Category Archives: French Railways and Tramways

The Tramways of Marseilles – The Modern Tramway, Vol. 13, No. 150, June 1950

The June 1950 issue of The Modern Tramway carried a report by A. A. Jackson on the tramways in the French port of Marseilles.

Marseilles sits in a natural basin facing West into the Mediterranean and surrounded by hills on three sides. Jackson’s article was based on personal observations in 1945 and later information provided by D. L. Sawyer and N.N. Forbes. He writes:

“The suburbs extend to the lower slopes of these surrounding hills and they are connected to the centre of the city by a tramway system that is now the largest in France. The original operator was the Compagnie Genérale Française des Tramways (Réseaux de Marseille) but the tramways have been under sequester since 1946. The route mileage at the present time is kilometres and the gauge is standard (i.e. 1.44 metres).

The important dates in the history of the system are:

1873: First horse tramway. (This date is questioned by other sources with 1876 being quoted for the first use of horse-drawn trams. The French Wikipedia entry talks of planned routes dating from 1873 but the concession only being awarded in 1876.) [2][3][16]

1876: C.G.F.T. acquired the tramways (excluding the Aix interurban).

1890: Electrification begun.

1904: C.G.F.T. acquired and electrified the steam railway, L’Est-Marseille.

1907: Allauch (12 km.) and La Bourdonnière (12 km.) routes opened.

1910: Electrification completed. Le Merlan route opened.

1922: First rolling stock modernisation began.” [1: p134]

An engraving of an example of Marseilles’ early horse-drawn tramway, © Public Domain. [25]
The horse-tram depot at Chartreux in 1878, © Vieux Marseille. [25]
Trams on La Cannebière in Marseilles, © Public Domain. [15]
Tramcar No. 734 on Rue de Noailles.
Scanned by Claude_villetaneuse, © Public Domain. [14]

These dates are not comprehensive. Jackson was writing at the end of the 1940s and could not be expected to cover later events. It is worth noting Wikipedia’s comment that, “Unlike most other French cities, trams continued to operate in Marseilles, even as through the 1950s and beyond trams disappeared from most cities around the world. The original tram system continued to operate until 2004, when the last line, Line 68, was closed. Trams remained out of operation for three years between 2004 and 2007, in advance of the effort to renovate the tram network to modern standards.” [2]

The Tramways of Marseilles in 1949. [1: p134]

Wikipedia says that “the network was modernised by the constant introduction of newer tramcars, to replace the older ones. In 1938, thirty-three trailers were recovered from Paris. These meant that reversible convoys could be operated. In 1939, the tramway company owned and operated 430 tramcars, 350 trailers and 71 lines.” [2]

A 1943 proposal would, if it had been realised, seen tunnels provided in the centre of Marseilles, the busiest lines would have been brought together in two tunnels. This project did not come to fruition.

Wikipedia continues: “In 1949 a further modernisation occurred. The first articulated tramcars was designed and built (Algiers tramway possessed articulated SATRAMO tramcars). These were created by joining two older tramcars. These tramcars remained unique [in France] until 1985 when Nantes tramway opened.” [2]

The city council did not want to keep its network of trams. The haphazard modernisation of tramcars was evidence of the council’s  intentions. “The process of replacing tramways with trolleybuses and buses began after World War II in 1945 and accelerated from 1950. The first closures meant that Canebière was tramway-free from 1955. The last closure occurred on 21st January 1960.” [2] But not all lines closed. …

Line No. 68 opened in December 1893 and is the only tramway line to remain in service during the later part of the twentieth century. It “stretched from Noailles to Alhambra, serving La Plaine, the Boulevard Chave, the La Blancarde railway station and Saint-Pierre cemetery. The central terminus [was] situated in a tunnel. This tunnel, built in 1893, [was] unique in France and was built to give access to the city centre, avoiding the narrow streets of some of Marseille’s suburbs. Because of the problems involved in converting the line to bus use it was decided to keep the line operational.” [2]

Line 68 [was] 3 km (1.9 mi) long and was out of use for a few years. The decision to modernise it was taken in 1965 and the line had reopened by 1969 when twenty-one PCC tramcars were purchased and the whole track relaid. “The first of the PCC cars arrived on 26th December 1968 and the first tram went into service on 20th February 1969. The last of the old tramcars was withdrawn that spring. Modernisation resulted in an increase in passengers. Numbers increased from 4,917,000 passengers in 1968 to 5,239,000 in 1973.” [2]

A schematic representation of Line No. 68., © Gregory Deryckère, and authorised for use here under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY 2.5).
Typical PCC tram cars in the USA. The picture shows Tram No. 42 of the Shaker Heights Rapid Transit in Cleveland at Shaker Square in the 1960s. No. 42 is running in multiple unit (MU) mode with another Shaker Heights Rapid Transit P.C.C., © Robert Farkas. [20]

PCC trams in Marseilles had a different loading gauge and had a different look, as the images below show. …

Marseille RTM SL 68 (B&N-PCC 2002) at Saint-Pierre on 27th July 1979, © Kurt Rasmussen, Free use permitted. [19]
Marseille RTM SL 68 (B&N-PCC 2003) Boulevard Chave on July 27, 1979. – In 1979, there was only one tram line in Marseille, the SL 68, Saint-Pierre – Noailles. This three-kilometre-long line was the only one of the more than 70 lines that survived because it had the highest passenger numbers and was able to use a 700-meter-long tunnel (dating from 1893!) between Boulevard Chave and Noailles in the city centre. Since there was no turning loop in the underground terminus at Noailles, line 68 had to be served by bidirectional railcars. In connection with the modernization of the tram, La Régie des Transports de Marseille (RTM) ordered 21 new bidirectional PCC railcars from the company La Brugeoise & Nivelles in Belgium, which were delivered in 1969, © Kurt Rasmussen, Free use permitted. [21]

The PCC cars were later modernised in 1984. Three new cars were delivered and all cars made into double cars. The line operated successfully until 2004 when it closed for reconstruction. After refurbishment, “the short section between La Blancarde and Saint Pierre was reopened as part of a new network on 30th June 2007. The section along Boulevard Chave to Eugène Pierre [reopened later the same year] … the tunnel to Noailles was … [reopened in] …summer 2008.” [2]

Returning to Jackson’s article of 1949/50, he continues:

“The longest route is that to the industrial town of Aubagne, 17 km. inland (service 40) and this is further extended 14 km. eastwards by an original trolley-bus route (to Gémenos and Cuges). The Aubagne tram line, which also carries the associated service 12 to Camoins les Bains (12 km.) and a short working to St. Pierre (service 68), begins at the Gare Noailles, a sub-surface tramway station in the centre of the city and the trams leave this station in tunnel, proceeding thus for 1 km. with no intermediate stop, to emerge on a quiet, broad boulevard before branching, (service 12 to Camoins, 40 to Aubagne). After the junction, each of these two lines continues outwards on roadside reserved track for most of its length. The origin of these important suburban arteries was the steam railway L’Est Marseille which was constructed in 1892 from the Gare Noailles to St. Pierre, and converted to an electric tramway by the C.G.F.T. in 1904. Bogie cars and trailers provide a fast service on these routes and the local services to St. Pierre are worked by single-truck cars, One so often hears aesthetic criticism of tramways that it is interesting to note that a well-known League member once explored the Marseilles system and left the city, blissfully unaware of the existence of this interesting sub-surface terminus.” [1: p134-135]

The entrance to Gare Noailles. [23]
The tunnel from Gare Noailles’ outlet on Chave Boulevard, modernized and still in service, © IngolfBLN and authorised for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 2.0). [22]
This second map concentrates on the central area of Marseilles. [1: p135]

Jackson continues:

“The other City termini are in side streets off the main thoroughfare La Canebiere (Boulevard Garibaldi, Alliées Leon Gambetta, Cours Belsunce, Cours Joseph Thierry) also opposite the Préfecture, and on the two main streets leading north out of the city (Place Jules Guesde and Place Sadi-Carnot). To cross the city involves a change of cars in all but one instance, the sole remaining cross-city service being No. 41, Chartreux St Giniez. Coastal lines extended to L’Estaque in the north-west and to La Madrague in the south, the latter serving the popular beach and pleasure resort La Plage du Prado (rather similar to Sunderland’s Sear burn route). Other lengthy routes (mostly with rural termini) are: Chateau Gom bert (5), La Bourdonnière (1) Allauch (11), Les trois lucs (7), Le Redon (24) and Mazargues (22 and 23). The circular service, No. 82, serves the residential and coastal areas to the south of the city and enjoys wide roads and unrestricted run ning over most of its length; it traverses the scenic Corniche for part of its run. This is one of the few routes on which cars may be seen running without the almost inevitable trailer. In the older parts of the city many of the streets are narrow, but the greater part of Marseilles is planned on the usual French pattern and therefore possesses wide streets and boulevards well suited to tramway operation. As in Italy, the track in the boulevards is often placed against either curb, well away from the main traffic stream, and in such places the parking of cars is strictly controlled to ensure that tramway operation is unrestricted. At boulevard intersections such as the Rond Point du Prado there are well planned circular layouts joining all tracks. Four-wheeled trolleybuses of standard design and small oil buses have replaced the trams on a number of strictly urban routes unsuitable for tramway operation (the oil bus substitutions are presumably an intermediate stage with the eventual intention that they be replaced by trolleybuses). These trolleybus and oil bus substitutions retain the old tramway services numbers although in certain cases the original tramway route has been extended or slightly modified. Mr. D. L. Sawyer, who was in Marseilles recently, reports that the trolleybuses are not unaffected by the daily shaking up they receive from the rough, uneven street surfaces which gives one cause to reflect that an effective trolleybus installation in many European cities would prove to be a very expensive business as the traditional street surfaces would need to be completely replaced with a surface rather more kind to the not-so-sturdy trolleybus. The tram tracks, which suffered badly from war time neglect, were very noisy in 1945, but they have now been put in excellent condition.” [1: p135-136]

Line No. 68 was the only remaining tram service in Marseilles in the later part of the 20th century. Trams 1261 and 1269 are seen just outside the underground length of that line in 1964. The tunnel mouth can be seen more easily in the colour photograph above, © Unknown. [29]

Jackson continues:

The “Régie Départmentale des Chemins de Fer et Tramways des Bouches du Fer et Tramways des Bouches du Rhône formerly operated a reserved-track roadside electric tramway from Marseilles to the university and cathedral city of Aix en Provence, 29 km to the north. This line was physically connected, by end-on junction, with the Marseilles system, and its Marseilles terminus was at the Place du Change, by the Vieux Port. The dark blue and silver bogie cars, towing one or more heavy bogie trailers, operated an hourly service with a journey time of just under 90 minutes. The Aix terminus was at the extreme end of the main street, the Cours Mirabeau, at the Place Forbin, and the depot and works were situated at the Pont de l’Arc, Aix. This line was converted to trolleybus operation during the winter of 1948-49 and the main trunk road has thus been burdened with additional vehicles. Mr. Sawyer states that the trolleybuses have reduced the journey time considerably; this is hardly surprising as the trams they have replaced were not modern and the number of stops on the tram route was unnecessarily large. New tramcars and a certain amount of track re-alignment would probably have produced an even greater improvement than the trolleybuses it is certain that they would have been a better investment.” [1: p136]

Marseilles Tramcar No. 806, a 4-wheel car, on the circular 82A route, © N.N. Forbes, Public Domain. [1: p137]
Marseilles Bogie-car No. 1208, with a bogie-trailer on the Noailles-Camoins les Bains route, © E. Percy, Public Domain. [1: p137]

Rolling-stock

Jackson reports on the rolling-stock in use on the network:

“The rolling stock of the Marseilles system is an interesting mixture of semi-modern and modernised cars, painted blue and cream and mostly of single-truck design. The trailers approximately equal the motor cars in number and are of even greater variety; one type, a covered toastrack, is known locally as ‘Buffalo’ and is very popular during the hot Mediterranean summer. Extensive use is made of twin-units in Marseilles thus obviating the necessity of shunting at termini. The cars are fitted with deep throated hooters and the sound of these, together with the clanging of the bells that announces the changing of the traffic lights is a characteristic of the city. The rolling stock is housed in five depots, all marked on the map, viz., Arenc, Les Catalans, Les Chartreux, La Capelette and St. Pierre. The repair and construction workshops are at Les Chartreux. The high price of materials and the financial situation forbid the purchase of new trams under present conditions and the current programme is therefore concerned with the rehabilitation of existing equipment. A fine and bold beginning has been made in car No. 1301, placed in service in the summer of 1949. This is an articulated car, built from two of the more modern motor cars and the result is a vehicle of pleasing and efficient appearance, 21 metres in length with a passenger capacity of 175 (35 seats) and a maximum speed of 50 km. per hour. One driver and one conductor only are needed (a saving of 35 per cent on personnel against the motor car and trailer type of unit); loading is through the front entrance, unloading through centre and rear exits. The car is double-ended and the doors are pneumatically controlled, one by the driver and the other two by the conductor. The tram cannot start until the central door is closed.

The tickets are issued on the usual carnet system and the books of tickets can be purchased at a reduced price at kiosks and tobacco shops, a book of twenty 5-franc tickets costing 85 francs. Two tickets are taken by the conductor for one section, three for two sections, and four for three sections or over. After 9 p.m. and on Sundays the rate is increased by one ticket and on special journeys to the Sports Stadium and Race Course, a minimum of five tickets is taken. The length of the sections is short and it is only on the longer suburban routes that the all-over fare becomes cheaper. Many cars are equipped for “pay as you enter” (although to use the word “pay” is not entirely accurate as the carnet system means that the conductor rarely handles money). On the Aubagne route (No. 40) a special fare tariff is in force; the complete journey requires five tickets costing eight francs each. Transfer tickets are not used as they have been declared unsuitable for Marseilles.” [1: p136-137]

The new articulated car No. 1301 near the Les Chartreuse Depot in August 1949, © E. Benois, Public Domain. [1: p137]

The French Wikipedia entry for the trams of Marseilles gives some significant detail relating to the trams used on the network. The original, early, rolling-stock delivered between 1891 and 1925 was “cream-coloured, the colour adopted by the CGFT on all the company’s networks. All the motor cars had open platforms and could be transformed in summer, with the glass frames on the side walls being replaced by curtains. The numbers were painted in large figures on the four sides of the vehicles.” [16]

Two axle trams: [17]

  • No. 501 to 524, “Saint Louis” motor car, 1891-95, power: 2 × 12 hp , empty weight 6.7 tonnes, ex No. 201 to 224 before 1900; (Drawings can be found here. [18])
  • No. 525, prototype “K” engine, 1891-95, power: 2 × 27 hp, ex No. 301 before 1900;
  • No. 526-530, “P”, 1898, power: 2 × 27 hp, ex No. 1 to 5 Marseille Tramways Company
  • No. 531-541, “L”, 1898, power: 2 × 27 hp;
  • No. 542-567, “Series A”, 1899, power: 2 × 27 hp;
  • No. 568-642, “Series D”, 1899, power: 2 × 27 hp, empty weight 9.1 tonnes;
  • No. 643-676, “Series D”, 1899, power: 2 × 36 hp, empty weight 9.1 tonnes;
  • No. 677-751, “Series B”, 1900, power: 2 × 36 hp, empty weight 10.6 tonnes;
  • No. 752, “U”, 1900, power: 2 × 27 hp, luxury, reserved for special occasions;
  • No. 753-878, “Series B”, 1901, 1904-6, power: 2 × 36 hp;
  • No. 879-933, “Series B”, (BGE-57), 1923-25, power: 2 × 57 hp;
  • No. 934-944, reconstruction of old 1925 engines, power: 2 × 57 hp.
Tram No. 646 (D Series) on Quai des Belges. [26]

Bogie Trams: [17]

  • No. 1000, “R”, 1899, “Maximum traction” bogies, power: 2 × 35 hp, empty weight 9.1 tonnes;
  • No. 1002-1033, “C” 1905, “Maximum traction” bogies, power: 2 × 54 hp, empty weight 13.7 tonnes;
  • No. 1034, bogies, prototype developed from a trailer, power: 4 × 27 hp, empty weight 12.5 tonnes.
The tramway along the Corniche at the beginning of the 20th century, © Public Domain. [27]

2-axle trams: [17]

  • No. 1035-1044, 1923, power: 2 × 50 hp, empty weight 11.5 tonnes;
  • No. 1045, 1923, power: 2 × 50 hp, empty weight 11.5 tonnes,

Later rolling-stock (1923 to 1960)

From 1925, the engine bodies were modernized. They were rebuilt with closed platforms and their capacity was increased. The trucks (chassis) remained original, but the electrical equipment was reinforced to gain power. This fleet was completed by two series of new engines. All modifications were made according to the criteria of the “Standard” type, a standard defined for vehicles to use the future tunnel network. [17][24]

Bogie trams: [17]

  • 1200, prototype of a closed platform tram;
  • 1201-1231, 1924, transformation of the “C” trams, 1002-1033, power: 4 × 32 hp, empty weight 16.4 tons;
  • 1232-1243, 1925, delivered new, power: 4 × 32 hp, empty weight 16 tonnes;
  • 1251-1271, 1944, “Standard”, reconstruction of 1232-1243, power: 4 × 42 hp, empty weight 17.2 tons;
  • 1291-1294, 1954, “Standard”, reconstruction of 1232-1243, power: 4 × 42 hp, empty weight 17 tons;
  • 1301, 1949, “Standard”, prototype articulated train, power: 4 × 42 hp, empty weight 23 tons.

2-axle trams: [17]

  • 1501-1526, 1928, ABD tram conversion, power: 2 × 50 hp, empty weight 11.6 tons;
  • 1531-1560, 1930, ABD tram conversion, power: 2 × 50 hp, empty weight 11.7 tons;
  • 1701-1781, 1933, LADB tram conversion, power: 2 × 50 hp, empty weight 11.6 tonnes;
  • 1800, prototype “Standard”, conversion of “A” trams, power: 2 × 45 hp, empty weight 10.8 tonnes;
  • 1801-1819, 1939, LAB tram conversion, power: 2 × 50 hp, empty weight 10.8 tons;
  • 1831-1847, 1940, “Standard”, LAB tram conversion, power: 2 × 45 hp, empty weight 10.8 tons;
  • 1850-1860, 1940, “Standard”, tram conversion, power: 2 × 45 hp, empty weight 10.8 tons;
  • 1861-1886, 1941, “Standard”, AB tram conversion, power: 2 × 45 hp, empty weight 10.8 tonnes;
  • 1888-1898, 1943, “Standard”, tram conversion, power: 2 × 36 hp, empty weight 10.8 tons.

Bogie Trams: [17]

  • 2001-2004, 1929, known as “Pullmann”, delivered new, power: 4 × 42 hp, empty weight: 21.5 tonnes.

Trailers

The number of trailers varied between 400 and 500 depending on the period. The majority of trailers had 2 axles and were numbered in the series 1 to 500. These included: open trailers called “Badeuse” with side access to the rows of transverse benches; and closed trailers with access via end platforms. [17]

In addition there were a number of bogie trailers:

  • 138-153, 1899, transformed into tram cars;
  • 2051-2054, 1928, accompanying the “Pullmann” engines 2001-2004;
  • 2201-2233, 1937, purchased from the STCRP (Parisian network) and coupled to the 1200 locomotives;
  • 2551-2572, 1944, of the “Standard” type, coupled to the 1200 motor cars. [17]

Jackson continues:

“In 1945, overcrowding of trams had reached a peak as there then existed no other means of public transport and the number of cars in service had been reduced by the shortage of electricity and lubricants and the ravages of war-time lack of maintenance. Passengers were then to be seen riding on the steps, on the bumpers, on the roofs and even standing tightly jammed between the trailer and the motor car, precariously balanced on the couplings; indeed it was often difficult to see the cars for the passengers. This is only mentioned as a tribute to the sturdiness and reliability of electric tramways which here, as in many other cities all over the world, continued to operate and bear the brunt of all the city’s passenger traffic long after war conditions had forced other means of transport out of service.” [1: p137]

The tramway on the Fausse-Monnaie viaduct, built in 1863, © Public Domain. [28]

Looking forward, Jackson comments:

“With regard to the future, it is encouraging to know that the main tramway routes will be retained and modernised and that modern tramway equipment and reserved track routes of the electric light railway type will be a feature of the Marseilles of the future-a fine tribute to the planners of the original tramway system. It is officially recognised that trolleybuses would be unable alone to cope with the heavy traffic of this great French port, and only a small number of tram routes remain to be converted to trolleybus operation. Further tramway subways, including one under the Canebière, were proposed some years ago and it may be that these will, after all, be built as they would be considerably less expensive than the tiny network of underground railways that is part of the current plans.” [1: p138]

It is worth a quick look at the development of Marseille Metro further below.

