The fires, reported before dawn on Friday, paralysed train travel into Paris for around 800,000 people across Europe, including athletes heading to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Technicians from France’s high speed railway network have started to repair fire damage caused by arsonists that took place hours before the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony.
The fires paralysed train travel into Paris for around 800,000 people across Europe, including athletes heading to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Targeting remote locations far from the capital, the apparently coordinated attacks sought to cut off rail routes into the city from all directions.
The fires were predominantly set in pipes containing critical signalling cables for the system known as the TGV. There were no reports of injuries.
Railway operator SNCF said security across the network would be stepped in response.
The company said in a statement that there had been a gradual improvement to services but that there would still be disruptions on some lines.
“In coordination with the forces of law and order, surveillance of the network has been stepped up on the ground and in the air, using both human and technical resources,” the statement said.
The fires were reported before dawn on Friday near the tracks on three separate lines, causing widespread disruptions.
Another arson attempt, in the south in Vergigny, was thwarted by rail agents who scared off several suspects.
French government ministers were quick to deplore the suspected acts of vandalism, although they said there was no immediate signs of a direct link to the Olympics.
Patrice Vergriete, France’s Minister Delegate for Transport, said on X that several TGV high-speed trains will remain disrupted over the next few days.
“I strongly condemn these criminal acts which will jeopardise the holiday departures of many French people,” he said.
“A big thank you to the SNCF teams who are working hard to restore traffic conditions as quickly as possible.”
Speaking to BFMTV, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games, said she condemned what happened on Friday morning in “the firmest manner”.
“It’s really appalling,” she said. “Acting against the games is acting against France, against your own side, against your country.”
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said he hoped arrested would soon be made.
Jean-Pierre Farandou, the CEO of SNCF, said an investigation was under way but he had no details.
“We know that there are police checks that are being carried out. There are a lot of forensic police elements that are being looked at. I think the idea is to find as quickly as possible the irresponsible people who committed this coordinated attack against the French network,” he said.
