Latest news 27/03/2010 Marseille: Extension to Arenc 21/11/2009 Paris: Extension to Porte de Versailles 21/09/2009 Montpellier: Extension to Odysseum 04/07/2009 Mulhouse: Extension to Châtaignier 14/05/2009 Besancon, Dijon, Laon, Le Havre and Tours added 14/05/2009 New photos from Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon 14/05/2009 Extensive project update for all systems 20/04/2009 New line T4 in Lyon! 30/01/2009 Brest added 05/01/2009 Nantes: Extension to Marcel Paul 20/10/2008 Bordeaux: Extension to Claveau 29/09/2008 Marseille: Underground terminus Noailles reopened 31/05/2008 Bordeaux: Extension to La Gardette 23/05/2008 Strasbourg: Extension to Lingolsheim 27/02/2008 Bordeaux: Extensions to Les Aubiers and Bègles 30/01/2008 Strasbourg: Extension to Ostwald 22/12/2007 Le Mans: Extension to Espal 24/11/2007 New tramway system in Nice! 23/11/2007 Strasbourg: Extension to Robertsau Boecklin 19/11/2007 Bordeaux: Extension to Grand Parc 17/11/2007 New tramway system in Le Mans! 08/11/2007 Marseille: Extension to Eugène Pierre 04/11/2007 First launch of www.trams-in-france.net Last update 29/04/2010

After World War II, nearly all of the urban tramway systems in France disappeared completely, leaving only three network torsos in Lille, Marseille and Saint-Étienne. But then, the tramway came back, beginning with Nantes in 1985, followed by Grenoble in 1987, Paris in 1992, Strasbourg and Rouen in 1994, Montpellier, Orléans and Lyon in 2000, Bordeaux in 2003, Mulhouse and Valenciennes in 2006 and finally Le Mans and Nice in 2007. More systems will open in the next few years. In this way, France boasts about a quarter of all new tramway systems built worldwide since the eighties. Nearly every French agglomeration will have a guided mass-transit system in a few years.

Together with the implementation of the new tramway systems, general strategies for the urban transport planning in France have changed completely during the last twenty years. New structures for organisation and financing of urban public transport were created. The construction of new French tramway routes went in nearly all cases hand in hand with revitalisation processes of urban structures – new pedestrian areas were created, public spaces and buildings were renovated, and the tramway alignments were inserted very sensitively to make a great visual impact on the surroundings. In this way, the tramway, once regarded as an anachronism, could become a matchless success in France – not only regarding the significant increase in the use of public transportation, but also as a motor for urban environment and revitalisation.
This website would like to give you a survey of the fast-growing tramway landscape in France. And as well it will show you some “best practise” in tramway architecture. You will find photo galleries for each system by clicking on the heading image in the city chapters. Enjoy Trams in France!

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