The former "Charonne-Voyageurs" Petite Ceinture station, today the "Fléche d'Or" café-concert.
Photo: J.M. Schomburg 1997.

The Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture was a Parisian railway that, from 1852, was a circular connection between Paris' main railroad stations around the outer rim of the city. In a state of abandon since 1934, its rails and a few stations still remain along much of its path, and the future of its yet-unurbanized terrain is the subject of much debate. There are today many amateurs of steam travel who look to the Petite Ceinture as a still-surviving element of bygone era; there also exist associations wishing to protect the abandoned railway as a witness to Paris' history. Image File history File links Pc_charonne_jms. ... Image File history File links Pc_charonne_jms. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ...

Creation

The mid-1800s was a divided era for France. Its fear of the Prussians made it build walls to protect its capital to the outside world, but the centralised government wanted to use the latest technological rail developments to control France’s cross-country commerce through a web of railways that had Paris as a centre. The Chemin de Fer de Ceinture (only later to become the Petite Ceinture) was born as a meeting of these ideals. The Prussian people, or (old) Prussians, were Indo-European Balts inhabiting the area around the Curonian and Vistula Lagoons (i. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ...

Background - Paris' Fortifications, France's Railway plans

French Prime Minister Adolphe Thiers had his project for a ring of massive fortifications and forts around Paris voted into existence on the 1st of February 1841. Paris then extended only to its Fermiers-Généraux tax wall limitations (in existence since 1784, running today’s metro lines 6 and 2), and the fortifications echoed its path in a ring roughly ten kilometres larger in diameter. A traveller leaving the city gates to visit the "intra-muros" land between the two walls, once past a strip of noisy tax-free-territory bars and cabarets just outside the city gates, would find himself in a quiet countryside marred by few constructions. A caricature of Adolphe Thiers charging on the Paris Commune, published in Le Père Duchêne illustré Louis Adolphe Thiers (April 16, 1797–September 3, 1877) was a French statesman and historian. ...

King Louis-Philippe had grandiose plans for France's railway network, and in 1848 drew plans for a spiderweb "star" of railway that connected Paris as the centre of a spider-web of rail to all borders of France. 1848 was also a year of revolution, and the replacement Second Republic government found that not only were the country’s coffers almost empty, but many of the rail companies under contract with the pre-revolution government were going bankrupt. To make matters worse, the Prussian monarchy had regained the throne in a revolution of their own that year, once again becoming a danger to Republican France; France's Generals wanted to ready their fortifications for war, and that meant supplying it and its outer fortresses in arms and ammunition. So when the idea of a circular railway was first seriously considered, the government had no money to pay for it. Louis Philippe (real name: Philippe Auclair) is a London-based French singer, songwriter, arranger and producer who has been active from the mid-80s onwards. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Fortifications (Latin fortis, strong, and facere, to make) are military constructions designed for defensive warfare. ...

The Companies

At the same time they noted the lack of rail connection between Paris’ main stations, any goods had to pass from one line to another by horse and wagon. Though Paris then had five major stations run by five railway companies, they were unwilling to deal with one another in fear of losing their transport monopoly through their respective regions. The government tried to get them to pay a share of a connecting railway around Paris’ Right Bank fortifications between St-Lazare and Austerlitz stations, and tried even coercion and blackmail to do so^{[citation needed]}. The best that the short-lived II^nd Republic government could do was force the companies into merger negotiations and to make private deals against one another. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Throughout history and before, there has been a huge number of types of horse-drawn vehicle. ... An SNCF multiple unit. ... Gare Saint-Lazare is Paris busiest railway station. ... The Gare dAusterlitz (Austerlitz Station) is a railway station in Paris. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ...

The Chemin de Fer de Ceinture Rive Droite

The real birth of the Chemin de Fer de Ceinture came with Napoleon III’s rise to power on the 2nd of December 1851. Pierre Magne, the new Ministre des Traveaux Publics (minister of public works) established the finance for the build of the line on 2 December 1851. Pierre Magne offered to build everything for the proposed arc of railway but the stations, engines and rolling stock, and this in exchange for a contribution of 1,000,000 francs from each company participating in the venture. All five (with the state filling in for the bankrupt Orleans company) had signed the concession for the Right Bank arc of rail by the 10th of the same month, but united into a unique ‘Syndicat de Chemin de fer de Ceinture’. Though the ‘cahier des charges’ – a list of requisites to fulfil in order to keep the concession – stated that they should build installations and provide a means of transport fit for passenger traffic, the companies saw interest only in the more profitable exchange of freight. A provisional service between Bâtignoles and La Chapelle, including a junction with La Villette started on on 15 November 1852. The first completed lengths of rail were inaugurated in a small ceremony on the 12th of December 1852. The line between Pont du Nord and La Chapelle was given to the Est in November 1853. On 25 March 1854 the line was extended from La Chapelle to Ivry, then started extensive work on a large viaduct of more than 700m long near Pont de Flandre to avoid destroying industrial establishements. To the East, two tunnels of more than 1000m each had to be dug to avoid the hills of Belleville and Charonne. In 1855, two goods yards were opened at Charonne and La Villette. To the North-West of the city, Ouest opened its Ligne d'Auteuil on 2 May 1854. It would take another eight years for the Ceinture Syndicate to provide a passenger service on its arc of rail; this was operational from 14 July 1862. Pont Cardinet is a railway station in Paris. ... The Chemin de Fer de lEst, often abbreviated to CF de lEst, was an early French railway company. ... Ivry-sur-Seine is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. ... Belleville is a neighborhood of Paris, located in the 20th arrondissement. ... The Compagnie des chemins de fer de lOuest (CF de lOuest), often referred to simply as LOuest or Ouest, was an early French railway company. ... The Compagnie des chemins de fer de lOuest (CF de lOuest), often referred to simply as LOuest or Ouest, was an early French railway company. ...

