTW, overnighted in a nice hotel in the middle of Perpignan last year, PM if you want info

 

[RichmondCommu]

That's because the hyphen is the equivalent of "and" (or perhaps "for") in UK station names - Vernet-les-Bains is a spa town up a side valley to the south.
I suppose V-le-C-V-les-B would be strictly correct as there are plenty of Villefranches (Villes franche?) but it's sufficiently clear for SNCF purposes.

Back to the question: yes, it's well worth it, I've been 5 times in 40 years!

Perpignan to Villefranche is pretty ordinary, though faster than it was.
Villefranche to Mont Louis is well worth the trip, beyond there it's less exciting but worth it if you're going to pick up the couchettes to Paris.
Last time I was there our train was formed of the modern Stadler railcars, but they only work one diagram, and it was mid morning from VF. In July the morning trains "uphill" will be very busy, but if you are only going one way you'll not be wanting those anyway.
If you've got baggage I don't think you'll find anywhere to leave it during the day, which is a shame because both VF and ML are Vauban fortified towns and deserve to be visited. From that point of view you'd be better on a day-trip, but not clear how long you've got.
BTW, overnighted in a nice hotel in the middle of Perpignan last year, PM if you want info

Many thanks for all this wonderful information and indeed to everyone else who has been kind enough to post. On the basis of what I've read here and else where the entire trip will be booked this weekend. In terms of baggage we're intended to use backpacks so hopefully things will be a little easier!

If you could PM me the details of that hotel I'd really appreciate it.

Finally, is it possible to get hold of a French rail atlas similar to our own Baker altlas? It would be very useful for our trip if such a thing exists.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Highly reccommended - especially if you can catch the old stock (100% so when I did it about 10 years ago) - the route can be a bit of while knuckle ride as they storm down towards a sharp bend to get a run at the uphill sections ! Classic old traction too with lots of switch gear clicks etc. Terrific scenery.

Villefranche is a nice little town - if you manage to get to La Tour - there used to be a very fine station resturaunt (closed for renovation when we were there but we were directed to an excellent local place down the road) - La Tour is a crumbling interchange with masses of derelict sidings etc when there was a 3 way gauge "transfer" of freight as well as passenger. Wrap up though for the high points.

Thanks very much for your reply. The last time I went to La Tour was 25 years a go having taken the train up from Barcalona and there didn't seem to be much to do then! Nevermind, hopefully there will be enough left of the place to explore. I seem to remember that the route from La Tour to Toulouse was very interesting with some stations even retaining cattle docks!

Fingers crossed that we are lucky with the weather as we would love to travel in the open coaches. From my memories of inter railing the SNCF used to treat the whole thing as a white knuckle ride! Really looking forward to our trip.

Thanks again, Richmond Commuter.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Villefranche itself (where the standard gauge meets the metre gauge) is worth a visit - though you'd probably need to do it on a different day to the trip on the Little Yellow Train. Oddly, the station name "Villefranche-Vernet les Bains" is different from the village "Villefranche-de-Conflent"; something to be aware of when consulting timetables and guidebooks, but I can assure you they are the same place!

Villefranche is basically a small fortified village high in the Pyrenees and surrounded by mountains. You can climb the footpath to visit the Chateau and get a bird's eye view of the railway & village below, and you can wonder round the village and have lunch at one of the cafes or restaurants.

Many thanks for taking the time to reply. We're going to perhaps see of we can spend the night in Villefranche before catching the train the following day.

 

[30907]

If you could PM me the details of that hotel I'd really appreciate it.

Finally, is it possible to get hold of a French rail atlas similar to our own Baker altlas? It would be very useful for our trip if such a thing exists.

PM sent.

The Ball atlas is way out of date and none too accurate, I believe David Haydock of TR is working on one, but there's nowt "in English" at the moment.

Schweers und Wall have just published an EU-wide one.
Or try http://www.bueker.net/trainspotting/ or (from a quick Google) http://ferrocarta.net/france/france_fr.html

 

[johnnychips]

If you catch the open air carriages it can get very chilly as you climb - even in summer.

 

[RichmondCommu]

If you catch the open air carriages it can get very chilly as you climb - even in summer.

Thanks for this. A summer holiday on the Med wouldn't normally include fleeces but this one will! Hopefully it will at least be sunny!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

It is a very interesting part of the world - we tackled it from the Barcelona end - and it was a DMU right through to La Tour (a one off - bit like a Treherbert based 150 going to Holyhead) - the station staff at La Tour kindly looked after our baggage while we ran down the road to eat - and would take no money. The "Jaune" was noticeable for the 100% absence of any ticket checking - from Villefranche to Perpignian we had an awful ex Paris EMU- heavily vandalised - (one of the stainless steel ones) - nevertheless , we made it to Carcassone for an overnight stay. An excellent run out.

 

[reb0118]

The "Jaune" was noticeable for the 100% absence of any ticket checking

You probably had the same guard as us? She looked as miserable as sin until she took off her jacket & hat and let her hair down. What a body! Anyway the ticket check was perfunctory at best. The look she gave us when noticing our FIP passes covered the emotions of "you sad people" to "welcome honoured colleagues" in the blink of an eye.

She wasn't seen again until both she & the driver (who looked like a midget version of a Foreign Legionaire in his urban combats & raybans) disappeared into a small station building for about half an hour. They emerged with what can only be described as a sated look on their faces. Must be a French thing?

We were now delayed and at risk of missing the connection at Villefranche ~ however not to worry as the driver of Le Train Jaune was also the driver of our connection to Perpignon. Also in the cab of the Perpignon train was the aforementioned guard, another staff member, and some assorted children. All in all it seemed very relaxed.

To answer the OP, yes the scenery was grand & the rolling stock helped too. We had old fashioned carriages which although not open did have a small observation platform. I would have preferred to have given the area a few more days as I especially enjoy fortified towns. I will return.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

As an addendum, if the OP has chance the town of Prades is worth a visit (it's the major settlement in the valley and is a couple of stops from Villefranche in the Perpignan direction). It was the base for our holiday back in 1999 and had some lovely restaurants and bars, not to mention a very lively market on Saturday morning.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

You probably had the same guard as us? She looked as miserable as sin until she took off her jacket & hat and let her hair down. What a body! Anyway the ticket check was perfunctory at best. The look she gave us when noticing our FIP passes covered the emotions of "you sad people" to "welcome honoured colleagues" in the blink of an eye.

She wasn't seen again until both she & the driver (who looked like a midget version of a Foreign Legionaire in his urban combats & raybans) disappeared into a small station building for about half an hour. They emerged with what can only be described as a sated look on their faces. Must be a French thing?

We were now delayed and at risk of missing the connection at Villefranche ~ however not to worry as the driver of Le Train Jaune was also the driver of our connection to Perpignon. Also in the cab of the Perpignon train was the aforementioned guard, another staff member, and some assorted children. All in all it seemed very relaxed.


The very same train crew from memory .....not exactly diligent in revenue protection , to say the least. Any intermediate passengers got an assured free ride. A trickle to be fair.

 

[WestRiding]

watch out for a bus trip turning up, when I went, it was 3 old fashioned, but closed in coaches. a bus trip turned up leaving hardly any room for ordinary fare paying passengers. sncf showed no regard towards anyone not on the bus trip. nightmare.