To Saint-Anthème
To Bonson To St-Rambert
North
D 96
Chantereine
Saint-Jean-Soleymieux
Fortifications
Fraisse
M ar e
le Bost
GR3
Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez
la Cruzille
re Ma
la Perrière
D 498
Saint-Marcellin en-Forez station
Chenereilles r And
Marcilleux
able
Marols
Côte Rail
l'Olme
la Roche n
Joanziecq
nso
la Chaulme GR3 alternate trail
la Chapelle-en-Lafaye Goats
le Vernet
la Mûre Valinches
Key les Granges Bisons
Nurols
D 14
"Railway Adventure" Family Trail
Tor t
il
Bonson
ab l e dr
Santiago de Compostela Trail
Périgneux D 32
ne
t
Cossanges
Valette Taillefer
Marandière
le Generret Ninerols
Scenic Railway
son
Bracombe
Distances on the Trail Saint-Bonnet-le-Château
Pichillon
le Chauffour
Main Road
Bon
Collegiate Church
les Mas
Watercourse
Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez / Estivareilles : 28 km
Aboën
Brassolard
la Tourette
Estivareilles
St-Marcellin-en-Forez / Gare de Périgneux : 8 km Gare de Périgneux / Luriecq : 6,5 km Luriecq / Gare de Valinches-Marols : 3 km Gare de Valinches-Marols / St-Bonnet-le-Château : 5,5 km St-Bonnet-le-Château / Estivareilles : 5 km
Til 120 Line Bus Stops
D 3-1
Chazols
Saint-Etienne/Craponne-sur-Arzon
die
u
Chan
Montcoudiol
To Usson-en-Forez
Typical Village
Monument
Historic Church
To la Chaise-Dieu
Castle
Arts and Crafts
Livestock Farming
To Apinac
Megalithic Site Restaurant
Furnished Letting
Rest House
Group Accommodation
Hotel
To Saint-Maurice-en-Gourgois
To St-Nizier-de-Fornas
To Merle Leignec
Bed and Breakfast
To Chambles
D 32
l'Etrat
GR 3
Luriecq
Manat
el
A
Viaduct
Stones Quarry
Reiriecq or
tra Egarande te a n ter n Al
Tunnel
Sommériecq
la Chaumasse
Valinches station
Departure of the "Railway Adventure"Trail
Périgneux station
la gare de Nus
Montarcher
Passage under the road
Bo
Fils
Food Shop
Local Products Shops
Campsite
Motorhome Wonderland Service
Place of Interest
Viewpoint Indicator
Thematic Path
Body of Water
1 2 3 4 5
St-Marcellin-en-Forez/les Plantées Luriecq/Bourg St-Bonnnet-le-Château/Place de la République Estivareilles/Pichillon Estivareilles/Bourg Gare
Fishing Equestrian Center
Scenic Railway
Bike Workshop
Museum
Musée de France
Bonson / Sembadel Line 795 000
L'aventure du rail The railway adventure
A human and technical adventure - chronology -
September 19th 1873 : 1st train dragged by “La belle Dijonnaise”, over the 28 kilometers distance between Saint-Bonnet-le-Château and Bonson, it took 1 hour going down and 1 hour and 15 minutes going up. February 1875 : the prefect of Loire called for a public enquiry into the extension to Craponne sur-Arzon. On the 17th of March, the conciliation board concluded that the extension was of public interest, and imposed a service road in Usson en-Forez. March 2nd 1878 : the final acceptance decree made official the legal completion of the Bonson/ Saint-Bonnet-le-Château line, that is to say after almost 5 years of working. December 6th 1881 : the minister brought in a bill dealing with the public interest statement of the Ambert/Darsac/Saint-Bonnet-le-Château via Sembadel railway, and the incorporation of the local interest Bonson/Saint-Bonnet-le-Château railway within the general interest network. August 2nd 1886 : by means of a law, the minister entrusted the PLM with the running of the Bonson/ Sembadel line on behalf of the State. October 1890 : beginning of the works for the extension from Saint-Bonnet-le-Château
to Sembadel, the station of Saint-Bonnet-le Château was enlarged. End of January 1894 : 574 persons worked on the site. Sunday, the 29 of August of 1897 : in Craponne-sur-Arzon, inauguration of the Saint Bonnet-le-Château/Craponne-sur-Arzon section, in the presence of the minister of Justice and Worships, Mr. Darlan. th
This trail is dedicated to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. > Information panel at the beginning of the stages > St-Marcellin-en-Forez/Estivareilles marker every kilometer > Reminder marker every 500 m > Stage marker every kilometer > Double arrows at the contentious intersections
