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Surprise train strike to hit Normandy this weekend
Close to 40% of trains to destinations such as Evreux, Caen, and Rouen cancelled on Friday
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French farmers clash with prefecture over help for firefighters
Farmers hurry to deliver water and supplies, but authorities say they must use official channels
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World’s largest Celtic festival begins this weekend in Brittany
The 55th edition of France’s huge ‘Interceltic’ celebration is dedicated to Cornwall and the Celtic Sea
One-track plan for French rail
Little-used rail lines could be made single-track in proposals put to local authorities by SNCF in a bid to cut running costs.
Moving to a single line would reduce maintenance while having one train doing shuttle runs would need no signals.
This is one of about 50 measures put to councillors that include using bitumen-gravel instead of ballast for the track base.
It comes after parliament rejected plans to close 9,000km of small lines, most in a bad state, which make up 2% of traffic but a third of the track.
