Monthly Archives: Nov 2023

The Modern Tram Network in Nice 2023

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Nice is a picturesque city nestled in the French Riviera. It is renowned for its stunning landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. In recent years, one of the most remarkable transformations in the city’s infrastructure has been the development and expansion of its modern tram network.

In November 2017, I wrote two short articles about the History of Trams in and around Nice and the development of modern trams in Nice.

https://wordpress.com/post/rogerfarnworth.com/2332

https://wordpress.com/post/rogerfarnworth.com/2342

After those two articles about the modern trams, further articles have explored the old first generation electric tramway network in and around Nice, extending to Cannes to the West, Menton to the East and into the hinterland North of the coast. All of these can be found on this blog under the Railways and Tramways tab, and then under ‘French Railways and Tramways’ … ‘Railways and Tramways Around Nice’. Indeed at the time of writing that series of articles continues to develop. The most recent articles have focussed on the coastal tramways between Cannes and Menton.

In November 2023, it seems to be a good time to review progress on the growing tram network in and around Nice, particularly since we would be staying in the area for 10 days.

The modern tram network in Nice has undergone significant development and expansion over the past few decades. The initial line, Line 1, was inaugurated in 2007 as part of a city-wide urban revitalization project. Since then, the network has expanded to include two more lines: Line 2, which opened in 2019, and Line 3, scheduled to be operational in the near future.

I asked ChatGPT to give me a short introduction to the modern tram network, this is what that AI software came up with:

“The introduction of a modern tram network has had a profound formal impact on the cityscape of Nice. The sleek, contemporary design of the trams, characterized by clean lines and a bold colour scheme, seamlessly integrate with the city’s existing architecture. The tram tracks, which run through the heart of Nice, have been ingeniously incorporated into the urban fabric, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the city. The tram stops, with their modern structures and vibrant lighting, serve as architectural landmarks, contributing to the city’s cosmopolitan image.

The modern tram network in Nice plays a vital role in ensuring efficient and accessible transportation for both residents and tourists. Trams in Nice are known for their punctuality, frequency, and reliability, allowing passengers to reach their destinations quickly and comfortably. With dedicated lanes and priority at traffic signals, trams efficiently navigate through the city, avoiding congestion and minimizing travel times. Furthermore, the accessibility of trams is commendable, with low floors, ample space for wheelchair users, and clearly marked priority seating, ensuring that everyone can travel with ease.

The modern tram network in Nice also brings substantial environmental benefits to the city. By encouraging the use of public transportation over private vehicles, the tram system helps reduce air pollution and carbon emissions. Additionally, the trams in Nice are electrically powered, relying on clean energy sources, which further contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly transportation system. This commitment to environmental stewardship aligns with the city’s dedication to creating a greener future.

Beyond its formal and functional impact, the modern tram network in Nice fosters social cohesion and urban integration. The trams serve as communal spaces, bringing together people from different walks of life into a shared mode of transportation. This enhances the sense of community and interaction among residents and visitors, contributing to a vibrant and inclusive urban environment. Moreover, the tram system connects various neighborhoods, enabling better access to education, employment opportunities, and cultural amenities, further promoting social and economic development.

The modern tram network in Nice has transformed the city, both in its physical appearance and its provision of efficient and sustainable transportation. With its formal integration, efficiency, accessibility, environmental advantages, and social cohesion, the tram system has become an invaluable asset for the city and its residents. As Nice continues to evolve, the tram network will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the city’s future, ensuring that it remains a model of modernity and progress.”

…….. Chat GPT

A fine, and glowing, introduction to the tramway network but which says no more than any city might want to say as an introduction to the use of trams in its urban environment. Hopefully we can add considerably more specific detail relating to Nice’s tramway network.

First a reminder of the history of trams and tramways in Nice:

“The first tramway in Nice opened in 1879, was electrified in 1900, and was followed by a departmental network in 1906. The entire network was electrified in 1910. In the 1920s, the network had 11 lines, some of which were partially used for goods transport. However, the tram was criticised and was replaced by buses on some lines beginning in 1927. The last tramway in Nice ceased service on 10 January 1953. ” [1]

The Developing Network

The Tramway de Nice is a 27.5-kilometre (17.1 mile), tramway in Nice. It is operated by the Société Nouvelle des Transports de l’Agglomération Niçoise, which is a division of Transdev. [2] The network operates under the name ‘Lignes d’Azur‘. [1]

The first line opened on 24th November 2007 and replaced bus lines 1, 2, 5 and 18. From the start, the system had 20 No. Alstom Citadis trams in service, providing a tram every seven minutes. Wikipedia states that “since its inception, the number of passengers has increased from 70,000 per day in 2008 to 90,000 per day in 2011. The frequency has gradually increased to a tram every four minutes in 2011.” [1]

The success of the trams resulted in the city authorities deciding to create additional lines. “The West-East T2 Line serves the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport to the West through the construction of a multimodal centre and the Port of Nice to the East. This line runs through a tunnel in the centre of Nice. A future extension of the West–East line, North along the Var valley, is proposed. Another extension, running further West from the airport, across the River Var, is also proposed. [3] In addition, the Nice authorities decided to extend Line 1 to the Pasteur neighbourhood.” [1]

The extension along the Var valley mentioned in the Wikipedia article is now, in 2023, operational as Ligne 3.

The Modern Tramway in Nice: Ligne 1 is shown in red; Ligne 2 in dark blue; and Ligne 3 in cyan. This is the network as it existed in November 2023 at the time of our visit. [3]

A further line, Ligne 4, is now under development with public consultation having taking place in October 2021 and archaeological investigation in St. Laurent-du-Var and Cagnes-sur-Mer undertaken between April and July 2023. [6]

The public inquiry for Ligne 4 was held in June and July 2023. [7] The proposed route is shown below. [8]

The Public Inquiry decided in favour of the creation of Ligne 4, with two reservations and one recommendation:

Reservation 1:

Boulevard Marechal Jean must be reconsidered, not as the route of the proposed line but in order to mitigate present congestion. Specifically, the authorities must: create shaded spaces; separate and reduce circulatory flows as much as possible for reasons of calm and safety; increase and promote as much space as possible reserved for pedestrians; use permeable surfacing; take advantage of the arrival of the tram to make Boulevard Marechal Juin attractive in order to revitalize businesses, professions and other activities. “The Commission, without calling into question the choice of route, requests that a new development proposal for Boulevard Maréchal Juin be submitted to public consultation at the most appropriate time.” [9]

Reservation 2:

Related to access provisions to one specific location, a clinic. The Commission required that, in addition to a ramp currently proposed, a suitable mechanised/motorised means of access from the tram stop to the clinic should be provided. [9]

Recommendation:

The current proposals only allow for one parking space for a funeral hearse for the Sainte Famille church in Cagnes-sur-Mer. The commission saw no reason why 4 such spaces could not be provided to give adequate provision for religious services without blocking the tramway. The commission also asked that the authorities give consideration to greater investment in the planned local park-and-ride provision to allow “the construction of underground parking lots, thus creating a landscaped public garden with an interesting perspective.” [9]

In the light of, often, protracted planning procedures in the UK, it is worth noting that the Inquiry finished towards the end of July and that the full report and summary report were published and available to the public by 7th September 2023, around 5 weeks after the closure of the Inquiry!

Looking further forward a fifth line is being considered. Ligne 5 will run from Drap to the eastern centre of the city of Nice.

A Focus on Ligne 1 …

On 27th May 2008, Railway Technology reported on the development of the first line which had opened in November 2007.

A map of Ligne 1. [24]

“The system’s distinguishing technical feature is the use of batteries aboard the trams to avoid the necessity of erecting overhead line equipment (OHLE) on two sections of the route. This was felt necessary to protect the character of the distinctive Italianate architecture and also because of restrictions such structures would put in the way of Nice’s carnival processions, both relevant to the area’s substantial tourism industry.” [4]

Apparently, the relatively short distances involved lent substance to the belief that battery operation was was more appropriate than the alternative Alstom OHLE-free system, APS. That alternative system has been used in Bordeaux and was due to be installed on “systems in Angers, Reims, Orléans and the Al Safooh tramway in Dubai, the more elaborate Alimentation Par le Sol/APS (ground-supply) format requires specialised equipment aboard the vehicles and also in the permanent way.” [4]

There are sections of grassed tracks throughout the system and Nice took the opportunity to undertake significant reworking of space, excluding general traffic from specific areas which then became tram/pedestrian only areas. That possibility has also been embraced in the ongoing development of the different lines which make up the system in 2023.

