France: Arson attack disrupts train traffic

Around 100 trips have been affected, including on the main line between Paris and Marseille. Repair work is set to last until early evening, with full operations not expected to be restored until Tuesday morning.
France: Arson attack disrupts train traffic

Around 100 trips have been affected, including on the main line between Paris and Marseille. Repair work is set to last until early evening, with full operations not expected to be restored until Tuesday morning.

This photo shows workers repairing cables damaged in a previous incident ahead of the Olympic Games in July 2024.
It’s not the first time that French railways have been sabotaged. This photo shows workers repairing cables damaged ahead of the Olympic Games in July 2024Image: Brian Snyder/REUTERS
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Around 100 high-speed train journeys were disrupted in France on Monday after cables were targeted in an apparent arson attack.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said on social media that cables had been “intentionally set on fire” overnight just south of the south-eastern city of Valence.

The incident has affected France’s most heavily frequented main line connecting the capital Paris to the southern port city of Marseille.

National railway operator SNCF said 16 cables had to be replaced across a stretch of line measuring 25 meters (27 yards), and that regular services would likely not be fully restored until Tuesday morning.

“Our teams on the ground estimate that repair work will last until early evening,” a spokesperson told the AFP news agency.

There was no immediate information on who the culprits might have been