Spotlight on architectural heritage
Our railway heritage was celebrated during European Heritage Days, from September 19 to 21, during 170 events organized throughout France.
Railway stations, trains, technical centers, signal boxes, and third places opened their doors for a weekend, giving visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in two centuries of railway history. They stepped behind the scenes to meet us and discuss our heritage as well as our commitment to a safe and sustainable mobility.
SNCF’s heritage in one word
54,000
places available at our EHD events
11
traffic control units open to the public
16
technicentres welcoming visitors
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Discover the historic Chambéry roundhouse and turntable
Chambéry’s rail roundhouse was listed as a historic monument in 1984, and welcomes visitors for architectural tours led by the Chambéry Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Centre. The site’s railway heritage can be explored with members of APMFS, the Association for the Protection of Savoyard Railway equipment, who will be present for EHD 2025 at the SCNF rail depot in Chambéry.
Brittany
Explore the control and signalling unit in Rennes
The Rennes Traffic Management Centre coordinates all rail traffic in Brittany. It monitors traffic flow in real time, handles incident response, and ensures train and passenger safety at all times. During EHD 2025, join a guided tour to meet these behind-the-scene agents, see essential operations, and discover how they ensure safety and efficiency across the network.
Burgundy-Franche-Comté
Historic trains on display at Laroche-Migennes
Visitors to the depot at Laroche-Migennes will discover first-hand how SNCF’s traction vehicles have evolved over the years. In conjunction with rail associations ARCET and AFCL, rail fans can explore legendary SNCF locomotives. See the:
- 2D2 9135, a 1950s classic listed as a historic monument in 1994
- BB 7321“Vanille-Fraise”, the only one in France to sport Burgundy TER livery
- CC 72064, preserved in its original Paul Arzens-designed livery
- BB 88511, from our Villeneuve-Saint-Georges depot
- 2D2 9135, a historic engine that entered service in 1951
- rare ambulance coach that once carried pilgrims to Lourdes.
Centre-Val de Loire
Exhibitions and demos inside the traffic control unit in Vierzon
SNCF Réseau is opening the doors of its signalling hub in Vierzon—a vital nerve point for local rail traffic. Meet signal staff as they demonstrate just how they ensure the safety and seamless flow of trains every day.
Also on site, railway association CFTST will take visitors on a journey back in time with an exhibition of historic equipment from SNCF collections, full-scale demos, and discussions with rail enthusiasts who keep alive the memory of trains of yesteryear.
Railway professions at the Saint-Pierre-des-Corps depot
The maintenance depot at Saint-Pierre-des-Corps first opened to the public some 15 years ago. On the agenda this year: a deep dive into rail maintenance and the many professional skills it requires, on a site dating back to 1910.
Hauts-de-France
Art Déco at Saint-Quentin
In northern France, the town of Saint-Quentin is putting its Art Deco heritage front and centre. Discover the iconic Buffet de la Gare—now a listed building —designed by Picardy-based master glassmaker August Labouret and inaugurated in 1926. Continue with a presentation of historic carriages and locomotives by members of the local rail club, the Chemin de Fer Touristique du Vermandois. Also worth a visit: Saint-Quentin’s unique switching station, a remarkable combination of technology and heritage.
Great history, little trains in Amiens
Dip into the fascinating history of Amiens rail station. Destroyed during the Second World War, and rebuilt in the 1950s by architect August Perret, it was listed as a historic monument in 2003. During EHD 2025, visitors can take a guided tour and view documents from the municipal archives that describe the changes it has lived through.
SNCF Voyageurs’ maintenance depot will also be open with demos of the technical expertise used daily to keep trains in top condition. And model-train enthusiasts will share insights with visitors in a special space inside the station.
Paris Region
Board the Orient Express at Paris-Austerlitz station
Get unique insights into the Paris-Austerlitz depot’s operations on Saturday, 20 September, with a celebration of Corail carriages 50 years on. This immersive experience offers locomotive test drives and tours of rare heritage trains, including a cinema coach and disco carriage. The famed Venice-Simplon-Orient-Express coach will also be on display, along with technical demos and talks on different areas of rail expertise. Visitors must book in advance, and will be taken to the site aboard a historic train departing from Paris-Austerlitz station.
Note that Paris-Austerlitz station itself will offer a time-travel experience over the weekend, with a photo exhibition on the history and transformation of its great hall. Lucky visitors will be invited to discover the Orient Express and its seven Art Deco coaches—four of which are listed as historic monuments.