“The European Investment Bank made a €150m loan for the project which had a total cost of approximately €560m, of which just over 70% related to creating the tramway. Areas of expenditure indicative of the demands of the setting included storm water drainage works (€25m), rebuilding of Place Massena (€13m), public lighting (€4m) and tree planting (€1m).” [4]

At the time Railway Technology produced their article, they could write that, “The 8.7km double-track 1,435mm gauge line, with two brief sections where tracks diverge through narrow streets, forms a ‘U’ configuration, the two arms largely serving demand in residential areas and institutions. The base is near the southern end of the main thoroughfare Avenue Jean Médecin and the two open spaces near the Old Town, Place Masséna and Place Garibaldi, respectively 440m and 470m sections without OHLE. These ‘gaps’ are joined by a 320m section with OHLE between Opéra-Vieille-Ville and Cathédrale-Vieille-Ville stops where trams run conventionally.” [4]

Ligne 1, has only seen minor changes since it was first opened. Its western terminus is at Las Planas, and it is there that the line has its depot. “Built on sloping ground, the complex makes use of the restricted site by a line spiralling over the entry tracks beyond the Las Planas stop to give access to the depot proper and a short test track. Located close to the A8 autoroute, Las Planas also incorporates a park-and-ride facility.”

Its Eastern terminus was for some time at Pont Michel but an extension to Pasteur was completed in 2013.

Ligne 1 was initially supposed to transport 65,000 passengers/day. But it was quickly adopted by the people of Nice. Today, Ligne 1 can transport nearly 100,000 passengers/day and supports the ongoing development and attractiveness of the neighbourhoods it passes through. “Around 126,500 residents and more than 42,000 jobs, or 37% of Nice’s population and nearly a third of the city’s jobs, are less than 400 metres from the line. With 22 stations and a frequency of one tram every 4 minutes, Ligne 1 allows residents of the city to reduce their travel time.” [5]

An Atom Citadis Tram on Ligne 1, crossing Place Garibaldi in Nice. The tram uses onboard nickel metal hydride batteries to cross this and Place Masséna, © Mirabella and authorised for use under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 3.0). [22]

At its opening, Ligne 1 was operated by a fleet of 20 No. 20 Alstom Citadis type 302 trams. “The fully air-conditioned, 100% low-floor, modular five-unit double-ended trams could be extended in response to the high take-up of the service. Roof-mounted Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride) traction batteries with an operational life of at least five years were supplied by Saft under a €2m contract, giving trams a range of up to 1km at a maximum speed of 30km/h with air-conditioning in operation, the switching of power being either from the overhead line or the batteries is activated by the driver, with the pantograph fully lowered when running without OHLE.” [4]

“Each tram’s driver console features visual and audio indications of the need to operate the power changeover sequence. The batteries recharge from the overhead supply while in conventional operation. There is no additional external infrastructure needed to operate the trams under battery power over the OHLE-free track.” [4]

The approximate Ligne 1 end-to-end journey time is 30min. “The control centre is at the depot, linked with trams and to the extensive network of video monitoring of the system. Benefiting from road traffic exclusions and priority at crossings, in this totally urban setting, trams can attain an average 18km/h, as opposed to 11km/h for buses.” [4]

The approximate Ligne 1 end-to-end journey time is 30min. “The control centre is at the depot, linked with trams and to the extensive network of video monitoring of the system. Benefiting from road traffic exclusions and priority at crossings, in this totally urban setting, trams can attain an average 18km/h, as opposed to 11km/h for buses.” [4]

A Focus on Ligne 2 …

Ligne 2 connects the Airport with Nice’s Port Lympia, traversing central Nice. It connects with Ligne 1 at Avenue Jean Medecin and at Place Garibaldi.

A plan of Ligne 2, Nice. [25]

Following the success of tram Ligne 1, the mayor of Nice, Jacques Peyrat, decided to create a new line crossing Nice from east to west. This line would make it possible to serve the entire western district of the city which represents around 200,000 people, to transport more passengers (around 105,000) than with buses (around 70,000) as well as to reduce road traffic.

Between 2007 and 2008 a dedicated bus route to the Airport was provided, but the election of  Christian Estrosi as Mayor in March 2008 put an end to that project. [18]

On 25th June 2008, “Christian Estrosi announced that Ligne 2 would be built on the Promenade des Anglais, which would have made it possible to reduce costs and build the line more quickly as there would have been little or no traffic preparatory work to be done. The trams would have to be powered from the ground in order to prevent an overhead line damaging the view.” [18]

“The controversial project along the Promenade was finally abandoned when on 9th October 2009, the mayor of Nice announced that Ligne 2 of the tramway would be built through the city, abandoning the route along Promenade des Anglais. The revised project meant that Ligne 2 would be 8.6 km long, including 3.6 km in tunnel. on the surface, the line would serve Nice-Côte d’Azur airport, the planned Saint-Augustin multimodal station (connection with the SNCF, the future TGV and the future tram Ligne 3) then would pass through Avenue René-Cassin, Avenue de la Californie and Rue de France. From the intersection with Boulevard François Grosso, the route would run underground with the stations Alsace-Lorraine, Musiciens, Place Wilson (near the future new town hall of Nice), Garibaldi, Île de Beauté (Port of Nice ) and Place Arson. The route would then return to the surface as far as a terminus at Nice-Riquier SNCF station.” [18]

The intention was for the work to be completed in 2016:

2013: construction of the tunnel in the city centre.

2016: commissioning of line 2 from Saint-Augustin to the port.

The Public Inquiry took place in December 2011 and January 2012 and some changes were made to the scheme as a result. These included:

  • The Eastern terminus being placed on the Cassini Quay at the Port.
  • A new stop being included at Sainte Helene.
  • Compensation being made available to traders affected by construction work.

In 2013, the line was divided into two sections. The first part between CADAM, Magnan and the Airport was given a target completion date of 2017, the remainder was scheduled for completion by 2019. [18]

Tramway Ligne 2 Nice during final trials at the end of the on-street construction phase, © Jesmar and included here under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED). [25]

As the scheme developed the programme had to be amended. In June 2018, the length of the line between Magnan and CADAM was opened; in December 20th18, the length between Grand Arenas and the Airport terminal was completed; in June 2019 the length between Magnan and Avenue Jean Medecin was commissioned; and the final length to Port Lympia opened in December 2019. [18]

The cost of the work was estimated at 770.7 million euros, including 758.7 million euros for the work defined in 2009 and 12 million euros to cover modifications made by the public inquiry. This was financed by: the State (52.8 million); the general council of Alpes-Maritimes (50 million); the regional council of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (26 million); the European Regional Development Fund (3 million); and the airport company (between 10.2 and 12.6 million); the city of Nice (50 million); the General Investment Commission (4.69 million for rolling stock purchase); a loan from the European Investment Bank (250 million); and a loan from the city’s deposit and consignment fund (250 million). [18]

A New Depot

A new depot was built for Ligne 2 alongside the Ligne 1 depot at Henri Sappia.

A schematic plan of the new depot. The storage lanes are to the left of the diagram, numbered ‘2’ in the legend. [18]

The Henri Sappia depot is too small to accommodate all the trains from Ligne 1 and Ligne 2 simultaneously, a new depot has been built next to it. It is also the operational centre for the line. It is located between the A8 motorway and the Nikaia Palace with a total area of approximately 40,000 s². It is large enough to accommodate the 44 m trams of Ligne 2 as well as Ligne 3 and the future Ligne 4, around sixty. It is made up of a maintenance workshop, a storage centre of 2,860 m², a centralized control station of 130 s² and parking for two hundred and fifty vehicles. [18]

Ligne 2 Alstom Citadis X05 Tram at Nice Airport, © Snoopy 31 and used under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED). [23]

The Trams

Alstom Citadis X05 trams are in use on Ligne 2. Unlike Ligne 1, the new tramway does not feature overhead contact lines on the entire surface section of the route. This option was requested by the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropole to integrate the new tramway line into the urban landscape while preserving the city’s architecture. Instead, the line has been installed with intermittent charging in stations. [20]

Alstom supplied its latest ground-based static charging technology, SRS, which allows a tram to charge safely and automatically in under 20 seconds while stopped at a tram stop. The trams are equipped with an on-board energy storage device, Citadis Ecopack. Equipped with this technology, trams can charge up at each station as passengers get on and off, without extra stopping time and without driver intervention. [20]

Citadis X05 trams incorporate new technologies designed for lower energy consumption. The vehicles incorporate a 100% low-floor design. They have balcony-style windows, multi-purpose areas, LED lighting, CCTV cameras, emergency intercoms, electrical braking, permanent magnet motors and sensor-based air-conditioning. [21]

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems installed in the trams contain separate controls for passengers and driver zones. Each bogie offers a 750mm-wide central aisle. The entrance height of the intermediate front doors is 326mm and 342mm. The trams’ crash absorption resistance complies with the EN15227 standards. [21]

Each motorised bogie of the vehicle is fitted with two air-cooled permanent magnet traction motors. They provide a maximum acceleration of 1.3m/s² and permit deceleration of 1.2m/s², while the compression load is 400kN. [21]

The contract with Alstom was worth €91m and covered the delivery of 19 Citadis X05 trams and all necessary land-based static charging points. The contract also includes options for up to 18 further trams and associated energy charging systems and maintenance services. [21]

A Focus on Ligne 3 …

Ligne 3 connects the Airport with Saint Isidore, stopping at Allianz, Nice’s sports stadium. It connects with Ligne 2 at the airport, Grand Arenas, Paul Montel and Digue des Francais.

