France: Steam near the English Channel
23. - 27. April 2026

On a very compact railfan tour, we'll experience the fascination of narrow-gauge steam on the Chemin de Fer de la Baie de Somme (CFBS) heritage railway. Every five years, at the end of April, in addition to the museum railway's regular operational steam locomotives, narrow-gauge guest locomotives from Belgium, Germany, France, and Switzerland also run on the CFBS as part of a large festival train program. The CFBS is known for its exemplary restored steam and diesel locomotives and its perfectly restored rolling stock. For three days, we'll follow the special trains with our charter bus, take nighttime photographs and experience a truly "steamy" atmosphere. 

Itinerary:
23. April 2026, Thursday:
All participants meet at the Gare du Nord in Paris in the early afternoon and travel together by TER train to Noyelles. Our chartered bus takes us to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay near Noyelles.

24. April 2026, Friday:
Today there's an unofficial "pre-opening-program" planned with many photo opportunities at the locomotive depot and stations along the line. The first special trains will be running, and I've organized some additional photo opportunities. The following steam locomotives are scheduled (as of January 2026) to run as guest locomotives on the CFBS: HL 303 of ASVI from Belgium, Corpet-Louvet "La Suzanne" from France, locomotive "Bretonne" of GECP from France, the G 3/4 No. 14 (Maidlaina) from Switzerland, and the RuR No. 4 from Germany. Dinner and overnight stay near Noyelles.

25.-26. April 2026, Saturday - Sunday:
Special trains will run over two days from morning to evening. Each train has a different theme such as the turn of the 20th century, the First and Second World Wars, agriculture, etc. All steam locomotives will be pulling passenger and freight trains on the 7.5 km long meter-gauge line from Noyelles to Le Crotoy and the second, 18 km long section from Noyelles to Cayeux-sur-Mer. Between Noyelles and Saint-Valery, the meter-gauge track has been laid within the existing standard-gauge tracks, creating a dual-gauge track all the way to the port of Saint-Valery. We will take our charter bus to the best photo positions; occasionally, a short walk through the meadows will be necessary. Thanks to your rover ticket, valid for these two days, you can also use any of the passenger trains running on the CFBS network.

In addition, a standard-gauge historic diesel special train from Paris is expected on both days: the Pacific Vapeur Club and the AAATV Centre are registered. Dinner and overnight stay near Noyelles.

27. April 2026, Monday:
Today we return to Paris on the TER train. From there we continue to Cologne Central Station. The tour ends there. 



TOUR PRICE:
940 Euro per person in a shared double room for bookings made by 31. January 2026.
990 Euro per person in a shared double room for bookings made from 1. February 2026.
260 Euro single room supplement.
245 Euro train ticket DE/AT/CH - Paris (2nd class).
Minimum number of participants: 20, maximum number of participants: 30. Registration deadline: 15. March 2026, after which bookings are possible upon request.

SERVICES:

• Travel by TER from Paris to Noyelles or Amiens in 2nd class.
• 4 nights in a good tourist-class hotel near Noyelles in a double room with breakfast
• Dinner as advertised
• Charter bus
• Unlimited travel on the CFBS special trains on 25. and 26. April 2026
• Photography permit on the CFBS premises
• Tour Manager: Peter Patt

NOT INCLUDED
• All meals not mentioned
• Gratuities (bus driver, special train staff) approx. €20 per participant/day
• Travel insurance (luggage, international health, trip cancellation)
• All personal expenses

NOTES
Anyone who has ever been to France knows that there are some things the French consider sacred – and a proper lunch break is one of them. We will not be running any special trains at midday as part of our program. I expect spring-like weather, ranging from very pleasant sunshine to cold, rainy weather. The railway line runs through very damp marshland in places, so sturdy footwear is recommended.

Even with the best maintenance, steam locomotives are prone to malfunctions and can break down at short notice. There is no guarantee for a specific locomotive or train set. The program is subject to change at any time without entitlement to refunds. Please remember your travel insurance: no one is immune to unpleasant health surprises or life events that make travel impossible. Inexpensive airfares are often not refundable beyond a pittance from the airline, and hospital and doctor visits abroad can quickly become very expensive, even though the EU health card should (theoretically) be valid in France.

This trip is not suitable for people with reduced mobility. Please note that our trip involves boarding and disembarking on uneven ground, with high-entry vehicles, or in environments that do not conform to German DIN standards. If you are unsure whether this trip is suitable for you, please contact me.

© all images on this page: Peter Patt