The hotel rating symbols are explained at several random points in
the text, though not in the introductory section:

“Those with the figure 1 are first-class houses, with
2 second-class. The asterisk signifies that they are
especially good of their class.”

A few typographical errors have been corrected. They are shown in the
text with mouse-hover
popups. Missing “from” or “to” mileage numbers have not been
individually noted.



map of France



SOUTH OF FRANCE

EAST HALF



GUIDES BY C. B. BLACK.

 

SPAS of CHELTENHAM and BATH, with
Maps and Plan of Bath. 1s.

TOURIST’S CAR GUIDE in the pleasant Islands of JERSEY, GUERNSEY, ALDERNEY and SARK. Illustrated with
6 Maps and Plan of the Town of Saint
Helier. Second edition. 1s.

CORSICA, with large Map of the Island. 1s.

BELGIUM, including Rotterdam, Flushing,
Middelburg, Schiedam and Luxembourg. Illustrated by 10 Plans and 5 Maps.
2s. 6d.

NORTH FRANCE, LORRAINE AND ALSACE, including the Mineral Waters of Contrexéville, Vittel, Martigny,
Plombières, Luxeuil, Aix-la-chapelle, etc. Illustrated with 5
Maps and 7 Plans. Third Edition. 2s. 6d.

TOURAINE, NORMANDY AND BRITTANY. Illustrated with 14 Maps and 15
Plans. Eighth edition. 5s.

The above two contain the North Half of
France; or France from the Loire to the North Sea and from the Bay of
Biscay to the Rhine.

THE RIVIERA, or the coast of the Mediterranean from Marseilles to Leghorn, including Lucca,
Pisa and Florence. Illustrated
with 8 Maps and 6 Plans. Second edition. 2s. 6d.

FRANCE—South-East
Half—including the whole of the Valley of the Rhône in France, with the adjacent
Departments; the Valley of the Upper
Loire, with the adjacent Departments; the Riviera; the Passes
between France and Italy; and the Italian towns of Turin, Piacenza, Modena, Bologna, Florence, Leghorn
and Pisa. Illustrated with numerous
Maps and Plans. Fourth edition. 5s.

 

From “Scotsman,” June 2, 1884.

“_C. B. Black’s Guide-books have a character of their own; and that
character is a good one. Their author has made himself personally
acquainted with the localities with which he deals in a manner in which
only a man of leisure, a lover of travel, and an intelligent
observer of Continental life could afford to do. He does not ‘get up’
the places as a mere hack guide-book writer is often, by the necessity
of the case, compelled to do. Hence he is able to correct common
mistakes, and to supply information on minute points of much interest
apt to be overlooked by the hurried observer._”



THE

SOUTH OF FRANCE

EAST HALF

INCLUDING THE VALLEYS OF

THE RHÔNE, DRÔME AND DURANCE

the BATHS of

VICHY, ROYAT, AIX, MONT-DORE AND BOURBOULE

THE WHOLE OF THE

RIVIERA FROM CETTE TO LEGHORN

WITH THE INLAND TOWNS OF

TURIN, BOLOGNA, PARMA, FLORENCE AND PISA

AND

THE PASSES BETWEEN FRANCE AND ITALY

Illustrated with Maps and Plans

FOURTH EDITION

C. B. BLACK

EDINBURGH: ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK
1885




_Printed by R. & R. Clark,
Edinburgh._



v
 
PREFACE.

This Guide-book consists of
_Routes_ which follow the course of the main Railways. To adapt
these Routes as far as possible to the requirements of every one the
Branch Lines are also pointed out, together with the stations from which
the Coaches run, in connection with the trains, to towns distant from
the railway. The description of the places on these branch lines is
printed either in a closer or in a smaller letter than that of the towns
on the main lines.

Each Route has the _Map_ indicated on which it is to be found.
By aid of these maps the traveller can easily discover his exact
situation, and either form new routes for himself, or follow those
given.

The _Arrangement_ of the Routes is such that they may be taken
either from the commencement to the end, or from the end to the
commencement. The Route from Paris to Marseilles, for example, does
equally well for Marseilles to Paris.

The _Distance_ of towns from the place of starting to the
terminus is expressed by the figures which accompany them on each side
of the margin; while the distance of any two towns on the same route
from each other is found by subtracting their marginal figures on either
side from each other.

In the _Description_ of towns the places of interest have been
taken in the order of their position, so that, if a cab be engaged, all
that is necessary is to mention to the driver their names in succession.
Cabs on such occasions should be hired by the hour. To guard against
omission, the traveller should underline the names of the places to be
visited before commencing the round. In France the Churches are open all
the day. In Italy they close at 12; but most of them reopen at 2 p.m. All the
vi
 
Picture-Galleries are open on Sundays, and very many also on Thursdays.
When not open to the public, admission is generally granted on payment
of a franc.

In “Table of Contents” the Routes are classified and explained. For
the Time-tables recommended, and for the mode of procedure on the
Continental Railways, see “Preliminary Information.”

Before commencing our description of the Winter Resorts on the
Mediterranean, with the best routes towards them, let it be clearly
understood that not even in the very mildest of these stations is it
safe for the invalid to venture out either in the early morning or after
sunset without being well protected with warm clothing; and that, even
with this precaution, the risk run of counteracting the beneficial
influences of a sojourn in these regions is so great as to render it
prudent to determine from the first to spend those hours always within
doors. On the other hand, it is most conducive to health, during the
sunny hours of the day, to remain as much as possible in the open air,
walking and driving along the many beautiful terraces and roads with
which these places abound; and if the day be well employed in such
exercise, it will be no great hardship to rest at home in the evening.
Nor is it necessary to remain in the same town during the entire season;
indeed a change of scene is generally most beneficial, for which the
railway as well as the steamers affords every facility. “I would
strongly advise every person who goes abroad for the recovery of his
health, whatever may be his disease or to what climate soever he may go,
to consider the change as placing him merely in a more favourable
situation for the removal of his disease; in fact, to bear constantly in
mind that the beneficial influence of travelling, of sailing, and of
climate requires to be aided by such dietetic regimen and general mode
of living, and by such remedial measures as would have been requisite in
his case had he remained in his own country. All the circumstances
requiring attention from the invalid at home should be equally attended
to abroad. If in some things greater latitude may be permitted, others
will demand
vii
 
even a more rigid attention. It is, in truth, only by a due regard to
all these circumstances that the powers of the constitution can be
enabled to throw off, or even materially mitigate, in the best climate,
a disease of long standing.

“It may appear strange that I should think it requisite to insist so
strongly on the necessity of attention to these directions; but I have
witnessed the injurious effects of a neglect of them too often not to
deem such remarks called for in this place. It was, indeed, matter of
surprise to me, during my residence abroad, to observe the manner in
which many invalids seemed to lose sight of the object for which they
left their own country—the recovery of their health. This appeared
to arise chiefly from too much being expected from climate.

“The more common and more injurious deviations from that system of
living which an invalid ought to adopt, consist in errors of diet,
exposure to cold, over-fatigue, and excitement in what is called
‘sight-seeing,’ frequenting crowded and over-heated rooms, and keeping
late hours. Many cases fell under my observation in which climate
promised the greatest advantage, but where its beneficial influence was
counteracted by the operation of these causes.” —_Sir James
Clark on the Sanative Influence of Climate._

SEE MAP PAGE 27, AND
MAP ON FLY-LEAF.

Many after leaving the Riviera are the better of making a short stay
at some of the baths, such as Vichy
(p. 359), Vals (p. 93),
Mont-Dore (p. 378), Bourboule (p. 383), Aix-les-Bains (p. 283), Bourbon-l’Archambault (p. 357), or Bourbon-Lancy (p. 358). If at the
eastern end of the Riviera, the nearest way to them is by rail from
Savona (pp. 209 and 183), or from Genoa (pp. 212 and 279) to Turin (p. 292). From Turin a short branch
line extends to Torre-Pèllice
(p. 305), situated in one of the most beautiful of the Waldensian
valleys.

If the journey from Turin to Aix-les-Bains, 128 miles, be too long,
a halt may be made for the night at Modane (p. 290); where, however, on
account of the elevation, 3445 ft., the air is generally rather sharp
and bracing.

viii
 

From the western end of the Riviera the best way north and to the
baths is by the valley of the Rhône (map,
p. 27), in which there are many places of great interest, such
as Arles (p. 68), Avignon (p. 58), Orange (p. 51), and Lyons (p. 29). From Lyons take the western
branch by Montbrison (p. 349)
for Vichy, Mont-Dore, and Bourboule. For Aix-les-Bains take the eastern
by Ambérieux (p. 281) and
Culoz (p. 282). From Avignon,
Carpentras (p. 54), Pont-St. Esprit (p. 98), Montélimart (p. 48), La Voulte (p. 82), Crest (p. 46) and Grenoble (p. 324), interesting and
picturesque excursions are made. From Carpentras Mont Ventoux (p. 56) is visited. From La Voulte,
Ardechè (p. 45) is entered. From
Crest diligences run to the towns and villages between it and Aspres
(pp. 47 and 345). From Grenoble the roads and railways
diverge which lead to the lofty peaks of the western Alps and to the
mountain passes between France and Italy.

None should go abroad without a passport. Even where several are
travelling together in one party, each should have his own passport.
They are easily procured and easily carried, and may be of great
use.

The best hotels in the places frequented by the Americans and English
cost per day from 12 to 22 frs., and the pensions from 9 to 15 frs.,
including wine (often sour) in both. The general charge in the hotels of
the other towns throughout France is from 8 to 9 frs. per day. Meat
breakfast, 2 to 3 frs.; dinner, 3 to 4 frs.; service, ½ fr.;
“café au lait,” with bread and butter, 1½ fr. The omnibus between the
hotel and the station costs each from 6 to 10 sous. The driver in most
cases loads and unloads the luggage himself at the station, when he
expects a small gratuity from 2 to 10 sous, according to the quantity of
bags and trunks. The omnibuses of the Riviera hotels cost from 1½ to
2 frs. each, and although the conductor does not unload the luggage
he expects a gratuity.

Neither jewellery nor money should be carried in portmanteaus. When a
stay of merely a day or two is intended, the bulky and heavy luggage
should be left in depôt at the station. Some companies charge 1, others
2 sous for each article (colis) per day. See “Railways” in “Preliminary
Information.”

C. B. B.

 


ix
 
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION.

THE LANDING-PLACES ON THE FRENCH SIDE
OF THE CHANNEL.

The six principal ports on the
French side of the English Channel connected by railroad with Paris
are:—


Dieppe—distant from Paris 125 miles; passing Clères Junction, 100
m.; Rouen, 85 m.; Gaillon, 58 m.; Mantes Junction, 36 m.;
and Poissy, 17 m. from Paris. Arrives at the station of the Chemins
de Fer de l’Ouest, Saint Lazare. Time, 4½ hours. Fares—1st class,
25 frs.; 2d cl. 19 frs.; 3d cl. 14 frs.

London to Paris _via_ Newhaven and Dieppe (240
miles):—tidal; daily, except Sunday, from Victoria Station and
London Bridge Station. Fare—1st class, 31s.; 2d cl. 23s.; 3d cl.
16s. 6d. Sea journey, 60 miles; time, 8 hours. Time for entire journey,
16 hours. For tickets, etc., in Paris apply to Chemin de Fer de l’Ouest,
Gare St. Lazare, Rue St. Lazare 110, ancien 124. Bureau spécial, agent,
M. Marcillet, Rue de la Paix, 7. A. Collin et Cie,
20 Boulevard Saint Denis.

From Dieppe another line goes to Paris by Arques, Neufchâtel,
Serqueux, Forges-les-Eaux, Gournay, Gisors, and Pontoise. Distance, 105
miles. Time by ordinary trains, 5 hours 10 minutes. Fares—1st
class, 21 frs.; 2d, 15½ frs.; 3d, 11¼ frs. Arrives at the St. Lazare
station of the Chemins de Fer de l’Ouest.

From Tréport a railway extends to Paris by Eu, Gamaches, Aumale,
Abancourt, Beauvais, and Creil. Distance, 119¼ miles. Time, 8 hours 40
minutes. Fares, 1st class, 24 frs.; 2d, 18 frs.; 3d, 13 frs. Arrives at
the station of the Chemin de Fer du Nord. There are few through trains
by this line.


BOULOGNE—distant 158 miles from Paris; passing Montreuil, 134 m.;
Abbeville, 109 m.; Amiens, 82 m.; Clermont, 41 m.; and
Creil, 32 m. from Paris. Arrives at the station of the Chemin de Fer du
Nord, No. 18 Place Roubaix. Time by express, 4½ hours. Fares—1st
class, 31 frs. 25 c.; 2d cl. 23 frs. 45 c.; 3d cl. 17 frs. 20 c.

London to Paris, _via_, Folkestone and Boulogne (255
miles):—tidal route; from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London
Bridge. Express trains daily to Folkestone, and from Boulogne, first and
second class. Sea journey, 27 miles; time of crossing, 1 hour 40
minutes. Fares from London to Paris by Boulogne—1st class, 56s.;
2d cl. 42s. Time for the entire journey, 10 hours. For tickets, etc., in
Paris apply to the railway station of the Chemin de Fer du Nord.

x
 

CALAIS—185 miles from Paris; by Boulogne, 158 m.; Montreuil,
134 m.; Abbeville, 109 m.; Amiens, 82 m.; Clermont,
41 m.; and Creil, 32 m. from Paris. Arrives at the station of
the Chemin de Fer du Nord, No. 18 Place Roubaix. Time by express, 5½
hours. Fares—1st class, 36 frs. 55 c.; 2d cl. 27 frs. 40 c.

London to Paris, _via_ Dover and Calais (mail route, distance
283 miles);—departing from Charing Cross, Cannon Street, or London
Bridge. Sea journey, 21 miles; time about 80 minutes. First and second
class, express. Fares—60s.; 2d cl. 45s. Total time, London to
Paris, 10 hours. Luggage is registered throughout from London, and
examined in Paris. Only 60 lbs. free. For tickets, etc., in Paris apply
at the railway station of the Chemins de Fer du Nord.


CALAIS—204 miles from Paris; by Saint Omer, 177 m.;
Hazebrouck, 165 m.; Arras, 119 m.; Amiens, 82 m.;
Clermont, 41 m.; and Creil, 32 m. Arrives at the station, No.
18 Place Roubaix. Time, 7 hours 40 minutes. Fares—1st class, 36
frs. 55 c.; 2d cl. 27 frs. 40 c.; 3d cl. 20 frs. 10 c.


DUNKERQUE—190 miles from Paris; by Bergues, 185 miles; Hazebrouck,
165 m., where it joins the line from Calais; Arras, 119 m.;
Amiens, 81 m.; Clermont, 41 m.; and Creil, 32 m. Arrives
at the station, No. 18 Place Roubaix. Time, 10½ hours. Fares—1st
class, 37 frs. 55 c.; 2d cl. 28 frs. 15 c.

England and Channel, _via_ Thames and Dunkirk
(screw):—tidal; three times a week from Fenning’s Wharf. Also from
Leith, in 48 to 54 hours.


LE HAVRE—142 miles from Paris; by Harfleur, 138 m.;
Beuzeville Junction, 126 miles; Bolbec-Nointot, 123 m.; Yvetot,
111 m.; Rouen, 87 m.; Gaillon, 58 m.; Mantes Junction,
36 m.; and Poissy, 17 m. from Paris. Arrives, as from Dieppe
and Cherbourg, at the station of the Chemin de Fer de l’Ouest, No. 124
Rue St. Lazare. Fares—1st class, 28 frs. 10 c.; 2d cl. 21 frs. 5
c.; 3d cl. 15 frs. 45 c. Time by express, 4 hours 50 minutes, and nearly
3 hours longer by the ordinary trains.

London and Channel, _via_ Southampton and Le
Havre:—Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 p.m. from Waterloo Station, leaving Southampton
11.45 p.m. Sea journey, 80 m.;
time, 8 hours.


CHERBOURG—231 miles from Paris; by Lison, 184 m.; Bayeux, 167
m.; Caen, 149 m.; Mezidon Junction, 134 m.; Lisieux,
119 m.; Serquigny Junction, 93 m.; Evreux, 67 m.; Mantes
Junction, 36 m.; and Poissy, 17 m. from Paris. Time by
express, 8½ hours; slow trains, nearly 13 hours.

FRENCH, BELGIAN, AND GERMAN RAILWAYS.

On these railways the rate of travelling is slower than in England, but
the time is more accurately kept.

To each passenger is allowed 30 kilogrammes, or 66 lbs. weight of
luggage free.

xi
 
Railway Time-Tables.

Time-tables or Indicateurs. For France the most useful and only
official time-tables are those published by Chaix and Cie,
and sold at all the railway stations. Of these excellent publications
there are various kinds. The most complete and most expensive is the
“Livret-Chaix Continental,” which, besides the time-tables of the French
railways, gives those also of the whole Continent, and is furnished with
a complete index; size 18mo, with about 800 pages. The “Livret-Chaix
Continental” is sold at the station bookstalls. Price 2 frs.

Next in importance is the “Indicateur des Chemins de Fer,” sold at
every station; size 128 small folio pages, price 60 c. It contains the
time-tables of the French railways alone, and an index and railway
map.

The great French lines of the “Chemins de Fer de l’Ouest,” of the
“Chemins de Fer d’Orleans,” of the “Chemins de Fer de Paris à Lyon et à
la Méditerranée,” of the “Chemins de Fer du Nord,” and of the “Chemins
de Fer de l’Est,” have each time-tables of their own, sold at all their
stations. Price 40 c. Size 18me. With good index.

For Belgium, the best time-tables are in the “Guide Officiel sur tous
les Chemins de Fer de Belgique.” Sold at the Belgian railway stations.
Size 18me. Price 30 c. It contains a good railway map of
Belgium.

For Italy, use “L’Indicatore Ufficiale delle Strade Ferrate
d’Italia.” Containing excellent maps illustrating their circular tours.
Price 1 fr.

In Spain use the “Indicador de los Ferro-Carriles,” sold at the
stations. The distances are, as in the French tables, in kilometres, of
which 8 make 5 miles. _Lleg._ or _Llegada_ means
“arrival”; _Salida_, “departure.”

In England consult the “Continental Time-tables of the London,
Chatham, and Dover Railway,” sold at the Victoria Station, Pimlico,
price 2d.; or those of the London and South-Eastern, 1d.

In the Railway Station.

Before going to the station, it is a good plan to turn up in the
index of the “Livret-Chaix Continental” the place required, to ascertain
the fare and the time of starting, which stations are supplied with
refreshment rooms (marked B), and the time the train halts at each
on its way.

On arriving at the station join the single file (queue) of people
before the small window (guichet), where the tickets (billets) are sold.
Your turn having arrived, and having procured your ticket, proceed to
the luggage department, where deposit your baggage and deliver your
ticket to be stamped. The luggage tickets are called also
“bulletins.”

After your articles have been weighed, your ticket, along with a
luggage receipt, is handed you from the “guichet” of the luggage office,
where, if your baggage is not overweight, you pay 10 c. or 2 sous.
Before pocketing the luggage ticket, just run your eye down the column
headed “Nombre de Colis,” and see that the exact number of your articles
has been given. The French have a strange way of making the figures
3, 5,
xii
 
and 7. Whatever is overweight is paid for at this office; but remember,
when two or more are travelling together, to present the tickets of the
whole party at the luggage department, otherwise the luggage will be
treated as belonging to one person, and thus it will probably be
overweight. Another advantage of having the entire number of the party
on the “Billet de Bagage” is that, in case of one or other losing their
carriage tickets, this will prove the accident to the stationmaster
(chef-de-Gare) and satisfy him. If, after having purchased a ticket, the
train is missed, that ticket, to be available for the next train, must
be presented again to the ticket office, to be re-stamped (être
visé).

The traveller, on arriving at his destination, will frequently find
it more convenient not to take his luggage away with him; in which case,
having seen it brought from the train to the station, he should tell the
porter that he wishes it left there. He retains, however, his luggage
ticket, which he only presents when he desires his luggage again.

On the Railway.

In the carriage cast the eye over the line as given in our railway
map, and note the junctions; for at many of these—such as Amiens,
Rouen, Culoz, Macon, etc. etc.—the passengers are frequently
discharged from the carriages and sent into the waiting-rooms to await
other trains. On such occasions great attention must be paid to the
names the porter calls out when he opens the door of the waiting-room,
otherwise the wrong train may be taken. To avoid this, observe on our
railway map what are the principal towns along the line in the direction
required to go; so that when, for example, he calls out, “Voyageurs du
Côté de Lyon!” and we be going to Marseilles from Macon, we may, with
confidence, enter the train, because, by reference to the map, we see we
must pass Lyon to reach Marseilles. The little railway map will be found
very useful, and ought always to be kept in readiness for reference.

_Buffet_ means “refreshment-room”; and _Salle d’Attente_,
“waiting-room.”

There are separate first, second, and third class carriages for
ladies.

Express trains have third class carriages for long distances.

Railway Omnibuses.

At the stations of the largest and wealthiest towns three kinds of
omnibuses await the arrival of passengers. They may be distinguished by
the names of the General Omnibus, the Hotel Omnibus, and the Private
Omnibus. The general omnibus takes passengers to all parts of the town
for a fixed sum, rarely above half a franc; so that, should the omnibus
be full, it is some time till the last passenger gets put down at his
destination. The hotel omnibus takes passengers only to the hotel or
hotels whose name or names it bears.

 


xiii
 

CONTENTS.

RAILWAYS, ROADS, and BYE-WAYS in the
SOUTH-EAST of FRANCE, and the MOUNTAIN
PASSES between FRANCE and ITALY.

For the whole of the south-east of
France use the time-tables of the “Chemins de Fer de Paris à Lyon et à
la Méditerranée.” Sold at all their stations, price 8 sous. In Italy use
the “Indicatore Ufficiale,” 1 fr. or 1 lira, which gives, besides
the time-tables of the railway trains, those also of the steam-trams,
which traverse the country in all directions.

In England consult the time-tables of the London and South Eastern
Railway, 1d.; or the Continental time-tables of the London, Chatham and
Dover Railway, 3d.


 
page

PARIS to MENTON by Fontainebleau, Joigny, Dijon, Macon, Lyons,
Valence, Avignon, Arles, Rognac, Marseilles, Toulon, Hyères, Cannes,
Nice and Monaco (see map on fly-leaf)
1

For practical purposes it is more convenient to divide this long journey
into two parts—Paris to Marseilles (p. 1), and Marseilles to Menton (p. 122).

PARIS to MARSEILLES1

The train, after leaving the station, passes some of the most
interesting towns and villages in the neighbourhood of Paris, of which
the most important is Fontainebleau. Dijon and Macon are good
resting-places. Lyons is the largest city on the line. Avignon and Arles
should, if possible, be visited. Among the branch lines which ramify
from this great central railway are

La Roche to Les Laumes by Auxerre, Cravant, Sermizelles,
Avallon and Semur. At Sermizelles a coach awaits passengers for Vezelay,
containing a grand and vast church. 
14

xiv
 

From Auxerre a coach runs to Chablis (p. 14), with its famous wines, passing
through Pontigny (p. 16), where
Thomas à Becket resided.

Verrey (p. 19) is a good station to
alight at, to visit the source of the Seine.

From Dijon (p. 20) southwards
to Chagny (p. 24)
are the famous Burgundy vineyards.

Chagny to Nevers by Autun, Montchanin and Creusot. Autun (p. 24) is one of the most ancient cities
in France. At Creusot (p. 25) are
very large ironworks.

Macon to Paray-le-Monial by Cluny. At Paray-le-Monial (p. 27) a nun called Alacoque is said
to have had several interviews with J. C.

Lyons (p. 29), though a
splendid city, ought to be avoided by invalids in winter. Lyons is an
important railway junction. 78 miles E. by Amberieux and Culoz is
Aix-les-Bains (p. 283). 76 miles
S.E. by Rives, Voiron and Voreppe is Grenoble (p. 324). Voiron is the station for the
Grande Chartreuse (p. 323). From
the station of St. Paul, 113 miles W. by Montbrison (p. 349), is Clermont-Ferrand (p. 369). 89½ miles S.W. by St. Etienne (p. 346) is Le Puy (p. 86). The rail from Lyons along the E.
side of the Rhône leads to Avignon (p. 58) and Arles (p. 68); and on the W. side to Nîmes (p. 101). See map, p. 27.

Valence to Grenoble, 62 miles N.E.
44

Valence to Ardèche
45

Crest to Montelimart
46

Crest to Dieulefit by Saou and Bourdeaux
46

Saou is an ancient village curiously situated. Bourdeaux is separated
from Dieulefit by a high mountain.

Crest to Aspres, 57 miles E. by Die. This route traverses the
whole of the valley of the river Drôme (map, p. 27)
47

Montelimart to Grignan, where Madame
Sévigné died
49

La Croisière to Nyons, 29½ miles E. (p. 50). The climate of Nyons is mild and
well suited for those who leave the Riviera early. From Nyons another
coach goes on to Serres, 41 miles E. (p. 51) on the railway between Marseilles
and Grenoble (map, p. 27).

xv
 

Sorgues to Carpentras, 10½ m. east
54

Carpentras makes excellent headquarters for visiting a great variety of
places in the neighbourhood, among others Mont Ventoux (p. 56) and Vaison (p. 53).

Avignon to Nîmes by the famous Roman aqueduct called the
Pont-du-Gard
64

Avignon to the Fontaine of Vaucluse,
where Petrarch lived for some time
64

Avignon to Manosque by Apt (map, p. 27)
66

Avignon to Miramas by Cavaillon
66

Tarascon to St. Remy and Les Baux
67

Arles to Fontvieille by Mont-Majour.
Arles has magnificent Roman remains
71

Arles to Port St. Louis at the mouth
of the Rhône
72

Arles to Port-Bouc, across the
Camargue, by the canal steamboat
76 and 72

Arles to Aigues-Mortes by St. Gilles
and Lunel
72

Lunel to Montpellier
73

Rognac to the aqueduct of Roquefavour, which brings water to
Marseilles from the Durance
77

Rognac to the baths of Aix-en-Provence. Aix has communication
by rail and by coach with very many of the neighbouring towns
78

LYONS to NÎMES by the west side of the Rhône (map, p. 27)
81

Peyraud by rail to Annonay, and
thence by coach to St. Etienne
81

La Voulte to Le Cheilard, the chief diligence centre in the
department of Ardèche (map, p. 46)
83

The road to the source of the Loire (map, p. 85)
83

Lachamp-Raphaél to Le Béage (map, p. 85)
84

Le Béage to Le Puy by Le Monastier
(map, p. 46)
85

Le Puy to Langogne by Pradelles (map, p. 46)
88

Le Puy to Langeac by St. Georges (map, p. 46)
89

xvi
 

Darsac to Chaise-Dieu (map, p. 46)
89

Chaise-Dieu to Thiers by Arlanc and
Ambert (map, p. 27)
90

Langeac to Monistrol and to Saugues.
Coach from Monistrol station to Le Puy (map, p. 46)
91

Le Pouzin to Privas (map, p. 27)
92

Teil to Alais, 62 miles S.W. (map, p. 27)
93

This is the branch line to take for the baths of Vals and the
interesting volcanic mountains in the neighbourhood.

Prades to Langogne by Mayres and
Pradelles (map, p. 27)
94

Prades to Montpezat. From Montpezat
the source of the Loire (p. 84)
is visited
95

Montpezat to Le Puy
96

Ruoms to Vallon and the fine natural
bridge called the Pont d’Arc (map,
p. 27), approached also from Pont-St. Esprit (p. 98)
96

Pont d’Avignon, station on W. bank
of the Rhône, for Avignon
99

Remoulins to the Pont-du-Gard
99

Nîmes To Millau by Vigan (map, p. 27)
105

THE RIVIERA.

The Riviera. Hotels, productions, climate
107

Marseilles. Hotels, trams, sights, excursions
111

MARSEILLES to MENTON. The French Riviera
122

Marseilles to Toulon, passing several pretty little towns, of which the
most important is La Seyne (p. 123). From Toulon omnibuses and
diligences run to the neighbouring villages and to the more distant
towns in the interior. The most start from the Place d’Italie (pp.
124 and 129).

Toulon to Dardenne from the “Place” to the W. of the Place Puget (p. 128), to Hyères from the Place
Puget (pp. 124, 133), Cap Brun and Ste. Marguerite from the Place
d’Italie (p. 128), to Le
Pradet from the Place d’Italie (p. 128).

Toulon to Meounes and Brignoles by Belgentier, by diligence. As far as
Meounes the road traverses a picturesque country (p. 129), to Collobrières by La Crau and
Pierrefeu (p. 130).

xvii
 

Steamer to La Seyne (pp. 124, 127), to St. Mandrier (p. 127), to the Iles d’Hyères or d’Or
(pp. 124, 131).

The Iles d’Or. Porquerolles, Port-Cros, Ile du Levant
131

Toulon to Hyères
132

Hyères. Hotels, cabs, drives, stage-coaches, excursions,
productions, climate
133

Hyères to Les Salins, La Plage and the peninsula of Giens (p. 140); to Carqueyranne by Pomponiana
(p. 141); to Bormes and
Lavandou (p. 142); by coach to
St. Tropez (p. 134); whence
steamer to St. Raphael (p. 147); or coach to Le Luc (p. 144).

La Pauline. Diligence and train to Hyères
142

Carnoules. Carnoules to Gardanne by rail, passing Brignoles
and Ste. Maximin
142

Le Luc. Le Luc to St. Tropez by coach, across the Maure
mountains
144

Les Arcs to Draguignan by rail. From Draguignan diligences
start to Aups, Barjols, Fayence, Lorgues and Salernes, and correspond at
these towns with other diligences
145

Cannes to Auribeau, (p.
156), to Cannet, (p. 154),
to Cap d’Antibes (p. 154), to
Castelaras (p. 156), to
Croisette (p. 154), to Croix
des Gardes (p. 155), to
Estérel (p. 155), to Grasse
(p. 160), to the Iles de
Lerins (p. 156), to Mougins
(p. 156), to Napoule and
Theoule (p. 155), to Pégomas
(p. 156), to St. Cassien (p. 155), to Vallauris by the
Golfe de Jouan and Californie (p. 152).

Grasse to Cagnes by Le Bar, the Pont-du-Loup and Vence (p. 163), to Digne by St. Vallier
and Castellane (p. 165), Digne
to Riez, Gréoulx, Volx and Manosque (p. 166).

Nice to St. Martin Lantosque by coach, and thence to Cuneo by
the Col di Finestra
180

Nice to Puget-Theniers and Saint Sauveur by coach. From St.
Sauveur an excellent road by the side of the Tinée ascends to St.
Etienne; whence bridle-road E. to Vinadio (map, p. 165).
182

Nice to Cuneo by the tunnel of the Col di Tenda
182

Savona to Turin by Carru, Bra, Cavallermaggiore and
Moncalieri, 90¾ miles N.
183

Beaulieu to Port St. Jean and the Lighthouse—a pleasant
walk
185

xviii
 
Monte Carlo to Nice by the coast-road
189

Monaco to La Turbie and the Tête de Chien
191

MENTON to GENOA—the western part of the Italian Riviera,
called also the Riviera di Ponente
200

Bordighera, up the valley of the
Nervia, to Pigna
201

San Remo to Monte Bignone
205

GENOA to PISA and LEGHORN—the eastern Italian Riviera,
or the Riviera di Levante
219

Avenza to Carrara by rail—a very easy and interesting
excursion
222

Pisa to Florence by Pontedera and
Empoli (map, p. 199)
227

Pisa to Florence by Lucca, Pistoja
and Prato
227

Lucca to the Baths of Lucca
230

Florence to Vallombrosa
277

Genoa to Turin by
Alessandria—a very interesting railway journey
279

END OF THE RIVIERA.

 

PARIS to TURIN
281

PARIS to MODANE
281

Aix-les-Bains to Geneva by Annecy
286

Modane to Turin
291

Bussoleno to Susa
291

Turin to Torre-Pellice by Pinerolo
305

Torre-Pellice to Mont-Dauphin by the
Col de la Croix
306

Perosa to Mont-Dauphin by the Col
d’Abriés
307

Perosa to Cesanne by the Col de
Sestrières
307

Saluzzo to Mont Dauphin by the Col
de la Traversette
308

Cuneo to Barcelonnette (_see_
Barcelonnette to Cuneo)
341

TURIN to FLORENCE by Piacenza, Parma, Modena and Bologna
309

xix
 

St. Pierre d’Albigny to Courmayeur
by the Little Saint Bernard
320

PARIS to MODANE by Lyons, Voiron and Grenoble. This is the
route to take to visit the Grande Chartreuse and the picturesque valleys
about the formidable group of the Ecrin mountains
322

Grenoble to Sassenage
327

Grenoble to Briançon by Bourg d’Oisans and the Col de
Lautaret. A grand mountain road
328

Bourg d’Oisans to La Berarde, at the
base of the Ecrin group, by Vosc and St. Christophe
329

Briançon to Mt. Pelvoux by La Bessée
and the Val Louise
333,
345

Briançon to Oulx by Mt. Genèvre and
Cesanne
333

Grenoble to Corps by La Mure (map, p. 27). From Corps another diligence
proceeds to Gap (p. 340). From
Corps the pilgrimage is made to N. D. de la Salette
333

Goncelin to Allevard-les-Bains
336

MARSEILLES to GRENOBLE by Gardanne, Aix, St. Auban, Sisteron,
Serres, Veynes, Aspres, Clelles and Claix (map, p. 27)
338

St. Auban to Digne
339

Digne to Barcelonnette by La Javie
and Seyne (map, p. 304)
339

Digne to Barcelonnette by Draix,
Colmars and Allos
339

VEYNES to MONT DAUPHIN-GUILLESTRE station, 51 miles N.E. by
rail. Both of these towns are at the French end of several of the
important passes between France and Italy
340

Gap to Barcelonnette
341

Barcelonnette to Cuneo (map, p. 27)
341

Gap to Grenoble by Corps (map, p. 304)
342

Mont-Dauphin to Saluzzo (map, p. 304)
344

Paris to Lyons by Saint Etienne (map, p. 27)
346

xx
 

Paris to Lyons by Tarare (map, p. 27)
348

Lyons to Clermont-Ferrand by
Montbrison (map, p. 27)
349

Paris to Marseilles by
Clermont-Ferrand and Nîmes (see map on
fly-leaf)
351

Moulins to the Baths of
Bourbon-l’Archambault by Souvigny and Saint Menoux (map, p. 1)
356

Moulins to the Baths of
Bourbon-Lancy by Dompierre and Gilly. Beyond Gilly is
Paray-le-Monial (p. 27, map p. 1)
357

St. Germain-des-Fossés to Vichy
359

Clermont-Ferrand to Brive by
Laqueuille
376

Laqueuille to the Baths of Mont-Dore and
Bourboule
377

Mont-Dore to Issoire by the Baths of
St. Nectaire
385

A diligence runs between St. Nectaire and the Coude railway station.

 

xxi
 
MAPS AND PLANS.

Some full-page maps have been moved to avoid breaking up paragraphs. All
links, both here and in the body text, lead to the map itself.

Map references in the text are inconsistent. The “Rhône and Savoy”
map was printed twice, between pages 26/27 and 106/107. In the List of
Maps it is given as “page 107”; in the text it is randomly cited as
“page 27” and “page 26”. “Map. p. 199” and “p. 200” both refer
to the Italian Riviera map, also cited twice as “p. 220”. The map
of Hyères (p. 129) is twice cited as “p. 177”.


 
page

Ardèche, general map of, including the northern part of the
department of Drôme and the southern of the Haute-Loire
46

This map contains a large part of the valleys of the Rhône and the
Allier, the towns of Le Puy, Vals, Beage, Langogne, Cheilard, Tournon,
Valence, La Voulte, etc., the source of the Loire and Mount Mezenc.

Arles, a town of great interest
68

Avignon, Plan of
59

Bologna, Plan of
316

Cannes, Environs of
155

Showing the drives around Cannes and Antibes.

Cannes, Plan of
149

Corniche Road
185

Showing the course of the upper Corniche Road from Nice to Menton, as
well as that of the lower and perhaps more beautiful road between Nice
and Monte-Carlo, extending along the coast, nearly parallel to the
railway.

This map contains also the Environs of Nice, Monaco, and
Menton.

Dijon, Plan of
20

Estérel Mountains, or Frejus and St. Raphael to Cannes
146

Florence, Plan of
234

The most beautiful walk or drive is by the Porta Romana up to the Piazza
Michelangiolo.

Galleria degli Uffizi
237

The Florence Picture Gallery. Contained in two vast edifices on both
sides of the Arno; united by long corridors, which from the Uffizi
straggle down to the river, cross the bridge, and reach the Pitti Palace
by the upper story of the houses bordering the Via Guicciardini.

Genoa, Plan of
214

Hyères, Environs of
129

As the excursions from Hyères and Toulon are nearly the same, the
environs of both towns are given on the same map.

Italian Riviera, or the Riviera from Ventimiglia to Leghorn
199

Called also the Riviera di Ponente and the Riviera di Levante. The
French Riviera is given on the map of the “Rhône and Savoy,” and parts
on a larger scale on the maps of the “Corniche Road” “Marseilles to
Cannes,” and the “Durance to the Var and San Remo.”

Leghorn, Plan of
226

Lyons, General plan of
30

xxii
 

Lyons, Partial plan of
33

Marseilles, Plan of
113

Marseilles to Cannes
123

This map shows the position of the towns and villages on the coast and
in the interior, the roads between them and the Marseilles canal; which,
from the Durance, enters the sea at Cape Croisette. At the southern side
are given the “Iles d’Or,” called also the “Islands of Hyères,” of which
the largest is Porquerolles.

Mont Cenis railway, Plan of
291

This plan shows the railway from St. Pierre-d’Albigny to Turin by Modane
and Susa. Rail from St. Pierre to Albertville; whence coach-road to
Courmayeur by Moutiers, Bourg-St. Maurice, Seez and the Little St.
Bernard. Coach road from Albertville to Annecy on Lake Annecy.

Mont-Dore and Bourboule, Map of environs
378

Nice, Plan of
171

Nîmes, interesting Roman ruins
101

Paris to Vichy, Macon, Bourg and Geneva, situated towards the
S. and S.E. Carlsruhe, Baden, Strasburg, Freiburg, Basel, Schaffhausen,
Lucerne and Interlaken to the E., and Epernay, Verdun and Metz to
the N.
1

Pisa, Plan of
224

The object of this plan is to enable tourists to find their way unaided
to the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the Campo Santo
or Cemetery. The frescoes on the walls of the Cemetery require the
cultivated talent of an artist to appreciate. Those who have to remain
over the night should take one of the hotels close to the station.

Railway Map
_Fly-leaf_

This map shows all the railway routes in France and their correspondence
with the railways in Belgium, Prussia, Baden, Switzerland, Italy and
Spain. Also the railways on both sides of the Rhine and of the
Rhône.

Rhône and Savoy
107

This map gives the entire course of the Rhône in France, with the
railways on both sides from Lyons to Avignon. The Railroads and Passes
between France and Savoy. The French Riviera.

Savona to Rapallo
211

Illustrating the position of the pleasant winter stations of Arenzano,
Pegli, Sestri-Ponente, Nervi, Santa-Margherita-Ligure and Rapallo.

The Durance to the Var and San Remo
163

This map shows principally the position of the towns in the interior,
approached by diligence from Grasse (near Cannes), Draguignan, and Nice.
From Nice start the diligences which run between France and Italy.

xxiii
 

The French and Italian Waldensian valleys, with the
mountain-passes between them
304

The high volcanic peaks in the department of Ardèche; among
which are Mezenc and the Gerbier-de-Joncs, with the source of the Loire
84

The Italian Riviera or north-west Italy, including the
railways between Turin, Savona, Genoa and Florence
200

The Mouths of the Rhône
66

Showing the position of the canals and of the great lakes in this
neighbourhood. The principal towns are Marseilles, Aix-en-Provence,
Arles, Avignon, Aigues-Mortes and Montpellier. The Marseilles canal from
the Durance commences opposite Pertuis directly N. from Marseilles (see
pp. 77, 115, and 338). A little farther down the Durance is
the commencement of the Craponne canal (p. 66).

The plains between the Ardèche, Rhône and Durance, in which
are situated Aubenas, Alais, Montélimart, Pont-St. Esprit, Orange,
Carpentras, Vaison and other places of interest
56

Thermometer, on the Centigrade and Fahrenheit scale
107

Toulon, Environs of
129

This map will be found very useful in the excursions by the small
steamers sailing from the port.

Troyes, Plan of
12

Turin, Plan of
293

Vichy, Plan of
359

 
 


CARTE DU JOUR.

The following List contains the
explanation of the technical terms of some of the most useful dishes
mentioned in the “Cartes du Jour” of the restaurants. Fancy names cannot
be translated.

The following section is given exactly as printed. Some items may
require added salt.


SOUPS.
_Consommé_, beef-tea.
_Bouillon_, broth.
_Potage_, soup.
_Julienne_, vegetable soups.
_Purée_, pease-soup.

_Purée_, when qualifying a noun, means “mashed,” as—
_Purée de pommes_, mashed potatoes.
 „ „_marron_, mashed
chestnuts.

BEEF.
_Bœuf au naturel_, or simply “nature,” plain boiled beef.

_Naturel_ in cookery means “plain.”
_Bœuf à la mode_, beef stewed with carrots.

Nearly the same as the next.
_Bœuf à la jardinière_, beef with vegetables.
_Aloyau_, a sirloin of beef.
_Aloyau a la jardinière_, sirloin with vegetables.
_Aloyau sauté_, sirloin in slices.

_Sauté_ in cookery means “sliced.”
_Rosbif aux pommes_, roast beef with potatoes.

In these lists the words _de terre_ are rarely affixed to
_pommes_.
_Bifteck au naturel_, plain beefsteak.
 „ _aux pommes_, with
potatoes.
 „ _aux pommes sautées_, with
sliced potatoes.
 „ _aux haricots_, with kidney
beans.
 „ _bien cuit_, well done.
 „ _saignant_, under done.
_Palais de Bœuf au gratin_, broiled ox palate.

_Au gratin_ in cookery means “baked” or “broiled”; when applied to
potatoes it means “browned.”

xxiv
 

MUTTON.
_Côtelettes de mouton au naturel_, plain mutton chops.
  „ 
„ „ _panées_, mutton chops fried with crumbs.
  „  „ „ _aux
pointes d’asperge_, mutton chops with asparagus tops.
  „  „ „ _à la purée
de pommes_, mutton chops with mashed potatoes.
_Gigot roti_, a roast leg of mutton.
_Pieds de mouton_, sheep’s trotters.
_Gigot d’agneau_, a leg of lamb.
_Blanquette d’agneau_, hashed stewed lamb.
_Rognons à la brochette_, broiled kidneys.
  „ _sautés_, sliced
kidneys.
_Etuvé_, stewed.

VEAL.
_Côtelette de veau_, veal cutlet.
_Tête de veau en vinaigrette_, calf’s head with oil and
vinegar.
_Oreille de veau en marinade_, pickled calf’s ear.
_Ris de veau_, sweetbread.
_Foie de veau_, calf’s liver.
_Blanquette de veau_, hashed stewed veal.
_Fricandeau au jus_, Scotch collops with gravy.
_Jus_, gravy.

VEGETABLES.
_Pommes de terre_, potatoes.
_Legumes et fruits primeurs_, early vegetables and fruits.
_Asperges à la sauce_, asparagus with sauce.
_Chou_, cabbage.
_Champignons_, mushrooms.
_Epinards_, spinage.
_Fêves de marais_, garden beans.
_Haricots verts_, green kidney beans.
_Oseille_, sorrel.
_Petits pois_, green peas.
_Jardinière_ means “dressed with vegetables.”

POULTRY AND GAME.
_Poularde_, fowl.
_Poulet_, chicken.
_Chapon_, capon.
_Cuisse de poulet_, leg of a chicken.
_Des œufs à la coque_, boiled eggs.
_Dindonneau_, young turkey.
_Canard_, duck.
_Perdreau_, partridge.
_Mauviettes_, field-larks.
_Alouettes_, larks.
_Grives_, thrushes.
_Becasse_, woodcock.
_Becassine_, snipe.
_Chevreuil_, venison.
_Caille_, quail.

FISH.
_Anguille_, eel.
_Eperlans_, smelts; or, as the Scotch call them, sperlings.
_Homard_, lobster.
_Huitres_, oysters.
_Merlans_, whitings.
_Morue_, cod.
_Raie_, skate.
_Saumon_, salmon.
_Sole_, sole.
_Turbot_, turbot.
_Frit_, fried.
_Grillé_, done on the gridiron.

DESSERT.
_Compote_, applied to fruits, means “stewed.”
  „ _de pommes_, stewed
apples.
  „ _de pruneaux_, stewed
prunes.
_Beignets de pommes_, apple fritters.
  „ „ 
„ _soufflés_, puffed apple fritters.
_Mendiants_, raisins, nuts and almonds.

DRINK.
_Vin de Bordeaux_, claret.
A bottle of soda-water is called a _siphon_. The cheap wines
ought always to be drunk with it, or with common water.
At even the cheap restaurants palatable wine may be had by paying a
little extra.
_Frappé_, applied to liquids, means “iced.”
_Caraffe frappé_, iced water.
_Vin frappé_, iced wine.
The litre of beer is called a _canette_, and the half-litre a
_choppe_.
The fifth part of a litre of wine is called a _carafon_,
a word often used in the cheap restaurants.

 


Paris to Marseilles: Itineraries
Paris to Marseilles: Maps
Paris to Marseilles: Text

General Index



ITINERARY
(pages 1–106)

 
page

PARIS to MARSEILLES
1

The train, after leaving the station, passes some of the most
interesting towns and villages in the neighbourhood of Paris, of which
the most important is Fontainebleau. Dijon and Macon are good
resting-places. Lyons is the largest city on the line. Avignon and Arles
should, if possible, be visited. Among the branch lines which ramify
from this great central railway are

La Roche to Les Laumes
by Auxerre, Cravant, Sermizelles, Avallon and Semur. At Sermizelles a
coach awaits passengers for Vezelay, containing a grand and vast
church.
14

From Auxerre a coach runs to Chablis
(p. 14), with its famous wines, passing through Pontigny (p. 16), where Thomas à Becket
resided.

Verrey (p. 19) is a good station to alight at,
to visit the source of the Seine.

From Dijon (p. 20) southwards to Chagny (p. 24) are the famous Burgundy vineyards.

Chagny to Nevers by Autun, Montchanin and
Creusot. Autun (p. 24) is one of the most
ancient cities in France. At Creusot
(p. 25) are very large ironworks.

Macon to Paray-le-Monial by Cluny. At Paray-le-Monial
(p. 27) a nun called Alacoque is said to have had several
interviews with J. C.

Lyons (p. 29), though a splendid city,
ought to be avoided by invalids in winter. Lyons is an important railway
junction. 78 miles E. by Amberieux and Culoz is Aix-les-Bains (p. 283). 76 miles
S.E. by Rives, Voiron and Voreppe is Grenoble (p. 324). Voiron is the station
for the Grande Chartreuse
(p. 323). From the station of St. Paul, 113 miles W. by Montbrison (p. 349), is Clermont-Ferrand (p. 369). 89½
miles S.W. by St. Etienne
(p. 346) is Le Puy (p. 86). The rail
from Lyons along the E. side of the Rhône leads to Avignon (p. 58) and Arles
(p. 68); and on the W. side to Nîmes
(p. 101). See map, p. 27.

Valence to
Grenoble, 62 miles N.E.
44

Valence to
Ardèche
45

Crest to
Montelimart
46

Crest to Dieulefit by Saou and
Bourdeaux
46

Saou is an ancient village curiously situated.
Bourdeaux is separated from Dieulefit by a high
mountain.

Crest to Aspres, 57 miles E.
by Die. This route traverses the whole of the valley of the river Drôme
(map, p. 27)
47

Montelimart to
Grignan, where Madame Sévigné died
49

La Croisière to Nyons, 29½ miles E. (p. 50). The climate of Nyons
is mild and well suited for those who leave the Riviera early. From
Nyons another coach goes on to Serres,
41 miles E. (p. 51) on the railway between Marseilles and Grenoble
(map, p. 27).

Sorgues to Carpentras, 10½ m. east
54

Carpentras makes excellent headquarters for
visiting a great variety of places in the neighbourhood, among others
Mont Ventoux (p. 56) and Vaison (p. 53).

Avignon to Nîmes by the
famous Roman aqueduct called the Pont-du-Gard
64

Avignon to
the Fontaine of Vaucluse, where Petrarch lived for some time
64

Avignon to
Manosque by Apt (map, p. 27)
66

Avignon
to Miramas by Cavaillon
66

Tarascon to
St. Remy and Les
Baux
67

Arles to
Fontvieille by Mont-Majour. Arles has magnificent Roman
remains
71

Arles
to Port St. Louis at the mouth of the Rhône
72

Arles to
Port-Bouc, across the Camargue, by the canal steamboat
76 and 72

Arles to Aigues-Mortes by St.
Gilles and Lunel
72

Lunel to Montpellier
73

Rognac to the aqueduct of Roquefavour,
which brings water to Marseilles from the Durance
77

Rognac to the baths of Aix-en-Provence. Aix has communication by
rail and by coach with very many of the neighbouring towns
78

LYONS to NÎMES by the west side of
the Rhône (map, p. 27)
81

Peyraud by
rail to Annonay, and thence by coach to
St. Etienne [pg. 354]
81

La Voulte to Le Cheilard, the chief diligence centre in the
department of Ardèche (map, p. 46)
83

The road to the source of the
Loire (map, p. 85)
83

Lachamp-Raphaél to Le Béage (map, p. 85)
84

Le Béage to
Le Puy by Le Monastier (map,
p. 46)
85

Le Puy to
Langogne by Pradelles (map,
p. 46)
88

Le Puy to
Langeac by St. Georges (map,
p. 46)
89

Darsac to Chaise-Dieu (map, p.
46)
89

Chaise-Dieu to Thiers by Arlanc and Ambert (map, p. 27)
90

Langeac to Monistrol and to Saugues. Coach
from Monistrol station to Le Puy (map, p. 46)
91

Le Pouzin to
Privas (map, p. 27)
92

Teil to Alais, 62 miles S.W. (map, p. 27)
93

This is the branch line to take for the baths of Vals and the
interesting volcanic mountains in the neighbourhood.

Prades to
Langogne by Mayres and Pradelles (map,
p. 27)
94

Prades to
Montpezat. From Montpezat the source of the Loire (p. 84) is visited
95

Montpezat
to Le Puy
96

Ruoms to Vallon and the fine natural bridge
called the Pont d’Arc (map, p. 27), approached also from Pont-St. Esprit (p. 98)
96

Pont
d’Avignon, station on W. bank of the Rhône, for Avignon
99

Remoulins to the
Pont-du-Gard
99

Nîmes To
Millau by Vigan (map, p. 27)
105

 


MAPS AND PLANS
(pages 1–106)

 
page

Ardèche, general map of, including the northern part of the
department of Drôme and the southern of the Haute-Loire
46

This map contains a large part of the valleys of the Rhône and the
Allier, the towns of Le Puy, Vals, Beage, Langogne, Cheilard, Tournon,
Valence, La Voulte, etc., the source of the Loire and Mount Mezenc.

Arles, a town of great interest
68

Avignon, Plan of
59

Dijon, Plan of
20

Lyons, General plan of
30

Lyons, Partial plan of
33

Nîmes, interesting Roman ruins
101

Paris to Vichy, Macon, Bourg and Geneva, situated towards the
S. and S.E. Carlsruhe, Baden, Strasburg, Freiburg, Basel, Schaffhausen,
Lucerne and Interlaken to the E., and Epernay, Verdun and Metz to
the N.
1

Rhône and Savoy
107

This map gives the entire course of the Rhône in France, with the
railways on both sides from Lyons to Avignon. The Railroads and Passes
between France and Savoy. The French Riviera.

Map appears on page 27 in this section.

The high volcanic peaks in the department of Ardèche; among
which are Mezenc and the Gerbier-de-Joncs, with the source of the Loire
84

The Mouths of the Rhône
66

Showing the position of the canals and of the great lakes in this
neighbourhood. The principal towns are Marseilles, Aix-en-Provence,
Arles, Avignon, Aigues-Mortes and Montpellier. The Marseilles canal from
the Durance commences opposite Pertuis directly N. from Marseilles (see
pp. 77, 115, and 338). A little farther down the Durance is
the commencement of the Craponne canal (p. 66).

The plains between the Ardèche, Rhône and Durance, in which
are situated Aubenas, Alais, Montélimart, Pont-St. Esprit, Orange,
Carpentras, Vaison and other places of interest
56

Troyes, Plan of
12

 


PARIS to VICHY, MACON, BOURG, GENEVA &c.

see caption


1
 

THE DIRECT ROAD TO THE RIVIERA.

 

Paris to Lyons, Marseilles, Hyères, Cannes, Nice, Monaco and Menton, 692
miles.

 

PART I.—PARIS TO MARSEILLES.

By Sens, Dijon, Lyons, and Avignon,
537 miles.

Best resting-places, Sens, Dijon, Macon, Lyons, and Avignon. For “London
to Marseilles,” see under that head in the “Continental Time-tables of
the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway.” Through tickets sold at their
London office.



MARSEILLES
537
PARIS. Start from the station
of the Chemin de Fer de Paris à Lyon, No. 20 Boulevard Mazas, where
purchase one of the Time-tables, 8 sous or 40 cents, the only absolutely
trustworthy tables respecting the prices, distances, and movements of
the trains. Good restaurant at station. Opposite the station is the
H. de l’Univers, and a little farther off the H. Jules
César.

_Maps._—For the general route, consult map on fly-leaf; for the details as far as
Macon, map page 1; and for the remainder of the
journey, map page 26. The fare, third class, from
London to Paris by Dieppe, by the London, Brighton, and South Coast
Railway, is 17s. From Paris to Marseilles, by the Paris and Lyons
Railway, it is £2:7s., time 23 hours; starting from the station of the
Chemin de Fer de Lyon at 6.30 a.m.,
and arriving next day at 5.33 a.m.
From Marseilles a train starts at 6.35 a.m. for Toulon, where it arrives at 9 a.m. From Toulon a train starts for Hyères at 9.32
a.m., and arrives at 10.13 a.m. The third-class carriages between Paris and
2
 
Marseilles are provided with separate compartments for ladies, and with
warming-pans. For those going to Hyères, the nearest of the
winter-stations, it is better, if possible, not to break the journey,
but to take a through ticket from Paris to Hyères (£2:12s.), as every
break adds considerably to the expense; moreover, the train passes the
most suitable resting-places at a most inconvenient hour in the night.
By the first class the whole journey from Paris to Hyères can be done in
18¼ hours for £4:13:6.

The train, after leaving the station, skirts the S.W. corner of the
Bois de Vincennes at Charenton and St. Maurice, both upon the Marne,
which here joins the Seine. Charenton, 4 m. from Paris, pop. 9000, has a
large lunatic asylum founded in 1644. Boarders pay £60 the year. St. Maurice, pop. 4300, has
in the Château d’Alfort a veterinary college with an hospital for
animals, which takes horses for 2s. per day. It contains a library,
museum, and laboratory; and possesses a nursery for the cultivation of
grasses. Immediately beyond Fort Charenton are the Maisons-Alfort, pop.
8000, on the Seine. Diana of Poitiers and Robespierre resided here some
time.

Villeneuve St. George. Melun.

9½ m. S. from Paris is the pretty town of Villeneuve St.
George, pop. 1500, on the Seine, where it unites with the Yères,
a deep river flowing through a verdant valley. 3¼ m. farther
is Montgeron on the
Yères, pop. 1300, with the castle which belonged to Sillery, chancellor
of Henri IV.
On the other side of the river is the village of Crosne; where on
the 1st November 1636 was born, in the house No. 3 Rue Simon, Nicolas
Boileau Despréaux, died 13th March 1711. He was a great critic, and the
first to introduce French versification to rule. Through Pope and his
contemporaries he had also a strong influence on English
literature.

13¾ m. from Paris is Brunoy,
pop. 1550, an ancient town, which was inhabited by the earliest kings of
France. Louis XVIII. created the Duke of Wellington Marquis of Brunoy.
The train now traverses the Yères viaduct, 1235 ft. long, on 28 arches
104½ ft. high. 28 m. S. from Paris is the prettily situated town of
MELUN, pop. 12,000.
_Inns:_ Grand Monarque; Commerce; both near each other, and near
St. Aspais. Between them is the omnibus office. Église Protestante.
Melun, the Melodunum of Julius Cæsar, occupies both banks of the Seine,
and the island in the centre, as well as both sides of the Almont, which
here enters the Seine. One long, nearly straight road, under the names
of the Avenue de Thiers, Rue St. Ambroise, Rue St. Etienne, Rue St.
Aspais, and the Rue du Palais de Justice, extends from the railway
station to the northmost limit of the town. In the part of Melun on the
left or south bank are large cavalry barracks. On the island is the
church of Notre Dame, 11th cent., restored; with a neat 2 storied tower
over each transept, 10th cent. The large building
3
 
behind the church is the principal prison. Very near the church, in the
Rue Notre Dame, is the Eglise Protestante, a small chapel. Off the
main street, in the part of the town on the right or north bank, is St.
Aspais, an elegant church of the 14th cent. surrounded by crocketed
gabled chapels. By the side of the main entrance rises a buttressed
square tower, terminating in a high peaked roof prolonged into a short
spire. In the interior are some delicately sculptured canopy work and 8
windows with valuable old glass. A few yards off the main street is
the Hotel de Ville with a round attached turret in each corner; and in
the centre of the court a marble statue to Jacques Amyot, born in 1514,
“Un des Grandes Reformateurs de la langue française au 16me
siècle.” Behind are the public gardens containing some capitals of
ancient columns. Near it is the Place St. Jean, with a handsome
fountain. North-west from St. Aspais are the Prefecture and the belfry
St. Barthélemy, restored in 1858. The Palais de Justice, the theatre,
the Gendarmerie, and another of the prisons, are all together at the
north end of the town. The gardens of Melun produce excellent
pears—some are very large. Hardly 4 m. N.E. from Melun is the
Chateau of Vaux-Praslin, containing paintings by Lebrun and Mignard.
From Melun the line continues by the side of the Seine till Bois-le-Roi,
where it enters the forest of Fontainebleau.

Fontainebleau.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
37
500
FONTAINEBLEAU
pop. 9200, about 2 miles from the Seine, and one from the station;
but omnibuses await passengers for the hotels. Fare, 30 c. For the Cour
du Cheval Blanc of the Chateau, 50 c. The most expensive hotels front
the Chateau. The Londres; Europe; France et Angleterre; Ville de Lyon;
Aigle Noir; Lion d’Or. At the end of the main street, No. 9 Rue Grande,
is the Cadran Bleu. In the Rue de la Chancellerie, near the Cour des
Offices or east end of the Chateau, is the H. de la Chancellerie.
In the Rue de France, the H. de la Sirène. The last 4 hotels are
the most moderate in their charges. Situated among the large hotels
facing the Cour du Cheval Blanc is the Pension Launoy; 1st storey, 13
frs., 2d, 11 frs. per day. For those who come for one day, the best plan
is to enter at the station any of the Chateau omnibuses. Alight at the
end of the Rue Grande, where there is a square with a garden surrounded
with good shops—a bookseller’s with maps, plans, and
photographs—souvenirs made from wood of the forest; a good
confectioner’s shop and some restaurants, where refreshments can be had
either before or after visiting the chateau. Those afraid of losing the
train, should, however, rather take their refreshments at some of the
restaurants opposite the station. From the end of the Rue Grande, the
Cour du Cheval Blanc is about 5 minutes’ walk.

Temple Protestant, in which an English service is also held.

_Coach Tariff._—The principal cab-stand is at the end of the
Rue Grande at the square. Before starting procure a plan, 1½ fr., of the
forest in the shop opposite.

A four-wheeled carriage for 5 persons, with 2 horses, 20 frs. for the
4
 
day, with a gratuity to the coachman. For 4 persons, with 1 horse, 10
frs. for the day.

Carriages may also be engaged by the hour at the following
prices:—

A four-wheeled carriage for 5 persons, with 2 horses, 4 frs. for
the first hour, and 3 frs. for each succeeding hour.

A four-wheeled carriage for 4 persons, with 1 horse, for the first hour
3 frs., and each succeeding hour 2 frs. 25 c.

A two-wheeled carriage for 4 persons, with 1 horse, 2 frs. an
hour.

Donkeys and mules may be hired at 3 frs. a day.

Fontainebleau deserves a visit, not only to see the Chateau, but
to enjoy the delightful air and walks in the gardens and woods, which
cover an area of 18,740 acres, intersected by 12,000 m. of roads
and footpaths. The palace consists of square towers linked together by
congeries of low brick buildings, enclosing spacious courts, each
bearing some suggestive name. The roofing is said to occupy 14 acres.
The palace is open from 11 to 4. The men who show it attend in one of
the rooms on the left side of the “Cour des Adieux,” or “du Cheval
Blanc,” which court forms the _main entrance_. A small fee is
expected; but as the Palace belongs to the State, it is not
obligatory.

To see the “appartements reservés” an especial order is requisite,
procured by letter addressed to “M. Le Commandant des Chateaux.” The
“appartements reservés” comprehend sometimes a greater, and sometimes a
smaller number of rooms, according to the requirements of the household,
but never any of the splendid halls. The order observed in showing the
Palace is constantly changed, yet the itinerary we give will be found in
the main correct. It is sometimes reversed.

The Chateau of Fontainebleau, as it now stands, was founded by
Francis I., who commenced by demolishing the whole of the former
edifice, excepting the pavilion of St. Louis, which still exists. Henri
IV., who spent £100,000 upon it, doubled the area of the buildings and
gardens, and added, among other portions, the gallery of Diana and the
gallery des Cerfs. Napoleon I. expended £250,000 upon it, and Louis
XVIII. and Louis Philippe contributed also large sums.

Fontainebleau: Entrance. Chapelle de la Trinité.

The principal entrance is at the west
end by the Cour du CHEVAL BLANC, the largest of all the courts,
measuring 498 ft. by 368. It is also called the Cour des Adieux, because
here Napoleon I., forsaken by nearly all his generals, took leave,
on the 20th of April 1814, of the ever-faithful soldiers of his Old
Guard, from whom he tore himself away amidst sobs and tears, and threw
himself into his carriage. On the 19th of March 1815 he was back again
in this palace from the island of Elba, wandering with almost infantine
joy through the splendid apartments which had witnessed his glory and
his wretchedness.

As very little time is given to inspect the different articles, the
following abridged list should be read before entering.

The visitor enters by the door under the Horseshoe staircase, which has
46 steps on each side. To the right, the longer of the 2 iron bars in
the wall represents the height of Francis I. The first place
entered is the Chapelle de la Trinité, built by
Francis I. in 1529, and largely
5
 
decorated by Henri IV. in consequence of the Spanish ambassador having
remarked that “the palace would be more beautiful if the Almighty were
as well housed as his majesty.” Louis XI. was married in this chapel.
The divorce between Napoleon and Josephine was pronounced in it; and
here, in 1810, Napoleon III. was baptized. The paintings are by
Fréminet, made during the reigns of Henri IV. and Marie de Médicis and
Louis XIII. The high altar was finished in the reign of Louis XIII. by
Bordogni. The reredos is by Jean Dubois. The statues on each side of the
altar, representing Charlemagne and St. Louis, are by G. Pilon. The
magnificent angels, which support the escutcheons of France and Navarre,
are by Jean Goujon. The 4 bronze angels are by G. Pilon.

Fontainebleau: Apartments of Napoleon.

