Jean-Pierre Descouts, a native of Bouillargue by decision and heart for a lot of years, is passionate about the history of his village. He cultivates it in distinct as a result of an essential collection of ancient files (postcards, images, press clippings, official documents, testimonies. He tells us the tale of the Bouillargues station.
It was in 1889 that the Société des Chemins de Fer de Camargue (CFC) was produced. It will install metric tracks (a person meter gauge) with a 1st opening, in 1892, between Arles and Salin-de-Giraud, at first planned to supply salt to the Péchiney firm. The same year noticed the development of a second line, involving Arles and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer.
And it was in 1901 that the line connecting Nîmes and Arles, by means of Caissargues, Bouillargues, Bellegarde and Fourques, was place into provider, with a quick cease at the Mas de la Marine, made use of predominantly by agricultural workers. The Bouillargues station was then opened in 1901. Currently we can track down it next to the cemetery, reverse the cooperative cellar (created in 1929).
An important station
The educate then remaining the Nîmes Camargue station (on the web site of the present-day Lycée Hemingway), handed via Caissargues, arrived in Bouillargues by way of the reduce Tuileries, Canavie, rue de la Paix and returned to Arles via rue de l’Abrivado and the Chemin de Bellegarde.
One 12 months later, the locality of Bouillargues is rising. CFC opens a junction in direction of Saint-Gilles, which generates new constructions: two extra tracks for trains, a depot for a locomotive and a turntable.
This intersection will be the initial in the network to be electrified in 1920. The relaxation will not be electrified until eventually 1932.
It is straight away apparent that these railways coated an important sector of the bullfighting custom. Also, for large events, it was typical for the CFC to regulate its schedules or add additional trains to cater to bullfighting fans. Immediately after the war, robust level of competition from the road will lead to a reduction in rail targeted traffic.
In 3 many years, the Bouillargues strains are shut. Initial the freight company in 1948, then the passenger support amongst 1949 and 1951. Then, the station, which turned unusable, served as a property for a number of a long time, only to be demolished in 1985.
Today only a modest concrete barrier continues to be which serves as a fence for a residence and the remains of a small technical area (lamp home and toilet).
A minimal more down, in direction of Nîmes, on the departmental highway 6113, the caretaker’s property is continue to standing and a number of several years ago it was even converted into an accommodation.
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