BIG SIZES
THE MYHICAL SPIRIT OF 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 specific features architectural
data concerning means of locomotion such as the automobile and the train and which
arouse vocations and passions as Jean Pierre DUPONT and Hélène DERNONCOURT, respectively president and director of development of the association CHEMIN DE FER DE LA VENDEE in MORTAGNE SUR SEVRE in VENDEE, told me.
"The project to create the tourist railway line linking Mortagne sur Sèvre and Les Herbiers dates back from October
1979 on a line which, at the time, was operated in restricted freight traffic.This bold 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 of negotiations with the SNCF to then be validated in 1985 in the form of an operating
agreement between the SNCF, the city of Mortagne sur Sèvre and the Puy Du Fou railway association for operational
commissioning on the 1st June of the same year. The evolution over the following years has modified the name of the
association which is called now since December 6, 1992, the Vendée railway association is in good balance with the
objective of Conservation of Vendée’s railway heritage".
Jean Pierre DUPONT tells me with a big smile while presenting
presenting the archives of the time. With an office and a board of directors composed of 9 people in addition to 70
volunteer members, the Vendée railway association develops and restores equipment with its corresponding fleet in addition to the operation, restoration of equipment maintenance of the line on a 22 kilometers of the tour connecting
Mortagne Sur Sévre and Les Herbiers based on a journey lasting 2.5 to 3 hours at an average speed of 30 km/h" .
The railway fleet is substantial, including steam and diesel locomotives, along with two restaurants cars and travelers
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 schedule is broken down into every Sunday in steam traction during the
months of June, September in addition to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays during the months of July and August " .
Like in the good old days of steam trains
For groups with reservations, trains can run April 1st to October 31st by steam train, Picasso railcar and on board the authentic restaurant cars in the spirit of the legendary Orient Express"Departures are from Mortagne Sur Sévre station at 3:30 p.m. for at 6 p.m. and from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m hours for the "Voitures Des Grands Express" restaurants trains
packages in carefully decorated carriages with a refined atmosphere, such as carriage 4216, which made up one of the carriages of the Arlberg Orient Express, and these guided tours are also an opportunity to discover the typical Vendée
the typical Vendée landscapes , including sumptuous valleys also crossed by the Sèvre Nantaise 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 as are also the circuits organized within the framework European Heritage Days which will take
place on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 September 2025 including 1 trip in the morning and 2 in the afternoon completed by the visit of the depot
Saint Laurent Sur Sévre railway station»
Héléne DENONCOURT and Jean Pierre DUPONT jointly tell me. A feature that is also very much appreciated by passengers is the trains handlings 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 an appropriate technical commentary the adapted maintenance work such as the water intake and the lubrication of the movements as 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 the memory of our railway workers. "Men of progress have a deep respect for history" specified the illustrious Vendéen Georges Clémenceau and crisscross the Vendée aboard these authentic trains which
are magnificently maintained and some of whose cars have traveled across Europe and its annexed countries with prestigious trains such as the Nord Express, the Golden Arrow or even the Arlgerg Orient Express is a pure marvel against a backdrop of history, romanticism and the scent of adventure.
Report: Gabriel PAGE
Photos Credit: Gabriel PAGE / CDF VENDEE