Jackson also provides details of the different services in place in 1949 (his list was correct as at May 1949, but omitted some all-night services and short workings):

“1. Cours Joseph Thierry – la Bourdonnière.

4. Cours Joseph Thierry – les Olives.

5. Cours Joseph Thierry – Chateau Gombert.

6. Alliées Léon Gambetta – Montolivet.

7. Alliées Léon Gambetta – les Trois Lucs.

7. Alliées Léon Gambetta – St. Julien.

9. Alliées Léon Gambetta – St. Barnabé.

10. Alliées Léon Gambetta – les Caillols.

11. Cours Joseph Thierry – Allauch.

12. Noailles – les Camoms.

15. Boulevard Garibaldi – la Barasse.

18. Boulevard Garibaldi – St. Loup

19. Préfecture – Madrague.

20. Préfecture – Pointe Rouge.

22. Préfecture – Mazargues (via Bd. Michelet).

23. Préfecture – Mazargues (via St. Anne).

24. Préfecture – le Redon.

25. Place Jules Guesde – St. André P.N.

28. Cours Belsunce – St. Louis.

29. Cours Belsunce – le Canet.

30. Place Jules Guesden – les Aygalades.

31. Cours Joseph Thierry – St. Joseph.

33 Cours Joseph Thierry – St. Barthélemy.

34. Cours Joseph Thierry – le Merlan.

35. Place Sadi Carnot – l’Estaque (Plage).

36. Place Sadi Carnot – 1’Estaque (Gare).

40. Noailles – Aubagne.

41. Chartreux – St. Giniez.

68 Noailles – St. Pierre.

70. Cours Belsunce – la Calade.

82a. Circular: Préfecture, Prado, Corniche, Préfecture.

82b. Circular: Préfecture, Corniche, Prado, Préfecture.

Line 23, Tram No. …34 (first digit not visible) in Place Castellane. This image is made available under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0). [30]

The 21st Century

Marseilles modern tram network was inaugurated on 30th June 2007. The first phase of the new Marseille tram network opened on that date. It consists of one line linking Euroméditerranée in the northwest with Les Caillols in the east. Between Blancarde Chave and Saint-Pierre stations, it runs on part of the former Line 68.

In November 2007, the portion of the old Line 68 between Blancarde Chave. and E-Pierre (near the entrance to the tunnel) reopened, and two lines were created. Line 1 links E-Pierre and Les Caillols, and Line 2 runs from Euroméditerranée to La Blancarde, where a transfer between the two lines was created. La Blancarde train station is a transit hub: a station on Line 1 of the Marseille Metro opened in 2010, and it has long been served by TER regional trains to and from Toulon.” [2]

In September 2008, Line 1 was extended to Noailles via the tunnel formerly used by line 68. This tunnel now carries a single track since the new trams are wider than the [PCC trams]. In March 2010, Line 2 was extended 700 metres North from Euroméditerranée-Gantes to Arenc.” [2]

In May 2015, the 3.8 km (2.4 mi) Line 3 was inaugurated. It shares Line 2 tracks between Arenc and la Canebière where Line 2 turns west. Line 3 continues South on new track through Rue de Rome to Place Castellane. Line 3 extensions south, 4.2 km (2.6 mi) to Dromel and la Gaye, and 2 km north to Gèze are planned. Tram Line 3 will therefore continue to run parallel to the Dromel-Castellane-Gèze Metro Line 2, which may limit its ridership.” [2]

The three lines appear on this © OpenStreetMap extract. [5]

Rolling-stock:Customized Bombardier Flexity Outlook trams are used on the new tram line[s]. Composed of five articulated sections, they were 32.5 m (106 ft 8 in) long and 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) wide. Twenty-six were delivered in 2007.[2][3] They were extended by 10 m (32 ft 10 in) by adding two additional articulated sections in 2012. [6] In 2013, six new Flexity were ordered for the T3 line.” [2]

A Bombardier Flexity Outlook tram on depot in Marseilles, © Sandy1503, Public Domain. [8]

Their exterior and interior appearance was designed by MBD Design. [6] The exterior resembles the hull of a ship, and the driver’s cabin resembles the bow. A lighted circle displays the colour of the line the tram is on. Inside the tram, the floor, walls, and ceiling are coloured blue, and seats and shutters are made of wood.” [2]

The tram network is run by Le Tram, a consortium of Régie des transports de Marseille and Veolia Transport. The proposal to privatize the operation of public transit was unpopular, and resulted in a 46-day transit strike.” [7]

Marseilles Metro

The Marseilles Metro is independent of the tram network. It consists of two different lines, partly underground, serving 31 stations, with an overall route length of 22.7 kilometers (14.1 mi). [10] Line 1 opened in 1977, followed by Line 2 in 1984. Two stations, Saint-Charles and Castellane , each provide interchange between lines. [11]

The Marseilles Metro, © Superbenjamin and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence, (CC BY-SA 3.0). [9]
MPM 76 train on Line No. 2, © Florian Fèvre and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY-SA 4.0). [12][13]

References

  1. A. A. Jackson; The Tramways of Marseilles; in The Modern Tramway, Vol. 13, No. 150, London, June 1950, p134-138.
  2. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille_tramway, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  3. https://jedsetter.com/the-urban-form-and-transport-of-marseille, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille_tramway#/media/File%3ATramway_de_Marseille_-_plan_ligne_68.png, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  5. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille_tramway#/map/0, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  6. François Enver; Un navire sur rail; in Ville & Transports, No. 427, p34.
  7. L’alliance avec Veolia, un partage des risques et des bénéfices; in Ville & transports, No.427, p35.
  8. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille_tramway#/media/File%3AMarseille1.jpg, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  9. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:M%C3%A9tro_de_Marseille.svg, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  10. https://www.rtm.fr/nous-connaitre/qui-sommes-nous, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  11. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille_Metro, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  12. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marseille_Metro#/media/File%3AMPM76_n%C2%B033_RTM_Bougainville.jpg, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  13. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPM_76, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  14. https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancien_tramway_de_Marseille#/media/Fichier%3AZZ_59_-_MARSEILLE_-_Rue_Noailles.jpg, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  15. https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancien_tramway_de_Marseille#/media/Fichier%3AINCONNU_-_Marseille_-_La_Cannebi%C3%A8re.JPG, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  16. https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancien_tramway_de_Marseille, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  17. Jacques Laupiès & Roland Martin; Marseille’s tramways are one hundred years old ;Tacussel, 1990, 2nd ed. (1st ed. 1975)
  18. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k55290313.pleinepage.f40.pagination.langFR, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  19. http://www.bahnbilder.de/bild/Frankreich~Stadtverkehr~Marseille+Strasenbahn/716065/marseille-rtm-sl-68-bn-pcc-2002.html, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  20. https://akronrrclub.wordpress.com/tag/shaker-heights-rapid-transit-lines, accessed on 2nd January 2025.
  21. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Marseille-rtm-sl-68-bn-pcc-719236.jpg, accessed on 11th January 2025.
  22. https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Noailles#/media/Fichier%3AMarseille_-_Tramway_-_Boulevard_Chave_(7668208458).jpg, accessed on 12th January 2025.
  23. https://www.hotels-in-marseille.com/en/property/noailles-experience-centre-marseille-vieux-port.html, accessed on 12th January 2025.
  24. Jean Robert; Histoire des transports dans les villes de France; Chez l’Auteur, 1974.
  25. https://madeinmarseille.net/28499-histoire-tramway-aix-aubagne, accessed on 12th January 2025.
  26. https://www.wikiwand.com/fr/articles/Ancien_tramway_de_Marseille#/media/Fichier:LR_-_MARSEILLE_-_Un_coin_du_Quai_des_Belges.jpg, accessed on 12th January 2025.
  27. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:INCONNU_-MARSEILLE-_La_Corniche.JPG, accessed on 12th January 2025.
  28. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MARSEILLE_-_Quartier_de_la_Fausse_Monnaie.JPG, accessed on 12th January 2025.
  29. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/375224018302?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=CZ702YEYSaO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY, accessed on 12th January 2025.
  30. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/7672471#0, accessed on 13th January 2025.

The Tramways of Nice:- Les Lignes de l’Arriere-Pays (The Lines of the Hinterland) Part 1 – First Generation Electric Tramways to Contes, Bendejun and La Grave de Peille, and a planned line to l’Escarene – (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 95)

This article looks at two tramway routes which were built. The first ran from Nice to Bendejun via Pont de Peille and Contes. The second branched of the first at Pont de Peille and ran to along the valley of the Paillon de Peille to La Grave de Peille. It also covers a proposed tramway to l’Escarene which was not constructed.

Nice to Contes and Bendejun

This line was approximately 18.6 km long. The first part of the route (from Nice Place Garibaldi as far as La Trinite Victor) ran along the same rails as the urban service – a length of around 6.5km.Just over 9 km of line (which was deemed to be part of the coastal (littoral) network) brought trams to Contes. The final length of the line was regarded as part of the TNLs ‘departemental’ network and took trams to the terminus at Bendejun.

Only approximately 0.5 km of the line and (as far as Contes) was on the level. The remainder of the line was set at varying gradients with the steepest being 55mm/m. The line rose from 12 metres above sea-level at Place Garibaldi to 189 metres above sea-level at Contes, and 260 metres above sea-level at Bendejun.

The following notes on the significant dates associated with the line are gleaned from Jose Banaudo’s book. [1: p70] …

The line from Garibaldi to Abbatoirs opened to the public on 21st February 1900. On 2nd June of the same year, the line opened from Abbatoirs to Contes. Goods were carried on this section of the line from 1st October 1900.

It was not until 1st February 1909 that passengers could travel between Contes and Bendejun and no goods were carried along that length of the line until 1st January 1911.

After just over a year, in February 1912, subsidence closed the length of the line between Contes and Bendejun. The line opened again in March. During the winter of 1916-1917, the line was closed by snow and landslides.

On 1st January 1923 tram services were given new numbers: Nice to La Trinite or Drap became No. 26; Nice to Contes or Bendejun, No. 27.

Sadly, after further problems with landslides, the line between Contes and Bendejun was permanently closed from 18th November 1926.

On 8th October 1934 renumbering led to the line to La Trinite being numbered 36 and the Nice to Contes service, 37.

A landslide affected the line between the cement works and Contes. It was closed from November 1934 to March 1935.

Late in 1935, the Nice terminus of these services was moved from Place Garibaldi to Rue Geoffredo.

After damage to the electricity substation adjacent to Pont-de-Peille on 12th February 1938, the passenger service from Drap to Contes was curtailed and the No. 37 service was replaced by buses. 

There was opposition to the bus service being provided by a single company. This saw a reopening of the tram service on Ligne 37 on 15th March 1938. There followed a period between 3rd August 1938 and December 1944 when tramway services were interrupted relatively frequently for a variety of reasons which included damage during WW2.

On 23rd December 1944 the tram service resumed from Nice to Pont-de-Peille with a bus service covering the remainder of the route to the North.

On 17th January 1945, goods transport between Contes and Nice resumed and, on 20th January 1945, passenger trams returned to Contes.

In the winter of 1948-1949 bad weather saw the interruption of services North of La Pointe de Contes.

January 1950 saw the closure of the line to passenger services with buses used to replace that service on a permanent basis. In May 1950, the goods service was also closed permanently.

The line to Bendejun followed the left bank of the River Paillon between the centre of Nice and its terminus in Bendejun. Its terminus in Nice was at the Northwest corner of Place Garibaldi, where a wooden kiosk served as its station building. It used the same tracks as the urban services through Abattoirs to La Trinité-Victor.

L’Octroi de Turin at Contes was the terminus of Ligne 37 – Thomson-Houston tram No. 204 from l’Octroi sits at the tram stops at Pont Michel in 1949, © P. Laurent from the private collection of Jean-Paul Bascoul. This image was shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 10th December 2021. Jean Claude Lehoux commented as follows: This route together with the line to La Grave de Peille were the last TNL non-urban lines to be converted to bus operation. Apparently, before WW2 the line was already predominantly served by buses. During the War, the trams returned but ceased passenger operations in 1947 (La Grave de Peille) and 1949/50 (Contes). The line to Contes, despite still having significant freight traffic, seems to have been completely abandoned around 1951. A similar picture, featuring trams No. 104 and No. 212, taken at the present day Post Michel appears in José Banaudo’s book. In that image, No. 104, heading for La Trinité crosses paths with No. 212 coming from Contes à l’Ancien-Octroi-de-Turin. Banaudo says that at the boundary of Nice, close to the current “Michel Bridge”, this stop had three tracks to facilitate the crossing between urban services, those serving the Paillon valleys and goods convoys. [1: p67]

For a short distance trams ran on the verge of Route Nationale No. 204. Stops at Roma and Random (which had a passing loop) were followed by the stop in the village of Drap which was adjacent to the bridge to Cantaron.

The Route Nationale in Drap. Tram tracks can be seen in the centre of the road. This old postcard view was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 18th May 2022. [4]
Drap again, this image shows La Place des Ecoles and the Route Nationale. A tram can be seen on the road at the extreme right of the picture. This old postcard view was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 18th May 2022. [4]
La Place des Ecoles viewed from almost the same location as in the monochrome postcard image above. In the 21st century the Plane trees have gone and cars have taken over from the park that made up much of the square. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
Turning just a little to the right and wandering a little further along the Route Nationale, this image shows the passing loop at the tram stop in Drap. It was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jean-Paul Bascoul on 22nd February 2019, and comes from his private collection. [5] The same photograph appears in José Banaudo’s book. [1: p68]
Approximately the same location as seen in the 21st century. The school on the left has seen its roof raised by the addition of another floor. [Google Streetview, November 2022]

It appears that as late as 1955, the tram track was visible in the road surface in the centre of Drap. The two parallel images from the IGN website show it present on Avenue de General de Gaulle when the map on the left was surveyed in 1955.

The Place des Ecoles in the centre of Drap. The ‘cross’ on the older map on the left is superimposed over the line of the tramway which was in the centre of the road. [11]
A little further North the tramway can be seen leaving the centre of the road in the 1955 map extract. Presumably it ran along the verge between the road and the River Paillon. It might already have been lifted by 1955. The map is of little help with establishing its presence immediately North of this location. [12]

Leaving the centre of Drap, trams then passed under the PLM line between Nice and Cuneo for the third time at Pont des Vernes which also spanned the River Paillon. Trams ran between the river and the road.

Pont des Vernes in the 21st century. What was the old Route Nationale still passes under the most Easterly span of the truss girder viaduct which also spans the River Paillon. [Google Streetview, 2011]

The confluence of two arms of the River Paillon lay shortly beyond the railway bridge (Paillon de Contes and Paillon de L’Escarène). The Paillon de L’Escarène flowed in from the Southeast from the heights of Peillon, L’Escarène and Lucéram. It was spanned by a five-arched viaduct, some 140 metres in length which carried both the Route Nationale and the tramway. The construction of the bridge was started in the last years of the 18th century. While the bridge may well have been completed within a few years, the construction of the road of which it was a part, between Turin and Nice, was interrupted by conflict and was not completed until 1838. [1: p67]

A postcard view from the Southwest looking towards Pont de Peillon. The old road bridge (and its five arches) sits at the centre of the view. [7]
A modern view looking Northeast along the D2204 where it crosses the Paillon de L’Escarene. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The same bridge, viewed from Chemin du Fontanil de Croves to the Southeast of the bridge. [Google Streetview, May 2019]
This next extract from the parallel imagery provided by the IGN shows the tramway returning to the centre of the Route National as it crossed the bridge in 1955. It might be inferred from this that from Drap to this point it was still present on the West side of the highway. Again, however, the map extracts cannot be seen as conclusive proof of this. At the centre-top of the 1955 map extract the tramway appears to leave the road carriageway for a short distance for a tram stop and passing loop, which is mentioned in the text below. However Jose Banaudo has a photograph of the location in his book which seems to show the tramway remaining in the carriageway with an electricity substation just beyond it. [1: p69] There is now a roundabout at the junction between the road to Contes/Bendejun and the road East to La-Grave-de-Peille. [13]

Trams faced gradients on either side of the central arch of the bridge – 41mm/m and 34mm/m. Very soon after crossing the bridge in a northbound direction, trams encountered the stop at Pont-de-Peille, “where an electrical substation was located and from which the La-Grave-de-Peille line branched off to the east.” [1: p67]

A 21st century view North from the bridge. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The hamlet of La Pointe-de-Contes was beyond the North end of the bridge over the Paillon de L’Escarene. [3]

Beyond the hamlet of La Pointe-de-Contes, the line crossed the Ruisseau de la Garde (a tributary to Le Paillon de Contes) on a single-span bridge.

This next extract from the parallel mapping of the IGN shows the highway bridge over the Ruisseau de la Garde. The bridge sits in the bottom half of the two map extracts. The 1955 mapping appears to show tram tracks over the bridge at the centre line of the road. To the South of the bridge, it seems that the tramway was on the West verge of the road. North of the bridge it appears to switch to the East side verge of the carriageway. Only a short distance further North the tramway appears to cross back to the West side of the road. Road realignments in this area have resulted in a roundabout at the location of the old bridge. [14]
The bridge over the Ruisseau de la Garde at La Pointe de Contes in 1953. The image was shared by Pierre Richert in the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 31st October 2017 [15]
A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023.

Banaudo says that the road junction adjacent to the bridge was the point at which the L’Escarene tram line would have branched off the line to Contes. Work on that line wasn’t completed. [1: p67]

From this bridge, the line to Contes and Bendejun followed RN15 (now D15) North past the Lafarge lime and cement factory.  “This, which was the main reason for the line’s existence, was served by two branches allowing the reception of fuel and the shipment of its products to Nice and its port.” [1: p67]

The location of the Lafarge factory. The 1955 map seems to show the tramway on the West side of the road. There also appear to be at least two sidings on the East side of the road. [15]
An aerial image of the Lafarge Cement Works at Contes. The River Paillon de Contes is in the background. [10]

About a kilometre further North, the Contes station was located in the La Grave district adjacent to the footbridge leading to Châteauneuf. 

Another extract from the parallel imagery provided by the IGN. The tramway can be seen, in the 1955 map extract on the left, following the verge of the road and immediately adjacent to the river channel. The bridge shown crossing The river at this point provided access to Chateauneuf which sat above the valley to the West. The tram stop was close to the bridge and a little to the Northwest of it. [17]

At Contes, the tramway had a small building and a siding by the river beneath the perched village.  

Contes Gendarmerie and tram stop. This image was shared by Pierre Richert on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 30th October 2017 as part of an extensive album of postcard views of Contes. [3]
A view from a similar position in the 21st century. The construction  site is on the land once occupied by the Gendarmerie. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
This image from the Jean-Henri Manara collection was colourised and shared by Demian West on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 13th December 2022. This original image was included in the comments attached to the colourised image on the Facebook group by Demian West. [16]
A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The tram terminus at Contes. This postcard view was shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 21st January 2017. It comes from the private collection of Jean-Paul Bascoul. [9]

From there, the line continued up the left bank of the Paillon. Banaudo tells us that there was only one further passing-loop which was in the district of Roccaya, near the Rémaurian footbridge.  “The Bendéjun terminus was in the Moulins district, in a steep site where the road crosses the Paillon and definitively leaves the bottom of the valley to rise in bends towards this village and that of Coaraze.” [1: p67]

The Bendejun terminus of the tramway was in the valley floor close to the mills and alongside the river. There was a bridge just beyond the tram terminus which took the road over the Paillon de Contes and a series of hairpin bends lifted the road quickly up the valley side. This is another extract from the IGN parallel mapping. The map on the left was published in 1955. [18]
The tram terminus at Bendejun, beyond this point the road turns sharply to the left to cross the river and then climbs through a series of hairpin bends to Bendejun and on to Coaraze. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 30th May 2023. [19]
A view from a little further South in the 21st century. The properties on either side of the road both remain. That on the East of the road now appears to be rendered. Of interest in this view are what appear to be tram rails in the right foreground. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

We have already noted that the tramway service North of Pont-de-Peille was frequently interrupted by landslides, subsidence and weather events. Banaudo also writes of significant problems with the trailers used for goods services which were often in poor condition or overloaded and as a result caused damage to the relatively light-weight rails of the tramway. [1: p71]

Pont de Peille to La Grave de Peille

Two branch-lines from the tramway to Contes were planned, the first was a line to La Grave de Peille. When built it had a total length of just short of 6.6 km. Its maximum gradient was 39 mm/m and only 360m of the route was on the level. The line ran from 112 m above sea-level to 195 m above sea-level at La Grave de Peille.