A route plan of Ligne 3 which runs North-South along the valley of the River Var. [26]

Ligne 3 is 7km long in total, stretching from Terminal 2 at Nice Airport to the heart of the Saint-Isidore district, North along the valley of the River Var. It has 11 stations in total including 5 stations in common with the West-East line. Trams travel at an average speed of 22km/hr. 12,000 passengers per day is the average usage. Trams run at a Frequency of 10 minutes and 6 trams are dedicated to the line. Additional trams are operated on march days or events and on these days a frequency of 3 minutes is sustained. It is predicted that by 2026 25,000 jobs, 11,400 inhabitants and 5,400 new homes will be served by the line. [27]

In 2017, the route Ligne 3 was finalised by the authorities. The work had an estimated cost of 56.3 million euros excluding taxes, partly subsidized by the State (3.5 million), the region (8 million), the department ( 4 million) and the city (15 million). Construction work began on 19th March 2018 and the line opened in full on 13th November 2019. [28]

An Alstom Citadis X05 Tram on Ligne 3 with the Alliance Riviera Stadium in the background, © Snoopy 31 and used under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED). [28]

At the end of 2019, 6 additional tram sets were put into service to allow the operation of Ligne 3. These were identical to the trams in use on Ligne 2 and are powered in the same way as the Ligne 2 trams, operating without overhead contact lines.

The Charles Ginésy maintenance centre was established as part of the construction work. It is located at the Charles Ehrmann sports park and now is common to both Ligne 2 and Ligne 3, It has been designed to accommodate and maintain the whole fleet of trams on the two lines. [27]

New park-and-ride facilities accommodate 630 vehicles.

A Focus on Ligne 4 …

The city of Nice believes that the ongoing development of the tram network brings significant benefits which are focussed in 3 main areas: [10]

  • Mobility: facilitating travel thanks to the tramway and cycle paths, creating new park and ride facilities, increasing intermodality, ensuring a quality, regular service to the sectors crossed,
  • Quality of life : a reclassified living environment, less pollution and less noise, less car traffic, a more beautiful and peaceful city, more modern and green,
  • Economic development: a more attractive city that encourages activity, a mobility offer superior to current trips to shops and businesses, a saving on travel costs, job creation during the construction phase.

Ligne 4 “will connect the three most important municipalities in the Metropolis in terms of population and jobs: Nice, Saint-Laurent-du-Var and Cagnes-sur-Mer. It will serve 18 stations, including 14 new ones, over a length of 7.1 km of track created, supplemented by 4 new park-and-ride facilities comprising 1,200 spaces (Saint-Laurent-du-Var station, Val Fleuri, Hippodrome, Parc des sports of Cagnes-sur-Mer). Thus, 40,000 passengers will be transported every day, calming traffic and avoiding 4,500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per year from 2028.” [7]

A bird’s eye view of the proposed Ligne 4 with the Line 2 route to the Airport on the left. [12]
Before and After aerial images associated with the planned construction of Ligne 4, showing the area outside the boundary of Nice Airport. [12]

This line will be accompanied by the planting of 1,160 trees and the preservation of 365 trees along the route and 30,000 m² of green tramway.

The route will run from the CADAM (administrative center) in St. Laurent-du-Var to the Cagnes-sur-Mer Sports Park.

St. Laurent-du-Var as it will probably look from the air after completion of Ligne 4. [13]

A Focus on Ligne 5 …

“As part of the creation of this new transport axis, it is planned, in addition to the creation of 7.6 km of additional tramway on predominantly grassed trackway tram platform,, to give more space to pedestrians and bicycles. Thus, a continuous cycle route will be created between Drap and the eastern centre of Nice. More generous pedestrian spaces will be created along this axis to rebalance the city for the benefit of local residents.” [10]

Like the other lines, the entire route will be accessible to all. Developments will be made on and around the stations to guarantee all people benefit from its presence. In the light of this additional and improved pedestrian crossing points over the River Paillon will be created specifically at two locations where tram stations will sit on significantly widened bridges: Pont Jumeaux and Pont Anatole France, which are not very accessible to pedestrians today. The objective is to encourage pedestrian crossing of the Paillon by giving more dedicated space.

“Pont Anatole France station is a good example of this desire to connect the two banks. This station will be located on the bridge and will therefore be easily accessible from both banks via generous spaces for pedestrians.” [10]

The proposed route of Ligne 5. It extends from the station of the future Palais des Arts et de la Culture (now the Palais des Expositions) in Nice to Drap Town Hall. 7.6 km in all The proposed route will need to be refined and confirmed, in particular by collecting public opinion. The positioning of the tram stops may change. A series of superb visuals were produced during early development work and these can be found here. [11]

Ligne 5 could have been envisaged as an extension to Ligne 1, indeed it was seen as an extension in very early considerations for a tram network in Nice. However, Ligne 1 is acting a full capacity and would require significant alteration to accommodate the additional traffic produced by an extension to Drap.

In the light of this Ligne 5 is intended to be independent of Ligne 1 with its own terminus at the Palais des Expositions. By deviating from the route of Ligne 1, Ligne 5 includes “new  neighbourhoods and both banks of the Paillon.” [10] It will, however, be “interconnected with Ligne 1 at Pont-Michel, so that Ligne 5 trams can reach the maintenance centre in Nice-Nord.” [10]

An artist’s impression of Ligne 5 at Pont St. Michel. [19]
A ‘possible’ Bird’s eye view of Ligne 1 and Ligne 5 at Place de l’Armee du Rhin after completion of Ligne 5. [11]
An artists impression of Ligne 5 on Boulevard Vérany and the banks of the River Paillon. [11]
Two trams are shown in this artist’s impression of the Pont Jumeaux crossing of the River Paillon with its adjacent tram stop. [11]
Another aerial view, this time showing a tram on the proposed route along Boulevard de l’Ariane and the banks of the River Paillon looking towards the hills. [11]
La Trinité – A tram crossing the River Paillon on Pont Anatole France through the proposed tram stop. [11]
Another bird’s eye view of the proposed tramway at La Trinité, the River Paillon and Pont Anatole France with a tram turning to run alongside the river. [11]
Les Chênes Verts tram stop in Drap and La Trinité. [11]
The approach to the Drap will bring trams across the River Paillon immediately adjacent to the terminus. [11]

Public Consultation took place between January and March 2022 and as a result some refinements were made to proposals. Currently (November 2023) the project includes for:

– 7.6 km of tramway

– 16 stations 

– 25 minutes between the two terminals

– 1 tram every 8 minutes

– 50,000 inhabitants and 28,000 jobs served

– 16,000 fewer cars every day in the Paillon valley

– 2000 tonnes of CO² avoided per year.

The calendar for the development and implementation of the project is:

2024: public inquiries (environmental, water law, public utility, land, etc.)

2026: Construction of the length through Pont-Michel to Pont Garigliano

2028: Construction of the remaining length to Drap. [11]


The public consultation resulted in a near unanimous approval of the project. 98% of the opinions expressed by the public were favourable. And 100% of elected representatives supported the scheme. [16]

The service station (left) at the Garigliano crossroads, in Nice, will disappear to allow the passage of the tram, © Richard Ray. [16]

“This project is eagerly awaited by residents and we know how to recognize when a consultation is going well,” said the leader of the environmentalists, Juliette Chesnel-Le Roux. [16]

“The Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis has obtained European funding of 823,924 euros to finance all the studies carried out for the tram project linking the Ariane district to the city center of Nice and La Trinité. This funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which aims to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion within the European Union as part of the Integrated Territorial Investment of the Nice Côte d’Azur Metropolis.” [17]

And further into the Future? … Towards Monaco? …

It is possible that Ligne 2 may be extended. Some consideration is being given to an extension to Ligne 2 of the tramway, beyond the current eastern terminus of the Lympia port, towards the principality of Monaco. “It would provide a second rail line between the metropolis of Nice Côte d’Azur and Monaco, and be an alternative to the TER PACA network.” [20]

