Beneath our feet lies a story. It is a tale of iron horses and grand ambitions. This is the Traverse du Chemin de Fer.
This area echoes with the vision of Paulin Talabot. He was an engineer and railway pioneer. Talabot established the Compagnie du chemin de fer de Marseille à Avignon. It was a bold venture in its time.
The year was 1842. Talabot sought a concession to construct a railway line. It would stretch from Marseille to Avignon. He secured this concession in July of that year. This marked the birth of a significant project.
Talabot was not alone in his endeavors. Wulfran Puget presided over the company. Baron Nathaniel de Rothschild invested in it. Even the Saint-Simonian leader Enfantin took part. Together, they aimed to revolutionize transport in the region.
The railway line was ambitious. It required overcoming several engineering challenges. The exit from Marseille necessitated a tunnel of over 4600 meters. This was under the Massif de la Nerthe. It was longer than any existing tunnel in France.
The line also involved traversing the Crau. It meant crossing flood-prone areas near Arles. Reaching Avignon required crossing the Durance. This river had a wide bed and irregular flow.
Despite these hurdles, construction progressed. By 1847, sections of the line were operational. Paulin Talabot himself piloted a train. It was named “l’Hirondelle” meaning the Swallow. He passed through the Nerthe tunnel in just 12 minutes.
The Marseille to Avignon line officially opened in early 1848. The inaugural journey from Marseille to Arles took two and a half hours. This included two technical stops. Bishop de Mazenod blessed the locomotives. He was accompanied by Father Lacordaire.
However, the line initially stopped short of Avignon. The Durance viaduct was not yet complete. The company faced financial difficulties. The government placed it under supervision in 1848. But Talabot secured a loan. By 1849, the line reached Avignon.
Talabot later merged his company. He joined it with neighboring lines. In 1852, this formed the Compagnie du chemin de fer de Lyon à la Méditerranée. Talabot became its director. Later, he integrated it into the Compagnie des chemins de fer de Paris à Lyon et à la Méditerranée. He also became its director-general.
The Traverse du Chemin de Fer reminds us of this. It serves as a lasting reminder. It highlights Talabot’s contribution to Marseille’s development.