The concession for the operation of the line to La Grave de Peille was given to the TNL in June 1904. The line opened to passengers and freight on 12th June 1911. The route was numbered 28 on 1st January 1923 and saw construction traffic for the Nice-Cuneo Railway between 1923 and 1928. The cement works at La Grave was established in 1924.

At the end of 1926 the service was interrupted by a landslide. Work was undertaken between 1926 and 1927 to improve the electrical supply and September 1928 saw the official inauguration of the freight service associated with the cement works.

The Bridges and Roads Authority undertook paving work along the line in the winter of 1928-29. In August 1929, a landslide disrupted the service once again and a deviation was put in place.

On 8th October 1934, the line was renumbered, Ligne 38. The service was interrupted, once again, in November 1934. This time it was by a landslide at Châteauvieux.

The terminus in Nice was moved, along with that of the line to Contes and Bendejun, from Place Garibaldi to Rue Geoffredo in November 1935 and another landslide interrupted the service at Ste. Thecla between December 1935 and December 1936.

This tale of woe continued throughout the next decade with closures due to landslides, floods, the failure of bridges, or deterioration of trackwork. Banaudo provides a full list of these events. [1: p75]Such an unreliable service maintained at significant cost was of little use to users (passengers and goods). Closure became inevitable and it occurred on 1st April 1947.

The route started immediately to the North of the Pont de Peille stop on the line to Contes. Banaudo describes this connection as “une aiguille en rebroussement” (literally, ‘a turning needle’). [1: p72] In context, this appears to be a point which allowed access to the branch-line from the North. Trams from Nice would stop at Pont de Peille and then execute a reversal just to the North of the stop to gain access to the branch. This presumably involved a powered car running round its trailer at the tram stop and then reversing towards Contes. Banaudo provides one photograph of the manoeuvre taking place. [1: p72]

Such an unreliable service maintained at significant cost was of little use to users (passengers and goods). Closure became inevitable and it occurred on 1st April 1947.

The route between Pont de Peille and La Grave de Peille started immediately to the North of the Pont de Peille stop on the line to Contes. Banaudo describes this connection as “une aiguille en rebroussement” (literally, ‘a turning needle’). [1: p72] In context, this appears to be a point which allowed access to the branch-line from the North. Trams from Nice would stop at Pont de Peille and then execute a reversal just to the North of the stop to gain access to the branch. This presumably involved a powered car running round its trailer at the tram stop and then reversing towards Contes. Banaudo provides one photograph of the manoeuvre taking place. [1: p72]

The junction of the D21 and the D15 is shown on the right of these two parallel IGN images. The reverse curve, mentioned in the text about the tramway above, appears to be shown on the image on the left. The cross marks its location. The tramway appears to have run on the South side of the road.[20]
The road to La-Grave-de-Peille and L’Escarene. Tge tramway ran along the verge of the old road or within the width of the carriageway over much of the journey to La-Grave-de-Peille. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The branch-line followed the valley of the River Paillon de L’Escarène valley, a route also used by the PLM Nice-Cuneo line.  Banaudo tells us that “the tram first took the right bank, sometimes on the shoulder and sometimes on the roadway of Route Nationale No. 21 (now departemental road No. 21).  It passed through the hamlet of Borghéas, then entered the Châteauvieux gorge where a three-arch bridge brought the road and the track over to the left bank.  After passing the pumping station of a spring which supplied part of the city of Nice with drinking water, trams reached the hamlet of Ste. Thecla.” [1: p72]

The location of the three-arched bridge which is mentioned by Banaudo in the quoted text above. [21]
The same location as seen on Google Earth in 21st century. [Google Earth, 18th October 2022]
A 21st century view, looking Northeast across the bridge carrying the D21 over the Paillon de L’Escarene. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The village of Ste. Thecle sits in the valley floor adjacent to the Paillon de l’Escarene. It hosts a railway station which is named Peillon-Ste. Thecle which serves the two villages. Paillon is high above, and to the East of the village of Thecle. [22]
A view of Sainte Thecle, the mills and Peillon which shows the tramway alongside the road. The view looks Eastnortheast towards Paeillon. Note the kerb marking the limits of the highway. Peillon can be seen high above Ste. Thecle in this photograph. The River Paillon de l’Escarene is below the road and tramway to the left. This old postcard image was shared by Jean-Paul Bascoul on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 5th October 2023 and comes from the private collection of Jean-Paul Bascoul. The location of this photograph is difficult to confirm in 21st century. The relative positions of Peillon and the rock outcrops behind make it clear that the location is in Ste. Thecle but changes in the buildings in Ste.Thecle make ascertaining the location difficult. No doubt someone with local knowledge might be able to firm up the position of the camera!  [6]
The tram stop at Les Moulins de Peillon seems to be marked on the 1955 map extract on the left. However, it is worth noting Banaudo’s comments below which seem to suggest that the tramway was on the East side of the road. The tramway is perhaps marked by the single line on the East side of the road. The location is named on the modern map extract to the right. The valley has, by this time, turned to the North. Access to the village of Peillon is via the steep road with hairpin bends in the top right of each map extract. [23]
The village of Peillon sits high above the valley floor. It is a car free mediaeval perched village. [24]

The next stop was in the valley closer to Peillon and set among the mills. This stop provided a passing loop, the only one on the line. Banaudo continues: “On the right, the picturesque village of Peillon stands at 376 m at the top of a rocky spur in a site worthy of a postcard.  Immediately afterwards, the valley narrows once again and forms the narrow Bausset gorge where the tramway line was established over 567 m on its own site overlooking the road, finding it again to cross the Paillon on a single-arch bridge.” [1: p72]

These comments from Banaudo suggest that the line was on the East side of the road, perhaps indicated by the single black line on the 1955 map extract above which crosses the side road to Peillon only a few meters to the East of the main road. It seems that North of this point the tramway was very close to the road but held above it by a retaining wall. Road and tramway came together again at the next bridge over the Paillon de l’Escarene. That bridge is marked on both of the map extracts (1955 and 2023) above. The bridge used by the old road and tramway is marked in grey on the modern map.

Looking East off the modern road bridge, the single masonry arch of the old bridge can be seen in a collapsed state. A modern road realignment at this location removed some dangerous bends and improved traffic flow. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Beyond this point, with the tramway and the D21 now on the West bank of the river, the valley opens out and the route of the old tramway passes through Novaines before reaching the location of its terminus at La Grave-de-Peille.

The tramway ran along the old Route Nationale No. 21 to La Grave de Peille. As the road turned to re-cross the River Paillon de L’Escarene, the tramway continued for only a short distance to serve a cement works on the West bank of the river. [25]
The terminus of the passenger service at La Grave de Peille. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 2nd December 2018. [8]

The terminus of the route was sited at the meeting point of the boundaries of three communes, Peillon, Peille and Blausasc, adjacent to a cement works which was operating from the mid-1920s and had its own branch-line  from the tramway. The cement works became particularly significant in the life of the branch-line once the PLM opened its line between Nice and Cuneo in the late-1920s. Passengers deserted the trams as a much quicker journey to and from Nice was offered by the PLM from its two stations, Peillon-Ste. Thecle and Peille.

The railway station at Peille with the cement works visible in the distance on the right side of the image. This colourised monochrome postcard image was taken with the camera facing towards the Southwest. Trams ran along the valley from/to the lefthand edge of this image as far as the cement works. [26]

Banaudo highlights a particular problem with the line to La Grave de Peille. [1: p74] The tramway was built with minimal investment – just enough to reach its terminus. Rails were the lightest possible; the TNL used existing bridges not designed for the loads imposed by trams and trailers; road carriageway widths were decreased to provide space for the trams, (ather than setting the rails in the roads).

Local protests began as early as 1908, but issues becameore acute after the Great War because of the increased traffic on both the road and the tramway resulting from the construction of the Nice-Cuneo railway and the opening of the cement plant at La Grave. “Neither the road nor the railway were able to withstand this additional load.  On 21st November 1928, the municipal council of Peillon reported that the Bausset bridge was in a lamentable state and, for lack of urgent measures, serious misfortunes occurred during the winter of 1928-29. Despite the protests of the TNL company which rightly feared for the sustainability of its rails, the Bridges and Roads Authority covered the rails with macadam to widen the roadway accessible to cars.  What was predictable happened: insufficiently drained under this coating and tired by high tonnages, the rails were too weak and the already tired sleepers soon began to disintegrate.” [1: p74] 

In 1937 proper maintenance was undertaken between Borghéas and Châteauvieux, “but the alarming state of the track, the insufficient electricity supply and the shortage of wagons led the TNL to provide its passenger service by bus” [1: p74] The cement factory also began to use road vehicles.

WW2 resulted in traffic (both goods and passengers) returning to the rails in the summer of 1940, but by the beginning of 1941 the track had deteriorated to such an extent that all tramway traffic had to be suspended.

Sufficient maintenance was undertaken to allow goods services to resume within a few weeks but the condition of the bridge at Bausset meant that the line North of the bridge could not be used by trams. Lime and cement, “went down by truck to the Peillon stop (Les Moulins),  where it was transhipped on a train of two wagons limited to 6 km/h to Pont-de-Peille… The end-to-end service resumed on 7th July 1941, but it was again interrupted in September 1943 by the destruction of the Pont de Peille then at the end of August 1944 by that of the Pont de Bausset bridge.” [1: p74]

A temporary structure of steel beams and a wooden deck was quickly provided but “the track formed such tight curves on either side of the structure that derailments were not rare.” [1: p74]

Early 1945 saw the reintroduction of passenger and freight services but the following winter saw heavy flooding which destabilised the temporary bridge at Bausset and the line was again closed, this time for two and a half months. Ultimately the increasingly erratic service on the line resulted in its final closure in the spring of 1947.

La Pointe de Contes to l’Escarene

Sadly, this line was never used in earnest. Much was done to create the line but circumstances combined to mean the work done did not come to fruition. Initially, l’Escarene was chosen as the final destination for the tramway from Pont de Peille via La Grave de Peille in 1904. The concession for the line between La Grave and L’Escarene was awarded on 26th June 1904, but it was rescinded early in 1906.

Banaudo tells us that, “after several decades of procrastination, the construction of a Nice-Cuneo railway line had been approved by an international convention, granted to the PLM and made public. As the route of this line was  established by the Paillon de L’Escarène valley which the tramway should have taken.” [1: p76]

The result of that decision was the truncation of the route from Pont de Peille to La Grave de Peille and L’Escarène at La Grave.

Banaudo goes on to explain that “the idea of connecting L’Escarène to the tram network was not abandoned, especially since some were still considering extending a line as far as Luceram and even Peirs Cava, at an altitude of 1400 m.” [1: p76]

In 1910 the Bridges and Roads Authority commenced discussions with the TNL. The steep Gradients likely to be required saw the TNL propose an option of a rack system.

It was not until 1913 that the route from La Pointe de Contes was confirmed. Work began in January 1914. The Great War saw work come to a standstill.

It was 1919, before rearranged contracts saw work recommence on the line. Ok about was in short supply and priority was given to the construction of the PLM line between Nice and Cuneo. In the end, the Departement suspended work on the line in 1926 because costs of materials had risen dramatically.

In 1928, Banaudo tells us, “at the request of the municipality of Blausan, the general council took the decision to develop the length of the tramway formation which was remote from the existing road, from Fuont-de-Jarrier to the Col de Nice which became the departmental road 321.” [1: p76] The planned tramway to L’Escarène was finally abandoned/decommissioned on 29th June 1933.

Had it been built, the total length of the tramway would have been just under 7.6 km with a maximum gradient of 55mm/m. It would have risen from a height of 131m above sea-level at La Pointe de Contes to around 410 m above sea-level at the Col de Nice.

The route was to have been served entirely by a single-track tramway leaving the line to Contes at La Pointe de Contes.

The red line shown on these map extracts provided by the IGN shows the route of the planned tramway as it left the route to Contes and Bendejun. A road now follows that line and appears on the modern mapping on the right. The road is named ‘Chemin du Tram’. The main road towards L’ Escarène leaves both extracts at the top right. [27]
Looking North along the main road towards Contes. Behind the camera the road to L’Escarène heads away to the East. The tram stop for La Pointe de Contes was along this length of road. Just to the North of the tram stop was the point where the tramway to L’Escarène would have set off to the East. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The tramway to Contes and Bendejun ran ahead along what is now the D15. The route to L’Escarène would have run off to the right at what is now a road junction. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The route of the planned tramway followed what is now called ‘Chemin du Tram’ which runs directly ahead of the camera. It is the road to the left of the trees at the centre of this image. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
A little further East along what would have been the route of the tramway. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The planned route ran to the right of the retaining wall before joining the D2204. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Looking back towards the D15 from the D2204. The tram route followed the retaining wall running away from the camera on the right side of the photograph, and then curved round between the two buildings seen beyond the parked vehicles. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Initially, it would have followed the Route Nationale No. 204 (now the D2204) up the valley of the Ruisseau de la Garde.

Parallel map extracts, once again, provided by the IGN. The main features, which can be seen on both the 1955 extract and the 21st century extract, are the bridges which carried the road over the Ruisseau de la Garde. [28]
The location of the first of the two bridges. There is little at road level to indicate that it is crossing the stream which passes some metres below the road. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The location of the second bridge is easier to make out. The modern road has been straightened and a new bridge constructed. The old road which would have been followed by the tramway bears away to the left with the new bridge directly ahead. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The view from the new bridge across the Ruisseau de la Garde of the old road. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The view Southwest along the D2204 in the 21st century. The old road can be seen on the right of the picture. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Further Northeast on the D2204 the verge of which would have carried the proposed tramway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Again, further Northeast on the D2204 the verge of which would have carried the proposed tramway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

At the hamlet of La Fuont-de-Jarrier, the tramway left the road and the valley to embark on a dedicated length of almost 4 km. Banaudo tells us that the route ran through “a landscape of arid hills where only pines managed to grow on ridges of gray marl.  The only locality encountered was the village of Blausasc, below which a stopping point was to be established.  The line continued northwards, passing through a small tunnel at a place called La Blancarde, to join the road approaching the Col de Nice.”  [1: p76]

La Fuont-de-Jarrier was the point at which the proposed tramway diverted from the highway. The formation intended for the tramway became the base for the new CD 321.  The new road is that shown leaving the established road to the right on the 1955 IGN map extract. [29]
The junction between the D2204 and the CD321 in the 21st century. The CD321 follows the formation of the intended tramway to L’Escarène. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The next length of the CD321. [30]
Over the first few kilometres, the carriageway was wide enough for two full lanes of traffic. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
A further length of the CD321 with Blausasc above the road to the East. [31]
The CD321 continues to follow the planned route of the tramway. This rock cutting was cut for the tramway. The location is at the bottom of the twin maps above.  [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The tramway route (CD321) runs ahead and bears to the right. The road which crosses the route at this location is the D221. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The red line marks the route of the CD321 which is built on the formation of the proposed tramway. The road crossing it at the staggered junction seen here is the D221 which linked Blausasc to the Route de la Col de Nice. [Google Earth, December 2023]
Looking North-northwest along the CD321 towards the top of the twin map extracts above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
This next set of two parallel map extracts from the IGN show the Route de la Col de Nice marked by two heavy bold lines and the CD321 above it to the East. [32]

This next sequence of photographs show the road (CD321) running from the bottom of the twin extracts above towards the tunnel which can just about be picked out on the modern map extract above.

This sequence of four images shows the CD321 in the 21st century. Over this length, no attempt to widen the formation built for the intended tramway has been made. Retaining walls, where they exist, will most probably be those constructed by the contractors developing the tramway route. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
An enlarged dual map extract of the area at the top-left of the last twin map extracts from the IGN. Both this, and the last pair of extracts show, on the right-hand, modern extract, the tunnel bored for, but never used by, the planned tramway which is, however, now used by the CD 321 in the 21st century. [34]

This next sequence of three photographs show the CD321 in the vicinity of the tunnel built for the planned tramway.

These three photographs show the Route de Blausasc (the CD321) passing through the old tramway tunnel. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Another set of twin map extracts from 1955 and the 21st century provided by the IGN. This pair of images provides the reason for the separation of the planned tramway route from the older Route de la Col de Nice. The hairpin-bends shown centre left on each of the images meant that the road would have been completely unsuitable for use by trams. Track curvature and gradient would have been insurmountable obstacles. To the North of the hairpin-bends, both routes converge. [33]
The Col de Nice was the high point in the proposed tramway. The Route de la Col de Nice and the planned tramway met just to the South of the Col de Nice. [35]

North of the tramway tunnel, the last kilometre or so of the CD321 and hence the last length of the independent tramway formation required the construction of a series of retaining walls. These next few photographs illustrate the size of the task undertaken by the contractors in the early 20th century. The four photos follow the Route de Blausasc North towards its junction with the Route de la Col de Nice.

These four photos follow the CD321 North, each shows the size of the retaining structures built for the tramway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

A few hundred metres before its junction with the D2204, the CD321 runs parallel to it with the two roads gradually reaching the same height above sea level.

The D2204 and the CD321 run parallel with no more than a few metres height difference. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The planned tramway, now the Route de Blausasc (CD321) meets the D2204 just short of the Col de Nice. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The Col de Nice in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Banaudo talks of the tramway running in a cutting below and to the right of the road and then reaching L’Escarène at the end of a steep descent. [1: p76]

This final example of the parallel imagery provided by the IGN shows the D2204 (Rue de Chateau) running down into L’Escarène.

In the first instance, the tramway would have been within the width of the modern highway, but as shown below it did run below and to the right of the road on its way down into L’Escarène.

The view along Rue du Chateau, L’Escarène from the Col de Nice. The tramway formation ran on the right side of the road. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Heading down into L’Escarène evidence can be seen of the prepared tramway route to the right of, and just below, the highway. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The separated tramway route, metalled, runs to the right of, and below, the Rue du Chateau much of the way down into the centre of L’Escarène. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Closing in on the centre of L’Escarène, the proper tramway would have been within the width of the modern highway. [Google Streetview, March 2023]

I have not been able to establish the location in L’Escarène planned for the terminus of the tramway.

This article completes a series of articles about the early 20th century metre-gauge tramways and railways of Nice and its hinterland. Perhaps the next series of articles centred on Nice will look at the standard-gauge line between Nice and Cuneo? ……

References

  1. Jose Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram: Volume 2: Les Hommes et Les Techniques; Les Editions du Cabri, 2005.
  2. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3819952794917228, accessed on 14th December 2023.
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  24. https://www.thatonepointofview.com/peillon-france, accessed on 21st December 2023.
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  26. https://www.cparama.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=14570, accessed on 22nd December 2023.
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  29. https://remonterletemps.ign.fr/comparer/basic?x=7.354474&y=43.794817&z=15&layer1=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.SCAN50.1950&layer2=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.PLANIGNV2&mode=doubleMap, accessed on 27th December 2023.
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  32. https://remonterletemps.ign.fr/comparer/basic?x=7.357550&y=43.814629&z=15&layer1=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.SCAN50.1950&layer2=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.PLANIGNV2&mode=doubleMap, accessed on 29th December 2023.
  33. https://remonterletemps.ign.fr/comparer/basic?x=7.353730&y=43.821348&z=15&layer1=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.SCAN50.1950&layer2=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.PLANIGNV2&mode=doubleMap, accessed on 29th December 2023.
  34. https://remonterletemps.ign.fr/comparer/basic?x=7.355818&y=43.816082&z=16&layer1=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.SCAN50.1950&layer2=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.PLANIGNV2&mode=doubleMap, accessed on 29th December 2023.
  35. https://remonterletemps.ign.fr/comparer/basic?x=7.352163&y=43.826648&z=14&layer1=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.SCAN50.1950&layer2=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.PLANIGNV2&mode=doubleMap, accessed on 29th December 2023.
  36. https://remonterletemps.ign.fr/comparer/basic?x=7.353504&y=43.833178&z=14&layer1=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.SCAN50.1950&layer2=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.PLANIGNV2&mode=doubleMap, 29th December 2023.

