Toulouse Metro Line C: Excavation of underground cavern begins

Construction is underway for the François Verdier station on the future Line C of the Toulouse metro. To accommodate the required platform length for future trains, workers are excavating a ten-meter-long underground structure, referred to as a ‘caverne’ (cavern), beneath the Carnot parking lot.

The station is set to be one of the deepest on the line, with platforms located approximately 35 meters below the street level and some walls reaching depths of over 45 meters. The excavation process involves using a mechanical shovel equipped with a milling tool to widen the existing tunnel, followed by the application of sprayed concrete and the installation of metal supports to stabilize the terrain.

The complex operation, managed by Demathieu Bard, is being conducted 24 hours a day. The project must navigate a highly constrained underground environment containing existing infrastructure, including the Line B station and the Carnot parking facility. The specific excavation of the cavern is expected to take approximately three months.