September 15th 1902 : inauguration of the final junction, Craponne-sur-Arzon/Sembadel. January 1938 : transfer of the running from the PLM to the SNCF, like the majority of the national network. Septembre 1974 : the owner noticed some problems in the tunnel of Pichillon which led to brick the work up and to forbid the traffic on the Saint-Bonnet-le-Château/Estivareilles section. Thus, two sections were run, Bonson/ Saint-Bonnet-le-Château and Estivareilles/ Sembadel. September 1976 : the Saint-Marcellin-en- Forez/ Saint-Bonnet-le-Château section was neutralized. September 1980 : the last travelers service was given up. In 1986, dismantling of the railway between Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez and Estivareilles. January 30th 1990 : the termination of the service road of the tilery in Saint-Marcellinen-Forez, made an end of the Bonson/ Sembadel line.
Take the bus and come back by the railway, you can take the Conseil général de la Loire (Saint-Etienne/Craponne-sur-Arzon) Til 120 line. Single rate : 2€ More informations on www.loire.fr or contact the Philibert Transport company by phone : 04 77 02 21 05.
Information Office de tourisme du pays de Saint-Bonnet-le-Château 7 place de la République 42380 Saint Bonnet-le-Château Tel. 04 77 50 52 48 www.uk.pays-st-bonnet-le-chateau.fr Office de tourisme Loire Forez 7 place de la Paix 42170 Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert Tel. 04 77 52 05 14 www.loireforez.eu
Chemin de fer du Haut-Forez La gare - 42380 Estivareilles Tel. 04 77 50 82 03 www.chemindeferhautforez.fr Club de modélisme ferroviaire d’Estivareilles L’Etang - 42380 Estivareilles Tel. 06 76 20 36 62 www.cmfhf.net Musée d’histoire du 20e siècle Rue du couvent - 42380 Estivareilles Tel. 04 77 50 29 20
Graphic design & Illustration : Marie-Cécile Berger- 2012
January 22nd 1870 : the concessionaires formed in Saint-Etienne the Saint-Etienne Saint Bonnet-le-Château Railway Company (via Bonson station) : this company contracted to carry out the branch line works, in 3 years – as a consequence, 350 persons worked on the site in May of 1873.
Marking the railway adventure
From Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez to the Périgneux station (8 km)
From the Périgneux station to Luriecq (6,5km)
In the beginning, the line started from an altitude of 380 meters in Bonson and covered 67 km up to Sembadel, at an altitude of 1089 meters. The ascent is very spectacular between Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez and Saint-Bonnet-le-Château, as the railroad runs on a 500 meters incline over 23 km. Thus, the relief had more impact than the villages service road when the engineers sketched the laying out. The stations are often located far from the town center : the Saint-Marcellin-enForez station is based in Les Plantées (1.2 km from the center), the Périgneux station is in Marieux (2 km from the center), and the Marols station is in Valinches (3 km from the center).
The most interesting art works are based in this part of the railroad.
2 kilometers after the Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez station, the railway goes up the first foothills of the Mounts of Forez, the line enters into the narrow dale of La Bessette, with a 30 mm/m ramp next.
The small viaduct of Marieux is located 300 meters after the Périgneux station. It is a 59 m long work, including three 10 m opening arches. It overhangs a watercourse, Bonsonnet, on its left bank.
When climbing this ramp, you will enjoy the beautiful landscapes of the Plain of Forez.
Just before arriving to Luriecq, the first small tunnel of the line, 68 meters long, built with a beautiful bonding of carved stones. For the first time, it allows to access the heart of the village, going under the main road n°498.
