Gambetta, a snapshot of a morning in Nice.

I've written about the metre gauge CP (Chemin de fer du Provence) railway previously in my post ‘So nice in Nice’.

The last couple of times we’ve visited Nice, the line which extends about 150km into the mountains to Digne-les-bains. has been closed beyond Saint André-les-Alpes, a distance of around 40km from the terminus.

We were back in Nice in September for a few days, and as it might be a while till we get back there, I decided I’d take the train to Saint Andre, in case it gets truncated- like a lot of things, a major rockslide could see it closing back further.

Unfortunately, there was rail replacement busses operating on the section of line I hadn’t travelled on, so I abandoned that plan - catching 'gutter transport'  as some of my friends call it on mountain roads wasn't at all appealing - I wanted to travel on the railway!

Instead, I spent a few hours photographing the commuter services arriving and departing the little station of Gambetta.

Gambetta is the first station out of Nice on the CP, it’s literally a one minute train ride from the terminus, but was still busy with school students and workers alike. In the morning, there was a train every five minutes or so, which made for some entertaining watching, and photographing the comings and goings.

The single platform is wedged in between two level crossings at each end, and buildings either side on a curve. The crossing nearest the terminus is essentially the  crossroad of Boulevard de Cessole, and Boulevard Joseph Garnier, protected by traffic lights, with a cafe on one corner, and a memorial to 27 resistance fighters killed on 28 August 1944 in the liberation of Nice from Nazi occupation tucked around the corner diagonally opposite.

Not far past the crossing at the other end, Rue Cros de Capeu, the line passes under Boulevard Mantega - Righi, and then into the first of a series of tunnels in the steep Nicoise suburban terrain.

My photography was limited to this small station and surrounding streets, but has given me a nice snapshot of the comings and goings in this corner of Nice. I hope you enjoy it.

X303 and X301 pause at Gambetta with an inbound service. These little railcars have been working the line since 1971.

Station work complete, the train crosses Boulevard de Cessole.

Five minutes later, the cars are headed back out on their next trip.

15 minutes later, X306, dating from 1977 heads into Nice past the memorial to the resistance fighters who lost their lives in the liberation of Nice.

Walking up to the Boulevard Mantega - Righi over bridge, this building caught my eye, far nicer than the modern chook pens that are being inflicted on the Melbourne skyline.

X307 heads out of Nice on the curve out of Gambetta.

And into the first of the tunnels the line passes through on the way to the Var valley.

The bigger rail motor class used on the line, an AMP series from 2008, 805. These dual car sets are used on the longer runs on the line.

And back out again. With a gap in trains, and the sun getting in an awkward height amongst the buildings, my last photo.