Aisne TOURIST Tramway

THE AISNE TOURIST Tramway

Four tickets for an unusual ride

5 mins OF ESCAPE

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The children love travelling by train and we don't often have the chance. We'd spotted the Aisne tourist tramway (TTA) of Erezée several weeks earlier. As autumn approached and the forest began to turn red, we let the gently swaying train take us on a relaxing discovery of the history of the village railways which, during the 20th century, crossed the Ardennes countryside between the Walloon villages. Authenticity at its purest.

An open window on nature

Mind the branches! The doors left wide open invite a few of the forest's branches in. Still standing on the platform, my two boys are intrigued by this train that travels without its doors being closed. Through the window, from where we're standing, we can even see the train driver. That's all it takes for Samuel, aged 4, to imagine the handrail is a steering wheel, despite the fact that it's long and horizontal. "Are you driving Samuel?" "Of course not mummy, I'm just pretending." Such is the train's suggestive power, releasing the creative energy of the mind.

Transported in total serenity

Samuel is more at ease on the way back than on the outward journey, when he sat with his brother looking out of the window at the wooded countryside trying to spot evidence of the beavers that are commonly seen on the River Aisne. Some fallen trees across the stream seem to suggest their presence, but we've already gone past. At 20 km/hour across the countryside and the dense Ardennes forest below the woods of Manhay, the gentle swaying of the train relaxes us in the warm and friendly atmosphere of the travel of yesteryear. Eventually, Samuel even falls into the arms of Morpheus, slipping slowly into his travel-induced sleep.

Witness of the past

Just before boarding the train, we had time to visit the little Aisne tourist tramway museum which occupies the upper floor of the building that serves as a station. The models, costumes, ancient objects and information panels immersed us in the local traditions and revealed the story of the Walloon railcars. Brought back into service in 1966, our little train is a survivor from the time of the country railways (SNCV) which were created to enable villagers to reach the main towns, notably Liège. The original project was for a network of hundreds of kilometres but this was never developed. Today, all that remains is this 12 km section of railway that's been restored by the nonprofit organisation of the TTA. Some very enthusiastic people have taken over and are managing to keep this little network going.

In the kingdom of fantasy

Narrow seats without armrests, timber walls and ceilings... Around us, a variety of different languages adds to the exotic nature of our journey. It feels as if we're heading for the far end of Europe on the Orient Express. Tomorrow is the first day of autumn, it's cold today and we appreciate the train's warmth. We're overcome by a pleasant drowsiness and the human warmth that envelops us. Everyone's smiling at one another, aware that they're sharing an unusual experience. Travelling naturally brings people together and creates a feeling of togetherness, however short the journey. The scenery passes by and the forest becomes more dense. "The Ardennes countryside is unspoilt here," observes one passenger. It's enchanting too. Will we see an elf? Is Maugis hiding here somewhere?

After 6 km, the train slows down and comes to a stop. We've reached the end of the line that's currently in service. Everyone alights. The platform is tiny. For once, the children can see the rails really close up. We can even walk on them. We're surrounded by forest. We take the time to enjoy breathing the fresh air. Oh it's time for the train to leave ! Don't go without us! No need to worry, a train doesn't manoeuvre that easily. To turn round, it requires a lot of space and the skill of experts. This is the time to take some photos. All the travellers admire the manoeuvre. Coco, nicknamed the "vicinal dog" by the TTA's team of volunteers, looks at us, almost mockingly. The cheeky animal has the best seat, next to the driver.

A journey out of time

The technicians place the locomotive the right way round and the tram is filling up again. It seems to go faster on the return trip, probably because of the 200-metre elevation drop, downhill on the way back. Again, we sit back and enjoy the ride, appreciating our cosy atmosphere in the middle of the forest. Gradually, the countryside comes back into view and the children spot horses, donkeys, and... A procession of American jeeps!

A procession of American jeeps! "It's a reconstruction of the battle of the Ardennes that took place nearby," explains Guy Fiévet, who knows everything that's going on around here. A happy coincidence for Gabriel who's especially interested in "Gran's war" (the second world war that his grandmother experienced as a child). For him, the trip through time takes on a new dimension. Daydreaming, he opens his eyes wide to make sure he doesn't miss anything, while his little brother is more interested in running through the woods. We can already see the station. When we arrive, the boys don't want to leave the platform. We take a few more photos as souvenirs of this little piece of history.

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Tramway touristique de l'Aisne 
1a rue du Pont, B-6997 Erezée
Tel: +32 (0)86 477 269
www.tta.be

Location and offers of restaurants/accommodation « brand Ardenne » nearby