Original Source: www.francebleu.fr
This event stems from a chain of unprecedented disruptions on the Paris-Normandy rail line, triggered by severe weather conditions associated with Storm Bert and previous storms earlier in the week. The storm caused significant infrastructural challenges for the SNCF, including power outages and fallen trees, leading to prolonged train delays and inconveniences for countless travellers. The consequences of natural disturbances not only turned a simple journey into a long night for these passengers but also left lasting impressions and dreadful memories recalled in the days that followed the chaos.
An unexpected turmoil erupted on the railway linking Paris and Normandy, as drivers embarked on a journey that transformed into an ordeal of epic proportions. It all started with a routine trip from Caen to Paris. The unfortunate train number 3348, amidst raging winds and drenching rains of Storm Bert, experienced an abrupt halt due to power disruptions after tree branches ensnared the overhead wires.
For three torturous hours, passengers found themselves stranded in the dimly lit carriages, contemplating their next move while shadows danced playfully in flickering lights. Just when the train finally resumed its journey, disaster struck again.
A collision with a group of wild boars swiftly followed, leaving the train incapacitated just before the Évreux station, plunging the line into chaos. Night descended and, with it, the realisation that many would soon become reluctant guests at the Évreux station. The time ticked by slowly as 400 passengers were eventually transferred to an auxiliary train after the frantic intervention by rescue teams that included hurried firefighters tending to a small child’s electrical shock.
As dawn broke, weary travellers, tangled in a web of unforeseen delays, emerged from the railways of Évreux, still grappling with the implications of their chaotic night. The original two-hour journey stretched to a staggering 7 hours and 40 minutes for some, while meals were hastily distributed, offering little comfort against the stark reality of inconvenience.
Trains already hampered by the wrath of previous storms had been interrupted in the days leading up to this debacle. An endless cycle of fallen trees and debris on the track had plagued services, leading to earlier disruptions in the Manche region. The tracks bore witness to a multitude of delays, leaving several trains bring bogged down in a battle against the elements.
Ultimately, as the battered train crews and passengers alike started anew, the lingering effects of nature’s fury became a testament to the resilience—or perhaps the absurdity—of commuting during tempestuous times. A weekend to forget for many, the echoes of this chaotic night would reverberate through stories shared at breakfast tables and coffee breaks across the capital and beyond.
