by Bruce Hyde
For a more comprehensive set of photos please see my Gallery.
The twin-bore TGV tunnel between Perpignan and Figueres was completed on 17th February 2009 and opened for traffic on 19th December 2010. I had observed it keenly from the start five years earlier and was particularly interested in its effect on nature in and around its workings. The engineering side was also remarkable.
For a more comprehensive set of photos please see my Gallery.
The twin-bore TGV tunnel between Perpignan and Figueres was completed on 17th February 2009 and opened for traffic on 19th December 2010. I had observed it keenly from the start five years earlier and was particularly interested in its effect on nature in and around its workings. The engineering side was also remarkable.
The massively-constructed bridge over the river Tech. About a kilometre north of the tunnel entrance the line crosses the river Tech via a massively constructed bridge.
First of all, the technical side. It is 8.3 kilometres (5.2 miles) long, with a maximum gradient of 1.2% and a maximum design speed for 350 kmh. Each bore was completed individually with two amazing tunnelling machines called "Mistral" and "Tramontane". They started at Figueres with Mistral breaking through in the autumn of 2007 and Tramontane a couple of months later.
 "Mistral" tunnelling machine (far side) breaks through. |  "Tramontane" tunnelling machine - over 50m long. |
The entry/exit point in the mountainside is massively constructed, going back into the mountain many tens of metres. There is a large building nearby, presumably for management, control and emergencies, with a helipad.
 The tunnel entrance goes a long way into the mountain. |  The management complex and helipad, with Canigou in the distance. |
Previously the site area had been crisscrossed by sentiers and game paths (many too small for me to follow). Small game can now bypass uphill of the area and there is a small tunnel, probably mainly for water run-off, not far away from the entrance. While this is fine for small animals as large as badger, boar and fox it is too small for anything as large as deer. Deer must now pass uphill of the tunnel entrance or under the bridges over roads and the river Tech.
 Little tunnel under the railway line for water and wildlife. |  Badger tracks seen by the little tunnel. |
Originally there was a huge scar across the countryside created by the line of the track as it headed towards Perpignan. This has now blended in quite well, largely due to the massive amount of landscaping that has been undertaken by the contractors.
 A scar across the countryside. |  Landscaping works well. |
For a more comprehensive set of photos please see my Gallery, where you will find pictures of the line, tunnel and bridge in various stages of construction as well as some of the tunneling machinery.