References

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nice_tramway, accessed on 26th October 2023.
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20130515035144/http://www.lignesdazur.com/presentation/?rub_code=9&thm_id=7&gpl_id=, accessed on 26th October 3023.
  3. https://www.frenchrivieratraveller.com/Nice/Transport/Tramway.html, accessed on 26th October 2023.
  4. https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/nice-trams/?cf-view, accessed on 24th November 2023.
  5. https://projets-transports.nicecotedazur.org/ligne-1/hier-aujourdhui, accessed on 24th November 2023.
  6. https://projets-transports.nicecotedazur.org/actualites, accessed on 24th November 2023.
  7. https://projets-transports.nicecotedazur.org/ligne-4/enquete-publique-du-lundi-12-juin-au-vendredi-21-juillet-2023-inclus, accessed on 24th November 2023.
  8. https://projets-transports.nicecotedazur.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ligne-4-tramway-rapport-d-enquete.pdf, accessed on 24th November 2023.
  9. https://projets-transports.nicecotedazur.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Ligne-4-tramway-CONCLUSIONS-DUP-MECDU.pdf, accessed on 24th November 2023.
  10. https://projets-transports.nicecotedazur.org/questions-reponses/#faq_27231, accessed on 25th November 2023.
  11. https://projets-transports.nicecotedazur.org/ligne-5/le-projet-de-la-ligne-5-de-tramway-nice-la-trinite-drap, accessed on 25tj November 2025.
  12. https://projets-transports.nicecotedazur.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MNCA_TRAM-L4_BROCHURE_TT-SAVOIR_A4_BD.pdf, accessed on 25th November 2023.
  13. https://saintlaurentduvar.fr/blog/ligne-4-du-tramway-l-enquete-publique-est-lancee, accessed on 25th November 2023.
  14. https://twitter.com/Elodieching/status/1484215486867021824?t=JFKe_qZVQzGO-STX2SqQrQ&s=19, accessed on 25th November 2023.
  15. https://www.lemoniteur.fr/article/metropole-de-nice-la-t5-une-ligne-de-tram-vertueuse.2215172, accessed on  25th November 2023.
  16. https://www.nicematin.com/transports/approuve-a-lunanimite-trace-prefere-craintes-exprimees-bon-depart-pour-le-projet-de-tramway-entre-drap-et-nice-777378, accessed on 25th November 2023.
  17. https://www.investincotedazur.com/ligne5-tramway-nice, accessed on 25th November 2023.
  18. https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligne_2_du_tramway_de_Nice, accessed on 25th November 2023.
  19. https://www.pss-archi.eu/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=835184, accessed on 25th November 2023.
  20. https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/18414/tram-design-revealed-for-the-east-west-line-of-the-nice-cote-dazur-metropole, accessed on 26th November 2023.
  21. https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/citadis-x05-light-rail-vehicles, accessed on 26th November 2023.
  22. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nice_tramway_place_Garibaldi.jpg, accessed on 26th November 2023.
  23. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ligne_2_Tram_de_Nice_07-20.jpg, accessed on 26th November 2023.
  24. https://moovitapp.com/index/en/public_transit-line-L1-Nice-3260-854686-771043-0, accessed on 26th November 2023.
  25. https://www.batiactu.com/edito/ligne-2-tramway-nice-arrive-a-aeroport-54985.php, accessed on 26th November 2023.
  26. https://www.frenchrivieratraveller.com/Nice/Transport/Tramway.html, accessed on 26th November 2023.
  27. https://www.nice.fr/fr/transports-et-deplacements/la-ligne-3, accessed on 26th November 2023.
  28. https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligne_3_du_tramway_de_Nice, accessed on 26th November 2023.

Monte-Carlo to Menton – La Ligne du Littoral et ses Antennes, First Generation Electric Tramways – (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 93).

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This post covers the line from the Port of Monaco and Monte-Carlo to its terminus in Menton. A short article about this length of tramway was included in the French-language ‘Tram Magazine‘ of 1980 [7], and it is covered by José Banaudo in his book ‘Nice au fil du Tram, Volume 2‘ [1]

Earlier articles in this series can be found by following these links:

Nice to Antibes:

La Ligne du Littoral et ses Antennes, First Generation Electric Tramways – Nice-Cap d’Antibes (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 90) …

Nice to Monaco:

La Ligne du Littoral et ses Antennes, First Generation Electric Tramways – Nice-Monte Carlo (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 91) …

Branch-lines between Nice and Monaco:

Nice to Monte-Carlo Branch Lines – La Ligne du Littoral et ses Antennes, First Generation Electric Tramways – (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 92) …

Other articles about railways and tramways in and around Nice can be found here:

https://rogerfarnworth.com/category/railways-and-tramways-blog/french-railways-and-tramways/railways-and-tramways-around-nice/

A project for a steam tramway linking the principality of Monaco to Menton via the Basse Corniche dates back to 1892 but seems that it may have encountered opposition from the various communes along the route. It is possible that this opposition centred on the use of steam as the  power-source chosen.  [7]

However, the Monaco Tribune suggests that it was clear that the capacity of steam engines to pull adequate loads on the gradients needed to serve the principality was always in doubt. The Triune comments: “At the start of the 1890s, there was a project for a Nice-Menton tramway line which would run through Monte Carlo. Following the example of French towns that were opening up tramway networks, horse-drawn at first, then with mechanical traction and finally electric-powered, the Principality eventually accepted the necessity of a line crossing Monaco, from Le Rocher to Saint-Roman, passing through Monte-Carlo and serving the Casino. The Principality’s topography was an issue: horse-drawn and steam trams were not an option. Electric trams had to be developed.” [6]

The Monaco tramways had three lines:

  • Place d’Armes – Saint Roman, opened on 14 May 1898.
  • Gare de Monaco – Place du Gouvernement, opened on 11 March 1899.
  • Casino – Gare de Monte-Carlo, opened on 3 May 1900. [8]

In 1897, the TNL (Tramways de Nice et du Littoral) obtained the concession for a metre-gauge coastal line between Cagnes, Nice, Monaco and Menton.

The main difficulty encountered in establishing this route was crossing the principality of Monaco, where in 1898 a local company opened an urban tramway powered by underground electric cables. [7]

While waiting for the establishment of an agreement to allow the passage of their trams through the principality, the TNL transported part of their fleet of by rail to Menton and opened a section of tramway from Garavan to Cap-Martin on 20th December 1902. One year later, this isolated section was linked to the rest of the network with the commissioning  of the complete section from Monaco to Menton on 28th December 1903. [7]

In 1910, the TNL bought out the Monaco Tramways concession but continued to operate a split operation with connections in the principality between the Nice and Menton lines.  During the Great War, the TNL’s tramway experienced heavy passenger and goods traffic, with the PLM line being reserved primarily for strategic transport. [7]

After the war, the Monaco to Menton line was designated Ligne No. 43 in the TNL’s new operating plan.  But very quickly, road competition and the narrowness of the Basse Corniche roadway made sharing the road with lorries, vans and cars almost impossible. [7]

On 26th January 1931, the Nice to Monaco line was closed, followed a few months later by the departmental connection Menton (Villa Caserta) – Sospel.  As during its first years of operation, the Menton tramway found itself isolated from the rest of the network and continued for a few months with reduced service to Monaco Garavan and Menton Villa Caserta, with the equipment based at the small Carnolès depot.  This reprieve was only short-lived, because these lines were in turn closed in January 1932. [7]

