Train des Merveilles - Retro 2016 - Train of Marvels

Train des Merveilles - Retro - arrives in Breil-sur-Roya

This year's Train des Merveilles - Retro, the railway journey with ATTCV railcar Caravelle X 4567 between Toulon and Tende took place on Saturday 14th May.

Caravelle Inaugurates Line Extension Project Brignoles - Saint-Maximin

The former Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume station will become the western terminal of the Carnoules - Brignoles - Saint-Maximin tourist line

The non-profit heritage railway association ATTCV, created by a group of voluntaries in 1994, started on August 19, 2001, a tourist passenger service between Carnoules and Brignoles on the Carnoules - Gardanne railway line, using its only railcar at the time, the Picasso. Since then the association has maintained a railcar service from April to November every year. And has drastically increased its collection of railway vehicles.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of this inauguration train, the ATTCV arranged during two days - Saturday and Sunday 23rd and 24th April - an event in and around Brignoles station.

Tour de Provence with Caravelle X-4567 - Part 3

Day 3 - Côte Bleue, Etoile d'Aix and Ste. Baume Express

This third and last day - 2 October 2010 - of the tour presented three legs

• Côte Bleue - Late morning train from Marseille to Miramas, with stops at intermediate stations.
• Etoile d'Aix - Miramas to Marseille, via Rognac, Aix-en-Provence, Gardanne, with no stop, except for traffic control reasons.
• Ste. Baume Express - Marseille to Carnoules, via Gardanne, with short stops at a few of the stations on the Gardanne to Carnoules line.

Tour de Provence with Caravelle X-4567 - Part 2

Day 2 - Marseille - Nice - Marseille InterCity Train

Marseille St Charles

The following day, Friday, had an early morning start from Saint Charles, scheduled for 06.13 (actually leaving at 06.20).

Tour de Provence with Caravelle X-4567 - Part 1

Day 1 - From Carnoules to Marseille St. Charles

Last minute adjustments to the Caravelle prior to leaving the depot in Besse-sur-Issole

The ATTCV organized from 30 September to 2 October 2010 a public excursion with one if its heritage Caravelle railcars, the X-4567.

• The first day took participants from Carnoules to Gardanne and then on to Marseille.  
• The second day provided a return trip from Marseille to Nice (and with passengers continuing on TER to the street market in Ventimiglia).
• The third day's excursion included a trip along the Blue Coast west of Marseille, to Miramas and Aix-en-Provence, prior to a late evening return to Carnoules.

Over a total of ca 22 hours of railcar operation over these three days, and roughly 700 km of track distance covered, the ATTCV association demonstrated its members' capability to effectively and reliably run a railcar service in the midst of regular scheduled rail traffic (with local, regional as well as TGV services). From a technical point of view a very successful three days.

Railcar Caravelle X-4567

X-4567 with its trailer XR-8380 (in front of X-4590, X-3976 and a passenger carriage) at the ATTCV Besse depot

The X-4567 arrived at ATTCV in April 2006, after having been operated by the state railways, SNCF, since its cut-into-service in 1966.

During 40 years of service on SNCF rails it has covered a total distance of close to 3,800,000 km (corresponds to almost 100 tours around the globe, or 10 times the distance to the moon!).

X-4567 at 2014 Fête du Train in Miramas

6th Train Celebration Day in Miramas

The sixth Fête du Train in Miramas took place on the October 4, 2014, under the theme "Miramas West Provence", where "West" inter alia implied cowboys, Indians and country music.

Three heritage vehicles participated in the event, the steam engine 241-P-17, the electric locomotive CC-6570 and Caravelle X-4567 from ATTCV in Carnoules.

The X-4567 arrived from Marseille St.Charles station, while the two other trains arrived from Avignon (more about the latter two below).

Train of Marvels - Train des merveilles - Retro

Marseille - Toulon - Nice - Breil-sur-Roya - Tende on Caravelle X-4567

The third version of Train des Merveilles - Retro (Train of Marvels) by ATTCV was arranged yesterday, Saturday, September 27, 2014, under a brilliant sun with warm temperatures (even at high altitudes).

As before, the Caravelle railcar X-4567 was used. This time it started in the very early morning from its temporary base at St. Charles station in Marseille. Passengers, mainly from the Toulon area, took the opportunity for a full train day trip to the southern Alps in a heritage railcar. Telling from the age of many of them, they had probably previously traveled on a railcar of this type.

From Marseille to Nice, the ATTCV time schedule had to fit in between the schedules of regular trains, which resulted in some delay in the "flatland" portion of the department of Var. But, that was easily forgotten by the passengers when they after Nice had the opportunity to listen to the guide presenting the marvelous area north of Nice and the history of the railway line from Nice to Tende (and further to Cuneo in Italy).

Train du Centre Var Train Photo Festival

More than two dozen train enthusiasts gather this Saturday May 26 in a Provençal countryside in Spring time, in a Green Provence with not only green vineyards but also filled with blossom everywhere, dominated by red and yellow, and under blue skies and a brilliant sun.