Bordeaux station’s grand map mural restored to former glory
In 2020, a complete restoration brought new life to the grand map mural depicting the historic Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Midi1 network. This striking artwork, a centre-piece of Concourse 1 at Bordeaux Saint-Jean station, had suffered years of deterioration. Like the station itself, the mural is listed as a national monument.
Capturing a moment in French rail history
Completed in 1929, the fresco vividly illustrates the electrification of rail lines in southwest France—a transformative project that started in 1909. The mural captures this era of innovation, when steam engines still dominated but the promise of electrified rail signalled a bold new chapter in transportation.
Restoration cost
€115,900
from start to finish
The project took
2,000
hours in all
The map covers
75 sq m
of wall space
Creative funding fuels restoration effort
A variety of public and private sources teamed up to fund a project this size. Key contributors included the regional cultural affairs office (DRAC), SNCF Gares & Connexions and SNCF Réseau, with support from Lisea, the private-sector concession holder for the Tours-Bordeaux high-speed rail line.
In a novel twist, 34% of project’s cost was covered by the sale of billboard space on scaffolding during the restoration process. Adding to the creative mix, a giant escape game was held over 5 days, raising additional funds.
Four months’ labour
From August to December 2019, 4 artists from Atelier Arcoa worked to restore the map. This painstaking job was done in stages: dust removal, paint consolidation, cleaning, filling and retouching.