Rontonde Ferroviaire Montabon David Darrault 1 LargeDesigned for the maintenance and parking of locomotives, the roundhouse is organised around a swing bridge, the central element for directing the machines to the various radial tracks. Even today, its impressive structure is a reminder of a time when the railways shaped the region and played an active role in local economic development.
Built in 1890, this building was a major depot for the Paris-Bordeaux line until 1954 .
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Rontonde Ferroviaire Montabon David Darrault 2 LargeA listed historic monument, the Montabon roundhouse is the property of the“Rotonde ferroviaire de la Vallée du loir” association, which maintains and animates the site.
Today, the roundhouse is part of an initiative to promote heritage and pass on local memories. It attracts the attention of train enthusiasts and industrial heritage lovers, as well as visitors curious to discover another facet of the Loir Valley.
You will discover more than 18 rolling stock built between 1900 and 1965, most of which are in working order. During your visit, you’ll admire the museum and the many models, tools and objects that bear witness to the railway activity of the depot and the region.
Volunteers from the association will show you some of the old equipment used in track-laying techniques, and you’ll be able to dream away as you sit in asleeper car from the Orient Express built in 1929, which travelled all over Europe and the Orient, all the way to Baghdad.
The site is open all year round. Entertainment and escape games are organised in season.
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