What is the Train des Pignes?

What is the Train des Pignes?

The famous Train des Pignes of the Chemins de Fer de Provence is an original way to cover the 151 kilometres between Nice à Digne-les-Bains (or Digne-Nice). This mythical railway line celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2017. The Train des Pignes runs on a unique, narrow, 1 metre-wide track and goes through around thirty municipalities.

What happened to the train to Provence?

The train has been restored and is operated by the volunteers of the Groupe d’Etude pour les Chemins de Fer de Provence.

Why are there pine trees along the railway line in France?

There are two theories: along the track because when the locomotive lacked coal, the machinists used pine cones as fuel. Whatever the case, the railway line goes through huge pine forests! To help you in your trip along the line, consult the Routard, from Nice to Digne-les-Bains, published in July 2017.

How to get from Nice to Digne-les-Bains?

Train des Pignes offers a beautiful and cozy ride from Nice through Les Alpes Maritimes to Digne-les-Bains. Dramatic sceneries in the mountains, picturesque little villages and a lunch-stop for a couple of hours in Digne-les-Bains before the train goes back to Nice.

Where does the Chemin de fer train go?

The narrow gage Chemin de Fer train starts in Nice and makes a number of stops in the outlying suburbs before winding along the Var Valley to Digne-les-Bains in Haut-Provence. For 151km, the scenery is an ever-changing kaleidoscope of forested cliffs, rushing torrents, fertile plains and medieval villages.

How do I get to Chemins de fer de Provence?

To buy tickets and catch the train you go to station/gare Chemins de Fer de Provence. As it is a narrow gauge privately run railway this is separate to and a little further than the SNCF station and the easiest way from the main part of town is to catch the tram to the Liberation stop (one past the SNCF station, cost 1 Euro).