Object of history, dreams, mystery but also films and novels, the most famous of the SNCF trains, the Orient express, will stop at Lille station in mid-September, on the occasion of the
European Heritage Days (JEP).
Few can claim to have traveled on board the Orient Express. However, everyone has already heard of this legendary train which, chartered by the Compagnie des wagons-lits, transported its wealthy travelers from Paris to Constantinople at the end of the 19th century.
A train classified as a Historic Monument
We can no longer count the novels and films in which the luxurious Pullman appeared or played a leading role. The most famous and popular is undoubtedly the thriller of Agatha Christie, The crime of the Orient Express, published in 1934 and adapted for cinema by Sidney in 1974.
The one that we can admire and visit in Lille station is the “Pullman Orient express”, a train made up of 7 cars bought back at auction by the SNCF in 2011. The train has been renovated identically to this one. that he was in full glory. A long and expensive job which nevertheless enabled the train to obtain its classification as a Historic Monument. Owned in equal parts by SNCF and the Accor Group, the Orient Express no longer offers exotic trips other than through the gourmet cuisine that can be enjoyed on board.