The Ouest Company's "Paris à Auteuil" Passenger Line

Courcelles-Levallois station now part of Paris' RER C line but originally part of La Ligne d'Auteuil.

See La Ligne d'Auteuil. Image File history File links Gare_de_Courcelles-Levallois. ... Image File history File links Gare_de_Courcelles-Levallois. ... The Compagnie des chemins de fer de lOuest (CF de lOuest), often referred to simply as LOuest or Ouest, was an early French railway company. ...

In a stance (and direction) completely opposite that of the "freight-only" Ceinture Syndicate, the Pereire-owned ‘Ouest’ railway company began building a local passenger line from 1852. This line of rail left its Saint-Lazare station to follow the inside of Paris’ western fortifications to the Bourgeoise riverside village of Auteuil to the south. The Paris-Auteuil passenger line was inaugurated on the 5th of June 1854 and ended in 1985. The Compagnie des chemins de fer de lOuest (CF de lOuest), often referred to simply as LOuest or Ouest, was an early French railway company. ... Gare Saint-Lazare is Paris busiest railway station. ... Auteuil and Passy are part of the 16th arrondissement of Paris and Neuilly is a nearby suburb. ...

The Chemin de Fer de Ceinture Rive Gauche

Construction ended on 27 February 1867. The last portion of track the linking line from Javel to Champs de Mars just in time for the 1867 Exposition Universelle. The petite Ceinture was looped on 25 March 1869 with the opening of the line between Courcelles and Clichy, the line was built under the St Lazare main line. On time for the 1889 Exposition Universelle, many level crossings were removed. The last extension of the petite Ceinture was the junction line from Champs de Mars to Passy for the 1900 Exposition Universelle. Little by Little, traffic would diminish, until the lines closed, on 1924 on the Champs de Mars branch and on 1934 for the PC (petite Ceinture). Only the Ligne d'Auteuil which was electrified in 1925 would remain open. redirect List_of_stations_of_the_Paris_Métro ... Gare du Champ de Mars or Champs de Mars - Tour Eiffel is a station in Paris. ... redirect List_of_stations_of_the_Paris_Métro ... Clichy (sometimes unofficially called Clichy-la-Garenne) is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. ... Gare Saint-Lazare is Paris busiest railway station. ...

Abandonment

View along the abandoned rails under the rue Raymond Losserand

The Petite Ceinture is largely unused. The last portion to be in regular use was the Ligne d'Auteuil up until 1985. The interconnection between Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est was in use up until the 2000s but has now seen use fall dramatically. Passenger and freight rail services from both stations are hauled by engines from the SNCF depots at La Chapelle and Pantin and seldom exchange rolling stock. The Grande Ceinture is currently used to swap stock and as a diversion line. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (936x629, 123 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): User:ThePromenader Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (936x629, 123 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): User:ThePromenader Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture ... The Compagnie des chemins de fer de lOuest (CF de lOuest), often referred to simply as LOuest or Ouest, was an early French railway company. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Main entrance to the Gare du Nord The Gare du Nord (English: North Station) is one of the six large terminus stations of the SNCFs main line network in Paris. ... An RER train at Gare de lEst. ... The 2000s are the current decade, spanning from 2000 to 2009. ... An SNCF multiple unit. ...

Projects were afoot to use parts of the Petite Ceinture as a tramway but the Boulevard des Maréchaux, a ring of boulevards encircling Paris will be used instead [1]. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ...

champs de Mars Station in 2006, the line is now covered and above road widened

Image File history File links Champs_de_Mars_-_RER_27-02-06. ... Image File history File links Champs_de_Mars_-_RER_27-02-06. ...

Recuperation

The VMI / RER C

The Ligne d'Auteuil closed in 1985 to make way for the newly opened RER C. The RER C has been extended to Montigny-Beauchamp and Argenteuil after the construction of a new tunnel crossing Paris North West. The line branches off at Champ de Mars, crosses the river Seine. From there the line is underground, indeed the Ligne d'Auteuil was covered in 1988 and the line between Henri Martin and Courcelles was reduced from 4 tracks down to 2. The line exits Paris in a tunnel that ends in Clichy. RER C train at St-Michel station. ... RER C train at St-Michel station. ... Argenteuil is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. ... The 1900 station with the Celestial Globe in the background. ... This article is about the river in France; it should not be confused with the Senne, a much smaller river that flows through Brussels. ... redirect List_of_stations_of_the_Paris_Métro ... redirect List_of_stations_of_the_Paris_Métro ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) The Eiffel Tower in Paris, as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... Clichy (sometimes unofficially called Clichy-la-Garenne) is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. ...

References

• (French) Carrière, Bruno. La Saga de la Petite Ceinture, La Vie du Rail, 1991-2001. ISBN 2-902808-01-1
• (French) Histoire du réseau ferroviaire français, 1996, Editions de l'Ormet / Imprimerie Bayeusienne Graphique. ISBN 2-906575-22-4

External links

• (French) Information about current events and construction related to the Petite Ceinture
• (French) Information about the Petite Ceinture within the 18ieme and 19ieme arrondissements

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Chemin de fer de Petite Ceinture