/ Abandoned Territories
Monorail
Aérotrain monorail
Orleans, France
Built in 1967
Abandoned in 1974
Current owner: Orleans, Chevilly and Ruan (frenche state)
Originial purpose: Aérotrain is a vehicle designed by the french engineer Jean Bertin during the early 60s, it main feature is to slide along a rail on the air thanks to the physics phenomena named «effet de sol» This technology aimed to increase transports across the country due to the french public authorities program in 1965 (datar). Several tests rails were built to improve aerotrains effectiveness like Orleans monorail. this site began in december 1967 and opened in 1969 for experimental rides. aerotrain passed the 410km/h during a run. Because of Valery Giscard d’Estain’s election in 1974, and for some people lobbying from industrial, the TGV program was selected despite aerotrain development. Considering monorail destruction price, authorities chosen to keep the site in state of prototype. the rail starts at Saran north area and ends in the countryside of Ruan, it describes a 18 km line standing around 8 meters above the ground.Due to the specific geometry needed for the aerotrain movement the monorail is very thin, around 3 m width. But we can evaluate it global area around 27.000m²..
Current situation: Orleans, Chevilly and Ruan cities own the line but don’t include the monorail in future urban plans as an attractive point, it will probably remains as a modern ruin.
Lilou Rong, Camille Tenart