The Tramways of Nice:- Les Lignes de l’Arriere-Pays (The Lines of the Hinterland) Part 1 – First Generation Electric Tramways to Levens and Sospel – (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 94)

The TNL (Tramways de Nice et du Littoral) had four lines which ran some distance inland from the coast. Three ran out from Nice, serving: Levens, Bendejun, and La-Grave-de-Peille. All followed valleys of the Paillon and its tributaries. As well as the line to La-Grave-de-Peille, the line to Contes and Bendejun was to have had another Branch to l’Escarene. Major work was undertaken on that line but it was never brought into use.

The fourth significant line operated by the TNL ran from Menton to Sospel. This line required some significant feats of engineering. The featured image above (public domain) shows one of the structures on this line.

You will find earlier articles about two of these lines on this website. They can be found by following these links:

Levens

Two earlier articles, the second of which involves some flights of fancy on my part – looking at a possible alternative routes for the tramway. As we will see below, those thoughts are not without merit given the discussions which took place around the best way for the tram network to serve Levens village.

The Nice to Levens Tramway – Part 1 (Chemins de Fer de Provence 55)

The Nice to Levens Tramway – Part 2 (Chemins de Fer de Provence 56)

Menton to Sospel

Three articles written at different times. In chronological order, these are:

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)

Bendejun, and La-Grave-de-Peille

Bendejun and La-Grave-de-Peille will be covered in a future article. This article focusses on updating earlier articles about the tramways between Nice and Levens, and between Menton and Sospel. ……

Further notes on the Nice to Levens Tramway

The full length of the line from Place Masséna to Levens was just over 23 km of which a little less than 6km were part of Nice’s urban network (between Place Masséna and St. André).

Apart from the articles mentioned above, the first 6 km are covered in another, recent article (which also covers a number of lines which were part of Nice’s urban network), and can be read by following this link:

The First Generation Electric Tramways of Nice again. Five more lines. (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 89) …

These new notes are based around a section of José Banaudo’s French text: ‘Nice au fils de Tram, Volume 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques‘ [1] Direct quotes are referenced.

In the main, the length of the line covered here is that from St. André to Levens (as built), and a section just over 1km in length which would have served the centre of Levens, Levens-Village but which was not completed because of the advent of WW1.

There was, however, a short length of tramway used by the Levens trams which did not follow the route of the urban trams to St. André. This detour followed the left bank of the River Paillon through Place Garibaldi, Rue de la République then Rue Barla and the Barla bridge, before rejoining the urban line of St. André on the right bank.

In addition, we need to note the significant impact of bad weather in the construction of the line in the area now known as ‘Pasteur’. Banaudo speaks of very significant storms during the winter 1907-1908. In particular, storms occurred on: 29th September; 3rd, 15th and 30th October; 3rd November; 10th and 27th December. Eventually work could recommence on 20th January and was finished on 27th March. Banaudo comments that “The additional work and necessary consolidations of the Paillon embankment ultimately increased the cost of the first construction contract for the Nice – Levens line by a third, compared to initial forecasts.” [1: p66]

Banaudo tells us that the maximum gradient on the whole line was 63mm/m and that less than 2 km of the line were level, having no gradient. At Place Masséna the line was only 9 metres above sea level, at Levens it reached 538 metres above sea level. [1: p62]

The St. André tram stop was the terminus of urban services. Banaudo tells us that “Beyond St. André, the tramway went up the valley of the Banquière or Gahre, right bank tributary of Paillon.  It passed several caves and two mills nestled at the bottom of deep gorges between the heights of Falicon and L’Ahadie.  Upstream of the Tinon bridge, the pass became so narrow that the tramway, hitherto on the shoulder, had to be embedded in the roadway with which it crossed the valley on several occasions. After the place called Les Clues, the valley widened a little and a tram stop served the hamlet of Moulin-de-Tourrette.” [1: p62]

Les Gorges de St. André de la Roche looking South towards Nice. The tramway can be seen on the right of the road. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 26th September 2023. [6]
The tight Gorges de St. André looking towards Tourrette-Levens. The tramway is on the left of the road. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 3rd October 2022. [7]

From this point trams followed their own route a little removed from the main road for about 3 km, “punctuated by the curved Rio-Sec Viaduct and a short tunnel. The route overlooked the road, moved away from it, then finally rejoined it at the foot of the old village of Tourrette-Levens, renowned for its ancient castle. This locality, the most important encountered on the route. was served by a station established in the Quartier du Plan,” [1: p62] at the foot of the road serving the old village.

As noted above, a sequence of photographs of this separated tram route can be found here. [5]

Beyond Tourrette Levens, trams continued to climb through the Western slopes of the Mont Ferion range, “the line encountered two other passing places: at a place called Lava where a siding allowed wood to be loaded, and at the hamlet of Ste. Claire. The highest point of the line was reached on the plateau which forms the Grands Prés de Levens where festivals, sporting events and horse races are organized. The Levens terminus was located at a place called Les Traverses, where a wooden building housed a buffet enjoyed by travellers before the final climb on foot” [1: p62] to the village of Levens which is perched on a hillock at an altitude of 570 m above sea-level. “A superb site with both a Mediterranean and alpine appearance with the high peaks of the Vésubie valley in the background. In order to get closer to the center, a steep ramp extension including a curved line on its own site was undertaken to reach the current Lov Roux esplanade at the entrance to the village. Unfortunately, the war interrupted the work and this extension was never put into service.” [1: p62] Some further notes about the planned extension can be found after the review of key structures on the route.

Structures on the route included:

A. the Garibaldi and Barla bridges over the River Paillon (each made up of three cast iron arches);

This anonymous photograph (perhaps by Jean Walburg de Bray, 1839-1901), shows the Garibaldi Bridge and the right bank of the River Paillon. The view looks from southeast to northwest and is dated 1877. [2]

Three views of Pont Barla over the River Paillon in Nice, one even has a tram travelling over it! [3]

15th April 1912 – the line from Villa Caserta to Sospel was opened to passengers and the short branch to the PLM Station in Menton was closed.

B. the Tinon, Falicon and Clues bridges over the River Banquière (each a single masonry arch);

This extract from Google Maps shows the length of the M19 (Route de Levens) as it appears in November 2023. This area has experienced what might be termed some ‘remodeling’ as the quarrying works have expanded. The numbers superimposed on the satellite image are: 1: the location of an old road bridge across the River Banquière which also carried the tramway, referred to by José Banaudo as the bridge at Falicon; 2: the location of another old bridge spanning the river which, I believe, is that referred to by Banaudo as the bridge at Les Cles; 3: the present route of the M19 which appears to have once been the line of the old tramway; the line of the M19 before quarrying work expanded. The locations ‘1’ and ‘2’ are down in more detail below. The routes of the M19 denoted ‘3’ and ‘4’ are further illustrated by the map immediately below. [Google Maps, November 2023]
An extract from the mapping of http://www.mapsof.net. Location ‘1’ on the satellite image is bottom-right in this image. A narrow older road is shown and the bridge over the Banquière is hidden by the symbol for the Grottoes de Saint Andre de la Roche. The old tram route then followed the north bank of the river along the route indicated by grey/white dashes. It appears that the M19 ran to the North of this as shown and rejoined the valley of the river via two hairpin bends. The second bridge is at the top-left under the ‘M19’ indicator. [4]
A closer view on Google Maps of the location of the Falicon Bridge Location ‘1’ above. The new road bridge can easily be made out. The older bridge sits to the right of the Route de Levens close to the word ‘Services’. [Google Maps, November 2023]
Looking Southeast from the abutment of the new bridge at the location of the old structure. [Google Streetview, November 2022]
This is location ‘2’ above. One of the hairpin bends on the older M19 stands guard over the arch bridge which carried the older road over the River Banquière. The modern bridge is to its left. I think this is the bridge referred to by Banaudo as the bridge at Les Cles. [Google Maps, November 2023]
Looking from the hairpin bend in the image above across the old arch bridge. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
The next section of the M19 heading North. It crosses the River Banquière close to ‘A’ at the bottom of this extract from Google Maps, and again at D’. At location ‘A’ there is an older bridge across the Banquière which is probably the bridge referred to by Banaudo as the Tinon Bridge. This location is shown below.

Banaudo tells us that the tramway was remote from the main road on its own formation over this length for around 3 km “punctuated by the curved Rio-Sec Viaduct and a short tunnel.” [1: p62] That length of tramway commences at ‘C’ and continues through ‘E’ and onwards to Tourette-Levens. Some details of that length appear below but a fuller series of photographs can be found at https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/03/20/the-nice-to-levens-tramway-part-1-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-54.
Location ‘A’ showing the modern M19 and the older road bridge over the Banquière. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
At location ‘C’ the tramway separated from the road and followed its own route to ‘E’. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Looking South at ‘E’ the old tramway rejoined the M19 but only for a very short distance. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

C. the Rio-Sec Viaduct (a single curved masonry arch) and the Moulins tunnel (40 m) which were on an independent formation a short distance to the East of the M19;

The Rio-Sec Viaduct curves round the East side of the area marked ‘P’ for Parking. The Tunnel des Moulins is the shaded length of road to the North of the parking area. [Google Maps, 2018]
Almost as soon as trams began running alongside the road again, they separated onto their own route once more. This dedicated formation took trams over the Viaduc de Rio-Sec and through the Moulins tunnel. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The Rio-Sec Viaduct, seen from the East. [Google Streetview, 2018
The Tramway formation over the Rio-Sec Viaduct. [Google Streetview]
The approach to the Moulins tunnel over the Rio-Sec Viaduct. [Google Streetview, 2018]
The Moulins Tunnel South portal. [Google Streetview, 2018]

D. the Levens tunnel (95 m, on the section built but not opened and now in use as a vehicular route into the centre of the village).

Some further observations ……..

Banaudo tells us that the process of agreeing the TNL tramway route serving Levens was different than for other routes (which were primarily dictated by the terrain and the orientation of the valleys). Early studies led to some elected officials recommending “linking Nice to St. Martin-Vésubie via the traditional stagecoach route via Tourrette, Levens, Duranus and St. Jean-la-Rivière.” [1: p66]
When the project took shape in 1904, three routes were considered:

  1. One extended the Cimiez line in the direction of Rimiez, L’Aire St. Michel, and Gairaut, from where it skirted the Mont Chauve massif to the west to serve the hilltop villages of Aspremont, Castagniers and St. Blaise, before arriving at Levens. This extremely picturesque cornice route would have served a well-populated area, but the travel time to Levens would have been prohibitive.
  2. Another left the Paillon valley in St. André and climbed in switchbacks to the village of Falicon, then it joined the previous route in Gairaut. This route would have been even longer and more tortuous!
  3. The last also left from St. André, but it went up the Gorges de la Banquière towards Tourrette, Ste. Claire and Levens. It served a smaller population than the previous ones, but had the advantage of being more direct route.

The third option was chosen and built between 1907 and 1909!

Banaudo continues to explain that the Compagnie du Sud [which ran the TAM tram network] applied for the concession of the Nice – Levens line, in the hope that, should an extension from Levens to St. Jean-la-Rivière be built it would connect with its own line in the Vésubie valley. But the chief engineer of bridges and roads decided to allocate the route to the TNL. His decision meant that the usage figures for the TNL network were reduced by this lightly populated route and as a result greater the line attracted greater subsidies from the State. [1: p66]

After the completion of construction in 1909, the commune of Levens lobbied for an extension into the village. Banaudo tells us that a route had already been considered by the Bridges and Roads Department which took the form of a long loop to keep gradients as low as possible. Initially a sizeable cutting was proposed which ultimately was superseded by a tunnel. [1: p66]

A contract was awarded and work started early in 1914. Work continued through to 1916-1917 slowed by the shortage of labour during the War. After the war, work restarted but disagreements over the financing of station facilities held up the works. Finally, the general council decided in 1926 to postpone the completion of the line and then, in 1929, proposed converting the route into a motorable road. It is in use as a road under traffic-light control in the 21st century. [1: p66]

Further notes on the Menton to Sospel line

Banaudo tells us that the total length of this line was close to 17.4 km of which the TNL saw the length from Place St. Roch along Rue Partouneaux to Villa-Caserta (2.4 km) and the short stub to Menton Railway Station (0.15 km) as part of its coastal network. The remaining length from Villa Caserta to Sospel (14.9 km) was deemed part of their departmental network. [1: p77]

This Baedeker map of Menton in the early 20th century (1902) has been annotated to show tram routes in red. The line from Monaco to Menton ran along Avenue Carno and Avenue Felix Faure. At Place St. Roch the line to Sospel left the coastal route and ran along Rue Partouneaux as far as Avenue de la Gare and then Northwest alongside the River Carei. A short branch left the line to serve the Railway Station, but was only in use for a few years. [21]

The line originated in Place Saint Roch and ran first along Rue Partouneaux.

Avenue Felix-Faure/Place St. Roch, Menton, 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 which will leave along Rue Partouneaux to the Careï valley which exits the photograph to the left. 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). [15]
Looking into Rur Partouneaux from Place St. Roch. The Hotel des Postes is visible at the first junction down Rue Partouneaux. Note that it has an extra storey in the modern image. [Google Streetview, April 2023] This view is surprisingly similar to an early 20th century view which can be found on the Maonaco4Ever Facebook page on this link: https://www.facebook.com/MentonDuPasseAuPresent/photos/a.635924896587645/904791879700944/?__cft__[0]=AZX5F8XW__jQPAyygfwvR03xmeAlwW_69beRs7RwlwE6xsjQfZ63F76O9fVpVPdM1BJs7Sko4cCH399fbkWwRbZM3L9NxeGF889CfcQ1_7n1krmUaygG3KAdo2h7ZHbuHUUryowX6X5bDwpFxz0OAGE5IBIgQ4UTuX_U-hOLi7R9JLmGRwSgl8bz-28sshkfnjk&__tn__=EH-R . [20]
The view from close to Place St. Roch along Rue Partouneaux. The Hotel des Postes et Telegraphes is seen on the corner of the next junction. A tram travelling towards Les Jardins Biovès is seen immediately outside the building. [17]
A similar view in April 2023. The building has the additional storey noted above. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Further Northwest along Rue Partouneaux. This old postcard view shows the road as it runs toward Les Jardins Biovès. The trees on the right of the road were Orange Trees. [18]
This is the same location in the 21st century. Rue Partouneaux runs towards what were Les Jardins Biovès. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
A tram leaving Rue Partnouneaux and about to turn North alongside Les Jardins Biovès. [19: p5]
The same location in the 21st century. Rue Partouneaux is directly ahead of the camera. The old tramway curved round to the North. Its route approximated to the curved line of bollards. [Google Streetview, March 2023]

The maximum gradient on the line was 68mm/m, only 0.144 km of the line was on a level formation. The line started in Place St. Roch at 3 metres above sea level and reached a maximum altitude of 572 metres above sea level at the Castillon tunnel. In all, trams had to negotiate 482 curves as they travelled the line of which 143 had a radius less than 40m. [1: p77]

Over 75% of the route was independent of the road between Menton and Sospel, now the D2566/D2566A. With its tight curves, “its imposing structures and its stations with spacious buildings, the Menton – Sospel line appeared much like a real  mountain railway.  In this way, it was more similar to the daring branches of the TAM network than to the other TNL lines in the Nice hinterland which retained the appearance of urban tramways.” [1: p77]

Banaudo tells us that “the line was entirely single track.  It met the coastal artery at a triangular connection on Place St. Roch, at the entrance to the old town of Menton.  The tram left from the western branch of the triangle, along which a wooden kiosk housed travelers and company agents.  Via Rue Partouneaux, trams accessed the Biovès public garden which occupies an esplanade created by covering the River Careï. At the top of Avenue de la Gare (today Verdun) there was a short branch of 147 m on a ramp of 40 mm/m which ended in a dead end at the entrance to the courtyard of Menton PLM station. [That branch] served as a terminus for urban shuttles from Place St. Roch.” [1: p77] The branch lineline was brief both in length and life since, “after only operating from 1903 to 1912, it was abandoned during the First World War.” [1: p77]

Immediately beyond the station branch, the tramway passed under the bridge of the PLM Nice – Ventimiglia line then continued up the right bank of the River Careï where there was a goods station. Banaudo says that, “the line passed at the foot of the L’Annonciade Hill, where a funicular served a hotel and a monastery.” [1: p77]

The Funiculaire de L’Annonciate served a hotel and Monetary at the summit of L’Annonciade Hill in 1919. The funicular railway opened in 1914 and closed circa. 1939. [8]

Continuing North, three passing-loops were provided at “Villa-Beau-Séjour, at the Gioan-Bosio property Ans at l’Octroi-due Careï. Soon after, “the Villa-Caserta tram stop marked the terminus of urban services. Upstream and downstream of this point, two dedicated branch lines allowed the Mercier and Gianotti companies to load materials to be sent to Sospel for the construction of the PLM Nice – Cuneo line.” [1: p77]

The route continued North along what is now the D2566 avoiding one tight bend by following its own course for approximately 450 metres. The hamlet of Monti had its own tram stop and was the location of a reinforced concrete viaduct which spanned both a ravine and the road. Pictures of this structure can be seen further down this article.

The tramstop and passing loop at Monti. [16]
A similar location in 2023. Both views look South from a point just to the South of Viaduc de Monti. [Google Streetview, March 2023]

Now running on its own formation, the tramway climbed above the road for 2.3 km. Banaudo explains that the road climbed to meet the tramway “at the Ubac-Foran forest house.  Arriving at a point where the valley narrows sharply and where the gradient becomes steeper, the track ran again on its own formation to span the road and the River Careï on the curved Careï viaduct, with five masonry arches.” [1:p77]

Over the River Careï the tramway continued climbing steeply in a Southeasterly direction to the location of the Caramel viaduct, “whose bold silhouette had already been visible for several minutes standing out against the mountainside.  This major [structure] on the line had thirteen arches with a total length of 120 m, which were part of an omega-shaped loop below the road.” [1: p77] To the Northwest of the Viaduct, two dead-end tracks were provided, one to serve a quarry, the other to stop trams whose brakes had failed before they ran out onto the viaduct.

Continuing its ascent, the tramway again left the road and approached the bottom of the valley where the Castillon tram stop was located. “It was in a damp and isolated site below the village and the pass of the same name. A substation incorporated into the station building provided the line’s electrical supply. This was also the location of the southern portal of the 763 m tunnel under the Col de Castillon, the longest structure of this type drilled for a tramway in the Alpes-Maritimes.” [1: p77]

At its Northern portal, the tunnel opened into the green valley of Merlanson at an altitude of 572 m, the highest point on the TNL network. “From there, the line descended on its own formation for 4900 m on the right bank of the river. To the west stands Mount Barbonnet crowned with a fort while in the background, at the foot of the amphitheater formed by the mountains of the Authion massif, the Bévéra valley widens to form the basin where the town of Sospel is located.” [1: p77]

Approaching Sospel, the tramway ran under the embankment of the PLM Nice – Cuneo line then ended its journey at the entrance to the town where a station was built with a passenger and goods facilities and a motor shed. Banaudo tells us that during the years of construction of the PLM railway, “the track extended to the platform of the future PLM station, where the materials could be supplied by the Mercier and Gianotti companies.” [1:p77]

Sospel showing the tram stop/station centre-left and the PLM station top-right. This is an enlarged part of a photograph taken after the completion of the construction of the PLM railway line. It was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 15th March 2017 by Pierre Richert. [12]
Sospel tram station. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Ciccoli on 11th September 2017. [13]
TNL Tram No. 13 is heavily laden with bags of cement and in charge of a long load affixed to two short, flat wagons. The photograph is taken close to Sospel with the works underway on the PLM Nice to Cuneo line. [19: p6]

Key Dates

Banaudo provides details of dates relating to the life of the whole line. [1: p78] The more significant of these are: 1903 (the line between Place St. Roch and the PLM Railway Station was opened to traffic); 1911 (the route between Avenue de la Gare, Menton and Villa Caserta was opened); 1912 (a courier service between Menton and Sospel was opened); 1913 (the goods service between Menton and Sospel was inaugurated); 1923 (the new numbering system was put in place: No. 45 was given to the urban service between Menton and Villa Caserta; No. 46 TP the interurban service Menton to Sospel); 1927 (the urban service (No. 45) was extended to Route-de-Monti); 1931 (trams on Ligne No. 46 were replaced by buses and the tram service (Ligne No. 45) between Villa Caserta and Route de Monti ceased); January 1932 (trams on Ligne No 45 between Avenue de la Gare and Villa Caserta were replaced by a bus service); March 1932 (the remaining length of the line between Place St. Roch and Avenue de la Gare was closed). In the summer of 1933 the full length of the line was decommissioned.