This extract from the 1914 plan of Monaco shows the tramway running along the Condamine on the West side of the port before heading up the Avenue de Monte-Carlo. For a time there was a junction at the top of the gradient with trams for Menton turning North. [2]
Tram outside Monte Carlo International Sporting Club. The position of the pole shows that this tram is heading down hill to the Port. [9]
A similar view in 2011 looking down Avenue d’Ostende towards the Port. [Google Streetview, March 2011]
A later image showing a tram just a little further up l’Avenue de Monte-Carlo (now Avenue d’Ostende), but on the other tramline heading up hill towards the Casino. [11]
Tram outside Le Restaurant de Paris, Monte-Carlo. [10]
The  tram tracks outside Restaurant/Cafe de Paris. Apparently these tracks were only in use for a very short time around 1902/1903. This picture was shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group on 19th July 2023. (Collection privée J-Paul Bascoul). [12]
Trams heading for Menton turned Northwest on Rue des Lilas (now Avenue Princesse Alice). For a short while in the very early 20th century a short branch continued up towards the Casino. Trams for Menton turned right at the top of Rue des Lilas onto Avenue de la Costa. [2]
This extract from Google Maps shows the route of the tramway as the primrose yellow line snaking from the bottom to the top of the image. A little confusing because the North point of the 1914 map extract above is not the same as Google Maps. The tram route enters at the bottom of this extract along Avenue d’Ostende. It then turns through more than 90° to run along Avenue Princesse Alice, executing a reverse curve along the way and then turning onto Avenue de la Costa. [Google Maps, November 2023]
These trams sit at the junction of the line to Menton (turning away to the left) and that to the Casino. They sit directly in front of the old Office de Poste et Telegraph. This image was shared on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group by Jean-Paul Bascoul on 7th July 2017. (Collection privée J-Paul Bascoul). [21]
The same location as appears in the colourised postcard view immediately above. This is the point at which the tramway turned Northwards from Avenue de Monte-Carlo onto what was Rue des Lilas (now Avenue Princesse Alice). Access to the Casino is along the road to the right which for a time carried a branch tramway serving Monte-Carlo Casino. [Google Streetview March 2011]
The trams for Menton followed Rue des Lilas (now Avenue Princesse Alice). This image looks Northwest from the Southern end of the Avenue in 2021, [Google Streetview, July 2021]
At the North end of Rue des Lilas (now Avenue Princesse Alice), trams turned right onto Avenue de la Costa. [Google Streetview, July 2021]
Looking Northeast along Avenue de la Costa in 2021, towards Boulevard des Moulins. [Google Streetview, July 2021]
Avenue de la Costa, after a short distance, led  straight onto Boulevard des Moulins. It was only a short walk from this point to access the funicular railway to La Turbie. The terminus can be seen at the top of this map extract. [2]
The primrose yellow line again indicates the line of the old tramway heading Northeast along Avenue de la Costa and then Boulvard des Moulins. [Google Maps, November 2023]
Looking Northeast from the bottom of Boulevard des Moulins in 2021. The Office de Tourism can be seen on the right of this image. [Google Streetview, July 2021]
Boulevard des Moulins continued in northeasterly direction towards Menton. Again, please don’t be fooled by the orientation of the North point on this 1914 map. [2]
A tram on Boulevard des Moulins heading Northeast. This image was included in a Monaco Tribune article about Monaco’s trams (Collection privée J-Paul Bascoul). It also appears in José Banaudo’s book where he notes the change to a single track line from a double-track length which ran from Avenue des Beaux-Arts to the edge of the St. Roman dustrict of the principality. He describes the dual length of track elsewhere as running from Credit Lyonnaise to Hotel du Littoral. Banaudo tells us that the tram in this image is TNL No. 27, a Thompson-built tram providing a Monte-Carlo to Menton service. [6][1: p57]
This postcard view of a tram on Boulevard des Moulins also appears in José Banaudo’s book. He notes that this tram is providing an urban service in Monaco and travelling Northeast on Boulevard des Moulins. [1:p57]
So much has changed. Much of Boulevard des Moulins would be unrecognisable to those who knew it in the early 20th century. This is a similar view looking Northeast along Boulevard des Moulins. It is possible that the tree, visible in each of the monochrome images above, is that which appears in this image. The building immediately beyond the tree, where the street curves away to the left seems to be common to all three images. [Google Streetview, July 2021]

Boulevard des Moulins led directly onto Boulevard d’Italie. Banaudo tells us that “the line became single track in the Boulevard d’Italie, where two sidings allowed the cars of the coastal line to pass those providing the urban service. The latter’s terminus was established in the St. Roman district where the three-track TM depot-workshop was also located, just before the border between the principality of Monaco and the French commune of Roquebrune.” [1: p56]

This extract from a map shared in an earlier article shows the tramway heading on from Avenue des Moulins along Boulevard d’Italie into St. Roman. The article from which this image was taken was shared on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group by Jean-Paul Bascoul on 17th May 2015. [24]
A tram on Avenue d’Italie in St. Roman. [27]

After leaving the principality, Banaudo tells us that the road and the tramway ran through picturesque even grandiose scenery as they run through “Cabbé cove, bounded to the east by the tip of Cape Martin. Since leaving the principality, five passing loops and sections of double track of varying lengths followed one another on this route where the Basse, Moyenne and Grande Corniche come together below the picturesque medieval village of Roquebrune.” [1: p56]

Boulevard des Moulins finishes just at the bottom-left of this Google Maps satellite image. Avenue d’Italie runs diagonally from the bottom-left of the image to the top-right. The road is marked by the primrose yellow line. This was the route of the TNL tramway.close to the top right of the image the Avenue d’Italie gives way to the Avenue de France at the gyratory. [Google Maps, November 2023]
The primrose yellow line closest to the sea in this satellite image marks the route of the old tramway (now the D6098). Avenue de France gives way to Avenue Jean-Jaures towards the top right of the image. [Google Maps, November 2023]
The route of the old tramway continues along the present D6098 (Avenue Jean-Jaures) until it joins the D6007 (Avenue de la Cote d’Azur) and then curves around the valley at Cabbe.  [Google Maps, November 2023]
The route of the old tramway continues along the Avenue Cote d’Azur (A6007). [Google Maps, November 2023]


Shortly after the location where the Basse, Moyenne and Grand Corniches meet, the “national road 7 describes a series of tight turns on a steep slope to cut across the base of Cap-Martin.  In order to follow a more favorable route, the tramway penetrated quite far into the pine forest of the cape for approximately 1600 m on an independent platform.  Here it served housing estates, vast properties and villas, some of which were not yet connected to motorable roads.” [1: p57]

A tram runs along the highway, some distance above sea-level, having passed through the district of St. Roman. [23]
The tramway through Roquebrune and Cap-Martin was remote from the highway for about 1.6km. On careful inspection its route can be seen on this map. The pictures below show the length of tramway described by José Banaudo, which ran on its own formation for some distance. [17]
A Thomson TNL tram passes in front of the Roquebrune post office, in the Cabbé district. The tram is heading for Monaco. I have struggled to locate this image in relation to modern maps of the area. [7]

Banaudo continues to describe the route followed by the tramway. He says that the old tramway ran out onto the Cap-Martin peninsula where it “described a long hairpin loop at the bottom of which was a 108 m tunnel, in a curve with a radius of 35 m and a slope of 70 mm/m. From the Cap-Martin stop, located at the exit of the tunnel, the single track was subsequently doubled to facilitate crossings in this hilly sector. The descent on the eastern slope of the cape then offered a vast panorama of the town of Menton and the Ligurian Riviera. Since entering [Cap-Martin], the line had lost around sixty metres in altitude when it reached the seashore at the Victoria Hotel, not far from which the Cap-Martin depot was located.” [1: p57]

Close to Roquebrune, trams left the main road to follow a dedicated formation. The highway had a series of tight curves and significant gradients which were not suitable for trams. From this point, the trams travelled out onto Cap-Martin while gradually descending almost to sea-level. [16]
Approximately the same location as that shown in the photograph above, as it appears in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
Looking Southeast, the old mainroad followed the route on the left trams ran on a separate route which has been transformed to Avenue Paul Doumer, which appears on the right side of this photograph. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

Today, Avenue Paul Doumer (D52) follows the route of the old tramway fairly faithfully as it heads out onto Cap-Martin. Avenue Paul Doumer gives way to Avenue Sylvio de Monleon which follows the old tramway to and through the location of the tramway tunnel which has been supplanted by a road tunnel on the same alignment.

Avenue Paul.Doumer (D52) shown in grey follows the route of the old tramway. [Google Maps, November 2023]
The tram in this photograph is heading towards Roquebrune and then Menton. The single-track line is on its own formation, separated from the road both horizontally and vertically. [15]
Looking Southeast on Avenue Paul Doumer. The main road is marked by the green railings at a higher level. This is approximately the same location as that shown in the postcard view immediately above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The D52 continues to follow the old tramway route, although it takes the new name of Avenue Sylvio de Monleon on the right third of this extract from Google Maps. [Google Maps, November 2023]
The old tramway turned through a tight hairpin bend , the first part of which was in tunnel. [Google Maps, November 2023]
The road tunnel that replaced the narrower tramway tunnel. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
A tram leaves the tunnel on Cap-Martin and approaches the tram stop. The pedestrian access to the tram stop appears to the left of the tram in this image. [14]
From a slightly different angle, the modern tunnel portal close to the old tram stop is visible in this image. The image shows that the steps which provided access to the tram stop are mirrored by similar steps in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The tram stop on Cap-Martin. The tram is heading for Monaco. [16]
This image shows the same location today. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
A tram running downhill towards the Plage de Carnoles. [26]
A similar location in the 21st century, looking down Avenue Sylvio de Monleon towards the Plage de Carnoles. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Banaudo mentioned Hotel Victoria in his description of the tram route. In the 21st century it remains at the same location as in the early 20th century. It features at the bottom of this extract from Google Maps. South of the Hotel Victoria a block of flats can be seen adjacent to the tight curve on the D52. Those flats sit on the site of an old chapel – Chapelle du Cap-Martin. [Google Maps, November 2023]
The ruins of the Chapelle du Cap-Martin with dual tram tracks running close to its doors. [22]
A early postcard view showing a TNL tram running past the Chapel towards Menton. [34]
The same location in 2023. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
This extract from the map seen earlier in this article shows the tram route entering bottom-centre, close to what would have been the Chapelle du Cap-Martin, and running for just a short distance along Promenade du Midi before turning inland to pass under the PLM mainline. [17]
An early postcard view of La Plage de Carnoles, looking East from Cap-Martin. Tram tracks are clearly visible on the beach and a tram appears to be heading for Menton. [45]
Looking Southwest in 1910 towards Cap-Martin from La Plage de Carnoles. Banaudo notes that at the time it was built, the tramway sat on the beach. [25]
A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
This image shows a tram running along the edge of the beach in Carnoles. Just to the right of this image trams turned away from the beach. [7]

After running past the Chapelle du Cap-Martin trams ran alongside the beach for a short distance. The route they took has since become the Promenade du Midi. They turned inland at what is now Avenue Francois de Monleon and ran under the PLM mainline before turning to the right along Avenue Julia, a road which appears to no longer exist, and following the curve of that road as far as its junction with what is now the D6007. The length before that junction was along what is now Avenue du Marechal Foch.