Did you know… the railway played a part in the expansion of wine trade, when ascending, and of lumber trade, when descending. Which percentage of slope corresponds to a 30 mm/m : □ 0,3% □ 3% □ 30%
From Luriecq to the station of Valinches/Marols (3 km)
It was graded as historical monument during the past century and is officially dated of the third millennium BC. Did you know… the railway played a part in the expansion of a stone quarry (pink granite) located at 500 meters from the Périgneux station. It can be seen from the Marieux viaduct. Find the dolmen located near the line, between Périgneux station and Luriecq, then draw it…
The railroad keeps on ascending the hillside, and overhangs the Valinches brook, which also gave its name to the castle looking down upon the watercourse and to the small station of Marols. In winter, you may appreciate a wonderful view of the castle, about 1 km before arriving to the Valinches station. This short stop in Valinches reveals the villages were badly-served by the railway. It had to serve Saint-Jean-Soleymieux, which is 10 km from here. Before being the Valinches station, it was the stop for Luriecq and Saint-JeanSoleymieux. Did you know… before the construction of the railway “Valinches” was called “Valenches”. That name had been changed in order not to disturb the railway network, there would have been confusion with the Drôme city of “Valence”.
Below the village of Luriecq, you will find the dolmen of Roche-Cubertelle, made of two standing stones, upon which lies a third stone.
Select the right answer
Quiz The ramp is 3% The bowls were made out of wood Photo credits : François Beyssac, Musée d’histoire du 20e siècle,club de modélisme ferroviaire du Haut-Forez, association pour la sauvegarde du patrimoine de Périgneux, Communauté de communes du pays de St-Bonnet-le-Château,Communauté d’Agglomération Loire Forez. Texts credits : «Histoire du rail en Livradois-Forez», par Pierre Gouttefangeas et Pierre Simonet, éd. ARF, 2011, club de modélisme ferroviaire du Haut-Forez, Communauté de communes du pays de St-Bonnet-le-Château.
Find the underground passage under the railway, in the last 500 meters before arriving to the station of Valinches.
From the station of Valinches/Marols to Saint-Bonnet-le-Château (5,5 km)
From Saint-Bonnet-le-Château to the station of Estivareilles (6 km)
Leave for a moment the railway (over about 500 meters) below the hamlet of Reiriecq, through a marked path which reveals 2 surprising architectural buildings : A beautiful aqueduct allowing the watercourse, the Bonsonnet, to flow under the railway’s slope.
Did you know... the steel petanque ball was invented in SaintBonnet le-Château by Jean Blanc in 1929. Nowadays, the world leader company, Obut, is still located here. Before the invention of the steel ball, the petanque players used balls made of : □ copper □ wood □ Plastic In which town of the “railway adventure” between Saint-Marcellin-en-Forez and Estivareilles will you find mummies ?
Saint-Bonnnet-le-Château station
In 1886, the State gave the running of the line to the PLM company (Paris, Lyon, Méditerrannée), which had to manage the Saint-Bonnet-le Château/Sembadel line. Thus, the company standardized the buildings and provided a specific architecture. The most basic element is the two door building (station) indicated as 4th category. On this section, Estivareilles is the first example of it : a 9 x 8 meters stone building, sometimes including a goods hall. The openings include round lintels. The walls corners are raised with carved stone wall ties. The roofing is a simple two slope roof.
Did you know… in the beginning of the running of the line, the Bonson/Saint-Bonnet-le-Château ascension was so important that 2 steam engines were needed, one at the beginning and one at the end of the train. When going down, the 2 steam engines were placed at the beginning of the train in order to slow down the convoy. The additional steam engine was installed or removed at the end of the Pichillon tunnel, the sidetrack still can be seen. Which protected animal found a wonderful refuge under the Pichillon tunnel since it’s been closed ? Find a clue in the leaflet…
The most part of the stations of the PLM lines belong to the 3rd category. Usson-en-Forez, a 12 x 8 meters stone building, is the first model in our section, with a zinc canopy above the platform. The 3 openings are rectangular or with round lintels. Some roofs are adorned with “génoises”. Some of these stations are also equipped with shelters for travelers in front of the main building. Quizz The mummies are in Saint-Bonnet-le-Château The protected animals are bats.
An underground bridge (a tunnel), about 20 meters long, allowing the path to pass under the way by crossing the slope.