The full service between Menton and Sospel was active for less than 20 years!

The Main Structures on the Line

These were: the Peïrola Ravine Bridge; the Monti Viaduct (1 concrete arch of 36 m, total length 79 m); the Ture Ravine bridge; the Pian Ravine Bridge; the Careï Viaduct (5 arches of 8 m); the Caramel viaduct (13 arches of 8 m, length 120 m); and the Castillon Tunnel (763 m).

Structurae.net provides a number of photographs of the Viaduc de Monti which remains standing in the 21st century. These images can be found here. [9]

Viaduc de Monti in the early 20th century, probably 1910. [10] Banaudo tells us that this was chosen from five design submissions. The structure was designed by François Hennebique was selected in 1907 by the deputy chief engineer Amaud who judged it to be the most economical (38,000 francs), the most advantageous and the most satisfactory in appearance. [1: p81]
The Viaduc du Monti again. One of the very few times that steam was seen on TNL lines. We see the same consist at Viaduc du Caramel a little further down this article. [19: p7]
A tram crosses Viaduc de Careï having run down the gradient from the Viaduct du Caramel which can be seen in the distance. The tramway can be seen running below the road on the left of this image.
Viaduc de Careï seen from the hillside to the South. In the 21st century the viaduct looks very different as the D2566 has been widened and realigned. [11]
A photograph from a similar location showing the way in which the valley has been remodelled, realigning and lifting the road, so that the piers of the viaduct seem much shorter. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
This is an evocative photograph which pictures a small steam engine travelling up the Menton to Sospel tramway. The location is the Viaduc du Caramel and the photo is taken from the carriageway of what will become the D2566. The 0-6-0T locomotive is in-steam but the tram (TNL No. 13, which we have seen in an image earlier in this article) also has it supply pole raised and in contact with the overhead lines. It is positioned behind the locomotive presumably to give some tractive effort and perhaps also as a fail-safe needed because of the gradient of the line. The locomotive is being moved to work on the PLM railway line between Nice and Cuneo (Nice – Sospel – Breil-sur-Roya – Cuneo). [19: p4]
A view of the Viaduc du Caramel in March 2023, taken from a similar position as the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The approach to the Castillon Tunnel from the South in around 1920 with a tram heading for Menton. The hamlet of Castillon sits more than 130 metres above the tram stop. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 6th August 2021 by Alain Nissim. [14]
A modern view of the old tramway tunnel. The original bore is on the right. The new bore is on the left. The modern road is the D2566A which follows the line of the old tramway. The works underway in March 2023 were still being undertaken in November 2023 when we followed the route by car on the way from Sospel to Nice. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The southern portal of Tunnel de Castillon (public domain). [22]
A closer view of the southern portal of the old tunnel in 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The northern portals of the two tunnels in 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023.

The Tunnel de Castillon was an essential element of the scheme, the additional climb to the village would have required a significant series of loops either side of the pass and severe gradients. Structurae.net provides a number of photographs of the Tunnel which remains standing in the 21st century and is in use as a road tunnel. These images can be found here. [24]

Steep Gradients on the Menton to Sospel Tramway and the wider tram network

Banaudo’s book has a short feature relating to the exceptional gradients on the Menton to Sospel line and throughout the TNL and TAM networks. [1: p81]

99% of the Monton to Sospel tramway was on a gradient. The average gradient between Menton and the summit of the line at the North end of the Tunnel de Castillon was 46mm/m over almost 12.4 km. This was unique in the Alpes-Maritimes and “assez exceptionelles (quite exceptional) en France.” [1: p81]

Over 7.7 km was graded between 46mm/m and 60 mm/m. 60 mm/m was specified as the steepest grade permitted, but during construction it became obvious that complying with the specification would unduly lengthen the line. Ultimately, the Department of Bridges and Roads permitted over 4.1 km to be built with steeper grades (between 61 and 68 mm/m), mainly in the Careï valley.

Banaudo points out that at “the same time, in Switzerland, Italy and Austria, such lines were put into service with vehicles equipped with specifically adapted traction and braking mechanisms, the Departement des Alpes-Maritimes and concessionaires (the TNL on Menton-Sospel and the Sud-France on the entire TAM network) did not seem to appreciate the level of risk involved in such operations.” [1: p81]

The TNL had been successfully running 168 hp bogie trams equipped with compressed air brakes on the Contes and Levens lines. However, trials on the Menton-Sospel line demonstrated that their electrical equipment could not sustain the stresses imposed by such long and steep gradients. “As soon as sustained effort was required, the entire circuit was at best overheated, the circuit breaker tripped and the fuses blew, the wheels of the trolleys could melt, the controller would start to smoke, and soldered connections could melt and cables ignite. It was therefore decided to modify these trams and equip them with more powerful motors. But pressure from the Departement to put the Sospel line into service, meant that the service was opened in the spring of 1912 with two standard type T2 passenger trams and one self-propelled goods van. These two-axle vehicles only had a power limit of 70 and 84 hp which did not even allow for the lightest of wagons to be towed. The handbrake was supplemented by (un freinage rheostatique) rheostaic braking. No air-brake was provided!” [1: p81]

Banaudo goes on to explain that, “The inadequacy of this equipment was tragically brought to light on 11th September 1912, when a train carrying gravel for finishing work on the line ran down the steepest slope: The handbrake was unable to hold it and the power pole separated from the overhead supply, rendering rheostatic braking inoperative. The convoy ended up derailing and crashing at the foot of the Monti viaduct, killing the driver and the conductor.” [1: p81]

Sadly, just two weeks later the first of the modified bogie power cars Nos. 214 to 216 entered service (on 23rd September 1912). These were equipped with “hand, air and rheostatic brakes, developing a power of 240 hp, these tramcars proved to be better adapted and could tow two passenger trailers or three goods wagons on the steepest slopes. In June 1913, two self-propelled goods vehicles were modified in the same way and moved to the Sospel line, which ensured regular freight traffic from summer onwards. A third ‘tracteur’ of a similar design was put into service the following year.” [1: p81]

In the meantime a derailment of a train on the TAM line between Cagnes-sur-Mer and Grasse occurred on 17th September 1913 at the Viaduc de Cloteirol near Villeneuve-Loubet. “This disaster caused many deaths and the commission formed following this accident to improve the safety of the departmental network covered all the lines, including that of Sospel on 29th January 1914. Following its conclusions, the Department of Bridges & Roads limited tram speeds to 16 km/h uphill and 12 km/h downhill as well as when crossing viaducts. Four safety stops were established for descending convoys at points located at the top of steep slopes: above the Viaduc du Caramel viaduct, at l’Ubac-Foran, above the Pont de Monti and at km 3,350 between this hamlet and the stop at Villa Caserta. The first two stops, where the tramway could leave and pick up passengers, were equipped with a point directing an out-of-control convoy into a dead-end siding with a strong contrary slope. … In Villa-Caserta, a similar device was provided to stop any runaway of vehicles parked at the terminus of the urban service.” [1:p81]

References

  1. José Banaudo; Nice au fil de Tram, Volume 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005.
  2. https://artplastoc.blogspot.com/2023/02/1292-nice-la-passerelle-et-le-pont.html?m=1, accessed on 21st November 2023.
  3. https://twitter.com/actualites_nrv/status/990903681389400064?t=rpQXwAb7jIlpMfdfM8RoIg&s=19, accessed on 21st November 2023.
  4. https://www.mapsof.net/saint-andre-de-la-roche-fr, accessed on 22nd November 2023.
  5. https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/03/20/the-nice-to-levens-tramway-part-1-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-54.
  6. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3231219313790582, accessed on 23rd November 2023.
  7. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3504633499782494, accessed on 23rd November 2023.
  8. https://cronobook.com/pic/1e977519-3f4c-427f-9bdb-ba67e3c07054, accessed on 27th November 2023.
  9. https://structurae.net/en/structures/monti-viaduct, accessed on 27th November 2023.
  10. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Viaduc_de_Monti_(1910).jpg, accessed on 27th November 2023.
  11. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/Viaduc_du_Carr%C3%A9i_%281910%29_Ouest.jpg, accessed on 27th November 2023.
  12. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10210534413814255&set=a.10210534255570299, accessed on 28th November 2023.
  13. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=472351886472746&set=pcb.2011981832381009, accessed on 28th November 2023.
  14. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3158590614386786, accessed on 28th November 2023.
  15. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1389253567814679/permalink/9979281115478505/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v, accessed on 14th March 2023.
  16. https://m.facebook.com/franckasfaux06/photos/a.1412935558990256/1412939378989874/?type=3 accessed on 30th November 2023.
  17. http://dofusleguide.com/2019/12/photos-et-cartes-postales-anciennes-de-menton-06500.html, accessed on 30th November 2023.
  18. https://cartorum.fr/carte-postale/204383/menton-menton-la-rue-partourneaux-et-lallee-des-orangers, accessed on 5th December 2023.
  19. https://excerpts.numilog.com/books/9782903310608.pdf, accessed on 30th November 2023.
  20. https://www.facebook.com/MentonDuPasseAuPresent/photos/a.635924896587645/904791879700944/?__cft__[0]=AZX5F8XW__jQPAyygfwvR03xmeAlwW_69beRs7RwlwE6xsjQfZ63F76O9fVpVPdM1BJs7Sko4cCH399fbkWwRbZM3L9NxeGF889CfcQ1_7n1krmUaygG3KAdo2h7ZHbuHUUryowX6X5bDwpFxz0OAGE5IBIgQ4UTuX_U-hOLi7R9JLmGRwSgl8bz-28sshkfnjk&__tn__=EH-R, accessed on 20th November 2023.
  21. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203526019792, accessed on 5th December 2023.
  22. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ligne_du_tramway_de_Menton_%C3%A1_Sospel,_Tunnel_de_Castillon.jpg, accessed on 7th December 2023.
  23. https://structurae.net/en/structures/castillon-tunnel, accessed on 7th December 2023.

The Modern Tram Network in Nice 2023

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).

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

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  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.
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  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) …

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.
  5. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3325276507718195, accessed on 11th November 2023.
  6. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3372278223018023, accessed on 11th November 2023.
  7. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3745256885720153, accessed on 11th November 2023.
  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.

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

The line between Nice and Monte Carlo opened in a series of stages. First from Monaco to Place d’Armes in Monte Carlo on 14th May 1898; then from Place Massena in Nice to Villefranche, on 1st February 1900; Villefranche to Beaulieu on 3rd November 1900; TNL trams were permitted to run on Monaco’s tramways from 28th May 1903; and the remaining length, Beaulieu to Monaco Place d’Armes opened on 7th November 1903. Over the next few years some single track lengths were doubled.

Trams for Monte Carlo began their journey in Nice a Place Massena. This postcard image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Ciccoli on 10th March 2016. [34]

Trams to Villefranche, Beaulieu and Monte-Carlo left the TNL station at Place Masséna and entered Rue Gioffredo sharing the double track with the urban lines to Gendarmerie and St. Pons.  At Rue Defly, the route branched off to the right to cross the River Paillon to Place Garibaldi. The right bank lines to the Boulevard du Pont-Vieux and Abattoirs were crossed there. The line then ran along Rue Cassini to Place Cassini (today Ile-de-Beauté) where several urban lines serving the port terminated.

After leaving the port, trams headed towards Papacino and Deux-Emmanuel quays. With the Riquier line heading up Rue Arson, the Monte-Carlo trams began a steep climb along Boulevard Carnot on the western slope of Mont Boron.  

Boulevard Carnot leaves the Port area of Nice and winds its way up the western side of Mont Boron. Trams followed this road towards Monte Carlo. [Google Maps, October 2023]
Much the same location in 2022 as shown in the postcard above. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
Boulevard Carnot continues South along the western side of Mont Boron. [Google Maps, October 2023]
A similar view North along Boulevard Carnot in 2023. The retaining wall on the right of the road fixes the location. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
A view across Nice in March 2023 from the approximate location of the tram in the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Boulevard Carnot and Boulvard Maurice Maeterlinck. [Google Maps, October 2023]
The tram in front of the restaurant Bel-Air – Tabacs (today’s Bar-Tabacs San Luca). The restaurant was at the beginning of Boulevard Maurice Maeterlinck, © Yves Nissart Premier. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Pierre Richert and Roland Coccoli in June 2023. [3]
The same location in 2022. [Google Streetview, October 2022]
Boulevard Maeterlinck close to Boulevard Carnot. Note the tram tracks in the road surface. © Yves Nissart Premier. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Pierre Richert and Roland Coccoli in June 2023. [3]
The tramway followed what was the RN7 (today’s M6098) towards Villefranche-sur-Mer. [Google Maps, October 2023]
A tram on Boulevard du Mont Boron (today’s Boulvard Princess Grace de Monaco) This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 19th June 2016 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. The tram is a T2 powered car providing an extended urban service as far as l’Octroi du Mont-Boron on the Monte-Carlo line, [5]
The same location in 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
The route of the tramway down into Villefranche. [Google Maps, October 2023]
A tram approaching Villefranche on a service from Nice. The harbour is visible to the right of the picture. The town can be seen in the centre of the image. [6]
The same view, colourised, [7]
Approximately the same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
An early map of Villefranche-sur-Mer with Mont Boron on the left of the image and St. John Cap Ferrat on the right. (1699 by De Fer). [4]
Mont Boron and the route to Villefranche-sur-Mer as seen on an IGN aerial photograph of 1943. [4]
An IGN aerial view of 1924 with the Moyenne Corniche under construction. Both this and the image above were shared by Pierre Richert on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 1st October 2022. [4]

Trams then headed down into Villefranche, which Banaudo reminds us, was the “military port of the House of Savoy and always a popular stopover for cruise and warships.  The tramway passed above the dock and the citadel, … crossed ‘l’octroi’ and reached the Villefranche station located in the upper part of the town.” [1: p41]  ‘L’octroi’ was the point where visas were granted and taxes were collected. According to the “Petit Robert de la Langue Française,” an ‘octroi’ was, historically, an “indirect contribution collected by a municipality on goods for local consumption (entrance fees).” [2]

This is the first of a sequence of 5 postcard views shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 10th July 2023, which show the approach to Villefranche and it’s customs house (l’Octroi), the entrance to the old town and the first 100 metres or so, of the RN7 heading East. [13]
A little closer to Villefranche. [20]
The approach to l’Octroi from Nice with a tram standing in front of the building. [13]
Looking towards Nice, this view shows the Place de l’Octroi. The building on the left is l’Octroi, the road to the old town leaves past the photographer on the left of the picture. The RN7 and the tram route leave bottom-right. [13]
Looking towards Beaulieu and Monte Carlo, the RN7 curves away from the tram stop in Villefranche. The road to the old town drops away to the right. [13]
A closer view of the junction. [13]
Turning a little to the left from the last image. [13]
This picture shows approximately the same location as the last three monochrome images above. [Google Streetview, March 2023]

At Villefranche station, according to Banaudo, “certain partial services had their terminus and a particular branch served a building materials warehouse, (un entrepot de materiaux de construction).” [1: p40]

Villefranche-sur-mer again. The road shown pale yellow on this image is the route of the old tramway. [Google Maps, October 2023]
St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat runs south from the bottom of this image, which shows Beaulieu-sur-mer. The road shown pale yellow on this image is the route of the old tramway. Beaulieu’s port is top-right. [Google Maps, October 2023]
Thomson TNL tram Nº 10 heads East from Villefranche towards Beaulieu, with the Mont Alban fort in the background. [8]
Approximately the same location in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, May 2023]

To accommodate the trams, the RN7, the Basse Corniche, was widened using large retaining walls. The tramway, “skirted the bottom of Villefranche harbour and approached the base of Cap Ferrat. ” [1: p41]

The tramway junction where trams for St. Jean Cap Ferrat left the line to Monte Carlo. [12]
The same locatiuon in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

At the Pont-St. Jean, where the St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat branch turned away, [trams] arrived in the town of Beaulieu, where a centuries-old olive tree marked the entrance adjacent to l’octroi pavilion.  Following modifications made during the First World War, the double track ended … shortly after [l’Octroi] stop.  Crossing Beaulieu, the line followed Boulevard Félix-Faure (today Maréchal-Joffre), passed under the PLM Nice – Ventimiglia artery near the station then went down towards the seaside where it ran alongside the town hall,  the church and the port.” [1: p41]

The old tramway continued to follow the Basse Corniche through Petite Afrique and on twards Cap Roux. [Google Maps, October 2023]
Beaulieu-sur-mer, Boulevard Felix-Faure. This photo was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 4th October 2019 by Laurant Mannu. [11]
Beaulieu-sur-mer, la Petite Afrique in 1903. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 31st March 2017. [10]
Looking East along the promenade in Beaulieu-sur-mer. East of Beaulieu the line heading to Monte Carlo faced significant obstacles. Cliffs falling directly down to the water’s edge required significant civil engineering works to widen the Basse Corniche to make room for vehicles and the tramway. [9]
A similar location to the view shown in the monochrome image immediately above. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The Basse Corniche ran below the PLM railway through Petite Afrique. [26]
A similar view in the 21st century to the sepia postcard image above. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Looking back West towards Beaulieu. [22]
This colourised postcard view was taken at almost the same location as the image above. [25]

Leaving the town, a siding at the foot of the railway embankment constituted an intermediate terminus in the residential district of ‘Petit Afrique’, “where,” Banaudo tells us, “a micro-climate favours the blossoming of luxuriant vegetation among Moorish and exotic villas.” [1: p41]

The railway tunnel at Cap Roux with the road and tramway at the base of the cliffs. [14]
A closer view of the tunnel mouth. [15]
The tunnel mouth at Cap Roux in 21st century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

As Banaudo comments: “Shortly after, the high limestone cliffs of Cap Roux fall directly into the sea and form an apparently impassable obstacle to communications on the coast.  The PLM line crossed this location via a 419 m tunnel decorated with a superb fortified portal, while a short tunnel cut directly into rock provided for the road and the tramway.  It had to be widened when the latter was made double track.” [1: p41] 

The road/tramway continue to be shown by the pale yellow line on this next extract from Google Maps. The tunnel at Cap Roux appears at the bottom-left of this extract which shows the Baie d’Eze. [Google Maps, October 2023]
A View East from inside the tunnel at Cap Roux. [16]
The tunnel at Cap Roux has been widened to accommodate the modern carriageway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
A view West towards the tunnel at Cap Roux. [23]
Another postcard image showing the tunnel at Cap Roux, again looking West. [17]
A 100 metres or so East from the tunnel, this view looks West and includes part of St. Jean-Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu. [18]

At the point where the PLM line emerged from the Cap Roux, the tramway passed above it on the road bridge and ran along the verge through the location of Eze station.  Banaudo tells us that, “In this residential area, the villas are spread out between a well-sheltered beach at the bottom of a bay and the foot of the mountain where the medieval village of Eze perches, at an altitude of 427 m.” 1: p41]

TNL Tram Car No. 3 at Baie d’Eze in around 1906. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alan Rozier on 19th September 2019. Cap Roux is prominent to the left of the tram. [8]

From this point, the terrain along the coast became increasingly steep and the Basse Corniche and the tramway track had to gain height again, passing above Point de L’Isoletta and through Pointe de Cabéel and Cape Estelle, (today, Estel).

This next extract from Google Maps shows Point de L’Isoletta towards the bottom-left. Through traffic on the modern M6098 now passes in tunnel behind Cap-Estel. [Google Maps, October 2023]
Looking East along the Basse Corniche in 2023. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Looking West along the old tram route on the old Basse Corniche from Cap-Estel. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The route rose up from the coast and looped inland below the hamlet of St. Laurent d’Eze. The line soon reached 85m above sea level (its highest point) near the passing loop in the Pissarelles district.