Ascend staircase to the APARTMENTS OF NAPOLEON. The first
room is the Antichambre des Huissiers (ushers), painting by
Brenet, 1785. Cabinet des Secretaires, paintings by Vanloo,
Doyen, and Hallé. Pass now through a small passage, painted with flowers
by Spraendonck, to the most charming Salle des Bains. The walls
are of plate glass, on which are painted, in graceful forms and lovely
colours, cupids, birds, and flowers. The bath-room opens into the
Abdication Room, containing the famous mahogany table, about a
yard in diameter, on which Napoleon signed his abdication, 5th April
1814. Walls hung with rich embroidered satin from Lyons. Cabinet de
Travail (study) of the Emperor. Beautiful writing desk by Jakob.
Painting on ceiling represents law and justice. Bedroom of
Napoleon I. and III. Bed restored under Louis Philippe, and hung
with silk velvet from Lyons. Round the wall grisaille paintings of
cupids, admirable imitations of relief, by Sauvage. Clock, present from
Pio VII. to Napoleon. Salon de Famille or Salle du Conseil; dates
from François I. and Henri IV., and made by Louis XV. his
study. In centre of room mahogany table, 6 yards in circumference, one
piece. The 20 red and blue symbolical paintings round wall are by the
two Vanloos. On ceiling arms of France on gold ground. Furniture covered
with Beauvais tapestry of time of Louis XV. Clock of Louis XIV.
Throne-room. Built by Charles IX., ornamented by Louis XIII. and XIV.,
to which Napoleon I. added the throne. In this room the marshals of
France used to take their oath of allegiance. The ceiling magnificently
gilt and painted, and chimney-piece in same style. Over it portrait of
Louis XIII. The lustre of rock crystal is valued at £2000.

Fontainebleau: Apartments of Marie Antoinette.

APARTMENTS OF MARIE ANTOINETTE and
of the Empress Eugenie. Aurora on ceiling by Barthélemy. Arabesques of
the panels on green ground. On console tables by Coindrel, 2 ivory vases
presented to Napoleon I by the Emp. of Austria. This room was
fitted up for Marie Antoinette by Louis XVI., who forged, but did not
finish, the window bolts (espagnolettes). The Bedroom. Occupied
successively by Marie de Medicis, Maria Theresa of Austria, Marie Antoinette,
Marie-Amélie, wife of Louis Philippe, and the Empress Eugenie. The
gorgeous drapery and curtains of the bed were presented to Marie
Antoinette by the city of Lyons on the occasion of her marriage.
6
 
Wall hung with the richest satin, hand embroidered. Two wardrobes by
Riésener. Clock of Louis XVI. Salon de Musique. Ceiling, Minerva
and the Muses by Barthélemy, 1786. Over door the Muses painted in
grisaille by Sauvage. Porcelain table by Georget, 1806. Petit Salon,
from which a door opens into the

GALERIE DE DIANE or Bibliothèque, built in 1600. The ceiling,
divided into compartments, is painted by Pujol and Blondel, representing
mythological scenes. In front of one of the windows are suspended the
sword and coat of mail worn by Monaldeschi, when he was assassinated on
the 15th of October 1657 by order of Christina of Sweden, second
daughter of Gustavus Adolphus. The atrocious deed took place in the room
immediately below, in the Galerie des Cerfs. The unfortunate man, in
parrying the first thrust, had 3 of his fingers cut off. He then fell on
his knees before his confessor Father Le Bel, sent him by Christina,
and, while praying God for pardon of his sins, one of the murderers
thrust his sword into his face; while the other first cut off the crown
of his skull, and then pierced his throat, which made him fall to the
ground, where he lay breathing for quarter of an hour. Throughout all
this terrible scene the kind priest kept bawling aloud with all his
might consolation to the dying man. That same evening he was buried,
near the holy water basin, in the church of Avon, 1 m. E. from the
chateau, at the extremity of the park. Monaldeschi was Queen Christina’s
chamberlain, and is supposed to have betrayed some of her secrets. The
Marquis begged most piteously Father Le Bel to implore the Queen to
spare his life; but when the confessor went to her and beseeched her, in
the name of Our Blessed Lord, to have mercy on the unhappy man, she
replied with petulance, “that she could not, and that many had been
condemned to the wheel who did not deserve it so much as this
coward.”

At the extremity of the gallery of Diana is the Salon de Diane, with
indifferent modern paintings by Blondel, representing the story of the
goddess Diana.

We now enter the Escalier de la Reine, ornamented with hunting scenes by
C. Parocel, 1688-1782; Oudry, 1686-1755; and F. Desportes,
1661-1743. The door to the left opens into the Galerie des Chasses, not
shown (see page 8). The other leads into

Fontainebleau: Salons de Francois I., Louis XIII., St. Louis. Salon Des
Gardes.

LES
GRANDS APPARTEMENTS. The Antechamber. Ceiling of pinewood in
gilt compartments. Walls hung with ancient Gobelins tapestry. Salon des
Tapisseries hung with beautiful tapestry, representing the loves
of Psyche. Sevres porcelain vase worth £600, gift to the Empress
Eugenie. Salon de François I. Napoleon I. and Charles
X. used it as their dining-room. Louis Philippe restored the ceiling.
The Flemish tapestry represents royal hunting scenes. In the centre of
chimney-piece fresco by Primaticcio, Mars and Venus. The ebony cabinets
are of the 15 and 16 cents. Furniture covered with very remarkable
Beauvais tapestry. Salon de Louis XIII. The small Venetian
looking-glass, one of the earliest manufactured, and the first that came
to France, indicates the place where the bed of Marie de
7
 
Médicis stood when Louis XIII. was born. The paintings on the ceiling
and on the walls represent the story of Theagenes and Charicles, which
had been translated from the Greek by Jacques Amyot, and dedicated to
Francis I. Beautiful marble chimney-piece. Salle de Saint
Louis. Over chimney-piece equestrian statue in relief of Henri IV.
by Jacquet. Salon des Aides-de-Camp. Portraits in Gobelins tapestry of
Henri IV. and Louis XV., 1773-1777. Salle des Gardes, principally
by Charles IX., but restored by Louis Philippe. In the medallions above
the five real and mock doors are portraits of Francis I., with the
allegorical figures of Might and the Fine Arts; Henri II., with
figures of Diana and Liberality; Antoine Bourbon (father of Henri
IV.), with
figures of Hope and Abundance; Henri IV., with figures of Peace and
Glory; and Louis XIII., with figures of Religion and Justice. Beautiful
chimney-piece by Jacquet, 1590, 17 ft. high and 13 wide. In centre bust
of Henri IV., and at each side statues of Might and Peace by
Francarville. A very pretty little room, with floor of inlaid wood,
corresponding in design with the ceiling, leads to the

ESCALIER DU ROI. The top part of this staircase, built by Louis
XV., was originally the Chambre de la Duchesse d’Etampes. The frescoes,
representing scenes in the life of Alexander, are chiefly by Niccolo
dell’ Abate, indifferently restored in 1836 by Abel Pujol.

GALERIE DE HENRI II., or Salle des Fêtes. The most magnificent
hall in the palace, shining with gold, 90 ft. long by 30 wide, lighted
on one side by 5 windows looking into the Cour Ovale, and on the other
by the same number looking to the gardens. It was built by
François I., and decorated by Henri II. for his favourite
Diane de Poitiers. The walls are covered with frescoes between gilt
coupled columns by Primaticcio, Rosso, and Abate, restored in 1864 by
Alaux. The ceiling, of walnut, is divided into 27 compartments,
elaborately ornamented with scrolls, mouldings, and friezes, all richly
gilt, and enclosing the ciphers of Henri II. and of Diana. The
chimney-piece, of rare marbles, covered with fleurs-de-lis, is by
Rondelet. At the end of this gallery is one of the entrances into the
chapel of St. Saturnin, generally closed (see page 8). We return
now to the Escalier du Roi, where we enter the

GALERIE DE FRANÇOIS I., parallel to the apartments of Napoleon,
210 ft. long by 20 wide. It was built by Francis to serve as a
communication between the Courts of the Cheval Blanc and of St. Louis.
Ceiling in variously shaped gilt panels, producing a curious effect. The
frescoes, representing mythological scenes, are chiefly by Rosso, but a
few are by Primaticcio, restored by Condere. Bust of François I.
From the vestibule of the Horseshoe staircase we enter the

APPARTEMENTS DES REINES MERES et du Pape Pie VII. They were
inhabited by Catherine de Médicis and Anne of Austria (mother of Louis
XIV.), whose portraits hang opposite each other in the bedroom; and also
by Pope Pius VII., more, however, as a prisoner than a guest of
Napoleon I. The magnificent bedstead was put up by
Napoleon III. for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, when they were
expected to have visited Fontainebleau. The tapestry is of the finest
8
 
quality from the Gobelins manufactory, and the paintings are by Coypel,
Mignard, and other French masters. Antechamber. Portrait of Diana
de Poitiers as the goddess of the chase, one of Primaticcio’s best
works. Cabinet (Bahut) of time of Louis XIII. Walls hung with embossed
leather. Furniture covered with Cordova leather. Salles des
Officers. Hung with Gobelins tapestry, representing the story of
Esther. Salon. Walls hung with beautiful coloured Gobelins.
Furniture covered with Beauvais tapestry. Elegant ceiling, divided into
compartments bearing the initials of Anne of Austria and of Louis XIII.
The Old Bedroom (see above). Modern furniture in style of Louis
XIII. Table in mosaic given by Pio IX., bearing his signature. Very
beautiful ceiling by Cotelle de Meaux. Study of Pio
VII.—portrait of him by David. Dressing-room—wardrobe of
inlaid wood by Riésener, one of the finest in France. Bust of Louis XV.
by Lemoyne, 1751. New Bedroom—bedstead of time of Louis
XIV., enlarged in reign of Louis Philippe. Salon de
Reception—Gobelins tapestry—furniture of time of Louis
XV. Bust of Napoleon by Canova. Waiting-room or Salle d’Attente.
Gobelins dating from the time of Louis XV. Beautiful clock of Louis XVI.
Antechamber. 4 pictures by Breughel, of which one is on wood.
Vestibule of the Galerie des Fresques.

GALERIE DES FRESQUES or Des Assiettes. All the pictures in this
gallery were painted in fresco in the reign of Henri IV. by Ambroise
Dubois on the gallery of Diana, whence they were removed in 1805, and
some of them put on canvas. In addition Louis Philippe placed on the
walls 128 plates, with views of the royal residences in France, and
incidents connected with Fontainebleau. We now enter the gallery leading
to the

SALLE DE SPECTACLE or theatre, built by Napoleon III., and
seated for 400. Visitors now leave the palace by the staircase of
Charles VIII., adorned with a statue of him in stucco.


Fontainebleau: Chapelle de St. Saturnin.

LES APPARTEMENTS RESERVES.

Chapelle Basse de St. Saturnin,
built by Louis VII. after his return from Palestine, and consecrated by
Thomas à Becket in 1169. The painted glass of the windows was
manufactured at Sevres from designs by the Princess Marie, 1836,
daughter of Louis Philippe; and the altar is the same at which Pope Pius
VII. performed mass during his stay at Fontainebleau from 1812 to 1814.
The lower chapel was reconstructed in 1545 by Francis I., upon
which he built the Upper Chapel. It was ornamented with charming
frescoes, in the reign of Henri IV., about the year 1608.
Napoleon III. commenced the restoration.

Adjoining the lower chapel a corridor leads to the Ancienne Salle à
Manger de Louis Philippe, or the Galerie des Colonnes, of the same
dimensions as the Galerie de Henri II. immediately over it. To the
right is the old spiral staircase of Francis I.

Galerie des Cerfs, built by Henri IV., under the Galerie de
Diane, ornamented with views of the royal residences, indifferently
executed. It was here Monaldeschi was murdered (see p. 6).

Appartements des Chasses, consisting of two rooms, hung round
9
 
with pictures representing dogs, game, and hunting scenes. The best by
J. B. Oudry.

Appartements de Madame de Maintenon, consisting of an antechamber,
saloon, boudoir, and toilet-room. They are of no interest further than
that it was in one of them, it is said, that Louis XIV. signed the
revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, which led to such cruelties.
The embroidery on the furniture and screen is by the noble pupils of St.
Cyr. Adjoining is the Galerie de Henri II. (see p. 7).

The Musée Chinois, consisting of a valuable and interesting collection
of articles from China, cannot be seen without especial permission.

THE
COURTS.

From the Cour du Cheval Blanc an arched way, near the Horseshoe
staircase, leads through to the Cour de la Fontaine. In the side
facing the lake is the Galerie de François I. Having passed through
the porch in the N.E. corner of the Cour de la Fontaine, we have before
us the gardens and forests of Fontainebleau, and immediately to the left
the Porte Dorée, one of the gates that opens into the Cour
Ovale. It is generally closed. On the soffit and sides are frescoes
on a gold ground by Primaticcio, restored in 1835 by Picot. The subjects
are mythological. Charles V. entered by this gateway in 1539. And
by this portal the Duchesse d’Etampes fled from Fontainebleau, driven
from it by the haughty and jealous Diana. Eastward to the left we pass
the apsidal portion of St. Saturnin, supported by narrow buttresses,
faced with pillars and pilasters. Both here and on the Porte Dorée is
the device of Francis I., a salamander. The principal entrance
to the Cour Ovale faces the Cour des Offices.

At the east end of the palace, fronting the Place d’Armes, connected
with the Rue Grande by the Rue de la Chancellerie, is the Cour de Henri
IV. or Des Offices, 285 ft. long by 255 wide, occupied by the artillery
college, formerly at Metz. The course lasts 2 years. The gateway is
grand, but heavy; the buildings contain nothing particular.

Fontainebleau: Drives in the Forest.

Excursions into the forest. Those
wishing to walk should provide themselves with a pocket compass and a
copy of the plan of the Forêt de Fontainebleau, 1½ fr. In the forest the
posts painted red indicate the way back to the town; the black posts
lead in the other direction. The coachmen are acquainted with all the
roads. The artistic part of the forest comprises only 3719 acres. The
following are the three principal drives, each requiring 6
hours:—

1. Croix du Grand Veneur par la Tillaie—Point de vue du camp de
Chailly par la Table du Grand Maitre et le carrefour de Belle
Vue—Barbison par le Bas Bréau—Gorges d’Apremont et
Franchard.

2. Vallée du Nid de l’Aigle—Mont Ussy—Caverne
d’Augas—Vue sur le champ de Courses et Mont Chauvet—Gorges
et Rochers de la Solle—Rocher St. Germain—Bocages des
Ecouettes—Fort l’Empereur—Calvaire—Roche Eponge et
Point de vue de Nemorosa.

3. Rocher Bouligny—Rocher des Demoiselles—Gorge aux Loups
10
 
et Mare aux Fées—Long Rocher et Arcades de la Vanne par la Croix
du Gd. Maitre.

The most picturesque parts of the first drive, or perhaps in the whole
forest, are the ravines of Apremont, about 3 m. N.W. from
Fontainebleau; and Franchard, about 2½ m. W. The second
contains the best places for obtaining good general views of the forest,
such as from the Croix du Calvaire, near the railway station, but
especially from the Fort de l’Empereur, about 2½ m. N. The
Gorge aux Loups in the 3d drive, 3½ m. S., leads to a very
picturesque part called the Long Rocher. If only one drive can be taken,
take the first, 3¼ m. by rail from Fontainebleau.

After Fontainebleau is Thomery. _Inn_: Popardin, where the famous
grape, the Chasselas de Fontainebleau, is grown extensively on walls and
trellis-work.

Moret. Jean Sans Peur.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
42
495
MORET, pop. 2000. _Inn_:
Écu de France. An ancient town on the Loing, with remains of
fortifications, 15th cent., and the two old city gates Paris and
Bourgogne. The church, containing some curious woodwork, is principally
of the 12th cent. The portal and organ are of the 15th. 7½ m.
farther S.E. is Moutereau junction, where the Chemins de Fer of the
Paris and Lyons system unite with those of the Eastern system.

Montereau-faut-Yonne, pop. 7000; station about a
mile from the town. _Inn_: Grand Monarque, where the omnibus stops,
near the post office. Those who may require to wait for a train at this
junction, should, if time permit, drive up in the omnibus to the town
and visit the parish church, with its handsome columns gracefully
ramifying into the groining of the roof of the aisles. Suspended to the
right of the high altar is the sword of Jean Sans Peur. Beyond this church a fine stone
bridge, or rather two continuous bridges, cross the Seine and the Yonne,
which here unite. On the tongue of land between them is an equestrian
statue of Napoleon I.; and on the bridge over the Yonne a marble
slab indicates the spot where Jean Sans Peur was murdered in 1419. On
the steep hill overlooking the town is the handsome modern castle of
Surville. Montereau has important potteries.

Sens. Thomas À Becket.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
71
466
SENS on the Yonne, pop. 12,400.
_Inns_: Paris; Écu. The best street, the Rue Royale, extends from
north to south. At the north end is the promenade, and going southwards
up the street, we have first the statue of the chemist Thénard, and then
the cathedral. At the end of the street is the arch erected in honour of
the Duchess of Angoulême, when she visited this city in 1828. Behind are
spacious boulevards, which, together with the promenade, form agreeable
walks.

11
 

The Cathedral of St. Etienne was commenced in 972, but nearly
rebuilt two centuries afterwards. The façade, though not without beauty,
is heavy and massive. The south tower, 240 feet high, has a belfry
attached to it. In the interior, coupled columns, alternating with
massive piers, run down each side of the nave, supporting pointed
arches, over which runs a triforium of round arches on clustered
colonnettes. Against the 5th pier left is a reredos, with sculptured
canopies. In the chapel immediately behind the high altar is a beautiful
relief in marble, representing the death of St. Savinien, first bishop
of Sens, who suffered martyrdom in 240. In the adjoining chapel is the
mausoleum of the Dauphin, brother of Louis XVI., by G. Coustou, and
statues of Archbishop Duperron and his nephew. In the next or 3d chapel,
Becket used to officiate.
The picture on the wall by Bouchet, 1846, represents his assassination.
He stayed, 1166, in the abbey of St. Columba, 1 m. from the
cathedral. It is now occupied by the Sœurs de l’Enfance de Jesus. The
transepts are lighted by superb glass; but the best window is the second
to the right on entering from the façade, painted in 1530 by Jean
Cousin. In a glass case in the treasury are the mitre, albe, chasuble,
stole, and maniple worn by Thomas à Becket; discovered in 1523 in an old
house adjoining the cathedral; yet there does not exist sufficient
evidence to prove that they are genuine. In the same case is an ivory
crucifix by Girardon. In the case behind are enamels from Limoges, 15th
century, and two small paintings on marble by A. del Sarto. Next them is
valuable old tapestry. Near two shrines is a deed signed by St. Vincent
de Paul. In one of the shrines is a bone of the arm of Simeon. Adjoining
the cathedral is the hall, called the Officialité, restored by Violet le
Duc. The convent of St. Colombes is about 1 m. from the church, and
to the left of the high road. The only portion of the present buildings
that existed in Becket’s time is the piece parallel to the Abbey Church.
When in France, he lived chiefly in the Cistercian Abbey of Pontigny,
7 m. S. from St. Florentin, page 16,
and 13 m. N.E. from Auxerre, page 14.
Becket was assassinated at the foot of the altar of St. Benedict
in Canterbury cathedral in 1170, and canonised two years afterwards.
Down to the Reformation pilgrimages were made to his shrine by devotees
from every corner of Christendom. Every 50th year a jubilee was
celebrated in his honour.

Troyes.


12
plan of Troyes


41 m. E. from Sens by the Chemin de Fer de l’Etat is TROYES, pop. 39,000. _Hotels_: At the
station, the Grand Mulet. In the principal street, the Rue Notre Dame,
the hotels Saint Laurent, Commerce. In the Rue Hôtel de Ville, the Hôtel
des Couriers.

Troyes: Cathedral.

Troyes, the former capital of Champagne, is situate on the Seine,
canalised in the 12th century by Theobald IV. These canals move the
machinery of numerous manufactories of hosiery, paper, and linen, which
produce an annual average value of about two million pounds sterling.
Troyes is famous for the number and beauty of its churches, of which the
most important is the Cathedral of St. Pierre et St. Paul,
situated at the eastern side of the town, the railway station being on
the western or opposite side. This edifice, among the most beautiful
12
 
in France, was commenced in 1208, but as it was not finished till the
end of the 16th century, represents the different styles of these
intermediate epochs. The fine western façade belongs to the 16th
century, while the portal of the N. transept belongs to the 13th. Three
hundred and seventy-eight steps lead to the top of the tower rising
above the western façade. The building is 352 feet long, and the
transept 154 feet. Two spacious aisles run up each side of the nave,
separated by clustered columns supporting pointed arches, the front row
being surmounted by a narrow mullioned triforium and a lofty clerestory,
both lighted by beautifully-painted glass windows. The height of the
roof of the nave is 92 feet, and of the cupola 192. The glass of the
windows of the choir, of the roses in the transepts, and over the
western entrance behind the organ, is of the 13th cent. The marble
statues of Jesus and Mary in the first chapel, N. side of choir, are of
the 16th cent., and the altar piece, with reliefs in wood, of the 17th
cent.
Troyes: Henry V.
Salle Simard.
Before the high altar in this church Henry V. of England was affianced to the
Princess Catherine, daughter of Charles VI. of France, on the 20th
May 1420. Next day the famous treaty was signed, which secured the crown
of France to Henry by the exclusion of the dauphin Charles, whenever the
poor mad Charles VI. should cease to live. Behind the high altar in
the Lady chapel is a Madonna by Simard, and the window containing the
oldest glass in the church. A stair to the right of the high altar
leads to the treasury, of no great interest. It contains croziers of the
13th century, reliquaries of St. Loup and St. Bernard, with enamels of
the 12th century, a tooth of St. Peter in a small gold box, etc. In
the reliquary of St. Bernard is a bit of the skull of an Irish primate,
St. Malachie, who lived between the 11th and 12th centuries. A few
yards to the N. of the cathedral is the building containing the
_Library_, open from 10 to 3, with 125,000 volumes and 3600 MSS.,
in a large hall, with windows composed of curiously-painted panelled
panes. Among the illuminated books are a Bible of St. Bernard and St.
Paul’s Epistles, 12th century. In the same building are the
Museum, or picture gallery, with paintings by Watteau, Coypel,
Mignard, etc.; and the _Salle
Simard_, containing a valuable collection of the Models made
by Simard for his statues and works in relief. Also some statuary by
Girardon, and other French sculptors. The museum is open to the public
on Sundays and feast-days from 1 to 4. On other occasions a small fee is
expected. A short distance eastward from the cathedral is the
Hospice, and a little beyond St. Nizier, with painted panel panes in the
window of the sacristy. The glass in the windows of the church is of the
16th century. Westward, in Rue Urbain IV., is a gem of Gothic
architecture, the church of St. Urbain, built by that Pope
towards the end of the 13th century. The high altar occupies the place
where his father used to sit in the exercise of his calling, which was
that of a cobbler. A short way N. is St. Remi, 14th century,
with a bronze crucifix over the altar by Girardon. Directly W. from St.
Urbain, by the Rue de l’Hotel de Ville, is the _Hotel de Ville_,
built according to the plans of Mansard, commenced in 1624, and finished
in
13
 
1670. Beyond is St. Jean, 14th century. The high altar was
sculptured by Girardon, while the painting of the Baptism of our Lord,
forming the reredos of the altar, is by Mignard. Behind, in the chapel
“O Sacrum Convivium,” are some good relief sculptures. From St. Jean,
pass up northwards by the Rue de Montabert. At the N. corner of the
first division is the Post Office; and at the end of the next division
is La Madeleine, commenced in the 12th century, and remarkable
for its magnificent jubé, or rood-loft, constructed by Jean de Gualde in
1508. The beautiful windows behind the altar belong to the same period.
The nearly flat roof might have been called an achievement in Gothic
architecture, if the vaulting did not show signs of weakness. West from
St. Jean is St. Nicolas, 16th century, near the Hôtel Mulet. To
the right of the entrance a broad staircase leads up to a Calvary
containing a colossal statue of Christ. In the chapel below is a statue
of our Saviour by Gentil, representing him as rising from the dead.

Near St. Nicolas is St. Pantaleon, 16th century. To the right on
entering is a Calvary by Gentil. On the panels of the pulpit are
beautiful reliefs in bronze by Simard. Behind the pulpit is the chapel
of St. Crispin, the patron of shoemakers, containing curious groups. The
glass of the windows is rich, while the numerous statues on consoles
give the church the appearance of a statue gallery.

South from the church St. Pantaleon by the Rue de Croncels, and its
continuation the Faubourg de Croncels, is the small chapel of St.
Gilles. In this neighbourhood, 1½ mile northwards from the barracks of
the Oratoire, by a road through gardens and fields, are the village and
church of St. André, of which the principal feature is the west portal,
constructed at the expense of the inhabitants in 1549, and ornamented by
Gentil.

Those who prefer to drive through the town should follow the order we
have adopted. A cab for four costs 3 frs. per hour; and for
two, 2 frs. However, before entering request to see the tariff.

Troy Weight.

The weight known by the name of the Troy weight was brought from Cairo during the time of
the crusades, and first adopted in this city. Troyes was the
headquarters of Napoleon I. during his struggles in 1814.

Villeneuve-sur-Yonne.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
79
458
VILLENEUVE-sur-yonne, pop. 5100. _Hotel_:
Dauphin. In the old castle here of Pulteau the man “au masque de Fer”
spent some days while on his way to the Bastile (p. 158). Villeneuve is joined to
its suburb, Saint Laurent, by a bridge 700ft. long. 5 m. beyond, or
84 m. from Paris, is St. Julien du Sault, pop. 1500. _Hotel_:
Des Bons Enfants. A poor town, nearly a mile from the station, but
possessing a fine church, of which the greater part of the choir, as
well as the S. and N. porches, belong to the 13th cent., and the
remainder of the edifice to the 14th-16th cents. Overlooking the town,
and distinctly seen from the station, is a ruined chapel belonging to
the 13th cent.

14
 


PARIS
MARSEILLES
91
446
JOIGNY, pop. 7000. A good
resting-place. _Hotels_: The Poste, between the station and the
bridge; the *Bourgogne, on the quay on the right bank of the Yonne,
which is the principal promenade. The most important part of the town
occupies the hill rising from the promenade, in which are situated St.
André, the most prominent of all; St. Jean, 16th cent.; and St.
Thibault, 15th cent.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
96
441
LA ROCHE, on the Canal
de Bourgogne, at the confluence of the Armançon and the Yonne. Large
refreshment-rooms. Junction with branch line to Les Laumes, 79½ m.
southwards, passing by Auxerre, Cravant, Sermizelles, Vezelay, Avallon,
and Semur. (See map on p. 1.)


Auxerre.

LA ROCHE TO AUXERRE, VEZELAY, AND LES LAUMES.


12½ m. S. from La Roche is Auxerre, pop. 16,500, on the Yonne and the hill
rising from the river; Hôtel Laspard. Seen from the station, the most
prominent object is the Cathedral, to the right is St. Germain, to the
left St. Pierre, and, above St. Pierre, the Tour Guillarde or Clock
Tower, at the market-place. The Cathedral, St. Etienne, was
rebuilt in the 13th cent., over a crypt of the 11th. The tower over the
western entrance is 230 feet high. The north and south portals are
crowded with statues. The entire length of the church is 332 feet, and
of the transepts 128 feet. 110 feet intervene between the floor and the
vaulted roof of the nave and choir, and the pillars are 79 feet high.
The great western window, and the end windows of the N. and S.
transepts, contain superb glass set in light flamboyant tracery.
Adjoining is the Préfecture, formerly the Episcopal Palace, built in the
13th cent. Near the Cathedral is the hospital and the church of St.
Germain, with a curious crypt of the 9th cent., but restored in the
17th. Apply to the concierge at the gate beside the now isolated tower,
173 feet high, built in the 11th cent. St. Pierre, begun in the 16th and
finished in the 17th cent., is in Italian-Gothic.

Near the Hôtel de l’Épé is the church of St. Eusebe, founded in the 12th
cent. The most remarkable parts of the church are the tower, the
capitals of the fascicled columns, and the glass of the windows around
the chapel of the Virgin behind the high altar. In the principal walk is
a statue of Maréchal Davoust. Coach from Auxerre to Pontigny and
Chablis. (For Pontigny, see page 16.)

13 miles east from Auxerre is Chablis, pop. 3000, Hôtel Lion d’Or, on the Serein.
The vineyards, occupying 30,000 acres, produce the well-known white
wine, of which the best growths are those of Val Mur, Vauxdésir,
Grenouille, Blanchot, and Mont de Milieu. When the quality of the
vintage is good, the wines are dry, diuretic, and of a flinty
flavour.

Cravant, pop. 1000,
_Inn_: Hôtel de l’Espérance, on the Yonne, nearly a mile from the
station, owing its importance to its position at
15
 
the junction of the branch to Clamecy, 22 miles S., with the line to Les Laumes, 56
miles S.E. Cravant is 85 miles from Nevers by Clamecy, and 116 miles
from Paris by La Roche. (See map, page 1.)

Sermizelles. Vezelay.

37¼ miles from La Roche, 14¼ miles from Cravant, and 42½ miles from Les
Laumes is Sermizelles, the station for Vezelay (6¼ miles
distant), for which a coach awaits passengers. Fare, 1½ fr. At the
station there is a comfortable little inn, the Hôtel de la Gare, where a
private vehicle can be had (20 frs.) for visiting Vezelay, Pont
Pierre-Perthuis (for the view), 2 miles distant, and St. Pêre; then
back to Sermizelles Station. See also p. 354.

Vezelay, pop. 1300.
_Inn:_ Hôtel de la Poste. An ancient and decayed town on the top of
a hill, possessing one of the finest ecclesiastical edifices in France,
the Church of the Madeleine; restored by Violet le Duc. The narthex
belongs to the 12th cent., the nave and aisles to the 11th, and the
choir and transept to the 12th and 13th. The length of the building is
404, and the height of the roof 70 feet. The exterior is unadorned, and
supported by plain receding flying buttresses. The doors and tympanum of
the western entrance are enclosed by a wide expanding circular arch with
four sculptured ribs. Above rises a large window with boldly sculptured
mullions. Within the doorway is a spacious narthex, of which the
triforium is filled with antiquities connected with the monastery which
adjoined the church. To appreciate the noble proportions, simplicity,
and harmony of this vast edifice it is necessary to have the door
between this narthex and the nave opened. The nave and aisles are
lighted by forty small round-headed windows, and their roofs rest on
forty semicircular arches springing from massive piers, with attached
columns ornamented with the peculiar capitals of their period.
A triforium runs round the transept and choir. Eleven circular
columns, of one stone each, support the arches which enclose the
sanctuary. From the S. side of the choir a door opens into what was
formerly the “salle capitulaire,” built in the 12th cent. The cloister
is a modern addition by Violet le Duc, who also constructed the altar in
the beautiful crypt below the choir. Near the abbey church is St.
Martin’s, 12th cent., and St. Etienne, now used as a storehouse. The
Port St. Croix (15th cent.), as well as parts of the fortifications,
still remain.
Becket.
Thomas à Becket celebrated mass in the Madeleine on the 15th May 1166;
when also, with the awful forms provided by the Roman ritual, he
pronounced sentence of excommunication against John of Oxford and
others, and would have included Henri II. himself, had he not been
informed that the King at that time was seriously ill. At Vezelay, in
1190, the crusaders under Richard Cœur-de-Lion joined those under
Philippe-Auguste to set out on the third crusade. Vezelay is the
birthplace of Theodore Beza (June 24, 1519), one of the pillars of the
Reformed Church. In his arms Calvin expired.

1¼ m. from Vezelay is St. Pêre, pop. 2000, with a beautiful church of
the 14th cent., but the elegant steeple is of the 13th. 5 m. from
St. Pêre is the Château Baroche, which belonged to Marshal Vauban.

16
 

9½ m. E. from Sermizelles by rail is Avallon, pop. 6000, on the Cousin. _Hotels:_
Chapeau Rouge; Poste. The parish church of St. Lazare, 12th cent., is a
beautiful but somewhat peculiar specimen of Burgundian architecture.
Coach awaits passengers at the station for Saulieu, 17 miles distant,
pop. 4000. Hôtel de la Poste. An interesting town with a church, St.
Andoche, 12th cent. The vineyards of Avallon produce good wine. The best
keeps well in bottle from fifteen to twenty years. 10 miles S.W. from
Avallon is the Forêt de Morvan, whence Paris receives firewood, sent
down the Yonne and Seine in rafts.

Semur.

After Avallon comes Rouvray, with vineyards producing good wine, and
then, 20 miles from Avallon and 12½ from Les Laumes, is Semur, pop. 4150. _Hotels:_ Côte
d’Or; Commerce. Picturesquely situated on the Armançon, about a mile
from the station. The parish church of Notre Dame was founded in 1065 by
Robert I., Duke of Burgundy, rebuilt in the 13th cent., and
repaired in 1450. The entrance is provided with a sculptured porch. The
windows of the N. aisle contain fine old glass; the subjects are
portrayed with great expression and quaintness. In this part is a
beautifully wrought tabernacle of one stone 16½ feet high. At each
transept is a small cloister. There are some pleasant walks around and
about the town. The dungeon tower and part of the ramparts still remain.
12½ miles N.E. this branch line joins the main line at Les Laumes, 160 miles from Paris. (See page 19, and
map page 1.)

Saint Florentin.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
107½
429½
SAINT FLORENTIN,
pop. 3000. _Inns:_ At station, H. de la Gare. In town,
H. Porte Dilo. Pilgrims to Pontigny alight here, whence a coach
starts in the afternoon for Chablis and Ligny, passing within a mile of
Pontigny. There is a small inn at the part where the Pontigny road
separates from the Chablis road.

Saint Florentin is on an eminence more than a mile from the station.
The parish church, 12th to 15th cents., is small, but interesting. The
windows contain 15th and 16th cent. glass, repaired with modern pieces.
The sanctuary is surrounded by a screen composed of slender colonnettes
standing diagonally, and is shut off from the nave by a beautiful
rood-loft. Behind the high altar, which is elaborately sculptured, is a
relief, 1548, sadly mutilated, representing the death and resurrection
of Jesus Christ.

At Pontigny there is
a small but comfortable inn, the Hôtel St. Éloi, but pilgrims to the
shrine of St. Edmund are generally lodged in the abbey buildings. From
Pontigny a coach runs every other day to Auxerre, 13 m. S.W.,
stopping at a café near the station. The greater part of the church of
Pontigny was built in 1150. It is a plain vast edifice with narthex and
round turret at main entrance. The interior, which is grand and
imposing, is 355 ft. from W. to E., 72 ft.
17
 
wide, and 72 high, and is upheld by 30 arches springing from lofty
massive piers. There are 11 chapels in the choir, but none in the nave.
A row of small round-headed windows extends round the church below
the arches, and another, exactly similar, above them. In a shrine, 18th
cent., behind the high altar are the bones of St. Edmund, Archbishop of
Canterbury, who died in 1243 at a village in the neighbourhood. The
original shrine, a plain wooden coffin, is upstairs in the
cloister. The view of the interior of the building is spoilt by an ugly
screen, rendered necessary to shut off the sanctuary from the rest of
the church to make it more comfortable for the villagers, whose parish
church it has now become. The abbey buildings, of which parts still
remain in good condition, were inhabited by Becket. In the treasury is
the black strip of a stole he used to wear, sewed on to another stole.
Also relics of St. Edmund, and curious deeds connected with him and
others, who had retired to this, then an austere Cistercian monastery.
The walls of the cloister are hung with engravings representing scenes
in the life of St. Edmund.

Becket arrived at this abbey on the 29th of November 1164, and
remained till Easter 1166. From Pontigny he went to Vezelay, and from
Vezelay to Sens.

Tonnerre.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
123
414
TONNERRE, pop. 6000, on
the Armançon. _Inns:_ Lion d’Or; Courriers—both near each
other. The street St. Pierre, to the left of the Lion d’Or, leads past
the church of Notre Dame (now condemned) up to the cemetery, and to the
church of St. Pierre, situated on a terrace right above the town. At the
foot of this hill is a beautiful spring of water, enclosed in a circular
basin about 40 feet in diameter, called the Fosse Dionne; but it is in a
dirty part of the town, and used by the washerwomen. A straight
street to the right of the Lion d’Or leads down to the hospital, built
in 1834, the original part of which, built by Marguerite de Bourgogne in
1293, is now the church of the hospital. Her remains repose under a
beautiful mausoleum in front of the high altar (died September 4, 1308).
To the left is the mausoleum of the Marquis de Louvois (died 1691). The
arrondissement of Tonnerre produces some excellent wine.

Tanlay.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
127½
409½
TANLAY, pop. 1000, on the
Armançon. A small village with a handsome castle in an extensive
park. The oldest part was built by Guillaume de Montmorenci, in 1520,
but by far the largest portion by a brother of Admiral Coligny, in 1559.
The vast façade is flanked by two wings. The principal court is 79 feet
by 36. In a
18
 
room in the second story of the Tour de la Ligue the leaders of the
Protestant party used to meet under the presidency of Admiral Coligny.
A fresco on the ceiling represents, under the disguise of the gods
of Olympus, the persons who took the most prominent part in the
political and religious events of that period. Catherine de Médicis is
portrayed as Juno, Charles IX. as Pluto, and the Condé as Mars. Round
the room are a series of curiously-constructed recesses, communicating
with each other in the walls. The largest of the splendid chimney-pieces
is 12½ feet high by 7 wide. Beyond the grounds are the ruins of the
abbey of de Quincy, and the well of St. Gaultier, both of the 13th cent.
At this station is a coach for Cruzy-le-Chatel, pop. 1000, time 1 hour
45 minutes, among forests, and famous for truffles.

Ancy-le-Franc. Montbard.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
136
401
ANCY-LE-FRANC,
pop. 2000. The fine castle here was commenced in 1545, and built
according to the plans of Primaticcio.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
142
395
NUITS-SOUS-RAVIERES, pop. 700.
Important junction with the Paris and Bâle line, by Troyes (see page 11), by a branch extending 72 miles north-east to
Bricon, passing Châtillon, 22 miles north-east from Nuits. In the
environs of Nuits-sur-Armençon are the ruins of the castle of Rochefort,
17th and 18th cents.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
151
386
MONTBARD, pop. 3000, on
the Canal de Bourgogne. _Inn:_ Hôtel de la Poste. Buffon, the celebrated naturalist, was born
in this small village on the 7th of September 1707. His château,
a plain large house, is entered from the extremity of the main
street farthest from the station. The grounds are extensive, and laid
out in terraces. On the western front of the terrace is the small square
house, with three windows and one door, into which he retired at five in
the morning to pursue his studies. In another building he kept his
manuscripts. In the grounds of the château, on the walk below the
dungeon tower of the castle of the Dukes of Bourgogne, is the small
column erected to his memory by his son, who fell a victim to the
tyranny of Robespierre, only fifteen days before the downfall of that
monster. Situated on a terrace at the entrance of the grounds is the
parish church, containing the tomb of Buffon. A black stone slab
over the door bears the following inscription:—

Buffon
A été inhumé dans le
Caveau de cette chapelle
Le 20 Avril 1788.

19
 

There is also a bronze statue of him here. 3½ miles from Montbard is
the abbey of Fontenay, founded in 1118; now a paper mill.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
160
377
LES LAUMES.
_Inn:_ H. Duvernet. Overlooking the station is Mount Auxois,
1370 ft. above the sea. Near the top, and about 1½ mile from the
station, is the ancient Alesia (Alise-Sainte-Reine, pop. 900.
_Inn:_ H. du Cheval Blanc), where Cæsar, b.c. 50, defeated the Gauls under Vercingetorix,
whose statue by Millet, pedestal by V. le Duc, stands just above
the hospital. The church of St. Thibault (14th cent.) has some curious
sculpture. It is visited by pilgrims on the 7th of September. Four miles
from Les Laumes is the Château Bussy Rabutin, in a beautiful park of 84
acres, built by Renaudin, one of the benefactors of the abbey of
Fontenay, about the year 1150. It contains a valuable collection of
portraits of historical personages by eminent artists. (See
page 14.)


PARIS
MARSEILLES
165
372
DARCEY, pop. 850, 2 miles
from its station, at the foot of steep mountains 1315 ft. high.
_Inn:_ Hôtel Guyot. Near the village are curious caves, and a
subterranean lake, the source of the Douix. Omnibus at station for
Flavigny, 1½ mile distant,
pop. 1300, on a hill 1390 ft. above the Lozerain. Remains of fine old
walls. Church 13th cent., with rood-loft 16th cent. Houses of 13th,
14th, and 15th cents. Convent of the Ursulines, with splendid view.

Source of the Seine.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
171¼
365¾
VERREY, pop. 900.
_Inns:_ Hôtel de la Gare; Bourbogne. Station for the Source of
the Seine, 6¼ miles S. by the path over the hill through the woods,
but 9¼ by the carriage-road, which follows the railway till the village
of Villotte, pop. 800, where it ascends the hill towards Bligny-le-Sec,
pop. 700, 5 miles from Verrey, and after passing the farmhouse
Bonne Rencontre joins the Dijon road. Then turn to the left and follow
the Dijon road to a few yards beyond the 33 kilomètre (Côte d’Or) stone,
where take the narrow road to the left, which passes first the farmhouse
Vergerois and then descends to the source of the Seine (1545 feet above
the sea), under an artistic grotto in the midst of a little garden
enclosed by a railing. The keeper lives in the house beyond. The tiny
infant stream issues forth under the protection of a recumbent statue of
the river divinity. Coach there and back 10 frs., or guide 5 frs.
It is not necessary to return to Verrey. Those who please can go back by
the Dijon road to St. Seine, on the Cressonne, 5 miles south, pop.
1000. _Inns:_ Mack; Soleil d’Or. With a 14th cent, church.
A diligence runs between it and Dijon. The railway station for St.
Seine is Blaizy-Bas, 7½ m. distant.

20
 


PARIS
MARSEILLES
179
358
BLAIZY-BAS, situated
at the commencement of the tunnel which pierces through the basin of the
Seine to that of the Rhône. It is 13,440 feet long, and 1330 feet above
the sea.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
190
347
VELARS, pop. 1400. After the
preceding station of Malain, and before reaching the next station,
Plombières-sur-Ouche, there is some bold railway engineering. The
viaduct of the Combe-Bouchard is on two tiers of arches and is 492 feet
long, while that of Neuvon is 774 feet long. From Velars commences the
branch to Nevers by Autun, 74½ miles from Nevers. (For Autun, see
page 24.)


Dijon
DIJON

opp. 20
see caption


The principal street is the Rue
Guillaume. To the left is the Castle built by Louis XI., now the
Gendarmerie. Beyond, at No. 1, are the Place and Statue of St. Bernard.
No. 2 is the Préfecture. That large building at the foot of the Rue
Condé, Nos. 4 and 5, is the ancient Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy,
containing the Hôtel de Ville, the Museums, and the Post Office. No. 3
is the Church of Notre Dame; No. 6 St. Michel; and No. 7 the Theatre.
Opposite the Palace, at No. 9, is the Palais de Justice. The church near
the station (No. 8) is St. Bénigne, easily recognised by its lofty
needle spire. Close to it is St. Jean, the church of Bossuet.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
196
341
DIJON, pop. 48,000. Good refreshment-rooms at the station.
_Hotels:_ La Cloche, in the Rue Guillaume; and the Jura, near the
station. Near the Cloche is the Galêre. Just outside the arch, the
Bourgogne and the Nord. In the Rue Bossuet, the Genève. Dijon is famous
for mustard, gingerbread, and the liqueur Cassis.

Cabs, 1 fr. 75 c. the first hour, and 1 fr. 50 c. every succeeding
hour. Coaches daily to Ancey, Fleury-sur-Ouche, La Cude, Cissey, and St.
Seine. The St. Seine dil. starts daily from the inn, Hôtel du Commerce,
82 Rue Godrans, and takes about 3½ hours. From St. Seine an excellent
road leads to the source of the Seine, 5 m. distant. (See
page 19.)

Dijon: Salle des Gardes. Museums.

The most interesting buildings in Dijon are near the palace, which
was inhabited by Jean Sans Peur, Philippe le Bon, and Charles le
Temeraire; but of that ancient building there remain only the Tour de
Brancion, the Salle des Gardes, the kitchens and vaulted rooms on the
ground-floor, and the Tour de la Terrasse, 152 feet high, ascended by
323 steps, and commanding a bird’s-eye view of the whole town. The rest
is modern, and is occupied by the Hôtel de Ville, the Post Office, the
École des Beaux Arts, the Museums, and the Protestant church. The museum
is on the right side of the great court, and is open to the public on
Sundays. Other days a fee of 1 fr. is expected. In the Salle des Gardes are the
magnificent mausoleums of Philippe le Hardi, 1342-1404, and of his son
Jean Sans Peur, 1371-1419, with his consort Margaret of Bavaria. Of the
two, the first is the more elaborate. It is in pure black and white
marble, set round with a delicate frieze, and adorned with forty
statuettes representing his most famous contemporaries. Among the
articles which belonged to them in this room are three
beautifully-carved folding altar-screens for private chapel service;
and, under a glass case, the ducal crown, the cup of St. Bernard, and
the crozier of St. Robert, first abbot of the Cistercian order, died
1098.
21
 
The chimney-piece in this hall is 30 feet high and 20 wide. Two statues
of mail-clad knights stand on it, apparently a yard high each, but in
reality 6 feet 2 inches. The picture-gallery contains a few choice
paintings, and some good statuary. No. 402, St. Jerome, is considered
one of the best. Down stairs is the Musée Archéologique, and the
kitchen, nearly 50 feet square, and provided with 6 chimneys. Fronting
the Palais is the Place d’Armes, with its shops and houses arranged in a
kind of horse-shoe curve. Behind the palace runs the Rue des Forges.
Nos. 34 and 36 is the Maison Richard, formerly the residence of the
British Embassy to the Court of Burgundy. At the top of the spiral
staircase is the “Homme au panier,” a statue 4 feet 6 inches
in height, on a pedestal at the topmost step, representing a manciple or
serving-man bearing a basket on his right shoulder, out of which spring,
like so many stems of wheat, nearly a score of vaulting ribs for the
roof that closes in the staircase. No. 38, the Maison Milsand has a fine
Renaissance façade, also some sculpture in the court. On No. 52 and 54
of this same street is exhibited a reproduction of that kind of double
arch seen in the Hotel de Ville.
Dijon: Notre Dame.
St. Benigne.
Close to the Rue des Forges is Notre Dame, consecrated in 1331,
a very beautiful and interesting specimen of Burgundian
architecture. At the east end is the house Vogue, in the Renaissance
style, and farther east, in the Rue Chaudronnière, the Maison des
Cariatides. A short distance from the front of the Hotel de Ville
is the Palais de Justice, formerly the palace of the Parliament of
Burgundy. The ceiling of the Cour d’Assises is of massive carved
chestnut, 17th cent. The crucifixion in the same room is by Belle. At
the end of the Salle des Pas Perdus is the pretty little chapel which
belonged to the parliament house. Near the theatre is St. Etienne,
founded in the 10th cent., and partly rebuilt in the 18th, but now the
corn-market. At the end of this same street, R. Vaillan, is St.
Michel, rebuilt in the 16th cent., with a few curious frescoes. Standing
at the Arc de Triomphe, looking down the Rue Guillaume, we have, towards
the left, the chateau built by Louis XI. in 1478, or rather what remains
of it, converted into the Gendarmerie; and a little to the N.E. by a
wide Boulevard, the Place and statue of St. Bernard, who was born (1091)
at Fontaine Lez-Dijon, in the chateau beside the curious little church,
2 miles N.W. by the road of that name. Towards the right is St. Benigne, easily
recognised by its slightly twisted needle spire, built in 1742, 300 feet
high, and a little inclined by the tempest of 1805. The crypt and the
porch belong to the 11th cent., the remainder to the 13th. In the south
aisle is the
22
 
slab tomb of Ladislaus Czartoryski (1388), and adjoining the beautiful
mausoleum of Joannes Berbisey. In the N. aisle, in the baptistery
chapel, are deposited the remains of Jean sans Peur. Near St. Benigne is
St. Philibert, 12th cent., with a narthex and a beautiful crocketed
spire. It is now used as an artillery store.
Dijon: St. Jean. Bossuet.
Asile des Aliénés.
From this the narrow street, Rue des Novices, leads to St. Jean,
founded, as the tablet in the church states, in the 2d cent., rebuilt in
1458, and restored in 1866. The vault of the roof is bold, the tracery
of the windows nearly rectilinear, and the mural paintings not without
merit.
Bossuet was baptised
in this church, and born in No. 10 of this “Place,” 27th September 1627.
Among the writings of this eloquent and illustrious prelate the finest
is the funeral oration on the death of Henrietta Anne, the daughter of
our Charles I., and wife of the Duke of Orleans. Southwards is St.
Anne, 1690. At the Octroi gate, beside the railway, is the entrance into
the Asile des
Aliénés, formerly the Chartreuse, founded by Philippe le Hardi
in 1379. Fee, 1 fr. On the portal (14th cent.) of the chapel are
the kneeling effigies of Philippe and his spouse Marguerite, accompanied
by Sts. Antoine and Catherine, whose figures are portrayed in the
beautiful glass (15th cent.) of the chancel windows. The visitor is next
taken to the well called Le Puits de Moise, 22½ feet in diameter,
consisting of a hexagonal pedestal, having on each side a statue of one
of the prophets, by Claux Sluter in the 14th cent., the sculptor of the
ducal monuments in the Palais des Etats. The statue of Moses is the
least successful, and that of Zachariah the most expressive. The house
contains on an average 500 patients. Dijon is not a town for sightseers,
but an admirable town for resting during a long journey. The Cloche and
Jura are comfortable houses, and although La Galêre is less so, its
charges are more moderate, while its fare is better. There are a number
of pleasant walks. Just beyond the arch is the Promenade du Chateau
d’eau, and at the foot of the railway station the Botanic Gardens.
Towards the extremity of the gardens is a black poplar 490 years old.
The southern continuation of the Place de St. Etienne leads by the Rue
Chabot Charny, the Place St. Pierre, and the Cours du Pari (1465 yards
long), to the public park. From Dijon the rail runs southwards parallel
to the slopes of the famous wine producing hills of the Côte d’Or,
extending from N.E. to S.W., and attaining an elevation of 324 feet.
Behind them rises another range, reaching the height of 1315 feet, and
sheltering the lower range from the cold winds. Between Dijon and
Meursault grow the first-class Burgundy wines; while south from
Meursault follow the
23
 
Macon wines. First-class Burgundy is at its best after having been ten
years in bottle. The inferior classes can hardly stand three years.

Gevrey-Chambertin.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
203
334
GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN, 1¼ mile from station,
pop. 2000. Famous for their first-class growths, of which the best are
the red and white Chambertin. Bèze, St. Jacques, Mazy, and Vèroilles, in
the commune of Gevrey, produce also first-class Burgundies.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
206¼
330¾
VOUGEOT, on the Vouge,
pop. 500, ¾-mile from station. _Inn:_ Groffier. Here there are
above 125 acres of vineyards producing first-class Burgundies. Among the
most distinguished are the Romanée St. Vivant, Romanée Conti,
Richebourg, and La Tache.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
209½
327½
NUITS, pop. 4000. _Inn:_
Trois Maures. Omnibus awaits passengers. The best vineyard here is the
St. George, which produces a wine of an exquisite flavour and a delicate
and delicious bouquet. The church, St. Symphorien, belongs to the 13th
cent., and St. Denis to the 14th. 8 miles from Nuits is the abbey
of Citeaux, now used as a house of detention for youthful criminals, who
are trained here to be agricultural labourers. This abbey, founded by
Robert de Molesme in 1098, had at one time 3600 dependent convents of
the Cistercian order, and from it went forth four of its abbots, to
assume the keys of St. Peter. The greater part of the buildings was
rebuilt in 1798.

Beaune.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
219
318
BEAUNE, pop. 12,000.
_Hotels:_ Chevreuil; France. On the stream Buzoise. This town is
the headquarters of the merchants who deal in Burgundy wines, as
Bordeaux is that of the claret merchants. Around it are the first-class
vineyards of Beaune Pommard, Volnay, and Romanée. Of these the Volnay
vineyards, extending over 532 acres, produce the most valuable wine,
under the names of Bouche d’Or and Caillerets, and the Pommard under
that of Commarine. The town is of poor appearance. The principal church,
Notre Dame, founded in the 12th cent., contains semicircular and
equilateral-triangled arches and cusped and Corinthian capitals.

In the Place Monge, off the street de l’Ile, is a bronze statue to
Gaspard Monge, the inventor of descriptive geometry, born at Beaune in
1746. To him France is indebted for the establishment of the Polytechnic
School. Contiguous to the Chevreuil Inn is the hospital, built in the
15th cent.—a curious and interesting building. The Salle de
Conseil upstairs is hung with Aubusson tapestry, and contains also a
painting of the Last Judgment by Roger van der Weyden.
24
 
Near Beaune is Savigny, with a château built in 1672; in the
neighbourhood are the Fontaine Froide, the ruins of the abbey of St.
Marguerite, and the Roche Percée.

Meursault.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
223½
313½
MEURSAULT, pop. 3000,
1½ m. from the station. Omnibus awaits passengers for the Inn. The most
distinguished wines produced here are the Goutte d’Or,
a golden-coloured wine, and the Perrières, a dry white wine of
a slightly sulphureous taste. In the neighbourhood is Puligny, where the
delicious sparkling white wine called Montrachet is grown.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
228
309
CHAGNY, pop. 4200.
_Inn:_ Commerce. Junction with line to Nevers 102 m. W.,
passing Nolay 5 m. W., Autun 26 m. W., Montchanin 18 m.
W., and Le Creusot 22 m. W. (see page
25, and map page 1). From Chagny
southwards commence the Macon wines, of which the vineyards around
Chagny produce a first-class quality.

Nolay, pop. 5000. _Inns:_ Cheval Blanc, La St. Marie. The vineyards
in this neighbourhood produce a good white Macon. A few miles
distant is the Vallon de Vaux-Chignon, below cliffs 200 ft. high. In a
deep fissure is the source of the Cusane. 3¼ m. E. are the ruins of
the castle Rochepot, 15th cent. In the church of the village is a
remarkable echo. 8 m. beyond is Epinac, pop. 5000, with coal
mines.

Autun.

26 m. W. from Chagny is Autun,
pop. 13,000. _Hotels:_ Poste; Cloche. This modernised little town,
the ancient Bibracte, claims with Trèves the honour of having been built
before the Roman invasion. Cæsar spent a winter in this city with two
Roman legions; and at a later period, when the Emperor Augustus went to
Gaul, he made Bibracte his headquarters, and erected so many magnificent
public buildings that the name of the town was changed to Augustodonum,
modernised into Autun. Napoleon III., in his “History of Cæsar,”
considers, however, that the site of Bibracte was on the summit of Mount
Beauvray, 14 miles westwards, where coins of Gaul, mosaic pavements,
fragments of pottery, and an enormous number of amphoræ, have been
discovered. The walls of Autun were 10,000 feet in circumference and
8 feet thick, and were garnished with 40 towers, and pierced with
four large gates, of which two—the Porte d’Arroux, 55 feet high,
and the Porte St. André, lately restored—still remain. The Porte
d’Arroux and the temple of Janus (a plain square tower) are behind
the railway station. But the Porte St. André, adjoining an ancient
church, is on the town side of the line at the Faubourg St. Jean. The
Cathedral, which commands the entire city, was completed in 1178.
The architecture of the modern portions is Gothic, but the more ancient
is Romanesque. The two towers have been restored and adorned with Gothic
spires. The interior contains several windows of painted glass. The
entrance is by a handsome open portico with sculptured arches and
columns. From the Porte St.
25
 
Blaise (straight up from the cathedral) a cross road leads to the
Pierre Couchard (Coarre), a pyramidal monument of great
antiquity.

In the College is the Public Library, with 12,000 volumes; and the
Picture Gallery, containing paintings by Horace Vernet. In 1789
Talleyrand, afterwards Prince Talleyrand, was Bishop of Antun.

Montchanin. Le Creusot.

73 m. E. from Moulins, 86 m. E. from Nevers, 18 m. W. from Chagny,
is Montchanin, pop.
2500. _Inn:_ H. des Minis; its omnibus awaits passengers. The
town, nearly a mile from the station, consists chiefly of the houses of
the workmen employed in the surrounding coalpits, foundries, and large
artistic brick and tile works. Outside the town is the Étang Berthaud,
the reservoir of the Canal du Centre, which connects the Saône with the
Loire, between Chalon and Digoin.

78¼ m. E. from Nevers, 7¾ m. W. from Montchanin, and 26 m. W. from
Chagny, is Le
Creusot, pop. 25,000, of whom 6300 are employed in the
ironworks. _Hotels:_ Commerce; Rodrigue, near each other in the
principal street, the Rue d’Autun. Their coaches await passengers. Le
Creusot is on the southern slope of one of the wooded hills which
enclose this valley, 1¼ mile long and ½ mile wide, occupied by the
coal-pits, forges, and foundries of Schneider et Cie, bought by them
from the former owners, Manby, Wilson, and Co. Detached straggling
suburbs occupy the other slopes of the hills. In all the general feature
is the same, rather untidy streets and houses, with parks, shops, and
cafes to suit. The streets are full of children, but few priests,
policemen, and beggars. In the principal square, near the two hotels, is
a statue by H. Chapu of Eugene Schneider, erected in 1878 by the
workmen and inhabitants. The view of the works from the road is
imposing, and, although they contain a forest of chimneys and all manner
of powerful machinery, there is no noise.

West from Le Creusot, and 65¼ m. E. from Nevers, is Etang, with an ancient castle. 51½ m. E. from
Nevers is Luzy, pop. 3000, on the Alène. _Inn:_ H. Delaigue,
close to station. Coach 12 m. to St. Honoré-Les-Bains, with
alkaline sulphureous springs, 90° Fahr. 33 m. E. from Nevers is
Cercy-la-Tour, on the Aron, 53 m. south from Clamecy by the rail,
skirting the Canal Nivernais. _Inn:_ H. de la Croix, close to
station. 23½ m. E. from Nevers is Decize, pop. 4800. _Inns:_
Paris; Commerce. Omnibus awaits passengers. Situated on an island in the
Loire, at its junction with the Aron and the Canal Nivernais, which
commences here and flows into the Yonne at Auxerre. The parish church
has a choir of the 11th, nave of the 16th, and crypt of the 10th cent.,
containing the tomb of St. Aré. Foundries, glass bottle works, and
coal-mines. Coach from Decize to La Machine 80 minutes.

26
 

Chalon-sur-Saône.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
235
302
CHALON-sur-saône, pop. 21,000. _Hotels:_
at the station, Hôtel Bourgogne; in the town, Chevreuil; Commerce; Trois
Faissans. Steamer to Macon and Lyons. Chalon is a quiet town situated on
an extensive plain on the Saône, at the mouth of the Canal du Centre,
both lined with good quays. The chief structures are—St. Vincent,
a Gothic edifice of the latter part of the 13th cent., occupying
the site of a church founded in 532; St. Peter, 1713, with two lofty
steeples; and the hospitals of St. Laurent and St. Louis. Chalon has two
stations—one in the town, and another at St. Come, where the
express trains halt. 2 miles from Chalon is St. Marcel, where
Abélard died 1142. The church still remains, but the monastery has
disappeared. A few miles west by coach is Givry, pop. 3200, with
first-class vineyards. Rail to


PARIS
MARSEILLES
243
294
VARENNES. South from
this station the train passes before the abbey of St. Ambreuil.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
254
283
TOURNUS, on the Saône,
pop. 6200. _Inn:_ Hôtel Sauvage, not clean. An untidy town on the
Saône, with remains of Roman fortifications. In the Place de l’Hôtel de
Ville is a marble statue of Greuze, erected by the citizens in 1868.
Jean Baptiste Greuze, some of whose works are among the finest paintings
of the French school in the Louvre, was born here on August 21, 1725.
The parish church, St. Philibert, is an interesting Gothic monument, of
which the earliest portions belong to the 9th and the latest to the 16th
cent. The interior is ornamented with mosaics. The Hôtel Dieu was
founded in 1674, the Hospice de la Charité in 1718, and the Hôtel de
Ville more recently. The vineyards of Tournus produce good wines.


opp. 27
the RHONE & SAVOY
with the passes from
FRANCE INTO ITALY

see caption


Macon.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
274
263
MACON, pop. 20,000. At
station, large refreshment-rooms. Junction with line to Bourg,
41 m. E. _Hotels._—Near the station, H. Étrangers. In
town the Europe, on the Quai du Nord, near the landing-place from the
steamers, which sail daily up and down the Saône, between Chalons,
Macon, and Lyons. In the centre of the town are the hotels Champs
Elysées and Sauvage. Macon is the great depôt of the Macon wines, an
inferior Burgundy. The finest part of the town extends along the quays
which line the right side of the Saône, crossed by a stone bridge of 12
arches, uniting Macon with its suburb Saint Laurent on the left side of
the river. The oldest edifice is the Cathedral of St. Vincent,
built in the 12th cent. The arches are stilted, the columns Romanesque,
and the porch arcaded. Next to it is the Préfecture, formerly the
Episcopal palace. In this neighbourhood,
27
 
at No. 21 Rue des Ursulines, is the house where Lamartine was born. On a
black marble slab over the door are the words:—Ici est né
Alphonse-Marie-Louis De Lamartine, le 21 Octobre 1790.

In the Rue Dombey is an old timber house, and towards the station,
the beautiful church of St. Pierre, built in 1865, in the Romanesque
style, and decorated with frescoes. Opposite is the Hôtel de Ville.

From Macon a branch line extends 48 miles westward to
Paray-le-Monial, passing Cluny, 15 miles from Macon. From Macon a line
extends to Geneva 74 m. E., by Bourg 13½ m. E., Nantua and
Bellegards 39¾ m. E. (See Black’s _France_, North Half, and
map page 1.)

Cluny. Paray-le-Monial.

Cluny, pop. 5000. In the
valley of the Grosne. _Hotels:_ Bourgogne; Pavilions—both
near each other. This is the place where Guillaume-le-Pieux founded in
the 10th cent, the famous abbey of Cluny. The abbey buildings are now
used as a school. Of the abbey church an insignificant portion alone
remains, and of it the most interesting part is the spire. In the
Chapelle des Bourbons (15th cent.) are enormous corbels under the empty
niches. About 300 yards distant is the Maison Abbatiale, 15th cent.,
with flattened elliptical-headed windows and ogee arches over the doors.
At the entrance is a collection of columns, capitals, etc., from the
first church founded in the 10th cent. Upstairs there is a small museum;
entrance, ½-franc each.

41½ m. E. from Moulins and 33 m. from Montchanin is Paray-le-Monial,
pop. 3700, on the Bourbince. _Inns:_ The Poste, the best; across
the bridge, the Lion d’Or; at the head of the principal street, near the
Palais de Justice, the Trois Pigeons and the Commerce; opposite the
Chapelle de la Visitation, the Inn H. des Pelerins. The Palais de
Justice, with the clock tower, occupies the remains of an edifice built
in the 16th cent., to which date belongs also the house close to it,
occupied by the Mairie and the Post Office.

A little way down the Bourbince is the formerly abbey, now the parish
church, founded in the llth cent., but nearly rebuilt in the 12th cent.
Over the façade rise two elegant square towers with pyramidal roofs,
llth cent.; while from the centre of the transepts rises an octagonal
tower in 2 stages, surmounted by a tapering 8-sided slated spire. From
the apse radiate chapels adorned with dental friezes and short attached
columns.

Marguerite.

