French Rail Line Suspended for Months After Storm Nils Landslide

Rail services between Foix and Ax-les-Thermes in France's Ariège department will remain suspended for several months following a landslide triggered by Storm Nils, SNCF Réseau Occitanie director Catherine Trevet stated during a site visit south of Saint-Paul-de-Jarrat.

Trevet described the platform collapse as requiring major repair work, with no train operations expected for "several months," according to local outlet Gazette Ariégeoise. The closure, which began on 18 February, compounds ongoing issues on the RN20 national road, still blocked between Ax-les-Thermes and L'Hospitalet-près-l'Andorre by a separate landslide—initially reported in January—that has severed key access routes to Andorra from France.

This dual disruption has left Pas de la Casa critically isolated from the north, with no reliable route for French tourists. Technical assessments took place on 23 February, but repairs have not started. SNCF Réseau confirmed the indefinite suspension on Tuesday, ruling out resumption in the coming days, and planned a further update on Wednesday, 25 February.

Alternative train services continue between Toulouse and Foix, and from Ax-les-Thermes to Porté-Puymorens (also known as La Tor de Querol). Limited replacement buses run between Foix and Ax-les-Thermes.

The prolonged outage, now entering its second week, heightens travel challenges for Andorran access via France.