Bridge-station FS of Piène-Basse

The railway station-bridge of the old border of Piène-Basse hamlet is located above RD 6204 road. A false tunnel type of work (bridge) serves as its foundation and allows the superimposition of the railway station and the road in a narrow site between Roya river and the steep side of its right bank.


Period XX

Accessibility No

Visitable No

As early as 1856, the construction of a railway line between Cuneo and Ventimiglia was put under study by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia

In 1860 took place the separation of the County of Nice, including Breil and Fontan. Saorge, then French, suspended the realization of the line on these towns with the agreement of the French army. On May 16, 1914, the railway was put into service between Ventimiglia and Airole. The tracks were laid until Piène. Due to the war, the inauguration did not take place until 1928.

The Piène station was built to serve the Franco-Italian frontier Piène-Basse hamlet, and the populations of the dominant hamlets of Piène-Haute and Libre.

Although of modest dimensions, the Trap station adopts the neoclassical architectural style of the stations of the FS on this line. The architecture of the Piène station is thus different from the “Nice style” constructions built at the same time by the PLM company on the French section. (PLM: Paris Lyon Méditerranée – former national railway company)

The design of the arcade tunnel bridge, signed with the monogram of the FS, as well as the care given to the masonry brick and stonework, combine the strength of the work and the elegance of the finishes.

It should be noted the modernist architecture of the electric substation, vast hall built on the side of road to feed the line.

The set constituted by the Piène station and its base type bridge over the road, near a ravine (former border of Riou), in a steep slope along the Roya river, is exceptional despite its state of abandonment.

Conditions of visit

The Piène-Basse train station is located on RD 6204 road, at the northern exit of Piène-Basse hamlet.
The station comprises two main buildings: the old passenger station and the old customs building.
Limited access due to the nature of the walking trail (steep slope from a small car park in the hamlet, roadside, further south)

Improve

Additional information

Bibliography

  • De Santos Gérard et Banaudo José, Le chemin de fer du Col de Tende, Les Editions du Cabri, Menton,1979
  • Banaudo José et Béjui,Pascal, Evviva Nissa – Cuneo ! : La remise en service de la ligne du Col de Tende, Les Editions du Cabri, Menton, 1980
  • Banaudo José, Braun Michel et De Santos Gérard, Les trains du col de Tende, Les Editions du Cabri, Breil-sur-Roya, Volume 1 2018, Volume 2 2019 et Volume 3 2020.
  • Braun Michel, Le chemin de fer du Col de Tende : hier, aujourd’hui et demain, Eisenbahn-Amateur, 372e série, août 1975
  • Braun Michel, Le chemin de fer du Col de Tende, Eisenbahn-Amateur, 152e série, août 1979
  • Collidà Franco, Gallo Max; Mola Aldo A., CUNEO-NIZZA Storia di una ferrovia, Cuneo, Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo, 1982.
  • Dutto Claudio, Treni di ieri, oggi e domani sulla ferrovia internazionale Cuneo-Ventimiglia-Nizza, in Rassegna – Rivista trimestrale della Cassa di Risparmio di Cuneo, nº 7, settembre 1979.
  • Schiavazzi Gianfranco, Ferrovia Cuneo Ventimiglia, Pinerolo, Comitato Intemelio per la Cuneo-Ventimiglia, con i tipi della Tipolitografia G. Alzani & C., 1979.
  • SNCF Région de Marseille, Ligne: Cuneo – Breil sur Roya – Ventimiglia. Reconstruction et équipement de la section de ligne située en territoire Français, Marseille, Imprimerie St-Victor, 1980.
  • Magazine « La Vie du Rail », De Cuneo à Ventimiglia et Nice : une voie ferrée pour deux rivieras, no 1715, Paris, novembre 1979