Trams passed through two very short tunnels close the Plage Mala. These appear on the right side of this extract from Google Maps. [Google Maps, October 2023]

Two tunnels cut into the cliff above Plage Mala preceded the start of the descent to Cap-d’Ail. Both of these tunnels remain and continue to carry the Basse Corniche. Banaudo tells us that this was in “the former coastal district of La Turbie which obtained its municipal autonomy in 1908.” [1: p42]

East of St. Laurent d’Eze the Basse Corniche and the trams ran round the Cap-d’Eze, passing through two short tunnels. This is the first viewed from the East. [24]
The first of two short tunnels above Plage Mala. This view looks East into the tunnel. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The second tunnel viewed from the West. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The second tunnel viewed from the East. [Google Streetview April 2023]
The second Mala tunnel sits at the extreme left of this next extract from Google Maps. [Google Maps, October 2023]
The Basse Corniche and the tramway continued down through Cap-d’Ail. [Google Maps, October 2023]
The descent toward Cap-d’Ai. The tram car is a trailer, part of a two car train heading for Monte Carlo. The double-track tramway takes up much of the highway on the Basse Corniche! [30]

The tramway then ran down past customs barracks and crossed the border into the principality of Monaco. The extract below shows the route of the tramway as it approached the border, which is just off the top of the map extract.

The village of Cap-d’Ail is at the bottom-left of this next extract from Google Maps. The tramway continued to follow the Basse Corniche from Cap d’ Ail in a Northeasterly direction. [Google Maps, October 2023]
The descent along the Basse Corniche continued. [21]
This next extract from Google Maps shows the centre of Monaco. The border between France and Monaco crossed the old tram route at the location of the roundabout in the bottom-left of this extract, West of the Stade Louis II. [Google Maps, October 2023]
The descent into Monaco. This colourised postcard view looks across the TNL tram route towards the Palace. [27]
Monaco in 1900. The promontary in the colourised image above is shown towards the bottom of this map with the PLM railway station at its landward (West) end. [31]
Monaco 1930. The route of the tramway is shown on this image, crossing the PLM railway line in the bottom left of the map on the Wurttemberg Bridge and then running along Boulevard Charles III towards the port, turning right onto Avenue du Port and then running North alongside the port on Boulevard Albert 1er. [32]

A warehouse of materials and fuels was located on the border itself in the St. Antoine district.” [1: p42] The tramway then passed under the PLM tracks at the Württemberg bridge, where a passing loop was created in 1913. 

Le Boulevard Charles III, very early in the 20th century [40]
A simialr view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2021]

The tramway then followed Boulevard Charles III to Place du Canton where a siding was established at the foot of the bastion at the western end of the rock which supported the palace.  Banaudo continues: “Industrialists in the Fontvieille district (brewery, chocolate factory and pasta factory) used this siding for unloading and shipping their goods.” [1: p42]

These two postcard views show Place d’Armes. On the second the tramway to Place de la Visitation can clearly be seen on the right. [43]
Approximately the same view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, December 2010]

The TNL line joined the urban network of Monaco on the Place d’Armes, where two branch lines left the route: on the left towards the PLM station; and on the right towards Place de la Visitation, on the Rock.  The tramway ran along Avenue du Port on a “brief double-track section, then arrived at the gasometer bend, it ran alongside the port by going down Boulevard de la Condamine (today Albert 1er).  On Place Ste. Devote, the double track resumed to climb Avenue de Monte-Carlo, whose inclination constituted an absolute record for the entire TNL network: 80 mm/m average over 415 m, including a “peak” at  93 mm/m over 41 m! A bridge spanned the PLM line below ‘l’Hotel Ermitage’, then the tramway left the urban line at la Poste to reach le Plateau de Spélugues, where the terminus was located between ‘l’Hotel de Paris’ and l’e Casino de Monte-Carlo‘.” [1: p42]

Banaudo also highlights a number of structures along the route from Nice to Monaco: “In Nice: Garibaldi bridge over the Paillon (3 cast iron arches).  Between Beaulieu and Eze: Cap-Roux tunnel (26 m) and bridge on the PLM Nice – Ventimiglia line.  Between Eze and Cap-d’Ail: La Mala 1 (30 m) and La Mala 2 (50 m) tunnels.  In Monte-Carlo: L’Ermitage bridge on the PLM Nice – Ventimiglia line.” [1: p43]

La Condamine, now Albert Premier. [29]
A view along Boulevard Albert Premier in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, March 2011]
A tram runs down La Rampe on La Condamine, now Avenue d’Ostende. [42]
A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, July 2021]
A 21st century view along Avenue d’Ostende at approximately the same location as the two postcard views above. [Google Streetview, July 2021]
This low resolution colourised postcard view shows a tram climbing La Rampe (now Avenue de i’Ostende) towards the Casino, passing a series of Hotels. [41]
A tram alongside the Casino. [28]
A similar location to the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, July 2021]
This 1903 postcard shows a tram close to the Casino. [35]
A similar view in the 21st century. [Google Streetview, October 2010]

Two branch lines left the main tramway between Nice and Monte Carlo. These were:

  • Pont-St. Jean to St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat
  • Monaco-Gare to Monaco-Ville (Place d’Armes to Place de la Visitation on the Rock).

These will be the subject of future article(s), as will be the length of the line from Monte Carlo to Menton.

References

  1. José Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram, Volume No. 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005.
  2. https://dictionnaire.lerobert.com/definition/octroi, accessed on 14th October 2023.pwe
  3. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3705752563003919, accessed on 20th October 2023.
  4. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3693480434231132, accessed on 20th October 2023.
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  6. https://slideplayer.fr/slide/3703631, accessed on 11th April 2019.
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  8. http://transporturbain.canalblog.com/pages/les-tramways-de-nice—de-l-apogee-au-declin/31975780.html, accessed on 20th October 2023.
  9. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3478397479072763, accessed on 21st October 2023.
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  11. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/2545681792344341, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  12. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3372278223018023, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  13. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3720422128203629, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  14. https://www.cparama.com/forum/cartes2013a/1367699129-721.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  15. https://www.cparama.com/forum/cartes2013a/1367700498-06-Eze-t.du-Cap-Roux.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  16. https://www.cparama.com/forum/cartes2013a/1367699408-843.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  17. https://octo-puces.com/20713-large_default/vichy.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  18. https://picclick.fr/Carte-Route-de-Nice-%C3%A0-Monaco-Le-Cap-266462066907.html, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  19. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/7748918#0, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  20. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/5253150#0, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  21. https://www.cparama.com/forum/cartes2013a/1367698172-06-Cap-d-Ail-tram.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  22. https://www.cparama.com/forum/cartes2013a/1367694969-06-Beaulieu-39-001.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  23. https://www.cparama.com/forum/cartes2013a/1367695565-06-Beaulieu-388-.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  24. https://www.cparama.com/forum/cartes2013a/1367695792-06-Beaulieu-1183-.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  25. https://www.cparama.com/forum/download/file.php?id=71728, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  26. https://www.train-jouet.com/PA/Vente-CPA-Ferroviaire/Train-06/TR3719-2.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  27. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/7700125#0, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  28. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Station_des_tramways_au_casino%2C_Monte-Carlo%2C_avril_1905_%285686522389%29.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  29. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Exposition_des_canots_autos%2C_Monaco%2C_avril_1905_%285619067954%29.jpg, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  30. https://www.google.com/search?q=monaco+trams+cartes+postales+ancienne&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwi22qipp4SCAxXvWaQEHUO_CVsQ2-cCegQIABAD&oq=monaco+trams+cartes+postales+ancienne&gs_lcp=ChJtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1pbWcQAzIFCAAQogQ6BAgjECc6BAgeEApQ7w5YziNgtTJoAHAAeACAAaQBiAHcCZIBAzIuOJgBAKABAcABAQ&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-img&ei=m0cyZfagNe-zkdUPw_6m2AU&bih=664&biw=360&client=ms-android-oppo-rvo3&hl=en#imgrc=2d6uTfkjSefGVM, accessed on 21st October 2023.
  31. https://www.detaille.mc/en/hier, accessed on 23rd October 2023.
  32. https://wardmapsgifts.com/products/monaco-1930, accessed on 23rd October 2023.
  33. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3790242024554972, accessed on 25th October 2023.
  34. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/1729856960593499, accessed on 26th October 2023.
  35. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304773417554?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ngW_GOApSZS&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=afQhrar7TGK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=MORE, accessed on 26th October 2023.
  36. https://www.monaco-tribune.com/2023/03/lancien-tramway-de-monaco, accessed on 26th October 2023.
  37. https://www.delcampe.net/en_GB/collectables/postcards/monaco/harbor/monte-carlo-le-boulevard-de-la-condamine-935509054.html, accessed on 26th October 2023.
  38. https://www.fortunapost.com/monaco/56820-monaco-la-condamine-et-l-avenue-de-la-costa-a-monte-carlo-vers-1905.html, accessed on 26th October 2023.
  39. https://www.etsy.com/hk-en/listing/962449177/monte-carlo-vintage-postcard-set-four, accessed on 26th October 2023
  40. https://cronobook.com/pic/317b6f78-4763-4f52-b8a6-bc625f310c79, accessed on 26th October 2023.
  41. https://picclick.fr/Monaco-Monte-Carlo-Mont%C3%A9e-Du-Casino-Les-H%C3%B4tels-266021428207.html, accessed on 28th October 2023.
  42. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid037Agoz1RnVkMM6FYgqS999TT5pM1brTsYaKoX8V6TXtMfRovpbYUMepmzxSpTZLqfl&id=100066989205256, accessed on 28th October 2023.
  43. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid034LetSqTPvanReBnsQi4NbvfNRU5vXtfnjSnCRP1hXApywdEB5Ko9KKhTraEYDqR5l&id=100066989205256, accessed on 28th October 2023.

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

Jose Banaudo writes,”As an extension of the Cannes Tramway route which linked Mandelieu, Cannes and Antibes, the TNL coastal line extended from Cap-d’Antibes to the Menton district of Garavan via Cagnes, Nice, Villefranche, Beaulieu , Monaco, Cap-Martin and Menton. These juxtaposed sections formed a continuous axis of 76 km of interurban tramway which served almost the entire coastline of the Alpes-Maritimes, from the Emite of the Var department to the Italian border.” [1: p35]

Jose Banaudo published a two volume set of books about the historic trams of Nice, “Nice au fil du Tram.” Articles based around the first of these two volumes can be found on this blog.

This is the third in a series looking at the second volume. The first two can be found on these links:

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2023/08/26/the-first -generation-electric-tramways-of-nice-again-four -of-the-urban-lines-chemins-de-fer-de-provence -alpes-maritimes-no-88/

The First Generation Electric Tramways of Nice again. Five more lines. (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 89) …

Nice – Cap d’Antibes

Of a total length of nearly 26.5 kilometres, the first 7.8 kilometres of this route (as far as St. Laurent-du-Var) were over the rails of Nice’s urban tram network. Cagnes was a further 4.8 kilometres along the coast and the length of the tracks between Cagnes and Cap-d’Antibes was 13.75 kilometres. The maximum gradient on the line was 49mm/metre with 2.22 kilometres on the level and 24.75 kilometres on a gradient, however shallow. The highest point on the route was on the length approaching Cap-d’Antibes.

Nice to Cagnes and Antibes services departed from Place Masséna, following Rue Masséna and Rue de France towards St. Augustin on the main East-West urban line. The double-track  lines ended “beyond the stop serving the station called Le Var by the PLM then Nice-St.Augustin by SNCE Shortly after, a branch operated on race days served the Hippodrome … located on the left bank of the Var at the location occupied today by the postal sorting centre and the airport parking lot.  The River Var  was crossed on the bridge which carried both national road 7 and the PLM bridge, Marseille – Nice line.” [1: p35]

The TNL tracks were in the shoulder of the RN7 over the bridge across the River Var. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jean-Paul Bascoul on 18th December 2020. [4]
St. Laurent-du-Var Railway Station. The tracks of the TNL can be seen in the foreground. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 10th July 2021. [5]
The same location in the 1960s. The railway station building has been replaced and the level crossing now serves a more significant road. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Mike LeFotographe on 17th October 2022. [6]
St. Laurent-du-Var Railway Station in 2023. A footbridge has replaces the level-crossing but the station building is much the same as it was in the mid-20th century. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Another view of St. Laurent-du-Var, this time from the West. The PLM lines through the station are on the left. The tracks of the TNL lines can be seen within the road surface on the right. This image was shared by Alain Nissim on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 10th July 2021. [5]
The picture above had a PLM train at St. Laurent-du-Var station, this shows a TNL tram on the RN7. [7]
A similar view to that shown in the two monochrome images above. [Google Streetview, August 2022]

Trams stopped at the level crossing of the St. Laurent-du-Var station, at the point where the road leading to the centre of the town diverged from the RN7. “Beyond that, the track remained on the RN7 through the hamlet of Cros and then passed over the PLM line in the La Bégude district.  The old town of Cagnes and its castle, built on a hill overlooking the modern districts, was seen while the River Cagne was crossed on an ancient donkey bridge.  Beyond this structure, a station served the centre of the locality where a two-track shed served as a depot.” [1: p36] 

Further west, the bridge over the River Malvan was followed by the PLM Cagnes Gare. This was the point at which lines of the TAM network to Venice and Grasse met with the TNL lines. Those two lines were opened in December 1911 but not connected to the TNL line until October 1917.

A TNL tram leaves Cagnes-sur-Mer heading for Nice. Haut de Cagnes is in the background. [8]
Avenue des Freres-Roustan early in the 20th century, looking North. [8]
The same view/location I think, in 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Avenue-de-la-Gare in the early 20th century. So little of this scene remains. [8]
Place-de-la-Gare in the early 20th century, again little of this scene remains. [8]
A typical view looking South on Avenue-de-la-Gare in 2023. The motorway runs between the road and the railway station, much of the west side of the street has been redeveloped as well. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
The South end of l’Avenue de la Gare. The TNL tram rails can be seen in the road surface. It is difficult to confirm this location in the 21st century. [8]

These different tram lines working in close proximity on the same site required special precautions, so as to avoid any accidental contact between the incompatible overhead lines of the two companies (550 V DC for the TNL and 6600 V single-phase AC for the TAM).

After leaving Cagnes, TNL trams ran past the location of an Alpine hunters camp. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Alain Nissim on 6th February 2023. [9]

Leaving Cagnes through the St. Véran district, the TNL line ran on the shoulder of the NR7. It ran past the location of an Alpine hunters camp and then crossed the River Loup on a metal bridge. Sadly, I have not been able to find old views of the bridge over the Loup.

Le pont routier de la Loup looking Northeast towards Nice. Trams ran along the shoulder of the highway over the bridge. The Pont du Loup had 3 metal spans (of 14m, 17m and 14m). [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The line ran between the Vaugrenier pine forest and the PLM line, close to the sea and adjacent to the RN7. Jose Banaudo says that there were two stops with sidings (presumably passing loops) before the tramway crossed the River Brague on a shared bridge with the RN7. The Pont de la Brague, constructed close to the start of the 20th century, had three substantial arches. The spandrels of the centre-span had arched voids which relieved weight on the arch and allowed additional capacity for times when the river was in flood.

Le pont routier de la Brague in the 19th century which was rebuilt for road and tram at the turn of 20th century. [10]
The bridge built in the early 29th century as it appeared in 2014 © Patrick Janicek and made available for use under a Creative Commons Licence (CC BY 2.0 DEED
Attribution 2.0 Generic). [11]
A new walkway was made in 2012 along the banks of the River Brague looking East under the road bridge towards the railway and the sea © Nice-Matin 2012. [12]
La Brague, showing the river with the Pont Routier on the left. Trams ran in the shoulder of the highway over the bridge. [Google Maps, October 2023]
Le pont routier de la Brague looking North towards Nice along the RN7, now numbered the D6007. It carried the tramway in the shoulder of the highway. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The city of Antibes then came into view. First, trams passed Fort Carré, and then entered Antibes across a narrow road bridge over the PLM railway. The Pont d’Antibes had one metal span of 11m. Just beyond the bridge there was a short (118m) connection to ‘la gare PLM d’Antibes’ where there was a passing loop and shed.

There was a shuttle service between the Cap d’Antibes and the PLM station.

A tram sits at the terminus of the short branch on Avenue de la Gare (today Robert-Soleau) in Antibes, ready to provide a shuttle to Cap-d’Antibes. The station building is visible beyond the tram. [1: p37]

The tram in the picture above sits at the terminus of the short (0.3km) line from the railway station in Antibes which connected to the line from Nice.

After just over 0.2 km the line reached the southern end of Place Jean-Macé (then Place de la Victoire and today Général De Gaulle) where the TNL rails intersected with the tramway from Cannes (CTC) which had its terminus in Place Guynemer.  Banaudo comments: “Originally, the tracks of the two companies only crossed, but a connection was established between them during the First World War to allow the circulation of direct freight trains between Nice and Cannes.  Depending on the direction of traffic, the tram stopped on one side or the other of this intersection, near which a waiting room was set up on the ground floor of a building.” [1: p36]

The Antibes terminus of the tram route to/from Cannes in Place Guynemer.. [14]

From what is now Place General de Gaulle, trams ran along the Boulevard du Cap (today Albert Premier).

The Cap-d’Antibes shuttle service on Boulevard du Cap (today Albert 1st) in Antibes © Nice-Matin. [16]
The Place General de Gaulle looking Southeast towards the Boulevard Albert 1er. It is difficult to locate the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview July 2022]
Place General de Gaul le and Boulevard Albert 1er in Antibes in 2023. The monochrome photograph above is likely to have been taken from a location on the bottom-right of this image. [Google Earth, October 2023]
A view looking Northwest along Boulevard Albert 1er towards Place General de Gaulle from approximately the same location as the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, July 2023]

Trams ran in the road close to the beach at La Salis and then followed the Boulevard du Cap as it began to rise between villas and gardens which it served by a series of fixed and optional stops. Two passing loops were provided, one of which was at Chemin des Contrebandiers. 

Looking Southwest along Boulevard de la Garoupe, the route of the TNL towards the terminus. Chemins des Contrabandieres is on the left. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The Cap-d’Antibes terminus was established towards the south-west end of the peninsula, between the Grand Hôtel du Cap and the Graillon Tower.

The tram terminus on Cap d’Antibes © Nice-Matin. [16]
A view from almost the same location as the monochrome image above. The modern bus stop sits close to the location of the old tram terminus. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

This brings us to the westerly limit of the TNL. The CTC tramway to Cannes is a matter for another time.

To bring the trams to the Cap d’Antibes was a costly exercise. It was a steep, wooded promontory. It was also necessary to undertake costly work to widen existing roads. A generous loan on good repayment terms was agreed by the local authority.

The work included in the contract was the widening of local roads from 6.15m to 8m and the laying of the tram tracks.

Originally trams from Nice covered the full length of the line through Antibes and out onto the Cap d’Antibes. In the post-war years, the Nice and Cap-d’Antibes services were separated, the former running to Place Jean-Macé and the latter leaving from the PLM Station. [1: p38]

References

  1. Jose Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram, Volume No. 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005. This is a French language text.
  2. Not used.
  3. Not used.
  4. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/2974470189465497/?app=fbl, accessed on 30th September 2023.
  5. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3136429316602916/?app=fbl, accessed on 30th September 2023.
  6. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3517639871815190/?app=fbl, accessed on 30th September 2023.
  7. https://saintlaurentduvar.fr/blog/la-gare-travers-l-histoire-un-quartier-en-mutations, accessed on 30th September 2023.
  8. https://www.cparama.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=165, accessed on 30th September 2023.
  9. https://www.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3612075812371595/?app=fbl, accessed on 30th September 2023.
  10. https://www.nicematin.com/vie-locale/le-pont-de-la-brague-une-douloureuse-histoire-468926, accessed on 6th October 2023.
  11. https://www.flickr.com/photos/marsupilami92/13741672855, accessed on 6th October 2023.
  12. https://www.nicematin.com/faits-divers/les-berges-de-la-brague-s-offrent-une-nouvelle-jeunesse-364539, accessed on 6th October 2023.
  13. Not used.
  14. Not used.
  15. https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic01.nicematin.com%2Fmedia%2Fnpo%2F1440w%2F2016%2F11%2F34718603.jpg&tbnid=vZ5-SLb0NRZBNM&vet=1&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nicematin.com%2Fvie-locale%2Fewan-sur-la-piste-d-un-tramway-nomme-desir-96168&docid=E3doVhjrbZkPUM&w=1440&h=888&source=sh%2Fx%2Fim%2Fm4%2F2#imgrc=vZ5-SLb0NRZBNM, accessed on 30th September 2023.
  16. https://www.nicematin.com/vie-locale/ewan-sur-la-piste-d-un-tramway-nomme-desir-96168, accessed on 6th October 2023.