This old post card image shows a tram on Avenue François de Monleon. It was shared on the Menton du Passé au Present Facebook Page on 3rd December 2017. [35]
Avenue François de Monleon in the 21st century at a similar location to the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, November 2023]
Trams ran Northwest along Avenue François de Monleon passing under the PLM mainline through the bridge shown here. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Running Northeast the tramway met the N7 (now the D6007) and then turned right along it towards the PLM mainline and the beach along what is now Avenue Aristide Briand. [17]
The primrose yellow D6007 shows the route of the old tramway. [Google Maps, November 2023]
This monochrome image shows a tram on Avenue Julia (now Avenue du Marechal Foch) adjacent to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Carnoles. The road on the right of the image is Route National 7 (RN7). [19]
This modern image shows approximately the same location in the 21st century. Google Streetview, October 2022]
Turning through about 120°, this view looks down Avenue Aristide Briand towards the railway bridge which is shown below. The tram tracks are clearly visible in the road surface. This old postcard image was shared on the Menton du Passé au Present Facebook Page on 9th August 2017. [18]
Trams once ran along what is now Avenue Aristide Briand (D6007) and passed through this railway bridge before running Northeast closer to the sea. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
Pont de l’Union sat at the boundary between Carnoles and Menton. This image is an early 20th century postcard view of Pont de l’Union. It looks East. The overbridge carrying the PLM line is directly ahead at the extreme left of this image. It is not possible to show a modern version of this image as the photograph is taken from a point inside one of the more modern buildings on Avenue Aristide Briand. [7]
The view East-northeast east along Avenue Aristide Briand which is the route being travelled by the tram in the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

The TNL had a depot at Carnolès-plage from 1902 to 1932. [20] Banaudo notes that the tramway passed twice under the PLM Nice to Ventimiglia line. After “the second underbridge, the Union bridge over the Gorbio valley demarcated the territories of the communes of Roquebrune and Menton.” [1: p57]

Banaudo keeps his comments on the remainder of the old tramway route succinct. On entering the commune if Menton, he says, “the tram followed the Avenue de la Madone (today Général De Gaulle), the Borrigo Bridge, the Avenue Carnot, the Biovès garden which covers the Careï torrent then the Avenue Felix Faure.  Place St. Roch, where the Sospel line branched off, marked the entry into the old town of Menton. Here, the single track made its way through the very narrow Rue St. Michel then entered the port where it  followed the Quai Bonaparte.  The tramway entered Garavan beach then ended its course near the Hanbury fountain, a few hundred metres from the Italian border at that time.” [1: p57]

We will try to unpack Banaudo’s description with images that show the route through Menton. Trams entered Menton on the RN7 (now D6007). Until the mid-20th century people were expected to leave the tram at the boundary between Roquebrune Cap-Martin and Menton to declare the goods they were carrying. The Octroi, shown below, was the ‘custom point’.

Everyone crossing into Menton was expected to declare taxable goods at the ‘border’ of the commune. [7]
The location of le Pont de Borrigo at the point where Avenue Cernuschi met the RN7 (D6007). [Google Maps, November 2023]
Le Pont de Burrigo close to the beach on the road into Menton. The road over the bridge carried the tramway. [49]
A view West back across the location of Pont de Burrigo. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
The tram has stopped on Avenue Carnot next to Le Kiosque de Musique (Bandstand) in the gardens alongside the Promenade de Midi. [7]
Looking East along Avenue de Carnot, approaching the centre of Menton. This was the route taken by the tram. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Trams continued along Avenue Carnot past l’Eglise Anglais and onto Avenue Felix Faure.

Avenue Carnot runs past St. John’s Church in Menton  (the Anglican Church). Tram tracks can be seen on the road surface in this image which was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Pierre Richert on 8th January 2018. [37]
L’Avenue Carnot and St. John’s Anglican Church in 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
St. John’s Church is shown on this extract from Google Maps with Avenue de Carnot on its South side. The D6007 turns right and then left to run along the Promenade. The old tramway ran straight ahead onto Avenue Felix Faure. [Google Maps, November 2013]
St. John’s Church can be seen in the bottom-left of this image. Avenue Felix Faure runs Northeast from St. John’s Church. It is the grey line, one block back from the Promenade. [Google Maps, November 2023]
Avenue Felix Faure, Menton, in the early 20th century, looking towards the old town. Tram tracks are visible in the road surface. [38]
Avenue Felix Faure in the early 20th century. This is a view from a very similar location as the image above, this time a tram can be seen heading out of the old town towards Monaco. [40]
The same location that appears in the two monochrome images above, as it appears in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
One street corner along Avenue Felix Faure, looking Northeast. The only thing in common with the present is the Hotel des Colonies building, which you can see on the left of image. [51]
Approximately the same view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview March 2023]
Avenue Felix Faure, looking Southwest from a point close to Place St. Roch. [50]
A similar view in the 21st century, looking Southwest. [Google Streetview April 2023]
This old postcard image shows Avenue Felix Faure entering Place St. Roch. It looks Southwest from Place St. Roch. Overhead tramway cables can be seen running in two directions, ahead into Avenue Felix Faure and right into Rue Partouneaux. The tram tracks leading into Avenue Felix Faure can be seen to the left of the photograph. Note the publisher shelter close to the centre of the image. [53]
A similar view to the one immediately above. A statue now sits in front of the building. [52]
A similar modern view looking across Place St. Roch towards the Southwest and Avenue Felix Faure. [Google Streetview, March 2023]

Rue Partouneaux on the North side of Place St. Roch was followed by trams for Sospel which set off from or terminated at the mouth of Rue St. Michel at Place St. Roch. This route is covered elsewhere in this series about trams in and around Nice:

Three articles written at different times, in chronological order are as below:

Sospel to Menton Tramway

The Sospel to Menton Tramway Revisited (Chemins de Fer de Provence 51)

The Menton to Sospel Tramway Revisited Again! (Chemins de Fer de Provence 61)

Avenue Felix-Faure in Menton, seen from Place St. Roch, looking Northeast. On the left we can see the waiting kiosk of the TNL tram urban lines. There is a tram waiting at the stop but rather than following the main route between Monaco and Menton it will leave along Rue Partouneaux to the Careï valley. It will possibly stop at the Villa Caserta terminus, or it will continue towards Monti, Castllon, the valley of Bévéra and the Sospel terminus. This image was shared by Jean-Paul Bascul on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group on 28th September 2023 (Collection privée J-Paul Bascoul). [5]
A similar view, looking Northeast in the 21st century from Place St. Roch. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Looking East from Place St. Roch along the most easterly length of Avenue Felix Faure, we see a tram heading West, although it is not clear whether it will head for Monaco or bear round in front of the camera onto Rue Partouneaux to the Carei Valley. [7]
An early 20th century postcard image of Rue St. Michel/Avenue Felix Faure, looking East, Tram tracks are visible in the road surface. [29]
The same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2008]
An early postcard view of Rue St. Michel, looking West. [39]
Rue St. Michel in 2008 looking West at approximately the same location as in the postcard image above. [Google Streetview, December 2008]
Rue St. Michel in 2008 looking East. [Google Streetview, December 2008]
A powered car and trailer stopped at Place aux Herbes in the 1920s. This image was shared on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group on 23rd March 2022 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. (Collection privée J-Paul Bascoul). [3]
The same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, 2021]
Rue St. Michel looking West in the early 20th century. The tramway track is easily seen in the cobbled road surface, the overhead cables in the sky! [46]
The same location, close to the eastern end of Rue St. Michel in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, 2008]
A further extract from Google Maps. The tramway ran along Rue St. Michel which enters this image just beneath the Carrefour City blue flag to the bottom-left of the image and runs in an approximately straight line East-northeast to meet the present D6007 (Quai Bonaparte). Here trams turned North along the D6007 before heading East towards Garavan. [Google Maps, November 2023]

Trams left the East end of Rue St. Michel and crossed Place du Cap before running out onto Quai Bonaparte.

