Chemins de fer du Centre-Bretagne

Chemins de fer du Centre-Bretagne (CFCB) is a French non-profit association (association loi 1901) dedicated to the preservation, restoration, and operation of historic French railway equipment. Based in Pontivy, in the centre of Brittany, it maintains and runs heritage railcars and locomotives, and operates the tourist train Napoléon Express between Pontivy and Auray, as well as seasonal excursions from Auray to destinations in western France. The association also organises popular Christmas trains (Trains du Père Noël) and welcomes volunteers for restoration work. CFCB was founded on 7 November 1990 by railway enthusiasts, with the aim of using the Loudéac–Pontivy line section and the Saint-Brieuc–Le Légué line. From 2005 to 2017 it ran tourist trains on the Saint-Brieuc–Pontivy line about fifteen times a year, including at Christmas, in summer, and for heritage days. Operations on that line ceased in 2017 after a SNCF maintenance vehicle derailed and damaged level-crossing equipment over 40 km, forcing suspension of all traffic. Since 28 June 2021, the association has been entrusted with operating the Napoléon Express tourist train between Pontivy and Lambel-Camors on the Auray–Pontivy line. CFCB preserves a collection of historic railcars (including X 2140, X 3890 'Picasso', X 2423, X 2830, X 2847, X 2875, X 2208, X 2251), diesel locomotives (BB 63958, BB 64047), trailers, and a UIC couchette car used as a living car. The association is based at the Gare de Pontivy, Place Alfred Brard, 56300 Pontivy, and its website is cfcb.bzh.

The Chemins de fer du Centre-Bretagne (CFCB) was founded on 7 November 1990 by a group of railway enthusiasts. The initiative followed an earlier, abandoned project to restore and operate the railcar X 3890, which had been purchased from SNCF in 1982 by a few Bretons and stored in the goods shed of Guingamp station. The new association adopted a similar goal but planned to use the line section from Loudéac to Pontivy and the Saint-Brieuc–Le Légué line. Initially installed within the grounds of Loudéac station in the Côtes-d'Armor department, CFCB later moved its base to Pontivy and now operates trains on the Auray–Pontivy line. Between 2005 and 2017, the association ran tourist trains on the Saint-Brieuc–Pontivy line about fifteen times per year, typically during the Christmas holidays, in summer with the support of the tourist office, for heritage days, and occasionally to carry worshippers to a pardon mass. Tourist train operations on that line became impossible after 2017, following unintentional damage caused by SNCF agents. On 18 January 2017, during a track maintenance and inspection operation, an SNCF wagon recording track gradient and gauge derailed. It travelled 40 km between Saint-Brieuc and La Motte, damaging and disabling electrical boxes at 22 level crossings, which required the suspension of all traffic on the line. From 28 June 2021, for the summer season, the association was entrusted with operating the 'Napoléon Express' tourist train between Pontivy and Lambel-Camors stations on the Auray–Pontivy line. CFCB continues to preserve and restore historic rolling stock, including several railcars, diesel locomotives, trailers, and a UIC couchette car used as a living car. The association is based at the Gare de Pontivy, Place Alfred Brard, 56300 Pontivy, and its official website is cfcb.bzh.

• 2021

  From 28 June 2021, CFCB is entrusted with operating the Napoléon Express tourist train between Pontivy and Lambel-Camors on the Auray–Pontivy line.

• 2017

  On 18 January 2017, an SNCF maintenance wagon derails and damages 22 level crossings over 40 km, suspending all traffic and ending tourist operations on the line.

• 2005

  CFCB begins running tourist trains on the Saint-Brieuc–Pontivy line, about fifteen times per year until 2017.

• 1990

  CFCB founded on 7 November 1990 by railway enthusiasts.

• 1982

  Railcar X 3890 purchased from SNCF by a few Bretons and stored at Guingamp station.

Non-profit heritage railway association offering tourist train experiences and preserving historic French rolling stock in central Brittany.

• Napoléon Express tourist train

  Tourist train operated between Pontivy and Auray (initially Pontivy and Lambel-Camors) on the Auray–Pontivy line.

• Trains du Père Noël (Christmas trains)

  Seasonal Christmas trains; dates for Christmas 2026 available on the website, with bookings opening in early November.

• Escapades en train from Auray

  Excursions by train from Auray to destinations in western France.

1. 1CFCB official website homepagecfcb.bzh
2. 2CFCB legal noticescfcb.bzh
3. 3Wikidata entry for CFCBwikidata.org
4. 4French Wikipedia article on Chemins de fer du Centre-Bretagnefr.wikipedia.org