This time it’s the right one. After appearing three times, Limoges-Benedictines (Haute-Vienne) has just been named “France’s most beautiful station” at the end of the fourth edition of the competition initiated by Gares & Connexions, the SNCF subsidiary that operates the passenger stations. In September, internet users were invited to vote for their favorite station on Facebook and Instagram among the 12 finalists (one per region). A total of 70,742 votes were collected.
With 15,337 votes received, Limoges-Benedictine thus follows Metz-Ville (Moselle), which has been awarded in the three editions since the competition began in 2017. By virtue of this triple consecration, the municipality of Metz does not want to participate in the 2022 edition in order to give other candidates a chance.
Saint-Brio and Trois in the pulpit
Built in 1929, the Limoges-Bénédictins station is recognizable by its 67-meter-high bell tower. The clocks arranged on its four sides are set two minutes ahead to ensure the punctuality of travelers. The building, which borrows from Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles and regionalist architecture, is regularly used as a film location. Jean-Pierre Genet chose this setting to shoot his 2008 commercial for Chanel n°5 perfume.
the station of Saint Briuc (Côtes-d’Armor), in Brittany, with 11,699 votes, is in second place. The station is in third place Troyes (Lusabats) with 4754 votes.
Other candidate stations for this 2022 edition were:
| Region: | The station |
| Hauts-de-France | Albert |
| Burgundy Franche-Comte | Belfort-Montbeliard TGV |
| Auvergne Rhône-Alpes | Lyon Saint-Exupéry TGV |
| Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur | Nice-City |
| Occitania | Montpellier Saint Roche |
| Pays de la Loire | La Balle-Escoublanc |
| Brittany | Saint Briuc |
| Normandy | Right bank of Rouen |
| Ile-de-France | Lyon station |
| Centre-Loire Valley | Walesay |
Source: Le Figaro
