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Origin and history

The Varennes-sur-Loire train station is a former French railway station built in the 2nd quarter of the 19th century, more precisely in 1846-1848, on the line of Tours at Saint-Nazaire. Located in the department of Maine-et-Loire, in the commune of Varennes-sur-Loire, it was put into service in 1848 by the Compagnie du chemin de fer de Tours à Nantes. Its passenger building, in a neoclassical style, is distinguished by a central one-storey body framed with two symmetrical low wings, similar to that of Langeais station, but with slightly different proportions. Disused since the 2010s, it has lost all rail services.

The building, sold to an individual, was classified in the inventory of historical monuments by order of 28 December 1984. Although the freight hall was demolished in the 1960s, the original wharf shelter, toilets and lamp factory remain. The association "J The station also served as a setting in the film La Cage aux Nightingale (1944), with Noël-Noël, before the shooting was interrupted by the allied landing of June 1944.

Located 28 metres above sea level, the station is located at kilometre 289,702 between Port-Boulet and Saumur stations. Its architecture reflects the importance of railway stations as symbols of modernity in the 19th century, when rail transformed economic and social exchanges in France. Today, the site bears witness to this industrial heritage, although its original function has disappeared.

The station is located Place de la Gare, 49730 Varennes-sur-Loire, in a setting where geographical accuracy is assessed as "a priori satisfactory" (level 7/10). Protected elements include the main building (cadastre L 280), registered since 1984. No information is available on its current access to the public or on possible tourism reuse.

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