Mont-Fréjus Tunnel à Fourneaux en Savoie

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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The 13.6 km long Fréjus railway tunnel was built between 1857 and 1870 to connect Modane (France) to Bardonnèche (Italy). Initiated by Giuseppe Medail in 1832, the project was taken over in 1852 by Luigi Des Ambrois under King Carlo Alberto, with studies for a Turin-Chambery line. The works, launched in 1857 with a budget of 40 million lire, were carried out despite technical and political challenges, such as the annexation of Savoy to France in 1860.

The construction involved 4,000 workers, resulting in 48 deaths, including 18 during a cholera epidemic in 1864. Germain Sommeiller, Savoyard engineer, innovative with a hydraulic ram, supervised the work on the French side. A temporary railway (Mont-Cenis railway) was built in 1868 to make up for delays, while Quintino Sella solved ventilation problems. The tunnel, inaugurated in 1871, became the longest in the world until 1882.

A symbol of Franco-Italian cooperation, the tunnel was electrified in 1915 and was used for the transport of vehicles before the opening of the road tunnel in 1980. Today it hosts passenger trains (such as Paris-Milan) and goods, notably via the Alpine railway motorway. Its straight line of 12.2 km was extended to 13.6 km after work in 1881 and post-Second World War repairs.

The initial project of Medail, though visionary, was realized thanks to the perseverance of Des Ambrois and the joint funding of Franco-Pedmontese. The junction of the galleries in 1870 marked a technical feat, despite political tensions and a final cost of 70 million lire. The tunnel, classified as Historical Monument in 1926 for its entry, remains a major testimony of 19th century engineering.

Its economic role was crucial, facilitating transalpine exchanges and reducing travel times. The automobile shuttle, active from 1953 to 1980, illustrates its adaptation to modern needs. Today, it embodies both an industrial heritage and a vital infrastructure for European connections, while recalling the human and technical challenges of its construction.

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