From this church, the narrow street, the Rue de la Visitation, leads up
to the nunnery of the Visitation, an order instituted in 1620, and
established in Paray on the 4th September 1626 by 8 nuns from the
monastery of Bellecour at Lyons. In 1633 they commenced to build their
chapel, which was repaired in 1823, and restored and beautified in 1854.
To this chapel the order attach great importance, as it was in this
building that Marguerite-Marie Alacoque had most of her interviews with
J. C. In the interior the walls and roof are
28
 
painted light brown, with frescoes and marguerites or daisies, but so
hung with banners and votive offerings, chiefly hearts, that little of
them is seen. The first picture, right hand, represents J. C. and 3
angels before Marguerite. The 2d, J. C., with flowing yellow hair
and dressed in white, stoops to touch with his heart (which is very red
and outside his garment) the head of the kneeling Marguerite, who holds
her hands up near to her neck. The 3d is a full-length portrait of her.
To the left of entrance the pictures are—1st, a Vision; 2d,
Mary, sitting on a cloud, has put the child Jesus into the arms of
Marguerite; 3d, life-size statues of J. C. and Marguerite. The
picture over the high altar represents the interview in this place, when
J. C. is said to have declared to Margaret: “I have chosen and
sanctified this chapel, that my eyes and my heart may remain here for
ever.” On the 2d July 1688 Mary, in great pomp and majesty, accompanied
by numerous angels, appeared to Marguerite, and told her that the orders
of the “Visitation” and of “Jesus” (the Jesuits) were to have the
special charge of the worship of the sacred heart. For this worship
there is a regular litany, containing 31 invocations to the heart of
J. C. In many of the Romanist churches is a picture representing
one of the above incidents.

The bones of Marguerite, covered with flesh-like wax, and attired in the
habit of the order, recline on a silver embroidered cloth in a
coffin-like shrine of richly-gilt, tiny glazed arches set with
rock-crystal. The face and hands are uncovered. The body is 5 ft. long.
On her feast day the shrine is placed beside the Communion rail; at
other times it is kept within the very beautiful altar-table, made of
one piece of pure white marble. Marguerite-Marie Alacoque was born 22d
July 1647, in the village of Versovres, near Autun, entered the convent
of the Visitation in Paray on the 25th May 1671, and took the vows on
the 6th November 1672. On the day when J. C. told her she had been
chosen by him to propagate the worship of his heart, she was seized with
a pain in her own heart, which continued throughout her life. She met at
first with great opposition in her endeavours to institute the worship
of the heart, and her sister nuns treated her as a visionary till 1675,
when the R. P. de la Colombière, superior of the Jesuit
establishment at Paray, became her convert. In her last illness she
said: “I shall die in peace, because the heart of my Saviour
commences to be known.” She died in October 1690, and was canonised by
Pio IX. on the 14th October 1864. Since the institution of N. D. de
Lourdes and de la Salette the number of pilgrims has decreased. In Paray
there are 3 nunneries and a vast building belonging to the Jesuits.

From Macon the railway continues its course by the side of the Saône,
whose banks become now more picturesque. From Macon use map on page 26.

Romaneche. Belleville.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
283
254
ROMANECHE, pop. 3000.
_Inn:_ Commerce. Produces a delicate light wine, with a pleasant
flavour and bouquet, called Moulin-a-Vent, which should be drunk in the
second year from the vintage.

29
 


PARIS
MARSEILLES
288½
248½
BELLEVILLE, pop.
4000. The first part of the town is St. Jean, and the next Belleville,
1¼ m. from the station, with a comfortable little inn, the
H. Jambon. Omnibus at station. The church, 12th cent., has small
round-headed and pointed windows, with some good glass, especially in
those of the square towers at the end of the transept, and the small
circular window over the west portal. This is the headquarters of the
Beaujolais wines. From Belleville a branch line extends 10 m. W. to
Beaujeu, pop. 4000, on the Ardière. Church, 13th cent., and some curious
houses. (Map, page 26.)


PARIS
MARSEILLES
297
240
VILLEFRANCHE-sur-saône, pop. 12,600, on
the river Morgan, near the Saône. _Hotels:_ Provence; Europe.
Containing important linen manufactories, and vineyards producing a good
white wine. The parish church, N. D. des Marais, was commenced in
the 14th cent. 5½ m. S. is Trévoux station, 1½ m. from the
town, pop. 3000, on the E. bank of the Saône. _Inns:_ Terrasse;
France. The Jesuits compiled and printed in this town the _Journal de
Trévoux_ in 1701, and the _Dictionnaire de Trévoux_ in 1704.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
306
231
ST. GERMAIN au-mont-d’or, junction with
line from Paris to Lyons, by Roanne and Tarare.

Lyons.


30
[West]

plan of Lyons
[East]


PARIS
MARSEILLES
318
219
LYONS, pop. 343,000. The
Perrache railway station is 218 m. from Paris, 219 m. from
Marseilles, 78 m. from Aix-les-Bains, 36½ m. from Bourg,
104 m. from Geneva, 36 m. from St. Etienne, 56 m. from Roanne,
100 from Vichy, and 214 m. from Turin.

_Hotels
(first-class)._—H. de l’Europe, admirably situated,
with one side to the Saône and the Tilsit bridge, and the other to the
Place Bellecour, the terminus of some of the best trams. In the Rue de
la République are the H. Collet and the H. de Lyon.
H. Bellecour in the Place Bellecour. H. des Beaux Arts in the
R. de l’Hôtel de Ville, also well situated. In the Place Perrache, below
the station, are the hotels Univers, Angleterre, Bordeaux et du
Parc.

_Less expensive Hotels._—The H. du Globe; and the
Havre et du Luxemburg—both near the Place Bellecour. Near the
Place des Terreaux in the R. Platière, the H. de Paris et du
Nord. Near the Bourse, the H. des Négociants, a large house
frequented chiefly by commercial men. Near the Négociants, at No. 47 Rue
de l’Hôtel de Ville, the H. Bayard. Hôtel des Étrangers, Place de
la République. Hôtel de Toulouse et de Strasbourg, 8 frs., in the
Place Perrache, opposite the station. Hôtel National, opposite the
theatre. On the Quai do la Charité, near the General Hospital, the
H. Bourne. A great
30
 
many diligences start from this neighbourhood. Hôtel de France et des 4
Nations, 9 Rue St. Catherine, close to the Place des Terreaux, one of
the cheapest. Among the best cafés are the Café Anglais, opposite the
Bourse; Casati, No. 8; Café Neuf, No. 7; and Maderni, No. 19 R. de la
République; Café du Rhône, Place Bellecour. They have English
newspapers. In Lyons the term Comptoir is applied to bars where wines,
cordials, and brandies are sold.

_Post
Office._—Head Post Office in the Place de la Charité, at
the south end of the Place Bellecour. Branch Post Offices in the arcade
of the Place des Terreaux and 39 Cours Morand.

_Telegraph._—Head office, No. 53 Place de la République.
Branch offices—Perrache station, St. Paul station, and No. 38
Cours Morand.

Lyons: Railway Stations. Cab Fares.

_Railway
Stations._—The great and central station is the Gare de
Perrache, in the centre of the tongue of land between the Rhône and
the Saône. From it passengers can reach any place, excepting those on
the railway to Bourg. The Bourg or Satonay railway station is at
the top of the Rue Terme, a street commencing near the N.E. corner
of the Place des Terreaux. From the Rue Terme the train is pulled up the
hill by a rope in the same way as at Fourvière. The gradient is 16 per
100, and the distance 547 yards. At the top station, in the Boulevard de
la Croix Rousse, passengers for Bourg enter the ordinary railway
carriages. The rope railway runs every 5 minutes, fare 1d., and forms a
convenient way of escaping from the damp foggy atmosphere of Lyons. The
Dombes or St. Paul’s railway station is for Montbrison,
40 m. S.W. The Vaise and Brotteaux stations are auxiliaries of the
Perrache station. The Brotteaux station, situated on the confines of the
Parc de la Tête d’Or, is the terminus of the best of the trams.

CAB
FARES

KIND OF CAB.	
DE 7 H. DU MATIN
a minuit.	
DE MINUIT
a 7 H. du mat.
LA course.	LA 1re heure.	LES H. suiv.	LA course.	l’heure.
A 2 places (coupés)	1 25	1 50	1 25	1 65	2 50
A 4 places (berlines)	1 50	2	1 50	2	3
Voitures découvertes	à 2 places
à 4 places	1 75
2	2
2 50	1 75
2	2 15
2 50	3
3 50

The “coupés” are cabs with a seat for two. The “berlines” are cabs
with 2 seats for four. Each portmanteau 25 c. At the railway stations
the omnibuses from the hotels await passengers.

31
 

Lyons: Tramways. Theatres. Steamers.

_Tramways._—The fares are moderate, and
most of the cars comfortable. The best to take to see the principal
parts of the town is the large roomy car running between the Perrache
railway station and the Brotteaux railway station, passing through the
P. Perrache, P. Henri IV., Rue Bourbon, P. Bellecour, R. and
P. de la République between the Hôtel de Ville and the Grand Theatre,
across the bridge Morand, and up the Cour Morand to the terminus at the
Brotteaux railway station. At the Brotteaux terminus the road by the
side of the fort “des Charpennes” leads in 5 minutes into the Parc de la Tête d’Or (see page 40), which having
visited, return either by the same car, starting every 10 minutes, or by
the other, whose terminus is in the Quai de la Charité. The outside of
the cars, taken also by ladies, costs 3 sous; inside, 4. The two most
important places to visit on the return journey are the Palais des Arts (page 35), and the silk museum in the Bourse (page 38). Tram
between the Place de la Charité and Oullins every 15 minutes; fare
outside, 3 sous. To visit the meeting-place of the two rivers, come out
at the bridge before crossing the Saône. Oullins, 3¼ m. from Lyons,
pop. 4000, is approached also by rail from Lyons.

_Theatres._—The Grand Théâtre,
between the Hôtel de Ville and the Rhône. Boxes and front stalls,
6 frs. The Théâtre des Célestins, between the Rue St.
Dominique and the Saône. Boxes, 6 frs.; stalls, 4 frs.
Théâtre Bellecour, No. 85 Rue de la République, quite a new
theatre, with all the modern comforts and appliances, and seated for
3000. The prices vary according to the subject. For an opera the stalls
cost 7 frs. each; for a play, 4 frs. There are also the
Théâtre des Variétés, Cours de Morand; Théâtre du Gymnase, 30 Quai St.
Antoine; and the Théâtre de l’Elysée, 3 Place de la Victoire.

_Steamers on the
Saône_ (Les Guèpes).—Sail between the Quai St. Antoine (to
the north of the Bourse) and Collonges, calling at the Ile Barbe. In
summer 5 departures daily.

Les Mouches, or penny boats, sail from the quay near the Place
Perrache, by the side of the Pont du Midi, to the Pont du Port Mouton on
the Quai de Vaise, calling on the way at numerous stations. From the
Pont du Port another set of penny boats ascend to St. Rambert, calling
likewise at numerous stations on the way. Opposite St. Rambert is Cuire,
and between them in the centre of the river is the Ile Barbe.

The large steamers Parisiens sail in summer between the Quai St.
Claire on the Rhône and Aix-les-Bains on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
32
 
Saturdays. Fare, 9 frs. Another line sails between Lyons and Avignon,
calling at the principal towns on the way, but chiefly for the landing
and shipping of cargo.

Lyons: Sights.

_Sights._—Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière (see
below). Drive in tram car, outside if possible, between the Place
Perrache and the Brotteaux railway station, page
31. The Parc de la Tête d’Or, page 40.
The galleries in the Palais des Arts,
page 35. The museum of silk
manufacture, page 38.

Lyons is a strongly-fortified city, intersected by two of the largest
rivers in France, the Rhône and the Saône, which form as they approach
each other the isthmus, 545 ft. above the sea, on which the finest part
of the city is built. This portion is traversed by three great streets,
the Rue de la République, the R. de l’Hôtel de Ville, and the
R. Centrale, and contains the three most important and beautiful
squares, the Places Perrache, Bellecour, and Des Terreaux. The Place
Perrache, in front of the station, was planted with trees in 1851. In
the centre was a bronze statue of Napoleon I. by Nieuwerkerke,
which was taken down in 1870 and afterwards destroyed by order of the
municipality. In its place is a fountain. The Place Bellecour
(Bella-Curia), 339 yards long and 328 yards wide, is also planted with
trees. In the centre is an equestrian statue of Louis XIV. by Lemot,
which occupies the place of a former one by Desjardins, destroyed in
1793. Trams to all the important parts of the city run through these two
squares. The Place des Terreaux, flooded with human blood in 1794,
during the reign of terror, has on the south side the Palais des Arts,
on the east the Hôtel de Ville, and on the west a block of buildings
pierced by an arcade decorated by P. Delorme and Maupin (see
page 37).

The Rhône is crossed by 9 bridges, and the Saône by 13. The extent of
substantial and spacious quays on both sides of these rivers measures 24
miles. For sailing on the Rhône the best steamers are the Bateaux
Parisiens, starting from the quay in front of the Place Tholozan behind
the Hôtel de Ville, and plying between Lyons and Avignon. For short
sails on the Saône the Bateaux Mouches are very convenient,
page 31.


opp. 33
larger map of Lyons


Lyons: Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière. Rope Railway.

The most prominent building in Lyons is the church of Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière, standing on the
site of the forum erected by Trajan, the Forum Vetus or Foro Vetere;
whence the term Fourvière is supposed to be derived. It ought to be
visited as early as possible, even should there be no time for anything
else, on account of the excellent bird’s-eye view of the city obtained
from it and its terraces. At the west end of the bridge of
Tilsitt across the Saône, at the upper side of
33
 
the “Place,” is the rope railway, which ascends through tunnels the
hill of Fourvière, the length of the Place des Minimes about ¾ of the
way up the hill. Fare, 5 sous. From the station walk up, right hand, by
the broad road, l’Antiquaille. At the highest part of this road is a
large ugly edifice, the Hôpital de l’Antiquaille, especially devoted to
the treatment of insanity and of cutaneous diseases. It has
accommodation for 600 patients, and occupies the site of the Roman
palace in which Claudius and Caligula were born. From in front of this
hospital commences a narrow steep road called the Montée de Fourvière,
lined nearly all the way with little shops stocked with wares for the
pilgrims and devotees, such as images, crucifixes, amulets, chaplets,
medals, photographs, and books. At the top are restaurants and
hotels.

On the summit, 1206 feet above the sea and 410 feet above the Saône,
is the chapel of the “miraculous” image of Notre-Dame-de-Fourvière, from
which rises a domed tower crowned with a gilt image of Mary 6½ ft. high.
This tower is ascended by 200 steps, fee 25 c., and commands a superb
view of the city and environs. Lyons and its two great rivers are
immediately below, while in the distance, if the weather be clear, Mont
Blanc is distinctly seen. As for the sacred image itself, in the church
below, it is about the size of a big doll, and the child rather less.
The number of worshippers having become so great, the adjoining church,
which is more elegant and much more commodious, was constructed in 1884.
It stands on the very brow of the hill, and is the most prominent object
in Lyons. In shape it is rectangular, with at the eastern termination an
octagonal tower 115 ft. high, which forms the chancel. At each of the
four corners is a similar tower, and in each of the two sides are three
large windows separated by buttresses like square towers. Round the top
of the building as well as of the towers extends a balustrade of stiff
sculpture resembling acanthus leaves. The large buildings in the
neighbourhood are convents.
Lyons: Observatoire Gay.
St. Paul.
A little eastward is the “Observatoire Gay,” from which a steep path,
the Montée des Carmes Déchaussées, 536 yards long, descends to the city,
reaching it by the side of the station of the Chemin de Fer des Dombes (page 30). Near this
station is the church of St. Paul, all modern excepting the beautiful
N. portal, the handsome octagonal lantern resting on pendentive arches,
a few of the windows, and part of the walls which belonged to the
original church of the 11th cent. The old walls which remain in all the
early churches of Lyons are characterised by the enormous size of the
stones of which they are composed. Beyond is the bridge of St.
Vincent.

34
 

Lyons: St. Irénée.

The Terminus of the rope railway from the Pont Tilsit is at No. 42
Rue Trion, higher and to the N.W. of Fourvière and within a very short
distance of the church of St. Irénée, on the summit of a hill in the
suburb of St. Just. On the terrace at the east end of St. Irénée are a
Via Crucis and Calvary, commanding a superb view of the plain watered by
the Rhône and the Saône. By the N. side of the church is the entrance
into the crypt. The first flight consists of 25 steps; and the second,
which terminates in the crypt, of eight. On the first arch across the
first flight an inscription states: “Cette crypte fut construite par St.
Patient evéque de Lyon au V siècle sur l’emplacement du lieu ou St.
Pothin et St. Irénée, envoyés a Lyon par Polycarpe disciple de l’apôtre
St. Jean, reunissaient les premiers chretiens. De nombreux martyrs y
furent ensevelis.” On the second arch another inscription states that in
1562 the Calvinists having injured the crypt and thrown the bones of
animals among those of the saints, Grolier, Prior of St. Irénée,
restored the building, separated the bones, and placed those of the
saints in that small vault to the right, at the foot of the first
flight. In the centre of the crypt is a now covered up well, the
original resting-place of the martyrs, down which their bodies were
thrown till it overflowed with blood, in the reign of Septimius Severus,
a.d. 202. To visit the calvary and
crypt apply to the concierge, 50 c. The church of St. Irénée has nothing
particular. To the west, in the parish of Ste. Foy, are the remains of
the Roman aqueduct which brought water to the city from Mont Pilat. It
was 52 miles long, and capable of supplying 11,000,000 gallons per day.
At present the water-supply of Lyons is obtained from the Rhône.

Lyons: Cathedral of St. Jean.

Opposite the commencement of the rope railway, and close to the
Tilsit bridge, is the Cathedral of Saint Jean, founded in the 8th
cent., repaired by Archbishop Leydrade, friend of Charlemagne, and
reconstructed almost entirely three centuries later. The chancel dates
from the end of the 12th cent., the lower part of the façade from the
13th, and the upper from the 14th cent. The exterior is chastely
decorated, but the four towers are too low. The interior, 259 ft. from
W. to E. and 108 ft. high, contains some brilliant 13th, 14th, and 15th
cent. glass. The wheel window at the west end resembles a fully-blown
flower. The clerestory windows are majestic and graceful. First, right
hand, is the chapel built by the Cardinal de Bourbon and his brother
Pierre, son-in-law of Louis XI. The two windows bearing their portraits,
and the curious wheel window at the end, are admirable. The soffits of
the arches and the vault of the roof are richly
35
 
decorated. In the N. transept is the now useless clock made by Nicholas
Lippeus of Basel in 1508. The founder of the See of Lyons was St.
Pothinus, an Asiatic Greek, who preached in this city a.d. 177, and sealed his doctrines with his blood.
Adjoining the S. aisle is the Manécanterie, 11th cent., formerly the
bishop’s place, now the music school for the choristers.

A little farther down the river is the church of St. George (rebuilt)
occupied in the 13th cent. by the Knight Templars. Above the
cathedral is the Palais de Justice, planned by Baltard, the architect of
the large market, the Halles Centrales of Paris. In front is a colonnade
of 24 Corinthian columns. The hall is spacious and elegant, but the
court rooms around it are too small. The bridge higher up—the Pont
de Nemours—leads directly to the church of Saint Nizier,
with the façade towards the bridge and the chancel towards the Rue de
l’Hôtel de Ville. The handsome portal surmounted by twin spires is by
Philibert Delorme, a native of Lyons, and dates from the 16th cent.
The rest of the building belongs to the 15th cent. In the interior a
broad triforium with heavily-canopied window-openings surrounds the
church. The vaulting shafts expand in a curious way over the roof. In
the chapel of the south transept is a statue of Mary by Coysvox. At the
foot of the pier in this transept a trap-door opens into the crypt, 10th
cent. At the south side of the Palais des Arts is St. Pierre,
a modern edifice, with a beautiful portal of the 11th cent., all
that remains of the original church.

Lyons: Palais des Beaux-Arts. Musée Lapidaire.

On the south side of the Place des Terreaux is the Palais des
Beaux-Arts, built in 1667, formerly a convent of the Dames
Bénédictines de Saint-Pierre. It contains the picture galleries and the
museums. Open to the public on Sundays, Thursdays, and feast-days, from
11 to 4, and to strangers daily.

Admirably arranged under a wide corridor round the great court are
the ancient marbles or Musée Lapidaire, one of the best in Europe.
The sepulchral inscriptions form a most interesting series of epitaphs,
in many instances most tender and affecting. Indeed, reading these
records of the love of kindred among the ancient heathen, from the
Augustan age upwards, one would incline to believe that the Romans of
that day were already “feeling after” Christianity. In the left corner
of the court on entering is the stair which leads up to the
Archæological Museum and the Picture Gallery, both on the first floor.
Up on the second floor is the collection of paintings by the “peintres
lyonnais.”

36
 

Lyons: Musée Archéologique.

The Musée Archéologique is well arranged
and carefully labelled. The only object we would indicate, as it is apt
to be overlooked, is the bronze table, a.d. 48, in the second room left hand, with
inscribed portions of the harangue of Claudius before he became emperor,
imploring the senate to grant to Lyons, his native city, the title of a
Roman colony. The letters are beautifully cut and easily legible. This
table was discovered in 1528 on the heights of Saint Sébastien.
Germanicus, and the Emperors Claudius, Marcus Aurelius, and Caracalla,
were also born in Lyons. The father of St. Ambrose was for some time
prefect of Lyons. In the same room is a decree of the Egyptian pontiffs
in hieroglyphics. There is a good collection of seals, coins, enamels,
armour, carved work, and bronzes, as well as some necklaces, bracelets,
rings, and coins, part of a treasure buried during the Roman period on
the Fourvière heights, and discovered in 1811. The numismatic
collection, 30,000 pieces, includes a series of the coins struck at
Lyons from 43 b.c. to 1857. Adjoining
and on the same floor is the Picture Gallery, contained in six small
rooms, of which the first three contain the Flemish and Dutch schools,
the next two the Italian and Spanish schools, and the sixth the French
school. They are all carefully labelled. Among the pictures which
represent the Flemish school are works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Teniers,
Van Dyck, Holbein, Stein, Dietrich, Breughel, Wouvermans, and Ruysdael.
The Italian and Spanish schools are represented by Canaletto, Sasso
Ferrati, Guercino, Zucharo, Murillo, Ribera, Zurbaran, etc. On the floor
of the fourth room is a remarkably perfect mosaic pavement, 5½ yards by
3, representing chariot races in the Circus. It was discovered near the
church of Ainay.

Lyons: Galerie Chenavard.

In the S.E. corner a handsome staircase leads up to the Galerie Chenavard on the
first floor, containing large cartoons drawn by him illustrative of the
scenes which accompanied the introduction of Christianity into France.
They were intended for the Pantheon of Paris, but, the age of reason
supervening, they were not sent. On the floors are three beautiful
mosaic pavements found at Lyons. In the room above are the best
pictures—J. F. Barbieri, 1590-1661; Bol, Breughel,
P. Caliari, 1530-1588; A. Carracci, 1557-1602; L. Carracci,
1555-1619; P. Champaigne, Crayer, Greuze, 1721-1805; E. L. David,
1748-1825; Desportes, 1661-1742; Cuyp, Van Dyck, Heem, 1604-1674;
Jordaens, Jouvenet, 1644-1717; Largillière, M. Mierveld, Murillo,
1618-1682; J. Palma, 1544-1628; Pietro Perugino, 1446-1524; an Ascension
of Christ, considered the gem of the collection.
37
 
This picture, originally in the church of San Pietro at Perugia, was
presented by Pope Pio VII. “in attestato del suo affetto é della grata
sua rimembranza per la citta di Lione.” The lower part of the picture is
by far the best, the figures in the air are too massive, and the posture
of J. C. is stiff. J. Ribera, 1584-1656; H. Rigaud,
1552-1745*; Robusti, 1512-1594; Rubens, Ruysdael, A. del Sarto,
1488-1530; Sasso Ferrati, 1605-1685; Schorreel, 1495-1565; Sueur,
1617-1656; Sneyders, Teniers, Terburg, Zampieri, and Zurbaran.

* Text shown as printed. Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1659-1743.

The Palais des Arts contains also the Natural History Museum, the
Mineralogical
Collection, in which are represented the characteristic rocks
and fossils of every department of France, and the copper ores from the
mine of Chessy, near Arbrèsle; and a library containing 40,000
engravings and drawings, and 650 volumes treating principally on the
arts and sciences. There are likewise 6 municipal libraries, open every
evening from 7 to 10, and the Bibliothèque de la Ville.

Lyons: Place Terreaux. Hôtel de Ville.

On the north side of the Place des Terreaux is the Hôtel de Ville,
built in 1665 by Maupin, at the cost of £320,000. The facade, flanked by
domed square pavilions, is 160 ft. wide, while the building itself is
1150 ft. long. The back part, fronting the theatre, is the Préfecture.
From the centre rises the clock-tower, 157 ft. high. On the façade over
the entrance is an equestrian statue of Henri IV. in bold relief. Within
the vestibule, to the right and left, are colossal bronze groups, by the
brothers Coustou, representing the Rhône and the Saône. They stood
originally under the statue of Louis XIV. in the Place Bellecour.

In 1642 Cinq Mars and De Thou were executed, by order of Richelieu,
in the Place des Terreaux. In 1794 the revolutionary tribunal, sitting
in the Hôtel de Ville, guillotined so many people in this square that it
became so flooded with blood as to render it necessary to send the
executioners to Brotteaux, near the present railway station, to finish
this wholesale slaughter of Frenchmen by Frenchmen.

Lyons: Condition des Soies. Library. Bourse. Silk Museum.

Behind the Hôtel de Ville, up the Rue de St. Polycarpe, house No. 7,
is the establishment of the Condition des Soies, where the bales of silk
brought to Lyons are sent to be dried. They are placed on an iron
grating, and subjected for twenty-four hours to a temperature of from
64° to 72° Fahr., and are weighed both before and after this operation.
The same is done to the wool. The sample drying room is in the first
story, left hand. Any one may visit it. A little higher up are St.
Polycarpe built in 1760, and St. Bruno built in 1688. At the opposite
end of the bridge of St. Clair is the English church.

38
 

In the Rue de la République is the Bourse, a profusely ornamented edifice
inaugurated in 1860. At the south end is St. Bonaventure, built in the
14th cent., and recently restored. At the north end is the Lycée with
the public library,
containing the great terrestrial globe made at Lyons in 1701, indicating
the great African lakes, the rediscovery of which has been one of the
events of the present century. There are 160,000 volumes and 2500
manuscripts,—about 600 of the printed works being incunabula, and
25 of the MSS. belonging to the Carlovingian period.

In the second story of the Bourse is the museum of the Art and
Manufacture of silk. Open to the public on Sundays and Thursdays
between 11 and 4. The great hall contains, in high glass cases,
specimens of silk, satin, velvet, crape, and lace, arranged according to
centuries from the 13th and 14th to the 19th. The 19th, which is by far
the richest and most beautiful, is in two cases, representing the first
and the latter half of the century. This collection is choice and highly
artistic, displaying miniature portraits, superb embroidery, and lovely
designs in charming colours, woven in the loom. At the entrance to the
hall is a portrait (about 13 in. by 10) of Jacquard, in a sitting
posture, woven in white and black silk, like those at St. Etienne. Also
the Will of Louis XVI. In the next room are looms and models of looms
from the time of Louis XI. The models are so perfect that each contains
part of a web woven in it. Among them is the model of the famous loom
made by Jacquard in 1804, by which a single workman was enabled to
produce elaborate fabrics as easily as the plainest web, and by merely
changing the “cartoons” to make the most different textures on the same
loom. Near the loom is the first sewing machine. The inventor was
B. Thimonier of Lyons in 1829, from which those now in use are
improved copies.

The cases round the inmost room are devoted to the natural history of
silk—displaying every variety of the silk butterfly, Bombyx mori,
as well as of the allied species; cocoons of every kind and in every
condition; eggs and caterpillars at every stage of their existence; and
hanks of raw silk from every part of the world where it is produced.
Adjoining is a room with drawings, many by the great masters.

Formerly Lyons manufactured only high-class silks, but the demand for
these having been for some years on the decrease, the manufacturers, to
hold their place in the market against especially their Créfeld rivals,
have had to turn their attention to cheaper stuffs. This in some measure
is owing to the rapid and violent changes of fashion,
39
 
which makes a silk dress good only for a few months, whereas formerly,
with an occasional alteration, it was worn for years.

In the street behind the east side of the Bourse are the large
covered markets; where many of the fishes of the Rhone may be seen alive
in tanks, and good Mont d’Or cheese be bought. It makes capital railway
travelling provision. (See page 42.)

Lyons: City Hospital and Workhouse.

Farther down the street, with the principal facade to the Rhône, and
the other, containing the entrance, to the Rue de l’Hôpital, is the
Hôtel Dieu, or
general hospital, with 1500 beds, founded in the 6th cent. by Childebert
and Ultrogotha his queen. The present building is principally the work
of Soufflet, the architect of the Pantheon in Paris. Of the beds, about
1300 are free, the remainder pay from 1¼ fr. to 12 frs. per day. The
rooms are lofty and well ventilated. The principal female wards are
arranged in the form of a cross, with an altar in the centre under the
small dome, in such a position that all the patients can see it from
their beds. From the large dome extends the principal ward of the men,
containing 100 beds, and a smaller one on the other side. The sick are
tended by nuns. The hospital has a house on the heights of the
Croix-Rousse, near the terminus of the rope railway, and another at
Oullins for incurables.

In the first court left of the large court, Dr. Young buried Mrs.
Temple, the Narcissa of his _Night Thoughts_, who died in 1730 at
Montpellier, but was there refused burial. At that time what is now a
built-up court was a cemetery. Fifty years ago it was a garden, now it
is covered with buildings. All trace of the grave has disappeared.

Near the entrance to the hospital is the church, 18th cent., richly
decorated. In a chapel, left, is the enormous gilt shrine, in 5 stages,
of Sainte Valentine.

Farther down the Rhône is the Hospice de la Charité, founded in 1531,
on the occasion of a great famine. It receives the poor of both sexes
who have reached 70; sick children under 15, and young women about to be
mothers. The church was built in 1617.

Lyons: St. Martin d’Ainay.

North from the hospice or workhouse, near the bridge of Ainay across
the Saône, is the church of St. Martin d’Ainay, which, with the
monastery, was founded by St. Badulph during the reign of Constantine,
on the site of a temple erected by the sixty nations of Gaul in honour
of Cæsar Augustus. The first church having been destroyed by the
Saracens, in the 8th cent., it was rebuilt in 1070, and consecrated in
1106 by Pope Pascal II. Since then it has been frequently repaired
and altered. The style belongs to what is called modern
40
 
Greek, introduced into France under Charlemagne. The cupola of the
chancel rests on circular pendentive arches springing from four granite
columns which stood formerly in the temple of Augustus. They were
originally 2, but were cut into 4. The fresco paintings in the apsidal
chapels are by H. Flandrin, a native of Lyons. To the
right is the sacristy or chapel of Saint Blandina, in which a short
stair leads down to the crypt and the dungeons, one on each side, where
Pothinus, first bishop of Lyons, and Blandina, a converted slave,
were kept before being tortured and put to death in a.d. 177, during the persecution under Marcus
Antoninus, the implacable enemy of Christianity. The crypt, about 12 ft.
square, was, as well as the dungeons, about 10 feet deeper, but on
account of the overflowing of the river the floors were filled up to
their present level.

Lyons: Parc de la Tête-d’Or.

The Parc de la
Tête-d’Or, or park of Lyons, is situated at the N.E. extremity
of the city, between the Brotteaux railway station and the left bank of
the Rhône. It measures 282 acres, and contains, besides an abundant
supply of varied walks, a large and excellent botanic garden with
hothouses, a lake with islands inhabited by aquatic birds, and a
dairy farm, whose produce is sent every morning into town for sale.
Adjoining the park are the rifle-butts and the racecourse. In the
Boulevard du Nord is the Guimet Museum, containing a collection of
objects from the extreme east, to facilitate the study of the history,
religions, and customs of the inhabitants of that part of the world. The
institution publishes essays and translations.

By the western side of the Brotteaux railway station are the large
barracks of the Part-Dieu and the Fort des Brotteaux.

Lyons employs 70,000 looms and 140,000 weavers in the manufacture of
silk; and here, as at St. Etienne, the work is principally performed on
the domestic system in the dwellings of the master weavers, each of whom
has usually from two to six or eight looms, which, with their fittings,
are generally his own property. Himself and as many of his family as can
work are employed on these looms, aided frequently by one or more
_compagnons_, or journeymen, who inhabit chiefly the suburb of La
Croix Rousse, to the north of the town, and that of Fourvières, on the
Saône. The silk merchants supply the silk and patterns to the owners of
looms, who are entrusted with the task of producing the web in a
finished state. The mean annual value of the silk goods manufactured is
estimated at £15,000,000.

The Dyeing of Silk—Origin of
Lyons.

The dyeing of the silk is also an important branch of manufacture.
Many experiments had been made to bring this art to perfection, and
41
 
in particular to discover a dye of perfect black that would retain its
colour. This a common dyer of Lyons at last invented, for which he
received a pension, besides being made a member of the Legion of Honour.
Prior to this the black dye which was used changed in a few days to a
brown, and came off the stuff when it was hard pressed by the hand.
Another improvement which was made consisted in procuring a silk of a
permanent white colour. The eggs of the worm which produced this silk
were brought from China, not, however, with the desired success. The
worm was afterwards purchased from a merchant of Alais, and distributed
in the southern departments of the country, where now a large number of
persons are engaged in silkworm hatcheries. The produce of white silk is
now very considerable and of great importance in the manufacture of
gauzes, crapes, and tulles. Extensive chemical works, breweries,
foundries, potteries, engineering works, printing establishments, and
hat factories represent the secondary industries of Lyons. A large
trade is carried on in chestnuts brought from the neighbouring
departments, and known as _marrons de Lyon_.

The earliest Gallic
occupants of the territory at the confluence of the Rhône and the
Saône were the Segusians. In 590 b.c.
some Greek refugees from the banks of the Hérault, having obtained
permission of the natives to establish themselves on the Croix Rousse,
called their new town by the Gallic name Lugdunum; and in 43 b.c. Munatius Plancus brought a Roman colony to
Fourvières from Vienne. This settlement soon acquired importance, and
was made by Agrippa the starting-point of four great roads. Augustus,
besides building aqueducts, temples, and a theatre, gave it a senate and
made it the seat of an annual assembly of deputies from the sixty cities
of Gallia Comata. Under the emperors the colony of Forum Vetus and the
municipium of Lugdunum were united, receiving the _jus senatus_.
The town, burnt by Nero in 59 a.d.,
was rebuilt by him in a much finer style, and adorned by Trajan, Adrian,
and Antoninus.

Mont-d’Or.

Among the most interesting, and at the same time easiest excursions
from Lyons is to Mont Ceindre, 4 m. from Lyons. Take the omnibus
starting from the Rue de la Platière to the village of St.
Cyr-au-Mont-d’Or, 3¼ m., time 1½ hr., by a road always ascending.
Fare, ½ fr. The omnibus office at St. Cyr, the inn, and the café, are on
a wide terrace commanding an extensive view. The village, pop. 2000, is
poor and dirty, and built on the side of the hill. To ascend Mont
Ceindre walk from the omnibus office up to the new church, whence ascend
by the telegraph posts, and then turn to the right. The ascent
42
 
and descent can be done easily in 80 minutes, in time to go back to
Lyons by the returning coach. On the top of Mont Ceindre are some
houses, an old hermitage, and a chapel surmounted with a statue of Mary.
The view is grand, embracing the valleys of the Rhône and the Saône, the
towns of Bugey and Beaujolais, the mountains of the Forez, the Dauphiné,
and the Alps. Mont Ceindre, 1532 ft. above the sea; Mont Verdun, 2020
ft.; and Mont Houx, 2008 ft., form together Mont-d’Or, a group of mountains
covered with vineyards and meadows.
Cheese.
The wine is thin, but the cheese is one of the best and most celebrated
in France. They are soft, round, and flat, about 5 inches in diameter
and half an inch thick, like round pancakes. They are made from a
mixture of cow and goat’s milk, and are said to derive their peculiar
flavour from the vine leaves on which the goats feed during a
considerable portion of the year. The cheeses of Mont Dore (likewise
famous) are thicker and smaller in diameter, and sold in small boxes.
The coach, on its way from Lyons to St. Cyr, passes by Roche-Cardon,
a favourite retreat of J. J. Rousseau. Another easy excursion
is to the Ile Barbe. Take any of the mouches (penny boats) going up the
Saône to Vaise station. Here change into the penny boat going to St.
Rambert, a rather dirty little town on the right bank, 1½ m.
above Vaise. Opposite, and connected by a bridge, is the town of Cuire.
In the centre of the river is the Ile Barbe, across which the bridge
passes. On the island there are a few uninviting country-houses, and the
tower of a chapel (private property) of the 12th cent. The sail is the
best part of the excursion, not the island.

For Lyons to Nîmes, by rail 172 m.
south by the west bank of the Rhône, see p. 81; Paris to Lyons by
Roanne and St. Etienne, p. 346; Paris to Lyons by Tarare,
p. 348; Lyons to Clermont-Ferrand by St.
Etienne, Montbrison, and Thiers, see p. 349, and map p. 27.

Vienne.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
338
199
VIENNE, pop. 27,000.
_Hotels:_ Nord; Poste; Jacquet. In this, the capital of the first
kingdom of Burgundy, there exist remains of important edifices, which
indicate that the citizens inhabiting it in the days of Cicero were no
strangers to the luxury and wealth preceding the Augustan age. The most
interesting of these is the Maison Carrée, an oblong temple of
the Corinthian order, dedicated to Augustus and his wife Livia, 55 ft.
high, 88 long, and 80 broad, situated a little way north from the
cathedral by the Rue St. Clementine. On a terrace fronting the chain
bridge is St. Maurice, a beautiful Gothic cathedral
commenced in the 12th cent., 315 ft. long, and the
43
 
roof of the nave 88 ft. high. It contains some fine glass, and near the
altar the skilfully-sculptured mausoleum of Cardinal Montmorin, who died
in 1723. At the main entrance are two ancient sarcophagi. At the other
end of the chain bridge is the Tour St. Colombe, built by Philippe
Valois. Up the Rhône, on the east side, at the top of the Quai Pajot,
near a stair leading down to the river, stood the Tour de Mauconseil,
where Pontius Pilate, who had been banished to Vienne by Tiberius, ended
his life (it is said) by throwing himself into the Rhône. About
¼ m. down the Rhône from the railway station, by the Marseilles
road, is the Pyramide de l’Aiguille, called also the tomb of Pilate. It
is 52 feet high, and rises from four arches resting on a square
basement. Columns with cushioned capitals ornament the four corners,
which cannot date earlier than the 4th cent. Vienne is a busy commercial
town, with important woollen manufactories. 3¼ m. S. by rail is
Vaugris, pop. 250. On the other side of the Rhône is Ampuis (p. 81). 6 m. farther S. by rail is Le
Péage-de-Roussillon. Roussillon, pop. 1500, is a straggling village
among vineyards, less than a mile E. from the station. From the Château
de Roussillon Charles IX. issued, in 1564, the decree that in future the
year was to commence with the first of January.

>
St. Rambert-d’Albon. Tain.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
356½
180½
ST. RAMBERT-D’ALBON,
junction with line to Grenoble 57½ m. E., by Rives 35 m., and
Voiron 42 m. E. Junction by bridge with Peyraud, 3¾ m.
W., on the opposite side of the Rhône, whence rail to Annonay (see page 81, and map pages
26 and 46).

5 m. S. by rail from St. Rambert is St. Vallier, pop. 4000.
_Inn:_ Merle. On the junction of the Galaure with the Rhône. In the
town is the restored castle of Anne de Poitiers, and up the valley of
the Galaure are the pass of the Roche Taillée, the ruins of a château of
the Dauphins, and the chapel of N. D. de Vals (see map, page 46).


PARIS
MARSEILLES
368
169
TAIN, pop. 3000. _Inns:_
H. Europe; Midi. A pleasant town on the Rhône, immediately
opposite Tournon (page 82), and at the foot of
the hill, whose vineyards produce the Hermitage wines. The red variety
has a fine perfume, and is gratefully stomachic. The white is a
luxurious wine, and will keep for a century, but the produce is small.
Omnibus at station for Romans, 13 m. on the rail between Valence
and Voiron (see map page 46), pop. 13,000.
_Inns:_ Europe; Midi. Situated at the confluence of the Isère with
the Savasse, crossed by a bridge of 4 arches which unites it with
Bourg-du-Péage, pop. 5000.

44
 

Valence.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
384
153
VALENCE, pop. 24,000.
_Hotels:_ Louvre; Croix d’Or; France. The first the most expensive.
Commodious Temple Protestant. Good Protestant schools. Suspension bridge
across the Rhône. Omnibus to St. Péray, 2½ m. west. Coaches daily
to Ardèche. Valence is a pleasant town on an eminence rising from the
Rhône, surrounded by broad boulevards on the site of the old
fortifications. The most handsome is the Place Championnet, on the site
of the citadel, commenced by François. It commands an excellent view of
the river and of the hills beyond. In the distance, to the right, on an
arid rock, is the castle of Crussol. In this Place is the statue “au
General Championnet, sorti des rangs du peuple. Hommage public de sa
ville natale.” Died at Antibes 1800.

To the left of the statue is the cathedral St. Apollinaire,
built in 1095, and restored in 1604 and 1730. The west portal and tower
were rebuilt in 1880. The other parts of the exterior have a venerable
appearance. The buttresses are shallow, and do not reach the eaves.
A delicate dentil cornice runs round the building, bending over the
round-headed windows and across the buttresses. Within, the church by
restoration looks as if it were modern. Tall piers, with attached
Corinthian columns and vaulting shafts, run up to the commencement of
the arches of the aisles and of the vault of the roof, all of stone.
From the semicircular chancel radiate 4 semicircular chapels, one being
occupied by the organ. At the right or S. side of the altar is the bust
by Canova of Pope Pius VI., who died at Valence in 1799. His
remains were removed to Rome.

Outside, opposite the N. transept, is Le Pendentif, a sepulchral
chapel (22 ft. square and 25 ft. high) of the Mistral family, built in
1548. On each side is a large round arch, over which rises a remarkably
flat dome. Close to the “Place des Clercs” is the Maison des Têtes,
built in 1531, covered with mutilated statues and medallions under
canopy work. The medallions, bosses, and groining in the passage leading
into the court are in a much better state of preservation.
The windows in the court are square-headed, but most have lost their
transoms. Among the other buildings are a Temple Protestant, 18th cent.,
and a picture gallery.

Vernoux. Coaches from Valence.

Rail to
Grenoble, 62 m. N.E., and to Chambery, 40 m. farther. Omnibus
daily to St. Péray (p. 82). Coach by St.
Péray to Vernoux, 18 m. W. Vernoux 1920 ft. above the sea, pop. 3100.
_Inns:_ Nord; Verd. Temple Protestant. One of the nicest towns in
Ardèche, situated in the midst of carefully-cultivated mountains and
valleys. A large proportion of the inhabitants are Protestants.

45
 

Valence is
one of the most convenient places for entering the Ardèche. Diligences
from Valence to St. Laurent-du-Pape, St. Fortunat, Les Ollières, St.
Sauveur, St. Pierreville, and Le Cheilard
(see page 83). The diligences from Valence, Soyons, Charmes,
Beauchastel, and La Voulte to St. Pierreville and Le Cheilard meet at
St. Laurent-du-Pape; whence the passengers are conveyed in two
diligences the length of St. Sauveur, by St. Fortunat and Ollières. At
Ollières, H. du Pont, they meet and correspond with the diligence
from Privas. From St. Sauveur one diligence runs westward by the Glaire
to St. Pierreville and Marcols, the other northwards to Le Cheilard.
Valence is 5 hrs. from St. Sauveur. Beauchastel and La Voulte, 4 hrs.
St. Sauveur to Pierreville, 2½ hrs.; and to Le Cheilard, 3½ hrs. (see
also pages 93 and 94). Coach from Valence to La
Mastre, 21¼ m. W., passing by Champis, pop. 3380, at the foot of a
mountain, which during a part of the day intercepts the rays of the
sun.


ARDECHE
its vineyards and Extinct Volcanoes.


opp. 46
_For continuation northwards see map, page 167._

map of Ardêche
_For map of the Mountains of Ardeche see page
84.
For continuation southwards see map, page 56._


ARDÈCHE.

(See Map, page 46).

Ardèche should not be visited till June, and not later than September.
In the villages and hamlets in the pastoral districts most of the best
houses are inns or auberges, where a bed can be had, and abundance of
fare, in the shape of fried potatoes, butter, milk, eggs, coffee, bread
often of rye, and hard salt pork sausages. The national dish is potatoes
sliced very thin and fried with butter. They make also a pleasant soup
of herbs mixed with potatoes. The numerous inns are required for the
accommodation of guests during the fairs, of which each hamlet has at
least 2, while the larger villages and towns have from 4 to 8, besides
market-days. One of the prettiest sights in Ardèche is to see the people
flocking from every direction along the winding mountain roads to the
village where the fair is being held—many on foot driving small
parcels of pigs, sheep, goats, or cattle, or carrying baskets full of
eggs, cheese, and butter, and often an old hen; others with carts loaded
with potatoes; others travelling comfortably in their char-à-bancs; and
others on horseback, the women as well as the men being astride.

Many of the inns, and even of the owners, are at first sight forbidding,
but after a little kindly conversation the aspect of things improves
rapidly. In the higher regions the agricultural products are potatoes
and hay. In the next zone are wheat, chestnut, walnut, apple, pear, and
cherry trees, cultivated on terraces supported by low stone walls of
rough unhewn stones. Vineyards are in the lowest zone, on the sunny side
of the mountains. The cattle are of a goodly size, mostly cream-coloured
and light brown, with large bones and white horns generally tipped with
black.

At the fairs, besides every kind of country produce, girls and grown-up
women offer their hair for sale. The best do not yield above 8s., and
many only 2s. 6d. or 3s. When the bargain is made a woman shears it off
in the same way as sheep are shorn, leaving only
46
 
a little in front. It is all over in two minutes, twisted into a hank,
and thrust into a sack. Instead of receiving money, they usually take
the value in cloth and ribbons. The standard occupation of the females
during their long winters is lace-making.

Among the remarkable sights in Ardèche are the volcanic rocks, Mont
Mezenc and the Gerbier-de-Joncs, above the source of the Loire. The most
central station of the diligences is Le
Cheilard (see page 83).

After Valence the railway traverses some of the most picturesque parts
of the valley of the Rhône. At Mornas, 44½ m. S. from Valence and
23½ m. N. from Avignon, begins the region of the olives.

Livron. Crest.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
395
142
LIVRON, pop. 4500, on the
Drôme, at some distance from the station. Restaurants at station. Inns
in the town. On the other side of the Rhône, connected by railway
bridge, is La Voulte, 1¼ m. W. (see
p. 82).
A highway, partly by rail and partly by diligence, extends from Livron,
68 m. east, to Aspres on the line between Grenoble and Marseilles.
As far as the Pass de Cabres the road ascends the picturesque and
well-cultivated valley of the Drôme, where there is a large Protestant
population, nearly every village having its Temple Protestant (see maps,
pages 26, 46, and 56).

11 miles E. from Livron by rail is Crest, pop. 6000. _Hotels:_ Bonsans-Reboul, the
best; opposite the France; and on the promenade, by the side of the
river and the bridge, the inn Pont de la Drôme. The omnibuses of the two
hotels await passengers. Crest is situated partly on the Drôme and
partly on the steep sides of a high hill. At the foot, in the
market-place, are the parish church and the Bibliothèque. Straight up
from the bridge by the R. des Cordeliers, and a flight of 116 steps, is
the entrance to the poor church of N. D. de la Garde, attached to
the “Asile” for young children. A little higher up are the hospital
and church. Above the “Asile” is the entrance to the enclosure, on which
stands a huge structure, partly Roman and partly the remains of a castle
which was added to it in the 13th cent. The highest side is 170 ft.
above the ground, and the other three 148 ft., ascended by 260 steps.
Although so high, the view is limited by the high side, into which
visitors are not admitted. The concierge lives below in the town, near
the hotel. The best way up the hill is by the first narrow street, left
from the hotel, the Rue de la Carrière, which continue to a stone
lettered “limite de l’Octroi,” whence ascend by the path, right, to the
Calvary, where there is a splendid view of the valley of the Drôme.

Coaches daily from Crest to Montelimart, 22½ m. S.W. (see
Index); also to Beaufort, 12 m. N.E., on the Geroanne. From the
copious source of the Geroanne are occasionally thrown up blind trout.
3 miles from Beaufort is the picturesque gorge of Ombléze. Coach
also to Bourdeaux, 16 m. S., passing Saou, 9 m. S. from Crest
(see map, p. 56).
Saou.
Saou, pronounced Sou, pop. 1200,
is a poor dirty village on the Vebre. _Inn:_ H. Lattard. Mixed
up with and built into the surrounding squalid houses are the remains of
the abbey church and
47
 
buildings of Saint Tiers, founded in the 9th cent. The best parts are
the wall and square tower near the Mairie. The remains of the church are
within the court of a stable. Near it is the little parish church, 12th
and 13th cents. Saou is visited principally on account of the beauty of
the narrow valley of the Vebre, between two ranges of wooded mountains,
from 4000 to 5000 ft. above the sea, with sand and limestone strata
piled up into vertical cliffs and twisted into strange fantastic forms.
It is 8 m. long, and from a few yards to 2 m. wide. At the
commencement or west end, and on the right or N. side of the stream, is
the Roche Colombe, 4595 feet above the sea, and opposite, on the other
side, is the Roc, an isolated cliff like the shaft of a column. Mt.
Colombe has also a columnar cliff, and at the base a house called the
Donjon de Lastic, 14th cent., and a little farther down a square house,
with two round turrets, called the Château d’Eurre. The best parts of
the valley are this entrance and the east end, or its termination, where
the Roche Courbe or Veillou rises to the height of 5324 ft. above the
sea, and on which is the source of the Vebre. At the foot of Mt.
Pomeyrol, about a mile from the entrance, the valley becomes so narrow
that there is scarcely sufficient room for the stream to pass through.
2¼ m. farther up is the villa of Tibur, and, a little beyond,
the terminus of the valley.

Bourdeaux. Dieulefit.

Coach from Saou to Bourdeaux, 7 m. S. Bourdeaux, pop. 1800. _Inns:_ Blanc; Petit;
Temple Protestant. On both sides of the Roubion, 8 m. N. from
Dieulefit. On the left side of the river is the old town, composed of
squalid houses and execrably paved steep lanes, creeping up the hill,
crowned with the ruins of a large castle founded in the 8th cent.
Agriculture and the rearing of silkworms are the chief industries.
Although Bourdeaux is hardly 8 m. from Dieulefit the courrier
requires 2 hours to perform the journey, as a high mountain ridge, the
Dieu-Grace, intervenes between the two places.

Dieulefit, pop. 5000.
_Inns:_ H. du Levant; Temple Protestant. On the Jabron at the
foot of Mont de Dieu-Grace, 17½ m. E. from Montelimart, between
which two towns several coaches run daily. In the town are silk, cotton,
and cloth mills, and in the suburbs potteries where a coarse kitchen
ware is made. The principal towns passed on the road to Montelimart are
Poët-Lavat, 3⅛ m.; La Begude, 7½ m.; under
Châteauneuf-de-Mazenc and Montboucher, situated on eminences at a
considerable distance from the road (see map, page
56).


Die.

CREST TO ASPRES

(Maps, pp. 46 and 56).

_Crest to Aspres, 57 miles east by Die._—The road as far as
the Pass de Cabres follows the course of the Drôme. The first town
passed is Saillans, 9½ m. E. from Crest, pop. 1800. _Inns:_
Lambert; Latour. In a ravine of the Drôme, 6½ m. farther, is
Pontaix, similarly situated. 23 m. E. from Crest, and 34 m. W. from Aspres,
is Die, pop. 4000, the principal
town in the valley of the Drôme, which here receives the Mérosse.
_Inns:_ St. Dominique; Alpes—the coach stops between them;
Église Protestante. The Clairette de Die is a thin white wine, drank
during its first year;
48
 
in the second it is apt to deteriorate. Coach to Châtillon, 12 m.
S.E. Die, on the Drôme, is in a small plain surrounded by mountains, of
which the most remarkable is Mont Glandaz, 6648 ft. above the sea,
flanked by great buttress cliffs. On the top is an undulating plateau,
covered with _small_ stones and grass; 5 hrs. required for the
ascent. At the foot of the mountain is the rustic but not uncomfortable
establishment of Sallières-les-Bains; pension per day, with baths,
9 frs. The treatment is called “Sudations résineuses.” The bath
resembles a large oven, in which, after having been heated with resinous
fir-wood, the patients sit as in a Turkish bath. Open from 15th June to
15th September. The landlord is likewise proprietor of a large part of
Mt. Glandaz, whence he receives his supplies of fir-wood. On the top of
a hill on the other side of the Drôme is a similar establishment, called
the Martouret, pension 12 frs. The way to it strikes off the main road
opposite the eminence, on which is the chapel of Notre Dame, commanding
a very good view of the valley. At the entrance into Die from Crest, at
one of the old gateways, a road strikes off to the left, which
makes the tour of the ruins of the castle, amidst vines and mulberry
trees. At the other end of the town, near the viaduct, is a much better
gateway or Roman triumphal arch, fronting the “Place” St. Marcel. The
parish church has been rebuilt, excepting the narthex.

Luc. Aspres.

From Die the road to Aspres is continued by another diligence, which
changes horses at LUC en
Diois, pop. 940. _Inn:_ Du Levant; Église Protestante,
10½ m. S. from Die, or 23½ N.W. from Aspres. A poor town,
among vineyards and walnut trees, on the Drôme, at the foot of high
mountains. Nearly a mile up the river the narrow gorge becomes almost
closed by huge fantastic masses of conglomerate which have fallen from
the adjoining cliffs. 9½ m. farther up the valley is the village of
Beaurières (_Inn_, where the coach changes horses). The ascent is
now commenced by a beautiful and excellent road, of the Col de Cabres,
15 m. S. from Luc, and 4923 ft. high. On the pass, 2 m. from
Beaurières, is La Baume, with the cave of Baumette, and a waterfall 195
ft. high. 4½ miles from Baume, and 3 from Aspres, is St. Pierre
d’Argenson, with a sparkling acidulous chalybeate spring, grateful to
the palate and invigorating to the system, and forming a refreshing
mixture with the wine of Aspres, which is thin, and is at its best when
2 years old. Aspres, pop.
800, is situated on the railway, 126½ m. N. from Marseilles, and
77½ m. S. from Grenoble. The coach sets down passengers either at
the station or at the inn H. Ferdinand. The church has been
rebuilt, excepting the portal, which has on the tympanum a curious
representation of the Trinity.

Montélimart.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
412
125
MONTÉLIMART, pop.
12,000, situated at the confluence of the Roubion and Jabron with the
Rhône. _Hotels:_ near the station, the France; in the town the
Poste; the Princes. The office of the coaches for Le Teil, on the W. side of the Rhône; for Grignan, p. 49; Dieulefit, p. 47; Bourdeaux, p. 47; and Nyons, p. 50; is near the hotels Poste and Princes. Up
the Grande Rue is the principal
49
 
church. On the opposite side of it is the Place d’Armes, with the Post
Office, the Palais de Justice, and the Hôtel de Ville. At the top of the
first flight of steps in the Hôtel de Ville is a marble slab 1 yard long
and 2 ft. wide, bearing in Latin a charter of the town engraved in 1198.
At the end of the street, the Rue Porte-Neuve, off the “Place,” is the
Temple Protestant. Montelimart is famous for white almond-cake,
“Nougat,” of which the best is in the shops in the Grande Rue. On an
eminence on the side of the town farthest from the station are the
ancient citadel and the tour de Narbonne, 11th cent. Montelimart,
originally a city of the Seglauni, became a Roman settlement under the
name of Montilium, which was changed afterwards into Monteil-d’Adhemar
by a powerful family, who came into possession of it in the days of
Charlemagne. To the same family belonged also Rochemaure, on the opposite side of the Rhône (see
page 92, and map page 56).

Omnibuses to the sparkling chalybeate spring of Bondonneau,
2½ m. S.E.
Two coaches daily to Grignan, 15 m. S.E. from Montelimart; one by
Alan and Reauville, the other goes round by Donzère, 4½ m. longer.
(See map, page 56.)

According to Mr. Murray (p. 109) in the village of Alan, half-way between Montelimart and Grignan, “there
existed down to 1802 the first white mulberry tree planted in France. It
was brought from Naples by Guy Pope de St. Auban, seigneur of Alan, one
of the soldiers who accompanied Charles VIII. on his Italian campaign,
in 1494.” The mulberry tree occupies a much wider zone in the south of
France than the olive (see map, page 56).

Grignan. Marquise de Sévigné.

Grignan, pop. 1900;
_Inn:_ Sévigné, is built on the slopes of a hill on the top of
which, 100 ft. above the “Place,” are the gardens and ugly half-ruined
and half-inhabited castle where Mme. Sévigné died. The former Salle du
Roi has been converted into a picture-gallery, containing upwards of 300
paintings, among which the most interesting are—the portraits of
Madame and her daughter, by Mignard. About half-way up the hill is the
church, commenced in the 12th cent. In front of the altar a white marble slab, 2½ ft. long by
1½ wide, bears the following inscription:— “Cy Git Marie de
Rabutin Chantal, Marquise de Sévigné. Décédé le 18 Avril 1696.” Above
the well, in the “Place,” is a bronze statue of her with corkscrew
curls. About ½ m. from the town is what was one of her favourite
walks to an overhanging ledge of sandstone called the Grotte de
Roche-Courbière. To visit it, descend from the inn, then take the first
byeroad right, by a row of poplars to a short stair. A coach runs
from Grignan to Nyons, 20½ m. S.E. by Valréas and Taulignan.
Valréas (pronounce the “s”),
8¼ m. from Nyons and 22 from Orange, pop. 950; _Inn:_
H. du Nord, is partly surrounded with its old walls, garnished with
square towers and pierced by narrow gateways. Taulignan, 17 m. N.W.
50
 
from Nyons by Valréas and 11¼ m. by Rousset, _Inn:_ H. du
Commerce, pop. 1200, is also partly surrounded with its old walls.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
420
117
DONZERE. H. du
Commerce. Romanesque church with handsome spire. Four and a half miles
south is Pierrelatte station, and the terminus of the unfinished
railway to Nyons, 15 miles from Grignan.
Coach from Pierrelatte to St. Paul-Trois-Châteaux, fare 6 sous, time 45
minutes. This, the Roman Augusta-Tricastinorum, contains an interesting
cathedral of the 12th cent., restored. Many Roman relics have been found
in the neighbourhood.

La Croisiere.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
432
105
LA CROISIERE.
Two small inns at station.
Omnibus awaits passengers for Pont Saint-Esprit, H. de l’Europe,
3½ m. W. on the other side of the Rhône by an avenue of poplars.
Fare, 40 c. The bridge is 2756 ft. long, has 20 arches, was commenced in
1265 and finished in 1309. Till 1865 it had 21 arches, when the two at
the W. end were demolished and converted into one large iron arch for
the convenience of the steamboat to pass through. (For Pont Saint-Esprit, see page 98).

Diligence at La Croisiere station for Nyons, 29½ m. E. by the
valleys of the Lez and the Aigues, and the town of Bollène, pop. 6000.
_Inn:_ Croix Blanche, on the Lez, 4½ m. E. Manufactures
of fire-bricks and clay-tubing. 7½ m. E., Suze-le-Rousse, pop.
2200. Coach here to Mansis. 12 m. E., Tulette, pop. 1300;
_Inn:_ Vigne. Horses changed here. 15¾ m. E., St. Maurice,
pop. 1000; _Inn:_ Lion d’Or. Near the village of Vinsobres a
cross-road leads to the highway between Nyons and Vaison. At Nyons the
coach stops in the “Place” in front of the H. du Louvre; whence the
diligences start for Grignan and Montelimart (see map, page 56).

Nyons.

NYONS, on the Aigues, pop.
4000. _Hotels:_ Louvre, in the Place; Voyageurs, in a corner.
Temple Protestant next the hospital. Nyons, surrounded by high
mountains, is famous for its mild springs, and therefore eminently
fitted for those returning from the Riviera. The orange and palm do not
grow here, but abundance of mulberry, almond, fig, peach, and pear
trees. In the oak forests are remarkably fine truffles. Silk mills and
the preserving of fruit and truffles supply the principal industries.
The old town, called Les Forts, is built on an eminence partly
surrounded with its old walls garnished with square towers, 14th cent.
The vieux château, or centre tower, has been converted by the curate
into a chapel surmounted with an image of the “immaculately conceived.”
The part of the town below is called Les Halles, whose dirty streets are
bordered with thick heavy arches. The rest of the town, extending to the
Aigues, is called the Bourg. The bridge, built in 1341, is of one arch
and considerably higher in the centre than at the ends.

The Pontias Breeze.

Behind the old town is the ridge called the Col-du-Divès, on which is
the cavern, or rather hole, whence it is reported (most absurdly) that
the night-breeze called the Pontias issues. In winter this wind is very
51
 
cold, and blows from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. In summer it is pleasant, and blows
from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. The peculiarity is, that the degree of force is
constant, and never breaks out into gusts. To go to the cave, commence
from the foot of the tower of the church and ascend by the Rue
Pousterle, having on the left the old town-walls. Beyond the last tower
a path strikes off to the right, which take, and ascend to a small
chapel on the top of the ridge, passing at about half-way a pavilion.
Or, if preferred, continue the road from the tower to the part of the
ridge where there is a gap; whence take the path at the back of the
ridge leading to the chapel. Those who have ascended by this latter way
retrace their steps from the chapel by the same path for 116 yards;
while those who have come by the other go 116 yards beyond the chapel.
Then about 30 yards to the left of the path will be observed the thin
ledge of a rock overlying a small cavity, which is the entrance to the
Pontias hole, of great depth, but otherwise of insignificant dimension.
Among the neighbouring calcareous strata are several crevices. The view
of the valley of the Aigues from this hill is very beautiful. The ascent
takes 35 minutes.


NYONS TO SERRES.


Nyons to Serres (see map, p. 56), 41 miles
east by the valleys of the Aigues and Blème, bounded on both sides by
high mountains. Time, 7 to 8 hours. Fare, 7½ frs. Most of the towns
passed are at a considerable height above the road, and sometimes on
account of the steepness of the banks cannot be seen from it. The first
village passed is Les Piles, situated on the road 3¾ m. from Nyons,
and 3½ m. from the gorge “Des 30 Pas,” one of the excursions from
Nyons. A little farther E. is Curnier, on a hill on the S. side of
the river, here crossed by a bridge. Then follows Sahune, also on a hill
on the S. side of the river. The gorge now becomes very narrow and the
mountains precipitous, and, having passed under Villeperdrix, the road
crosses to the S. side of the river and arrives at the station for St.
May, where there is an inn, H. Marius. St. May itself is high up on
the opposite side of the river. The cemetery is on the point of a lofty
precipitous rock. After St. May the diligence crosses the river to the
village of Rémusat, 17 m. E. from Nyons on the Oule, at its
junction with the Aigues. The diligence now returns to the S. side of
the river, which it crosses for the last time at Verclause, 22 m.
from Nyons, and then proceeds to Rosans, 3½ m. farther or
15½ m. from Serres. From Rosans commences the ascent of the low Col
of Ribeyret, whence the road descends to Serres by the N. side of the
Blème, passing the villages of Epine and Montclus. Serres, pop. 1200.
_Inns:_ Voyageurs; Alpes. On the railway, 112½ m. N. from
Marseilles and 77½ S. from Grenoble (see p. 340).

