Abstract

How are the relations between the rail grid for passengers, the urban network for commuters and the mobility of the French changing? This historical analysis of the rail system since it was laid in the 19th century till our times focuses on the changing geography of urban development and industry in France. The railroad has shaped the system of relations between towns; and the supply of rail services has responded to changes in the mobility of the French population, given new choices about the place of residency and new uses of space and time. These considerations lead to three proposals, which were examined during discussions about a “national schema of mobility”. First of all, investing in rail services in major metropolitan areas is a priority to be taken into account through a decomparmentalized management of rail lines inside and surrounding these areas and a reinforced mixture of forms of transportation. Secondly, the development of high-speed lines can be maintained but with a narrower focus on interconnections with European rail networks. Thirdly, the servicing of stations in rural areas should be redesigned in view of the possibilities for traveling by road so as to support individual mobility.