Normandy
Enjoy a movie in a 1970s cinema coach
In addition to tours of its vintage trains and historic steam locomotives, the Pacific Vapeur Club is partnering with SNCF Group’s Cinema and Film Production team to host a railway film festival inside an authentic 1970s cinema car. Feature films, corporate films, documentaries and more will be screened inside the carriage—which still has all its original décor. See cinema come alive on the train in a striking tribute to the enduring bonds between these two symbols of modern life.
Be a train driver in Caen
In Caen, the traction division is opening its doors for a unique train driving experience. Meet the team on site and learn about their daily work as you take a spin on the site’s driving simulator. Here’s your opportunity to speak directly with passionate professionals and gain a better understanding of both the skills and challenges involved.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Learn about SNCF Réseau professions in Bordeaux-Bègles
The SNCF Réseau training campus in Bordeaux-Bègles opened in April 2022. This September, come along to discover the skills needed to keep SNCF Réseau’s ever-evolving two-century-old infrastructure in top condition: rail traffic control, civil engineering, electrical engineering and more. Our trainers will explain how they onboard newcomers and pass on knowledge.
Behind the scenes of TER maintenance
The local depot will welcome visitors for a close look at TER regional train maintenance at its strategic site in Bordeaux. Register for an introduction to how 195 TER regional trains are cleaned, repaired and operated, including replacement of large spare parts.
Visitors will also try the driving simulator and tour train cabins with actual drivers, gaining insights into life on the job and the challenges of train driving.
Occitanie
Toulouse Matabiau station’s architectural rebirth
Toulouse-Matabiau will offer a guided tour of interior and exterior spaces, with input on the building’s original architecture and recent transformation. Visitors will rediscover the station’s history through its lines and materials, and gain insights into how it’s shifting to modern mobility.
The tour will continue with visit of the COP control centre, a control tower that regulates all TER LiO traffic in Occitanie. Meet the agents who coordinate train traffic in real time—the people who ensure that regional rail services runs seamlessly and on time.
Pays de la Loire
Celebrating 150 years of rail at Pornic
Now 150 years old, the red and cream or blue and white railcars operating between Sainte-Pazanne and Pornic are the ancestors of today’s trains. Celebrate at the 150th Anniversary Village in Pornic station, where local heritage associations, historical exhibitions, a driving simulators, crafters and local products await.
Switch it up with our agents at the traffic control unit at Le Mans
SNCF Réseau is welcoming visitors to its strategic signalling post on this special occasion. Agents handling train traffic will share insights into their daily lives and explain the safety challenges and other missions they tackle to deliver smooth, on-time service.
Southern Region
Marseille-Saint-Charles station through the ages
Discover the secrets of Marseille-Saint-Charles station, which has shaped the city’s identity for 130 years. Nearly 25 million passengers come through every year. Guided tours aboard special TER regional trains are available on regional lines, including service along the Côte Bleue, for a rail getaway amid the landscapes and heritage of southern France.
When you return to the station, check out the Marseille BB25660, a locomotive dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, restored to its full glory by keen volunteers. An unforgettable chance to settle into the driver’s seat and ponder how far rail innovation has come.
Grand Est
Reims station reveals its secrets
Reims station, built in neoclassical style, is impressive—a full 95 meters in length, with a bell tower featuring the city motto Dieu en soit garde [God protect us). Opened in 1858, the structure collapsed at the end of WWI and was rebuilt in the 1930s. Along the way, it acquired its share of special features, from a shooting range to underground shelters, which await visitors during guided tours.
Visit a strategic site from WWI in eastern France
The EIV track center in Saint-Dizier was created in 1916 to support the war effort. Still active today, this unique site is dedicated to railway maintenance and logistics: it repairs and produces equipment used in network maintenance. We offer visitors a guided tour of our two main units, with a comprehensive look at our wide array of activities. This is a vital industrial site—and your chance to learn more about the expertise that supports the French rail network every day.
Sustainable mobility: trains carry visitors to European Heritage Days
SNCF Voyageurs’ TER passenger services have renewed their support for European Heritage Days, helping visitors reach heritage sites in regions across France. To mark the occasion, an interactive TER tourist map developed in partnership with the Ministry of Culture shows heritage sites open to the public that are located within a kilometre of a station.
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