Orange.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
444
93
ORANGE, pop. 10,300.
_Inn:_ H. de la Poste et des Princes. This, the Arausio of the
Romans, is situated on the slowly-running Meine. Close to the hotel is
the Triumphal Arch supposed to have been erected in honour of Tiberius
for his victory over Sacrovir and
52
 
Floras, a.d. 21. It stands E. and W.,
is of a yellowish sandstone, 75 ft. high, 64 wide, 27½ deep, and
consists of 3 arches, of which the centre one has a span of 17 ft. and
each of the other two a span of 10 ft. The soffits are ornamented with
six-sided sculptured panels. By the side of each arch is a grooved
Corinthian column. Over the small arches are sculptured trophies in the
shape of shields, boars, bulls, rostra, ropes, masts, dolphins, arrows,
etc. Over the main arch, on each side, is a group representing a
combat.

At the other end of the town are the cathedral and the Roman theatre
at the foot of the hill, crowned with an image of Mary. The
Cathedral of Notre Dame, 12th cent., is small, and resembles in
style the churches of the S.W. of France, of which the cathedral of
Perpignan is the great type. No transepts nor triforia. Lofty chapels
between the buttresses, and over the arches diminutive clerestory
windows. A plain and ugly square tower, in this case, at the east
end. Adjoining is the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, with a statue to
“Raimbaud II., Comte d’Orange, vainqueur à Antioche et à Jérusalem
en MXCIX.” In the promenade of the town, the Cours St. Martin, is a
statue to the Comte de Gasparin, a writer on agriculture, and a
native of Orange; where also he died in 1862. At the foot of the hill,
overlooking the town, are the grand and imposing ruins of one of the
most perfect Roman theatres. It is built in a semicircular form, has a
façade 118 ft. high and 384 ft. wide. The wall is 13 ft. thick, composed
of huge blocks of stone. The semicircular wall consists of five stages,
and included accommodation for 6500 spectators. The building has
recently been repaired and cleared of a quantity of rubbish.

Prince Of Orange and Orangemen.

In the 11th cent. Orange became an independent countship, probably
under Raimbaud I., whose successor, Raimbaud II., has just
been noticed. On the death of Philibert of Châlons, last of the third
line of princes, the inheritance fell to his sister’s son Count René
(Renatus) of Nassau-Dillenburg, who remaining childless chose as his
successor his cousin William I., stadtholder of the United
Netherlands. The title “Prince of Orange” was consequently borne by the
stadtholders Maurice, Frederick-Henry, William I.,
William II., and William III. After the Revolution in Ireland
of 1688, the English-Protestant party were designated Orangemen, from
the title of their leader, William III., Prince of Orange. Louis
XIV. seized the principality of Orange in 1672, but lost it by the peace
of Ryswick. On the death of William III. there were two
claimants—John William Friso of Nassau-Dietz, designated by
William’s will, and Frederick I, King of
53
 
Prussia, who claimed to be nearer of kin, and to have been appointed by
the will of Frederick-Henry. Thereupon Louis XIV. declared the
principality a forfeited fief of the French crown, and assigned it to
the Prince of Conti. The Parliament of Paris decided that this last
prince should have the _dominium utile_; and its finding was
confirmed by the treaty of Utrecht (1713), which, however, left the
title and coat of arms to the King of Prussia, who is still styled
Prince of Orange (Prinz von Oranien). John William Friso, however, also
took the title, and his successors the stadtholders and kings of the
Netherlands have all been designated princes of Orange-Nassau. Vast
numbers of silkworms are reared at Orange. Coach daily to Valréas 22 m. E., p. 49, and to Vaison
17½ m. N.E. (Map p. 56.)

Vaison. St. Quenin.

Vaison, pop. 3400.
_Inn:_ H. du Commerce. 5 m. N. from Malaucene,
17½ m. N. from Carpentras, 11¼ m. S. from Nyons, 13½ m.
W. from Le Buis, and 4 m. S. from Villedieu. Old or high Vaison is
on the left side of the Ouvèze, and new Vaison on the right. Both are
connected by a Roman bridge of one arch of 48 ft. span, having at the
left side a more elongated curve than at the right. The old town, with
its squalid streets and poor houses, covers the sides of a hill crowned
with the ruins of a castle built by Raymond VI., Count of Toulouse,
in 1195. It is a plain rectangular edifice, 20 yards square, with a
small square tower at one of the angles. A little below is the
parish church with round and early pointed arches and square tower at
S.E. end. The view from the terrace is beautiful.

The most ancient and most interesting buildings are in new Vaison, and
very near each other. Take the Villedieu road to just without the town,
where a byeway on the right leaves the main road at an acute angle.
Continue this byeway to two arches, which indicate the site of the Roman
theatre. The chapel seen to the N.W. is St. Quenin, while a little beyond is the
cathedral. The amphitheatre, or “les arènes” as they call it, is built
on the same plan, and in a similar position, as the theatre of Orange,
but far less perfect. Besides the two arches, there exist still five
tiers, but all the stone seats are gone, excepting those on the lowest
stage. Now it has become a vineyard and an orchard. Beyond, by a narrow
road, is St. Quenin, of which the east end is Roman, and may date from
the 4th cent., but the rest belongs to the 10th. The east end, or
apsidal termination, is in the form of an equilateral triangle, with an
attached fluted Corinthian column at the apex, and also at each of the
angles of the base. One of the pillars has figures on the capital. The
neat little round-headed window on each side of the triangle is
evidently a later addition. Bishop Quenin died in 578.

Of the Cathedral the best part is also the outside. Under the
eaves of the roof of the nave run a dentil moulding, and a frieze of
medallions connected by an undulating line of foliage. The walls are
pierced by small round-headed windows resting on spiral colonnettes.
54
 
The frieze of the aisles is plainer. In the interior, early pointed
arches of great span, rising from four massive piers of clustered
pilasters on each side of the nave, support a narrow-vaulted roof, also
pointed. This part of the church dates from the 12th or 13th cent.; but
the chancel, with its two Roman pillars, and arcade of blank arches on
colonnettes, is much earlier. Over the little chapel, at the N.E. side,
rises an elegant square tower. Next the tower is a very beautiful
cloister, 11th cent., bearing some resemblance to the cloister of St.
Michel in Brittany. It is 22 yards square, surrounded by an arcade of 13
arches on colonnettes in couples 3½ ft. high. At the corners is either a
massive stone pier, or the stone hewn into 5 colonnettes. All the Roman
antiquities Vaison has retained for itself are under this corridor. The
most perfect piece of sculpture is a skull. On the top of the hill
opposite the castle stands an image of the “Immaculée” on the capital
and part of the shaft of a Roman column. (Map p. 56.)

Sorgues. Carpentras.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
455
82
SORGUES, pop. 4000, on the
Sorgues, which rises at Vaucluse. Junction with line to Carpentras,
10½ m. eastwards. Carpentras, pop. 10,500, on an eminence
surrounded by avenues, rising from the Auzon. _Hotels:_ Universe;
Orient, both good, and in the large “Place” opposite, the Hôtel-Dieu,
built in 1760 by Bishop Malachie. In the Hôtel-Dieu are a portrait by
Rigaud of the Abbot Rancé, and a handsome staircase. In the centre of
the Place is a bronze statue of the benevolent Malachie d’Inguimbert.
From this “Place,” up the narrow street, the first public building is
the church of St. Siffrein, dating from 1405.
The square tower, with octangular cupola, attached to the north side of
the chancel, was part of a former church constructed in the time of
Charlemagne. The stair (89 steps) up to the roof, whence there is a
pleasing view, commences at the south side of the chancel, outside.
Among the pictures in the interior of the church, the best is a
“Salutation” by the Flemish painter Andreas Schoonjans. Behind the
pulpit is a picture by Mignard representing Mary giving some of her milk
to St. Bernard. At the commencement of the chancel, near the cupola, is
the chapel in which the reliquaries are kept. Among them are the skull
and bones of St Siffrein, and the nail that pierced the right hand of
J. C. on the Cross. In the chancel is a “Coronation” of Mary
painted on wood, 15th cent., and behind the altar another “Coronation”
by P. Veronese. In the foreground are Saints Laurence and Siffrein.
Adjoining is the Palais de Justice, 1640, with frescoes and a crucifix
in the “salle des assises.” Within the court, right hand, is a Triumphal
arch, erected by Diocletian between 284 and 305, 30 ft. high (but
originally higher), 25½ ft. wide, 14½ ft deep, and 10 ft. span. On the
N. side, between two attached fluted columns, is, in bold relief,
a Latin cross with the arms at obtuse angles. On each side stands a
prisoner, with his hands behind him, chained loosely to the cross. From
the cross are suspended swords, horns, and pouches. On the south side is
a similar cross, but not in
55
 
such a good state of preservation. The main beam resembles more the stem
of a tree. From the top hangs the dress of a warrior.

The continuation of the street from the church leads to the Porte
d’Orange, surmounted by a square tower 120 ft. high, of which only three
sides exist. It was built by Innocent VI., who also surrounded the
town with the ramparts, which now form beautiful Boulevards. From the
boulevard in front of the gate are seen to the left the canal aqueduct,
to the right the town water aqueduct, and in the distance, between the
two, beyond a smaller ridge, Mont Ventoux, extending from N.W. to S.E.,
with a slight bend. The aqueduct which brings water to Carpentras
crosses the valley of the Auzon by 48 massive arches. The canal, which
by irrigation fertilises the surrounding country, extends from the
Durance to the Ouvèze, a distance of 43 miles, and cost £90,000. In
the principal Boulevard, nearly opposite the manufactory of preserved
fruits of Eysseric, is the building containing the library and museum.
The library contains a valuable collection of manuscripts, explained in
a printed 4to volume, several rare incunables, and above 4000 vols., for
which there is not sufficient accommodation.
Carpentras: Museum.
In the “Musée” are a few good pictures, and Roman statuettes in bronze
and marble, all from Vaison, excepting a small Apollo found at
Carpentras. The gem of the antiquities is an Egyptian-Aramaic limestone
slab, 4th or 3d cent. b.c., 19¼ in.
long by 13½ wide and 1 thick, divided into three compartments by narrow
borders. In the principal compartment stands a young woman with uplifted
hands before Osiris, who is seated in front of a table on which are
sacrifices. Behind Osiris stands Isis. Below, in the second compartment,
is the embalmed body of the deceased, attended by the jackal-headed
Anubis and the hawk-headed Horus. Below the body are the four customary
funeral vases. Below this, in the third compartment, is an Aramaic
inscription in four lines, of which the last two are injured. The first
French opera was written in Carpentras by the Abbot Mailly in 1646.
Truffles.
Truffles or tuberous mushrooms are black, dark gray, violet-coloured, or
white. The last variety, principally found in the N. of Italy, has the
smell of garlic. About Carpentras, and in the department of Vaucluse,
they are black, and are found from 4 inches to 1 foot below the
ground, at the extremities of the fibrous roots, both of the common and
of the evergreen oak. The season for gathering them is from November to
the end of March, after which those which remain become soft and
decompose. They are at their best in January, when the rind is black,
hard, and rough, and the inside mottled black and white. In size and
shape the best resemble small round potatoes, of which the largest may
weigh ½ lb., although few are of that size. They are sought by means of
dogs and swine, both of a peculiar breed; the sow being the more
dexterous of the two, and continues efficient for its duty for upwards
of 21 years. It scoops out the earth with its powerful snout in a
masterly manner faster than any dog can do. When just about to seize the
truffle, the attendant thrusts a stick between its jaws, picks up the
truffle himself, and throws to the sow instead two
56
 
acorns. Without this reward each time, the sow would not continue the
search. Till the truffles are ripe, they have no odour.

Ortolans.

The ortolans, which
breed about the hills and woods of Carpentras, migrate in autumn. While
on the wing they are allured down to nets laid for them by ortolans
singing in cages. Those caught are put into dark rooms, where they are
fattened. In about a month’s time they become so plump as hardly to be
able to fly, when they are killed and sold, excepting a few kept for
alluring the others next year. The singing time of these is transferred
from spring to August, by pulling out the large feathers of the tail and
wings in April, and keeping them in a dark apartment till August.

Carpentras is also famous for its preserved fruits and “berlingots,”
a sweetmeat made of the syrup of a mixture of fruits, not unlike
barley sugar, but cut into pieces 1 in. square. The best maker is
Eysseric.

Carpentras is a good halting-place for delicate people returning from
the Riviera—the hotels are comfortable and the prices
moderate—excellent public library, pleasant walks, and in the
vicinity of many interesting places connected by roomy diligences.

Coach daily from Carpentras to Nyons 28½ m. N., by Vacqueyras
6½ m., and Vaison 17½ m. Also to Nyons 26 m., by
Malaucene 10 m. N.E., and Vaison 15 m. by this way. Coach to
Buis-les-Baronnies 23 m. N.E., passing through Malaucene. Coach
from Buis to Nyons 19 m. N.W. by Mollans. Courrier from Vaison to
Buisson 7½ m. N. on the Aigues. Coach to Sault 28½ m. E.

Omnibus several times daily to St. Didier 4½ m. S.E. Coach daily to
L’Ile 10½ m. S., convenient for visiting the fountain of Vaucluse.
Coach on market-days from Carpentras to Apt 28½ m. S.E., by
Venasque 7¼ m. S.E. (For these places see Index, and maps pages 56 and 66.)


THE PLAINS
between the ARDECHE,
the RHONE and the DURANCE.


opp. 56
[West End] _For continuation northwards see map,
page 46._
[East End] _For continuation northwards see map, page 327._

the plains
_For continuation eastwards see map, page 327._
[West End] _For continuation southwards see map,
page 66._
[East End] _For continuation southwards see map, page 163._


Bedoin. Mont Ventoux.

Coach daily to Bedoin 8¾ m.
N.E., 900 ft. above the sea, pop. 1300. _Inn:_ Hôtel de Mont
Ventoux. Station to ascend Mont Ventoux, 6274 ft., by a good road from
the south end of the ridge. The base is about 2 m. from the village
and the top 10 m. by the easy southern slope. Time to ascend, from
5 to 6 hours. Mule, 10 frs. No guide necessary. Before commencing the
ascent, go to the top of the hill by the side of the church and take a
general survey of the land. The road extending to the right, under those
mulberry trees, is the one to take. A little distance along it, at
a well with a cistern, a narrow road strikes off to the left and
ascends the mountain by a steeper and shorter way. The mountain offers a
splendid field for botanists. To see the sun rise from the top,
travellers generally start at 11 p.m.,
and await the appearance of the glorious luminary in the chapel of Ste.
Croix, on the summit. Mont Ventoux is the culminating point of the Lure
range, an offshoot from the Alps. Among the minerals it has quartz in
every form and colour, in nodules and in strata. Also beautiful jasper
and fossils such as ammonites and belemnites. The kaoline clay, “terre
de Bedouin,” is found in the plain between Bedoin and Crillon,
a village 2¾ m. N.E. At different parts in this
57
 
neighbourhood are strata of sandstone with fossils, overlying beds of
sand. These strata crop up at different parts of the department.

Resin Baths. Malaucene.

Four and a half m. S. by omnibus from Carpentras is the village of
St. Didier, with a good
hydropathic establishment in an old château. Rooms from 1½ fr. to
3 frs. Servants’ rooms, 1 fr. Meat, breakfast and dinner, both
with wine, 5 frs. Coffee in the mornings, ½ fr. Meat, breakfast and
dinner, for children and servants, 3 frs. Service, ½ fr. First
consultation, 10 frs. Every other consultation in the study gratis; but
in the guests’ room 1 fr. each time. The baths are in the style of
the Turkish baths, with the addition that the heated air is impregnated
with resin or is turpentinised (_térébenthiné_). It has a
beneficial effect on the lungs and muscular rheumatism. St. Didier is 2¾
m. W. from Venasque and 2 m. from Le Beaucet (map p. 56).

Two coaches daily from Carpentras to Buis-les-Baronnies, 23 m.
N.E., by Malaucene 10 m. N.E. The road from Carpentras, in crossing
the N.W. extremity of the Ventoux chain, passes by the village of Le
Barroux on a hill crowned with the ruins of a castle, 15th cent. At the
foot of Mont Ventoux, 5 m. S. from Vaison and 13 m. S.W. from
Buis, is Malaucene,
1000 ft. above the sea, pop. 3000. _Inn:_ Hôtel de Cours, in a
picturesque neighbourhood, of which there is a good view from the
calvary on an eminence in the town. At about ½ m. from the inn is
the spring Groseau, gushing forth from the base of a lofty calcareous
cliff, crowned with the ruins of the chapel of Groseaux, 11th cent. The
stream that issues from the spring is soon strong enough to set in
motion the machinery of paper, silk, and flour mills. Any one may visit
the silk mills. In 1345 Petrarch ascended Mont Ventoux from Malaucene.
The ascent from this place is more difficult, but more picturesque than
from Bedoin and requires 2 hours more. On the side of the mountain are
the springs—Angel, 3826 ft.; Puits de Mont-Serein, 4774 ft.; and
Font Filiole, 5866 ft.

The road from Malaucene to Buis follows the picturesque valley of the
Ouvèze. The most important village passed on the way is Mollans, with,
in the neighbourhood, a great cave, beyond which is a deep lake.
Shortly before arriving at Le Buis are seen, on an eminence, the bronze
statue of Bishop Trophime, and beyond, the cliff of St. Julien. No
public vehicle goes farther than Le Buis, although the road is good the
length of the railway between Marseilles and Grenoble, passing St.
Euphemie 7 m. E., St. Auban 10 m. E., Montguers 11¼ m.
E., Lacombe 13¼ m. E., and Laborel 27 m. E., after which the
road descends to the railway by the valley of the Céans.

Le Buis.

LE BUIS, pop. 2000;
_Inns:_ Luxembourg; Commerce; is situated in a hollow on the Ouvèze
surrounded by mountains covered with olive, mulberry, fig, peach, and
cherry trees. Schistose and shingle strata cover some parts; at others
there are calcareous rocks in every form, either in gigantic cliffs or
in countless strata of various thickness and at different angles. To go
to the statue of St. Trophime and to the top of St. Julien, having
crossed the bridge, ascend by the winding road to the valley, right
hand, which continue to the next
58
 
bridge. For the statue cross the bridge and go directly to the right:
for the cliffs, ascend by the back of St. Julien by the path on the
left, just before reaching the bridge.


Avignon.

59
 

see caption

sketch plan of avignon.

1. Palace of the Popes: the small building opposite is the
Consistoire de Musique; by the side of the palace is the church of
Notre-Dame Des Doms, and by the side of the church, on the top of the
hill, the beautiful promenade des Doms; whence a stair leads down to the
Rhone, near 23, the old bridge Bénézet. Below the promenade is,
2, formerly an archbishop’s palace, now a seminary. Below
the Pope’s Palace is B, the Place de l’Hotel de Ville, with the
H. de Ville and theatre. The street C C, extending southward
to the principal station, is called the R. de la Republique or Rue
Petrarque, its original name. Just behind, 3, the Hotel de
Ville is the church of St. Agricol, and a little farther S.W. is the Rue
Calade, with, at 4, the Musée Calvet, and at
5, across the Rue de la Republique, the Musée Requien,
a museum of natural history. Farther east is, 6, St.
Joseph’s College, with all that remains of the Church of the Cordeliers,
where Laura was buried. That large building at the east corner of the
town, 7, is the Hotel-Dieu or hospital; the gate, O,
beside it, is the Porte St. Lazare; while 8 indicates the
road to the cemetery. A short way E. from the Place de l’Hotel de
Ville is, 9, the church of St. Pierre. No. 10, not far
from the station, is the Penitentiary, formerly the Convent of the
Celestins, founded by Clement VII. in 1879; entrance from the Place du
Corps-Saint. No. 13, Convent du St. Sacrement. 14. Chapel
Bénézet on bridge. 15. St. Symphorien. 16. Sacré-Cœur.
17. Prison. 18. Mont-de-Piété. 19. Court-house.
20. Lyceum. 21. Prefecture. 22. Suspension Bridge.
23. Bénézet Bridge. A, Place du Palais. B, Place de
l’Hôtel de Ville. C, Rue de la République. D, Rue Calade.
F, Place du Corps Saint. G, Rue des Lices. H, Place Pie.
J, Vieux Septier. K, Rue du Saule. L, Rue Carréterie.
M, Porte du Rhône. N, Porte de la Ligne. O, Porte St.
Lazarus. Q, Porte L’Imbert. R, Porte St. Michael.
S, Porte St. Roche. T, Porte de l’Oulle.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
461
76
AVIGNON, pop. 39,000, surrounded with strong embrasured walls,
garnished with 39 towers, and pierced with 9 gates, is situated on the
Rhône, 2 m. above its junction with the Durance, and 20 m.
N.E. from Nîmes by the railway passing the Pont d’Avignon and
Remoulins. _Hotels:_ *Europe, near the Pont; *Luxembourg; Louvre;
St. Yves, in the centre of the town, near the Place Pie, the great
market-place. Temple Protestant in the R. Dorée, near the
Préfecture. Cabstands at station and in the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville,
2 frs. per hour. From the station, a beautiful avenue, the
Cours de la République, leads up to the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, with
statue “au brave Crillon,” the friend of Henri IV., “Louis des
Balbes-Berton duc de Crillon et Lieutenant-colonel de l’infanterie
française,” died at Avignon in 1615. To the right is the road leading up
to the *Palace of the Popes, the church of *N. D. des Domes, and
the promenade, *“au Rochers des Doms;” which, with the ramparts, compose
the principal sights of Avignon. The concierge of the palace lives just
within the entrance. Fee for party, 1 fr. Opposite gate is the
Conservatoire de Musique, built in 1610 for a mint. The churches are
closed between 12 and 2. The Musées are open to the public on Sundays
between 12 and 4.

Avignon Palace.

The present Palace, commenced by Benedict XII. in 1336,
and finished by Gregory XI. in 1370, is an ugly huge structure,
consisting of plain walls 100 ft. high and 14 thick, strengthened by
long ungainly buttresses. Above the entrance, composed of a low archway,
are the arms of Clement VI.; and higher up, on two oriel turrets,
the balcony from which the Popes blessed the people. Within the gate is
the Cour d’Honneur, a vast quadrangular space between flat walls,
pierced by from 3 to 4 stories of windows, not on the same level nor of
the same size. From the court ascend the Escalier d’Honneur,
a groined staircase, of which the steps were formerly of marble, to
the Salle Consistoriale d’Hiver, with an elegantly-groined roof. Before
this hall was divided into two, it was 52 ft. high, 65½ wide, and 170
long. From it we enter the Salle d’Armes, with mural paintings by Simone
Memmi of Sienna. Ascending higher the grand staircase, we pass on the
left the small window for the Spies, and then go along a narrow lobby
tunnelled in the wall, to a succession of large bare halls, the Galerie
de Conclave, the Salle des Gardes, the Salle de Reception, and then
enter the Tour St. Jean, containing the Chapelle du Saint-Office,
60
 
or the chapel of the Inquisition, with mural paintings. In the
story immediately below is the chapel of the Popes. From the Tour St.
Jean, after passing through a large hall, we enter an octagonal room,
gradually narrowing towards the centre, till it forms a chimney-tower,
called the Tour Strapade. Some say this was the torture room; but it is
evidently more suited for a kitchen, which in all probability it was.
Adjoining is the Glacière, into whose underground cellars, now built up,
the democrats of 1791 flung the bodies of 60 men and women they had
murdered. From this we enter again the Place d’Honneur by the Tour
Trouillas, in which Rienzi was imprisoned five years, bound to a chain
fixed to the roof of his cell. During the time of the Popes, from 1305
to 1234, and till 1793, the half of Avignon was occupied by
ecclesiastical edifices, which tolled daily 300 bells, and had among
them a daily succession of religious processions.

Avignon: Rocher des Doms. Cathedral.

From the palace the road leads up to the highest part of the town,
the Rocher des
Doms; commanding a magnificent view, and laid out as a public
garden, with in the centre a statue of Jean Althen, who introduced, in
1766, the culture of the “garance,” the _Rubia tinctoria_, now
superseded, for the dyeing of red. From this terrace a stair leads down
to the Rhône near the Bridge Bénézet
(see page 63). In the middle of the river is the Ile de Barthelasse, and
on the other side are the Tour de Philippe le Bel, the town of
Villeneuve, and above it the Fort St. André. On the promenade is the
Cathedral Notre-Dame-des-Doms, 194 feet above the
Rhône, approached by a stair called the Pater, because originally it had
as many steps as there are words in the Lord’s Prayer. This church has
undergone many changes, and belongs to various periods. The portal and
lower part of the tower are of the 10th cent., and are due to
Fulcherius. The nave is two centuries later. The apse was added in 1671.
The most remarkable part of the structure is the cupola, terminating in
an octagonal lantern, and supported on pendentive arches. It bears
traces of frescoes painted in 1672. In the sanctuary is the marble
throne used by the Popes, in the sacristy the Gothic mausoleum of Jean
XXII., and in one of the side chapels the tomb of Benoit XII. In the
third chapel (right hand) is a Madonna in white marble, by Pradier. The
sacristan is generally in the small room next the main entrance. Fee, ½
fr. for showing the church and the tomb.

Now return to the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville. At the foot or south end
a tram-car leaves every ¼ to the Pont d’Avignon station on the other
side of the Rhône, 2 sous; and another to St. Lazare at the
61
 
eastern end of the town near the cemetery, 2 sous. An omnibus starts
every hour from the corner of the theatre for Villeneuve, where it stops
at the east end of the church. Fare both ways, 4 sous.

Avignon: St. Agricol. Musée Calvet.

In the “Place” the principal edifice is the Hôtel de
Ville, built in 1862, on the site of the Palais Colonna, 14th
cent, of which all that remains is the handsome belfry called Jacquemard
and his wife, from the two figures which strike the hours. Next the
Hôtel de Ville is the theatre, built in 1847. Behind is the church of
St.
Agricol, 1340, the patron saint of Avignon. To the right on
entering is the tomb of the painter Pierre Mignard, d. 4th April
1725, aged 86, and third chapel on same side is a virgin and child in
wood by Coysevox. To the left of the entrance is an ancient and elegant
marble baptismal font. At the foot of the short street St. Agricol, in
the Rue Calade, is the Oratoire, built in 1730. At No. 65 of the Rue
Calade is the Musée Calvet, containing a valuable
collection of art treasures open to the public on Sundays from 12 to 4,
and a library and reading-room open every day except Sunday. Against the
wall of the inner court is the tomb of the donor of this museum, Claud
François Calvet, d. 25th July 1810, in his 82d year. On the right
is the monument erected by Sir Charles Kelsall in 1823 to Laura de Sade,
dead of smallpox in 1348, and buried in the church of the Cordeliers
(see p. 62). On the other side is the tomb
of the military strategist Folard, a native of Avignon. In the
outer court, and in the rooms and passages on the ground-floor, are
Roman altars, monuments, milestones, torses, amphoræ, and 170 Latin
inscriptions, found in the neighbourhood, but chiefly from Orange and
Vaison (p. 53). Among the sculptures in
relief, one represents a Roman chariot drawn by two horses with their
hoofs shod. There are 27 Greek inscriptions, 3d or 4th cent., from
Venice. The statuary and sculpture of the Middle Ages and the
Renaissance have been gathered principally from the suppressed churches
and convents. The most noticeable are: the mausoleums of Pope
Urbain V., of Cardinals Lagrange and Brancas, and of Marshal
Palice. Within railings are: Cassandra by Pradier, a faun by Brian,
and a bather by Esparcieux, all in the finest white marble. Upstairs is
a valuable collection of Roman glass and bronzes, and 20,000 coins and
medals, including a complete set of the seals and medals of the Popes
during their residence at Avignon, and the seal used by the Inquisition
while here. There are nearly 500 pictures, and a collection of drawings,
including the original sketches of Horace Vernet. Most of the pictures
have the artists’ names affixed. Those
62
 
in the great hall are by Albano, Bassano, Berghem, Bloemen, Bourdon,
Canaletto, A. Carracci, Caravaggio, Châlons, Coypel, Credi, David,
*Eckout (crucifixion), Sasso Ferrati, F. Floris, Gericault,
Girodet, Gros, Holbein, Lomi, Meel, P. and N. Mignard, J. and
P. Parrocel, Poussin, Euysdael, Salvator Rosa, Teuiers jun., Veronese,
Vigée-Lebrun, and Zurbaran. In the small room are the paintings by
Claude-Joseph, Horace and Carle Vernet, with a few by Paul Huet. The
marble busts of Horace and Carle are by Thorwaldsen. In the centre of an
inner room, containing the medals and engravings, is the famous ivory
crucifixion, 27 inches long, of one piece, excepting the arms,
a chef-d’œuvre of the sculptor Guillermin in 1659. It is said that
Canova stood in ecstasy over this delicate achievement in art.
Avignon: Musée Requien.
Continuing down the R. Calade to the other side of the
R. Petrarque or de la République, we have on the right the Museum
of Natural History in the church St. Martial, 15th cent. The greater
part of the specimens were bequeathed by M. Requien, d. 1851,
and of them the most interesting are those connected with the
neighbourhood, such as the flamingo and beaver of the Rhône, and the
fossils from Aix. In the eastern continuation of the R. Calade, at
No. 62 R. des Lices, is the Collége Saint Joseph, containing within its
grounds all that remains (the belfry and piece of the north aisle) of
the church of the Cordeliers; in which Laura was buried. The aisle has
been repaired, and is now used as a chapel. Visitors are freely
admitted. It is to the left of the entrance. Of the tomb there are no
vestiges, having been destroyed along with the church by an infuriated
mob in 1791. On the E. side of the R. Petrarque, by the narrow
R. Prévot, is the church of St. Dedier, 1355, containing, in first
chapel right from entrance, a relief in marble representing Christ
bearing his cross, executed by Francesco in 1481 at the request of King
René. Opposite, over second arch, 36 ft. above the floor, is a stone
pulpit with a sculptured pendant. The grave of St. Bénézet is under a
plain slab in the middle of the nave, in front of the high altar. Near
St. Dedier is the Hôtel Crillon, 17th cent.; and to the east of the
Place de l’Hôtel de Ville is the church of St. Pierre (9 in plan),
1520, with an elaborately-sculptured door and pulpit. The pictures about
the high altar are by N. Mignard, J. and P. Parrocel, and
Simon de Châlons. From the S.E. corner of the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville,
the R. des Marchands and its continuation the Rues Saunerie and
Carréterie, lead to the Porte St. Lazare, with, to the right, the town
hospital (7 in plan), having a frontage of 192 yards, built
in the last century on the site of
63
 
the hospital of St. Martha, founded in 1354. Here, outside the
town-walls to the right, then by a broad road to the left, is the
Cemetery. The Protestant division is on the right side of the entrance.
Avignon: J. S. Mill.
In a corner at the end of a short avenue of pine trees is the white
marble monument to John Stuart Mill, b. 20th May 1806, d. 7th
May 1873. In the same grave is interred Harriet Mill, his beloved wife,
who died at Avignon in the Hôtel de l’Europe, Nov. 3, 1858.
A touching epitaph, recounting her virtues, occupies the whole
surface of the top slab. From the Porte St. Lazare, a walk may be
taken between the ramparts and the Rhône down to the bridge built in
1184, partly in the style of the Pont-du-Gard, by the shepherd, saint,
and architect, Bénézet, who before had constructed one
over the Durance at Maupas. This bridge, which stood 100 years, was 2952
ft. long and 13 wide, on 19 arches, of which four still remain.
On the second arch is the chapel of St. Nicolas, in which the relics of St. Bénézet
were kept till removed to the church of St. Dedier.

Villeneuve-les-Avignon.

Avignon to Villeneuve.

Every ¼, a tram crosses the bridge for the Pont d’Avignon station,
while every hour an omnibus crosses for Villeneuve-les-Avignon, pop. 3100,
2½ m. from the “Place,” or 1¼ m. from the Pont station. Near
the parish church, 14th cent., is the Hospital, containing, in the
chapel to the left, the mausoleum of Innocent VI., under a lofty
elaborately-sculptured canopy, rising in pinnacles to the roof. Upstairs
is the picture gallery, in two rooms. The most remarkable picture
belongs to the 15th or 16th cent., painted on wood, and represents two
subjects, Purgatory and the Judgment Day, apparently by two different
artists. Although stiff, the design is admirable, and all the heads,
even the smallest, are carefully executed. But the gem is the most
charming and bewitching portrait by Mignard of Mme. de Ganges attired as
a nun. She was born at Avignon in 1636, and when only 13 married the
Marquis de Castellane, with whom she frequented the court of Louis XIV.,
where she was called La Belle Provençale. After her husband’s death she
married the Marquis de Ganges, with whom she returned to Avignon, where
her sorrows commenced, caused by the conduct of her two brothers-in-law,
the Abbot and the Chevalier de Ganges, whose unlawful passion she
steadfastly resisted. At last the exasperated abbot having made her
drink poison, she threw herself out of the window, and while lying on
the ground in the agony of death, the chevalier pierced her seven times
with his sword. These two monsters were condemned by the parliament to
be
64
 
broken alive on the wheel. The other pictures in the collection by
Mignard are: Jesus before the Doctors, an Annunciation, and a St. Bruno.
Fee, 1 fr., given to the hospital. In the parish church, built in
the 14th cent, by Cardinal Arnaud de Via, there is nothing
extraordinary. Near it are the ruins of the
Chartreuse-du-Val-de-Bénédiction, and on an eminence Fort André, now
inhabited as a walled village. The omnibus for Avignon starts every hour
at the hour, from the apsidal end of the parish church of
Villeneuve.

Avignon is very much exposed to different winds, especially the
Mistral, yet perhaps they are necessary, for, according to the adage,
“Avenio ventosa, cum vento fastidiosa, sine vento venenosa,” the odours
from the drains in some of the streets being very offensive.

Till July 26, 1793, Avignon belonged to the Papal See, when it was
forcibly taken possession of by the Republican army under General
Cartaux, who owed his victory to the skill of his captain of artillery,
the young commandant Napoleon, who afterwards remained nearly a month in
this town for the establishment of his health, in No. 65 Rue Calade,
opposite the Musée Calvet, where he wrote “Le Souper de Beaucaire.”


Avignon to Nîmes.

Avignon to Nîmes.

Avignon is 1½ hour or 15½ miles N.E. from Nîmes by rail, starting
from the Pont-d’Avignon station on the west side of the Rhône. Those
wishing to visit the Pont-du-Gard on the way should take their tickets
for the Pont-du-Gard station, changing carriages at Remoulins. If with
luggage, it is better to take the tickets only to Remoulins; where,
without loss of time on arriving, take other tickets to the
Pont-du-Gard, leaving the luggage behind. Time will generally be saved
by returning from the Pont to Remoulins on foot, about 3 m. by the
road, but 5 m. by the rail. See Map,
p. 56. For Nîmes see p. 101, and for the Pont-du-Gard see p. 104. Consult the “Indicateur des
Chemins de Fer du Lyon” before starting.


L’Isle. Fontaine de Vaucluse.

Avignon to Vaucluse by L’Isle.

From Avignon the Fontaine de Vaucluse is 18 m. eastward, by the
village of Isle, on the line to Cavaillon. L’Isle, pop. 7000, a village on the Sorgues,
with decorated church rebuilt in the 17th cent. Handsome reredos over
high altar and several good paintings. The Tour d’Argent dates from the
11th cent. At the station the omnibuses of the Isle hotels, Petrarque et
Laure and St. Martin, await passengers and take them to Vaucluse and
back for 4 frs. each. From the village of Vaucluse, pop. 600, take for the fountain the road
on
65
 
the right bank of stream, but for the house and garden of Petrarch take
the left side, crossing the bridge. On the left side, against a cliff
near the cloth mill, is a small house on the site of Petrarch’s, of
which it is a copy. Before it, is still a piece of what was Petrarch’s
garden. On the other side of the Sorgue is a cigar-paper mill. There is
a little hotel at Vaucluse, the Hôtel Petrarch et Laure. Under a
stupendous cliff 1148 feet high is the source of the river Sorgue, the
placid Fontaine de Vaucluse about 30 yards in
diameter— “a mirror of blue-black water, so pure, so still,
that where it laps the pebbles you can scarcely say where air begins and
water ends.” During floods, however, the cavern being no longer able to
contain the increased volume, the water rushes over in a cascade into
the bed below. The poet’s modest house stood at the foot of the rock
crowned by the ruins of the castle in which lived his friend Cardinal
Philippe de Cabasole. Petrarch himself gives the following description
of the site:— “On one side my garden is bounded by a deep river;
on another by a rugged mountain, a barrier against the noon-day
heats, and which never refuses, not even at mid-day, to lend me its
friendly shade; but the sweet air reaches me through all obstacles. In
the distance a surly wall makes me inaccessible to both man and beast.
Figs, grapes, walnuts, almonds—these are my delights. My table is
also graced with the fish that abound in my river; and it is one of my
greatest pleasures to watch the fishermen draw their nets, and to draw
them myself. All about me is changed. I once used to dress myself
with care; now you would believe me a labourer or a shepherd. My house
resembles that of Fabius or Cato. I have but a valet and a dog. The
house of my servant adjoins my own. I call him when I want him, and
when I have no more need of him he returns home.”

Avignon: Petrarch.

On the 6th of April 1327 Francesco Petrarca saw in a church of
Avignon Laura the daughter of Audibert de Noves, for whom he conceived a
romantic but hopeless attachment. Incessantly haunted with the beautiful
vision of the fair Laura, he visited in succession the south of France,
Paris, and the Netherlands, and after an exile of eight months returned
to bury himself in the solitude of Vaucluse.

Vehicles are also hired at Avignon. Fare to Vaucluse and back, 12 to
18 frs.; time, 8 hours. Also for the Pont du Gard, same price.

20½ m. from Avignon by rail is Cavaillon
(p. 66), whence a branch line extends 20 m. E. to Apt, another
line 27 m. S.E. to Pertuis on the Marseilles and Grenoble line, and
another 22½ m. S. to Miramas
(p. 76), between Arles and Marseilles. (See map,
p. 66.)

66
 

Apt.

AVIGNON TO MANOSQUE BY APT.


40½ m. E. by rail from Avignon, by Cavaillon, is Apt, pop. 7000, on the torrent Calavon, in a sheltered
hollow surrounded by mountains and calcareous cliffs. _Hotels:_ The
*Louvre; des Alpes. The principal industries are agriculture, pottery,
and the making of preserved fruits. Fruit to be glazed with sugar, as
well as that on which the sugar is to be crystallised, is allowed to
soak from 2 to 8 months in a strong solution of white sugar, in
uncovered “terrines,” like small basins. Fruits with thick rinds, such
as oranges, are pricked before being immersed. The best pottery (Bernard
Croix) is near the station, to the left on descending the hill. The
clay, gray and reddish, is in thick beds close to the establishment, and
resembles that of Vallauris, near Cannes, in its power of resisting
fire, and is therefore principally used for the manufacture of kitchen
pottery. M. Croix has added artistic pottery and dinner and tea
services, of which the prices are extremely low. Opposite is the
establishment of L. A. Esbérard, who confines himself almost
exclusively to kitchen pottery.

The parish church of St. Anne dates from the 11th cent. To the left on
entering is the chapel of St. Anne, under a low octagonal domed tower.
Below the altar is a crypt, 10th cent., said to contain the bones of the
mother of Mary. Round about the town are pleasant walks, of which many
are shaded with Oriental plane trees. Coach daily to Manosque
(_Hotel:_ Eymon), 26 m. E., passing Céreste, 5¼ m. E.,
and Reillanne, on the top of a hill, 5 m. farther. Manosque is on
the rail between Marseilles and Grenoble. (See maps, pages 26 and 66.)

Cavaillon to Miramas, 22½ m. S. (see
map, p. 66), across a fertile plain, with
vineyards and groves of olive, almond, and apricot trees. Cavaillon (pop. 8000).
_Inns:_ Parrocel; Teston. Omnibus at station. Cavaillon is a
pleasant town, intersected by avenues, and situated on the Durance at
the base of great limestone cliffs. It possesses an ancient triumphal
arch and a cathedral dating from the 12th and 13th cents., with a
cloister of the 12th. Excellent melons are grown in the neighbourhood.
4¼ m. S. from Cavaillon is Orgon (pop. 3000. _Inns:_ Paris; Poste), on the
Durance. 11 m. farther S. is Salon (pop. 7100. _Inns:_ Poste; Croix de
Malte), on the canal Craponne. This town, dealing largely in first-class
olive oil, has still remnants of its old ramparts: a church, St.
Michel, of the 13th cent., another, St. Laurent, of the 14th, and a
castle of the same date. In the town is a fountain to the memory of Adam
de Craponne, the engineer of the canal. (For Miramas, see p. 75.)

Tarascon. Martha’s Tomb.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
474
63
TARASCON, pop. 11,000.
_Hotels:_ At the foot of the station stairs, the Luxembourg; in the
town, the Empereurs. Junction with branch to Nîmes, 17 m. W., and
31 m. farther Montpellier. Below the station is a large hospital
for old men and orphans, founded in 1761 by Clerc Molière. Tarascon is
an unimportant town on the Rhône, opposite Beaucaire, and connected with
it by a chain bridge
67
 
1450 feet long. In the church of St. Martha, built in the 12th cent., is
an ancient crypt, just under the spire, with the tomb of Martha, the sister of
Lazarus, whose mortal remains are said to repose here under the
peaceful-looking marble effigy which marks the spot. The tradition of
the place says she had come with her maid from Aix, at the request of
the inhabitants, to kill a terrible dragon with a body as thick as a
bull’s, and having succeeded, the inhabitants, out of gratitude to her,
after her death buried her in this place. A few steps from the
church, by the side of the river, rises the massive strong square
castle, begun in 1400 and finished by the Roi René, now used as a
prison. On the opposite side of the river, overlooking Beaucaire, are
the more picturesque ruins of the castle of Montmorency, whose adjoining
garden forms one of the many promenades of the people of Beaucaire.
Beaucaire is a poor town with poor houses. The formerly famous fair,
commencing on July 1, has become now of little importance. It is held in
the broad avenue between the castle and the Rhône.


THE MOUTHS OF THE RHONE.


opp. 66
_For continuation northwards see map, page
56._
[West] _For continuation see map, page 107._

see caption
_For continuation eastwards see map, page 123._


St. Remy. Les Baux.

9½ m. east from Tarascon by rail is St. Remy, pop. 6800. _Inn:_ Hôtel du Cheval
Blanc, a comfortable house, where carriages can be hired for Les
Baux, 6 m. S.W., 10 frs. Also for Arles by Les Baux and
Mont-Majour, 19 m. distant, 24 frs. A mile from the Hôtel
Cheval Blanc, by the high road, stood the ancient Glanum, one of the
commercial stations of the Phœnician traders from Marseilles, before it
fell into the possession of the Romans, who have left here two
remarkable monuments, of which the more perfect consists of an open
square tower standing on a massive pedestal, and surmounted by a
peristyle of ten columns surrounding two statues representing the
parents of Sextus and Marius, of the family of the Julii, by whom it was
erected. It is 50 ft. high; the faces of the statues look to the north.
The sculpture on the north side of the pedestal represents a cavalry
fight; the south, “sacrificing;” the west, a combat between
infantry; and the east, which is the most dilapidated, “Victory crowning
a wounded soldier.” Alongside stands a triumphal arch, of which the most
perfect portions are the coffered panellings of the soffit.

6 m. S.W. from St. Remy is Les Baux, the ancient Castrum de Baucis, pop. 100.
_Inn:_ Monte Carlo. The castle town of Les Baux, commenced in 485,
occupies a naked mountain of yellow sandstone, worn away by nature into
bastions and buttresses, and coigns of vantage, sculptured by ancient
art into palaces and chapels, battlements and dungeons. Now art and
nature are confounded in one ruin. Blocks of masonry lie cheek-by-jowl
with masses of the rough-hewn
68
 
rock; fallen cavern vaults are heaped round fragments of fan-shaped
spandrel and clustered column shaft; the doors and windows of old
pleasure rooms are hung with ivy and wild fig tapestry; while winding
staircases start midway upon the cliff and lead to vacancy. High
overhead, suspended in mid-air, hang chambers—lady’s bower or
poet’s singing room—now inaccessible, the haunt of hawks and
swallows. Within this rocky honeycomb— “cette ville en monolithe,”
as it has been aptly called, for it is literally scooped out of one
mountain block—live a few poor people, foddering their wretched
goats at carved piscina and stately sideboards, erecting their
mud-beplastered hovels in the halls of feudal princes. From Les Baux
road to Fontvieille, 7 m.; whence rail to Mont-Majour and Arles
(see map, page 66).

Arles.


opp. 68
[East]

plan of Arles
[West]
_Scale of ¼ Mile_


PARIS
MARSEILLES
483
54
ARLES, pop. 26,000.
_Hotels:_ Nord; Forum; near each other in the Place du Forum. Arles
is situated on the Rhône, near the Camargue, in a marshy place, as its
original name, Arelas, from the Celtic words, “Ar lach,” damp place,
indicates. It is said to have been founded 900 years before Marseilles,
700 years before Rome, and 1500 before the birth of Christ. The ramparts
and walls rising from the public gardens and the Boulevard des Aliscamps
are chiefly the work of the Emperor Constantine, who came to Arles with
his family and mother, Saint Helena. He built by the side of the Rhône a
superb palace, called afterwards “de la Trouille,” because opposite a
ferry-boat, which was pulled or dragged from one side of the river to
the other. Of this palace little more remains than the attached tower La
Trouille, constructed of alternate layers of brick and stone. On the 7th
August 312 his wife Faustina presented him with a son,
Constantine II., who succeeded his father in May 357. He commenced
the Forum, but was shortly after killed in battle defending himself
against his brother Constance, who usurped the throne and finished the
Forum. All that remains of this formerly splendid edifice are the two
Corinthian columns, with part of the pediment encrusted into the wall of
the Hôtel du Nord. It occupied the site of the Place du Forum, called
also the Place des Hommes, because labourers and men-servants used to be
hired in this “Place.”

In the Place de la République is the Hôtel de Ville, built in 1675 on
the site of the Roman baths constructed by the Emperor Augustus. The
spacious vaults under the Hôtel du Nord formed probably a part of these
baths, although in later times they seem to have been used as an
ossuary.

Almost adjoining the Hôtel de Ville is the church of St. Anne,
69
 
now the Archæological Museum, with a collection of inscriptions,
sarcophagi, urns, statues, columns, friezes, altars, and tombstones,
those of the Pagans having the letters D.M., _Diis manibus_. Also
some of the long lead pipes, with the name of the plumber, “C. Canthius
Porthinus fac.,” which helped to bring water from the fountain at the
foot of the hill on which Baux stands. At the inner end, right hand, is
a torse of Mithras of white Pharos marble, 3 ft. 2 inches high, found in
1598 on the site of the Roman Circus. A serpent is coiled round the
body, and between the coils are the signs of the Zodiac. In the opposite
corner is an altar in Carrara marble to the good goddess “Bonae-Deae,”
found under the church La Major. On the front face is a garland of oak
leaves and acorns, and 7 inches distant from each other two human ears.
Near it is a good head of Augustus, and a mutilated one of Diana. About
the centre of the room is a recumbent figure of Silenus, with a wine
skin under his arm.

In the centre of the “Place” is the monolith obelisk, 49 ft. high,
hewn by the Romans from the quarries of Esterel. It stood originally in
the Circus at the S.W. corner of the town; but of it no vestiges
remain.

Arles: St. Trophime.

Opposite St. Anne is the cathedral of St. Trophime, consecrated on the
17th May 626, and rebuilt in the 9th cent. The portal, erected in 1221,
consists of a semicircular arch resting on six columns, behind which are
statues of apostles and saints separated by pilasters. In the tympanum
is Christ, the judge of the world, with the symbols of the Evangelists.
In the interior the door on the S. side of the choir leads out to the
cloister, of which the N. side belongs to the 9th, the south to the
16th, the east to the 13th, and the west to the 14th cent.

Passing from the cloister into the street, and turning to the left,
we arrive at the Theatre, commenced during the dominion of the Greeks,
and finished before the Christian era. In the centre of this grand ruin,
originally 335 ft. in its greatest diameter, stand two Corinthian
columns 30 ft. high, and the base of other two, which formed part of the
proscenium. Opposite them is the semicircular space for the spectators,
with still many of the stone seats. The Venus of Arles, one of the most
valuable statues in the Louvre, was found here. The theatre is open to
the public, but the keeper endeavours to attach himself to
strangers.

Arles: Amphitheatre.

A short way N.E. is the far grander and more imposing Amphitheatre
or Les Arènes, said to have been commenced by the father of Tiberius
Nero, b.c. 46. It is elliptic, 459 ft.
long and 132 wide, surrounded by a double wall 60 ft. high, each with
two stages of
70
 
arches, and in each stage 60 arches. From around the arena rise 43 tiers
of stone seats, capable of containing 23,438 spectators. The stone steps
leading up to them were 1½ ft. high and 2 ft. 3 inches long. There were
besides above 150 rooms for the gladiators and men connected with the
theatre, and 100 dens for wild beasts. The three towers were added by
the Saracens in the 8th cent. Bull-fights are given in the building,
when a multitude of spectators, as in the time of the Romans, fill the
galleries. A splendid view of the amphitheatre, the city, and of
the commencement of the delta of the Rhône, is had from the western
tower. The entrance into the amphitheatre is by the north gate. The
doorkeeper lives in a house a little to the left of the gate. This grand
ruin should, if possible, be visited by moonlight; yet during the day
the beautiful masonry is more easily examined. It is the great sight in
Arles, and it is better to omit all the others than to do this one
hurriedly.

The Camargue or Delta of the Rhône, commencing at the outskirts of
Arles, is a triangular plain of 180,000 acres extending to the
Mediterranean, bounded on the west by the Petit Rhône, and on the east
by the Grand Rhône. It contains small villages and large farms, with
extensive vineyards and grazing ground for cattle, sheep, and horses. It
is best visited by the steamboat sailing between Arles and Port St. Louis on the
mouth of the great Rhône. (See p. 72, and map,
p. 66.)

Arles: Elysei Campi. Trophimus.

S.E. above the Promenade is the church of St. Cesaire, 9th cent., on
the site of a temple of Jupiter. From this to go to Alyscamps, walk down
the Boulevard Alyscamps to the canal Craponne, where turn to the left.
The first ruin passed is an old entrance into what was the domain of the
monastery of St. Cesaire. The Avenue of Alyscamps is lined on each side
by 33 large stone coffins with lids, and 120 smaller coffins without
lids. This, the Elysei
Campi, an ancient Roman cemetery, is now divested of all its
valuables and statues, of which a few are in the museum. As
J. C.Himself is said to have appeared during the consecration of
the cemetery, it was believed that at the resurrection it would be
especially favoured by Him; hence the efforts made by so many to bury
their friends here. It is said that up to the 12th cent. coffins with
their dead, and money for the funeral expenses, floated down the Rhône,
of their own accord, to be buried in this privileged spot. At the end of
the avenue is the church of St. Honorat, on the site of the chapel
founded by Trophimus the Ephesian, one of St. Paul’s
converts, who was sent to Arles to preach the gospel and to put an end
to human sacrifices. Among the first things he is
71
 
said to have done was to consecrate the Alyscamps and transform it thus
from a heathen into a Christian burial-place, and add to it a little
chapel. An old Arles writer alleges on his own authority that Trophimus
dedicated this chapel to Mary, who was then alive. After labouring 36
years in this diocese he died on the 29th of November 94, and was buried
in the little chapel he himself had built. Among the successors of
Trophimus were Ambrose in 160, who remained here 20 years; Augustine in
220, who died 10 years afterwards; Jerome in 230, who also died 10 years
afterwards; Marcien in 252, the originator of the Novatien sect; and St.
Cyprien in 253. Saint Virgil, one of the successors, founded in 601 the
church of St. Honorat beside the chapel of Trophimus. The present church
dates only from the 12th to the 14th cent. The best and oldest part,
excepting the foundations, is the apsidal termination, which is
semicircular, with 4 pilasters and a small window in the centre to give
light to the officiating priest. Over it rises a neat octagonal belfry
in two arcaded stages. Under the chancel is a small crypt. The keeper
calls a small chapel at the left hand corner of the chancel, the chapel
of Trophimus.

Arles: Picture Gallery.

The Picture
Gallery, or the Musée Reattu, is at No. 11 R. Grand Prieure,
near the Tour Trouille. The house and pictures were bequeathed to the
town by a cousin of the painter Reattu, b. at Arles 1760, d. 1833.
On picture 119 are portraits of himself, wife, and two cousins. Next the
picture gallery is the school of design.

Branch line from Arles to Fontvieille, 7 m. E., passing
Mont-Majour 4 m. E. Fontvieille is 7 m. S.W. from Les
Baux by a good road. Junction at Arles with line to Aigues-Mortes,
36 m. S.W., and to Montpellier, 58 m. S.W.; Cette is
17 m. farther. (See map, p. 66.)

Mont-Majour.

4 m. eastwards by rail from Arles are the ruins of the castle and
abbey of Mont-Majour, all in a good state of
preservation, excepting the domestic buildings, constructed in 1786. The
concierge lives in a house near the station. Fee, 1 fr. He
generally shows first the church, 11th cent., and the spacious crypt
below, 9th cent. Adjoining the church are the cloisters, 11th cent., of
the same kind as those of St. Trophime, but more interesting and more
perfect, and containing the tombs of some of the counts of Anjou. Next
is the beautiful square dungeon tower, nearly as perfect as when erected
in 1374. It is 262 ft. high, is ascended by 137 steps, and commands a
wide prospect. From this, a stair leads down the face of the hill
to the chapel and cell of St. Trophimus, principally hewn in the soft
limestone cliff. Standing apart at the base of the hill is St. Croix,
dedicated in 1019,
72
 
consisting of four semicircular sides, crowned with semidomes projecting
from a square tower crowned with a kind of pyramid spire. At Fontvieille
(Hôtel du Commerce) are important quarries of soft calcareous
sandstone.

Arles to Port Saint Louis, at the
mouth of the Great Rhône, 25 m. S. by steamer on the Great Rhône.
Time, 5 hrs. Fare, 2 frs. Railway unfinished (see map, p. 66). The steamboat passes by an important part
of the Camargue with large vineyards, rendered very fertile by
irrigation, the water being forced up from the river by steam engines.
Cattle, sheep, and horses are reared on the tufts of coarse grass which
cover the more arid portions. The population is so sparse that not a
village is seen during the whole journey. (See also p. 70.)

Port Saint Louis.

Port Saint
Louis (Hôtel Saint Louis), 6½ m. W. from Port Bouc,
consists of a straggling village between the Rhône and the basin of the
canal constructed to enable vessels to avoid the bar of the Rhône. This
canal is 2½ m. long, 196 ft. wide, and 22 ft. deep. To understand
the geography of this desolate flat region of land and water, exposed to
every wind, it is necessary to ascend the “tour Saint Louis,” whence the
plain, intersected by the Rhône and numerous canals, appears literally
like a map. The only villages seen in the vast expanse are Fos, on a
hill, and near it the Port Bouc.

Great expense has been incurred to make Port St. Louis a convenient
place for shipping, and attract to it some of the commerce from
Marseilles.

23 m. S.W. from Arles, and separated from Port St. Louis by the great
Etang Valcarès, is the port called Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, or
simply Les Saintes. The parish church, 12th cent., surrounded by
fortifications, contains the tombs of the Maries and some good
sculpture.

For Arles to Port Bouc, 29 m. S., see
p. 76. The steamer sails from the S.W. corner of Arles (see map, page 66).

St. Gilles. Lunel.

11¼ m. W. by rail from Arles is St. Gilles, pop. 7000. Hôtel du Cheval-Blanc.
A poor and ancient town on the canal of Aigues-Mortes, near the
Petit Rhône. The abbey church, founded in 1116, is considered a good
specimen of Byzantine architecture. The façade consists of a bald wall
with a plain tower on each side. Between these towers are three
semicircular recessed portals, below an entablature resting on two
single and two double columns. The capitals are Corinthian, but the
pedestals (considerably effaced) consist of lions and grotesque animals
in uncouth positions. Behind them, on the piers of the arches of the
portals, stand in bold relief statues of apostles and saints, separated
from each other by pilasters. The interior, consisting of a nave and two
aisles, is 290 ft. long, 88 wide, and 62 high. In the N. aisle a stair
of 33 steps leads down to the lower church, with semicircular arches on
short massive piers. From the centre 7 more steps descend to the tomb of
St. Gilles. All the characteristics of this church are equally well
represented in St. Trophime of Arles.

16¾ m. farther W., or 28 m. from Arles by rail, is Lunel, pop.
73
 
7300. _Inns:_ Palais; Nord; Tapis-verd; none good. A town of
narrow streets, with a park and promenade by the side of the canal. The
church is constructed after the pattern of those of Carcassonne and
Perpignan. On the surrounding plain an inferior wine is grown. The
first-class vineyards, producing the generous white wines from 17° to
18°, are all on the neighbouring gravelly eminences.

Aigues-Mortes.

8 m. S. by
rail from Lunel is the more interesting town of AIGUES-MORTES, “stagnant waters,” pop.
4300, 4 m. from the Mediterranean, and 4 ft. above it, and
connected with it by a navigable canal. _Inn:_ Saint Louis. It is
of great historical interest, and is surrounded by the most perfect old
embrasured wall in France, built in the form of a parallelogram, 596
yds. long by 149 yds. broad. It is 36 ft. high, and is flanked by 15
towers. On the western side rises the famous round tower of Constance,
96 ft. high and 72 in diameter, containing two vaulted superimposed
circular chambers, used by Louis XIV. and Louis XV. as prisons for their
Protestant subjects of both sexes, who here suffered such cruelties that
the Dutch and Swiss Governments were roused to interfere in their
behalf, and even Frederic the Great is said to have interceded for them,
but in vain. From the platform at the top of this tower is the highly
interesting view of the flat country at the mouth of the Rhône, whence
the traveller may judge for himself whether the sea has, or has not,
receded from the town since the time of Saint Louis—we think not.
Both the tower of Constance and the walls are the work of Saint Louis,
who had a predilection for Aigues-Mortes, as he considered it the most
suitable place in his kingdom from which to embark for Palestine. On
25th August 1248, after having heard mass in the church
Notre-Dame-des-Sablons (fronting his statue), he and his Queen
Marguerite sailed from Aigues-Mortes on their first expedition to
Palestine. On the 3d of July 1270 he again sailed from the same place;
and on that same year, on the anniversary day of his first expedition,
the 25th of August, he perished among the ruins of Carthage. 4 m.
S. from Aigues-Mortes by omnibus, or steamer by the canal, is the
bathing station of Port-Grau-du-Roi. _Inns:_ Pommier; Dubois (see
map, page 66).

49 m. N. from Lunel by rail is Vigan. (See page
105.)

96½ m. W. from Marseilles, 43 m. W. from Arles, 31 m. S.W. from
Nîmes, and 15 m. S.W. from Lunel, is

Montpellier.

MONTPELLIER, on
the sides and summit of an eminence 145 ft. above the sea and
7 miles from it. Pop. 56,000. _Hotels:_ H. Nevet, the
best and most expensive, at the commencement of the Esplanade. On the
same side, only a little farther up, is a block of handsome buildings
containing the Public Library, closed on Sundays and Thursdays, and the
Picture Gallery or Musée Fabre, open on Sundays and Mondays. Adjoining
is the Lycée.

In the Place de la Comédie, near the Esplanade, is the H. du Midi,
the next best hotel. In the Grande Rue, the H. Cheval Blanc,
frequented by commercial men. Opposite the station is the H. de la
Gare. In the fine broad street, the Rue Maguelone, leading from the
74
 
station to the Place de la Comédie, is the H. Maguelone, second
class. Their omnibuses await passengers.

Temple Protestant near station, in the Rue Maguelone. Telegraph Office
in the Boulevard de la Comédie. Post in the Boulevard Jeu-de-Paume. From
the Esplanade omnibus runs to Castelnau. From near the Place de la
Comédie coach to Mauguio. From the Boulevard de Blanquerie, below the
prison, coach to Claret and St. Hippolyte. (See map,
p. 66.)

Montpellier: Botanic Gardens.

The most modern part of the town is the Rue Maguelone, leading from the
station to the Esplanade, a delightful promenade bounded by the
citadel. At the N.W. angle of the Esplanade a stair leads down to a line
of boulevards, passing up by the “Hôpital Général” to the Botanic
Gardens, the earliest institution of this kind in France,
founded in the reign of Henri IV., and for some years under the
direction of the famous botanist De Candolle. It contains an area of 9
acres, divided into three parts: at the N. end is a nursery; at the S.,
in a hollow, surrounded by trees, the botanical part; and between these
two divisions the arboretum. Opposite the Botanic Gardens is the once
famous École de médecine, said to have been founded by Arab
physicians under the patronage of the Counts of Montpellier. It now
occupies the old bishops’ palace, built in the 14th cent., with
additions in the 17th. At the entrance are bronze statues of Barthez,
1734-1806, and La Peyronie, 1678-1747. Within the entrance are busts of
the most celebrated professors and divines connected with the college
and the church of Montpellier. In the same building are also valuable
anatomical and pathological collections, and a library with 55,000 vols.
Adjoining is the Cathedral of St. Pierre, 14th and 15th cents.,
but the choir is recent, though in the same style. White marble statue
of Mary and child by Canova.

Overlooking the Botanic Gardens is the beautiful promenade, the Place du
Peyrou, on an eminence at the western side of the town. In cold weather
invalids and nurses with their children frequent the lower terrace of
this “Place,” the promenade Basse du Midi. At the western end of the
Peyrou is the Château d’Eau, a hexagonal Corinthian building, which
receives and distributes through the town the water brought from the
fontaine de St. Clement, 5½ m. from Montpellier. The aqueduct,
which conveys the water across the valley from the opposite hill,
consists of two tiers of arches 70 ft. high and 2896 ft. long. The gate
at the end of the promenade was erected to commemorate the victories of
Louis XIV. Adjoining is the Palais de Justice, with statues of
Cambacérès and Cardinal Fleury. Eastwards, by crooked streets, are the
Mairie and the markets.

Montpellier: Musée Fabre.

A short way north from the Hôtel Nevet, by the Rues Ste. Foi and also on
the Esplanade, is a handsome modern edifice, comprising the Musée Fabre, the
Bibliothèque publique with 65,000 vols., and the “Collection de la
Société archéologique.” The Musée Fabre, open on Sundays and Mondays and
feast days, contains, among many works of inferior merit, some good
pictures by great artists, such as Berghem,
75
 
Fra Bartolommeo, P. C. Champaigne, Cuyp, L. David, G. Dow, Van
Dyck, Ghirlandajo, Girodet, Granet, Greuze, Metsu, Palma, P.Veronese,
Porbus, P. Potter, Poussin, Samuel Reynolds, Salvator Rosa, Rubens,
Ruysdael, Andrea del Sarto, D. Teniers, Terburg, Titian, and Zarg.
The library contains some curious MSS. connected with, the Stuarts,
which belonged to Prince Charles Edward.

Montpellier produces a lovely coloured wine with good bouquet, called
St. Georges d’Orgues. The manufacture of verdigris, the preparation of
preserved fruits, dye works, chemical works, and distilleries, are the
principal industries.

From the railway station, opposite the Hôtel de Nevet, a line
extends through the lagoon Pérols, covering a surface of 3000 acres, and
yielding annually 2000 tons of salt, to the port of Palavas, 5 m.
south (pop. 1000), with a beautiful beach. At the Palavas terminus is
the Casino hotel, and on the Canal the Hôtel des Bains and the
Restaurant Parisien. A cabine (bathing-house), including costume
and linen, costs 1 fr. Leave the train at the Plage station.
3 m. from Montpellier, in the retired valley of the Mosson, is the
mineral water establishment of Foncaude. Water saline, unctuous, and
sedative. Good for indigestion and nervous disorders. 12½ m. north
from Montpellier is the Pic du Loup, rising from the village St. Mathieu
(pop. 500) to the height of 680 ft., commanding an extensive view, and
having on the top a chapel visited by pilgrims.

