Poster Le Mistral

The Mistral was an SNCF express train that ran between Paris and Nice from 1950 to 1982. It was numbered 1 in the Paris-Nice direction and 2 in the Nice-Paris direction.

The story of the Mistral began in 1950, when the train was created to replace a Bugatti railcar on the Marseille-Nice route. Progressive electrification of the line enabled the Mistral to reach top speeds of 160 km/h from the 1960s onwards.

The Mistral was integrated into the Trans-Europ-Express network from 1965 to 1981. In 1981, it became an ordinary express train with the addition of second-class Corail cars, until its complete withdrawal in 1982. Despite plans to replace it with first-class TGV equipment, the Mistral remained a legendary train.

The Mistral offered first-class service with luxurious, air-conditioned carriages and many innovative features, including automatic doors, a restaurant, a bar car, a boutique, an art gallery, secretarial services, hostesses and even a hairdressing salon. The train was pulled by various locomotives over the years.

The Mistral was also featured in films, and similar carriages were used on other international routes. After its demise, some Mistral equipment was sold to other countries for use on other prestigious lines.