32 Grand Old Railway Hotels Left Vacant Along Forgotten Routes

27. Hotel Des Invalides (Vichy, France): Spa Town's Grand Neglect

Vichy, a famed French spa town, attracted European elite by rail, leading to the construction of opulent hotels like the Hotel Des Invalides. Built to host royalty and high society seeking the healing waters, this grand establishment thrived during the railway's golden age. However, as spa tourism shifted and its direct railway connections to its clientele diminished, many of Vichy's grand hotels, including this one, experienced significant periods of decline, neglect, or were entirely repurposed, their elegance fading as trains slowed their roll.