From Montpellier a line extends 43½ m. W. to Faugères on the line from
Beziers to Capdenac by Rodez. (See map,
page 27.)

Frontignan. Cette.

109½ m. from Marseilles and 4½ from Cette is Frontignan, pop. 3000. Possessing 570 acres of
vineyards producing rich amber-coloured, luscious, and spirituous wines,
made principally from the clairette and picardan grapes. The
neighbouring marshes yield annually about 50,000 tons of salt.

114 m. from Marseilles is Cette, pop. 29,000. At this point the Chemins de Fer
de Paris à Lyon system joins the Chemins de Fer du Midi, and
consequently carriages are often changed here. For Cette to Toulouse and
Bordeaux, see Table “Bordeaux à Cette” in the “Indicateur des Chemins de
Fer du Midi.” Cette is 271 m. east from Pau, 266 from Bordeaux, and
84 from Perpignan. Omnibuses and coaches await passengers.
_Hotels:_ Barrillon; Grand Galion; Bains; Souche. Cette makes a
pleasant halting-place. The best walk is to the top of Mt. Setius, 590
ft. Ascend by the Rue d’Esplanade, and when at the highest part of the
Public Gardens take the road to the right. The view is magnificent. In
front is the Mediterranean, and behind Lake Thau with its villages. At
the base of the mountain is Cette, and beyond Frontignan. The Port of
Cette is protected by a breakwater 548 yds. long, which encloses a
harbour of 210 acres, furnished with two jetties; the western,
constructed by Vauban, is 656 yds. long, and the eastern 548 yds. This
busy port, besides having an extensive carrying trade, has a large wine
manufactory, where above 100,000 pipes of imitations of all the
well-known wines are made annually, by mixing different wines with each
other.

76
 

From the first bridge over the canal (not including the railway bridge)
a small steamer starts three times daily for Balaruc and Meze, on
Lake Thau. Meze, like Cette, is entirely devoted to the wine trade.
Balaruc has a bathing establishment, supplied by intensely saline
springs, resembling strong sea-water, temperature 125° Fahr.
A quart contains 106 grains of chloride of sodium, 13½ of the
chloride of magnesia, and a fraction of the chloride of copper, 15
grains of the sulphate, and 13½ of the bicarbonate of lime. Pension, 8
to 9 fr., and the bath treatment 4½ fr. additional. The Canal du
Midi enters Lake Thau at Les Onglous, 11 m. W. from Cette. (See
map, page 27.)

Miramas. Port Bouc.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
503
34
MIRAMAS, pop. 900, south
from the station at the head of the Étang Chamas. At the station there
are a small inn and a large plantation of almond trees, which, when in
flower, exhale a delightful perfume. Passengers to Avignon by Cavaillon
and L’Isle change carriages here (p. 65). Also for Port Bouc, 16¼ m.
south.

MIRAMAS TO PORT BOUC.

Miramas to Port Bouc by rail through a flat plain (see map, p. 66). The two most important towns passed on
the way are: Istres,
6¼ m. from Miramas station and 10 N. from Port Bouc, pop. 4000,
founded in the 8th cent. on Lake Olivier, and possessing still part of
its ancient ramparts. The principal industry is the manufacture of salt
and of the carbonate of soda. 13¼ m. from Miramas is Fos (Fossae Marianae), pop. 1100, on a hill
crowned with the ruins of a castle, 14th cent.
At the foot of the hill, by the side of the Arles canal, are large tanks
for the manufacture of salt. From Fos, other 3 miles south by rail,
or 16¼ miles altogether from the Miramas railway station, or 29 miles S.
from Arles by the canal, is Port Bouc, pop. 1000. _Inns:_ near the
stations of the railway and the canal steamer, the Hôtel du Commerce;
near the jetty, the Hôtel du Nord. Port Bouc, on the Étang Caroute, near
the entrance to the great lake, the Étang de Berre, is an important
fishing-station with a large and well-protected harbour. At the end of
the jetty is a fixed light, seen within a radius of 10 m. At the
other side of the entrance is Fort Bouc with a massive square tower in
the centre and another lighthouse. About 7 miles west from Port
Bouc by the coast road is the Port of St.
Louis, page 72. (For Port Bouc to Martigues and
Marseilles, see p. 118.)

Port Bouc to
Arles, 29 m. S. by the canal steamboat; time, 5 hrs; fare,
3 frs. The canal is 62 ft. wide and 8 deep. The embankments are
very solid, and along a great part of them extends the railway between
Arles and Saint Louis. The only town the canal passes is Fos, about
½ m. E. The Miramas railway passes it on the other side.
Passengers drop into the steamer from the farmhouses. The steamer moors
at the S.W. corner of Arles. (See p. 72, and map
p. 66.)

Saint Chamas. Rognac.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
506½
30½
SAINT CHAMAS (Sanctus
Amantius), pop. 3000, about ½ m.
77
 
from the station. It is situated on the N. end of the Étang de Berre,
and on both sides of a short narrow ridge of soft sandstone pierced with
excavations. The Government have one of their most important powder
manufactories in this place. Hardly ½ m. E. from the Hôtel de Ville
is the Flavian Bridge, built by the Romans, across the stream Touloubre,
with at each end a kind of triumphal arch of 12 ft. span and about 22
ft. high. At each of the four corners is a grooved Corinthian pilaster
surmounted by a frieze and a projecting dentilled cornice. On the top at
each end stands a lion; the two on the east arch are apparently ready to
spring eastward, and the other two westward. The bridge is in a state of
perfect repair, but the sculpture and inscription on the two arches over
the entrances are slightly effaced. The road to it is by the Hôtel de
Ville and the parish church with a rudely sculptured “Pieta” over the
portal. The bridge is to the E. of St. Chamas, and is well seen from the
railway, especially when crossing the viaduct of 49 interlaced arches,
which carry the rail over the little valley of the Touloubre. 8½ m.
E. from St. Chamas is Berre station. The town, pop. 2100, is directly
south, on Lake
Berre, a sheet of water 14 m. long and 38 in
circumference.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
519½
17½
ROGNAC, pop. 900. Junction
with rail to Aix, 16½ m. E., passing under the Roquefavour aqueduct, 7½ m.
E. The canal, which brings 200 cubic ft. of water per second from
the Durance to Marseilles and the neighbouring plain, commences opposite
Pertuis, directly north from
Marseilles. It is 94 m. long, of which more than 15 are under
ground; it has a fall of 614 ft., traverses, by 45 tunnels, 3 chains of
limestone hills, and crosses numerous valleys by aqueducts, of which the
largest crosses the ravine of the river Arc at Roquefavour. This
aqueduct is 270 ft. high on three tiers of arches, is 1312 ft. long, 44½
ft. wide at the base, and 14 ft. wide at the water-way. It consists of
51,000 cubic yards of masonry, and cost £151,394, while the cost of the
whole canal from the Durance to the sea, near Cape Croisette,
a little to the east of Marseilles, has been £2,090,000.
A branch from the principal channel throws 198,000 gallons per
minute into the city, while five other ramifications fertilise by
irrigation the country around it. The canal water is purified in the
basins of Réaltort. The large reservoir for Marseilles is behind the
Palais de
Longchamp. (See p. 114, and for the course of the canal, maps
pp. 66 and 123.)

To visit the aqueduct, take the road to the left from the station,
pass under the railway bridge, and then ascend partly by a steep path
and partly by steps to the house of the concierge.

78
 

Aix. Hôtel de Ville.

16½ m. E. from Rognac, or 33 m. N. from Marseilles by Rognac, but only
18 m. N. by Gardanne, is Aix-en-Provence, pop. 29,000.
_Hotels:_ Negre-Coste, the best, in the Grand Cours; at the east
end of the Cours, Mule-Noire, and near it at the Palais de Justice, the
Hôtel du Palais; at the station end of the Cours, the Louvre and the
France; at the baths, the Hôtel des Bains; opposite the Hôtel de Ville,
the Hôtel Aigle d’Or. Best cafés in the Cours René. Post and telegraph
offices in the street behind the Cours, or behind the division opposite
the Hôtel Negre-Coste. Aix, formerly the capital of Provence, was
founded 120 b.c. by the Consul Sextius
Calvinus around the thermal springs, which he himself had discovered.
The temperature of the water is 95° F., and the ingredients, iron and
iodine, the carbonates, sulphates, and chlorides of soda and magnesia,
together with an organic bituminous matter strongly impregnated with
glairine. The establishment is situated at the extremity of the Cours
Sextius. Pension, 8½ frs. Each bath 1 fr. At the high end of the
Cours René is a statue, by David, of René of Anjou, “le bon Roi,” king
of Naples, Sicily, and Jerusalem; died in 1480 at the age of 72, and
buried at Angers, where he was born. He was endowed with every virtue,
was a poet, painter, and musician, and was skilled in medicine and
astronomy. During his reign in Aix the people were prosperous, and art
and science flourished. From the right of the statue streets lead up to
the principal square with a monument to Lodovico XV., the Palais de
Justice with statues of the jurists Portales and Siméon, and the church
of the Madeleine, built for the perpetual adoration of the host.
A little higher up are the Hôtel de Ville, built in 1640; the
Halle-aux-Grains, reconstructed in 1760 and adorned with bold and
spirited sculpture. Next the Hôtel de Ville is the great clock tower,
bearing the date 1512. In the centre of the court of the Hôtel de Ville
is a statue of Mirabeau, and on the staircase a white marble statue of
Marshal Villars, by Coustou. In the Hôtel de Ville is also the public
library with 100,000 vols. Among the MSS. is the prayer book of King
René, with illustrations said to have been done by himself. No. 569 is a
small 4to volume, with copies of letters written by Queen Mary Stuart.
The first 57 pages relate to her early history. At page 645 commences a
defence of her conduct, written by a warm partisan of the queen. The
street, ascending through the gateway of the clock tower, leads to the
university buildings, the palace of the archbishop, and the
Aix: Cathedral.
Cathedral of Saint Sauveur, built in the 11th cent., partly on
the foundations of a temple to Apollo. The tower, 195 ft. high, was
built in the 15th cent., and the chancel in 1285. The façade was
commenced in 1476, and the beautiful sculpture on the great entrance
door executed in 1503. It is generally covered by a plain outer door. In
the interior to the right is the Baptistery, an octagonal chapel with
six antique marble and two granite Corinthian columns about 30 ft. high,
each shaft being of one stone. The ornamental sculpture on the panels
and in the spandrels is by Puget. On the same side are two triptychs,
one by Crayer, “Mary worshipped by Saints,” and the
79
 
other by some artist of the Jean Van Eyck school, representing in the
centre Moses and the burning bush, with Mary up in a clump of trees. On
one wing is King René on his knees, attended by the Magdalene, St.
Maurice, and St. Anthony; and on the other wing is the king’s second
wife, Jeanne de Laval, attended by her patron saints. On the outside of
the shutters are the angel Gabriel and Mary.

On each side of the chancel is an organ case, but only the one on the
left hand has pipes. Under each is a large tapestry dating from 1511,
representing scenes in the life of J. C. Both pieces are said to
have belonged to St. Paul’s of London. Among the relics the church
possesses are: the skull of St. Ursula, the arm of one of her 11,000
virgins presented by Nicolas V. in 1458, a rib of St.
Sebastian presented by King René, and three thorns from the crown of our
Lord.

Aix: Picture Gallery.

The last street at the S.E. end of the Cours René leads directly to the
church of St. Jean and the Picture Gallery adjoining; free on Sundays and
Thursdays from 12 to 4. St. Jean was built in the 13th cent. by the
Princes of the house of Aragon for the order of the Knights of St. John
of Jerusalem. The spire is 220 ft. high. To the left of the altar is the
tomb of Raymond and wife, Comte de Provence.

On the ground-floor of the picture gallery are sarcophagi, inscriptions,
and statues ancient and modern. Upstairs is a large collection of
paintings, water-colours, and drawings; but few have either labels or
numbers.

The “Biscotins” seen in the shop windows are round sweet biscuits about
the size and shape of walnuts. The better kind, “Gallissons,” are flat
and diamond shaped. The olive oil made in the farms around Aix is
reputed to have a very fine fruity flavour. The reason alleged
is—the trees being small the berries are gathered, or rather
plucked, by the hand before they are quite ripe. Where the trees are
large, as in the more favoured parts of the Riviera, the fruit must be
allowed to ripen to allow of its being shaken down by long poles. The
trees are pruned in circles, leaving an empty space in the centre.

Rians. Meyrargues.

(For the following see maps, pages 66 and
123.) Coach daily
from the “Cours” to Rians, 20 in. N.E., passing Vauvenargues, 8 m.
E. The castle, 14th cent., and village of Vauvenargues are situated
near the cascades of the Val Infernets, and within 3 hrs. of the
culminating point, 3175 ft. above the sea, of the Sainte Victoire
mountains. Rians, pop. 2900,
_Inn:_ Hôtel Barème, is situated amidst olive trees and vineyards.
Coach daily from Rians to Meyrargues, on the railway 34½ m. N. from
Marseilles, and 155½ S. from Grenoble, passing Jouques, 7½ m. N.,
with the ruins of its castle, both situated in the gorge of the Riaou,
in which rise the copious springs of the Bouillidous, which irrigate the
fields and set in motion numerous mills. 2 m. beyond Jouques is
Peyrolles (pop. 1200.
_Inn:_ Hôtel du Grand Logis), on the Durance, and at the foot of
the Grand Sambiu, 2560 ft. above the sea. In the chapel of the old
fortress is a painting on wood attributed to King René.

Meyrargues (pop.
2000. _Inn:_ Reynaud) is situated with its castle
80
 
in the valley of the Volubière. Coach at station awaits passengers from
Rians.

Diligences. Branch Lines.

Diligence also from the Cours to Pélissanne, 18 m. W., passing by
La Barben, with one of the best castles in Provence, 14 m.
W. Coach from Pelissanne to Salon, 4 m. W. (For Salon, see p. 66.) 5 m. N.E. from Pelissanne is
Lambesc.

Diligences leave the Cours also for St. Cannat and Lambesc; but the best
way is to go on to the next station N. from Aix, La Calade, where a
coach awaits passengers for St.
Cannat, 5 m. N.W., and Lambesc, 3½ m. farther. In the
village of St. Cannat is the chapel of N. D. de la Vie, visited by
pilgrims. Lambesc,
14 m. from Aix, pop. 3000, is a pretty little town, agreeably
situated at the foot of the hill Berthoire. The manufactures of olive
oil and silk form the principal industries.

7 m. S. from Aix, and 11 m. N. from Marseilles, is Gardanne, pop.
3500, with extensive coalfields. Junction here with branch to Carnoules,
52 m. S.E., on the line between Marseilles and Cannes. (See under
Carnoules,
p. 142.)

From Rognac the train passes by the Étang de Berre, and halts at
Vitrolles, on the east side of the rail, 2½ m. S. from Rognac.
3¼ m. S. from Vitrolles and 11¼ m. N. from Marseilles is
Pas-des-Lanciers, junction with line to Martigues (see p. 66), 12¾ m. E.

Four and a half miles south from the Pas-des-Lanciers, and
7 miles north from Marseilles, is the station of L’Estaque, a village on the
sea, full of large brick and tile works, extending a good way up the
valley of the Séon. This is the birthplace of the painter, sculptor,
architect, and engineer Pierre Puget, born 31st October 1622, died at
Marseilles 2d December 1694, in the 51st year of the reign of Louis
XIV., to the glory of which his genius had contributed. He was the
youngest of three brothers, the children of Simon Puget, a poor
stonemason, who died while Pierre was still a boy.

Marseilles (see p. 111). Cabs and
the omnibuses from all the principal hotels await passengers in the
large open court just outside the arrival side of the railway station.
At the east end of the departure side of the railway station is the
Station Hotel, very comfortable, but the prices are rather more than
moderate.

81
 

LYONS TO NÎMES.

172 m. south by the west bank of the Rhône, passing Oullins,
Givors-canal, Ampuis, Peyraud, Tournon, La Voulte, Le Pouzin, Le Teil,
Laudun, and Rémoulins. Thence to Marseilles other 79 miles.

Maps, pages 26, 46,
56 and 66.


NÎMES
172
LYONS: start from the Perrache station. The train after passing
Oullins and Irigny arrives at Vernaison, 9 m. from Lyons, pop.
1400, with manufactories of pocket-handkerchiefs, and a large castle
converted into a school. 4 m. farther is Givors-canal, where the Nîmes line
separates from the line to St. Etienne, 29 m. W. The canal of
Givors, commenced in 1761, is 13 m. long, and is used chiefly by
the coal barges. Near Tartaras it traverses a tunnel 118 yards long. The
train now proceeds to Loire, 16½ m. S. from Lyons, pop. 1400,
famous for chestnuts, and then 8 m. farther down the Rhône to
Ampuis (opposite Vaugris), pop.
2000, H. du Nord, producing apricots, melons, and chestnuts, and
possessing 94 acres of the Côte-Rotie vineyards, of which 46 acres
belong to the first class, yielding one of the best wines of France,
remarkable for its fine colour, flavour, and violet perfume. It is a
little heady, and gains much by a voyage. 3 m. farther south by
rail is Condrieu, with 87 acres of vineyards, producing luscious white
wines, becoming amber-coloured. 31 m. S. from Lyons is Chavanay,
pop. 1800, with old castle and suspension bridge. _Inns:_
H. Commerce; Soleil; omnibus at station. 4 m. from Chavanay by
coach is Pelussin, pop. 4000. Romanesque church with crypt and ruins of
Virieux castle. 7 m. farther is Serrieres, pop. 1700. Railway
viaduct of 66 arches.


LYONS
NÎMES
39¼
132¾
PEYRAUD, pop. 400.
Junction with line to Annonay, 9 m. W., and to Grenoble, 60 m.
E. by Rives and Voreppe. Annonay, pop. 16,500, built in the hollow and on
the sides of the surrounding mountains, at the confluence of the Déôme
and the Cance. _Inn:_ H. Midi, in the principal square,
occupying the centre of the low town.
The ruins of the old castle are on a rock by the side of the Cance. The
Hôtel de Ville is on a hill beyond. The spot from which the brothers
Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier made the first air-balloon ascent, 3d
June 1783, is indicated by a pyramid. They were also the founders of one
of the celebrated paper mills of Annonay; whose paper was long esteemed
the best in France. 27 m. N.W. from Annonay by coach, traversing a
beautiful mountain-road, is St. Etienne. From Annonay the road ascends
9¾ m. to Bourg-Argental, pop. 3600. _Inn:_ France. Bourg, as
the inhabitants call it, is a silk-rearing and manufacturing town, on
the Déôme, in a hollow surrounded by mountains
82
 
covered with vines and mulberry trees. 2 m. farther the road passes the
castle of Argental, and shortly after reaches its culminating point on a
vast tableland to the south of Mont Pilat. The country around is covered
with a great forest of firs. The obelisks along the road are to guide
travellers when snow is on the ground. The road now crosses the plateau
called La République, bounded by the Bois de Merlon, and then descends
to St. Etienne by Planfoy, 5 m. from St. Etienne, and La Rivière
2 m. 17½ m. by rail from Annonay is Tournon.

Tournon.

56½ m. S. from Lyons, 115½ N. from Nîmes, and opposite Tain, with
which it is connected by two suspension bridges, is Tournon, pop. 6100, on the Rhône. Hôtel de
l’Assurance between the bridges, and opposite the landing-place from the
Lyons and Avignon steamers. Fishers can easily reach from Tournon many
of the tributaries of the Rhône. Next the hotel is the castle of the
Counts of Tournon, now the Palais de Justice. Beyond it is the church of
St. Julien, built in 1300. The interior is on lofty early pointed
arches. Wine, silk, and olives supply the principal industries. Coach
daily to Le Cheilard, 5½ hrs., ascending
all the way (see p. 83). Coaches also to St. Félicien, 3 hrs. W.;
to St. Agrève, 9¼ hrs. W.; and to St. Martin de Valamas, 7½ hrs. W.
3 m. N. from Tournon is Vion, with a beautiful church. (See map, p. 46.)


LYONS
NÎMES
65½
106½
SAINT PERAY, pop. 3000.
_Inn:_ H. du Nord. Omnibus at station. Also omnibus for
Valence. An uninteresting village about ten minutes from the station,
situated on the sunny side of the valley of the Merdary. The vineyards
here produce an excellent sparkling wine, the taste of which is natural,
not given to it by the addition of prepared cordials, as is the case
with the other champagnes.

69 m. from Lyons is Soyons, pop. 900, under an eminence crowned by
the Tour Maudite, an old fortress. 77 yards above the village is a cave,
La Grotte de Néron, in which prehistoric remains have been found.
2½ m. farther is Charmes, pop. 1000, and other 3 m.
Beauchastel, pop. 1000, 2 m. from St. Laurent du Pape. (Map, p. 46.)

La Voulte. St. Sauveur. Le Cheilard.


LYONS
NÎMES
77
95
LA VOULTE, pop. 5000.
_Inn:_ H. du Musée. Temple Protestant. Railway and steamboat
stations. A dirty and badly-paved town on the right bank and on the
steep sides of a hill rising from the Rhône. On the summit are the
Grande Place, the parish church, and the castle, commenced by Bernard
Anduze in 1305, and finished by Gilbert III. de Ventadour in 1582,
who also built the chapel. The castle is now inhabited by workmen, and
the chapel is a magazine. By the side of the castle is a large
iron-foundry, employing 170 men.
83
 

The ores come from rich mines a little way up the valley, near the
decayed mineral water establishment of Celles-les-Bains. _Inn:_
H. Chalvet, 2 m. down the Rhône, but behind the hills. The
water contains iron with a little free carbonic acid gas. Coach daily
from La Voulte to Le Cheilard (or Cheylard), 30 m. N.W., 6 hrs.,
and to St. Pierreville, 24 m. W., 5 hrs. The road to the two places
separates at St. Sauveur, 8¾ m. E. from St. Pierreville, and
15 m. S.E. from Le Cheilard. (See map,
p. 46.) St.
Sauveur, pop. 2000. _Inns:_ Poste; Voyageur. Is prettily
situated on the Erieux, which descends from Le Cheilard, between high
rocky banks cultivated to the summit by a series of laboriously walled
terraces, on which are small fields of wheat intermingled with walnut,
chestnut, apple, pear, and cherry trees, and in the more favoured spots
vines and peach and mulberry trees. The road skirts the cliffs, and is
itself terraced the greater part of the way. A few miles up the
river, opposite the village Chalançon, _Inn:_ H. Astier, is a
very good specimen of an old donkey-backed bridge, Le Cheilard, 2130 ft. above
the sea, pop. 3500. _Inn:_ H. Courtial. This, the great
diligence centre of Ardèche, is a dingy, dirty town, with narrow
streets, beautifully situated on the Evreux, in a hollow between lofty
terraced mountains. Coaches daily to Valence, La Voulte, and Tournon.
Every other day to Annonay by the same road as the Tournon coach as far
as a little beyond Mastre, 1280 ft. above the sea, whence it diverges
northward. Coach daily also to Le Puy, 36 m. N.W., by St.
Martin-de-Valamas, pop. 2200, at the confluence of the Eysse and the
Erieux and Fay-le-Froid, 22 m. E. from Le Puy, near the river
Lignon, pop. 900. (Map, page 46.)


ROAD TO THE SOURCE OF THE LOIRE.


Saint
Sauveur to Le Beage by St. Pierreville, Marcols, Mezillac, and
Lachamp-Raphaél (Gerbier-de-Jones). The road from St. Sauveur to St.
Pierreville ascends the Gluyère or Glaire in much the same way as the
road to Le Cheilard ascends the Erieux. St. Pierreville, 1788 ft. above the sea,
pop. 2100. _Inns:_ Rochier; Commerce. Temple Protestant. On an
eminence rising from the Gluyère. At St. Pierreville passengers for
Marcols enter a smaller vehicle. The whole way the road follows the
course of the Gluyère, between great granite cliffs. 2 m. before
reaching Marcols is the clean little village of Olbon, on both
sides of the Gluyère, with a nice inn, the H. des Voyageurs, and a
Temple Protestant. A little farther by the side of the stream is a
spring of mineral water containing iron and carbonic acid gas.

Marcols. Lachamp-Raphaél.

6 m. W. from St. Pierreville is Marcols, 3380 ft. above the sea, a small
village with three silk mills, on an eminence rising from the Gluyère.
_Inn:_ H. de l’Union. This is the terminus of the
stagecoaches, for the other places westwards vehicles must be hired. As
conveyances cannot always be had at Marcols, the most prudent plan for
those going on to Le Beage, and not disposed to walk the distance, is to
spend the night at St. Pierreville, and to start early next morning in a
vehicle hired from the “Bureau des Diligences,” 15 frs. per day,
84
 
with one horse. Gig from Marcols to Lachamp-Raphaél, 11 frs. Le Beage is
28¼ m. N.W. from St. Pierreville, passing through Marcols
6 m., Mezillac 11¾ m., and Lachamp-Raphaél 16 m.

The road from Marcols to Mezillac, 2¼ hrs., coils up the sides of steep
terraced mountains. Near the summit of one, in a very exposed situation,
is the small hamlet of Mezillac, consisting of low massive stone
cottages, and a modern church built in the style of the former one, 10th
cent. Refreshments can be had at the Bureau de Tabac. A little
farther down is the inn. At Mezillac the road from Le Cheilard to
Aubenas intersects the road from Mezillac to Le Beage. Thus far the
prevailing rock has been granite, but about ½ m. from Mezillac the
road skirts the face of a mountain one mass of basaltic prisms.

4½ m. W. from Mezillac is the hamlet of Lachamp-Raphaél, 4364 ft. above the sea.
Most of the better cottages take in travellers, where generally
abundance of good milk, butter, eggs, coffee, and potatoes may be had,
with a bed. There are no trees in this region. About 1 hour from Lachamp
by a bad road is the cascade du Ray-Pic, which plunges down into a dark
abyss. Any lad can show the way.


Source of the Loire.

MONT MEZENC
and the SOURCE of the LOIRE


opp. 84
see caption


THE GERBIER-DE-JONCS AND MONT MEZENC.


2 m. beyond Lachamp-Raphaél, just under the culminating point of the
road (4600 ft. above the sea), is a farmhouse called La Maison
Bourlatié, and near it a flattened peak. Just beyond this Maison
Bourlatié a road diverges to the right (eastward) from the main road,
which take for the Gerbier-de-Joncs, the top of which is distinctly seen
after having proceeded a short way, and is hardly an hour’s easy walking
from Bourlatié. It is a most interesting and easy excursion. The
Gerbier-de-Joncs (_Gerbiarum jugum_) is an isolated pointed
cone, composed of masses and fragments of trachyte, rising 325 ft. above
the tableland, 5125 ft. above the sea, and commanding a wide and
extensive view. At the base, south side, from under a block of trachyte
and some loose stones, wells gently forth the infant Loire, running
first into a little circular basin for the use of the adjoining
farmhouse, whence it runs down the bank in a tiny streamlet from 3 to 4
inches wide, but soon becomes sufficiently powerful to turn the wheel of
a mill. The continuation of the road from the Gerbier goes to Les
Etables, 22 m. S.E. from Le Puy, at the foot of Mount Mezenc, 5755
ft. above the sea. Now go on to Le Beage, or return for the night to
Lachamp, 22½ m. N. from Aubenas by Antraigues.

Lachamp-Raphaél to Le Beage,
12½ m. W. Char-à-banc, 10 frs. The road, which has been
ascending all the way from Valence and La Voulte, continues to ascend
till about 1¾ m. beyond Lachamp, where it attains its culminating
point, about 4600 ft. A little farther the road to the Gerbier
diverges to the right. Less than 2 m. from this the road crosses
the Loire, and soon after is joined by the road from the village of St.
Eulalie on the way to Montpezat.

Le Beage. Mezenc.

Le Beage, pop. 850.
_Inns:_ La Maison Brun; H. des Voyageurs. A dirty cattle
and swine breeding village, 4122 ft. above the sea, beautifully
85
 
situated on an eminence rising from the Veyradère, which rushes past in
a dark ravine below. Pasture being the principal crop cultivated, the
mountain sides have no terraces. Four great fairs are held annually
here. The winter is long and severe, but from June to October the
weather is pleasant. The staple occupation of the females is lace-making
on a pillow with bobbins. The design is on paper fixed to a short
cylinder, and is further indicated by pins with coloured glass heads.
The linen thread is given them by the merchants, who pay them at the
rate of from 2d. to 4½d. the yard, according to the breadth of the lace,
from 2 to 4 inches. A most industrious lace-maker can earn
1 fr. per day. 3¼ m. S.W. from Le Beage in an extinct crater
is the lake Issarlès, occupying a surface of 222 acres.

From Le Beage the trachytic mountain of Mezenc (pronounce Mezing) is visited. But the
best plan is to go on to Les Etables, 4410 ft. above the sea, 7½ m.
N. from Le Beage by the wheel road, but only half that distance by the
direct path. _Inns:_ Testud; Chalamel, where pass the night. The
hamlet is situated at the foot of Mont Mezenc, 5755 ft. above the sea,
or 1345 ft. above Les Etables, and 866 ft. above the hamlet of Mezenc.
The ascent takes about an hour.


LE BEAGE TO LE PUY.


Le Beage is 12 m. S.E. from Monastier, passing through Chabanis. On the
opposite side of the river are seen Freycenet, 3905 ft. above the sea,
and Crouziols, 4½ m. S. from Monastier. Char-à-banc between Le
Beage and Monastier, 10 frs.

Le Monastier.

LE MONASTIER,
pop. 4000, on an eminence rising from the Colanse. _Inns:_
Commerce; Voyageurs. Coach daily to Le Puy, 11 m. N.W. 10¼ m.
S. is Salettes, and 22 m. S. St. Paul de Tartas, 3393 ft. above the
sea, at the foot of Mont Tartas, 4424 ft. St. Paul is near Pradelles,
connected by diligence with Le Puy and Langogne. The parish church, St.
Théofrède, of Le Monastier, was, along with the abbey, founded in 680,
and rebuilt in 961 by Ufald, 10th abbot of Monastier, and repaired and
enlarged in 1493 by Estaing, the 45th abbot. The edifice exhibits
throughout the Auvergne style of architecture. The portal consists of a
semicircular arch with 6 mouldings resting on four short columns with
sculptured capitals. Above the tympanum and also over the large
rectangular window are rude mosaics. Under the eaves of the roof runs a
string moulding of grotesque sculpture, representing men and animals. In
the interior the capitals of the columns and the corbels on the vaulting
shafts are similarly adorned. In the apse is the chapel of Saint
Théofrède; with sculptured stone roof. He is the “protecteur du
Monastier”— “le bon pasteur, qui s’expose a la mort pour son
troupeau”— the “conservateur des fruits de la terre.” (See his
litany.)

11¼ m. N. from Le Monastier by diligence along a beautiful mountain-road
is Le Puy. The bureau at Le Puy of both the diligence and the courier is
at No. 1 Rue du Pont-St. Barthélémy near the large “Place” and the
hotels. About half-way from Le Monastier is the
86
 
village of Arsac, _Inn:_ H. des Voyageurs, and about 1 m.
more, on an eminence, the village and the still imposing remains of the
fortress of Bouzols, 10th cent. Shortly after having crossed the Loire
at the town of Brives, the diligence enters Le Puy, 2 m. from
Brives.


Le Puy. The Cathedral.

36 m. S.W. by rail from St. Etienne, 89½ m. from Lyons, and
33 m. S.E. from St. George d’Aurac junction, on the line between
Clermont and Nîmes (see maps, pp. 26 and 46), is

Le
Puy,

pop. 20,000, from 2000 to 2250 ft. above the sea, between the rivers
Borne and Dolezon, affluents of the Loire, 2 m. from the town.
_Hotels:_
Ambassadeurs; Europe; Nord. To visit Le Puy, the best plan is to begin
with the Cathedral. From the high side of the Place
de Breuil, at the N.W. corner, ascend by the streets St. Gilles,
Chenebouterie, and Raphaél, to the Place des Tables, with a stone
pinnacle fountain in the centre. From this ascend by the R. des Tables
to the flight of 40 steps, leading up to the tetrastyle portico in front
of the church. Forty-one more steps lead up through this portico to the
portal of the west façade of the church, built up in the 18th cent., and
having against it an altar to Mary. The oblong flat stone at the base of
the table of the altar belonged to a dolmen which stood on this hill
from the earliest times, and is called the “Pierre aux fièvres,” from
its once supposed power of curing of fever those who lay upon it.

From this altar a flight of 27 steps ascends to the left, to the
cloisters, while the flight to the right of 32 steps ascends to one of
the two south side entrances into the church. The other south side
entrance, called the Porte du Fort, 12th cent., presents an
extraordinary composition of the florid Byzantine style. On one side of
it is the square belfry in 5 stages, commenced in the 11th cent., on the
other is the bishop’s palace, and in front a small terrace. At the north
side of the church is the Porte St. Jean, 12th cent., preceded by an
arch of 28 ft. span. The cloisters are in the form of an oblong square,
with 9 arches on the long sides, and five on the short, supported on
square piers with attached colonnettes. The south side is the earliest,
beginning of the 10th cent., and the western the most recent. The
church, built in 550, received a succession of alterations up to 1427,
when it was injured by an earthquake. In 1846 it was repaired and
restored. The interior consists of eight square compartments, each,
excepting the 7th, covered with a dome resting on four massive piers.
Above the 7th rises an octagonal lantern tower. Under it is the high
altar, with a replica of the miracle-working image,* brought from Cairo in 1251, and
presented to the church of Le Puy by Saint Louis in 1254, but destroyed
in the Revolution of 1793, when, according to the marble tablet on the
pier of this compartment, 20 priests of the diocese were
87
 
executed at the same time by the same party. On the south wall a large
picture represents a numerous concourse of church and civic dignitaries
carrying in procession the original image to make it stay the plague,
which raged in Le Puy in 1660. The picture opposite represents the
Consuls of Le Puy, attired in red, thanking the image for its
protection. In the sacristy is the Théodulfe Bible, 9th cent. Near the
north portal is the baptistery of St. Jean, built in the 4th
cent, on the foundations of a Roman edifice.

* 
The original image was of cedar, with the face, both of it and of the
child, painted black. It was 2 ft. 3 in. high, and weighed 25 lbs. The
form was rudely carved, stiff and Egyptian like, and the members of both
were swathed in two plies of linen.


Le Puy: Notre Dame de France.

From Saint Jean commences the ascent of the Rocher Corneille,
a mass of volcanic breccia, which forms the summit of Mount Podium.
On the top is the image of Notre Dame de France, 433 ft. above
the Hôtel de Ville, and 2478 ft. above the sea. It was unveiled on the
27th September 1860, was made from 213 cannons taken at Sebastopol, is
52½ ft. high, and weighs 2165 cwt. The foot is 6 ft. long, the hands 5
ft., and the hair 22 ft. The circumference of the head of the child,
J. C., is 14 ft. In the interior of the image a spiral stair of 90
steps leads up to the shoulders, whence an iron ladder of 16 steps
extends to the crown of her head. From little openings in this colossal
figure are most enchanting views. From the orifice in her right side is
seen (2½ m. N.W.) the village of Polignac, likewise on a hill 2645
ft. above the sea, clustering round its old castle. Immediately below is
the Aiguilhe, and to the left, 1¼ m. S.E., Ours Mons.

On a projecting part of the rock is, in a kneeling posture, looking up
to Notre Dame de France, the figure of Bishop Morlhon, b. 1799,
d. 1861, one of the principal promoters of the statue. Bonnassieux
is the sculptor of both of them.

Aiguilhe.

Behind the Rocher Corneille rises the isolated volcanic rock called the
Aiguilhe, 265 ft. high,
518 ft. in circumference at the base, 45 at the top, and ascended by 266
steps. Fee, 5 sous. On the summit is the chapel of St. Michael,
commenced in 962 by Bishop Godescalk, and consecrated in 984. The
present building dates principally from the end of the 11th and the
beginning of the 12th cent.; restored and repaired in 1850. Originally
the interior of it as well as of the cathedral was covered with mural
paintings. The views are superb.

Near the foot of the rock, and adjoining the Mairie of Aiguilhe, is an
octagonal baptistery, 12th cent., called the Temple of Diana. Near the
post office, in the Boulevard St. Louis, is the lower part of a tower
which belonged to the town gate Pannessac. The church, at a little
distance below, is St. Laurent, 14th cent. In the chapel to the left of
the high altar is the grave and mausoleum of the chivalrous Duguesclin,
who died on the 17th July 1380, while besieging the fortress of
Châteauneuf-le-Randon, between Langogne and Mende.

Le Puy: Musée. Picture Gallery.

In a large new building in the public garden off the Place de Breuil is
the Musée, open
on Sundays and feast days from 2 to 5. Everything is distinctly
labelled. On the ground-floor in the hall to the left are architectural
relics from Roman buildings in and about Le Puy. The best fragments
belonged to the temple which stood on the site now occupied by the
baptistery of Saint Jean. In the hall to the
88
 
right is a miscellaneous collection of Egyptian, Celtic, and Roman
antiquities, mixed up with a few articles belonging to the Middle
Ages.

Upstairs is the Picture Gallery. In the centre room are
portraits of the most celebrated natives of Le Puy, and a very good copy
of part of the “Danse Macabre,” dance of death, in the church of
Chaise-Dieu. Among the portraits are Charles Crozatier, born 1795, died
at Paris 1853, the munificent contributor to the museum of this his
native town. In the right-hand hall the best paintings, chiefly
belonging to the Flemish school, are in the low row, such as Begyer,
d. 1664; Caravaggio; Coypel, d. 1707; Franck, d. 1616;
Heem, d. 1694; Lippi, d. 1469; Maes, d. 1693; Mieris,
1747; Mierveld, 1641; Poussin, 1695; Rigaud, 1743; Terburg, 1681; Tyr,
1868; Weenix, 1719. In the adjoining small room is a complete collection
of the minerals belonging to the Haute-Loire. In the left room among
other pictures are: Annunciation, Tintoretto, 1594; Mdlle. de Valois,
Mignard, 1695; Mary Stuart, F. Clouet, 1572; Henriette-Marie de
France, wife of Charles I. of England, Van der Werf, 1722;
Landscape, Hobbema, 1669; Concert, Teniers (vieux); Portrait of Girl,
J. B. Santerre, 1717. In the next room are specimens of the lace,
blond and guipure, worked by the females inhabiting the towns and
villages among the mountains of Ardèche and the Haute-Loire, of which
articles Le Puy is the great emporium. The specimens and sample books
are in cases. In the centre case are specimens from Alençon, Binche,
Brussels, Cevennes mountains, Malines, Russia, Valenciennes, and Venice;
the Corsage with lace trimming of the gown Marie Louise wore on the day
she was married to Napoleon I.; also some of her ribbons.

Ours Mons.

1¼ m. S.E. from Le Puy is Ours
Mons, 2463 ft. above the sea, and 180 ft. above the plain. The
prospect from the top is considered by Mr. Scrope most remarkable;
“exhibiting in one view a vast theatre of volcanic formation, in great
variety of aspect, containing igneous products of various natures,
belonging to different epochs.”


LE PUY TO LANGOGNE BY PRADELLES.

(Map, p. 46.)

Le Puy, 2045 ft., to Langogne, 2940 ft. above the sea,
26 m. S. by coach, along an admirably-constructed road, over a
high, cold, treeless tableland, whose culminating point, 3900 ft., is
about a mile south from the hamlet of La Sauvetat, 6 m. N. from
Pradelles. 8 m. from Le Puy is Montagnac, on the Cagne, 3123 ft.
From this hamlet a road diverges 8 m. S.W. to Cayres, 3727 ft.
above the sea, pop. 1450. _Inn:_ Du-Lac-du-Bouchet. A lace and
cheese-making village, about 1½ m. by a good road from the extinct
crater of Le
Bouchet, 231 ft. higher, than Cayres, now a lake of 222 acres
and 92 ft. deep. It is very similar to Lake Issarlès, near Beage (which see p. 85). After Montagnac the coach
arrives at Costaros, 3510 ft., 12 m. S., where the horses are
changed. Then Sauvetat, 16 m. from Le Puy, pop. 300, and afterwards
Pradelles, 3771 ft.,
pop. 2000, with two small inns, 21 m. from Le Puy and 5 m.
from Langogne. The coach stops at Langogne railway station, where the
omnibus of the Cheval Blanc
89
 
awaits passengers. Pradelles is 24½ m. S. from Le Monastier by St.
Paul-de-Tartas, and 2½ m. from Les Sallettes (see map, p. 46).

Pradelles
to Mayres, 18 m. S.E., char-à-banc, 20 to 25 frs., by a good but
a high and exposed road, passing Peyrebelle
(p. 95), La Narce, 8¾ m., pop. 900, the Col Chavade, 4170 ft.
above the sea, near the source of the Ardèche, whence the road descends
rapidly, passing above the hamlet of Astet. This is not a good entrance
into Ardèche.

From Le Puy a coach starts daily from near the post office for St.
Bonnet, Usson, and Craponne, pop. 4000, directly N. from Le Puy, and
12½ m. E. from Chaise-Dieu by stage-coach.


LE PUY TO LANGEAC BY ST. GEORGES.

(Map,
p. 46.)

For geological excursions the railway between Le Puy to Langeac by St. Georges d’Aurac
is very useful. The culminating point of the line, 3658 ft, is in the
tunnel between Darsac and Fix-St. Geneys. This railway crosses at right
angles the Velay mountains, full of extinct volcanoes, extending from
Chaise-Dieu to Pradelles.

Espaly. Borne. Darsac.

Le Puy to Langeac, 36½ m. W. by rail. The first part of the line
traverses a most picturesque country among great basaltic cliffs.
1 m. from Le Puy the train passes the village of Espaly, and by the face of basaltic columns
rising from the Borne and its little affluent the Riou-Pézeliou, in
whose bed zircons and blue sapphires have been found. On the opposite
side of the Borne is the great mass of basalt called the Croix de la
Paille, with a display of prisms in three tiers, called les orgues
d’Espaly. The village, pop. 2300, is built at the foot of a rock of
volcanic breccia crowned by the scanty ruins of a castle built in 1260
by Guillaume de la Roue, bishop of Puy.

8¾ m. from Puy is Borne, 2535
ft. above the sea, pop. 390. A ramble in the ravine of Borne forms
a pleasant and easy excursion from Le Puy. 5½ m. E. from this
station, or 3¼ m. W. from Le Puy, is Polignac, passed by the train.
The village, pop. 2500, with church of 11th cent., is at the foot of a
rock of basaltic breccia crowned by the imposing ruins of a fortress
dating from the 11th cent. A stair of 132 steps (ascent dangerous)
leads up to the terrace of the Keep, 14th cent., commanding an extensive
view.

13 m. W. from Le Puy is Darsac, 2914 ft. above the sea. A small hamlet,
with a restaurant, the station for Chaise-Dieu, 13¾ m. N.,
fare 2½ frs., and for Arlanc, 24¼ m. N., or 10½ m. beyond
Chaise-Dieu.

La Chaise-Dieu.

The coach first passes through Allègre, pop. 1700, a dirty little
village, 5 m. N, on the side of Mont de Bar, 3583 ft. above the
sea, with the ruins of a castle built in the 14th cent. Mont de Bar and
Mont du Bouchet are the best specimens of extinct volcanoes in the Velay
chain. From this the diligence, after having skirted for 8 m. the
high cold region of the Velay mountains, arrives at La Chaise-Dieu, 3576 ft.
above the sea, pop. 2000. _Inns:_ Lion d’Or; Centre; Nord.
A dirty, decaying village, in which its imposing church
participates. Robert, a scion of the ducal house of Aurillac, and
canon of St. Julien in Brioude, obtained permission from the canons of
N. D.
90
 
du Pay to build a small house and oratory in the wildest and most
inaccessible part of the forests on their domains, where he and his
companions might lead a more austere life than in their monastery at
Brioude. This house, built in 1043, by degrees attained the goodly
proportions of a convent, which the peasants called La Chaise-Dieu, or
Casa-Dei. Clement VI., formerly Roger de Beaufort, abbot of
Chaise-Dieu, born in the village, commenced, shortly after his elevation
to the papal throne, to build at his own expense a church on the site
formerly occupied by the oratory of St. Robert. The work was continued
and finished by his nephew, Gregory XI., in 1420, by whom are the façade
with the two short massive square towers, 128 ft. high, and the
horse-shoe staircase of 41 steps. The tower, 30 ft. square and 110 high,
attached to the S. point of the apse, was built by the abbot de Chanac
to protect the church and convent, which he surrounded with a wall. The
gateway, part of the wall, and part of the old convent, are just under
the tower. Adjoining the remains of the abbey buildings are the
cloisters, a parallelogram, 140 ft. by 77, of which only two sides
remain. The long side has nine low, wide, massive, mullioned and
traceried unglazed windows, and the short side four.

The interior of the church is 301 ft. long, surrounded by 22 tall plain
slender octagonal piers, from which springs the groining, which spreads
itself over the stone-vaulted roof. The nave is 44 ft. wide, and the
aisle on each side 15, all the three roofs being of the same height. The
church is lighted by long narrow pointed windows, one between each two
columns, excepting at the apsidal termination, where a triangular
projection affords space for three windows. The tracery has little
depth, and is of the simplest design. The choir, 131 ft. long, is
separated from the nave by an ugly rood-loft. It contains 144 carved
cedar-wood stalls, and above them on both sides 17 pieces of Arras
tapestry, 16th cent., from designs by Taddeo Gaddi. In the centre is the
mausoleum of Clement VI. His white marble effigy, with the hands
folded and the papal Triregnum on the head, reclines on an altar table
of black marble.

On the N. side of the screen of the choir, just behind the pulpit, is
the “Danse Macabre,” or dance of death, a favourite subject with
artiste from the 12th to the 14th cent. The ironic grin and jocund gait
of the skeleton death contrast vividly with the dismayed and demure
expression of the great and mighty kings, priests, and warriors, young
and old, gay and sedate, he marshals off, in the midst of their projects
and plans, to the dark silent grave. Under it is the sadly mutilated
mausoleum of Queen Edith of England, wife of the unfortunate Harold.
Near it is the more perfect mausoleum of the last abbot of La
Chaise-Dieu.


Arlanc. Ambert. Fix-St. Geneys.

La Chaise-Dieu to Vichy by Arlanc and Ambert.


10½ m. N. by coach from La Chaise-Dieu, 24¼ m. N. from Darsac, and
11¼ m. S. from Ambert-du-Puy, by a beautiful road, is Arlanc, pop. 4500, _Inn:_
H. des Princes, between the rivers Dore and Dolore,
91
 
consisting of the Bourg with the parish church and the Ville, composed
mostly of old houses. A great deal of lace and blond is made
here.

11¼ m. N. is the manufacturing town of Ambert, pop. 8000, 43 m. N. by rail from Vichy;
whence the ascent is made, 3 hrs., of the culminating point of the Forez
mountains, the Pierre-sur-Haute, 3882 ft. above the sea. 15 m. from
Ambert, and 11¾ m. S. from Thiers, is Olliergues, pop. 2000, on a
hill rising from the Dore. It contains an old bridge, some 13th cent.
houses, and the ruins of a castle which belonged to the family of the
Tour d’Auvergne. 13 m. farther N., or 8¾ m. S. from Thiers, is
Courpière, pop. 4000, on the Dore, with some old houses and the ruins of
the castle of Courte-Serre. 61 m. N. from Darsac, or 36¾ m. N.
from Ambert, is Thiers, south from Vichy. For Vichy see p. 358; Thiers, p. 367.

The next station west from Darsac by rail (see map,
p. 46) is Fix-St. Geneys, 18 m. from Le Puy, 3274
ft. above the sea, pop. 900. _Inn:_ H. des Voyageurs, situated
on a tableland above the valley of the Sioule, covered on one side with
firs. 2½ m. farther is the station for the hamlet La Chaud, 2950
ft. above the sea, on the Sioule. 7½ m. farther is Rougeac, with a
castle 1923 ft. above the sea.

St. Georges-d’Aurac. Monistrol.

The most westerly station on the line is St. Georges d’Aurac, 1872 ft. above
the sea, 86½ m. W. from St. Etienne, and 32 from Le Puy.
58½ m. N. by rail is Clermont, and 131 m. S. by rail is Nîmes
(see map, p. 26). Near the station is the
inn Lombardin. The village, pop. 500, is 2 m. S.E. Other 2 m.
E. is the château Chavagnac, the birthplace of General Lafayette.
5½ m. W. is Voute-Chilhac, pop. 800, most picturesquely situated on
a narrow peninsula formed by the Allier, opposite the mouth of the
Avesne. The church was built in the 15th cent. by Jean de Bourbon,
bishop of Le Puy. Passengers going north change carriages at the station
of St. Georges d’Aurac. 4½ m. S.W. from St. Georges, 90½ W. from
St. Etienne, and 36½ from Le Puy, is Langeac,
1690 ft., 63 m. S. from Clermont, and
127 m. N. from Nîmes. All the trains halt here. _Inns:_
H. Lombardin; Pascon. Their omnibuses await passengers. Langeac, on
the Allier, is a pleasant town near the station, situated in a vast
plain. The parish church dates from the 15th cent. To the N.E. of the
town, in the valley of Morange, is a coal-basin of 1450 acres. (Map, page 46.)

15 m. S. from Langeac is Monistrol-d’Allier, 2000 ft. above the sea, pop.
1200. The station is on the E. side, and the town on the W. side of the
river. Coach by a picturesque road to Le Puy, 17 m. N.E. by
St. Privat, 2930 ft., pop. 1600, on the stream Rouchoux, which runs in a
deep gully between high cliffs. A little way beyond the hamlet of
Chiers the road attains its culminating point, 3739 ft. above the sea.
10 m. from Monistrol is Bains, 3235 ft., pop. 1300, with a very old
church. 1¼ m. farther the road passes the picturesque rock of
Cordes, 3012 ft., and then descends to Le Puy by La Roche, 2895 ft., and
Mont Bonzon. Coach from Monistrol to Saugues, 6½ m. W.,
3116 ft., pop. 4000, on the side of a hill, rising from the beautiful
valley of the Margeride. In the neighbourhood is a monument
92
 
called the tomb of the “English general.” It consists of a square
vaulted roof of small stones resting on four round columns 13 ft. high
and 6⅜ ft. apart. It has no inscription, and bears a resemblance to the
mortuary chapel at Valence (see p. 44).

Le Pouzin. Privas.


LYONS
NÎMES
81
91
LE POUZIN, pop. 3000,
_Inn:_ H. Lion d’Or, on the Ouvèze, which here enters the
Rhône. The town has foundries and the remains of its old castle.
Junction with line to Privas, 13¼ m. W. Privas, pop. 8000. _Inns:_ Croix d’Or; Louvre.
On an eminence 1060 ft. above the sea, at the foot of Mt. Toulon, 838
ft. higher, and at the confluence of the Chazalon, the Mezayon, and the
Ouvèze. The town, looking well from a distance, consists chiefly of
narrow, crooked, steep streets, and dingy houses. From the promenade
called the Esplanade, planted with plane trees, is an excellent view of
the picturesque valley of the Ouvèze, and of the volcanic chain of the
Coiron, especially of Mount Combier. 1¼ m. from Privas, on the
plain of the Lai, is a house called the Logis du Roi, in which Louis
XIII. established his headquarters in 1629, when, with Cardinal
Richelieu, he besieged the Protestant inhabitants in the town, commanded
by the brave Montbrun.

From Privas, coach daily, 11 m. N. to Ollières, on the Eyrieux.
_Inn:_ H. du Pont, comfortable. This coach meets at Ollières
the coaches to La Voulte and Valence on the Rhône, and the coaches to Le
Cheilard and to St. Pierreville. The latter is the coach to take for the
Source of the Loire and Mont Mezenc (see pp. 84, 85). Coach also to
Aubenas, 18 m. S.E. (See next page, and map
p. 46.)

Rochemaure.


LYONS
NÎMES
98
74
ROCHEMAURE, pop.
1300, Auberge Gabarre. Suspension bridge across the Rhône. The modern
part of the village is built along the high road, but the old on the
steep slopes of the basalt rocks crowned by the ruins of the castle.
There are many ways up to the top; the best and most frequented
commences just opposite the “auberge,” traverses the centre of the
curious old stony village, passes on the right the chapel with the arms
of Ventadour and Soubise on the portal, then ascends by the battlemented
wall to some miserable habitations, among what was the seigneurial
manor, of which large portions still remain. Next to it, on a
needle-like peak of nearly horizontal columns of basalt, rises the Keep,
like a spear piercing the sky. A narrow path leading so far up will
be found round the N.W. corner. The views are superb, of the valley of
the Rhône on one side, and on the other of the Coiron mountains. These
ruins, which from below look slim and airy, are the remains of a massive
edifice constructed principally of basaltic prisms in the 12th cent. by
the family of Adhémar de Montheil, and reduced to its present condition
by order of Louis XIII.

93
 

A road up the gap on the N. side of the hill leads in a little more
than an hour to Mount Chenavari, 1668 ft., distinctly seen from the top
of the gap. On the summit is a tableland bordered with massive basaltic
columns. At Rochemaure the olive trees begin to appear.

Le Teil.


LYONS
NÎMES
95¾
76¼
LE TEIL, pop. 3200, with
some small inns. Omnibus awaits passengers for Montelimart, 3¼ m. E., on the other side of the
Rhône (p. 48). Branch line to Alais, 62¼ m. S.W., on the line
between Nîmes and Clermont-Ferrand. From Vogué, on this branch,
17½ m. S.W. from Le Teil, and 44¾ m. N.E. from Alais,
a smaller branch extends 12 m. N. to Nieigles-Prades. The
Nieigles-Prades line forms a convenient entrance into Ardèche (see maps,
pages 26, 46, and 56).


Aubenas. Vals.

Vogué, Aubenas, Vals, Neyrac, Thueyts, Mayres.

5 m. W. from Teil, on the branch line to Alais, is Aubignas (Alba Augusta), pop. 530, once an
important Roman station. 6¼ m. N. from Vogué is Aubenas, pop. 8000,
_Inn:_ H. Durand, on a hill covered with vines, olives, and
mulberry trees, rising 328 ft. above the Ardèche, and commanding an
extensive view of the valley of the river. On the highest part of the
town are the church and the fine old castle, now containing the college,
the hospital, and some other public institutions. Aubenas is the centre
of an important trade in raw silk, butter, and cheese. At Vesseaux,
a village to the north of Aubenas, excellent chestnuts are grown.
(Maps, pages 56 and 46.)

3¼ m. N. from Aubenas is La Begude, the station for Vals. Omnibus awaits
passengers. VALS, pop. 4000, on
the Volane, famous for its Mineral Waters. _Hotels:_ Des
Bains, on an eminence above the bathing establishment and the gardens.
In the same neighbourhood are the Hotels Parc; Juliette; Délicieuse;
Lyon; Orient. All the important springs are also in this part. In the
town are the Hotels Europe; Durand; Nord; Poste. The Pension in the
Hôtel des Bains is from 12 to 15 frs., in the others from 9 to 10 frs.
Season from 1st May to October. Vals is prettily situated on the Volane,
in a hollow among hills covered with vineyards and studded with mulberry
and chestnut trees. The springs, gardens, baths, and best hotels are all
at the eastern extremity. Near the H. du Parc is the intermittent
fountain, and from it, across the bridge, are the springs Vivaraises,
under a grotto; and, adjoining them, the spring Juliette, while a little
beyond is La Délicieuse. The springs Madeleine, St. Jean, Précieuse, and
the others, belonging to the Société Générale, are all farther up the
river, nearer the town, at the second bridge. None of them are so
pungent nor so agreeable to the palate as the Juliette and the
Délicieuse. The properties of all are much the same. They give tone to
the stomach, assist the action of the liver and kidneys, and remove
paralysis of the bladder. They are all cold, easily digested, and may be
drunk at any time. They contain bicarbonate of soda, lime, and magnesia,
94
 
lithia, iodine, iron, and some of them traces of the arseniate of soda,
and owe their pungency to the free carbonic acid gas.

Antraigues.

5 m. N. from Vals, or 9 m. from Aubenas and 16 m. from Privas, is
Antraigues, pop.
2000, situated on the side of three basaltic rocks, at whose base flow
three impetuous mountain torrents—the Bise, Mas, and Volane. From
the heights behind the town there is a magnificent view. In the
neighbourhood is the extinct crater, the Coupe d’Aizac, covered with a beautiful
reddish lava. _Inns:_ Brousse; Glaise.


Neyrac-les-Bains. Thueyts.

AUBENAS TO LANGOGNE BY MAYRES.


(Maps, pp. 56 and 46.)

Coach daily from Aubenas to Mayres, 18 m. W. It passes through
Pont-de-la-Baume, 945 ft., and by the eminence on which is Neyrac-les-Bains,
the Nereisaqua of the Romans. _Inns:_ H. des Bains;
H. Fournier. 2½ m. from Pont-de-la-Baume, 7 from Vals,
and 9½ from Aubenas. It is situated within the crater of Saint Léger,
containing 8 acidulous, alkaline, and chalybeate springs, temp. 81°
Fahr. From several fissures issues carbonic acid gas; from one place,
the Trou de la Poule, in sufficient quantity to kill birds and dogs in 2
or 3 minutes. In the neighbourhood is the volcano of Soulhiol. 2 m.
W., on the left bank of the Ardèche, at its confluence with the Médéric,
is Thueyts, pop. 2600,
_Inn:_ H. Burine, situated on a bed of lava from the crater of
Mont Gravenne, 2785 feet above the sea. Through this bed the Ardèche
has, in cutting a passage for itself, laid bare a grand display of
basaltic columns from 150 to 200 ft. high, extending nearly 2 m.
down the valley. To the W. of the Bourg are a bridge with two stages of
arches across the Médéric, called the Pont du Diable, and the falls of
the Gueule d’Enfer, 330 ft., which, unless in rainy weather, have very
little water. From this part commences the Pavé-des-Géants,
a tableland composed of granite and basalt of an average height of
214 ft. from the base, lined with vertical prisms. To the right, at the
extremity of this wall of rock, is the Echelle du Roi,
a staircase of 192 steps of broken prisms, within a natural shaft
or chimney, leading up to the top of the tableland, where there is a
good view. The best is from Mont Gravenne. The ascent requires about 1
hour.

The diligence now ascends the Ardèche to Mayres. About half-way, near
the hamlet of La Mothe, are the cliffs called the Rocher d’Abraham, 4358
ft. above the sea, of which the Bauzon is the continuation.

Mayres.

5½ m. from Thueyts is Mayres, pop. 2900. _Inns:_ France; Commerce.
1810 ft. above the sea, at the foot of the Croix de Bauzon, 5055 ft.
above the sea, and on the Ardèche, which here flows in a narrow gorge
between granite cliffs. The stage-coaches go no farther than Mayres. For
Langogne, 22 m. N.W., it is necessary to hire a vehicle. From
Mayres the road commences to ascend the Col, passing above the hamlet of
Astet at the foot of the Rocher d’Astet, 4925 ft. above the sea.

7 m. from Mayres is the summit of the pass or Col de la Chavade, 4170
ft. above the sea, near the source of the Ardèche. 2½ m. farther is
La Narce, pop. 900. A little beyond, or 26 m. from Aubenas and
95
 
14 from Langogne, is the roadside inn of Peyrebelle, 4195 ft. above the sea, where for 25
years the landlord and his wife robbed and murdered the travellers that
came to their house. Nearly 4 m. N. from Peyrebelle is Coucouron,
pop. 1400.

The road now attains the height of 4266 ft., where, on account of the
snow and wind, it becomes very dangerous in winter.

35 m. from Aubenas and 5 from Langogne is Pradelles, 3771 ft., 16 m. from Le Puy by coach
and 5 from Langogne (see p. 88, and maps, pages 26, 56 and 46).


Prades. Jaujac.

Prades, Pont-de-la-Baume, Jaujac, Montpezat,
St. Eulalie, and Source of the Loire.

For the main loopline, see map p. 56; for the
rest, map p. 46.

11¾ m. N. from Vogué station and 5½ from Aubenas station is the terminus
of this branch line, called Nieigles-Prades, as from it coaches take
passengers to both of these towns. Nieigles, pop. 1600, is situated on
an eminence rising from the N. side of the Ardèche. In the vicinity are
coal-pits and rows of basalt columns supporting terraces covered with
chestnut trees. On the south side of the Ardèche, and to the east of
Jaujac, is Prades, pop.
1200, on the Salindre, in the centre of an important coal-basin.

Near the railway terminus is the village of Pont-de-la-Baume,
pop. 900, _Inns:_ H. du Louvre, etc., 955 ft. above the sea,
at the confluence of the rivers Fontaulière and Alignon with the
Ardèche. One of the best headquarters for visiting the basalt rocks in
the neighbourhood, both from its own position and the facility afforded
here for going elsewhere, as the coaches for Vals, Mayers, Burzet,
Neyrac, Montpezat, and Jaujac pass through it.

3¾ m. from La Baume, or 7½ from Aubenas by coach, is Jaujac, the Jovis aqua of the Romans, pop.
2600. _Inn:_ Union. On an eminence above the Alignon, of which
nearly the whole of the right bank from Pont-de-la-Baume to Jaujac is
lined with countless basaltic prisms. From the town cross the bridge,
and at the mill descend to the path by the side of the river, where
there is an admirable view of the columns, which, however, are not
vertical. About ½ m. from the town is the Coupe de Jaujac, an
extinct volcano, which has burst through the coal formation of this
valley, bounded by mountains of granite and gneiss. It is ascended
easily in 20 minutes. At the foot of the crater, just where the path
leading to the top commences, is a gaseous chalybeate spring; not unlike
those of Vals.

Montpezat.

14 m. N.W. from Aubenas, or about 8 from Pont-de-la-Baume by diligence,
is Montpezat. The road
from Aubenas ascends by the Ardèche, which it crosses; La Baume at the
foot of the hill, on which are the ruins of the castle of Ventadour,
14th cent. Farther on, within a mile of Montpezat, are seen the ruins of
the castle of Pourcheyrolles, built in 1360 on a plateau of prisms 115
ft. high, over which flows the Pourseilles, an affluent of the
Fontaulière or Fontollière. Near the
96
 
suspension bridge across the Fontaulière is Mt. Gravenne, the best
specimen of an extinct volcano in the whole region. The toll-keeper from
the bridge can point out the path leading to the top. The bridge is
about 10 minutes’ walk from Montpezat.

Montpezat-sous-Bauzon, pop. 2600, on an eminence 1877 ft. above
the sea, rising from the Ardèche. _Inns:_ Europe; Poste. This is
the terminus of the diligences. The river Fontaulière has its source in
the crater of Mount La Vestide, the largest in the Vivarais. By the new
road La Vestide is 6½ m. N.W. from Montpezat. Coach to the base of
the peak and back, 10 frs. The peak is 325 ft. high from the base, but
the crater is nearly 900 ft. deep. By the old road, ascending by the
village of La Faud, La Vestide is only 4 m. distant.


MONTPEZAT TO LE PUY.


To go from Montpezat to Le Puy, 43 m. N.W., hire vehicle to Le Beage,
16 m. N.W., 20 to 25 frs., and from Le Beage to Le Monastier,
12 m., 10 frs. Diligence between Le Monastier and Le Puy. From
Montpezat the road ascends by the hamlet of Le Pal, 3888 ft., opposite
the extinct volcano, the Suc du Pal, 724 ft. higher, with 3 cones. North
is Lake Ferrand, and still farther north, Lake Bauzon, 4832 ft. above
the sea. After the hamlet of Le Pal the road passes the hamlet of
Rioutort, crosses the river Padelle, and arrives at the village of
Usclades, 9 m. N. from Montpezat, pop. 600, whence a winding road
ascends to Le Beage, 6¼ m. N. (see
p. 84).

