Chemins de Fer de Provence (railroad)

From the Promenade des Anglais to the city of explorer Alexandra David Neel, this slow train offers a mosaic of different landscapes in every season. Structures and hilltop villages follow one another along its single track. Here, the journey is part of the trip…let yourself be transported.

Escapade to the high country

Lulled by the train’s tatactatoum on the rails, you gaze at the landscape through the large picture windows. The terraces planted with olive and chestnut trees, the Verdon and its emerald-colored lake, the hilltop villages, the violet hues of the lavender fields, the snow-capped mountains of the Haut-Verdon valley, the sandstone cliffs of Annot all follow one another. If the route itself is a journey, the villages of Entrevaux, Annot, Saint-André-les-Alpes, Barrême…are well worth a stop.

Did you know?

Did you know-icon

The distance between rails is one meter, whereas the standard gauge is 1.435 m. This choice made it possible to create tighter curves to adapt to the steep terrain, thus lowering construction costs.

3 good reasons to book

Comfort and pleasure for the eyes!

From the comfort of your own home, take time to admire the scenery from the large picture windows.

Ready for adventure

Hiking, mountain biking, climbing, paragliding – your favorite activities await you at the end of the quay.

More environmentally friendly

Opt for the train, it’s a gentle, environmentally-friendly means of transport, ideal for discovering our most beautiful villages!

A remarkable railway heritage

It was Alphonse Beau de Rochas, an engineer from Digny, who imagined linking Nice to Grenoble via Digne in 1861. His project would take 50 years to complete. To adapt to the steep terrain, particularly between Entrevaux and Barrême, a large number of engineering structures have been built. These bridges, viaducts and retaining walls are what make the line so beautiful today.

At the village of Le Fugeret, the route becomes S-shaped to gain altitude: the slope is too steep for a straight line. So you’re looking at the same village twice.

Further information

Opening hours

Regular service every day of the year, with four daily return trips between Nice and Digne-les-Bains plus one daily return trip to Nice-Annot.

Tickets can be purchased at the station. For optional stops where there is no stationmaster, signal to the driver to stop, and the ticket will be issued on the train by the ticket inspector.

All schedules

All information on roadworks and traffic restrictions

Animals

Dogs are allowed under certain conditions.

Contact

Nice station – 04 97 03 80 80

Digne les Bains train station – 04 92 31 01 58

For on-board commentary, real-time timetables, traffic information and fare information, download the “Chemins de Fer de Provence” app, available on the App Store and Google Play.