An early 20th century postcard image of Place du Cap, Menton. Overhead wires for the trams cross the image and, to the right side of the image a tram can be seen turning into Place du Cap from Quai Bonaparte. [32]
This image was shared by Jean Claude Volpi on the Entraide Menton Monaco Roquebrune Cap Martin et sa région Facebook Group on 17th September 2021. It shows the tramway leaving Place du Cap. It refers to the Quai as ‘Quai de Monleon’. [48]
The old postcard image refers to the Quai as ‘Quai Boneparte. The camera is situated a little further to the North than the camera in the image above. [31]
A short distance to the North again, this old postcard image is annotated ‘Le Boulevard de Garavan’. Literally only a couple of hundred metres along the shore from the last postcard image. This colourised image comes from the early 20th century. [30]
The modern D6007 now follows the Quai Bonaparte/Quai de Monleon. A constant feature is the large building at the centre of this image which seems to have a central gable. In the 21st century this is the Menton campus of Sciences Po Paris. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
This last extract from Google Maps shows the remaining length of the old tramway. The line followed the Promenade de Garavan and is shown in primrose yellow. It was on the seaward side of the RN7 (D6007). The terminus was close to the grey flag at the right side of this image. It was adjacent to La Fontaine de la Frontiere. [Google Maps November 2020]
A tram heads towards Menton old town along Boulevard de Garavan. [7]
The view from a very similar location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
A tram stopped on La Promenade de Garavan. Menton’s old town can be seen in the distance. [26]
A similar view from Porte de France in 2023. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The terminus of the line is some distance ahead in this view. The tram is heading towards the terminus of the line. [26]
This image was shared on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group on 23rd March 2022 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. Looking East, it shows a tram at the extreme Eastern end of the TNL network, about to set off for Nice. [4]
As can be seen close to the centre of this view looking East, the Fontaine de la Frontiere still stands in its historical location, although the Italian border has moved further East! [Google Streetview, March 2023]

The terminus of the TNL network was on La Promenade de Garavan, immediately West of the Fontaine de la Frontiere which itself was very close to the then Italian border.

The tram terminus was just to the West of the Fontaine de la Frontiere in almost exactly the same location as the earlier horse-drawn tram in this old postcard image. [47]
The Fontaine de la Frontiere in 2023. At one time the border with Italy was a little to the East of the fountain. [Google Streeview, November 2022]

Images in this article credited to Jean-Paul Bascoul can be found on his blog: Monaco 4Ever.blogspot.com.

References

  1. José Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram, Volume 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005.
  2. http://www.vidiani.com/maps/maps_of_europe/maps_of_monaco/large_detailed_old_map_of_Monaco_Monte_Carlo_1921.jpg, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  3. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/6968696949870285/?app=fbl, accessegraphs wered on 14th November 2023.
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  5. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9979281115478505/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v, accessed on 14th March 2023.
  6. https://www.monaco-tribune.com/2023/03/lancien-tramway-de-monaco, accessed on 14th November 2023.
  7. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9166984710041487/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v, accessed on 14th November 2023.
  8. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Monaco, accessed on 15th November 2023.
  9. https://collection-jfm.fr/p/cpa-monaco-monte-carlo-international-sporting-club-tramway-52606, accessed on 15th November 2023.
  10. https://www.ansichtskartenversand.com/ak/90-carte-postale-ancienne/34051-Monaco/11423949-CPA-Monte-Carlo-Le-Restaurant-de-Paris-tramway, accessed on 15th November 2023.
  11. https://fotonail.com/europa/monaco/monte-carlo/monte-carlo-avenue-tramway-horse-cart.html, accessed on 15th November 2023.
  12. https://m.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9547920741947880, accessed on 15th November 2023.
  13. https://www.delcampe.net/fr/collections/cartes-postales/france/roquebrune-cap-martin/cpa-roquebrune-cap-martin-le-tram-de-menton-a-monte-carlo-transport-chemins-de-fer-tramway-giletta-946-461482676.html, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  14. http://transporturbain.canalblog.com/pages/les-tramways-de-nice—de-l-apogee-au-declin/31975780.html, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  15. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253323731414?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=7-GeZfqtTnS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=MORE, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  16. http://www.en-noir-et-blanc.com/roquebrune-cap-martin-p1-813.html, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  17. https://www.antiquemapsandprints.com/categories/maps-by-cartographer/guides-bleus-hachette/product/roquebrune-cap-martin-vintage-town-ville-city-plan-alpes-maritimes-1930-map/P-6-070870~P-6-070870, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  18. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02cEoY2Gk9V3e73notFARJaZR99QMhQmUgrKjiH1Uyd1yDhxgCAJnqMwcCKaWKFcKDl&id=635920043254797, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  19. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204509560244?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=cTk_hvhSRfe&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY, accessed on 30th November 2023.
  20. https://m.facebook.com/groups/rcmentraide/permalink/1282944575478897, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  21. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9478220598917895/?app=fbl, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  22. https://collection-jfm.fr/p/cpa-france-06-menton-saint-jean-vielle-chapelle-au-cap-martin-92913, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  23. https://www.akpool.fr/cartes-postales/26659024-carte-postale-monte-carlo-monaco-tram-route-de-menton-monte-carlo-strassenbahn-panorama-vom-ort, accessed on 17th November 2023.
  24. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9166981643375127/?app=fbl, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  25. https://images.app.goo.gl/PViRS5rGcYE3NVLg6, accessed on 18th November 2023.
  26. https://www.cparama.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=52777, accessed on 19th November 2023.
  27. https://www.communes.com/cartes-postales-anciennes-roquebrune-cap-martin, accessed on 19th November 2023.
  28. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid028EjRwQCxRmB89rEsCt2h8YR32nMKhMhypGPSzF3CAAQc8H4wjmHSq3QRjiTzMGhHl&id=100064481811741, accessed on 19th November 2023.
  29. https://m.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/3565973976809283, accessed on 3rd December 2023.
  30. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/5938184#0, accessed on 3rd December 2023.
  31. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/196013394405?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=W9cRBoodQSO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY, accessed on 3rd December 2023.
  32. https://www.cparama.com/forum/menton-t979.html, accessed on 3rd December 2023.
  33. Not used.
  34. http://www.en-noir-et-blanc.com/le-cap-martin-p1-2800.html, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  35. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid028tjj9vrXVrhWDqtANF258PK7v3kCQKj5ePhuGN1QcsPL1qESvtW6c5BTopfn3LaWl&id=635920043254797, accessed on 20th November 2023.
  36. https://www.facebook.com/635920043254797/posts/pfbid0c9zVgpCcdqRCBhGj8tXT6kiiCNsmFDTTo7ASaxgFv5TFhaXcN845gT98PtXwof3yl/?app=fbl, accessed on 20th November 2023.
  37. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/2071367206442471, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  38. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314237843895?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=nU4A5jgeRzm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  39. https://collection-jfm.fr/p/cpa-france-06-menton-la-rue-saint-michel-223828, accessed on 3rd December 2023.
  40. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186145306141?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=iaKZOZUrQmi&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  41. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0UYtiYEptwyNi1Jw3dZWz9ZABkcPs8JRS6CATMHY1XYRyiM753KXLPM9CfsZ7AiKbl&id=635920043254797, accessed on 20th November 2023.
  42. Not used.
  43. Not used.
  44. Not used.
  45. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/186292#0, 23rd November 2023.
  46. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=275995965894297&substory_index=2275002982660242&id=274116476082246,  23rd November 2023.
  47. https://www.delcampe.net/en_US/collectibles/postcards/france/menton/menton-promenade-de-garavan-et-fontaine-de-la-frontiere-tram-a-chevaux-1911374856.html, accessed on 4th December 2023.
  48. https://m.facebook.com/groups/172267109778338/permalink/1524067927931576/, accessed on 30th November 2023.
  49. https://www.cparama.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2581, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  50. https://www.fortunapost.com/menton/63773-06-menton-les-platanes-avenue-felix-faure-1914.html, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  51. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134689074112?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=_o2CiTs1S5m&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  52. https://www.communes.com/cartes-postales-anciennes-menton, accessed on 2nd December 2023.
  53. https://collection-jfm.fr/p/cpa-france-06-menton-la-place-saint-roch-102274, accessed on 3rd December 2023.

Nice to Monte-Carlo Branch Lines – La Ligne du Littoral et ses Antennes, First Generation Electric Tramways – (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 92) …

1 Reply

There were two branch lines worth noting between Nice and Monte Carlo: one from Pont-St. Jean to St. Jean-Cap Ferrat; one from Monaco-Gare to Monaco-Ville.

The tram route from Nice to Monte-Carlo is covered in an article which can be found by following this link:

La Ligne du Littoral et ses Antennes, First Generation Electric Tramways – Nice-Monte Carlo (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 91) …

Pont-St. Jean – St. Jean-Cap Ferrat

This branch line was just under 2 km in length and ran between Pont-St. Jean at 27 m above sea-level to a terminus in St. Jean-Cap Ferrat at 3 m above sea-level.

Construction of the line started in June 1906 and it was open to traffic by 7th December 1907.

Along with the rest of the network it received a line number on 1st January 1923 – No. 22. It remained in service as a tramway until 9th March 1931, when it was replaced by a bus service. Rails were lifted by 20th June 1933.