Sainte Eulalie.

From Montpezat a road extends 13 m. N. to the source of the Loire by
Rioutort and Sainte Eulalie. Sainte Eulalie, pop. 650, _Inn:_ Faure, in
a little valley on the left bank of the Loire, about 2 m. S. from
the road between Lachamp-Raphaél and Le Beage. The large peak seen in
the distance is the Gerbier-de-Joncs, at the foot of which is the source
of the Loire. To go to it, from the main road walk down to the one-arch
bridge which crosses the still infant Loire, and walk up the path by the
side of the stream (see p. 84, and maps pp.
46 and 85).


Ruoms. Largentière.

Ruoms, Largentière, Vallon, Pont d’Arc.

See map, page 56.

25½ m. S.W. from Teil, 8 m. S.W. from Vogué, and 36½ m. N.E. of
Alais, is Ruoms. Station for
Largentière, 9 m. N., 1¼ fr. For Joyeuse, 8 m. W., and for
Vallon, 6¼ m. S. Largentière, pop. 3000. _Hotels:_ Europe;
France. Coaches to Joyeuse, Les Vans, and St. Ambroix. St. Ambroix, pop.
5000, on the Cèze, H. Luxembourg, is a town with silk-mills and
glass-works. Near Ambroix is Robiac, station for Besseges, with
important coal-fields. Largentière, or properly L’Argentière, situated
in the ravine of the Ligne, derives its name from the argentiferous
mines in the neighbourhood. On the tableland behind the
Palais-de-Justice is the picturesque village of Chassiers, pop. 1300.
Joyeuse, pop. 2300. _Inns:_ H. Nord; Europe. Situated with its
suburb, Rosières, on the Baume. The town has part
97
 
of its ancient ramparts, and the castle which belonged to the Sires de
Joyeuse. In the church the chapel to the right of the choir contains an
Annunciation, with the arms of the family of Joyeuse.

The town of Ruoms, pop. 1300, has an interesting church, and a
considerable part of its old walls, towers, and gates.


Pont d’Arc.

VALLON TO THE PONT D’ARC.

(Map, p. 56.)

One hour from Ruoms station by omnibus is Vallon, pop. 2500. _Inns:_ *H. du Louvre;
Luxembourg; Temple Protestant. From Vallon the Pont d’Arc is 75 minutes distant by the stony
road over the hill, which, as far as the shoulder of the last ridge, is
also the road to the caves. A boat from Vallon to the Pont costs 10
frs.; to St. Martin it costs 35 frs., time 7 hrs. St. Martin is
3 m. from the railway station of St. Just,
on the railway on the west side of the Rhône (see p. 98). The
landlord of the Louvre can procure either a guide for the Pont,
2 frs., or for the caves, 5 frs., or the boatman for sailing
down the Ardèche. The Pont d’Arc is a natural bridge across the Ardèche,
composed of a calcareous rock, pierced with a span of 180 ft., through
which the river flows majestically. The soffit of the arch is 100 ft.
high, but the total height of the parapet is 230 ft., and 48 thick.
There are several rocks similar to this in France, but this one is
unrivalled in size, and in the beauty and grandeur of the surrounding
scenery. A lovely little plain, covered with vines, peach and
mulberry trees, is enclosed by the circle of vertical cliffs 500 ft.
high, which at one part extend over the river. In these cliffs are great
stalactite caves, approached by iron ladders from the top. One of them
is 490 ft. long and 100 ft. high. Vallon is famous for black truffles,
honey, and chestnuts. Pigs are used for finding the truffles. They are
better than dogs, because they are not so apt to be carried off by other
scents, as, for example, when a hare or a partridge suddenly appears
upon the scene. (See under Carpentras, page
54.)


LYONS
NÎMES
102½
69½
VIVIERS, pop. 3300.
_Inn:_ Louvre. The station and the new town are along the road
parallel to the Rhône: the old town with the cathedral is on the hill
behind. The streets are narrow, crooked, and steep. Here, along the W.
side of the Rhône, are lofty limestone cliffs, the quarrying and
preparing of which forms the principal industry of the place. Coach to
Aps, 8 m. N.W. on the Teil and Alais railway, passing St. Thomé,
pop. 600, at the junction of the Nègue with the Escoutay, which flows
through a deep ravine. Omnibus to Châteauneuf, on the opposite or east
side of the Rhône.

Bourg-St. Andeol. St. Just.


LYONS
NÎMES
109½
62½
BOURG-ST.
ANDEOL, pop. 4500. _Hotels:_ Luxembourg; Europe; their
omnibuses await passengers. Omnibus also for Pierrelatte (page 50), on the opposite or E. side of the Rhône. Le
Bourg has handsome quays alongside the Rhône, a church founded in
the
98
 
11th cent., and some houses of the 15th and 16th cents. About 350 yards
from the town, at the foot of a rock, rises the spring Fontaine de
Tournes, which, after turning various mills, flows into the Rhône. About
20 ft. above it is a much effaced sculpture in relief, representing the
sacrifice of a bull to the god Mithras.


LYONS
NÎMES
115
57
ST. JUST and St. Marcel
station, from which both towns are less than a mile, but in different
directions. 2½ m. from the village of St. Just is St. Martin, pop.
600, on the left or N. bank of the Ardèche. A ferry-boat crosses
the river. On the other side, a little farther up, is Aiguèze, pop.
450, with ruins of castle, and farther down St. Julien, but not seen
from St. Martin.

Boats are hired at St. Martin to visit the caves of St. Marcel, 4½ m.
up the river, or 3¾ m. W. from the village of St. Marcel. The price
depends upon the time the visitors make the boat wait. The cave consists
of a tunnel, 4¼ m. long, which here and there widens out into
spacious lofty caverns hung with stalactites. Some parts are very steep,
slippery, and fatiguing. The visit requires from 6 to 7 hours, and
certainly none but ardent lovers of walking in dark caverns should
undertake the labour. The sail, however, is pleasant. The nearest hotels
are at Pont-Saint Esprit and at Bourg-St. Andéol.

Pont-St. Esprit.


LYONS
NÎMES
119
53
PONT-ST.
ESPRIT, pop. 5000. H. de l’Europe. Coach to La Croisière,
on the other or east side of the Rhône. (See for bridge and Croisière
page 50.) Station of the steamboat between Lyons
and Avignon. Pont-Saint Esprit, on the west side of the Rhône and on the
western Rhône railway, makes a convenient and comfortable resting-place,
with pleasant promenades by the side of the Rhône. Down from the bridge
are the church of St. Pierre, now abandoned, and St. Saturnin, built in
the 15th cent. Near it is the citadel, built between 1595 and 1620.
Within, down a steep stair of 36 steps, are the remains of a chapel
constructed in 1365, now a military storehouse. On the south side is a
beautifully-sculptured portal, supported on each side by an elegant
pinnacled buttress. The arch, 20 ft. span, is richly decorated. In the
Hôtel Dieu (infirmary) are a few specimens of old (faïences) pottery.
Carriage from the hotel to Valbonne (4½ m. S.W.) and back 15 frs.
At Valbonne is a beautifully-situated Chartreuse convent with about 30
inmates. The drive is pleasant (see map,
page 56).

Carriage also from the hotel to Saint Martin, on the Ardèche, 4½ m.
N.W., there and back 12 frs. (For St. Martin see above.)

99
 

7½ m. south from Pont-St. Esprit is Bagnols-sur-Cèze, pop. 5000.
H. du Louvre. Omnibus at station. A manufacturing town. Coach
to Uzès, 17 m. W.


LYONS
NÎMES
132½
39½
LAUDUN, pop. 2200, about 2½
m. west from the station, and 10 m. from Orange, is built on a hill
350 ft. high. The vineyards in the neighbourhood produce a good white
wine. Junction with branch to Alais, 35½ m. west, by Connaux, St.
Pons, Cavillargues, Seyne, Celas, and Mejannes; small and uninteresting
towns (see map, p. 26).

Roquemaure. Pont-d’Avignon.


LYONS
NÎMES
137½
34½
ROQUEMAURE, pop.
3100. _Inns:_ H. du Nord; H. du Midi. Omnibus at station.
Situated on the small branch of the Rhône which encircles the island of
Mémar, 1¼ m. long. The best part of this curious old town is in the
neighbourhood of the Hôtel du Midi, where are the public promenade with
large trees, the great embankment to protect the town from the invasions
of the Rhône, and the ruins of the old castle, of which the most
remarkable part is the square tower perched on the point of a great
rock. Orchards, vineyards, and mulberry groves surround the village.
Roquemaure, however, like all the other small towns on the Rhône, has a
dingy and untidy appearance. Clement V., first Pope of Avignon,
died here in 1314. 5 m. W. is Taval, pop. 2200, where a good wine
is made.


LYONS
NÎMES
144¾
27¼
PONT-D’AVIGNON,
station on the west side of the Rhône for Avignon (p. 63). Omnibuses from the hotels await
passengers. The omnibus between Avignon and Villeneuve passes the
station every hour. Tram every ¼ between the station and Avignon.

7 m. S. from the Pont-d’Avignon is Aramon, pop. 2800, on the Rhône,
at a considerable distance from its station. 3¾ m. farther is
Thezièrs, pop. 650, with the church of St. Amans, 11th cent., and the
ruins of a castle. (Map, page 66.)


LYONS
NÎMES
159¾
12¼
REMOULINS, pop. 1400,
with ruins of a castle. From Remoulins branch to Uzès, 12½ m. N.W.
On this line, 3¼ m. from Remoulins and 9¼ from Uzès, is
Pont-du-Gard station, on an eminence, whence walk down to the bridge.
(For description and directions see pp. 64 and 104, and map page 66.)

Uzès.

UZÈS, pop. 5600, _Inn_
Bechard: on an eminence surrounded by picturesque calcareous rocks. From
the inn walk past the church St. Etienne, then turn to the left, and
having gone down the avenue ascend the double stair leading up to the
beautiful terrace, on which, to the left, stands the Cathedral, and to
the right, projecting from the
100
 
balustrade, the little house with about 9 yards of frontage, in which
Racine resided with his uncle, a canon of the cathedral. Below, in
the deep narrow valley, is the stream Eure, which once supplied the
Roman aqueduct at Nîmes. At the S.W. corner of the church rises from a
square basement a circular campanile, 12th cent., in six stages, of
which five are composed of eight blind round arches, each pierced by
twin open arches resting on an impost column. On the top is a low tiled
roof, partly hidden by an embrasure-like parapet. On the north side of
the church is the bishop’s palace, now the Sous-Préfecture, and the seat
of the tribunal. Looking from the top of the stairs towards the town the
most prominent objects are the large dungeon-tower of the castle, with
turrets on three of the corners; the Tour Carrée de l’Horloge,
surmounted by an iron grating and a bell; and the Tour de Prison. The
octagonal tower, crowned with an image of the Virgin, rises from the
École des Frères, and the low square tower from the church of St.
Etienne. At the other end of the promenade is the bronze statue by Duret
of Admiral Comte de Brueys, né à Uzès le 11 Fevrier 1753. Mort à Aboukir
(battle of the Nile) le 2 Aout 1798. Now walk up the street to the
Marché au Blé, with a pretty bronze fountain opposite the Mairie and
Post Office. Behind the Mairie is the entrance to the castle called Le
Duché, which has for centuries belonged to the family of Crussol, Ducs
d’Uzès. Fee for a party 1 fr. On entering, to the right is the Tour
de la Chapelle, 13th cent., restored; to the left, the dungeon tower,
11th cent., ascended by 248 steps, commanding an extensive prospect; and
in front the façade, 16th cent., by P. Delorme. The ground-floor of
the “Tour de la Chapelle” contains the family vaults. Over the tombs is
a large crucifix made in England; the figure is of bronze and the cross
of copper. Above is the chapel. Of the house the best part is the stair,
vaulted throughout and covered with sculptured stone panels. The best
wines in the department are grown in the neighbourhood of Uzès. Besides
the railway, Uzès is connected by a good diligence with Bagnols,
17 m. E. on the railway of the west side of the Rhône, 19 m.
N. from the Pont d’Avignon, and 7½ m. S. from Pont-St. Esprit.

Sernhac-Lédenon.

After Remoulins the train halts at the station Sernhac-Lédenon.
Lédenon, pop. 700, is about 2 m. W. from the station, and
Sernhac, pop. 1200, about the same distance E. 7 m. from
Nîmes is the St. Gervasy-Bezouce station, and 2½ m. nearer,
Marguerittes, pop. 2000, with a handsome modern church, and in the
cemetery the ruins of the chapel of St. Gilles, 12th cent., seen from
railway.

101
 

Nîmes.


opp. 101
plan of Nîmes


172 m. S.W. from Lyons, 27½ m. S.W. from Avignon, 31 m. N.E.
from Montpellier by Gallargues, 17 m. W. from Tarascon, 80 m.
N.W. from Marseilles, and 450 m. S.E. from Paris by
Clermont-Ferrand, is

NÎMES,

population 64,000, on the Vistre, 150 feet above the sea.
A flight of steps as at Tarascon leads from the town up to the
station. At the foot of these steps is the Hôtel des Arts, pretty
comfortable room 2 frs., dinner with wine 3 frs. The trams
start from in front of the house. In the town are: On the Esplanade, the
H. Luxembourg, the most expensive. By the side of it, fronting a
garden, the H. du Midi or Durand, from 9 to 12 frs. Fronting the
amphitheatre the Cheval Blanc, commercial, 8 to 10 frs. Opposite the
Maison Carrée, the H. Manivet, 9 to 12 frs., the most conveniently
situated for visiting the sights. Their omnibuses await passengers at
the foot of the station stair. Post Office, No. 4 B. du Grand Cours,
between St. Baudine and the Public Gardens. Telegraph Office in the
Place de la Salamandre, a small “Place” off the B. des Calquières.
Temple Protestant, the Porte d’Auguste, and the handsome new church of
St. Baudine, with its two elegant spires, are at the north end of the B.
des Calquières, beyond the Esplanade.

_Sights._—The Amphitheatre, the Maison Carrée, and the
Roman Baths. _Cab Stands_ are found at the station, at the
Amphitheatre, and at the Maison Carrée. Cab carrying 4, 2 frs. per
hour.

A straight, wide, and handsome avenue extends from the station to the
Esplanade; having in the centre a large fountain with four marble
colossal statues by Pradier round the base, representing the Rhône, the
Gardon, and the fountain nymphs of Nemausa and Ura. On the top of the
pedestal is a larger statue, also by Pradier, representing Nîmes, with
its face towards the station. Behind it are the Palais de Justice and
the Amphitheatre, and to the left the church of St. Perpetua.

Nîmes: Amphitheatre.

The great sight in Nîmes is the Roman Amphitheatre, the most perfect
extant. In form it is elliptical, of which the great axis measures 437
ft., and the lesser 433 ft., and the height 70 ft. Around the building
are two tiers of arcades, each tier having 60 arches, and all the arches
being separated from each other by a Roman Doric column. Above runs an
attic, from which project the consoles on which the beams that sustained
the awning rested. Within each arcade, on the ground-floor and on the
upper story, runs a corridor round the building, the upper one being
roofed with stone slabs 18 ft. long, reaching
102
 
from side to side. There were four entrances, one facing each of the
cardinal points of the compass. The interior contained 32 rows of seats
in 4 zones, capable of accommodating from 18,000 to 20,000 spectators.
The lowest zone corresponded to the dress circle, the others to the
galleries. The present entrance is from the western side, fee 50 c.,
opposite No. 8 Place des Arènes. The stair that leads up to the top is
under the fifth arch west. No description can express the sensation
experienced from contemplating this vast Roman structure from the
highest tier or from the edge of the outside wall. At the same time it
must be remembered that there are no railings, and that an inadvertent
step might have serious consequences. The date of the building is
uncertain. Titus, Adrian, and Antoninus Pius have each been conjectured
to have been the founder. The Visigoths converted it into a fortress,
the Castrum Arenarum, occupied by the Saracens at the beginning of the
8th cent., till driven from France by the armies Charles of Martel; died
in 715.

On the N. side of the amphitheatre is the Boulevard St. Antoine,
with, on the left hand or W. side, the Palais des Beaux Arts, including
the Public Library, containing 60,000 vols.; the Archæological Museum,
containing many interesting articles, chiefly Roman, found in the
neighbourhood; and the Picture Gallery, containing, among other
pictures, a Magdalene by Guido; A Holy Family, a Head of
John the Baptist, and a portrait of himself, by Titian; A Head of a
Girl and a Return from Hunting, by Rubens; Portraits of Vanloo and of
his mother, by himself; Cromwell regarding Charles I. laid out in
his coffin, by Paul Delaroche, his chef d’œuvre; “Nero and a Sorceress
experimenting on a slave with the poison they were preparing for
Britannicus,” by Javier Sigalon; An old woman, by Greuze; also works by
Gérard Dow, Claude Lorrain, Metzu, Ostade, Paul Potter, Ruysdael, Van
den Welde, and Wouvermans.

At the N. end of this Boulevard is the church of St. Paul, with
frescoes on gold and blue grounds by H. and P. Flandrin.

Nîmes: La Maison Carrée. Cathedral.

Beyond are the Theatre and the Bourse, and opposite them La Maison
Carrée, a beautiful specimen of a Roman temple, probably
part of the Forum, with which it was connected by colonnades extending
east and west. It is 75 ft. long, 39 wide, and 39 high, and is supposed
to have been erected in the time of Antoninus Pius. It stands on a
platform, and is encompassed by a quadrilateral peristyle of 30
Roman-Corinthian columns surmounted by a plain architrave, scroll
frieze, sculptured dentils, and a fluted cornice. All the columns are
attached,
103
 
excepting the ten which support the pediment. In the area within the
railing are mutilated statues and fragments of Roman columns.

Eastward, in the centre of the old town, is the Cathedral St. Castor, built in
the 11th cent., but nearly rebuilt in subsequent times. The most
venerable portion is the façade, constructed of large blocks of stone.
A delicately-cut frieze, representing scenes from Genesis, extends
under the roof. The eaves of the pediment are supported by brackets with
acanthus leaves. The table of the third altar, right hand, in the
interior, is sculptured in much the same style as the exterior
frieze.

Nîmes: Roman Baths. Tourmagne. Fort.

N.W. from the Maison Carrée is the Public Garden, adorned with vases
and statues among shrubs and flowers, overshadowed by tall elm and plane
trees. To the left are the remains of a temple or fane (called the
temple of Diana), dedicated to the Nymphs, built b.c. 24, of huge carefully-hewn blocks of sandstone,
and reduced to its present state in 1577. The little of the ornamental
work that remains is very much mutilated. Opposite the temple, protected
from the troublesome winds of Nîmes, are the Roman Baths,
about 12 ft. below the level of the gardens, the vaulting being
supported on small columns, over which rise open stone balustrades.
Adjoining is the copious spring that supplies them, as placid but
somewhat larger than the Fontaine of Vaucluse
(p. 65).

From the fountain a road leads up the wooded slopes of Mont Cavalier
to an octagonal structure called the Tourmagne, 90 ft. high, erected before the
Roman invasion, and supposed to have been a tomb. It was originally
filled with rubble, which was excavated in the 16th cent. in search of
treasure. The winding staircase of 140 steps was added in 1843. The view
from the top is extensive. Fee, 30 cents.

Eastward from the Tourmagne is the Fort, built by Louis XIV., now the town prison.
On the western side of the fort are the remains of the reservoir,
_castellum divisorium_, which received the water brought by the
canal from the aqueduct of the Pont-du-Gard. This canal still brings
water to the town reservoir, on the opposite or east side of the
fort.

In the year of Rome 788 a strong wall was built round Nîmes, 7 ft.
high, pierced with 10 gates; of which there still remain two; the Porte
d’Auguste, originally fronting the road to Rome, now at the E. end of
the Temple Protestant, and the Porte de France at the extremity of the
Rue Carrètérie. (See plan.)

The ancient name of Nîmes is Nemausus, one of the cities of Gallia
104
 
Narbonensis, and the capital of the Volcæ Arecomici. As early as the
reign of Augustus it was a “colonia,” and possessed in the days of
Strabo the “Jus Latii,” and therefore was independent of the
Roman governors. Its most notable product then was cheese, which was
exported to Rome; now it is raw silk, for which it is the principal
emporium in the south of France. The wines of Nîmes are in repute in
Paris, particularly the Costière and the St. Gilles, called also Vin de
Remède. Both deteriorate after the sixth year in bottle. Nicot, who
introduced tobacco into France, and Guizot, the minister of Louis
Philippe, were born at Nîmes.

Pont-du-Gard.

13½ miles from Nîmes is the Pont-du-Gard, built by the Romans in the reign
of Augustus as part of the aqueduct, 25 m. long, which, from the
neighbourhood of Uzès (page 99), brought the
waters of the Eure and Airan to the reservoir beside the fort, of which
only vestiges now remain. This “Pont,” which spans the valley or banks
of the river Gardon, consists of three rows of arches, whose total
height above the bed of the river is 156 ft. The two lower stories are
formed of hewn stones, placed together without the aid of any cement;
but the mason work underneath the channel of the third or top story is
of rough stones cemented, by which all filtration was prevented. The
first or lowest row consists of six arches, with a span of 60 ft. each,
except the largest, which has 75 ft. The second row consists of eleven
arches of the same dimensions as the first, and the third of 35 arches
of 15 ft. span. A stair from the right bank of the river leads up
to the watercourse above the topmost tier of arches. In the striking
boldness of its design this bridge exhibits a decided improvement and
superiority over all the other Roman aqueducts. The arches are wider,
and the piers in proportion lighter, and had the same principle been
extended so as to have formed it of one single row from top to bottom,
it would have equalled in the skill and disposition of its materials the
more judicious and more elegant structures of modern times (see Roquefavour, p. 77). Take ticket to
Pont-du-Gard Station. But if with luggage, and on the way to Avignon,
take ticket to Remoulins, where leave the luggage, and take another
ticket to the Pont-du-Gard, which having visited, walk back to Remoulins
station, where take ticket for Pont Avignon (see under Avignon, p. 64).

79 m. S.E. from Nîmes by rail is Marseilles (p. 111), passing
Tarascon, 17 m. (p. 66), and Arles, 25 m. (p. 68).


105
 

Valleraugue.

NÎMES TO MILLAU BY VIGAN.


See Map, p. 26.

58 m. N.W. by rail from Nîmes is Vigan, whence coach 43 m. W., 9 hrs., to Millau,
on the line to Paris by Rodez. There are no towns of importance on this
line, though some parts, especially towards Vigan, are very picturesque.
27 m. from Vigan, and 31 from Nîmes, is Quissac, pop. 1800,
junction with line to Lezan, 9 m. N., and thence 4½ m. E. to
Mas des Gard, on the Nîmes and Alais line. 9 m. W. from Lezan is
St. Hippolyte-Le-Fort, pop. 4500, on the sluggish Vidourle. From this
the line goes westward by La Cadière to Ganges, 9½ m. from Vigan,
on the Hérault, 595 ft. above the sea, pop. 5000, H. Croix Blanche,
omnibus at station. The most pleasant town on the line. 2½ m.
farther is Jumène, 682 ft. above the sea, pop. 3000, with coal and iron
mines. 4 m. from Vigan, at Le Pont, 666 ft. above the sea, the line
crosses the Hérault, and entering the picturesque valley of the Arre
follows the course of that river to Vigan, pop. 6000. _Inns:_
Voyageurs; Cheval Blanc; both in the “Place,” near the statue of the
Chevalier d’Assas, born at Vigan in 1733, and “Mort glorieusement à
Clastercamp à 27 ans.” Vigan on the Arre, an affluent of the Hérault, is
860 ft. above the sea, in a hollow between steep mountains, with
terraces of vineyards, olive, mulberry, fig, and chestnut trees to
nearly their summits. The town consists of narrow, crooked, badly-paved
streets. The hospital was founded in 1190. In the promenade near the
post office are some old chestnut trees, disfigured with knots. In the
neighbourhood are several coal-pits, worked, however, with difficulty,
on account of the water they contain. Nearly a mile westward is the
Fontaine Isis, the source of the water-supply of the town. Beside it are
the cold sulphureous springs of Cauvalat.

Valleraugue.

Coach daily to Valleraugue, _Inn:_ Aresque, 14 m.
N., in a very picturesque region, on the Hérault, in a deep wooded
valley between the Aigoual mountains towards the N., and the Espéron
mountains towards the S. The principal source of the Hérault is a
little higher, towards the W., at Séreyrède. From Valleraugue the ascent
is made in about 2½ hours of Mt. Aulas, 4665 ft. above the sea, the
culminating point of the Espéron, commanding a magnificent view. The
source of the Dourbie is just a little to the S. of Valleraugue, and of
the Tarn to the N., but on the other side of the Aigoual. Excellent
fishing, botanising, and geologising in this neighbourhood.

Larzac.

Le Vigan to
Millau, 43 m. W. by diligence, 9 hrs. The first village the
coach passes is Molières, on a hill above the road, with coal-mines.
From this the road ascends to the villages of Esparron, 5½ m., and Arre,
6¼ m., from Vigan. A little higher up the coach leaves by a
tunnel the valley of the Arre, and enters that of the Vis, with the
village Alzon, 12½ m. from Vigan, pop. 900. _Inn:_ the
Souterraine, the best on the road. After a pretty steep ascent of
7 m. the coach arrives at Sauclières, pop. 2200, _Inn:_
H. du Nord, producing excellent
106
 
pork, cheese, and potatoes. The coach from this ascends the southern
side of the Lenglas mountains, covered with vineyards, olive and
mulberry trees, and farther up forests of chestnut trees. From the other
side of the ridge it descends to the valley of the Dourbie, in which is
St. Jean du Bruel, pop. 2000, _Inn:_ Commerce, 23 m. from
Vigan and 20 from Millau. The coach having traversed the valley of the
Dourbie, full of chestnut trees, reaches Nant, pop. 2000, a poor
village, on an eminence, 16 m. from Millau. Shortly afterwards the
diligence crosses the monotonous tableland of Larzac, 2790 ft. above the sea, and arrives at the
village of La Cavalerie, with some small dolmens. 7 m. W. is
Millau, on the line to Paris by Rodez.

 



The Riviera: Itineraries
The Riviera: Maps
The Riviera: Text

General Index



ITINERARY
(pages 107–280)

THE RIVIERA.

The Riviera. Hotels, productions,
climate
107

Marseilles. Hotels, trams, sights,
excursions
111

MARSEILLES to MENTON.
The French Riviera
122

Marseilles to Toulon, passing several pretty
little towns, of which the most important is La
Seyne (p. 123). From Toulon omnibuses and diligences run to the
neighbouring villages and to the more distant towns in the interior. The
most start from the Place d’Italie
(pp. 124 and 129).

Toulon to Dardenne from the “Place” to the W.
of the Place Puget (p. 128), to
Hyères from the Place Puget (pp. 124, 133), Cap Brun and Ste. Marguerite from the Place d’Italie (p. 128), to Le Pradet from the Place d’Italie (p. 128).

Toulon to Meounes and Brignoles by
Belgentier, by diligence. As far as Meounes the road traverses a
picturesque country (p. 129), to Collobrières by La Crau and Pierrefeu
(p. 130).

Steamer to La Seyne (pp. 124, 127), to St. Mandrier (p. 127), to the Iles d’Hyères or d’Or (pp. 124, 131).

The Iles d’Or. Porquerolles,
Port-Cros, Ile du Levant
131

Toulon to Hyères
132

Hyères. Hotels, cabs, drives,
stage-coaches, excursions, productions, climate
133

Hyères to Les Salins, La Plage and the peninsula of Giens (p. 140); to Carqueyranne by Pomponiana (p. 141); to Bormes and Lavandou (p. 142); by coach to St. Tropez (p. 134); whence steamer to St. Raphael (p. 147); or coach to Le Luc (p. 144).

La Pauline. Diligence and train to
Hyères
142

Carnoules. Carnoules to Gardanne by
rail, passing Brignoles and Ste. Maximin
142

Le Luc. Le Luc to St. Tropez by coach,
across the Maure mountains
144

Les Arcs to Draguignan by rail. From Draguignan diligences
start to Aups, Barjols, Fayence, Lorgues and Salernes, and correspond at
these towns with other diligences
145

Cannes to Auribeau, (p. 156), to Cannet,
(p. 154), to Cap d’Antibes
(p. 154), to Castelaras (p. 156),
to Croisette (p. 154), to Croix des Gardes (p. 155), to Estérel (p. 155), to Grasse
(p. 160), to the Iles de Lerins
(p. 156), to Mougins (p. 156), to
Napoule and Theoule
(p. 155), to Pégomas (p. 156), to
St. Cassien (p. 155), to Vallauris by the Golfe de Jouan and Californie (p. 152).

Grasse to Cagnes by Le Bar,
the Pont-du-Loup and Vence (p. 163), to Digne by St. Vallier and Castellane (p. 165), Digne to Riez, Gréoulx, Volx
and Manosque (p. 166).

Nice to St. Martin Lantosque by
coach, and thence to Cuneo by the Col di Finestra
180

Nice to Puget-Theniers and
Saint Sauveur by coach. From St. Sauveur an
excellent road by the side of the Tinée ascends to St. Etienne; whence bridle-road E. to Vinadio (map, p. 165).
182

Nice to Cuneo by the tunnel of
the Col di Tenda
182

Savona to Turin by Carru,
Bra, Cavallermaggiore and Moncalieri, 90¾ miles N.
183

Beaulieu to Port St. Jean and the Lighthouse—a
pleasant walk
185

Monte Carlo to Nice by the coast-road
189

Monaco to La
Turbie and the Tête de Chien
191

MENTON to GENOA—the
western part of the Italian Riviera, called also the Riviera di Ponente
200

Bordighera, up the valley of the Nervia, to Pigna
201

San
Remo to Monte Bignone
205

GENOA to PISA and
LEGHORN—the eastern Italian Riviera, or the Riviera di Levante
219

Avenza to Carrara by rail—a very
easy and interesting excursion
222

Pisa to
Florence by Pontedera and Empoli (map,
p. 199)
227

Pisa to
Florence by Lucca, Pistoja and Prato
227

Lucca to the Baths
of Lucca
230

Florence to Vallombrosa
277

Genoa to
Turin by Alessandria—a very interesting railway journey
279

END OF THE RIVIERA.

 


MAPS AND PLANS
(pages 107–280)

 
page

Cannes, Environs of
155

Showing the drives around Cannes and Antibes.

Cannes, Plan of
149

Corniche Road
185

Showing the course of the upper Corniche Road from Nice to Menton, as
well as that of the lower and perhaps more beautiful road between Nice
and Monte-Carlo, extending along the coast, nearly parallel to the
railway.

This map contains also the Environs of Nice, Monaco, and
Menton.

Estérel Mountains, or Frejus and St. Raphael to Cannes
146

Florence, Plan of
234

The most beautiful walk or drive is by the Porta Romana up to the Piazza
Michelangiolo.

Galleria degli Uffizi
237

The Florence Picture Gallery. Contained in two vast edifices on both
sides of the Arno; united by long corridors, which from the Uffizi
straggle down to the river, cross the bridge, and reach the Pitti Palace
by the upper story of the houses bordering the Via Guicciardini.

Genoa, Plan of
214

Hyères, Environs of
129

As the excursions from Hyères and Toulon are nearly the same, the
environs of both towns are given on the same map.

Italian Riviera, or the Riviera from Ventimiglia to Leghorn
199

Called also the Riviera di Ponente and the Riviera di Levante. The
French Riviera is given on the map of the “Rhône and Savoy,” and parts
on a larger scale on the maps of the “Corniche Road” “Marseilles to
Cannes,” and the “Durance to the Var and San Remo.”

Leghorn, Plan of
226

Marseilles, Plan of
113

Marseilles to Cannes
123

This map shows the position of the towns and villages on the coast and
in the interior, the roads between them and the Marseilles canal; which,
from the Durance, enters the sea at Cape Croisette. At the southern side
are given the “Iles d’Or,” called also the “Islands of Hyères,” of which
the largest is Porquerolles.

Nice, Plan of
171

Pisa, Plan of
224

The object of this plan is to enable tourists to find their way unaided
to the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, the Baptistery, and the Campo Santo
or Cemetery. The frescoes on the walls of the Cemetery require the
cultivated talent of an artist to appreciate. Those who have to remain
over the night should take one of the hotels close to the station.

Savona to Rapallo
211

Illustrating the position of the pleasant winter stations of Arenzano,
Pegli, Sestri-Ponente, Nervi, Santa-Margherita-Ligure and Rapallo.

The Durance to the Var and San Remo
163

This map shows principally the position of the towns in the interior,
approached by diligence from Grasse (near Cannes), Draguignan, and Nice.
From Nice start the diligences which run between France and Italy.

The Italian Riviera or north-west Italy, including the
railways between Turin, Savona, Genoa and Florence
200

Thermometer, on the Centigrade and Fahrenheit scale
107

Toulon, Environs of
129

This map will be found very useful in the excursions by the small
steamers sailing from the port.

 


107
 

THE RIVIERA.

 

HOTELS, PRODUCTIONS, AND CLIMATE.


thermometer in Fahrenheit and Centigrade

The Riviera is a strip of land
extending 323 miles along the coast of the Mediterranean at the foot of
the Maritime Alps and their off-shoots. It is usually divided into two
portions—the Riviera from Hyères to Genoa, 203 miles long; and the
Riviera from Genoa to Leghorn, 112 miles long.
Temperature.
The milder and more frequented of the two is the former—the
Western Riviera—which has been subjected to most careful and
minute meteorological observations, and the various stations classified
according to their supposed degree of temperature. Yet in the whole 203
miles the difference may be said to be imperceptible. No one station in
all its parts is alike, the parts of each station differing more from
each other than the stations themselves. Yet each station has some
peculiarity which suits some people more than others; this peculiarity
being more often accidental and social—such as the people met
with, the lodgings, the general surroundings, and many other little
things which exercise a more powerful influence upon the health and
well-being of the mind and body than the mere fractional difference of
temperature. None of the protecting mountains of any of the stations are
sufficiently high, precipitous, and united to ward off the cold winds
when the higher mountains behind are covered with snow. All the ridges
have deep indentations through which the cold air, as well as the
streams, descends to the plain. Hence no station is exempt from cold
winds, and all delicate persons must ever be on their guard against
them—the more
108
 
sunny and beautiful the day, especially in early spring, the greater is
the danger. All the stations suffer also, more or less, from the famous
Mistral, a north-west wind, which in winter on the Riviera
feels like a north-west wind on a sunny summer day in Scotland. The mean
winter temperature (November, December, and January) of Hyères,
considered the coolest of the winter stations, is 47°.4 Fahr., and of
San Remo, considered the mildest, 48°.89 Fahr. The coldest months are
December and January. With February the temperature commences to rise
progressively. Throughout the entire region bright and dusty weather is
the rule, cloudy and wet weather the exception.
Vegetation.
“In December wild flowers are rare till after Christmas, when the
long-bracted orchid, the purple anemone, and the violet make their
appearance. These by the end of January have become abundant, and are
quickly followed in February by crocuses, primroses, and pretty blue
hepaticas. Meanwhile the star-anemones are springing up in the
olive-woods, with periwinkles and rich red anemones. In March the
hillsides are fragrant with thyme, lavender, and the Mediterranean
heath, to which April adds cistuses, helianthemums, convolvuli,
serapiases, and gladioli.” —_H. S. Roberton_. There is a
much less quantity of wild flowers now than formerly. The date-palm
flourishes in the open air. Capital walking-sticks are made of the
midrib of the leaf. Among the trees which fructify freely are the
orange, lemon, and citron trees, the pepper tree (_Schinus molle_),
the camphor tree (_Ligustrum ovalifolium_), the locust tree
(_Ceratona siliqua_), the Tree Veronica, the magnolia, and
different species of the Eucalyptus or gum tree and of the true Acacia.
In marshy places the common bamboo (_Arundo donax_) attains a great
height; while the _Sedum dasyphyllum_, the aloe, and the Opuntium
or prickly-pear, clothe the dry rocky banks with verdure. The most
important tree commercially is the olive, which occupies the lower part
of the mountains and immense tracts in the valleys. The higher
elevations are divided among the cork tree (_Quercus suber_), the
Maritime, Aleppo, and umbrella pines, and the chestnut tree. The
Japanese medlar (_Eriobotrya japonica_) is common in the orchards,
flowers in December, and ripens its fruit in May. With the exception of
the orange, lemon, and cherry, all the other orchard trees ripen their
fruit too late for the winter resident.

_The Riviera:_
Cost of Living.

On the Riviera generally, but especially in Hyères, St. Raphael,
Grasse, and Menton, board and lodging in good hotels can be had for 8s.
or 9s. per day, which includes coffee or tea in the morning, and a
substantial meat breakfast and dinner, with country wine (vin
109
 
ordinaire) to both. In some boarding-houses (Pensions) the price per day
is as low as 6s. If two are together, especially two ladies or a
gentleman and his wife, an excellent plan is to take a furnished room,
which, with a south exposure and good furniture, ought to cost about £2
per month. They can easily prepare their own breakfast, and they can get
their dinner sent to them. If the party be numerous, apartments should
be taken, which vary from £2 to £30 per month. For the season, from
October to May, furnished apartments are let at prices varying from £18
to £100. As a general rule it is best to alight at some hotel, and,
while on the spot, to select either the pension or apartments, as no
description can give an adequate idea of the state of the drains nor of
the people of the house. A maid-servant costs nearly £1 per month,
a cook about one-half more, but they are not easily managed. Fluids
are sold by the litre, equal to nearly a quart of four (not six) to the
gallon. Solids are sold by the kilogramme, or, as it is generally
called, the kilo, equal to 2 lbs. 3¼ oz.

Bread is about the same price as in England. The best beef and mutton
cost from 1s. 10d. to 2s. the kilo. A good chicken 2s. 6d. Eggs
when at their dearest cost 1½d. each. Excellent milk costs 4d. the
litre. The best butter 3s. 2d. to 3s. 6d. the kilo. Of French cheese
there are a great many kinds, all very good. Among the best are the
Roquefort and the fromage bleu, both resembling Stilton, and cost from
2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. the kilo.
_The Riviera:_ Fish.
Vegetables.
Fish are dearer than in England. The best caught off the coast are: the
Rouget or Red Mullet, the Dorade or Bream, the Loup or Bass, the
Sardine, and the Anchovy. The Gray Mullet, the Gurnard (Grondin), the
John Dory (Dorée Commune), the Whiting (Merlan), and the Conger are very
fair. The sole, turbot, tunny, and mackerel are inferior to those caught
in the ocean. The cuttle-fish is also eaten. Good vegetables can
be had all through the winter, such as carrots, leeks, celery, cabbage,
cauliflower, peas, lettuce, spinage, sorrel, and artichokes. The cardon
(_Cynara cardunculus_) and salsifis (_Tragopogon porrifolius_)
are often served up at dinner in the hotels. The cardon tastes like
celery, but the salsifis has a bitter flavour. The potatoes are of good
quality, but often spoilt in the cooking. In all the stations are
English clergymen, physicians, apothecaries, bankers, bakers, and
grocers.

_The Riviera:_
Advantages.

Before commencing to treat in detail the different stations of the
Riviera, “some of the general advantages of the invalid’s life in this
region must be noticed. The chief of these is the amount of sunshine
which he enjoys for weeks and even months together, when the sun
110
 
often rises in a cloudless sky, shines for several hours with a
brightness and warmth surpassing that of the British summer, and then
sinks without a cloud behind the secondary ranges of the Maritime Alps,
displaying in his setting the beautiful and varied succession of tints
which characterise that glorious phenomenon of the refraction of light,
a southern sunset; when he imparts to the rugged mountains a
softness of outline and a brilliancy of colouring which defy
description. In the early stages of phthisis, and especially when the
patient is young and active-minded, struck down by overwork or sudden
exposure, this cheering influence is most beneficial. It is of great
importance that, while taking the needful care of himself, he should not
degenerate at an early age into a hopeless valetudinarian, especially as
an every-day increasing mass of evidence warrants us in believing that
under the influence of medicine and climate a large number of these
patients gradually recover their health and lead useful lives, and, with
due care, lives of no inconsiderable duration. Patients should never
neglect to consult a doctor on their first arrival, as his experience
and advice with regard to lodgings, food, etc., are of great value, and
may often prevent them from falling into bad hands, or settling in
unhealthy localities.” To these remarks of Dr. Williams may be added,
that patients should bring with them a letter from their physician
describing their case and the treatment he thinks should be adopted.

The best time for walking and driving is between 9 and 12, as then
there is rarely either wind or dust. For invalids requiring quiet sunny
walks there are no stations on the whole coast so suitable as Hyères and
Bordighera.

_The Riviera:_
Sea-bathing. Doctors’ Fees.

_Sea-bathing_ on the Riviera may be
continued with advantage by many during the greater part of the winter
season. As the rise and fall of the tide are so trifling, the beach is
always in a fit state for the bather. The water of the Mediterranean is
more highly mineralised than that of the ocean. It contains about 41 per
cent of common salt.

_Doctors’
Fees._—French doctors charge their countrymen generally 10
frs. for each visit. English doctors charge for each visit 5, 10, or 20
frs., according to what they suppose to be the means of their patients.
An extra charge is made for night work.

Tourists may find it convenient to take with them a little brandy,
tea, arrowroot, Liebig’s extract, Gregory’s mixture, opium pills, and a
little of whatever medicine they are in the habit of using. The ordinary
wine at the hotels is neither so good nor so safe as formerly, and
should always be watered.

111
 

Marseilles.


opp. 113
plan of Marseilles


MARSEILLES.

MARSEILLES, pop. 319,000, 15 hrs. 25 min. from Paris, and 6
hrs. 37 min. from Lyons. From Cannes it is 4 hrs. 31 min., and from Nice
5 hrs. 27 min. 536½ m. S. from Paris, 190¼ m. S. from Lyons,
120½ m. W. from Cannes, and 140 m. W. from Nice. On the
departure side of the railway station is the Terminus Hotel
(dear). The hotel omnibuses await passengers. Call out loudly the name
of the hotel desired, to which the driver of its omnibus will
respond.

A plentiful supply of Cabs is both at the railway and the
custom-house station of the Bassin de la Joliette. Each coachman is
furnished with an official tariff, which, though constantly changing,
may be stated to be—Between 6 a.m. and midnight, for a cab with one horse, the
course, 1 fr.; the hour, 2 frs. With 2 horses, the course, 1¼
fr.; the hour, 2¼ frs. From midnight to 6 a.m. 75 c. extra. Portmanteaus not above 30 kilo.,
or 68⅘ lbs., 25 c. each. The hotel omnibuses charge each passenger
1 fr.

_Hotels._—In the Rue Cannebière,
ascending from the Port, are very fine Cafés, and in the eastern
continuation of it, the Rue Noailles, the best Hotels. The Hôtel
du Louvre et de la Paix; the Hôtel Noailles; and the Hôtel Marseilles;
all near each other, and charging from 12 to 20 frs. per day.

Less luxurious and expensive are: the Petit Louvre, No. 16 R.
Cannebière, over the office of Messageries Maritimes steamboats; between
the Port and the Bourse, the Hôtel de Genève, a comfortable house;
on the opposite side of the Rue Cannebière and near the opera house, the
Hôtel Beauveau; near it, in the R. Vacon, the *Hôtel des
Colonies.

In and about the Cours Belsunce, where there are a large cab-stand
and an important tramway terminus, are some good second-class hotels, of
which the best is the Hotel des Phocéens, 28 R. des Récolettes. Rooms,
2½ frs.; Dinner, 3½ frs. with wine. Next it, at No. 26, is the Hôtel de
l’Europe, a “maison meublée,” in which good rooms, including
service, cost 2 frs. Breakfast and dinner can be had in the
neighbouring restaurants. Of them, one of the most comfortable is
G. Restaurant des Gourmets, adjoining the hotel. Near it is the
Restaurant Bouches du Rhône, a cheap house. The other second-class
houses in the Cours Belsunce which can be recommended are—the
Californie; Deux Mondes; Hotel St. Marie; Négociants; Alger. The Hôtel
du Cours is good also, but it is only a “maison meublée.” The
continuation of the Cours Belsunce is called the Cours St. Louis, where
a flower-market
112
 
is held. Just off this Cours, in the Rue d’Aubagne, is a cheap, good,
and clean house, the hotel and restaurant St. Louis; rooms from 1½ to
3 frs.; dinner, à la carte. At No. 8 Place de Rome is a good and
cheap house, the Hôtel Forer, well situated, but it is one of those for
which either a cab or the general omnibus must be taken at the
station.

Marseilles: Steamboats. Custom-House.

_Steamboats._—The steamers of the
Messageries Maritimes, of Morelli et Cie, of Fraissinet et
Cie, of the P. and O. Navigation Co., etc., arrive and
depart from the Dock or Bassin Joliette. The custom-house is at the north end of the
dock, and just outside the dock-gates are porters and a large cab-stand.
The custom-house contains one waiting-room for the first and second
class, and another for the third. Passengers before they can have their
baggage examined have to pay 6 sous at the end of the baggage-room for
each box, for which they receive an acknowledgment. A tramway runs
from No. 1 Quai Joliette to Longchamps, entering the Port and the Rue
Cannebière by the R. de la République. There are no hotels near the
steamboat station.

Small boats’ station at the head of the Port. Boats to and from the
Château d’If, 8 frs. from 3 to 3½ hrs. On feast days small
steamers make the round of the islands, starting from nearly the same
place, but do not land the passengers, fare ½ fr., time 1 hr. At this
part of the quay the feluccas from Spain discharge their cargoes of
oranges and other fruits. From the Hôtel de Ville (1 in plan) on
the port, the Bateaux Mouches cross over to the Place aux Huiles
opposite, 1 sou. At the mouth of the port, from between La Consigne and
the Fort St. Jean, other Bateaux Mouches cross over to the Bassin
Carénage, by the side of Fort St. Nicholas, and just below the
interesting old church of St. Victor, 1 sou. From this a road leads up
to Notre Dame.

The principal Temple Protestant is in the R. Vincent, No. 2.
There is another in the R. Grignan, No. 15, near the General Post
Office at No. 53. Poste-Restante, “guichet,” on the ground-floor,
opposite the entrance door. Telegraph office, No. 10 Rue Pavé d’Amour.
Anglican chapel, No. 100 Rue Sylvabelle, south from the Rue Grignan and
parallel to it. The public library is in the Boulevard du Musée, in the
École des Beaux Arts. Open daily except Sunday.

Best money-changers by the west side of the Bourse, 10 in plan.

The Opera is near the Port; the other theatres are around the Rue
Noailles.

Marseilles: Sights. Trams.

Sights.—Palais Longchamp, an
artistic edifice, containing the Picture Gallery and the Natural
History Museum; free. Closed on Mondays and every day between 12 and
2 (see p. 114). Near the
113
 
Palais is the Zoological Garden, free on Sundays. Notre Dame de la Garde (p. 116). The
shops and cafés in the Rues Cannebière and Noailles. A drive on the
Corniche road.

Of all the Trams the most important starts from the
left of the statue in the Cours Belsunce, and runs by the Château des
Fleurs and the Prado to its Bonneveine terminus, a little beyond
the racecourse. Just behind the Bonneveine terminus is the Château Borély,
containing the Musée d’Archéologie, including a collection of Phoenician
relics found in the neighbourhood, which support the hypothesis of the
Phoenician origin of Marseilles. Open on Sundays and Thursdays. On the
ground-floor are Roman mosaics, busts, altars, tombstones, jewellery,
mummies; and in the end room is a stone with a Phoenician inscription,
regulating the tariff of the prices to be paid to the priests for
sacrifices in the temple of Baal. Upstairs are collections of antique
glass, necklaces, fayence from Provence and Marseilles, bronzes, gold
jewellery, lamps, vases, weapons, and an octagonal plan of Marseilles 18
ft. in diameter.

Marseilles: Corniche. Bouillabaisse.

Return from the Bonneveine terminus by the tram for the Place de
Rome, near 12 in plan. On its way it follows the Corniche
road, considered the most beautiful drive about Marseilles, fare ½ fr.
The gardens and pleasure-grounds in the whole of this neighbourhood are
due to the irrigation afforded by the canal. Of the bathing
establishments on the Corniche road the best is the Roucas Blanc; and of
the restaurants the best is the Hotel Roubion, a first-class house,
charging 15 frs. per day, and for vin ordinaire, lights, and service,
5 frs. additional. The house is situated on an eminence rising from
the Corniche road, at the entrance into the Vallon de l’Oriol, commands
a splendid sea view, has handsome dining-rooms, and is famed for its
fish dinners and Bouillabaisse. Trams and omnibuses are constantly
passing it. This establishment, as well as most of the other restaurants
along the Corniche road, has tanks in the rocks on the beach, in which
is kept a supply of live fish to make the Provence dish called Bouillabaisse,
a kind of fish soup, which, like most national
dishes—plum-pudding, puchero, haggis, etc.—admits of
considerable latitude in the preparation. The essentials are—whole
rascasses and chapons (scorpion fishes), and rock lobsters stewed in a
liquor mixed with a little of the best olive oil, and flavoured with
tender savoury herbs. An extra good Bouillabaisse should include also
crayfish, a few mussels, and some pieces of any first-class fish,
such as the bass.

Marseilles: Palais de Longchamp.

Those having little time to devote to Marseilles should, after taking
114
 
a short stroll about the Port and in the Rues Cannebière and Noailles,
enter the Joliette tram on its way up to the Palais de Longchamp, fare 2
sous. The Palais de Longchamp, which cost
£165,000, consists of two rectangular wings, united by a semicircular
colonnade of Ionic volute-fluted columns. In the centre, under a
richly-sculptured massive archway, an inscription records that the great
undertaking of bringing the water of the Durance to Marseilles was begun
on the 15th November 1839, and was accomplished on the 8th July 1847, in
the reign of Louis Philippe I. Another records that the palace was
commenced in the reign of Napoleon III., on the 7th April 1862, and
finished on the 15th August 1869. From a group of colossal bulls under
the colonnade gushes a copious stream of water, which in its descent
makes a cascade of 90 ft. in three stages. The wing to the right,
standing with the face to the palace, contains the Natural History
Museum; and the other, the picture and sculpture galleries.

All the pictures are labelled. On the first floor are some large
pictures by French artists and a few statues. In the second small room
left hand is a collection of sketches by famous painters. Among the best
pictures in the large centre hall of the upper story are:—F. Bol,
d. 1681, portrait of woman and of King of Poland; Bourdon,
d. 1671, portrait of P. de Champaigne; Cesari, d. 1640, Noah
inebriated; Fontenay, d. 1715, Fruit; Girodet, d. 1824, Fruit;
Gongo, d. 1764, Sacrifice to Venus and Jupiter; Greuze,
d. 1805, portrait; Holbein, d. 1554, portrait; Loo,
d. 1745, portrait of lady; Maratta, d. 1713, Cardinal Cibo;
Mignard, d. 1695, Ninon de Lenclos; Nattier, d. 1766, Mme. de
Pompadour as Aurora; Peeters, d. 1652, marine scene; Pellegrino,
d. 1525, Holy Family; Perugino, d. 1524, Holy Family;
F. Porbus, d. 1584, portrait; Raphael, d. 1520, St. John;
Rembrandt, d. 1669, A Prophetess (sibyl); Reni, d. 1642,
The Protectors of Milan; Ribera, d. 1656, Juan de Porcida; Rigaud,
d. 1745, Duc de Villars; Rubens, d. 1640, Wild-boar Hunt;
Salvator Rosa, d. 1675, Hermit; Veronese, d. 1588, Venetian
princess; Zurbaran, d. 1662, St. Francis. In the room to the right
is the “École Provençal,” containing, among other
paintings—Barry, The Bosphorus; Duparc, d. 1778, The
Milkmaid, and portraits of old man, woman, and girl knitting; Papety,
d. 1849, “La Vierge Consolatrice”; P. Puget, Madonna. In the
left room are, among others, J. F. Millet, b. 1815, Woman
feeding Child.

The most important parts of the Museum of Natural History are the
conchological division and the collection of ammonites.

115
 

From the Palace gardens is a good view of Marseilles. Behind the
palace, on the top of the hill, is the great reservoir 242 ft. above the
sea, supplied with water from the main channel by a branch canal. (See
under Roquefavour, p. 77.) At this part of
the hill is one of the entrances to the Zoological Gardens; free on
Sundays, when they are crowded with people. Near the entrance is the
Observatory, one of the most important in France.

Marseilles: Hôtel de Ville. La Consigne.

The port of Marseilles has in all an area of 422 acres, and is
protected on the E. by Cape Croisette, and on the W. by Cape Couronne.
Its approaches are lighted by 6 lighthouses, of which the most distant
is on the Planier rock, 130 ft. above the sea, and 8 m. S.W. from
Marseilles. The large steam vessels lie in the dock La Joliette,
covering 55 acres, and finished in 1853; while the old-fashioned
trading-vessels, with their lateen sails, crowd together in the harbour
called emphatically the “Port,” containing 75½ acres. From the end of
the “Port” extends eastwards the handsome and greatly-frequented street
La Cannebière, so called from the rope-walks, whose site it now
occupies. At nearly the middle of the N. side of the “Port” is the
Hôtel
de Ville (1 in plan), built in the 17th cent., and adorned
with sculpture by Puget, born at Marseilles; while at the western
extremity of the same side, next Fort St. Jean, is a low building called
La Consigne, or Health Office. Over the chimney-piece in the
council-room of the Consigne is a beautiful relief in white marble
by Puget, representing the plague at Milan. To the right is a picture by
Gerard, representing Bishop Belsunce administering the sacrament to the
plague-stricken inhabitants of Marseilles in 1720. To the left, St. Roch
before the Virgin, by David. Fronting the windows, “The frigate Justice
returning from Constantinople with the plague on board,” “l’an 4 de la
République.” Opposite the fireplace, “The cholera on board the
Melpomene,” by Horace Vernet. Next it, by Guerin, “The Chevalier Rose
assisting to bury those who had died of the plague.” Between them is a
Crucifixion by Auber. Between the two windows is a portrait of Bishop
Belsunce. (Fee, ½ fr.) Near the Consigne is the pier of the ferry-boats.
Above the Hôtel de Ville is the town infirmary, and beyond it, on a
terrace 30 ft. above the quay of Joliette,
Marseilles: Cathedral.
Arc de Triomphe.
the Cathedral, a Byzantine basilica, 460 ft. from S. to N.,
and 165 ft. from E. to W. at the transept; built of gray Florentine
stone alternating with a whitish sandstone from the neighbourhood of
Arles. The nave is 52 ft. wide, and the roof 82 ft. high. The great dome
is 196 ft. high. Behind the cathedral are the Episcopal palace
116
 
(5 in plan), the Seminary (4), and the Hospice de la Charité (7).
Eastwards, in the Place d’Aix, is the Arc de
Triomphe, an imitation of the arch of Titus at Rome, commenced
on the 4th November 1825, to commemorate the prowess of the Duc
d’Angoulême in the Spanish campaign of 1823. It is 58 ft. high and 58
ft. wide, has on the south side statuary by Ramey emblematic of the
battles of Fleurus and Heliopolis, and on the north side similar
statuary by David, representing the battles of Marengo and Austerlitz.
Over the arch is the inscription— “_A la République_.” From
the arch a steep street, the R. d’Aix, descends to the Cours Belsunce,
with at the N. end a statue of Bishop Belsunce, “pour perpetuer le
souvenir de sa charité et de son dévouement durant la peste; qui desola
Marseille” in 1720. By the side of it are the terminus of the Bonneveine tram (p. 113) and the Alcazar
Lyrique, a kind of superior café chantant.

Marseilles: Bourse.

The continuation southwards of the Cours is the Rue de Rome, and
farther S. the spacious Promenade du Prado. At the S. end of the Cours
are, to the right the R. Cannebière, and to the left the
R. Noailles, the two best streets in Marseilles. At the W. or Port
end of the former is the Bourse (marked 10 in the plan),
a parallelogramic building, 154 feet broad by 223 long, erected
between 1858 and 1860. The principal hall, 60 feet by 94, is ornamented
with mural paintings. In the vestibule are allegorical statues of
Marseilles and France, and a bas-relief representing Marseilles
receiving productions from all parts of the world. On the opposite side
of the street, by the R. de Paradis, are the Opera-house, the Palais de
Justice, and the Préfecture (12 in plan). The Palais de Justice, built
in 1862 in the Greek style, has on the pediment and peristyle
bas-reliefs by Guillaume, representing Justice, Force, Prudence, etc.
The outer hall, the “Salle des Pas-Perdus,” is surrounded by 16 columns
of red marble. The Préfecture is a splendid edifice in the Renaissance
style, 300 ft. long by 260 ft. wide, adorned with statues and
bas-reliefs, and furnished with a grand staircase, escalier d’honneur,
communicating with handsome reception-room ornamented with mural
paintings.

From the Bourse a pleasant road leads up to the church of Notre
Dame de la Garde, one of the principal sights, and the most
prominent object in Marseilles. From the Rue Paradis turn to the right
by the Cours Pierre-Puget, traverse the pretty promenade, the Jardin de
Colline, and then ascend the narrow road, the Montée des Oblats. On
descending be careful to take the path to the left of the stone altar
under a canopy on 4 columns. A small omnibus drives up the length
of the Plateau
117
 
de la Croix, whence a series of 178 steps has to be ascended to attain
to the terrace on which the church stands, 535 ft. above the sea. The
church is shut between 12 and 2, but the tower, ascended by 154 steps,
can always be visited. Fee, ½ fr. It is 148 ft. high, crowned with a
gilded image of Mary 30 ft. high, ascended by steps in the interior to
the head. The view, which is just as good from the terrace, commands the
whole of Marseilles. To the N.E. the culminating peak is Le Taoume, 2166
ft.; to the S.E. is the Montagne de Carpiagne, 1873 ft.; and S. from it
Mont Puget, 1798 ft. In front of Marseilles are the islands Ratonneau
and Pomègue, connected by a breakwater. Between them and the mainland is
the little island of If (p. 118). Off
Cape Croisette are the islands of Maïre and Peirot. The road down the
little ravine (the Valon de l’Oriol) leads to the Corniche.


Marseilles: Notre Dame de la Garde.

NOTRE DAME DE LA GARDE.

Notre Dame, an edifice in the Roman-Byzantine style, consists of an
upper and a lower church. The dome over the apse is 48 ft. high. The
interior of the church is lined with Carrara marble, but the pilasters
and columns are of marble from Africa and the Alps. Over the high altar
in the low church is the miracle-working image of Notre Dame. It is
about 6 ft. high, stands on a pedestal of olive wood, is hollow, and
made of a kind of stucco (carton-pierre) silvered over, excepting the
face and hands of both it and the child. It weighs 1 cwt. 1 qr. and 14
lbs. On the high altar in the high church is a replica, nearly all of
silver. The walls are covered with expressions of gratitude to it, and
with pictures illustrating the manner in which its miraculous
interposition was displayed.

Marseilles: Lycée. Saint Victor.

From the streets Cannebière and Noailles other handsome streets
ramify, such as the Rue de Rome and the Cours Liautaud. Just where the
Cours Liautaud leaves the Rue Noailles is the Lycée or head
grammar-school, and in the neighbourhood (marked 11) La Bibliothèque et
l’École des Beaux Arts, forming together a palatial edifice off the
Boulevard du Musée, 177 ft. long by 164 ft. wide. On the ground-floor
are the class-rooms, and on the first story, the library, the collection
of medals, and the reading-room, 131 ft. long by 19½ wide. Among the
medals are 2600 belonging to Provence. The library contains 95,000 vols.
and 1300 manuscripts.

At the mouth of the Port, on an eminence above Fort St. Nicolas and
the Bassin de Carenage (graving dock), is the oldest church in
Marseilles, Saint Victor, all that remains of one
of the most famous
118
 
monasteries in Christendom, founded in 420 by St. Cassien, ordained
deacon of the church in Constantinople by Chrysostom. The exterior of
St. Victor resembles a badly-built small fort surrounded by 7 unequal
and uncouth square towers, the two largest at the N. side having been
added by Pope Urban V., a former abbot of the monastery. Over
the entrance door under these towers is a rude representation of St.
George and the dragon. The upper church dates only from the beginning of
the 13th cent. Near the sacristy in the S. side a stair of 32 steps
leads down to the original church, a large and spacious crypt. Of
this crypt the most ancient part is the small chapel shut off from the
rest, with several tombs hewn in the rock. Among those buried here were
St. Victor, and, according to the tradition of the place, Lazarus also,
who is said to have died at Marseilles. The ancient appearance of this
chapel is marred by a modern altar with a stone reredos, sculptured, it
is said, by Puget. The shaft of one of the columns has a sculptured rope
coiled round it. Pieces of ornamental sculpture are seen at different
parts of the crypt, and remnants of a fresco painting. This also is the
sanctuary of a miraculous wooden image of Mary and Child, said to have
been carved by Luke. It is of a dark colour, is 3½ ft. high, and is
called Notre Dame de Confession, whose intercession is sought by crowds
of votaries from the 2d till the 9th of February. The best of the
sarcophagi have been removed to the museum in the Château Borély (p. 113). At the foot of
the eminence on which the church stands are Fort St. Nicolas and the
Bassin de Carénage, whence a sou ferry steamboat crosses every four
minutes to the other side. Among the modern churches perhaps the best is
Saint Vincent de Paul, built in the style of the 13th cent.

Island of If.

_Excursions._—The principal excursion from Marseilles is
to the Island of If,
with its old château built by Francis I., long used as a state
prison. Boats for the excursion lie at the Cannebière end of the Port.
They charge from 5 to 9 frs.; but it is necessary to arrange the
price before starting. The landing-place is at some low shelving rocks,
whence a stair ascends to the terrace, on which are, to the right the
entrance to the Château, and a little to the left a restaurant.
A man conducts visitors over the castle, of which the most
interesting parts are the cell of Monte Christo, and the place where he
was thrown over into the sea.

Marseilles to Martigues, 24 m. N.W. by
rail (see map on
p. 66). At Martigues station omnibus for Port Bouc, 3¾ m.
W.; fare, ½ fr. From Port Bouc rail to Miramas, or steamboat by the
canal to Arles
119
 
(see p. 76). After leaving Marseilles the first station of importance is
L’Estaque (see
p. 80), 7 m. W., with large brick and tile works, at the foot
of a wooded hill. 4¼ m. farther is Pas-des-Lanciers, with an inn
close to the station. Here the Martigues branch separates from the main
line, and the Martigues passengers change carriages. Here also an
omnibus awaits passengers for Marignane, 3¾ m. W. on Lake
Marignane, pop. 7000. Remains of castle which Mirabeau inhabited. Lake
Marignane is separated from Lake Berre by a narrow strip of land. The
train after passing Marignane station arrives at the station for
Châteauneuf, a village S. towards the hills.

Martigues.

Les Martigues, pop.
10,000. At station, omnibus for the inn, Hôtel du Cours, and omnibus for
Port Bouc. Martigues is situated on both sides of the outlet from Lake
Berre, and on the islets within this outlet, all connected by bridges.
The railway station, the hotel, and a large part of the town are on the
E. or Jonquière side. On the first or smallest of the 3 islets are the
Tribunal de la Pèche and the fish-market; on the middle one is the Hôtel
de Ville; and on the third and largest are the hospital and the parish
church with sculptured portals. On the N. side of the canal is the part
of the town called Ferrières, containing the harbour and the reservoirs
for the manufacture of salt. Fishing is the principal industry of the
inhabitants.