The First Generation Electric Tramways of Nice again. Five more lines. (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 89) …

Jose Banaudo published a two volume set of books about the historic trams of Nice, “Nice au fil du Tram.” Articles based around the first of these two volumes can be found on this blog.

This is the second in a series looking at the second volume. The first can be found on this link:

The First Generation Electric Tramways of Nice again. Four of the Urban Lines. (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 88)

La Ligne de Riquier et du Parc-Imperial

This line was almost entirely double-tracked. It originated on the Place de Riquier (today Auguste-Blanqui), west of the PLM station on the Nice – Ventimiglia line which serves this working-class district to the east of the city. It ran down Rue Arson, passing the depot on Boulevard Ste. Agatha. 

Initially, an old building stood out from other frontages along the route and required a short section of single track (304 metres) The building was demolished in 1914 and the single-track section was eliminated.  At the intersection with Rue Barbéris, a branch headed east to serve a warehouse. At Rue Barla, the Ligne du Port crossed the rails on Rue Arson. Shortly thereafter, two other branches made it possible to deliver wagons to the Giordan metallurgical plant and the cement warehouse on Rue Lascaris.  The line then reached the Eastern corner of the Port, where it joined the Monte-Carlo line and the Voie des Docks towards the Quai des Deux-Emmanuel.

After running along a length of Rue des Deux-Emmanuel, the line turned right onto Place Cassini (now Ile-de-Beauté) where there was a significant tram-halt.  In order to make it easier for the trams that had their terminus here to reverse, a complete loop went around the church of Notre-Dame du Port via Rue Rusca, Rue Fodéré and Rue Pacho.  At the West end of the square, the tramway passed in front of the monument in honor of President Sadi Carnot, whose bronze bust disappeared during the requisition of non-ferrous metals during the last war, then it went up Rue Cassi to Place Garibaldi.  From there, the route was common with other lines on the Boulevards of Pont-Vieux and Mac-Mahon (today Jean-Jaurès), Place Masséna, Avenue de la Gare (today Jean-  Médecin) and Avenue Thiers to the PLM station.

The Route from Place de Riquier to Parc-Imperial via the PLM Station on Avenue Thiers. This image shows the route as it was before 1934. It comes from the collection of Richard Panizzi. [1: p23]

Jose Banaudo continues: “After stopping at the station, the line continued West along Avenue Thiers where a new main post office was installed in 1931 in a large red brick building, in a rather incongruous style in our latitudes.  At the intersection of Boulevard Gambetta, the Parc-Impérial line briefly joined the ‘Circulaire’  in order to pass under the bridge of the PLM Marseille-Nice line.  Then, it branched off to the left into Boulevard du Czaréwitch (today Tzaréwitch) whose name honors the Crown Prince of Russia, Nicolas Alexandrovitch, who died in 1865 in a villa in this district where the Imperial family used to come stay in the winter.” [1: p22]

After passing under the railway bridge, T1 motor car crosses the triangle junction on Boulevard Gambetta to enter Boulevard Czaréwitch. This postcard image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 18th June 2019 and 6th April 2023. [3]
The same location in 2023, Boulevard Gambetta looking South. The scene is now dominated by the motorway flyover. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
This postcard image comes from the collection of Jean-Pierre Garacio and was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 27th January 2015 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. The photograph shows Boulevard Czaréwitch running into the distance on the right and depicts a T2 motor car arriving from Parc-Impérial and passing in front of the Parc des Roses hotel/bar-restaurant. The mention of “Civette Russet” above the entrance door at the centre of the image indicates the strength of the Russian community in this district where the imperial family frequently stayed in the second half of the 19th century. [4]
The camera is in approximately the same location taking this photograph. Boulevard Tzarewitch runs East from its junction with Boulevard Gambetta. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Trams then passed in front of the Russian Orthodox cathedral, completed in 1912, and stopped at the crossroads with Rue Cluvier where the double track ended.  The urban service terminus was set shortly before the intersection with Avenue de la Tour-Lascaris (today Boulevard François-Grosso).

There was a further 529 metres of single-track climbing Boulevard du Parc-Impérial and Avenue d’Angleterre (today Paul-Arène) to terminate at the Southwest corner of the Grand Hôtel du Parc-Impérial. 

This is a postcard image of l’Hotel Parc-Imperial, Nice. [2]
Another view of the Hotel Imperial at Parc Imperial. In the foreground of this image a tram can be seen approaching the terminus of the line. This length of line was only used in the holiday season (between December and May). [5]

The Hotel opened in 1900 on the property where the Russian Imperial family came for vacation. It was this luxury establishment which had financed the extension of the tramway to its doors. The single-track section was only operated during the tourist (winter) season, from 1st December to 15th May.  It disappeared in the post-war years  when the hotel found itself in a difficult financial situation leading to its acquisition by the city of Nice in 1926 with a view to transforming it into a school.

The Hotel Parc Imperial was purchased by the City of Nice in 1926 the roofline has changed but the building seems to have the same footprint in 2023. The tram seen in the image above was approaching the Hotel along the road in the foreground, (Avenue Paul-Arene in the 21st century). [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The Riquier-Parc-Impérial line linked a working-class district and a residential area in the hills, passing through the main transfer points of the urban network: the Port, Places Garibaldi and Masséna, then the PLM station. The route was used by services from Mont-Boron to the PLM station which used it after running between Mont-Boron and the Port on the Monte-Carlo interurban line.  In the 1934 redesign, this route disappeared with the exception of the Riquier – Port – Garibaldi section which was integrated into the new line No. 7. Line No. 7 was the last line served by trams, running until 10th January 1953.

La Ligne de la Gendarmerie, Pasteur, St. Pons et St. Andre

This line linked Place Masséna with St. Andre.

From the TNL station on Place Masséna, the double-track line ran along Rue Gioffredo.  Initially, this route also served the Monte-Carlo and Levens lines, and then, from 1934, all services serving the east of the city took this route. After passing behind Masséna high school and Voeu church, trams for St. Andre met the line arriving from the PLM station via Rue Tonduti-de-L’Escarène, and then saw the interurban lines turn away to the right via Rue Defly towards Place Garibaldi.

Until the end of the Masséna – Garibaldi route via the left bank of the River Paillon in 1934, Rue Defly and Pont Garibaldi were only used by interurban services to Levens, Villefranche, St. Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Beaulieu and Monte Carlo.

At the end of Rue Gioffredo, the service connection to the Cimiez line turned away to the left and St. Andre trams turned right into Boulevard Carabacel where there was a connection to the construction materials warehouse of Charles Véran. At Place Carabacel (today Jean-Moulin), tracks to Pont and Rue Barla turned away to the right. The tramway to Levens rejoined that for St. Andre after having detoured through Place Garibaldi.

The line then ran along the right bank of the River Paillon, then only lightly developed, via the quays of Place d’Armes and Pasteur (today Galliéni and Lyautey).  After passing under the PLM Nice – Ventimiglia railway, trams arrived at the stop serving  the Gendarmerie, which was the terminus for several years. From there, the single track followed the shoulder of the roadway on land recovered from the river bed.  Two branches served a fuel trader and the Andréis steel construction works.  The tramway then ran under the bridge of the PLM Nice – Cuneo line, after which there was a passing loop at the stop called ‘Vésubie’, at the intersection of avenue Florès.  It then ran alongside the district named Pasteur after the large hospital built in 1913, and where a velodrome brought great entertainment on race days. The valley narrowed here, at the foot of the hill where the monastery of Cimiez and the ancient abbey of St. Pons stand. Two stops with passing loops followed, at St. Pons-Octroi and St. Pons-Asile, the latter serving the psychiatric hospital Ste. Marie.

Shortly after this narrow passage where the ligne de Contes could be seen on the other bank of the river and where some services continued towards Levens, the St. André tramway left the Paillon valley to follow the Chemin de Grand Communication No. 19 (currently Departmentale No. 19) into the narrow valley of the River Banquière to reach the terminus at St. André.

A tram for St. Andre waiting at the tram stop in the village which was in the Valley of the River Banquiere. [9]
Possibly a service for Levens in the immediate vicinity of St. Andre. These two images were shared by Roland Coccoli on the Comte de Nice et Son Histoire Facebook Group on 17th May 2020. [6]

I have been unable to locate these two views in relation to the landscape around St. Andre de la Roche in 2023. However, one group of buidlings does appear on the image below.

The group of buildings marked by the yellow arrow appear on both the monochrome images above. This suggests that the tram stop featured in those images was somewhere along the length of the M19 (Quai de las Banquiere) visible in this photograph. [Google Streetview, May 2023]

This line closed in September 1948 in favour of a replacement bus service.

La “Rocade” des Rules Barla, De Lepante et Assalit (Sauzzo – Gare PLM – Carras)

This route, was created to link the East to the West of the city of Nice via the main railway station. The location of its termini was altered several times. Intentionally, it served less busy streets.

The route as of 1934, from the collection of Richard Panizzi. [1: p28]

At its Eastern end it originated not far from the Port in the Riquier district, on Place Saluzzo (today Max-Barel) which since 1908 has been the starting point of the “Moyenne Corniche” towards the Col de Villefranche.  From there, a dedicated route led via Boulevard Imperatrice-de-Russie Boulevard (today Lech-Walesa) to warehouses which were used by the army during the First World War. 

The double track followed Rue Barla in a westward direction where, just 87 m from its starting point, it crossed Rue Arson and the line going down from Riquier towards the Port.  Shortly after, the tram passed in front of the tobacco factory.

A T2 motor car providing a Carras – Saluzzo service has just passed in front of the ‘Manufacture des Tabacs’ and is arriving at the crossroads of Rue Barla and Rue Arson. The branch to the left is used by freight trains traveling between the port and Gare du Sud, from the collection of Andre Lebecque. [1: p27]
Approximately the same location in the 21st century. This photograph was taken at the junction of Rue Baral and Rue Arson. [Google Streetview, January 2019

At the crossroads with Rue de la République, it crossed the line of Abattoirs, La Trinité and Contes, and then crossed the River Paillon on Le Pont Barla. Banaudo says that this was, “a beautiful structure with three cast iron arches in a style similar to that of the Garibaldi bridge nearby.” [1: p27] 

Now on the right bank of the Paillon, the line met La Ligne de St. Pons which it followed for a short distance along Boulevard Carabacel and Rue Gioffredo. [1: p27]

A Thomson tram crosses le Pont Barla towards the street of the same name and Place Saluzzo.  In the background is Place Carabacel (today Jean-Moulin), from where the St. Pons line branched off towards Place-d’Armes (today Galliéni). Note the sheets, which have been washed in the river, drying on lines below the bridge. This photograph was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 7th June 2016 by Roland Coccoli. [7]
A similar view in 2023. The building just to the right of the centre of this image is the same as that at the centre of the image above. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Arriving at the intersection of Rue Tonduti-de-L’Escarène, the tramway branched off to the North taking this fairly narrow street to Place Sasserno.  From there, it entered Rue de Lépante, which commemorates “a terrible naval battle against the Turks in 1571 in which ships crewed from Nice participated.” [1: p27]

Turning sharply to the West, the line followed the narrow Rue Assalit at the end of which it came out at the end of Avenue de la Gare (today Jean-Medecin). It crossed the tram tracks there and entered Avenue Thiers, stopping in front of the PLM station before following Avenue Thiers along its entire length to the intersection with Boulevard Gambetta.  At Boulevard Gambetta, the trams turned South towards the crossroads of Rue de France and then turned West to run along the same route as lines to La Madeleine, La Californie and Cagnes to a terminus at either Pont-Magnan or at Carras depending on its year of operation. [1: p27]

Nice – Carras District – Saint Helene – tram stop. The stamp at the centre of the card shows that it was sent during WWI from the Ruhl temporary hospital which was used for war-wounded soldiers and which was in the building that in calmer times was the Ruhl Hotel on the Promenade des Anglais. This postcard image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jean-Paul Bascoul on 26th February 2023. [8]
The Avenue de la Californie in 2023. The road forms the main artery for Nice’s modern tram service to and from the Airport. This photograph is taken close to the terminus of the tram route in Carras. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

This line closed in November 1948 in favour of a replacement bus service.

La “Circulaire” Par le Passage a Niveau (Ste. Agathe – Passage a Niveau Gambetta)

Of all of the lines in the Nice tram network, this line was the most varied. Over most of the route, it followed tracks used by other lines. The only exceptions, Banaudo tells us, “being the lengths between Gare du Sud and  PN  Gambetta and at the Gambetta / Czaréwitch crossroads.” [1: p30]

This route map comes from the collection of Richard Panizzi. [1: p31]

Banaudo goes on to say that the route, “lost its circular character in 1934 with the elimination of the north-south axis via the avenues, but part of its route was taken up later to create line 7 which  was the last served by trams, closing in 1953.” [1: p30]

Initially, the ligne “Circulaire” services left Place Masséna along Avenues de la Gare (now Jean-Medecin) and Malaussena to Place Gambetta (today Général De Gaulle) in front of the Gare du Sud.  “There, the route branched off to the west taking Boulevard Joseph-Garnier to the level crossing of the Nice – Digne and Nice – Meyrargues lines of the Chemins de fer du Sud de la France (SF).  The TNL double track crossed that of the SF by a quadruple crossing on which traffic was governed by instructions common to the two companies.  Here, the trains had priority over the trams: an announcement by electric bell warned the barrier guard of their approach, who closed the signals for the tram and then stretched four chains across the road to stop traffic.  In the north-west corner of the level crossing, a TNL track connected to a long siding belonging to the SF, through which the goods convoys commuting from the Port were pushed back towards the goods yard of the Gare du Sud.” [1: p30]

A winter view of Boulevard Joseph-Garnier looking East with tram tracks visible in the road surface. [9]
The same location on Boulevard Joseph-Garnier in April 2023. The photograph is taken from a point just a few tens of metres to the West od the monochrome image above. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

After this the “Circulaire” ran South along Boulevard Gambetta.  At the crossroads of Boulevard Czaréwitch (today Tzaréwitch), the line to the Parc-Impérial left to the West. The “Circulaire” then passed under the railway bridge.  After which, the lines towards the PLM Station branched off to the East onto Avenue Thiers. Some distance further South, the “Circulaire” turned left (East) into Rue de France, joining the route used by trams serving La Madeleine, Carras and Cagnes and returned to Place Masséna.

Banaudo tells us that, “Later, the route was extended eastwards in three stages: – First to the Port via Boulevards Mac-Mahon and du Pont-Vieux (today Jean-Jaurès), Place Garibaldi and Rue  Cassini. Then, an additional loop was added to this circuit: from the Port, it went up Rue Arson to Boulevard Ste.  Agathe, running along that street to reach Rue de la République and then Place Garibaldi.” [1: p30]

A third short “extension allowed Place de Riquier to be served, which the tramway reached in one direction via the Port and in the other via Boulevard Ste. Agathe.” [1: p30]

Rue de France, the Thomson tramcar nº 38 has just passed a car going in the opposite direction in front of the l’Eglise St.Pierre-d’Arène heading towards Boulevard Gambetta. The disk at the front of the roof indicates that the tram is on the “circulaire” service. The photograph was taken by Giletta in the period before the 1st World War. The church was extensively  remodelled in the period between the two world wars. This image comes from the collection of Jean-Pierre Garacio. [1: p32]

This line finally closed in January 1953 in favour of a replacement bus service.

La Ligne de la Madeleine (Masséna – La Madeleine)

The last line to open in Nice’s urban tram network served La Madeleine running initially from Place Masséna but it’s Eastern terminus changed on a number of occasions. First to the Port, then Abattoirs and finally La Trinité Victor. 

Departing from Place Masséna, the tramway first the main East-West artery heading towards Carras and Cagnes. At Pont Magnan it turned North and became a single-track route. A passing loop was installed just to the North of the junction.

Just to the North of Rue de France a tram sits in the passing loop presumably awaiting the arrival of another tram from Place Masséna. This image looks North toward the PLM railway viaduct. It was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 2nd February 2023 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. [14]
Looking from Rue de France along Boulevard de la Madeleine in October 2022. During the 20th century, the River Magnan was culverted leaving the immediate area looking very different to the monochrome view above! [Google Streetview, October 2022]
The tramway running along the left bank of the River Magnan the PLM Marseille – Nice railway was carried over the River on the viaduct at the centre of this image which looks North and which was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jean-Paul Bascoul on 16th April  2020. [11]
A similar view in 2022 to that immediately above. The railway viaduct, in the 22st century is flanked on both North and South faces by the high level dual carriageway Voie Pierre Mathis. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

Passing under the PLM Marseille – Nice railway line, the track ran along the left bank of the River Magnan, between Boulevard de La Madeleine and the river. Jose Banaudo tells us that the line “takes its name from the silkworm breeding industry … which flourished in this sector until the end of the 19th century.” [1: p33]

Looking South, this postcard image shows the railway viaduct across the Valley of the River Magnan. Trams ran between the road at the river. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Roland Coccoli on 16th April 2016. [12]
Also looking South towards the Mediterranean, this 21st century view emphasises the changes which have occurred in the valley of the River Magnan. [Google Streetview, August 2020]
Further North and looking North in 1942. Some work was undertaken in the river channel that year. This image predates the work. It was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Charles Louis Fevrier on 17th January 2021. [13]
Approximately the same view during the work in 1942. [13]
Looking North again. The Boulevard de la Madeleine follows the line of the River Magnan which continues in culvert. It is impossible to locate a modern photograph at the location of the monochrome images above as there has been so much development in the river valley. [Google Streetview, April 2023]
Looking South at the same location. All three of these images were shared on the Comte de Nice et son Port Facebook Group on 17th January 2021 by Charles Louis Fevrier. The tramway is visible in all three images. [13]

The Magnan valley, then a relatively sparsely populated district on the edge of the city, justified its tram service due to the presence of “numerous craft workshops and small factories such as a mechanical piano factory, a glassworks, a biscuit factory, a button factory and several laundries. These establishments also left their names on the tram stops, and later on the bus stops.” [1: p33]

A tram running along the left bank of the River Magnan in La Madeleine. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 10th October 2019 by Roland Coccoli. [10]

On Sundays, the activity of the workshops was replaced by renowned restaurants with dance floors and boules. Many city dwellers came to spend a relaxing day in the countryside, which inevitably included an excursion to the “Trou des Etoiles”, a natural cave, 35 m deep at the base of Ventabrun hill which was then mentioned in the most prestigious tourist guides.” [1: p33]

Passing loops sat in front of two restaurants, “Chalet des Roses” and “Les Orangers”. The terminus was in the Place de La Madeleine (today Alexandre-Blanchi) below the church, the cemetery and la gare Sud-France station which served the village.

Once again, this route map comes from the collection of Richard Panizzi. [1: p34]

This line closed in December 1951 in favour of a replacement bus service.

References

  1. Jose Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram, Volume No. 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005. This is a french language text.
  2. https://cartepostale-ancienne.fr/image/data/nice2/nice%20anciennes%20cartes%203%20-%20Copie%20(2).jpg, accessed on 18th September 2023.
  3. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3653570808222095, accessed on 18th September 2023.
  4. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3603827463196430, accessed on 19th September 2023.
  5. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/5006424#0, accessed on 19th September 2023.
  6. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/2772946732951178, accessed on 19th September 2023.
  7. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/1767626043483257, accessed on 23rd September 2023.
  8. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3627417797504063, accessed on 23rd September 2023.
  9. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3258725034373343, accessed on 23rd September 2023.
  10. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3254264148152765, accessed on 27th September 2023.
  11. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3660228510889658, accessed on 27th September 2023.
  12. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/1747300928849102, accessed on 27th September 2023.
  13. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/2999148096997706, accessed on 27th September 2023.
  14. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3608755489370294, accessed on 27th September 2023.