A postcard photograph of Pont St. Jean with a tram approaching from the terminus on St. Jean Cap Ferrat, the photograph was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Laurent Mannu on 20th April 2022. Travelling the opposite direction a tram would almost immediately stop at l’Octroi. [6]
A very similar view in 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]

The line was single-track throughout with two intermediate passing places.  It left the mainline between Nice and Monte-Carlo at Pont-St. Jean which sat at the point where the communes of Villefranche and Beaulieu shared a common border and at the point where the PLM line between Nice and Ventimille was bridged to provide access to the coastline. This was also close to the Octroi de St. Jean which, as we have noted elsewhere, was a building which housed  municipal tax collectors and allowed them to control and tax goods transported by travellers.

After crossing the railway line trams headed down Avenue Denis Semaria (M25) out onto the peninsula. The ‘new’ road, M125, can be seen heading West alongside the railway line. [Google Maps, November 2023]

The peninsula was an attractive area to build a home and the Tramway found its way through villas and gardens set among pine trees.

St. Jean Cap Ferrat – a beautiful place! [2]
St. Jean Cap Ferrat, the primrose yellow road out onto the peninsula is route M25. The loop of road to the South is the M125, © OpenStreetMap made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 license (CC BY-SA 2.0). [3]
The tramway ran along Avenue Denis Semeria, curving round Villa La Ligne Droit. [Google Maps, November 2023]
The route of the old tramway, approaching Villa La Ligne Droit. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild sat to the East of the tramroad and Villa Andreae Nice to the West. [Google Maps, November 2023]

The M25 had to be rebuilt in to the West of and in parallel to its original route which was too narrow to accommodate both trams and other traffic. 

The Gardens of Ephrussi de Rothschild sat above the tramroad to the East and Villa Andreae Nice to the West was to the right. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

After a passing-loop close to the chapel of St. François in the middle of the peninsula, the line descended eastwards to reach its terminus located at the port of St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat. 

The tram route, as shown on a map of the area around Nice in 1914. [10]
The tramway continued along Avenue Denis Semaria close to Jardinerie du Cap-Ferrat Marcarelli. [Google Maps, November 2023]
The route continued to follow Avenue Denis Semaria and began to head down towards [Google Streetview, October 2022]
The tramway turned away from one arm of Avenue Denis Semaria to head down to the Port along another arm of the same named road and following the route number M25. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
The tramway continued round the curve on Avenue Denis Semaria. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Avenue Denis Semaria runs first due East and then turns round to the South as it approaches the Port and the location of the tramway terminus. [Google Maps, November 2023]
Now heading due East on Avenue Denis Semaria (M25) and approaching the East coast of the peninsula. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
A tram en-route from Pont-St. Jean down to the Port curving down along Avenue Denis Semaria not far from the Port. This image was shared on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group on 1st September 2014 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. (Collection privée J-Paul Bascoul). [11]
A very similar view in 2023. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Turning through 180°, this is the view along Avenue Denis Semaria towards the Port. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The bus terminus at Port-St. Jean. The tram terminus was a few hundred metres South , behind the camera. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The tram terminus was established at the port of St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Place du Centenaire, near the statue of the Fisherman, the work of Claude Vignon-Rouvier, wife of the politician Maurice Rouvier. Around 1910. The tram in the picture is made up of a powered car and a trailer. [4]
A later view without a tram present. The buildings on the left have seen some significant work undertaken. The first is now a three-storey building and both that and the adjacent property have been extended towards the street. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 28th February 2022 by Alain Nissim. [5]
A similar view in 2023 looking through the location of the tramway terminus to the North. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The cafe at the terminus of the tramway. The image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 18th February 2022. [9]
A postcard view of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat – Place du Centenaire – Tram Stop – Publisher: Giletta N°830. The photograph was taken sometime around 1920 and shows a powered car running round its trailer ready for the journey back to Pont-St. Jean. [4]
A similar view in 2023 looking through the location of the tramway terminus to the South. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The Namuoma Restaurant at St. Jean-Cap Ferrat, with the tramway tracks visible to the bottom right of the photograph. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 16th August 2023. [7]
Another view of the terminus. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 5th July 2021. [8]
A similar view in 2023 looking through the location of the tramway terminus to the South. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Monaco-Gare – Monaco-Ville

This line was marginally over 1 km in length. It low point was at Place d’Armes, just 19 metres above sea-level, its high point was at 59metres above sea-level at Place de la Visitation. It was single track over its entire length with no passing places . It also did not have passing loops at its two termini as it only used powered cars with no trailers.

Banaudo tells us that, “Starting from the PLM station square, it went down Avenue de la Gare for 101 m to Place d’Armes. This node in the Monegasque network formed a connection point with the TNL line towards Nice and the TM line towards Monte Carlo and St. Roman. Crossing this, the single track climbed by a long ramp of 77 mm/m the Avenue de la Porte-Neuve to the end of the Rocher dominating Fort Antoine, then a sharp bend brought the line back into the Avenue des Pins. The terminus sat at the entrance to the old town of Monaco, on the Place de la Visitation where the government palace stands.” [1: p54]

A plan of the different tram and train lines in Monaco and Monte-Carlo in the early 20th century. The article from which this image was taken was shared on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group by Jean-Paul Bascoul on 17th May 2015. The line between the station and the Place de la Visitation runs left to right at the bottom of the map. [15]
This map shows This branch line tramway ran from Monaco-Gare at the Northwest corner of this map extract through Place d’Armes and then along Avenue de la Porte Neuve before swinging sharply round to the West along Avenue des Pins, to terminate in Place de la Visitation. [16]
Monaco Railway Station in the early 20th century. [19]
Looking Northwest along Avenue Prince Pierre towards the location of Monaco Railway Station. [Google Streetview, July 2021]
Looking along Avenue Prince Pierre into Place d’Armes. [Google Streetview, July 2022]
The junction of Avenue de la Gare with Place d’Armes looking towards the railway station. This image was shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group on 23rd June 2017. (Collection privée J-Paul Bascoul). [13]
A tram on Place d’Armes in the 1920s. This image was shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul on the Monaco4Ever Facebook Group on 20th June 2020. (Collection privée J-Paul Bascoul). [14]
La Place d’Armes looking towards Monaco Railway Station which sits at the far end of Avenue de la Gare (now Avenue Prince Pierre). [12]
A colourised postcard view of the junction between Avenue de la Gare (now Avenue Prince Pierre) and Place d’Armes. [17]
Place d’Armes sat below the Palace of Monaco. It was the point at which trams from the railway station crossed the Nice to Monte-Carlo line and then headed up onto the rock. [16]
The tramway up onto the Rock followed Avenue de la Porte Neuve. The tramway to the casino (and on to Menton) followed the parallel Avenue du Port. [Google Streetview, 2011]
The tramway to the Casino and then on to Menton ran up the West side of the port. The tramway up onto the Rock via the Avenue de la Porte Neuve. [16]
The tramway turned from the Avenue de la Porte Neuve into the Avenue des Pins and heads to its terminus at Place de la Visitation. [16]
The tight curve of Avenue Saint-Martin leads round towards Avenue des Pins. [Google Streetview, 2011]
The tramway followed Avenue des Pins heading off to the right leading towards Place de la Visitation. [Google Streetview, 2011]
Place de la Visitation at the top of Avenue des Pins was the terminus of the tramway. [Google Streetview, 2011]

Images in this article accredited to Jean-Paul Bascoul come from his blog – Monaco4ever.blogspot.com.

References

  1. José Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram, Volume 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005.
  2. https://www.explorenicecotedazur.com/en/info/saint-jean-cap-ferrat-en, accessed on 11th November 2023.
  3. https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=14/43.6881/7.3294, accessed on 11th November 2023.
  4. https://www.cparama.com/forum/saint-jean-cap-ferrat-t9821.html, accessed on 11th November 2023.
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  8. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3132401830338998, accessed on 11th November 2023.
  9. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3325276507718195, accessed on 11th November 2023.
  10. https://theoldmapshop.com/products/1914-nice-south-of-france-town-plan-antique-baedeker-map-print-st-jean-cap-ferrat-villefranche-sur-mer, accessed on 12th November 2023.
  11. https://m.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9801785099894775, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  12. https://www.akpool.fr/cartes-postales/24373465-carte-postale-monaco-la-cote-dazur-la-place-darmes-et-avenue-de-la-gare-strassenbahn, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  13. https://m.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9397633530309936, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  14. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/5583715751701752/?app=fbl, accessed on 13thbNovember 2023
  15. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9166981643375127/?app=fbl, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  16. http://www.vidiani.com/maps/maps_of_europe/maps_of_monaco/large_detailed_old_map_of_Monaco_Monte_Carlo_1921.jpg, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  17. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/8938416852898275/?app=fbl, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  18. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/8938416852898275/?app=fbl, accessed on 13th November 2023.
  19. https://www.monaco-tribune.com/2023/02/un-decor-de-carte-postale-la-gare-de-monaco-monte-carlo, accessed on 13th November 2023.