TRAVEL DIARY
THE SPIRIT OF THE MYTHICAL “ORIENT EXPRESS”
The cultural and historical wealth of a region is also measured in the conservation
Of its heritage which also includes, in parallel with its purely architectural specificities, data concerning the means of locomotion which are in particular the automobile and the train and which arouse vocations and passions as Jean Pierre DUPONT and
HELENE DERNONCOURT explained to me, respectively president and director of
development of the association CDF VENDEE of MORTAGNE SUR SEVRE in VENDEE.
“The project to create the tourist railway line which connects Mortagne Sur Sévre and Les Herbiers dates
of October 1979 on a line which, at the time, was operated in goods traffic in restricted mode. This audacious initiative also aimed to integrate the 19th century industrial heritage of the Vendée museums and materialized in 1983 with the
creation of the Puy Du Fou railway association in parallel with the negotiations with the SNCF and then validated in
1985 in the form of an operating agreement between the SNCF, the city of Mortagne Sur Sévre and the Puy Du Fou
railway association for operational council on June 1 of the same year. Developments over the following years changed
the name of the association which is now called since December 6, 1992 association of the Vendée railway in good
balance with the objective of conserving the Vendée railway heritage. »Jean Pierre DUPONT tells me with a big smile
while presenting me with the archives of the time. With an office and a board of directors made up of 9 people in
addition to 70 volunteer members, the Vendée railway association develops and restores the railway equipment with
its corresponding fleet in addition to the operation, restoration, upkeep of the equipment and maintenance of the line on a 22 kilometer route linking Mortagne Sur Sévre and Les Herbiers on the basis of a journey lasting 2.5 to 3 hours at an average speed of 30 km/h.
Like the Good Old Days of Steam Trains
“Our railway fleet is substantial, including steam locomotives and diesel locomotives accompanied by restaurants cars
and passengers wagons well adapted and faithful to the colors and particularities of the trains of the periods concerned.
We also have 2 railcars including a Picasso model and our operating schedule is broken down into every Sunday in steam traction in the months of June and September in addition to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays in the months of July and August.For groups with reservations, trains can run from April 1 to October 31 by steam train, Picasso railcar and on board authentic restaurant cars in the spirit of the legendary “Orient Express”. “Departures are from Mortagne Sur Sévre station at 3:30 p.m. for a return at 6 p.m. and from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. for packages trains restaurants "Cars of the great
expresses" in carefully decorated wagons with a refined atmosphere like wagon 4216 which made up one of the carriages of the Arlberg Orient Express and these commented journeys are also an opportunity to discover the typical
lanscapes Vendée composed in particular of sumptuous valleys also crossed by the Sévre Nantes River which can be observed in particular when passing over the 3 viaducts of Barbin, Coutigny and Haute Maunerie which mark out this shimmering territory. Hélène jointly told meDERNONCOURT and Jean Pierre DUPONT.A particularity which is also very appreciated by travelers is the train maneuvering in the Herbiers station which lasts 30 minutes and which allows, in addition to the traction of the locomotives for the return journeys, to observe with a commentary appropriate technical and appropriate maintenance work such as water intake and lubrication of movements like in the good old days of steam trains and these practices which are an integral part of the history of the railway are also the guardians of memory of our railway workers. “Men of progress have a deep respect for history” specified the illustrious Vendéen Georges Clemenceau and traveled the Vendée aboard these authentic, magnificently maintained trains, some of which have
traveled in Europe and its annexed countries with prestigious trains such as the Nord Express, the Golden Arrow or in the Arlgerg Orient Express is a pure marvel with a backdrop of history, romance and the scent of adventure.
Report: Gabriel PAGE
Photos credit: Gabriel PAGE-Chemin De Fer De Vendée
