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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Pierrefonds station, located in the Oise (Hauts-de-France), was built between 1883 and 1884 on the plans of architect Charles Lecoeur, recommended by Prince Radziwiłł, owner of the adjacent Bains Hotel. Placed on embankments northwest of Lake Pierrefonds, it takes on a picturesque style inspired by the "North 1st Class" model of the Compagnie des Chemins de fer du Nord, with cut stones replacing the brick and zinc roofs. The main building, symmetrical and equipped with a central gable, is flanked by two low wings and a west brick extension. A glass marquise, lamprequins, and spears adorn the whole, while a freight hall, a water castle (disappeared), and a pedestrian tunnel complete the installations.

Inaugurated on January 24, 1884 under the name "Pierrefonds-les-Bains", the station serves a line between Rethondes and La Ferté-Milon, designed to connect Amiens to Dijon. Its opening coincides with the tourist development of the site, attracted by the castle of Pierrefonds (restored by Viollet-le-Duc) and the local thermal baths. The station then includes a central wharf with glass roof, a lamp factory, sanitary facilities, and a cargo hall with remains. An underground passageway allows travellers to reach the west shore of the lake and the thermal park.

The First World War disrupted its activity: in 1916, civilians only had access to a daily train on the Paris-Pierrefonds via Compiègne route, with priority given to military transport. The station is home to many injured people. During the Second World War, the line was closed to travellers in October 1939 and reopened briefly from May 1942 to July 1944 before its final closure. The goods traffic ceased on 1 July 1966, followed by the dismantling of the tracks in 1967.

Ranked a historic monument on October 4, 1977, the station was rehabilitated in 1989-1990 to accommodate nine rental units. Today, the passenger building, the central wharf with its canopy, the lamp factory (transformed into a garbage bin), the vestiges of the goods hall, and the pedestrian tunnel remain. The toilets, condemned, and the water castle have disappeared. The station bears witness to the golden age of thermal and rail tourism in Oise, before the decline of secondary lines in the 20th century.

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