Extension of the Val’Tram in Aubagne: installation of overhead lines
As part of the Val’Tram project, led by the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area with INGEROP acting as project manager, ETF’s teams carried out major overhead line works for the extension of the tram line from Aubagne to La Bouilladisse.
This new 14.4 km line, comprising 11 stations, now serves five towns — Aubagne, Roquevaire, Auriol, La Destrousse and La Bouilladisse — and will connect La Bouilladisse to Aubagne station in 25 minutes. Designed to carry 15,000 passengers a day, it will directly benefit 60,000 residents.
In an area plagued by heavy traffic congestion, the Val’Tram offers a sustainable alternative to private cars. This electric public transport system helps to reduce traffic, noise pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, whilst bringing about lasting improvements to the local quality of life.
A year of overhead line works along a 14.4-kilometre stretch of track
Since April 2025, our overhead line experts have been working on the installation of the overhead contact line (OCL) over a distance of 14.4 kilometres. This work was carried out on behalf of the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolitan Area, as part of a consortium comprising INEO, the project lead, and ETF as a co-contractor.
At the height of the project, up to fifteen ETF staff were deployed to ensure that the catenary equipment was installed in accordance with railway safety standards and operational requirements.
The complementary nature of VINCI’s areas of expertise
ETF carried out the overhead line works, whilst EUROVIA and GTM were responsible, under a separate contract, for the roadworks and station fit-outs. Santerne, a subsidiary of VINCI Energies and a subcontractor to ETF, was responsible for the public lighting works and the laying of the LAC power cables.
The coordinated efforts of all these parties enabled the project to reach a key milestone, marked by the first train journey on 12 May.
Specific technical adaptations in rural areas
Work on the catenary system is characterised by a high degree of adaptation to the constraints of the route, which runs largely through rural areas. In particular, the teams have implemented specific technical solutions, such as cantilevered catenary supports anchored in rock, as well as specialised arrangements in tunnel sections. These adaptations demonstrate ETF’s expertise in the construction of complex catenary systems that are integrated into their environment and designed for sustainable operation.
A strong commitment to helping people enter the workforce
Beyond technical excellence, ETF has fully integrated a social dimension into the Val’Tram project. The company has thus exceeded its contractual targets for vocational integration. Two people on integration programmes were trained and supported for over a year, representing a total of 2,100 hours provided exclusively by ETF. This commendable initiative led to a career opportunity for one of them, who has now been integrated into roles relating to ETF’s rolling stock.