The First Generation Electric Tramways of Nice again. Four of the Urban Lines. (Chemins de Fer de Provence/Alpes-Maritimes No. 88)

Jose Banaudo published a two volume set of books about the historic trams of Nice, “Nice au fil du Tram.” Articles based around the first of these two volumes can be found on the following links:

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/08/28/tnl-tramways-during-the-first-world-war-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-80/

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2018/12/28/tnl-tramways-recovery-after-the-first-world-war-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-83/

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/04/09/the-tnl-tram-network-the-beginning-of-the-decline-1927-1934-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-84/

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/10/14/the-tnl-tram-network-the-changes-in-the-urban-network-1929-1934-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-86/

https://rogerfarnworth.com/2020/08/12/the-tnl-tram-network-chemins-de-fer-de-provence-87/

This new post is the first of a series of articles based on the second volume. [1] The books were published as French language texts, quotations directly from the books have been translated with the assistance of ‘Google Lens’ and ‘Google Translate’.

Jose Banaudo tells us that, after a time served only by horse-powered trams, Nice granted concessions to the Tramways de Nice et du Littoral (TNL). Those concessions were granted, line by line, by the city of Nice, by the State, by the Principality of Monaco, by the Port of Nice and by the Departmente des Alpes-Maritimes on the understanding that electrically powered trams would be used. The individually granted concessions meant that the TNL had to work hard to ensure that the differences between these concessions did not significantly affect the service it provided to the public. In fact, it achieved “a remarkable technical unification of its operations.” [1: p6]

Rather than looking at the detail of the statutes, Jose Banaudo has grouped his work into three main categories: the urban lines of Nice; those of the coast (including the urban networks of Monaco and Menton); and those of the hinterland.

Held in Nice Archive Library, this is a map of the tram network (cartes du reseau des tramways), in the early 20th century. Archives Nice Côte d’Azur, 2 O 3. [3]

The urban network in Nice was built in just a short time between 1900 and 1902. “Subsequently, the mileage was increased in 1903 by the Parc-Impérial line, in 1907 by the extension of the Gendarmerie to St. Pons line, then in 1908 by the line to La Madeleine and the extension from St. Pons to St. André.” [1: p6] Banaudo tells us that, “Other lines planned for the residential areas of the city centre and on the edge of the Old Town were not built, following disagreements with the municipality.” [1: p6]

In the first chapter of his book, [1] Jose Banaudo covers the nine original urban lines, and the modifications made to that network. This article covers four of those lines.

He notes that until the end of 1922, the lines were designated by a number which did not appear on the vehicles. On 1st January 1923 visible numbering was introduced which was then altered on 8th October 1934. This later renumbering took account of the removal of the north-south axis route and most of the interurban lines ….

For each of the lines covered below, Banaudo provides a route map. The route maps used comes from a series produced in 1934.

La Ligne de Cimiez

The first tramway on this route was a 600mm track gauge tramway created in 1895. The new tramway was double track for most of its route, it began at the corner of Rue de l’Hôtel-des-Postes and Avenue de la Gare, where it connected with the tracks going up the avenue from Place Masséna.

This, and subsequent route maps, show each route as it was in 1934. They are sourced from the collection of Richard Panizzi. [1: p7]
L’Hotel des Postes with a tram running on Rue de l’Hotel des Postes. [2]
L’Hotel des Postes looking North from Rue Foncet in October 2022. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

After passing Place de la Liberté (now Wilson) in front of the main post office (built in 1888 and which gave its name to the street), it reached the crossroads at Rue Tonduti-de-L’Escarène where it was crossed at right angles by the route between Nice’s Port and the Railway Station. (That route was used both for passengers and for goods.

The line crossed Place Defly (today Marshall) where it passed in front of the main entrance of the l’hopital St. Roch. It then passed the end of the Rue de l’Hôtel-des-Postes (initially named Scaliéro at that point) close to the southern slopes of the hill of Cimiez. Here the tramway veered left onto Boulevard Carabacel, while on the right a short walk of 140 m made it possible to reach the depot of Ste. Agathe via the Barla bridge.

Around here were elite villas and a few luxurious hotels, such as the Hermitage and the Grand-Palais, which had their own private funicular. At the end of Boulevard Carabacel, the Avenue Désambrois heralded the start of the Boulevard de Cimiez and its long climb to Les Arenes.

Le Boulevard de Cimiez. [4]
Le Boulevard de Cimiez in March 2023. [Google Streetview, March 2023]
Another view of Le Boulevard de Cimiez. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 8th July 2019 by Roland Ciccoli. [5]
Le Boulevard de Cimiez in March 2023 again. [Google Streetview, March 2023]

Le Boulevard de Cimiez climbed to a junction beneath the substantial Régina Hotel where the statue of Queen Victoria marks the frequent stays of the British sovereign in the Cimiez district in the latter years of the 19th century.

The older tramway turned to the left to pass in front of the hotel. The TNL route turned to the right with a brief steep climb to reach Les Arenes (the Arena) directly.

The tram route bears to the right in front of the Regina Palace Hotel. The older horse -drawn tramway turned left at this location. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 15th March 2019 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. [5]
The same location in 2023. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

Les Arenes, the remains of the ancient Roman city of Cemenelum, was very popular with the people of Nice with its park of olive trees and the nearby Franciscan monastery. Many walkers used this tram service to access this area on Sundays and during the annual festivals of Des Mais and Des Cougourdons. Here, the line became single track to go up Avenue Cap-de-Croix (today Flirey). The only passing loop was near the Octroi-de-Brancolar on the Place des Quatre-Chemins (now Commandant-Gérôme), shortly before reaching the Cimiez terminus. This was located on a single track and steep slope in front of the entrance to the Zoological Gardens.

The terminus of ‘La Ligne de Cimiez’ at the Zoological Gardens. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 27th June 2015 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. [7]

The Jardin Zoologique was founded in the last years of the 19th century and closed in 1906.

La Ligne de Carras, La California, St. Augustin et St. Laurent-du-Var

A route map from 1934 held in the collection of Richard Panizzi [1: p10]

This line ran West from Place Massena to St. Laurent-du-Var, initially following an East-West route along Rue Masséna, Place Magenta, Rue de  France and the Place de la Croix-de-Marbre.

That length of this route was shared with the interurban lines to Cagnes and Antibes, and with other urban routes: the one towards the Passage-à-Niveau branched off onto Boulevard Gambetta, while the line from La Madeleine branched off at Pont-Magnan. 

Pont Magnon. The tram tracks can be seen in the road surface. The branch to La Madeleine turns away at the right of this image which was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 14th January 2020 by Roland Coccoli. [10]
The location of Pont Magnan. Boulevard de la Madeleine runs away to the right at this junction. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

Beyond the bridge over the Magnan valley, the tramway followed the Avenue de la Californie to serve the Lenval children’s hospital; the suburb of Ste. Hélène and its church; continuing then to Carras where several services terminated.

TNL tram No. 124 alongside the church rooms if Ste. Hélène on Avenue de la Californie. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 11th June 2020 by Jean-Paul Bascoul. [9]
The same location on Avenue de la Californie, l’Eglise de Ste. Helene. [Google Streetview, April 2023]

The line then continued on through the district of La Californie, where the electricity substation provided power and where a short branch line, opened in 1910 to serve the airfield for the great air show in Nice.

Banaudo notes that the creation of a branch for an air show which lasted only two weeks aroused criticism.  “The local press pointed out that in this same district, the TNL company had always refused to establish a line serving the Caucade cemetery, which would have been more useful for the people of Nice.  Families going to the cemetery had to leave the tramway at Carras and walk up Avenue Ste. Marguerite. … This large cemetery in the west of Nice was first served by public transport by the Santa-Azur bus company which opened a bus-route in 1922, to which the TNL reacted, opening their own tram service in 1925.” [1: p9]

Trams then stopped near the St. Augustin bridge to serve the station called ‘Le Var’ (today ‘Nice-St. Augustin’). At this point the line became single-track and ran alongside the railway embankment to the left (East) bank of the river. A branch serving the Hippodrome du Var was opened in 1901. The branch was about 800 metres long and was used on horse racing days.  The River Var was initially crossed on a 355 m long mixed rail/road bridge, carrying the PLM railway, the tramway and the highway. In 1923, a new railway bridge was built upstream of the original.  On the right (West) bank, the tramcars providing urban services terminated at the level crossing of St. Laurent-du-Var, while those towards Cagnes and Antibes continued heading West.

A tram on the bridge over the River Var. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 17th March 2016 by Roland Ciccoli. [8]
A view in 2022 of the same bridge, vegetation close to the bridge makes it impossible to show a direct modern comparison with the picture above. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

La Ligne de St. Maurice et St. Sylvestre

Originally this line had its terminus at Place Masséna, although services on the route were quickly extended to the Port.

From the Port, trams followed Rue Cassini to Place Garibaldi where they turned left along Rue des Italiens towards Place Masséna.

A route map of this line from 1934 held in the collection of Richard Panizzi [1: p13]
Place Massena looking North along Avenue de la Gare, which in 2023 is known as Avenue Jean Medecin. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group on 22nd December 2015 by Roland Coccoli. [12]
A similar view from Place Massena looking towards Avenue Jean Medecin. [Google Streetview, 2013]

Banaudo notes that North of Place Masséna there was a connection to Rue de l’Hôtel des Postes and the line to Cimiez.

At the junction between Avenue de la Gare (now Avenue Jean Medecin) and Rue de l’Hotel des Postes with Café de la Regence on the corner. Avenue de la Gare runs away on the left side of the image. The connection to the line to Cimiez can be seen on the right. Note the central conduit used for power in the centre of Nice. [16]
The same junction in the 21st century. The Café de la Regence has been replaced by the Societe Generale building. Modern tram tracks can be seen in the surface of Avenue Jean Medecin. [Google Streetview,

The line then followed Avenue de la Gare (later renamed Avenue de la Victoire then today Avenue Jean-Médecin). “On this route,” Banaudo says, “shaded by majestic plane trees was concentrated a great urban activity with the first big stores of the city, the banks, the hotels, the brasseries and cafes, of which some were frequented heavily by those on winter vacations.” [1: p12]

Banaudo continues: “After passing in front of the neo-Gothic style Notre-Dame church, inaugurated in 1868, the tramway crossed the tracks arriving from the Port by Rue Assalit which continued towards the PLM station by Avenue Thiers. It then passed under the bridge of the Nice-Ventimiglia line, beyond which the supply by aerial wire replaced the underground conduit which was used between Place Masséna and the railway station.” [1: p12]

In this South-facing view, a tram passes Notre Dame church on what was Avenue de la Gare, Avenue Jean-Médecin (Public Domain). [13]
The same location looking South on Avenue Jean Medecin (previously Avenue de la Gare) with the Basilique Notre Dame de l’Assomption on the right. [Google Streetview, May 2018]
Avenue Jean Medecin passes under the SNCF (formerly PLM) railway lines. Boulevard Raimbaldi runs away from the camera alongside the railway. This photograph was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Laure Bermond on 22nd July 2023. [14]
The railway bridge now sits beneath the Voi Pierre Mathis. [Google Streetview, May 2018]
Trams on Avenue Malaussena. The conduit used for power collection is visible again. The trams are stopped here to allow the pickup assembly (plough) to be lifted from the conduit and for the pole to be raised to make contact with the overhead power line. [17]

North of the railway lines, the route continued along Avenue Malaussena, through Place Béatrix (later Place Gambetta of the Liberation and today Place General De Gaulle) where stood the imposing facade of the Gare du Sud, terminus of the Chemins de Fer du Sud de la France lines which served  Digne-les-Bains, Grasse, Draguignan and Meyrargues. Those lines can be followed in other posts on this blog. [11]

Avenue Borriglione in 1900. The trams share the carriageway with horse drawn carts. In the 21st century the route is reserved for the use of trams and pedestrians. [18]
The same length of Avenue Borriglione seen from the corner of Rue Parmentier in the 21st century. The trams have the road carriageway dedicated to their use. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

At Place Beatrix, the line towards the Passage-à-Niveau Gambetta turned away to the left along Boulevard Joseph-Garnier, while the route we are following “continued its route along Avenue Borriglione, a narrower street than those previously taken.  Place de St. Maurice (today Place de Alexandre-Médecin) marked the end of the double track and served as a terminus for every other service on this route.  Beyond this, the tram continued its route along Avenue du Ray through what were then still rural suburbs. There were four crossing loops along this length. The terminus was established on the Place de St. Sylvestre (today Place de General-Goiran), at the outlet of the Vallon-Obscur where inns, guinguettes and boules pitches were popular Sunday excursion destinations.” [1: p12]

A stop on the run towards the terminus in St. Sylvestre. This image was shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jose Barbe D’acier on 20th February  2023. [15]
The tram terminus at St. Sylvestre. This image was also shared on the Comte de Nice et son Histoire Facebook Group by Jose Barbe D’acier on 20th February  2023. [15]
This image shows the approximate location of the old tramway terminus on Avenue de St. Sylvestre. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

La Ligne des Abattoirs et de la Trinite (Gare PLM – Abattoirs)

This line shared most of its route with other lines and when the restructuring occurred in 1934 the city centre section between Avenue Thiers and Place Garibaldi, was removed as the service was covered effectively by other lines.

Originally, the line started in front of the PLM station in Nice-Ville, from where the tramway went along Avenue Thiers to turn South on Avenue de la Gare, which it followed to Place Masséna. At the southern end of Place Masséna, the double-track turned into the Boulevards Mac-Mahon and du Pont-Vieux (today Jean-Jaurès).

The old route of the tramway turned left into Boulevard Mac-Mahon. This view shows the street in 1866 before the River Paillon was culverted. [21]
The old route of the tramway turned left into Boulevard Mac-Mahon. [19]
A similar view in the 21st century, looking along Boulevard Jean-Jaurès. [Google Streetview, October 2022]

Passing along the left (East) bank of the River Paillon. Banaudo notes that the river was, “often reduced to a meager trickle of water flowing over stretches of pebbles where the ‘bugadiera’ (washerwomen) came to wash and spread their laundry on either side of the Pont-Vieux.” [1: p17] 

‘Bugadiera’ in the river channel of the Paillon. [23]

There was a fruit and vegetable market here in summer at the edge of the Old Town that the people of Nice affectionately nicknamed the ‘Babazouk’.

This route map for the line shows its route after the changes to the network in 1934. The map comes from the collection of Richard Panizzi. Place Garibaldi can be seen bottom-centre of the image. To the left of this the route shown dies not match that described by Jose Banaudo. The changes to the network in 1934 resulted in the trams beginning this journey by travelling along Boulevard Gambetta from their new terminus at Place Gambetta. They turned left onto Rue de France and then ran along Rue H. Sauvan and across the North end of Place Masséna onto Rue Gioffredo before turning right onto Rue Defley and approaching Place Garibaldi from the North. [1: p20]
A tram on Rue Gioffredo after the Second World War. [20]

When it reached Place Garibaldi, the … tramway crossed the Monte-Carlo and Port lines, before joining the Contes line, which had its terminus at a corner of the square. The double tracks ran up Rue de la République in its entirety, crossing at the intersection of Rue Barla the Gare PLM-Place Saluzzo line. Then at the intersection of Boulevard Ste. Agathe it passed the junction to the depot and the Riquier district. Arriving at Place Risso, it took the road to Turin and passed under the bridge of the PLM Nice-Ventimiglia line.” [1: p17]

The next section of the line passed Nice’s gas works and coking plant where a series of branches allowed for goods traffic to and from the works/plant and military military maintenance warehouses. There was also a branch into the St. Roch station.

After Place de La Brigue, the tramway passed under the bridge of the PLM Nice-Coni line and crossed an industrial district, with slaughterhouses and the cattle market on its left, and to the right, refrigerated warehouses and meat traders and the access to St. Roch station.  A terminus for urban services was located a little beyond the footbridge of the Abattoirs, at the point where the Route de Turin joins the bank of the River Paillon.

The double track ended, and just beyond this point, the line included sidings at the Hauteur de la Cité PLM and at the Octroi de Turin, the urban terminus and a stabling point for freight trains waiting to enter the city. Banaudo, writing in 2005, comments that “the provisional terminus of the new Nice tramway will be established here, at the end of the ‘Pont Michel’ named after a former metallurgical workshop in the St. Roch district.  This end of the Chemin de Roquebillière is now called Boulevard Pierre Sémard.” [1: p17]

The single track tramway was now laid in the shoulder if the road and provided connections to a marble merchant and to the military fodder yard, an establishment which gave its name to a tram stop with a passing loop. Here, “the valley narrowed between the heights of Mont Gros, surmounted by the dome of the Observatory on the left bank, and the hills of Cimiez and St. Pons on the right bank where the line to Levens ran.” [1: p17] 

After passing “the Notre-Dame de Bon-Voyage chapel, where travelers in the past invoked divine protection before undertaking their journey towards the Col de Tende and Piedmont, the line passed under the PLM Nice-Coni line and l’Evitement des Carrières where some other urban services terminated.  Opposite the then rural district of L’Ariane, the tramway tracks crossed those of the railway which served the Gerland warehouse, and then the Vallon de l’Oli and Boccadore sidings.” [1: p17]

At the entrance to the town of La Trinité-Victor, trams encountered the bridge over the Laghet valley, …  then the branch to the Ariane flour mill which turned left to cross the PLM railway and the Paillon.  The track rejoined the roadway in the centre of La Trinité-Victor, where the terminus was established.” [1: p17] Trams providing rural services continued beyond this point. The line actually continued on to Contes, Bendéjun and La Grave-de-Peille.

The line continues on from the urban terminus at La Trinite-Victor toward Contes. [22]

References

  1. Jose Banaudo; Nice au fil du Tram, Volume No. 2: Les Hommes, Les Techniques; Les Editions de Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, France, 2005. This is a french language text.
  2. https://www.communes.com/cartes-postales-anciennes-nice, … content://media/external/downloads/1000019420, accessed on 19th August 2023.
  3. https://archives.nicecotedazur.org/dossier_pedagogique/la-revolution-des-transports-a-nice-le-tramway, accessed on 20th August 2023.
  4. https://www.delcampe.net/en_GB/collectables/postcards/france-nice/unclassified/nice-boulevard-de-cimiez-tramway-613224433.html, accessed on 20th August 2023.
  5. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/2473601369552384, accessed on 20th August 2023.
  6. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3639384749640701, accessed on 20th August 2023.
  7. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/2171905139722010, accessed on 21st August 2023.
  8. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3291175687794944, accessed on 21st August 2023.
  9. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3699253803653795, accessed on 21st August 2023.
  10. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/2655694664676386, accessed on 21st August 2023.
  11. The lines to Digne-les-Bains and Meyrargues were metre-gauge secondary railway lines. The original terminus no longer serves the railways and is a cultural and food centre with a more modern, but much less impressive, terminus sited to the West.
  12. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/1701108476801681, accessed on 22nd August 2023.
  13. https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fichier:BJ_106_-_NICE_-_Avenue_de_la_Gare.JPG, accessed on 22nd August 2023.
  14. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3728410140738161, accessed on 22nd August 2023.
  15. https://m.facebook.com/groups/ciccoli/permalink/3622716204640889, accessed on 22nd August 2023.
  16. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/5006406#0, accessed on 23rd August 2023.
  17. https://www.cparama.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=177&t=30104, accessed on 23rd August 2023.
  18. http://jeangilletta.com/fr/produit/nice-avenue-borriglione-1900, accessed on 23rd August 2023.
  19. https://www.geneanet.org/cartes-postales/view/4074034#0, accessed on 24th August 2023.
  20. http://p9.storage.canalblog.com/94/63/1127995/103839634_o.jpg, accessed on 24th August 2023.
  21. https://cartorum.fr/carte-postale/206013/nice-nice-le-boulevard-mac-mahon-france, accessed on 25th August 2023.
  22. https://villedelatrinite.fr/la-commune/histoire,vaccessed on 25th August 2023.
  23. https://www.fortunapost.com/06-alpes-maritimes/2066-carte-postale-ancienne-06-nice-les-blanchisseuses-du-paillon-1903.html, accessed on 25th August 2023.