There are in Marseilles numerous charitable institutions. The
infirmary (Hôtel Dieu), founded in 1188 and rebuilt in 1593, can
accommodate 750 patients. The workhouse (Hospice de la Charité) contains
generally from 600 to 680 orphan children and aged men and women. Near
the Prado is the Hôpital de la Concepcion, with 800 beds.

Marseilles: Industries.
Commerce.

The leading industry is soap-making, which occupies sixty factories,
with 1200 artisans, and produces annually 65,000 tons, valued at
£2,000,000 sterling. With this manufacture are connected oil and
chemical works; in the former, which employ 2000 to 2500 workmen, 55,000
tons of different oils are produced yearly. The chemical works employ
2000 operatives in the manufacture of the salts of soda and concentrated
acids, the value of whose annual production may be estimated at
£320,000. Metallurgy is another great industry; a large quantity of
ore, imported from Elba, Spain, and Algeria, is smelted in the blast
furnaces of St. Louis in the suburbs. The Mediterranean ironworks and
yards, together with other private companies, have large workshops for
the construction or repair of marine steam-engines, and for every branch
of iron shipbuilding, employing several thousand workmen. Marseilles is
a great centre for the extraction of silver from
120
 
lead ore; 16,000 tons of lead and 25 tons of fine silver are separated
annually.

_Commerce._—The chief imports in
point of bulk are cereals from the Black Sea, Turkey, and Algeria; but
the one of greatest value, raw silk, £4,000,000 yearly, comes from
Italy, Spain, the Levant, China, and Japan. Then follow metals, ores,
timber, sugar, wool, cotton, and rice. The principal exports in respect
of value are silk, woollen and cotton fabrics, refined sugars, wines and
spirits; those of greatest bulk are cereals in the form of flour,
building materials, oil-cakes, manufactures in metal, oils, glass and
crystal.

Marseilles: History.

_History._—The Greek colony of
Massalia (in Latin, _Massilia_) was founded by the enterprising
mariners of Phocæa in Asia Minor, about 600 b.c. After the ravages of successive streams of
invaders it was repeopled in the 10th century under the protection of
its viscounts. In 1112 the town bought up their rights, and was formed
into a republic, governed by a podestat, appointed for life. In the
remainder of the Middle Ages, however, this arrangement was modified,
the higher town was governed by the bishop, and had its harbour at the
creek of La Joliette. The southern suburb was governed by the abbot of
St. Victor, and owned the Port des Catalans. The republic or lower town,
situated between the two, retained the old harbour, and was the most
powerful of the three divisions. The period of the Crusades brought
great prosperity to Marseilles. King René made it his winter residence.
Louis XIV. came in person to Marseilles to quell the disturbances under
the Fronde. He took the town by storm, and had Fort St. Nicolas
constructed. Marseilles repeatedly suffered from the plague, and an
epidemic raged from May 1720 to May 1721 with a severity for which it is
almost impossible to find a parallel; Bishop Belsunce, Chevalier Rose,
and others immortalised themselves by their courage and devotion.

During the Revolution of 1793 the people rose against the
aristocracy, who up to that time had governed the commune. In the Terror
they rebelled against the Convention, but were promptly subdued by
General Carteux. The wars of the empire, by dealing a severe blow to
their maritime commerce, excited the hatred of the inhabitants against
Napoleon. Since 1815 the prosperity of the city has received a
considerable impulse from the conquest of Algeria and the opening of the
Suez Canal.

The Marseillaise.

_The
Marseillaise._—The famous anthem called “The Marseillaise”
was composed by Joseph Rouget de l’Isle, born at Lons-le-Saulnier on
121
 
the 10th May 1760, and died (it is said in poverty) at Choisy-le-Roi,
6¼ m. S. from Paris by rail, on the 27th June 1836. On the 24th
April 1792, the day before the departure of a detachment of volunteers,
Dietrich, the Mayor of Strasburg, gave a banquet to their officers, and
during dinner requested Rouget, then an officer in the engineers, to
compose a war-song for them. Although it was late before Rouget retired
to his room, he had both the music and the words ready before going to
bed. In the morning he handed the paper to his host, saying: “_Tenez,
voilá ce que vous m’avez demandé, mais j’ai peur que cela ne soit pas
trop bon._” “_Que dites vous mon ami?_” said Dietrich, after
casting his eye over the MS.; “_vous avez fait un chef-d’œuvre._”
The mayor’s wife having tried it on the piano, the orchestra of the
theatre were engaged to perform it in the principal square of Strasburg,
when such was the enthusiasm it created that the detachment marched off
with nearly 1000 instead of 600 volunteers. For them Rouget called the
air “Le Chant de guerre de l’armée du Rhin.” In July of the same year a
detachment of volunteers was sent to Paris from Marseilles by order of
Barbaroux, and as they were in the habit of singing this song both on
their march and in the capital it received the name of the “Hymne des
Marseillais.” Charles Barbaroux, born at Marseilles in 1767, died on the
scaffold June 1794, was one of the deputies who contributed most to the
fall of the monarchy. He belonged to the party called the Girondins.

122
 

MARSEILLES TO MENTON.

By Hyères, Cannes, Nice, and Monaco. 155
Miles.

See Maps, pages 113, 155, and 185.


MENTON
155
MARSEILLES. See under “Marseilles, Toulon, Nice et Menton” in the
“Indicateur.” The train, after leaving Marseilles on its way to Toulon,
traverses beautiful fertile valleys opening to the sea, and bounded by
mountains mostly with whitish calcareous tops. Having crossed the stream
Huveaune and traversed several tunnels and the Durance and Marseilles
canal, the slow trains halt at the villages of St. Marcel, with the
chapel of N. D. de Nazareth, and St. Menet, and La Penne, all
situated at the foot of Mont Carpiagne. During the season, from May to
October, a coach at the St. Menet station awaits passengers for the
cold mineral baths of Camoins, 2 m. distant, or 5 m. by
omnibus from Marseilles. The bathing establishment is about ¼ m.
from the village, in an undulating hollow, among plane trees, olives,
and vines. The water is cold, and contains iron and iodine, with a great
deal of sulphur. It is very effective as a tonic, and in diseases of the
liver. The establishment is quiet but comfortable. Pension 8 to
9 frs. per day.

10½ m. from Marseilles is Aubagne, pop. 8100. H. Notre Dame. Omnibus
daily to Marseilles, stopping at H. St. Louis. Every train halts at
Aubagne. Junction with loop-line to Valdonne, 10½ m. N., with
coal-mines and potteries. Coach from Valdonne to Aix by Fuveau, where
take rail.

After Aubagne the train passes through the tunnel of Mussaguet, and,
if a slow train, halts at the next station, Cassis, a pleasant
fishing village in an oasis at the head of a small bay, between Mont
Gardiole (to the west), culminating point 1800 ft., and Mont de Canaille
(to the east), culminating point 1365 ft. _Inn:_ Hotel and Pension
Liautaud. An omnibus awaits passengers at the station, 30 cents.
A very pretty path, passing by the Grotte de Regagne and through a
forest of pines on the sides of Mont Canaille, leads to La Ciotat,
6½ m. east by this road, and 23 m. from Marseilles by rail.
The station for La Ciotat is 2½ m. from the town, but an omnibus
awaits passengers. _Inn:_ H. de l’Univers, at the head of a
well-protected harbour, nearly encircled by two strong stone jetties. At
the western side of the little bay is a curious promontory, the Bec de
l’Aigle (well seen from the station), composed of three lofty rocks in a
row, perpendicular on the W. side. Beyond the point is the
123
 
small island Ile Vert. A little quarrying and coral fishing is carried
on in La Ciotat; but
the main business of the place is derived from the great shipbuilding
yards of the Messageries Maritimes, which may be said to employ directly
and indirectly the whole town.

4¼ m. beyond La Ciotat, or 27¼ from Marseilles, is the pretty village
of St. Cyr, close to the station. 4¼ m. farther is the station for
Bandol, a fishing village at the head of a shallow bay with small
islands. The industries are cooperage and the culture of immortelles in
fields on the plain and on terraces on the sides of the hills.

36 m. E. from Marseilles is the station Ollioules-St.-Nazaire, where
omnibuses await passengers for St. Nazaire, pop. 2500, a port on
the Mediterranean, and for Ollioules, pop. 3900, _Inn:_ Trotobas;
situated a short way inland on the Reppe, in a deep hollow surrounded by
limestone cliffs, which, about 2 m. up the river, are so close to
each other as to form a gloomy ravine, at one time the haunt of the
brigand Gaspard de Besse. The great industry of Ollioules, Nazaire, and
Bandol is the culture of immortelles, which, when made up into wreaths,
are sent all over France. The largest and best cost 24 frs. the dozen.
Yellow is the natural colour of the flower, but they are variously dyed
or bleached. They are cultivated on terraces among olive trees. Oranges
and lemons grow freely here. The coach for Beausset halts in the Place
of Ollioules, and then runs up the right bank of the Reppe to Beausset,
pop. 3000. _Inn:_ France.

La Seyne. Six Fours.

38½ m. E. from Marseilles, and 6 m. W. from Toulon, is La Seyne station. An omnibus
awaits passengers for the town, pop. 11,000, H. de la Méditerranée,
situated on the roads opposite Toulon, between which two ports there is
constant communication by steamers. Near the hotel is the office of the
omnibus for Tamaris, a village 1¼ m. S.E., at the foot of Fort
Napoleon, and on the Rade (roads) du Lazaret. The omnibus returns by
Balaguier. The Toulon omnibus for Reynier passes through La Seyne, from
which Reynier is 3 m. W. On the hill above Reynier are the new fort
and what remains of the ancient village of Six Fours, once a town of importance. The greater
part of the crumbling walls has been cleared away, and in their stead a
strong fort has been built, which occupies the entire summit of the
hill. The old church still remains, of which the earliest part, 6th
cent., is at the entrance extending east and west, and was originally
the whole building. To the right hand are two stone altars (6th cent.),
with windows behind them to give light to the officiating priest, who at
that time said mass with his face to the audience. The nave, extending
124
 
N. and S., was added in the 15th cent. It contains a Madonna by Puget,
and some pictures on wood of the 15th cent. Under the church is a large
cistern, formerly, according to the “Annales de Six Fours,” the chapel
or house where Mary, sent by her brother Lazarus, told the inhabitants
about Jesus. She was buried in the crypt of St.
Maximin (p. 143).


MARSEILLES TO CANNES.


opp. 123
[West End] _For continuation northwards see map, page 66._
[East End] _For continuation northwards see map,
page 163._
_For continuation westwards see map, page 66._

see caption
_For Esteral Mountains see map, page 146,
and for continuation eastwards see map, page
163._
_See Environs of Toulon, page 129._


Toulon.

TOULON.

42 m. E. from Marseilles, 13 m. W. from Hyères, 22 m. S. from
Carnoulles, 59 m. S.W. from St. Raphael, 79 m. S.W. from
Cannes, 98½ m. S.W. from Nice, and 113 m. S.W. from Menton, is
Toulon, pop. 71,000 (see maps, pp. 123
and 129). _Hotels:_ near the station, the
Grand Hotel, a large first-class house; a little farther and
near the post, the theatre, and Temple Protestant, are the Victoria and
the Louvre; in the Place Puget is the Nord, and at No. 15 an
office where carriages can be hired for Mont Faron and other excursions.
From this “Place” start the omnibuses for Hyères, 11 m. E. by the
road; also omnibuses for Ollioules and Beausset. The porpoises and
scallop shells on the fountain in the centre of the “Place” are by
Puget. In the Place d’Armes is the H. Place d’Armes, fronting the
Arsenal and the Promenade, where the band plays on Sundays.

The omnibuses for Cap Brun, Ste. Marguerite, Le Pradet, La Valette,
La Garde, and La Crau, and the diligences for Pierrefeu, Collobrières,
Cuers, Solliès-Pont, Belgentier, Meounes, Neroules, and Brignoles, start
from the Place d’Italie at the east end of Toulon. In
this “Place” are the inns H. Petit, St. Jean, and
H. Croix-Blanche. (For the above places see maps, pp. 123 and 129.) In the Place
Puget are several cheap restaurants. The best restaurants are on the
quay of the port.

Toulon: The Quai du Port.

The Quai du
Port.—The bronze statue on this quay, representing
Navigation, is by Daumas, by whom are also the colossal statues in front
of the theatre. Near it are the berths of the steamers for Saint
Mandrier, 3½ m. S., and for the Iles d’Hyères. More to the right is
the berth of the large steamers for La Seyne. At the west end is the
hulk of the famous _Belle Poule_, covered with a roof of sloping
planks. This was the vessel in which Napoleon’s body was brought from
St. Helena and deposited in the Hôtel des Invalides on the 15th December
1840. The Chamber of Deputies granted £40,000 to defray the expenses of
the expedition, and entrusted the command to the Prince de Joinville,
with whom were associated Bertrand, Gourgaud, the younger Las Casas, and
Marchand the Emperor’s valet, all the latest and most devoted of
Napoleon’s adherents. On the
125
 
16th October the coffin was opened, when the body was found in an
excellent state of preservation. On that same day the remains were
embarked on board the _Belle Poule_, and on the 18th the ship set
sail. On the 30th November it reached Cherbourg, where the body was
transferred to the steamboat _Normandie_, which conveyed it up the
Seine to Courbevoie, where it was placed on a most magnificent car.

Toulon: Cab Fares. The Arsenals.

_Cab
fares._—The course, 1¼ fr.; the hour, 2 frs.

The strongly-fortified port of Toulon occupies a plain rising
gradually from the sea to the lofty ridge of Mont Faron, which runs east
and west, and sends out lower branches, enclosing the town and harbour
on either side. On the summit, immediately behind the town, are Fort
Croix and large barracks; to the east is La Platrière, 1000 ft., and
immediately behind it Mt.
Coudon, 2305 ft. To the west is the Cap Gros, 1735 ft, and behind it
Mt. Caoume, 3268 ft. On every commanding position is a fort; while from
the water’s edge at the west end of the port rises Fort Malbousquet.
Similarly situated on the eastern end is Fort Lamalgue, the last held by
the English in 1793. The Petit Rade offers a spacious and most secure
roadstead. From it are walled off, at the east end, the Port Marchand
and the Vieille Darse, or town-docks, whence the steamers sail. Then
follow the Government docks of Vauban, Castigneau, and Missiessy, all
communicating with each other by swing bridges, and surrounded by
well-built quays. The most conspicuous features of Toulon are the
arsenals and the
establishments connected with them, which are on a scale of almost
unrivalled magnificence, occupying 717 acres, and employing above 10,000
men. Near the west end of the Port a large gateway with marble columns
forms the entrance into the “Arsenal Maritime,” covering 240 acres, and
containing a general storehouse, 100 forge fires, two covered
building-slips, a ropery 1050 feet long, and an armoury with at the
entrance two caryatides and a colossal eagle by Puget. Adjoining is the
Arsenal de Castigneau, constructed on piles along the bay towards La
Seyne, with the bakery, ironworks, and ship-equipment departments.

Although Toulon, rather a dirty town, is crowded with marines and
sailors, it maintains by the constant influx of the peasantry all the
characteristics of a town of Provence. Theatres of every grade abound,
from the Grand Opera House down to the poor little café chantant, where
gaudily-dressed females electrify the audience with popular ballads. The
most pleasant lounge in winter is on the Quai du Port, as the wharf
fronting the town-dock is called. As long as
126
 
the sun is above the horizon it shines there, consequently during the
cold season it is crowded with all kinds of people, most of whom,
unfortunately, are poisoning the air with execrable tobacco. On it are
good cafés and restaurants, and booksellers’ shops where plans of the
town and neighbourhood are sold. This now gay sunny promenade was in
November 1793 the scene of one of the most horrid butcheries of human
life recorded in history, when the infuriated Republican soldiers, mad
with vengeance, slaughtered above 6000 of their countrymen, not sparing
even those of their own party, in their blind rage. Sir Sydney Smith,
amidst the flames of burning ships and dockyards, and the shrieks and
imploring cries of the terrified populace, succeeded in rescuing and
embarking some 1500. Napoleon, then a lad of 23, by whose military
genius the discomfiture of the English had been effected, exerted
himself to the utmost, but in vain, to stay the carnage.

Toulon: Town Hall.

Among the houses which border the Quai du Port is the Town Hall, adorned
with two admirable caryatides by Pierre Puget. In front is the statue
representing Navigation, and at No. 64 of the street behind is the
corner house Puget built for himself. It contains four stories of nearly
square windows, those in the lowest and highest rows being the smallest.
The small side has three windows in each row, and the large four, the
windows of the first three rows over the doorway being in couples. On
the angles are shallow grooved foliated pilasters, and under the eaves a
projecting dentil cornice.

The most sheltered street in winter, and the coolest in summer, is
the Rue Lafayette, a broad avenue lined with shops and shaded with
immense lime trees. It commences at the east end of the Port and bends
round to the Place Puget. About half of the street is occupied by a
fruit, flower, and vegetable market. In the second story of the narrow
five-storied house, at No. 89 (the Port end), is one of the cannon-balls
fired by the English during the struggle of November 1793. (See above.)
At the Port end of the street is the “Place,” whence the omnibus starts
for Mourillon; also the church of St. François de Paule. The interior
contains pictures and statues of some merit. The reredos of the altar to
the left represents one of the interviews between J. C. and
Marguerite Alacoque, while that of the altar to the right represents
Mary announcing herself to the girl swineherd at Lourdes to be the
“conceived without sin.”

Toulon: Sainte-Marie-Majeure.

The street ramifying from the west side of the Rue Lafayette, between
houses Nos. 77 and 79, leads to the cathedral of Sainte-Marie-Majeure, commenced in the
11th cent., and finished in the 18th.
127
 
The exterior is unattractive. The interior is better. The organ-loft
over the entrance is of carved oak. The alabaster reredos of the altar
in the chapel to the right of the high altar is by the sculptor Veyrier.
The tabernacle and the two angels under it are by Puget, who is said to
have executed also the alto-relievo on the side wall of the chapel
representing the apostles looking into the empty tomb of Mary. Over the
arch of the chapel on the left of the high altar is a Madonna in wood by
Canova. Several very good pictures adorn the church.

All the steamers sail from the Quai du Port. The best and largest are
those which cross to La Seyne (p. 123).
The steamers for the Iles d’Hyères and for St. Mandrier sail also from
this wharf. The St. Mandrier steamer makes the trip six times daily,
calling first at Balaguier, where the landing-place is between Fort
Aiguillette to the north and Fort Balaguier to the south, the latter
being easily recognised by its round tower. The restaurant and houses
are situated towards Fort Aiguillette. On the other side of the point of
Fort Balaguier is Le Tamarin, or Tamaris, consisting chiefly of pretty
villas in luxuriant gardens full of palms and orange trees. Behind
Tamaris rises Fort Napoleon, commanding a splendid view. An excellent
carriage-road leads up to the top. It commences near the neck of land of
the peninsula of Cepet. An omnibus runs between Le Tamaris, Balaguier,
and La Seyne. 
St. Mandrier.
The steamer, after touching at Balaguier, crosses the roads or Rade du
Lazaret and enters the small bay of St. Mandrier. At the landing-place is a
comfortable inn, charging 8 to 10 frs. per day. Round the point, in a
warm nook among the hills, is the hospital of St. Mandrier, with 1200
beds, one of the most important establishments of this kind in France.
It occupies three sides of a parallelogram, has a handsome chapel, and a
great cistern vaulted with concentric circles. Adjoining is a large and
well-sheltered garden with orange trees. Visitors are readily admitted.
In Toulon, near the Place d’Armes, is the Hôpital de la Marine,
exclusively for the navy. Although well ordered, it is hardly
sufficiently ventilated.

Toulon: Mont Faron.

One of the most interesting walks is to the top of Mont Faron, 1792 feet above
the sea. From the Porte Notre Dame, at the E. end of Toulon, take the
broad road or street leading northwards by the bridge across the
railway. Then passing one of the artillery establishments, leave the
town by the Port of Ste. Anne—the name is on the gateway. From
this the real road commences, excellent all the way, and in its gentle
ascent and continuous windings ever unfolding the most lovely views of
the town and the bay. When not far from
128
 
the summit three roads meet. The road to the left goes to the barracks
and to the top. The nearly level road to the right goes to Fort Faron,
and the steep road to the left to Fort de la Croix on a rock above Fort
Faron. Both are on the east or the La Valette side of the mountain. The
summit consists of a stony tableland, from which rise knolls of various
elevations. It can be done in a carriage.

La Valette. Mont Coudon. Cap Brun.

_Toulon
Omnibuses._—Among the omnibus-drives from Toulon the best
are to Hyères (p. 133) by La
Valette, and to the village of Dardenne, on a stream in the picturesque valley
between Mont Faron on the right or S. side and the steep Tourris
mountain, with bald calcareous summits, 1426 ft. high. As far as the
omnibus goes the road is good. The road eastwards through the valley
leads to La Valette, and the short road northward to the village of Le
Revest, on the top of an eminence commanding a good view of the ravine
of the Dardenne. The village of La Valette, pop. 1700, is 3¼ m. E. from
Toulon and 7¾ W. from Hyères by the omnibus. The carving on the church
door, representing John writing the book of Revelation in the island of
Patmos, is said to have been done by Puget. From this village the ascent
is made of Mt.
Coudon, 2305 ft., in about 2½ hours. “From Mt. Coudon there are
grand views in all directions. I have sought for them a great deal,
and seen a great many, but have never beheld any scene so lovely as the
graceful yet bold indentured coast of France as exhibited from Coudon.”
—_George Sand._ A carriage-road leads up to the very top, but
unfortunately, when only a few feet from the summit, farther progress is
stopped by a fort, and the best of the view lost. Commence the ascent
from the narrow lane opposite the Hôtel de Ville, and, once on the high
road, never leave it. On the way up many very beautiful land and sea
views disclose themselves.

The next best omnibus-drives are to Cap Brun and Ste. Marguerite, eastward on the
coast, and to Le
Pradet, a village N.E. from Ste. Marguerite, on the road to
Carqueyranne. Both omnibuses start from the Place d’Italie. Although
this road skirts the coast, very little of it is seen on account of
hills and garden-walls. Cap Brun and Ste. Marguerite are both forts on
cliffs projecting into the sea. To the east of the Fort Ste. Marguerite
is the village, consisting of a few houses, with a small chapel among
villas and cottages scattered over the slope of an eminence rising from
a tiny cove. Le Pradet is a considerable village a little to the S. of
La Garde. La Garde, on its hill crowned with the ruins of a castle,
forms a marked feature in the landscape. At Cap Brun is the villa of Sir
Charles Dilke.

129
 

Mourillon.

The omnibus to the sea-bathing suburb of Mourillon, 3½ m. E., behind Fort La Malgue
or Malague, starts from the Port end of the Rue or Cours Lafayette.


environs of
TOULON & HYÈRES


opp. 129
see caption


_Diligence
Drives._—Toulon to Meounes, 19¼ m. N. by
diligence from the Place d’Italie. Time, 3 hrs.; fare, 2½ frs. (see
map, p. 129).

Belgentier. Meounes.

The diligence, after passing through La Valette, Farlède 4¾ m., and
Solliès-Ville, arrives at Solliès-Pont, 272 ft. above the sea and
10½ m. from Toulon, situated on the railway and on the Gapeau. The
diligence halts near the inn H. du Commerce, where passengers from
Hyères can await its arrival. The coach to Brignoles passes by the same
way, but at an earlier hour. From Solliès-Pont commences the beautiful
part of the route, up the fertile valley of the Gapeau between lofty and
precipitous calcareous mountains. The slopes are covered with large
olive trees, and the plain with fields and vineyards and numerous cherry
trees. Nearly 2 m. farther up the valley, but on the other side of
the Gapeau, is Solliès-Toucas (328 ft.), situated in a sheltered nook.
5 m. higher up, and 12½ m. from Toulon, is Belgentier (pronounced
Belgensier), on both sides of the Gapeau. The horses are changed here.
The inn (auberge), which is indifferent, is round the corner to the
right. From Belgentier the olives cease to be continuous. The diligence,
after passing the flour-mill Pachoquin, 558 ft., arrives at the best
headquarters in the valley, Meounes, 919 ft., on the stream Naille, an affluent
of the Gapeau, 3½ m. N. from Belgentier, 8¾ m. N. from
Solliès-Pont, 6 m. E. from Signes, 4¾ m. S. from
Roquebrussane, 12 m. S.E. from Le Camp, 5 m. S. from
Garéoules, and 7½ m. S. from Forcalqueiret railway station, which
is 7 m. E. by rail from Brignoles (see map,
p. 123).

The inn of Meounes is behind the church. On a small peak overlooking the
village is an image of Mary. Round three sides of the pedestal are the
words “Mary conceived without sin, the tower of David, the refuge of
sinners, pray for us.” On the fourth side “June 1870.” Eastward is a
great circular mass of mountains, which rises abruptly on the eastern
and southern rim, and sinks towards the western and northern. Going
round from south to east the culminating points reach the elevations of
1794 ft., 1860 ft., 2073 ft, 2248 ft., 1934 ft., 2326 ft., and 2060 ft.
Tablelands, more or less fertile, and peaks of various elevations,
occupy the centre. The rocks are calcareous, and most of the paths which
traverse this region are excessively stony.

Montrieux.

Scarcely 3 m. from Meounes by a very pretty road is the Carthusian
Monastery of Montrieux
(pronounced Monrieux), on an eminence 945 ft. above the sea. To go to it
descend the high road for about 1½ m. to a bridge and first road
right, which take. A little way up, the road divides into two; take
the left one, which crosses the Gapeau. The building, which is prettily
situated, is small, and contains only about from 30 to 35 inmates. It
was founded in 1117, and had very large possessions, which, with the
house, were taken from the monks at the fatal revolution of 1793. In
1845 the building was repurchased,
130
 
along with 74 acres of land, and peopled with a detachment of friars
from the head monastery of the order, the Chartreuse of Grenoble. The
Carthusians and Trappists resemble each other in dress and in their
rules, the chief difference being that the Trappists sleep in the same
room, and dine together in the same room, while the Carthusians have
each a separate suite of small rooms or cells, where the inmate sleeps
and feeds by himself. Both affirm: “Nous ne permettons jamais aux femmes
d’entrer dans notre enceinte; car nous savons que, ni le sage, ni le
prophète, ni le juge, ni l’hôte de Dieu, ni ses enfans, ni même le
premier modèle sorti de ses mains, n’ont pu échapper aux caresses ou aux
tromperies des femmes.” A nearer but very stony path, commencing
opposite the church door of Meounes, leads also to the convent.

Through Meounes pass the Toulon courrier to Brignoles by Roquebrussane,
the Toulon coach to Brignoles by Garéoules, and the Toulon coach to
Garéoules. The drive between Meounes and Brignoles is monotonous, and
the inns in the villages poor. Fare from Meounes to Brignoles
3 frs., distance 15 miles. (For Brignoles, see p. 142.)

La Crau. Cuers. Pierrefeu. Collobrières.

Toulon to Collobrières.—From
the Place d’Italie a coach starts daily to Collobrières, 25 m. N.E.
by E., passing through La Valette 3¼ m., La Garde with its castle
5 m., and La Crau
7½ m. _Inn:_ H. de France. Beyond the inn are the post
and telegraph offices, and a few yards farther, in the Rue de Gapeau,
the halting and meeting place of this diligence with the coach that runs
between Hyères and La Crau.

From La Crau the diligence proceeds to Pierrefeu, 18 m. from
Toulon, where the horses are changed near the first terrace,
a little higher than the inn. From Pierrefeu the diligence proceeds
to Collobrières, up the thinly-peopled valley of the river. Fare, 2½
frs.; time, 4½ hrs. Excursionists from Hyères should await the diligence
at La Crau, where it arrives about 4 p.m.; or take the rail to Cuers station, and then the courrier, which leaves
Toulon every forenoon for Collobrières, passing through Pierrefeu (p. 142).

From Toulon to Pierrefeu the road traverses a fertile plain more or less
undulating, covered with olive trees, vineyards, and wheat fields. The
Gapeau, the river that supplies Hyères with water, is crossed a few
yards beyond La Crau, and shortly afterwards the road to Pierrefeu takes
a northerly direction up the valley of the Real-Martin, the principal
affluent of the Gapeau. Pierrefeu, pop. 4000, is a dirty village on a
hill, 482 ft. above the sea, with narrow, crooked, steep streets. From
the terrace there is a pleasing view of the plain below. From Pierrefeu
the coach ascends the valley of the Réal-Collobrier to Collobrières, pop. 3600,
on an eminence rising from the stream. _Inn:_ H. de Notre
Dame, near the diligence office, good and clean. The office of the
courrier is in the principal street, near the Post and the Hôtel de
Ville with the promenade. From the top of the hill, where stands the old
church, now abandoned, is an excellent view of the valley. The lower
part is covered with fields and vineyards interspersed with fruit trees.
On the side of the mountains facing the north are forests of
131
 
chestnut trees, some very old and of most fantastic forms, while on the
opposite side are forests of sombre cork oaks. Cork-cutting,
wine-making, and the exportation of chestnuts form the principal
industries. The wine, when four years old, makes an agreeable vin
ordinaire. In the tenth year it is at its best, when it becomes
straw-coloured.

A winding coach-road across the Maure mountains extends northwards to
Gonfaron, a station on the railway to Cannes. Between this road and
Pignans station is the culminating point of the Maures, on which is the
chapel of N. D. des Anges, 2556 ft. above the sea.


Isles d’Or.

The Islands of Hyères, or the Iles d’Or.

Steamer every other day from Toulon to Porquerolles; time 2 hrs., fare
2 frs.; thence to the Ile Port-Cros, time 1 hour. Fare there and
back to Porquerolles, 2 frs. Steamer also every other day from Les
Salins of Hyères to Porquerolles by the Iles du Levant and
Port-Cros.

The finest of the views of Toulon and neighbourhood is from the deck of
the steamer while sailing through the roads. To the north rises the
massive and precipitous Mont Faron with its forts and barracks, and to
the east is La Malgue with its forts and batteries. To the west is La
Seyne, by the north side of the hill on which is Fort Napoleon, and
southwards is the peninsula of Cepet with the large Military Hospital of
St. Mandrier. The whole coast from Toulon to Hyères is afterwards seen
distinctly from the steamer. Just before arriving at Porquerolles the
steamer sails closely along the southern shore of the peninsula of
Giens (see p. 140, and map,
p. 123).

Porquerolles.

Porquerolles,
pop. 500, is 5 miles long, and of an average breadth of 2 miles.
The culminating point is 479 ft. above the sea. The northern coast is
low, the land sloping upwards to the south, where it terminates in
vertical cliffs of schistose and quartzose rocks. The vegetation is
nowhere luxuriant. Pines, arbutus, and heaths cover the mountains, while
the more fertile plains and valleys have vineyards and fields. The
climate is very dry, and the water-supply is obtained from wells.
Mosquitoes can hardly be said to exist. Many rare plants are found in
the woods, such as the Delphinium requienii, Galium minutulum,
Pelargonium capitatum, Latyrus tingitanus, Alkanna lutea, Genista
linifolia, Cistus Porquerollensis, and the Cistus olbiensis.

The Port of Porquerolles is situated in nearly the centre of the N. side
of the island, exactly opposite Hyères, and 9 m. from Les Salins.
The pier has not sufficient water to allow the steamer to moor
alongside. In the “Place,” quite close to the pier, are the church, the
museum of the island collected by the most worthy curate, and the two
inns, of which the H. du Progrès is the larger of the two. Above
the town, at an elevation of 215 ft., is the castle, with some small
buildings formerly used as an hospital, now a prison.

There are three main roads in the island—the road by the N. coast
westward is called the Chemin du Langoustier, the road by the N.
coast eastward the Chemin des Mèdes, and the road up the centre
of the island, from N. to S., the Chemin au Phare. This last road
132
 
commences at the N.W. corner of the “Place” and terminates at the
lighthouse on Cap d’Armes, the most southern point of the island, 210
ft. above the sea. The lighthouse, first-class, is ascended by 70 steps,
is 46 ft. above the ground, and has a white light.

The first road right from the N.W. corner of the “Place” is the Chemin
du Langoustier, which, on its way westward, traverses a comparatively
open country. The building in ruins, seen on the top of the ridge to the
left, 370 ft. high, is an old watch-tower, considered the most ancient
structure on the island. Near the end of the road is a decayed soda
manufactory. At the terminus on the peninsula is a Vigie,
a watch-tower and signal-station combined, 108 ft. above the
sea.

The road along the N.E. coast, the Chemin des Mèdes, traverses the most
fertile part of the island. About half-way, near Point Lequin, it passes
round the N. end of a ridge, extending N. and S., on whose summit, 479
ft. above the sea, is a semaphore or signal-station, commanding a
perfect view of the whole island, while the view of the other islands,
of the peninsula of Giens, of Hyères, and of the coast to beyond Cannes,
is admirable. The way up is by the first branch road right at the
commencement of the wood. The road at the commencement looks as if it
led up the plain. The Chemin des Mèdes terminates at a farmhouse called
Notre Dame, formerly a monastery, whence the continuation is by a path
leading to a fort on Cap des Mèdes, to the N. of a hill 449 ft.
high.

Port-Cros. Port Man. Levant.

Port-Cros.—11½
m. E. from Porquerolles port is the island of Port-Cros, 12½ m. S.
from Les Salins, on the western side of the island, at the head of a
small landlocked bay. An inn is near the pier. The main road extends
from the landing-place up the valley by the church and the proprietor’s
house to Port Man at the
eastern end of the island. Port-Cros consists of a picturesque wooded
ridge, whose culminating point is to the south, 669 ft. above the sea;
it is 2½ m. from S.W. to N.E., and 1½ m. from N. to S., and
contains 1482 acres. The rocks in Porquerolles and Port-Cros are
similar—mica, schist, and quartz. Round the coast are numerous
little coves with tiny smooth beaches. Excellent sea fishing may be had
at all times.

About a mile east from Port Man is the western extremity of the more
sterile island of the Levant, 5 m. from E. to W., and 1½ from N. to
S. The culminating point is in the centre of the island, the
Pierres Blanches, on which there is a signal-tower, 423 ft. above the
sea. Mica, amianthus, actinolite, and tourmaline abound.


Toulon to Hyères.

Toulon to Hyères.—Passengers at Toulon for Hyères,
11 m. E., can go either by the omnibus, which starts three times
daily from the Place Puget, fare 1 fr., time nearly 2 hours, or by
train. If by rail they should examine the Indicateur, and select a
direct train, otherwise they may have to wait some time at La Pauline,
where the branch line commences by La Crau to Hyères, 13 miles by rail
from Toulon.

133
 

Hyères. Hotels.


HYÈRES,

pop. 13,000, the most southerly of the stations on the Riviera, the
nearest to England, and only 18¼ hours from Paris. It is not so gay as
Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo, and San Remo, nor perhaps even Menton; but
none of these places have such beautiful boulevards, nor such a variety
of charming country walks and drives either by private or stage coaches.
The hotel omnibuses await passengers at the station. The station is
¾ m. S. from Hyères, and ¾ m. N. from the Hermitage.

_Hotels._—At the west of the town are the
Hôtel des Palmiers, below the Place des Palmiers; the *Iles d’Or, with
garden off the main road; the H. Continental, on an eminence above
the Iles d’Or. These three are first-class houses, and charge per day
from 15 to 20 frs., including bedroom, service, wine, candles, and three
meals with coffee or tea in the morning. Next the Iles d’Or is the
Hesperides, 8 to 12 frs. Off the main street are the Ambassadeurs and
the Europe, both from 10 to 12 frs., frequented chiefly by those who
come only for a few days. At the east end of Boulevard des Palmiers the
H. du Parc, 12 to 15 frs. On opposite side, and well situated for
the sun, is the second-class house, the H. Iles d’Hyères, 7 to 10
frs. Near it, but not well situated, is the Méditerranée, third-class.
The principal hotel on the east side of Hyères is the H. Orient, 10
to 13 frs., a comfortable and old-established house, opposite the
public gardens. Farther east, and off the high road to St. Tropez, is
the Beau-Séjour, from 12 to 15 frs. Down by one of the roads to the sea
is the H. des Étrangers, 10 to 13 frs., in a sunny situation. About
1½ m. S. from Hyères, near the Hermitage chapel, but in a sheltered
nook overlooking one of the warmest and most favoured valleys of the
Montagnes des Oiseaux, is the *Hôtel and Pension de l’Hermitage, 9 to 12
frs., retired and comfortable, and frequented chiefly by English. As it
is near the sea, in a forest of pines and cork oaks, it combines the
advantages of Arcachon with those of Hyères. All the above prices
include tea or coffee in the morning, and meat breakfast and dinner,
with wine to both. Abundance of furnished apartments and villas to let.
In the Place des Palmiers are a French and an English bank. Both
exchange money. In the same “Place” is the Temple Protestant, and a
little beyond the English Pharmacy. The Episcopal chapel is in the
Boulevard Victoria. The town hospital is at the west end of the
town.

There are several clubs; the best are the Siècle and the Progrès,
which take in English newspapers. Here, as well as in the other stations
134
 
on the Riviera, all the first-class clubs or “cercles” have large
gambling-rooms, as productive of evil as Monte Carlo.

_Cab
fares._—Per hour, 2 frs. A coach per month with driver and
2 horses, 500 frs. With 1 horse, 300 frs.

Hyères: Drives.

_Drives._—A 3 to 4 hours’ drive in a
coach with 1 horse costs 6 to 8 frs., with 2 horses 10 to 12 frs.,
but, as there is no recognised tariff, it is necessary in every case to
settle the price beforehand. The drive to Carqueyranne by the coast and
back by the road between the Paradis and Oiseaux mountains, with 1
horse, 8 frs. The same price to La Crau, round by the west side of
Mt. Fenouillet, and back by the valley of the Gapeau. The great drive,
forming a good day’s excursion, is to the Chartreuse of Montrieux,
18 m. N., by La Crau, Solliès-Pont (a railway station), and
Belgentier (pronounced Belgensier). (For description, see p. 129.) Coach with 2 horses, 25
frs. there and back. The other great drive (costing the same) is to the
Fort of Brégançon, 16 miles east by the coast-road, passing by Les Vieux
Salins, at the eastern extremity of which a road strikes off due north
towards the St. Tropez road, passing Bastidon (7 m. from Hyères)
amidst large olive trees. After Les Salins the road enters the part of
the plain called La Plage Largentière, in which is situated the Château
de Bormettes, built by Horace Vernet (7½ m. E. from Hyères).
A little farther east, on the Plage de Pellegrin, are the châteaux
of Léoubes (11 m.) and Brégançon; and, on the western point of Cap
Bénat, Fort Brégançon, about 4 miles west of Bormes. (For Bormes, see p. 142.) Another pleasant drive is to
Cuers, 14 m. N.W. by the Gapeau and Pierrefeu. The first road that
ramifies to the right, from the Gapeau valley road, leads up into the
Vallée de Borel, in the heart of the Maure mountains. This road passes
by the large farmhouse of Ste. Eulalie, in a plain full of large olive
trees, some 6 feet in diameter. There are also some large pines.
Besides these excursions there are a great many little drives which may
be taken in the wooded sheltered valleys running up between the ridges
of the Maure mountains, but for them a light vehicle should be selected,
as some parts of the roads are not good.

Hyères: Coaches.

_Coaches._—From the Place de la Rade
start daily coaches for Carqueyranne 6¼ m. W., for Les Vieux Salins
4 m. E., for La Crau 4½ m. N. (see
p. 130), and for St. Tropez 32½ m. E., whence a steamer sails
to St. Raphael. Near the “Place,” opposite the Hotel and Restaurant du
Var, start several times daily large omnibuses for Toulon by La Valette
(see maps, pp. 123 and 129).

135
 
Hyères proper is a little dirty town of narrow streets,
running up the south-east side of the castle hill; like, however, all
the other winter stations, the new quarter, with its handsome streets
and villas, has far outgrown the original limits. A plain,
2 m. wide, is between the town and the sea. The beautifully-wooded
Maure mountains surround it on the land side, mitigating the keenness of
the north, north-east, and east winds, but affording indifferent
protection from the mistral or north-west wind. The Toulon road,
extending east and west, forms the principal thoroughfare. On it, and in
its proximity, are the best shops and the best hotels. From it rise the
steep streets of the old town, of which two of the gateways still exist.
At the east end, fronting the Place de la Rade, is the Porte des Salins,
and at the west end the Porte Fenouillet. Exactly half-way between these
two stood the principal gateway, the Porte Portalet, from which the
street R. Portalet leads directly up to the *Place Massillon,
containing the fish-market, a bust of Massillon, and the Maison des
Templiers, 12th cent., now the Hôtel de Ville.
Massillon.
Standing with the face towards the Hôtel de Ville, we have to the left a
dirty narrow street called the Rue Rubaton, in which is the house, No.
7, where Massillon, the greatest of the pulpit orators of France, was
born on the 24th of June 1663. In the pulpit he appeared sedate, without
gesture and parade. On one occasion, when he preached to the Court at
Versailles, his sermon produced such a powerful effect on Louis XIV.
that he exclaimed in the presence of the Court— “Father,
I have heard several good orators and have been satisfied with
them, but whenever I hear you I am dissatisfied with myself.” The
language of Massillon, though noble, was simple, and always natural and
just, without labour and affectation. When he preached for the first
time in the church of St. Eustache in Paris his famous sermon on Matthew
vii. 14, and had arrived at the peroration, the entire congregation rose
from their seats, transported and dismayed. This prosopopœia, which
still astonishes in the perusal, has been chosen by Voltaire in the
article “Eloquence” in the _Encyclopédie_ as an example presenting
“_la figure la plus hardie, et l’un des plus beaux traits d’éloquence
qu’on puisse lire chez les anciens et les modernes_.” His father, who
spelt his name Masseilhon, was a notary. The business was continued from
father to son in the same house from 1647 to 1834.

Hyères: St. Paul. St. Louis.

Above the “Place” is the church of St. Paul, 12th cent., on a terrace
commanding a view towards the sea. The figures by the side of the altar
represent the apostles Peter and Paul. In the clumsy modern addition to
the church is an ancient baptismal font.

136
 
At the low part of the town, in the Place Royale or de la République,
is the church of St. Louis, built in the 12th cent. in the
Byzantine style and restored in 1840. The floor is 11 steps below the
entrance. The quadripartite vault is supported on lofty wide-spanned
arches. The pulpit, of walnut, is beautifully carved. The 19 stalls
display elegance and originality of design in the form and arrangement
of the canopies. The confessionals are also tastefully carved, and are
set into the wall. Behind the altar, to the right, is a large and
remarkable picture representing the landing of St. Louis with his queen
and their 3 children on the beach of Hyères (the Plage du Ceinturon) on
the 12th of July 1254, when the royal family were the guests of Bertrand
de Foz in the castle. The other picture, which is modern, represents St.
Louis about to enter Notre Dame of Paris. The statue over the fountain
in this square, the Place de la République, represents Charles of Anjou
and Provence, 9th son of Louis VIII. of France, and brother of Louis IX.
In 1245 Charles married the great heiress the Countess Beatrice, which
event closed the independent political life of Provence by uniting it to
the house of Anjou. In 1257, on the principle that might is right, he
dispossessed Count Foz of the castle and territory of Hyères. At the
western end of the town is the Place des Palmiers, with palms planted in
1836. Those which adorn the Boulevard des Palmiers were planted in 1864,
and came from Spain. Napoleon I. lodged in the house No. 7 of the
Place des Palmiers after the siege of Toulon. Around Hyères are numerous
nursery-gardens, and on the plain, down by the Avenue de la Gare, is the
“Jardin d’Acclimatation,” where animals, birds, and plants are reared
for the Jardin d’Acclimatation of Paris, of which it is a branch. These
gardens form a most enjoyable and amusing retreat, are well sheltered,
and plants, flowers, and milk are sold in them. Open to the public.

Hyères: Costebelle.

From the railway station to the sea extends a tract called the
Costebelle, about 2½ m. from N.E. to
S.W., on the wooded slopes of the Montagnes des Oiseaux.
The winter here is exceptionally mild, and some of the villas stand in
little hollows clothed with pine and olive trees. Near the southern end
of Costebelle, on Hermitage Hill, 320 ft. above the sea, is the chapel
of Notre Dame d’Hyères, visited by pilgrims. From this hill are lovely
views, not obstructed by trees. In the valley on the western side are
old olive trees.


Hyères: Château.

THE CHÂTEAU OF HYÈRES.

On the top of the hill on which the old town is built is the
Château of Hyères, which should be visited as early as possible,
for the sake
137
 
of acquiring a topographical knowledge of the environs. Ascend by the
Hôtel de Ville and the steep narrow streets beyond, keeping to the
right, as the entrance into the castle-grounds is at the S.E. end of the
wall. The castle, 657 ft. above the sea, is believed to have been
founded in the 7th cent., although not mentioned till the 10th, when it
is called _Castrum aræarum_ or _aræis_, “air-castle.”
Considerable portions of the walls, and some of the towers and dungeons,
still remain, the most perfect part being on the western side, above the
Hôtel des Iles d’Or. The view from the ramparts is beautiful.
Immediately beneath are the town and its dependencies, like a map in
bold relief. Southwards, towards the sea, is the great plain, studded
with farmhouses, cypresses, olive plantations, and vegetable gardens.
Beyond is the roadstead, with generally one or more vessels of war
moored off the village of Les Vieux Salins. Out at sea, to the east, are
the islands of Levant, Port-Cros, and Bagaud, the smallest of the three.
Farther west, towards the peninsula of Giens, is Porquerolles (p. 131), the largest of the
islands. Giens is distinctly seen, with its two necks of land 3 m.
long. On the land side from Giens the view is bounded to the west by the
little hermitage hill bearing the chapel of N. D. d’Hyères, and the
Oiseaux mountains, on whose sunny flanks is Costebelle. North from
Oiseaux peak is Mt. Paradis, 982 ft., which looks as if the top had been
shaved off. Northwards from Mt. Paradis, on the other side of the plain,
are Mt. Coudon, 2305 ft. (see
p. 125), and the eastern extremity of Mt. Faron, behind Toulon.
Towards the east the view is bounded by the Maure mountains and the
Pointe de la Galère, with Fort Brégançon. From this fort, northwards by
the beach, are the châteaux of Brégançon and Léoubes. The highest peak
of the Maures is 2556 ft. above the sea, crowned by the chapel of Notre
Dame des Anges. (Refer to maps, pp. 123 and
129.)

Mont Fenouillet.

Behind Hyères Castle is the highest of the ridges in the Maurette
group, the culminating point being Mt. Fenouillet, 981 ft., at the
western extremity. The path to it, which skirts the whole ridge,
commences at the back of the castle, just under the peak of La Potence,
633 ft., on which is a fragment of a tower. A gibbet for the
execution of malefactors stood there, hence the name. The small hill
above the east end of Hyères, and standing between the old and new
cemeteries, is a favourite walk, and commands a good view. Before
descending from the castle observe the road to Mt. Fenouillet.

Excursion to Mont
Fenouillet.—Behind the castle ramify three paths. The path
to the right leads eastward along a lower ridge of
138
 
the Maurettes by the Potence to Mt. Decugis, 585 ft. The path to the
left, called the “Chemin St. Bernard,” leads down to the west end of
Hyères, near the octroi office and the hospital. The centre path leads
to Mt. Fenouillet through plantations of olives, cork oaks, and firs,
and some fine brushwood, of which the most beautiful in winter is the
_Arbutus unedo_, or strawberry tree. When less than half-way a road
at Mt. Roustan, 608 ft., diverges N.E. by a ridge projecting into the
valley of the Gapeau. Just under the peak of Fenouillet is a small
chapel visited by pilgrims. From the summit, at the foot of the cross
(3 Mai 1877), there is a superb and extensive view. Numerous paths
lead from it down to the road between Hyères and Toulon.

Excursion to the
Montagnes des Oiseaux.—The best way is to take the path
commencing in the first valley N. of the Costebelle road, ascending by
the N. shoulder. The whole way the path is good, only in some places it
is nearly concealed by brushwood, especially by the _Quercus
coccifera_. The trees on the summit, 982 ft., obstruct the view, but
on the way up charming landscapes now and then unfold themselves of
Hyères on one side and of Carqueyranne on the other.

The Trou des Fées.

The Trou des
Fées.—On the top of the hill (345 ft), opposite the E.
side of the Oiseaux peak, is a cave called the Trou des Fées. The
entrance is by a vertical cavity, resembling a well. The interior,
covered with stalactites, is about 96 ft. long by 40 wide. To explore it
lights are necessary. The hole is not very easy to find, though a path
leads directly to it. It is situated under some fir trees. The road down
by the eastern valley of the Montagnes des Oiseaux to the Costebelle
road passes near one of the principal springs which supply the town. The
other source is in the plain, on the road “du Père-Eternel,” nearly
2 m. S.E. from the town. It is pumped up by an engine of 26
horse-power. This water filters to this place from the Gapeau, 1 m.
E., through the gravelly soil of the plain.

To mention all the drives and walks would be both difficult and
confusing. As all the roads and paths are free, the tourist may ramble
in whatever direction he pleases, either through the orchards or up the
lonely but beautifully-wooded valleys and mountains. The only sound
heard is the occasional report of a gun, fired by the “chasseurs” at
such game as blackbirds, thrushes, jays, bullfinches, and larks. In the
swamps about Giens are occasionally snipes and wild ducks. The Maure
mountains and their interminable valleys offer ample scope for the
walking powers of the most indefatigable pedestrian.

Cork-cutting.

The principal agricultural products of Hyères, as indeed of all the
Riviera, are olives, wine, and cork. The olive-berry harvest commences
139
 
in December. The small berries make the best oil. The trunk has a
curious propensity to separate and form new limbs, which by degrees
become covered with bark. If the sap be still in a semi-dormant state,
and the weather dry, the trunk and branches can bear a cold of 12°
Fahr., while the orange and lemon are killed by a cold of 22°. The cold
of 1820 killed the orange trees about Hyères, and nearly all the trunks
and branches of the olive trees, but not the roots; from each of which
sprang, in the course of time, two or three saplings, now trees growing
round one common centre. Next to the Aleppo, maritime and umbrella
pines, the most numerous of the forest trees is the cork oak, or _Quercus suber_, generally
accompanied with the diminutive member of the oak tribe, the _Quercus
coccifera_. The bark forms an important article of commerce. When the
stem of the young cork oak has become 4 inches in diameter, the bark is
removed for the first time, but it is of no use. Ten or even fifteen
years afterwards, when the bark is about an inch thick, the trunk is
stripped again, by making two circular incisions 3 to 4 feet apart,
and two vertical on opposite sides. This operation is repeated every
tenth year in the month of June, when the sap is in full vigour.
A cork tree does not produce fine-grained cork till it is fifty
years old. Cork-cutting, which formed an important industry in the
mountain villages, is gradually leaving them and settling in the towns
on the railways, on account of the greater facility of transport.
Processional Caterpillar.
Pipes.
The curious caterpillar of the Moth, _Bombyx processionaria_, feeds
on the leaves of the Aleppo and maritime pine trees. Their nests, made
of a cobweb material, and shaped like a soda-water bottle, are firmly
attached to the branches. On cutting them open the caterpillars are
found coiled up in a ball, and do not endeavour to escape. They feed
during the night. When they leave the nest they go in procession,
following each other with great precision. On the summits of the Maures,
and on all the mountains bordering the Riviera, grows the heath _Erica
arborea_, from whose roots pipes are made. The digging up and the preparing of
these roots for the Paris manufacturers form now an important industry
in the mountain villages. In England they are called briar-root pipes,
briar being a corruption of the French word _bruyère_, signifying
heath.

The “specialité” of Hyères is the rearing of early vegetables, fruits,
and flowers, for the northern markets, especially roses, strawberries,
peaches, apricots, artichokes, and peas. The broad flat alluvial plain
between the town and the sea is admirably suited for this purpose. The
gardens are easily irrigated, and besides, within a few feet of the
surface, there is always abundance of water.

Butterflies.

“About Hyères are many rare butterflies. Among the best is the
Nymphalis-Jasius, the only representative in Europe of the genus
Charaxes. The first brood appears early in June, the second at the
beginning of September. It is found all over the Riviera, but most
abundantly at Hyères. The Vanessa Antiopa appears in July and September,
many of the latter generation living through the winter. Thais
Medesicaste, T. Hypsipyle, Anthocaris Eupheno (the Aurore de
Provence), Polyommatus
140
 
Ballus, and Rhodocera Cleopatra may be taken in April. A little
later there is an abundance of the Podalirius (scarce Swallow Tail), the
Machaon, the Thecla Betulæ, the Argynnis Pandora, the A. Niobe, the
A. Dia, the A. Aglaia, the A. Valenzina, the Arge Psyche,
the Satyrus Circe, the S. Briseis, the S. Hermione, the
S. Fidia, the S. Phædra, the S. Cordula, the
S. Actoæ, the S. Semele, and the S. Bathseba, all common
more or less throughout the summer.” —_W. A. Powell of the
English Pharmacy of Hyères._

Climate of Hyères.

Climate.—Hyères is especially fitted
for old people and young children, and all those whose weakened
constitutions require to be strengthened by a winter abroad. Indeed, all
of limited means coming to the Riviera should try this place first, as
it is the nearest, the cheapest, and the most rural. For such as require
gaiety, Hyères is not suited. “The chief attractions of Hyères are its
climate and the beauty of its environs, which render it an agreeable
place, of winter abode, even for persons in health, who do not require
the animated movement and recreative resources presented by large towns,
and who are in tolerable walking condition; the walks and rides, both on
the plain and through the cork-tree woods, by which the hills are for
the most part covered, presenting considerable variety, while from the
more elevated positions charming prospects may be enjoyed.”
—_Dr. Edwin Lee._ The mean winter temperature is 47°.4 F.,
and the average annual rainfall is 26 inches. But on the Riviera, as in
England, every winter varies in the rainfall and in the degree of cold;
and therefore the chances are that the traveller’s experience will not
agree with the carefully-compiled stereotyped meteorological tables. The
climate of Hyères is less stimulating and exciting than at Cannes and
Nice; and, “generally, it may be said to be fitted for children or young
persons of a lymphatic temperament, or of a scrofulous diathesis, either
predisposed to consumption, or suffering from the first stage of that
disease.”

THE BRANCH-LINE BETWEEN HYÈRES AND LES SALINS.


The railway from La Pauline and Hyères to Les Salins extends 11 m.
south-east. The beautiful mountain standing in full majesty before La
Pauline station is Mont Coudon (see
p. 128, and map p. 129).

Giens. Saltworks. Le Château.

8¾ m. S. from La Pauline, and 2½ m. S. from Hyères, is the station for
La Plage, consisting of some
pretty villas built between the beach and a wood of umbrella pines. From
the pier the _Zephyr_ sails every afternoon (excepting Sunday) to
Porquerolles (p. 131). The beach
adjoining the E. side is Le Ceinturon, where St. Louis landed in 1254.
At La Plage station commences the larger of the two necks of land which
connect the peninsula of Giens, 3¼ m. S., with the mainland. The
large neck is traversed by a line of rails extending nearly to the Tour
Fondue, whence a boat sails to Porquerolles, the town opposite
(p. 131). The road along the neck, which at some parts is very hot
and sandy, skirts large square basin-like marshes, where salt is
made by the evaporation of the sea-water by the heat of the sun. At the
south
141
 
end of the marshes is the little village of the saltmakers. The salt is
heaped up in pyramid-shaped piles, covered on the top with tiles, and on
the sides with boards, which gives them the appearance of houses. Very
fine views both of Giens and Hyères are obtained on the way to the
saltworks. The easiest way to approach the narrow neck is by the
Carqueyranne coach. It leads directly to the village of Le Château, with a neat church
and the ruins of a castle. Many rare plants and immense quantities of
uni- and bivalve shells are found at Giens, especially on the smaller of
the two necks.

From Le Château a road leads westward to the small fishing hamlet of La
Madrague, passing on the left a huge block of quartz with layers of
mica. From a little beyond La Madrague take the road leading up to a
house with a pepper-box turret, whence the continuation leads up to the
semaphore or signal-station, on the highest point of the isthmus, 407
ft. above the sea. The hills are well wooded, and the tiny valleys
covered with orchards, vineyards, and fields. Many pleasant rambles can
be had on the isthmus.

After La Plage station the train, having passed the sea-bathing station
of Capé (Gapeau) and crossed the river Gapeau, arrives at

Les Salins. Pomponiana.

Les Salins, 18 m.
from Toulon and 5 from Hyères by rail. The omnibus from Hyères to
Salins stops at the small “Place” opposite the pier. Fare, ½ fr. It
traverses a road bordered by mulberry trees, between vineyards and olive
groves. Les Salins is a poor hamlet with a little harbour frequented by
feluccas and the boats of the training ships anchored in the bay. Behind
the hamlet are immense shallow reservoirs for the evaporation of
sea-water principally in July and August. These reservoirs or Salins
occupy above 1000 acres, and produce annually 20,000 tons of the value
of £10,000. It is very coarse grained, but is much esteemed by the
fish-curers. 60 workmen are employed permanently, but during the hot or
busy season 300 (see map, p. 129).

Coach to Carqueyranne, 6¼ m. W., by Costebelle and the coast.
After having rounded the base of Hermitage Hill the coach arrives at the
commencement of the small neck of land where passengers for the
peninsula of Giens alight. Scarcely 200 yards beyond this are the almost
buried ruins of the Roman naval station of Pomponiana, some fine olive trees, and several
villas. A road from this leads to the Hermitage, passing an
olive-oil mill. West from Pomponiana by the high road is Carqueyranne,
a small straggling village, from which the little port is about
½ m. distant by nearly a straight road southwards. The Toulon
omnibus from the Place d’Italie halts at the port, but passes through
the village on its way to Toulon. The peak to the west of Carqueyranne
is Mt. Negre, 985 ft., and to the east are the peaks Oiseaux, 982 ft.,
and Paradis, 980 ft. Mt. Paradis may be conveniently ascended from
Carqueyranne, commencing from the valley between the two chains. In
Carqueyranne are produced the earliest strawberries, peas, potatoes, and
artichokes for the Paris market. It is 3½° warmer than Hyères.

142
 

Bormes.

Coach to Bormes, 14½ m. E.
from Hyères. The coach, after passing the ramification southwards to Les
Salins, halts a few minutes at La Londe, 7¾ m. E., a little
village with an inn, situated on both sides of the St. Tropez road.
Shortly afterwards the Bormes and Lavandou road separates from the St.
Tropez road, and extends S. through a wood of fir and cork trees. Bormes
is picturesquely situated among a group of hills to the east of that
long ridge which terminates with Cape Benat and the Fort Brégançon. In
the Place de la République or St. François is the inn, commanding a good
view from the back windows. At the east end of the inn is the old
churchyard, and a little beyond the new cemetery on the road to
Collobrières, 14 m. N. On the other side of the “Place” is the
parish church, from which a path leads up to the ruins of the castle,
12th cent., built by the Seigneurs of Bormes. Latterly it was occupied
by monks. From the castle a path, passing six small chapels, ascends to
the church of Notre Dame, commanding, especially from the portico,
a pretty view of the plains, sea, and mountains, as far as Toulon.
Bormes suffers from want of water. Less than an hour’s easy walking from
Bormes is Lavandou, a prosperous fishing village on the coast road
from Brégançon to St. Tropez. Savoury “langousts” or rock-lobsters are
caught in the bay (see map, p. 123).


MARSEILLES
MENTON
49
106
LA PAULINE, a few
houses with a new church, near the foot of Mont Coudon. Junction with
line to Hyères, 6½ m. E. Passengers who have missed the train
for Hyères should await the omnibus at the little café below. From La
Pauline the train arrives at Solliès-Pont, pop. 3000; _Inns:_
Victoria; Commerce; on the Gapeau. Four hundred feet higher, on a steep
hill, is the partially-walled and half-deserted Solliès-Ville, almost of
the same colour as the cliffs it stands on. Then Cuers, on the side of
the hill. _Inn:_ Poste. From the station the courrier leaves for
Collobrières (see p. 130).

Carnoules.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
63½
91½
CARNOULES. _Inn:_
H. de la Gare. Junction with line to Gardanne, 52 m. N.W., on
the line between Marseilles and Aix.


Gardanne. Barjols.

Gardanne to Carnoules.

Gardanne, pop. 3100.
H. Truc, with large coalfields, 11 m. N. from Marseilles and
7 m. S. from Aix (see p. 77). On this line,
16 m. N.W. from Carnoules and 36 m. E. from Gardanne, is
Brignoles, pop. 6000, on
the Carami. _Inns:_ Poste; Cloche d’Argent; Provence. This rather
dirty town, situated in the midst of plantations of plum and mulberry
trees, has long been famous for its dried plums. When ripe, they are
first carefully peeled and the stone taken out, then dried and gently
pressed. They are put up in small flat circular boxes. The church,
143
 
13th cent., is in the highest part of the town. St. Louis of Anjou,
Bishop of Toulouse, was born in the palace of the Counts of Provence,
now the Sous Préfecture, situated a little higher up the street than the
church. In the sacristy are preserved several of his sacerdotal
vestments. Diligence daily to Barjols, 16½ m. N., pop. 3000; H. Pont
d’Or; situated at the confluence of the Fouvery and the Crevisses (p. 167). Diligence also to Toulon by
Meounes (see p. 129).

St. Maximin.

