Trains and other things: Bergues, Dunkerque, Bailleul, Lesquin, Ascq, Lille

It's time to fly again, this time it will be France, UK and the Netherlands (again)

Yes, Ryanair has started its flights from Arlanda airport, here is a flight to Belgium

I'm testing the lounge in Arlanda airport, food and drinks are nice. The price too - 269SEK, normally this is what it costs to get something to eat a glass of wine in any place in Arlanda airport.

This is my flight for today, from Arlanda to Charles de Gaulle airport

Taking off from a grey ground

Shortly it's a much better view

I'm on my way to Lille, so I'm looking for the TGV station

Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV station opened in 1994 and it serves both RER and TGV trains

Ouigo trains also serves this station

Ouigo 7660 from Bordeaux to Tourcoing

The next train is mine, it is TGV InOui 5182 from Montpellier Sud de France to Lille Europe

This TGV has seen its better days

Arriving at Lille Europe

Breakfast at the hotel the following day

Lille Flandres station

I'm on my way to Dunkerque, with a stop in between

Bergues station

I forgot that it still can be dark 8 in the morning in October

The line from Arras to Dunkerque was constructed in 1848

Not many freight trains here, just this SNCF Class BB 75000

SNCF Class B 82500, BGC and SNCF Class Z 26500, TER 2N NG (the relative to Swedish X40)

The original station in Dunkerque was destroyed in Second World War, this one is from 1960s

My historical knowledge is not the best one, but I have seen the film "Dunkirk" and I know that this beach is an important historic place from the Battle of Dunkirk.

The Battle of Dunkirk (French: Bataille de Dunkerque) was fought around the French port of Dunkirk (Dunkerque) during the Second World War, between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As the Allies were losing the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defense and evacuation of British and other Allied forces to Britain from 26 May to 4 June 1940. (Wikipedia)

The Evacuation by sea, across the English Channel, was codenamed Operation Dynamo. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, ordered any ship or boat available, large or small, to collect the stranded soldiers. 338,226 men (including 123,000 French soldiers) were evacuated – the miracle of Dunkirk, as Churchill called it. It took over 900 vessels to evacuate the BEF, with two-thirds of those rescued embarking via the harbor, and over 100,000 taken off the beaches. More than 40,000 vehicles as well as massive amounts of other military equipment and supplies were left behind. Forty thousand Allied soldiers (some who carried on fighting after the official evacuation) were captured or forced to make their own way home through a variety of routes including via neutral Spain. Many wounded who were unable to walk were abandoned. (Wikipedia)

I'm walking back to the station

TGV train arriving at Dunkerque station

Next stop for me is at Bailleul

Unfortunately the weather today is very much October like

SNCF Class Z23500

Activités en plein air? yes, I know some - trainspotting

Back at Lille Flandres station

I'm still hoping to see some freight trains, now at Lesquin station. Unfortunately without any luck

Belgian train

Arriving at Ascq station

SNCB Class AM96

The line connects France with Belgium

During the Second World War, numerous trains were going through Ascq and members of the resistance would regularly commit acts of sabotage. On 1 April 1944, after such an act of sabotage, the Nazis killed 86 men. This event is known as the Ascq massacre. (Wikipedia)

I'm back at Lille

This is what happens when you don't speak the local language, I have ordered something that seems what I wanted, but there were mushrooms inside (which I don't like)... Anyway, the beer was good.