Informations directionnelles

Prendre le chemin des prés jusqu’au lavoir.

Prochain point : Lat. 49.07815, Long. 2.09917

The Viosne and its Railway
From river to rail

The river…

The Viosne flows through several towns in the départements of Oise and Val-d’Oise, including Ableiges. In 1704, no fewer than 38 watermills were operating along its course. The river underwent many modifications, particularly to ensure the current was strong enough to power the mills, but above all to prevent the sometimes catastrophic floods. In 1806, the straightening of the Viosne and the filling in of its former bed were ordered. However, these works did not manage to prevent future floods. The human alteration of the watercourse therefore failed to achieve the intended results. These plots of land in the Viosne valley were later acquired by the commune in order to preserve this specific wetland environment and protect the local fauna and flora that are just so typical of this biotope.

… facing the railway

A railway line was built along the Viosne for the construction of the Paris–Dieppe line between 1863 and 1913. From 1890, Ableiges benefited from a stop on the line. A couple of gatekeepers were stationed there in a house located where the present municipal car park stands. They ensured the safety of the tracks during the passage of steam trains. On the other side of the tracks once stood the “Maison des Fauvettes,” a bourgeois residence built of wood and metal in a colonial style. A little further upstream, in the marshy area, a cast-iron bridge allowed the railway to cross the Viosne. However, the train stop at Ableiges was closed as early as 1911, in favour of the station at Us. Today, the railway line is still used by the Transilien trains on Line J, which stop at Us.