Grasse Funicular

Grasse Funicular
Overview
Native nameFuniculaire de Grasse
LocaleGrasse, Alpes-Maritimes, France
Stations3
Service
TypeFunicular
History
Opened1909
Closed1938
ReopenedTBD

The Grasse Funicular was a funicular line that previously connected the town of Grasse, France, with its railway station.

The town centre of Grasse is perched on a hillside approximately 300 m (980 ft) above sea level and 75 m (246 ft) above the town's railway station with service from Cannes. The railway station opened in 1871 and a funicular to connect Grasse's town centre and station was completed in 1909. In 1938, the Cannes-la-Bocca to Grasse Railway Line [fr] suspended passenger service resulting in the closure of the railway station and the funicular which was subsequently dismantled.[1] In 2005, passenger service resumed to a rebuilt Grasse Railway Station.

Since the reopening of the railway station, there have been discussions on the potential reopening of the Grasse Funicular. A proposal announced in 2010 would have seen a new funicular line constructed by 2013 with 4 stations and a length of 570 m (1,870 ft) for a total cost of €40 million.[1][2] By 2018, the project had gone back to the planning stage without any construction having occurred after significant community opposition and €16 million spent on feasibility studies.[3]

  1. ^ a b B., L. (15 October 2012). "Le funiculaire de Grasse sur les rails". meridienmag.fr (in French). Lens LR. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Le futur funiculaire de Grasse". Ville, Rail & Transports (in French). 2 May 2011. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Grasse : la délirante facture du funiculaire fantôme". Capital (in French). Prisma Media - Groupe Vivendi. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2023.