Czesziafan
Member
- Joined
- 13 Jul 2019
- Messages
- 254
When I was at school in the 70's they took part in an annual pilgrimage to Lourdes which was by train and ferry. I never went as I'm not interested in religion although the train journey would have been interesting.
Those who did go told me the route was via the Dover - Calais ferry and a train of SNCF couchettes from Calais to Lourdes, leaving at about 01.00. They all said the journey through France was extraordinarily long: 19 hours from Calais to Lourdes. One person who travelled in 1978 also insisted that the French train went from Dunkerque and not Calais.
Does anyone have any memories of such pilgrimage train journeys at that time, and why were they so lengthy, when according to the BR international timetable the Calais - Lourdes portion could theoretically be done in about 12 hours not including connection times from Paris Nord - Austerlitz?
What route and motive power would have been used. Is it possible / likely that a pilgrim special for UK passengers would have started from Dunkerque?
Those who did go told me the route was via the Dover - Calais ferry and a train of SNCF couchettes from Calais to Lourdes, leaving at about 01.00. They all said the journey through France was extraordinarily long: 19 hours from Calais to Lourdes. One person who travelled in 1978 also insisted that the French train went from Dunkerque and not Calais.
Does anyone have any memories of such pilgrimage train journeys at that time, and why were they so lengthy, when according to the BR international timetable the Calais - Lourdes portion could theoretically be done in about 12 hours not including connection times from Paris Nord - Austerlitz?
What route and motive power would have been used. Is it possible / likely that a pilgrim special for UK passengers would have started from Dunkerque?