Rotonde ferroviaire de Montabon

The Rotonde ferroviaire de Montabon is a semicircular railway roundhouse in a small French village along the Loire. It has 10 tracks inside served by a rotating turntable that connects to the national railway network.

The building was completed in 1891 as part of the Paris-Bordeaux railway line and served as a major maintenance and storage center. It closed in 1954, but its connection to the rail network remained, leading to its later recognition as a historic monument.

The building shows the importance of the railway industry to this region's growth in the 1800s. Visitors can see the craftsmanship in its construction and understand how railway workers carried out their daily tasks here.

Visitors can explore the site through guided tours that show the ongoing restoration work and display the collection of historic railway equipment. It helps to wear comfortable shoes as tours move through the large semicircular building.

Unlike many other preserved railway buildings in France, this one stays connected to the active railway network and is not just a museum. This means real trains can still be seen using the adjacent tracks today.