The railroad line connecting Pau with Canfranc is single-track and in standard
space of 58km of length connecting France and Spain.
After a first section between Pau and Oloron Sainte Marie starting in 1883
and exploited by the Midi Company, the tunnel of Somport was opened to the circulation in 1912,
the station of Canfranc was operational only in 1928.
The inauguration of the line took place on July 18th, 1928 in the presence of
King of Spain Alphonse XIII and of the President of the French Republic Gaston Doumergue.
This line crossed all the valley of Aspe from 1928.
The economic crisis of the thirties and the start of the civil war in Spain drove
to a suspension of the traffic between Canfranc and Abel's Forges.
Opened again in 1939, the Germans used it to transfer their spoils of war.
In June, 1944 the resistance destroyed the footbridge of Escot
while derail a convoy of 8 wagons.
After the war the line was opened again in 1948 but would never be really profitable.
On March 27th, 1970, a train stopped on a slope of 25% had trouble with the brake.
It tumbled down the slope the wrong way completely out of control.
Arrived at the level of the bridge of Estranguet with a tight bend, it tore away
the bridge with its momentum. The French National Railways decided not to
make the works necessary for the resumption of the traffic given the lack of profitability of the line.
Since then the line has been abandoned and the station of Canfranc does not serve any more. A considerable number of wagons were abandoned on rails with double gauge. A regional traffic on the Spanish side exploits another quite small part of the station. The big buildings are currently being renovated to become a luxury hotel.
