LGV Atlantique

The LGV Atlantique (French: Ligne à Grande Vitesse; English: Atlantic high-speed line) is a high-speed rail line running from Paris (Gare Montparnasse) to Western France. It opened in 1989–1990 and has two intermediate stations: Massy TGV station and Vendôme-Villiers-sur-Loir TGV station. It divides into two parts at Courtalain, one going westward to Le Mans (towards Brittany and Pays de la Loire), the second one going southwestward to Tours (and onward towards Nouvelle-Aquitaine). Both branches have been extended, by the LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire and the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique.

LGV Atlantique
The LGV Atlantique in Boinville-le-Gaillard
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerSNCF Réseau
LocaleÎle-de-France, Centre-Val de Loire and Pays de la Loire
France France
Termini
Service
SystemSNCF
Operator(s)SNCF
History
Opened1989–1990
Technical
Line length232 km (144 mi)
+ 52 km (32 mi) (western branch)
Number of tracksDouble track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz
Operating speed300 km/h (186 mph)
SignallingTVM-300
Route map
0.5
 Paris-Montparnasse
1.2
 Line to Le Mans
14.1
 Line from Valenton
14.4
 Massy TGV
17.0
 Tunnel de Villejust (4805 m)
 from Brétigny
65.9
to Châteaudun
130.2
 Junction with Le Mans branch
LGV BPL to Rennes
 Line from Chartres
182.0
Line to Le Mans
162.1
 Vendôme TGV
214.4
 River Loire (459 m)
 Line from Tours
216.0
 Line to Orléans
216.3
 to Vierzon
217.0
218.3
 River Cher (370 m)
223.0
 LGV SEA to Bordeaux
232.2
 Line from Tours
 Line to Bordeaux

Route
French TGV network, with the LGV Atlantique in yellow running south-west from Paris

The line leaves Gare Montparnasse to cross Paris's southern suburbs, partly under the Coulée Verte. This is a tunnel above which footpaths and recreational areas have been created, to reduce the effect of the LGV running through the area. The line at this point follows the route of the former railway line from Paris to Chartres. TGVs coming from the north or southeast of France via the LGV Interconnexion Est join the line at Massy. After the new Massy TGV station, the line passes through the Villejust tunnel and then follows the A10 motorway. Near the Saint-Arnoult toll plaza, the LGV turns south and leaves the motorway. The line then follows the ligne classique from Paris to Vendôme until the junction at Courtalain.

Stations

The LGV Atlantique serves the following stations:

1 Le Mans is located on the western branch of the LGV Atlantique.

History
  • 1 January 1983: creation of SNCF new line no. 2 committee
  • 25 May 1984: public utility declaration
  • 15 February 1985: official beginning of works at Boinville-le-Gaillard
  • 1 July 1987: laying of first LGV Atlantique rail at Auneau
  • 24 September 1989: line opens from Montrouge to Connerré
  • 18 May 1990: TGV world speed record of 515.3 km/h
  • 25 September 1990: southwestern branch opens
  • 27 December 1990: baby born on a TGV Atlantique train

Extensions

Extensions to both branches have been built. The western branch is augmented by the LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire project, resulting in a reduction of 37 minutes between Paris and Rennes.[1] The Southern branch is augmented by the LGV Sud Europe Atlantique project, resulting in a reduction of around 50 minutes to Tours and Bordeaux.[2] Both lines entered service in July 2017.

See also

References
  1. "LGV Brittany-Loire high-speed line | SNCF Réseau". Archived from the original on 1 July 2015.
  2. LGV Sud Europe Atlantique eib.org



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