On this branch line, 12 m. W. from Brignoles, is St. Maximin, 1043 ft. above
the sea, pop. 3400. _Inns:_ H. du Var; France. The church of
this ancient town was commenced by Charles II. of Sicily towards
the end of the 13th cent, over the underground chapel of St. Maximin,
1st cent. It has no transept. The nave is 239½ ft. long and 91½ ft.
high, and the aisles on each side 211 ft. long and 58 ft. high. The
width of the church is 127½ feet. The exterior is ugly and unfinished.
The interior of the roof rests on triple vaulting shafts rising from 10
piers on each side of the nave. Above the western entrance is a large
and fine-toned organ, which was saved from destruction by the organist
Fourcade playing upon it the Marseillaise. The case, the pulpit, and the
lovely screen of the sanctuary are of walnut wood from the forest of
Ste. Baume. Few parts of any church present such an admirable
combination of beauty, elegance, and symmetry as this sanctuary, by a
Flemish monk, Frère Louis, in 1692. Round the screen are 20 sculptured
panels, each bearing within a wreath a representation in relief of one
of the incidents in the life of some celebrated member of the order of
St. Dominic. Under them are 92 stalls in 4 rows; at one end is the
rood-loft, and at the other the high altar against the apsidal wall. The
entrance is by one door on each side, adorned with chaste sculpture and
spiral colonnettes. To the left, or N. of the altar, is a relief by
Puget (?) in marble, representing the Ascension of Mary Magdalene, and
on the other side, in terra-cotta, Mary receiving the Communion from St.
Maximin down in the crypt where she died. The reredos of the altar at
the east end of the N. aisle consists of a painting on wood by an
Italian artist in 1520. In the centre is a large Crucifixion, and on
each side 8 paintings on panels representing the Passion. Below, on the
table of the altar, is an Entombment. In the second chapel from this is
another reredos in the same style, representing St. Laurent, St.
Anthony, St. Sebastian, and St. Aquinius. Here, in a small window-like
recess, is a very ancient iron Crucifixion. From the chapel behind the
pulpit is the entrance into the cloister and convent, 13th and 14th
144
 
cents. The sculpture above the sound-board of the pulpit is of one
piece, and represents the Ascension of Mary Magdalene. The undulating
fluting on the panels and the sculpture on the railing are very
graceful. Behind is the stair down to the crypt in which Mary Magdalene
died after having swallowed a consecrated wafer given her by St.
Maximin. Her body was afterwards put into the elaborately-carved
alabaster sarcophagus on the left side of the altar. The marble
sarcophagus next it contained some bones of the Innocents Mary is said
to have brought with her from Palestine. Opposite Mary’s is the marble
sarcophagus of St. Maximin, 1st cent., and then follow the sarcophagi,
also in sculptured marble, of St. Marcella (Mary’s maid) and St.
Sidonius, 2d cent. They are all empty, having been rifled at the
Revolution of 1793. In the shrine on the altar is the skull of Mary
Magdalene, and in a sort of bottle the greater part of one of her
armbones. (See also under Six Fours,
p. 123.) The cave of Ste. Baume, in which Mary Magdalene is said to
have lived 34 years, is situated among the picturesque mountains, partly
in the Var, and partly in the Bouches du Rhône,
Mont Bretagne. Trets.
of which the culminating point is Mont Bretagne, 3498 ft. To go to it,
coach to La Poussiere, 5½ m. S.W., then ascend to the cave by Nans,
5 hrs. distant. Frequented by pilgrims. From the chapel St. Pilon, 3285
ft. above the cave, glorious view. (See map,
p. 123.) 12 m. W. from St. Maximin and 12 E. from Gardanne
is Trets, pop. 2200;
_Inn:_ France; a dirty town surrounded by its old walls
garnished with square towers. In the neighbourhood are coalpits, but
they are small and unimportant.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
75¼
79¾
LE LUC station, 1½ m. from
the town, pop. 3900. _Inns:_ Poste; Rousse. Coach daily from the
station by a beautiful road across the Maure mountains to St. Tropez,
26 m. S.E., by La Garde Fraisenet and Cogolin. Fare, 5 frs.
Time, 4 to 5 hours. The coach, shortly after leaving the station, begins
the ascent of the Maures, amidst vines, olives, chestnuts, and firs. On
the top of the pass, 1495 ft. above the sea and 12 m. from Luc, is
the village of La Garde Fraisenet, pop. 750, where the horses are
changed. This was the site of the Grand-Fraxinet, one of the strongholds
of the Saracens. 17 m. from Luc and 5 from La Garde is, on an
eminence, Grimaud, pop. 1400, an interesting village with arcaded
streets. In the principal square is a deep well hewn in the rock. The
massive walls of the church are built of large blocks of granite. On the
top of the hill is the castle built by Jean Cosse in the 15th cent., and
occupied till the
145
 
middle of the 18th. 19 m. from Luc, 7 from St. Tropez, and 25½ E. from
Hyères, is Cogolin, pop. 1000; _Inn:_ Piffard; situated on an
eminence. On the top of the hill the Saracens had a castle, from which
they were driven (p. 187), and all the
fortifications destroyed excepting one tower, now the town clock tower.
By the roadside, about half-way between Cogolin and St. Tropez, is a
very large fir tree. 32 m. N.E. from Hyères and 26 m. S.E. from Luc
station is

St. Tropez, pop.
3300, _Inn:_ Grand Hotel, a house with large rooms, at the
head of the port on the quay, commanding an excellent view of the bay.
The town, as usual, consists of dirty narrow streets. The church is in
the style found in the valley of the Rhône and along the east coast of
the Mediterranean. Nave surrounded by arches on high piers or tall
slight columns, such as at Tournon and Hyères. Small chancel and no
apsidal chapels, but generally an altar on the right and left of the
high altar, one of the two usually being to “Maria sine labe concepta.”
Behind the church, on a hill, is the citadel; and at the foot of the
hill, close to the sea, the cemetery. At the head of the harbour,
opposite the Grand Hotel, is a statue of Pierre André de Suffren, one of
the greatest admirals France ever had. He was born at St. Cannat, in
Provence, 13th July 1726, and died at Paris 8th December 1788. The
promenade has seven rows of large Oriental plane trees. The sea-urchins
of St. Tropez are very good. The drive by diligence from Luc to St.
Tropez is more beautiful than from Hyères to St. Tropez. Coach daily to
Hyères, 32½ m. W.

Draguignan. Lorgues.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
84½
70½
LES ARCS, pop. 1200,
H. de France. Branch line 8 m. N. to Draguignan on the Nartubie, pop. 10,000.
_Hotels:_ *Bertin; Poste; France; Var. From the side of the
H. Bertin diligences start for Salernes, pop. 2250, on the Bresque.
_Inn:_ H. Bernard; 13½ m N.W. from Draguignan (see map, p. 123). From Salernes the coach proceeds to
Aups, pop. 2350, on the Grave, 1657 ft. above the sea, and 7½ m. N.
from Salernes. _Inn:_ Gontard, with good beer. From Aups diligence
to Manosque by Riez (see p. 166). Also
diligence to Brignoles by Barjols (see
p. 143). From Draguignan diligence 3 times in the week to Fayence,
pop. 1000, situated half-way to Grasse. Diligence also to Lorgues, pop. 3000; _Inn:_
Bonne Foy; 6 m. W.

Draguignan is situated on the south side of the Malmont mountains,
which attain an elevation of 1995 ft. In the old town is the
clock-tower, 58 ft. high, commanding an extensive view of the plain and
of the surrounding mountains. In the new town the streets are broad and
intersected by avenues and a beautiful promenade containing
146
 
thirteen rows of lofty Oriental plane trees, about twenty in each row.
The Jardin des Plantes is small. In the Place aux Herbes is one of the
ancient gateways. Preserved fruits, oil, raw silk, and leather are the
principal products, ¾ m. from Draguignan, by the road to Comps, is
a large dolmen composed of one flat stone resting on four similar
stones. The top slab is 16 ft. long by 12½ wide and 1½ thick. The others
are each 7 ft. high, excepting one, which is broken. Indications of
markings may be traced. Growing around this interesting Celtic monument
are an oak, a splendid specimen of a “micocoulier” (_Celtis
australis_), and a juniper, 20 ft. high, of a very great age. The way
to it is from the H. Bertin, ascend the street, and take the first
road left. When within a few yards of the kilomètre stone, indicating 1
kil. from Draguignan and 30 from Comps, take the private road to the
left, leading into an olive tree plantation (see map, p. 123).

Frejus. Colosseum.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
98
57
FREJUS, pop. 3400,
H. Midi close to station. Situated on the Reyran at the S.W.
extremity of the Estérel mountains, a picturesque group 13 m.
from N. to S. and 10 from E. to W., traversed by the “Route de Paris en
Italie,” which, from Frejus to Cannes, 22½ m. E., passes by their
highest peak, Mont Vinaigre, 2020 ft. above the sea. The peculiar charm
of the Estérels is due to the warm reddish hue and fantastic forms of
the bare porphyry cliffs rising vertically from the midst of the sombre
green pines which clothe these mountains.

To the west of the station are the remains of the city walls, the
Porte de Gaules, and the Colosseum, or Arènes, of which the
greatest diameter was 224 ft., with accommodation for upwards of 9000
spectators. On the eastern side of the station are the Porte Dorée and
the terrace called the Butte St. Antoine. East of the Butte stood a
Roman lighthouse. At this part are remains of Roman towers and walls.
The masonry throughout is admirable, composed of stones of the size of
large bricks. The Porte Dorée has alternate layers of stone and brick.
Having visited the ruins by the side of the railway, pass up by the
church, and leave the town by a road having on the left hand a large
building—the seminary. Having walked a few paces, there will be
seen to the left rather an ugly square tower, which marks the site of
the theatre. The lofty ruins of arches in this neighbourhood are the
remains of the Roman aqueduct which brought water to Frejus from the
Siagnole, near Mons, 24 m. N.E., and contained 87 arches. To the
right of the road is a terrace supported by (once) powerful masonry.
Below is the old Chapelle St. Roch. In the higher part of the town is
the parish church, which, with the adjoining
147
 
“éveché,” belongs to the 12th cent. To the left on entering is the
baptistery. In the Rue Éveché is a house with a sculptured doorway and
well-executed caryatides. From Frejus commence the pleasant views and
glimpses of the Mediterranean, which continue all the way to Genoa. The
Phœnician merchants of Massilia (Marseilles) founded the cities of Forum
Julii or Frejus, Antipolis or Antibes, Nicæa or Nice, and Agatha or
Agde. Agricola, the father-in-law of Tacitus, was born at Frejus.


opp. 146
the ESTÉREL MOUNTAINS
with FREJUS and St. RAPHAËL
to CANNES

see caption


Saint Raphael.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
100½
54½
SAINT RAPHAEL, a
rapidly-increasing place of 3000 inhabitants. In winter its guests come
from the colder regions in quest of warmth, and in summer from the hot
interior in quest of the cooling breezes and the still more refreshing
sea-bathing. _Hotels:_ close to the station, the France, 8 to
9 frs. More expensive houses: G. H. de St. Raphael, on an
eminence, with garden; near the beach, the *G. H. des Bains, 9 to
13 frs.; and Beau Rivage. Among the numerous handsome villas is the
cottage built by Alphonse Karr. Temple Protestant, Anglican Chapel.
Little steamer daily to St. Tropez; whence diligence to Hyères (p. 134). Omnibus runs between St. Raphael and
Valescure, 2 m. inland, with G. H. de Valescure. St. Raphael,
only 43 minutes from Cannes, makes a salubrious and agreeable residence,
with pleasant walks, either by the beach or up the valley of the Garonne
into the Estérel mountains, where the rambles are endless. At the E. end
of St. Raphael is a very pleasant park, rising from the rocks on the
coast. A little farther towards Cannes is the Boulerie, with a
large hotel.

Napoleon landed at St. Raphael on his return from Egypt in 1799, and
here he embarked when he sailed for Elba. Along this part of the coast
are fine specimens of the _Pinus pinea_.

Agay. Sainte Baume.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
105
50
AGAY, a small custom-house
station, with a few houses at the head of a small but deep bay, into
which flows the stream Grenouiller. On the top of the conical hill, on
the S.W. side of the station, is the Tour de Darmont,
a signal-tower. The great excursion from Agay is to La Sainte
Baume, 4½ m. distant, and a little to the N. of the peak of Cape
Roux, 1444 ft. above the sea. From the station take the path eastward to
the old château, which leave on the right hand, and pass under the
railway to an abandoned farmhouse. There a good path begins and winds
upwards to the summit of a small hill. From there descend boldly into
the valley in an eastwardly direction towards the rugged red summit of
Cape Roux till a stream is reached. Leaving the stream, a pathway
will be seen going upwards to Cape Roux. Follow that till a high ridge
is reached, close to the summit,
148
 
where is a splendid view to the east and west and north-west; then take
to the left, and in a few hundred yards a platform, with a spout of
running water and a couple of abandoned buildings, is reached. Distance
about 3½ miles. About 260 ft. above this, in the face of the rock, is
La Sainte Baume, the holy
cave of St. Honorat, in which this saint is said to have lived a
hermit’s life for some years. The best way back to Agay is by the wide
path seen from the hermitage leading westward to the river in the
valley. On the way remark, on the left hand, a truncated stone
pillar, a Roman milestone, with an inscription. Some archæologists
base upon the existence of this stone their assertion that the Via
Aurelia passed this way. At the bottom of the valley cross the
Grenouiller, and join the road to Agay.

Le Trayas.

After Agay the railway sweeps round by the base of Cape Roux, where a
magnificent panoramic view displays itself, just before arriving at
Le Trayas, the next and
last station before reaching Cannes, 11 m. E. from St. Raphael,
6¼ m. E. from Agay, and 8¾ m. W. from Cannes. From Trayas also
a road leads to the chapel of Ste. Baume, which is considered nearer
though not so good as the road from Agay. At Trayas the train passes
from the department of Le Var to the department of the Alpes Maritimes,
then traverses the Saoumes tunnel, 886 yards, and having passed the
pretty villages of Theoule and La Napoule, enters the
beautifully-situated town of Cannes.


Cannes.


opp. 149
plan of Cannes
[East Edge: Northward Arrow] _To Villa Nevada_
[East Edge: Southward Arrow] _To Hotel California_

149
 

CANNES,

on the Gulf of Napoule, 120½ m. E. from Marseilles, 79 m. N.E.
from Toulon, 78¼ m. N.E. from Hyères, and 19¼ m. S.W. from
Nice. Fixed population, 19,400. Hotels and Pensions.—Although there are
already very many hotels, their number continues to increase. Of villas
there are about 450, which, with the exception of some 110 belonging to
resident French and English proprietors, are let by the season, from the
1st of October to the last of May, at rents varying from £80 to £1200,
including plate and linen. Many have coachhouse, stables, and gardens
attached. For information regarding them apply to Taylor and Riddett,
agents, bankers, and moneychangers, 43 Rue de Frejus. They have also a
well-supplied readingroom, which they place at the disposal of the
public without any charge. The first-class hotels charge from 10 to 25
frs. per day; the second from 8 to 12, including everything. A fair
gratuity for service during a prolonged stay is from 50 c. to 75 c. per
day.

Cannes: Hotels and Pensions.

Those requiring to study economy will find the most reasonable hotels
and pensions at the east end of the town. The Pension Mon Plaisir,
8 frs., in garden, Boulevard d’Alsace, near railway station. In the
Boulevard Cannet, Pension d’Angleterre, 9 to 10 frs., in garden. Farther
up the same Boulevard the Pension St. Nicolas, 8 frs. Near Trinity
Church, the *Pension Victoria, 8 to 11 frs., with very large garden
fronting the promenade.

Cab, with one horse and seated for two, from the station to the
hotels, 1½ fr.; each portmanteau, ½ fr.

The atmosphere on the hills, and at some little distance from the
sea, is supposed to be in a less electrical condition, and not so liable
to produce wakefulness, as in those places near the beach, and therefore
many prefer the hotels and pensions situated inland. _Hotels:_
fronting station, the Négociants; the 1 *Univers, 7½ to 9 frs. In the
Allées, on the beach, the Hôtel Splendide, 12 to 20 frs. At E. end of R.
d’Antibes, the Pensions Luxembourg; Wagram, 8 to 11 frs.; and the
H. Russie, 9 to 12 frs.

1
The asterisk, here as elsewhere, prefixed to the name of hotel indicates
that it is one of the best of its class.

_Hotels to the east of the Allées_, fronting the beach, taking
them in the order from west to east:—The National, 9 to 15 frs.;
Midi, 8 to 12 frs.; *Beau-Rivage; *Gray and Albion; *Grand Hotel; Plage;
the last four are first-class houses, charging from 10 to 20 frs. The
150
 
H. Suisse; Augusta; Anne Therese; *Victoria, in large garden, 8 to
12 frs. Behind the Grand Hotel is the Theatre. Behind the H. Midi,
in the R. Bossu, No. 8, the Post and Telegraph Offices.

On the north side of the railway, but a little higher, are the
Louvre; H. Central; Alsace-Lorraine, all 10 to 20 frs. St. Victor;
La Paix. A little way hack are the Pension d’Angleterre; H. de
France; H. Méditerranée, 9 to 13 frs.

Farther east, and approaching the region of Californie, are Hotels
Windsor; Mont-Fleuri; *Beau-Séjour; St. Charles; Des Anges; *Californie;
Des Pins, 10 to 25 frs. On the hill overlooking the H. de
Californie is the Villa Nevada, where the Duke of Albany died on Friday
morning, 28th March 1884.

In the interior, on eminences on the west side of the Boulevard
Cannet, are the *Prince of Wales; *Provence; Des *Anglais; *Richemont;
all with gardens, and charging from 12 to 25 frs. per day.

At the foot of this hill, on the Boulevard Cannet, is the Pension
Lerins, a plain but comfortable house, charging 7 to 8 frs.
A little higher up this Boulevard is the English church of St.
Paul; whence a road ascends to the Hôtel *Paradis, which, although a
first-class house, on an eminence in a garden, charges only from 10 to
15 frs. Next it is the Hôtel de Hollande, similarly situated. Also well
inland, on the Nouveau Chemin de Vallergues, is the H. *Beau-Lieu, 10 to
20 frs.

On the west side of Cannes, near the agency of Taylor and Riddett, is
the *Hôtel des Princes, 10 to 20 frs. On the hill above this part is the
H. Continental, 10 to 20 frs. Between the Scotch church and the
beach, and fronting the public garden, is the H. *Square Brougham, 8 to
10 frs., well situated. Beyond, between the railway and the beach, is
the H. Pavilion, 12 to 25 frs. A little beyond is Christ
Church, and on an eminence opposite the H. *Terrasse, 12 to 16 frs.,
a large house with garden. Farther west, and considerably inland,
upon separate eminences, are two handsome hotels, the *Belle-Vue, behind
the Rothschild villa; and the *Beau-Site, 12 to 25 frs., behind Lord
Brougham’s villa. Farther west, and on the same level, is the
H. Estérel, same price. On a hill, a little beyond the perfume
distillery of M. Lubin, is the Pension de la Tour, well situated,
and not expensive. The western suburb of Cannes is called La Bocca, and
sometimes La Verrerie, from the bottle-works there. From this a road
runs up the broad valley of the Siagne, where there are fields of the
fragrant red Turkey rose, gathered in May for the perfumeries (see page 161).

Cannes: Churches. Cab Fares. Steamers.

_Churches._—Christ Church, Rue de
Frejus; St. Paul’s, Boulevard
151
 
du Cannet; Trinity Church, a little to the east of the Cercle Nautique.
Scotch Church, Rue de Frejus. Near the Church of St. Paul is the Invalid
Ladies’ Home. French Churches, on the Route de Grasse, and in the Rue
Notre Dame. German Church, Boulevard Cannet.

Bank and money-changer opposite post office. In the neighbourhood the
office of Cook & Son, where their railway and hotel tickets are
sold.

_Cab
Fares._—One horse with 2 seats, the course 1½ fr.; the
hour, 2½ frs. Two horses with 4 seats, the course 2 frs.; the hour,
3½ frs. Portmanteaus, ½ fr. each. _Steamers_ from No. 20 Quai St. Pierre for
Marseilles and Cette. Twice daily for the islands of St. Marguerite and
St. Honorat, 1 and 2 frs. there and back. On Thursdays and
Saturdays trips to Theoule, 2 frs.

 Lord Brougham.

Cannes extends 4½ m. from east to west, partly on the Gulf of Jouan,
and partly on the Gulf of Napoule, covering likewise with its houses and
gardens Cape Croisette, which separates these two gulfs. Landwards it
extends nearly the same distance, where large hotels crown the hills,
and pretty villas with gardens occupy the valleys. The principal square,
called the Allés de la Liberté, is nearly in the centre of the town, at
the head of the Gulf of Napoule, and is about 700 yards long by 110
wide. It contains the Hôtel de Ville and the H. Splendide. Between
them is a marble statue, life-size, “A Lord Brougham, né à
Edinburgh, le 19 Septembre 1778. Décédé à Cannes le 7 Mai 1868.” He is
in his official robes. In his left hand, resting on the top of a palm,
he holds a rose. The Hôtel de Ville contains the Public Library and
interesting collections illustrating the natural history of the
neighbourhood. The obliging director gives every assistance in naming
the plants, insects, and minerals. At the head of the Allées, and on the
adjoining eminence, is the old or original town. On this hill is the
Church of Notre-Dame-d’Espérance, 17th cent., with a reliquary of the
15th. In front is a rudely-constructed wall with embrasures. Above it
are St. Anne, 13th cent., the old chapel of the castle, and the square
tower commenced in 1080 by the Abbot Adalbert II., of the monastery
of St. Honorat. From the top is an extensive view. Near the foot of the
tower is a small observatory. On a much higher hill behind is the new
cemetery, where Lord Brougham was buried on the 24th of May 1868. The
monument consists of a massive lofty cross on a double basement, bearing
the following inscription:— “HENRICVS BROVGHAM. Natus MDCCLXXVIII.
Decessit MDCCCLXVIII.” Near him lies James, fourth Duke of Montrose,
K.T., died December 1874.

_The
climate_, though dry and sunny, is at times precarious. In
152
 
nooks sheltered by hills from the wind the heat is often oppressive, but
on leaving their protection a chilling current of air is experienced.
The mean winter temperature is 47° Fahr. The average number of rainy
days in the year is 52, and the annual rainfall 25 inches, the same as
at Nice. “The electrical condition of the climate of Cannes, as well as
its equable warmth and dryness, together with the stimulating properties
of the atmosphere, indicate its fitness for scrofulous and lymphatic
temperaments.” —Madden’s _Resorts_. “While Cannes, therefore,
possesses a winter climate well suited for children, elderly people, and
many classes of invalids, especially those who require a stimulating
atmosphere, it is not so well adapted for the majority of those
suffering from affections of the respiratory organs.” —_Dr.
Hassall._

Cannes: Drives.

_Drives._—In Cannes there are great
facilities for driving in carriages, light open cabs, and omnibuses. The
omnibuses start for their destinations either from the east corner of
the Cours (Allées de la Liberté), or from the Rue d’Antibes, near the
Cours. The largest livery stables are in the Rue d’Antibes. They charge
for a carriage, with coachman and two horses, per month £30. The cabmen
carry their tariffs with them, and are bound to show them when required.
Copies of the “Tarif des Voitures” are kept for distribution in the
Kiosque on the Cours. The recognised gratuity given to coachmen is at
the rate of 3 frs. for a 25 frs. fare.


Road to Vallauris.

THE CORNICHE OF CANNES.

The best of the drives is to Vallauris by the low road to the Golfe de
Jouan, 4 m. N.E., then up the valley to Vallauris, 2 m. N.,
and 250 ft. above the sea. From Vallauris return to Cannes, 5½ m.
S.W. by the Corniche road and La Californie. Carriage and pair, 25 frs.
Cab with one horse, 14 frs.; with two, 18 frs. Omnibus to Vallauris,
1 fr. By taking the omnibus to Vallauris the remainder makes a
delightful and easy walk along the Corniche road. Cross the Vallauris
bridge a little below Massier’s pottery, and ascend the broad road.
About ½ m. from the bridge is the “Observatoire de la Corniche,”
where tea and coffee can be had, and whence there is a charming view
east from Cannes to Bordighera. About half-way between this and the
observatory at the Cannes or S.W. end of the road is the large hotel
Cannes-Eden.

The Belvédère, at the Cannes end of the road, in La Californie, is 545 ft. above
the sea, and can be approached by omnibus from the Cours, 1 fr.
each. Behind it is the terminus of the branch of the canal which
supplies the east part of Cannes. The terminus of the
153
 
other branch, by which the west of Cannes is supplied, is just above the
Belle-Vue hotel on the road up to the Croix des Gardes. The canal
commences near the source of the Siagne, a few miles from St.
Cesaire.

From the Belvédère an excellent carriage-road ascends to a still
higher summit, 795 ft. above the sea, or 250 ft. above the Belvédère.
The view is similar, including more of the interior. A short
distance N.E. from this is another summit, 804 ft. above the sea, which
from the top looks as if it were nearly over Antibes.

Many prefer to commence this drive by Californie, and to return from
Vallauris by the Golfe de Jouan and the low road. Opposite the Golfe de
Jouan station is C. Massier’s pottery, and a few yards along the
road towards Antibes is Napoleon’s column (p. 169).

Vallauris. Pottery. Mines.

Vallauris, pop.
4000, is a poor village, with small cafés and restaurants. The omnibus
stops in the “Place” opposite the church and the Hôtel de Ville,
containing a large flat stone bearing an inscription, stating that “the
Emperor Tiberius remade the road it refers to in the 32d year of his
tribunician authority.” Also a column, 4 ft. high and 14 inches in
diameter, bearing an inscription to Constantine.
Vallauris has long been famous for the manufacture of kitchen pottery,
“Potteries Réfractaires,” earthenware utensils, principally of the
“marmite” or stewpan class, capable of bearing great heat without
cracking. A dozen marmites, in assorted sizes, are sold for
2 frs. To this the Massiers and others have added the manufacture
of artistic pottery, of which there is a good display, both in the
showrooms in the village and in those down at the Golfe de Jouan.
Several of the clay-beds may be seen by the side of the road leading up
northwards from Vallauris; but the best and richest strata, all of the
Pleiocene period, are in that valley near the spot where this road meets
the road to Antibes. About 220 yards beyond this meeting-place a cut-up
road ramifies, left, into the valley containing the clay-mines. The entrances
into them are covered with roofing. Any one may descend into them. The
colours of the clay are blue, red, black, and gray, all in various
shades. The most valuable is the blue. Most of the common articles are
made of a mixture of all the clays. Red clay from Estaque, near
Marseilles, is also used in the making of artistic pottery.


Vallauris to Antibes.

The road leading northward from Vallauris and afterwards S.E. to Antibes
traverses beautiful hills and valleys covered with Aleppo pines. Having
passed the junction and the valley of the mines, we come to a firebrick
and marmite manufactory, 410 ft. above the sea. The road behind,
extending N.W., ascends to Castelaras. Afterwards a bridge is passed,
and some arches of the aqueduct built by the Romans to convey water to
Antibes. (For Antibes, see pp. 154 and
169.)

154
 

Cannet. La Croisette.

CANNET.

Two miles N. from Cannes, by the beautiful Boulevard Foncière, is
Cannet, 265 ft., pop. 2600. At the head of the Boulevard is the
H. *Bretagne, 10 to 20 frs. A little to the east of the church Ste.
Philomène is a smaller house, the H. and Pension Cannet, 8 to 10
frs. Immediately opposite the church is the Villa Sardou, where in 1858
the accomplished tragedian Rachel died of consumption. At that time none
of those broad roads existed which now encircle the house. Above the
church is the “Place,” commanding a very pretty view. Omnibus, 6 sous.
Cab to Cannet, and return by the Grasse road, 7 or 9 frs.

Drive to La
Croisette, the first cape east from Cannes, by the beautiful
road 2 m. long, skirting the sea. Cab, 1 horse and 2 seats, 1½ fr.,
or 2½ frs. the hour. 2 horses with 4 seats, 2 frs. Tram, 6 sous.
Omnibus 6 times daily, fare 30 c. This is a most enjoyable walk or drive
by the beautiful esplanade fronting the sea. Near to La Croisette is the
entrance to the orange orchard “Des Hesperides,” occupying 4 acres. The
trees stand in rows 12 ft. apart, and were planted in 1852, when they
were from 5 to 8 years old. In gardens in the country the oranges cost
about a sou each, but in the Hesperides they are dearer. The best are
those the second year on the tree. Frosts retard the sweetening process,
and in some years damage the trees. In the village of La Croisette there
is a place for pigeon-shooting, and also the remains of fortifications
begun by Richelieu, but never completed.

_Cannes to the Cap d’Antibes_, 7 m. E. Cab with 1 horse and 2
seats, 18 frs. With 2 horses and 4 seats, 22 frs. Private carriage, 30
frs. Omnibus between Cannes and Antibes 3 times daily. In Cannes it
starts from the Allées de la Liberté, and in Antibes from the “Place,”
fare 1 fr. Very near this “Place” are two comfortable inns, the
H. Escouffier and the H. des Aigles d’Or; pension 7 to
8 frs. Their omnibuses await passengers at the railway station.
Antibes has a little harbour and pier, and strong fortifications by
Vauban, who also built the fortress Fort Carré, near the northern side
of the entrance. From the N. ramparts, but more especially from the high
walk above the pier on the roofs of some small houses, are seen
distinctly Nice, the fishing village Cros de Cagne, and Cagne. Inland
from Cagne are St. Jeannet, La Goude, Vence, and St. Paul, and, farther
west, Le Bar. In the background are the Maritime Alps, generally tipped
with snow in winter. In the centre of the town are two ancient towers.
One of them stands in front of the church, and is used as the belfry;
the other forms part of an adjoining building, the “Bureau du
Recrutement.”


opp. 155
CANNES & ENVIRONS

see caption


Cap d’Antibes. Lighthouse.

The Cap d’Antibes
affords a delightful little walking excursion. To visit the “Cap” from
Antibes, leave the town by the small gate, the
155
 
Porte Fausse, between the sea and the Porte de France, and then take the
first road left by the side of the sea and the telegraph-posts. Ascend
the hill, to the church, by the terraced steps of a “Via Crucis,”
bordered with the usual 14 chapels, each with a group representing some
part of the passion of our Lord. At the top is N. D. d’Antibes,
frequented by pilgrims. The north aisle, which is the oldest part of the
building, is of the 9th cent. Behind it is the lighthouse built in 1836, on a hill 187 ft. above the
sea. The building is 82 ft. higher, and ascended by 115 steps. On the
top is a fixed white light, visible at a distance of 28 miles. Fee for
one person, ½ fr. The view is splendid. Before descending, observe the
road to the Villa Thuret and to the Hôtel du Cap, a first-class
house, 10 to 14 frs. Omnibus at station. The villa and grounds of Thuret
are now a Government school for the culture and study of semi-tropical
trees and shrubs. It is said that the first gum trees introduced into
France were planted in 1853, and those in this garden in 1859. (For
Antibes, see also p. 169.) The great tower on
a rock to the W., overlooking the sea, is a powder-magazine.

Croix des Gardes. Theoule.

Drives to the west of the Hôtel de Ville.—_La Croix des
Gardes_, 2½ m. N.W., and 498 ft. above the sea. The nearest
way ramifies from the Frejus road by the E. side of the Belle-Vue hotel.
The cross rises from a column on a block of granite. The view is
extensive. By the side of the road will be observed considerable
plantations of the _Acacia farnesiana_, from whose flowers a
pleasant perfume is distilled.

_Cannes to Napoule_, 6 m. W,
Cab with 1 horse and 2 seats, 12 frs.; with 2 horses and 4 seats, 16
frs. 1 hour’s rest allowed. By omnibus, 30 c., leaving Cannes at 1 for
the Bocca. At the Bocca it corresponds with the omnibus to Napoule, 50
c.; which, as it does not return till 4.30, affords ample time to walk
on to Theoule and back,
2 m. W. The Napoule road commences from the western, or what
is also called the English, portion of Cannes. It passes the little
Scotch church, behind which are the Square Brougham and the public
gardens. Farther W. is Christ Church, one of the three Episcopal
Chapels. A short distance beyond, on the right side of the road, is
the villa Eléonore-Louise, where Lord Brougham died. The house is hidden
among the trees, but the garden is easily recognised by 2 large cypress
trees growing by the side of the rail. Three m. from Cannes, on an
eminence covered with pines, oaks, and cypresses, on the S. side of the
road, is the poor little chapel of St. Cassien, the patron saint of Cannes, whose day is
held on the 23d of July, in much the same manner as the Pardons in
Brittany, called here Roumeiragi. Napoule is a small hamlet by the side
of an old castle on the beach, at the foot of wooded hills. From it a
very pretty road by the coast, cut in the face of the cliffs, leads to
the hamlet of Theoule, on a tiny plateau over the beach, at the foot of
the Estérel mountains. The restaurant of Theoule is better than that at
Napoule. Between these two hamlets, and spanned by the railway viaduct,
a narrow precipitous valley penetrates into the mountains. From
Theoule a road extends to Trayas.

Estérel. Pégomas.

_Cannes to the Inn of
Estérel_, 12 m. S.W. and 830 ft. above the sea.
156
 
Carriage there and back, 35 frs. Cab with one horse and two seats, 18
frs.; with two horses and four seats, 22 frs. After passing the Bocca
and St. Cassien, the carriage crosses the Siagne, having on the right or
north Mandelieu nestling in the sun, at the foot Mt. le Duc, 1265 ft.,
a little to the east of the flat peak La Gaëte, 1663 ft. Afterwards
the Riou is crossed at the village of Le Tremblant, 167 ft. above the
sea, whence the ascent is continued by an excellent road amidst
picturesque scenery to the Inn and Gendarmerie of Estérel. The inn is
situated to the N. of Mt. Vinaigre, having to the east the Plan Pinet,
876 ft. above the inn, and to the west Mt. Vinaigre, 1193 ft. above the
inn. The path to the summit of Mt. Vinaigre commences near the inn. The
culminating part, 1030 ft., of the carriage-road is about 1¼ m.
west from the inn at a place where four roads meet, almost immediately
below Mt. Vinaigre, which is ascended from this point also.

7 m. N. from Cannes by the Plaine de Laval and the wide valley of the
Siagne, passing the Hôtel Garibondy, is the village of Pégomas, pop. 1350, on the
Mourachone, a slow-running stream, in some parts hidden among
bamboos. Beyond the mill of the village is a pretty but difficult walk
up the ravine of the stream. Omnibus, 75 c. Cab, 12 or 16 frs.; 1 hour’s
rest.

About 3 m. N.W. is Auribeau, pop. 480, prettily situated on the
Siagne. Cab, 18 or 22 frs., with 2 hours’ rest.

Mougins. Castelaras.

4¾ m. N. from Cannes, on a hill 820 ft. above the sea, is Mougins, pop. 1680. The road ascends
all the way, passing by the cemetery and traversing vineyards and large
olive groves. The omnibus goes no farther than Les Baraques, about
¼ m. below the town. Fare, 75 c. Cab there and back, one horse, 12
frs.; two horses, 16 frs.; 1 hour’s rest. Mougins still retains a few
low portions of its walls and one gate, just behind the church. In the
shop near the gate is the key of the church tower. The church dates from
the 12th cent. From the tower, ascended by 75 steps, is a beautiful
view. To the west is La Roquette, N.W. Mouans-Sartoux, and beyond
Grasse. To the S.W. near the sea, and on the border of the Estérels, is
the village of Mandelieu.

4 m. N. from Mougins, by the stony old road, or a little farther by the
new road, is Castelaras, 1050 ft. above the sea. It is half a
villa and half a farmhouse, commanding from the tower a splendid view of
Grasse, Le Bar, the valley of the Loup, Tourettes, Vence, etc., to the
north; Biot, Antibes, Nice, etc., to the east; Mouans, Auribeau, and the
Estérel mountains to the west; and Cannes with its islands to the south.
The easiest way to approach Castelaras on foot is to take the train to
Mouans-Sartoux, pop. 1010, then ascend the hill by the steep road to the
east of the station. When on the top the farmhouse and tower are
distinctly seen. Carriage there and back, 35 frs. The column farther
north marks the tomb of a gentleman who died at Grasse in 1883.

_Sail by steamboat_ to the Iles de Lerins. Time, 1 hr. The steamer
makes two trips, so that passengers may land by the first at Ste.
Marguerite, and by the second be carried on to St. Honorat, where the
steamer remains sufficient time to visit the castle.

157
 

ILES DE LERINS.

The Island of Ste. Marguerite, 4½ m. in circumference and 1½ m.
from the mainland, is covered entirely with a pine forest, except at
Point Croisette, on which stands the fort founded by Richelieu,
containing the apartments in which Marshal Bazaine was confined and the
far more interesting vaulted cell in which the Man of the Iron Mask was
closely guarded. The present entrance did not exist at that time, the
only communication then being by the now walled-up door which led into
the house of the governor, M. de St. Mars. From behind the prison a
road, bordered by the _Eucalyptus globulus_, goes right through the
pine plantation to the other side of the island.

The Man of the Iron Mask.

The name of the Man of the Iron Mask was Hercules Anthony Matthioli,
a Bolognese of ancient family, born on the 1st December 1640. On
the 13th of January 1661 he married Camilla, daughter of Bernard
Paleotti, by whom he had two sons, one of whom only had posterity, which
has long since been extinct. Early in life Matthioli was public reader
in the University of Bologna, which he soon quitted to enter the service
of Charles III., Duke of Mantua, by whom he was finally made
Secretary of State. The successor of Charles III., Ferdinand
Charles IV., the last sovereign of Mantua, of the house of Gonzaga,
created Matthioli supernumerary senator of Mantua, and gave him the
title of Count. Towards the end of 1677 the Abbé d’Estrades, ambassador
from France to the Republic of Venice, conceived the idea, which he was
well aware would be highly acceptable to the insatiable ambition of his
master, Louis XIV., of inducing the weak and unfortunate Duke Ferdinand
Charles to allow of the introduction of a French garrison into Casale,
a strongly-fortified town, in a great measure the key of Italy. The
cession of the fortress of Pinerolo to the French by Victor Amadeus,
Duke of Savoy, in 1632, had opened to them the entrance into Piedmont,
while the possession of Casale would have opened to them the broad and
fertile plains of Milan.

The great difficulty Estrades had to encounter at first in the
prosecution of this intrigue was to find a medium of communication
between himself and the Duke. This channel was at last found in the
person of Matthioli, who enjoyed the Duke’s confidence and favour, and
was besides a complete master of Italian politics. Through him the
schemes of Estrades progressed so well that he was invited to the French
court, where he was received and rewarded by Louis XIV.,
158
 
who at the same time presented him with a valuable diamond ring. Shortly
after Matthioli’s return to Italy he allowed himself to be bought over
by the Austrian party, which frustrated the French negotiations and so
exasperated the vindictive Louis that he sent orders to the Abbé
Estrades to have him kidnapped at all hazards.
For this purpose Matthioli was induced to go to the frontier beyond
Turin, where he was arrested as a traitor to France by the Abbé,
accompanied by four soldiers, on 2d May 1679. Such a scandalous breach
of international law required the adoption of extraordinary
precautionary means of concealment. His name was changed to Lestang, he
was compelled to wear a black velvet mask, and when he travelled armed
attendants on horseback were ready to despatch him if he made any
attempt to escape, or even to reveal himself.

By the direction of Estrades he was comfortably lodged and fed in
prison, till orders came from Paris, stating— “It is not the
intention of the king that the Sieur de Lestang should be well treated,
nor receive anything beyond the absolute necessaries of life, nor
anything to make his time pass agreeably.” He was handed over to the
charge of St. Mars, who took him to the castle of Pinerolo, whence in
1681 they removed to the castle of Exiles. From Exiles St. Mars removed
his unfortunate and now crazy prisoner to the Island of Ste. Marguerite,
where they arrived 30th April 1687, after a journey of twelve days.

Among the erroneous anecdotes told of Matthioli during his ten years’
sojourn on the island are:—On one occasion he is alleged to have
written his name and rank on a silver plate, which he threw out of the
window. A fisherman picked it up and brought it to St. Mars, who,
on finding the man could not read, let him go. On another occasion
Matthioli is said to have covered one of his shirts with writing, which
he likewise threw out of the window. It was found by a monk, who, when
he delivered it to St. Mars, assured him that he had not read it. Two
days afterwards the monk was found dead. The origin of these stories is
to be found in a letter from St. Mars to the Minister, dated 4th June
1692, in which he informs him that he has been obliged to inflict
corporeal punishment upon a Protestant clergyman named Salves, also in
his keeping, because he would write things on his pewter vessels and
linen, to make known that he was imprisoned unjustly on account of the
purity of his faith.

In 1697 Matthioli with his keeper left for the Bastile, of which place
St. Mars had been appointed governor. They arrived on 18th September
1698.

On the 19th November 1703, about 10 p.m., Matthioli died in the Bastile, after a few
hours’ illness, and was buried next day at 4 p.m. in the cemetery of St. Paul.—Extracted
from the _History of the Bastile_, by R. A. Davenport.

The Island of St. Honorat. Abbey. Massacre.

The Island of St.
Honorat contains 97 acres, or is ¼ the size of Ste. Marguerite,
from which it is 750 yards distant. A pleasant road of 2½ m.,
shaded by umbrella pines, leads round the island. Straight
159
 
from the landing-place is a convent of Cistercian monks, settled here only since
1859. The original monastery was founded by St. Honorat in 410. In 730
and 891 the Saracens invaded the island, pillaged the
establishment, and massacred the monks. In the 10th century the again
flourishing brotherhood received Cannes as a gift from Guillaume
Gruetta, son of Redouard, Count of Antibes. In 1073 they built the tower
on the island, and in 1080 the Abbé Adalbert II. commenced the
castle of Cannes. In 1148 the monks strengthened and enlarged the
fortifications of their tower. In 1788 the monastery was suppressed on
account of the irregularities of the inmates. In 1791 the island and
buildings were sold. In 1859 they were finally bought by the Bishop of
Frejus, who handed them over to the present occupiers, a colony of
Cistercian monks, 50 in number, of whom about two-thirds are lay
brethren.

“What Iona was to the ecclesiastical history of northern England, what
Fulda and Monte Cassino were to the ecclesiastical history of Germany
and southern Italy, St. Honorat was to the church of southern
Gaul. For nearly two centuries the civilisation of the great district
between the Loire and the Mediterranean rested mainly on the Abbey of
Lerins. Sheltered by its insular position from the ravages of the
barbaric hordes who poured down the valleys of the Rhône and of the
Garonne, it exercised over Provence and Aquitaine a supremacy such as
Iona, till the Synod of Whitby, exercised over Northumbria. All the more
illustrious sees of southern Gaul were filled by prelates who had been
reared at Lerins. To Arles (p. 70) it gave in succession Hilary,
Cæsarius, and Virgilius.

“The present cloister of the abbey is much later than the date of the
massacre of the monks, which took place, according to tradition, on the
little piece of green sward in the centre of the cloister.

“With the exception of the masonry of the side walls, there is nothing
in the abbey church earlier than the close of the 11th cent.”
—J. R. Green’s _Stray Studies_.

St. Honorat: Castle.

The tower or rather castle, as it now stands, represents two tall
rectangular elevations of unequal magnitude, crowned by projecting
cornices. On the ground-floor, with entrance from the beach, is a large
hall with groined roof, said by some to have been a chapel, and by
others a bakery, but most likely a “parloir” or reception-room. In the
wall, a little to the left or west, and about 30 ft. from the
ground, is a cannon-ball fired by the English when they took possession
of the islands in 1746. The interior of the castle is shown by the
concierge of the convent. The first part entered is the oblong cloister,
in three stories, of which two remain entire. The corridor of the first
is supported on short columns standing round the edge of a cistern. From
this corridor open the doors into the bedrooms and refectory. From the
upper corridor is the entrance to the chapel, which opened into the
library. Above the library was the infirmary, of which not a vestige
remains. A good view is had from the top. Visitors are next taken
to the convent. The church and buildings are
160
 
modern, excepting one of the cloisters. It is therefore a pity to spend
much time there, especially for those who have arrived by the last
steamer, and have consequently little time to spare.

Chapel of the Trinity.

By the road round the island are the remains of chapels of the 7th
cent., or even earlier. Going from west to east there is, against the
wall of the convent, a little to the west of the castle, the Chapel
of St. Porcaire (restored), where, it is said, the saint was buried. At
the western extremity of the island, within an old fort, is the Chapel
of St. Sauveur. To the west of the landing-place, near the large
gateway, are little better than the foundations of the Chapel of St.
Pierre. Farther east, beside the Orphanage, is St. Justine, now a
stable. The Orphanage contains about 25 boys. They are taught different
trades. The franc charged for showing the castle goes to their support.
On the eastern point of the island, beside a fort, is the most
interesting chapel of all, the Chapel of the *Trinity, 35 ft. long by about 25 wide,
placed from east to west. The great corner-stones of this small temple,
by their size and solidity, are the main supports of the building,
illustrating thereby the reason why in Scripture so much importance and
honour are attached to them in edifices. The roof of the nave is
semicircular, strengthened by three arches, the centre one springing
from two round columns. The roofs of the three apsidal chapels are
semispherical.

Cannes to Grasse, 12½ m. N.
by rail, pop. 12,100. _Hotels:_ the G. H. International,
9 to 12 frs., a first-class house on the road to Le Bar. In the
town, H. Muraour and the Poste, 8 to 10 frs. Their omnibuses await
passengers. Those who wish to walk commence by the stair to the right of
the station, and then the steep road on the other side of the highway.
Grasse, a town of charming views, delicious water, and the best of
air, makes an excellent and beneficial change from Cannes. The town,
with its terraces and labyrinth of narrow, crooked, steep streets, is
situated 1090 ft. above the sea, on the southern slope of Mt.
Rocavignon, which rises almost perpendicularly 695 ft. above the town.
To the N.E. of Rocavignon is the Marbrière, 2920 ft. above the sea. The
short but stony road to the top of Rocavignon commences opposite the
fountain used by the washerwomen. On the summit is a stony plateau,
commanding extensive and exquisite views.
Plain of Napoleon.
A little way inland is a grassy plot, called the Plain of Napoleon,
because here, on 2d March 1815, he breakfasted at the foot of the three
tall cypresses, and then went on to St. Vallier. In the face of the
large calcareous cliff a few yards beyond the trees is a cavern or
“foux,” whence, after heavy rains, a large body of water issues in
the form of a roaring cascade. The path which leads down into the
beautiful valley below commences about 500 yards farther inland. It
joins that very pretty road among olive trees, seen from the plateau,
which, after passing the large white house, a hospice for the aged,
enters Grasse by the powder-house, formerly the chapel of St. Sauveur,
a little circular building with flat shallow buttresses, built in
the early part of the 10th cent. On entering Grasse by this way, and
just at the commencement of the promenade called the Cours, is the
hospital. The large door gives access to the chapel,
161
 
in which are hung, at the west end, three pictures attributed to
Rubens—the Crown of Thorns, the Elevation of the Cross, and the
Crucifixion. The concierge uncovers them. Immediately below, and
opposite the entrance into the public gardens, is the house of
M. Malvillan, containing paintings by a native of Grasse,
Jean Fragonard.
Jean Horace Fragonard, who died at Paris in 1806. The best of them are
five pictures, which were painted for Madame Dubarry, representing
frolicsome scenes, young people playing games. At the foot of the Rue
des Dominicains, in a large house with bulging iron grating, are some
decorative paintings attributed to Flemish artists. These pictures are
shown by courtesy. In the centre of the old town is the parish church,
built in the 11th cent., but altered and repaired in the 17th. It
contains several pictures, but the only good one is an Ascension of
Mary, by Subleyras, behind the high altar. From the terrace at the east
end of the church is one of the many beautiful views. Adjoining is the
Hôtel de Ville, and attached to it is a great square tower of the 11th
cent.

A stair at the head of the main street leads down to the principal
square and market-place, with a fountain at one end and one of the sides
arcaded. The best promenades are the Cours, the terrace of the Palais de
Justice above it, and the Jardin des Plantes below it.


Perfumery.

PERFUMERY.


The standard industries of Grasse are the distilling of perfumes and the
preserving of fruits. The flowers are cultivated on terraces resembling
great nursery-beds. Of the perfumes, the most precious are the Otto of
Roses and the Néroly. It requires 45 lbs. avoirdupois of rose leaves
(petals) to make 1 gramme, or 15½ grains troy of the Otto of Roses,
which costs from 2½ to 3 frs. the gramme; and 2¾ lbs. troy of the
petals of orange flowers to make 1 gramme of Néroly, which costs 8 to 10
sous the gramme. The best Néroly, the Néroly Bigarrade, is made from the
flowers of the bitter orange tree. It is used principally in the
manufacture of Eau de Cologne, of which it constitutes the base. In
colour it resembles sherry, and the odour is that of Eau de Cologne. The
water that comes off in distilling Néroly forms the orange-water of the
cafés. The Otto of Roses of Grasse is superior to that of Turkey.
Extracts for scenting pocket-handkerchiefs are made from
freshly-gathered flowers laid between two sheets of glass, held by their
frames 4 inches apart, and piled one above the other, without pressing
the flowers. On each side of the glass is a layer of lard ⅓ of an inch
thick, which, in 12 to 24 hours, absorbs completely the odoriferous oil.
When the flowers are abundant they are renewed every 12 hours, sometimes
even every 6. The operation is repeated several times on the same lard
with fresh flowers. Jonquilles are changed 30 times, the cassia and
violet 60, the tuberose (a kind of hyacinth) and the jasmine, both
80 times. The lard is then melted in a large iron vessel, and mixed with
spirits made from grain, which, combining with the volatile oil, rises
to the top. The fluid is then filtered.
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This is called the cold method. Orange and rose petals require the hot
methods, either by the still or by the “bain-marie.” The distilling of
the fragrant oil from the petals requires the most vigilant attention,
and the maintenance of the same degree of heat. Rose and orange pomade
are made by the bain-marie method by submerging a large iron pot full of
lard in boiling water. When the lard is melted the petals are added, and
after having remained there for 12 or 24 hours the mass is filtered to
remove the now inodorous petals. The operation is repeated from 30 to 60
times, according to the required strength of the perfume. The red Turkey
rose is the only rose used.


At the very foot of the Rue des Cordeliers is the confectionery of
*Negre. He has showrooms and priced catalogues of his preserved fruits,
which are made up in the candied (cristallisé) state, in the
glazed-sugar (glacé) state, whole and in syrup (compotes), or as jams
and jellies (confitures). At No. 22 Rue des Cordeliers is the perfumery
of Bruno-Court, where purchases of the best material may be made from a
franc upwards. Below the church is the perfumery of Warwick and Co., and
in the B. Fragonard that of Pilar Frères, both of whom supply
Atkinson of London with the raw material.

St. Cesaire. Cannes Canal. Callian.

_Grasse to St.
Cesaire._—9 m. W. by a beautiful road. Carriage there and
back, 20 frs. Diligence, 1½ fr. Time, 2 hours. This little village, pop.
350, is situated on an eminence above the Siagne, 1560 feet above the
sea, or 470 feet higher than Grasse. In front of a large elm in the
“Place” is a plain but clean inn, the Hôtel de la Siagne (pension from 6
to 8 frs.), where those who desire to fish in the river or ramble
in the environs can live comfortably. From the end of the street, right
from the inn, is a terrace, left hand, whence there is a view of the
valley of the Siagne, with the Cannes canal on its eastern side. The path to the
cave “Grotto de la Foux” goes by the upper side of this canal, and
requires 1½ hour’s easy walking. The commencement of the Cannes Canal is
about a half-hour’s walk farther up. No guide is necessary, unless it be
desired to inspect the cave with lights. Guide, 5 frs. Like the
more famous caves of Cahors and of Vaucluse (p. 64), this cavern or “foux,”
at the base of a calcareous cliff, contains a great basin of limpid
water, but no stalactites. The Cannes Canal is a narrow uncovered
conduit 31 m. long, exposed to animal and vegetable impurities
throughout nearly its entire course. Of greater interest is the
commencement of the Roman aqueduct, which conveyed water from the
Siagnole to Frejus (p. 146, and map, p. 129) by a channel covered with bricks, and stones of
the size of bricks, through the Roquotaillado tunnel, 164 ft. long, 27
wide, and 82 high, in all probability originally a cave, but adapted by
the Roman engineers to their requirements. It is most easily visited
from Montauroux, on the hill opposite, 3 m. distant by a
bridle-path, _Inn:_ Bourgarenne, where pass the night. From this
village the tunnel is about 9 m. distant by an excellent
carriage-road. 1½ m. from Montauroux is the village Callian, _Inn:_ Castel, 1200
ft., supplied with water by the Roman aqueduct.


opp. 163
THE DURANCE, THE VAR,
the col di tenda, san remo
_For continuation northwards see map, page 327._
_For continuation eastwards see map, page
211._

see caption
_For continuation westwards see map, page 66._
_For continuation southwards see map, page
123._


Nearly 2 hours’ walk from the Cannes Canal up the Siagne, and
163
 
situated at a considerable elevation, is the stalactite cave of Mons. Those who have already seen such
caves will find in this one nothing new nor striking. To visit it not
only is a guide necessary, but the keeper of the cave at Mons must be
advised beforehand, that he may be at the mouth of the cave with the
key. It is much the better plan to return from the commencement of the
Cannes Canal to St. Cesaire, and drive back to Grasse. The olives of St.
Cesaire are considered among the best flavoured of the Riviera.

Grasse by Coach to Cagnes Station.

Grasse to the railway station of Cagnes by the Pont du
Loup and Vence, 21 m. By omnibus, 3 frs. By private
carriage, 30 frs. This drive is generally taken in two
parts—Grasse to the Pont du Loup; then from the Pont du Loup to
Vence or Cagnes.

Pont du Loup. Tourette.

_Grasse to the Pont du
Loup by Le Bar_, 7½ m. N.E. Carriage with two horses there
and back, 15 frs. Omnibus to Le Bar 3 times daily, 1 fr. Distance,
5½ m. N.E.; whence it is a pleasant walk of 2 m. up the valley
of the Loup to the inn and Pont du Loup, at the mouth of the Gorge du
Loup. From the Pont 2½ hours of fatiguing walking up the ravine of the
Loup brings the traveller to the falls of the Loup, which requires a
good deal of rain to make them imposing. The whole way from Grasse to
Vence is by a beautiful Corniche road, nearly on the same level (1090
ft.) throughout its entire course, disclosing at every turn exquisite
views towards the sea. The Pont du Loup, with its little cluster of
houses and orange-gardens, is at the top of a long narrow valley, just
at the point where the Loup rushes forth from a rocky gorge. On the top
of a plateau, about 500 ft. over the Pont du Loup, is the village of
Gourdon. From the terrace adjoining the church of Le Bar there is an
excellent view of Gourdon, the valley of the Loup, and of the
carriage-road on both sides of it. Those who visit the Pont du Loup
generally content themselves with a ramble in the gorge, and then, after
having taken some refreshments, either return to Grasse or go on to the
railway station of Vence-Cagnes (see
p. 169), 13½ m. farther, or 21 m. from Grasse. The drive
from Grasse to Vence-Cagnes station in a private carriage costs 30 frs.
The very same road is traversed by the omnibus from Grasse to Vence,
15 m. eastward. Fare, 2 frs. Time, 4 hours. A seat should
be taken in the “Imperial.” Next day, at one, start from Vence to Cagnes
railway station by another omnibus. Fare, 1 fr. Time, 1 hour.
Distance, 6 m. The road from the Pont to Vence continues to follow
the course of the Loup till within a few miles of the village of Tourette, pop. 980, at the foot
of Le Puy de Tourette, 4158 ft. above the sea, where the omnibus
halts.

Vence.

Vence, 1100 ft. above the sea,
pop. 2800. _Inn:_ Lion d’Or, pension 9 frs. Picturesquely
situated on a hill in the midst of mountains clothed with olive trees
and studded with houses standing singly and in clusters. This, the
ancient Vintium, has still large portions of its
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old walls and ramparts, with massive square towers (11th cent.) next the
gates. At the northern entrance is the ancient palace of the Lords of
Vence, with a beautiful tower, built in the 15th cent., in the style of
the palaces of Florence, only without a court, for which there was no
space. In front is a fine old ash tree, sadly mutilated.

The bishopric of Vence, founded in 374, was afterwards united to that of
Frejus. In the centre of the town is the cathedral, 110 ft. long, 68 ft.
wide, and about 70 high, inside measure. Two aisles with massive piers
and semicircular arches (slightly stilted) are on each side of the nave.
Above is a triforium 15 ft. wide. Roof waggon-vaulted. The choir,
containing 50 stalls in dark carved oak, is in a gallery opposite the
altar, in the position usually occupied by the organ. At the N.E. corner
of the church is an ancient and beautiful baptismal font, of which,
unfortunately, a large piece of the pedestal is sunk into the
ground. The chancel was formerly a Roman temple. The column now in the
square behind the church, and the other over a well at the west end,
stood formerly at the entrance into the temple. On the table of the
second altar right is part of a sculptured stone which formerly adorned
this temple. In the next chapel is the tomb of St. Lambert, many years
Bishop of Vence, with Latin inscription on table of altar. Under the
chancel is the vault in which the bishops were buried, while the vault
of the Lords of Vence was under the nave. The present “Place” behind the
chancel was the public cemetery. Several stones with inscriptions are on
the walls. One slab bears an eagle in relief, and under it is a still
larger stone sculptured in a diaper pattern, with a stork and crowing
cocks worked into the design. The style resembles that of the old carved
door in the first chapel right of altar, all probably of the 14th or
15th cent.

Roche-Blanche. Rocher-Noir.

To the N. of Vence is a row of four calcareous mountain cliffs,
extending eastward to the Var, and each about 2000 ft. above the sea.
The most prominent is the mighty cliff above Vence called the Roche-Blanche,
commanding a superb view. On the summit are the remains of a walled
village and castle, and less than half-way up the ruins of a castle of
the Knight-Templars. The road up to the summit is by the first narrow
path beyond the castle, ascending through beds of wild thyme and bushes
of the prickly broom. The next hill is the Rocher-Noir, having on its eastern side, right
above the bed of the Cagnes, a “foux,” an immense cave called the
Riou, containing a large basin of water, whence flows a copious stream.
It is 3½ m. from Vence. The next cliff rises over St. Jeannet, and
bears its name. The most easterly is La Gaude, with vineyards producing
one of the better wines of Provence, drank as vin ordinaire during the
first year, when still sweet and unripe, but of good body and agreeable
in the fifth and sixth years, when it costs 1½ to 2 frs. the litre
bottle. Vence is famous for double violets. They are cultivated in
hollows between furrows, and are sold to the makers of perfumes at the
rate of 3s. 8d. the pound. A woman will gather 4 kilogrammes
(8 lbs. 13 oz.) in a day, for which she is paid at the rate of 2½d.
the kilo.

165
 

Cagnes.

The road from Vence to the Cagnes railway station descends the whole
way, passing at some distance the village of St. Paul, pop. 700, with
part of its old walls, and below it the village of La Colle, pop. 1500.
The coach drives through the low or modern town of Cagnes. _Inn:_ Savournin, not comfortable
during the mosquito season. The real town occupies, as usual,
a hill, on the summit of which is a castle built by the Grimaldi,
a polygonal tower bought by the present owner at an auction; who
has restored the painting by Carloni on the ceiling of the Salle Dorée,
representing the Flight of Phaeton, and has also added a small picture
gallery. A little way down from the castle are the ruins of the
small abbey church of St. Veran, 6th cent. The chancel is still in good
preservation. From Cagnes the views are not equal to those from Vence.
(For the Vence-Cagnes station, see
p. 169.)


St. Vallier.

ST. VALLIER.


Grasse to
Digne, 63 m. north.—By the courrier 16 frs., changing
coach at Castellane. Fare to St. Vallier, 2½ frs., Escragnolles
4 frs., Castellane 8½ frs., Barrème 11½ frs., and Digne 16 frs. By
private coach from Grasse, with two horses, 100 frs. Dining first day at
Escragnolles, and passing the night at Castellane. Next day breakfasting
at Barrème, and then driving down to Digne (see map,
p. 165).

The road between Grasse and Digne is broad, well constructed, and rises
at an angle from 5 to 7 in the 100. From Grasse to St. Vallier (2350 ft.
above the sea, or 1260 ft. above Grasse, and 6½ m. distant,
population 536) the ascent is continuous, disclosing all the way grand
views of Cannes, the sea, and the Estérel and the Tanneron mountains.
The courrier and private carriages halt generally a few minutes in the
“Place,” near the column with a marble bust of Napoleon I.,
indicating the spot where he reposed “2 Mars 1815.” The Hôtel du Nord is
about 100 yards from this. The house is pretty comfortable, and charges
per day from 8 to 9 frs. A carriage from this hotel, towards
the Ponte-à-Dieu, as far as it can go, 3½ m., costs 5 frs. The
remainder can be walked in about half an hour. A carriage from
Grasse to St. Vallier, and towards the Pont-à-Dieu and back, 20 frs. The
Pont-à-Dieu is a calcareous rock which spans the Siagne in the form of a
bridge, like the “Pont” across the Ardèche.

From St. Vallier the road makes very circuitous windings on the steep
sides of the mountains, ascending nearly all the way to Escragnolles,
a hamlet, pop. 320, consisting of a few houses and a small roadside
inn, with clean but hard beds, and plain and scanty fare, situated 3282
ft. above the sea, or 2192 ft. above and 18 m. north from Grasse.
A little before arriving at Escragnolles is seen, in a deep valley,
one of the principal sources of the river Siagne. The views from
Escragnolles and Castellane exhibit lofty, wild, and partially-wooded
mountains, with fields of wheat on laboriously-terraced ground.

Castellane. Taulanne. Barrème.

19 m. N.W. from Escragnolles, or 37¼ from Grasse, is Castellane, 2370 ft. above the
sea. Pop. 2000. _Inns:_ Levant; Commerce. A village of crooked
streets on the Verdon, crossed by a bridge of one
166
 
arch. A narrow path leads to the top of the lofty cliff on which is the
chapel of Notre Dame, rebuilt in 1703, commanding a most extensive
prospect. Napoleon I. descended into Italy by the road on the left
bank of the river. Those in private carriages generally spend the night
here. A small coach runs between Castellane and Digne, which,
although not very comfortable, is much better than the courrier in bad
weather. 18 m. W. from Castellane by a mountain-road is Moustiers Sainte Marie (see p. 167).
From Castellane the road by a series of zigzags reaches the top of the
Col St. Pierre, 3600 ft., and then descends to Taulanne, 7 m. N.W. from Castellane. From
Taulanne the road descends 5 m. S., chiefly through a picturesque
ravine, to Senez, pop. 620,
among wild barren mountains, at the foot of Mont La Combe, on the river
Asse. The hamlet has a poor inn, and a cathedral built during 1130 to
1242.

44¼ m. N.W. from Grasse, and 18¾ m. S. from Digne, is Barrème, pop. 1100, on the
confluence of the Clumane with the Asse. Breakfast is taken here, and
the diligence changes horses. Cloth-mills and trade in dried fruits,
especially prunes. In the neighbourhood is a saline spring. The road
from Barrème to Digne descends by a ridge between the valleys of the
Asse and the Clumane.

Digne.

Digne, pop. 8000, 2000 ft.
above the sea, 14 m. E. by loop-line from the station St. Auban on
the main line. St. Auban is 80½ m. N. from Marseilles, 62¼ m.
N. from Aix, and 20½ m. N. from Manosque. It is 109½ m. S.
from Grenoble; 45½ m. S. from Aspres, the terminus of the road from
Die; 41 m. S. from Veynes, whence commences the loop-line to Gap;
and 31¾ m. S. from Serre, the terminus of the road from Nyons (see
map of Rhône and Savoy). _Hotels:_ Boyer; Remusat, both in the
Boulevard Gassendi, near the statue of Pierre Gassendi (1592-1655), one
of the most eminent philosophers of France. This, the ancient Dinia, the
capital of the Avantici, is situated chiefly on hilly ground rising from
the Bléonne and the Eaux-Chaudes. On the highest part is the cathedral,
and on the plain up the river, near the seminary, the much more
interesting church of Notre Dame, 12th cent., numbered among the
historic monuments of France. 1¼ m. up the Eaux-Chaudes, at the
foot of Mt. St. Pancras, are sulphurous springs, temp. 115° Fahr.,
efficacious in the cure of wounds and rheumatism. Bath, 2 frs. From
Digne Napoleon issued his proclamation of March 1815. Digne makes a good
resting-place and good headquarters. Both of the hotels are comfortable
and moderate, 8 to 10 frs. per day, and both supply carriages at so much
per day (see map, p. 165).

Riez. Barjols.

Among the many diligences that start from Digne, the most important is
to Riez, 26 m. S.W., fare
4 frs., time 4½ hrs., a great diligence centre. Riez, pop.
3000, on the Colostre, at the foot of Mont St. Maxime. _Inn:_
H. des Alpes, whence start coaches daily for Manosque, 22 m.
W., by Allemagne, 5 m.; St. Martin, 8 m.; and to Gréoulx (see p. 167), 12½ m. S.W. from Riez,
and 9½ m. E. from Manosque, fare 4 frs. For Moustiers Sainte Marie (see p. 167),
9 m. E.,
167
 
by Roumoulles, fare 2 frs. For Montmelian, 18 m. S., by Quinson.
Travellers on their way to Draguignan spend the night at Montmelian,
H. Sicard, and proceed next morning to Aups, 9½ m. E.,
_Inn:_ H. du Cours, and thence to Draguignan. From Montmelian
a coach runs to Barjols, _Inn:_ H. Pont d’Or,
9½ m. S., whence other coaches run to Brignoles (see p. 142). For Valensole,
7½ m. W., whence to Volx railway station, other 7 m.
W. From Volx coach to Digne, 25 m. N., by Puymoisson,
3¾ m. N.; Le Begude, 8 m.; Estoublon, 11¾ m.; Mezèl on
the Asse, _Inn:_ H. du Cours, 15¾ m.; and Châteauredon,
7½ m. S. from Digne. All these roads traverse sometimes deep
valleys and at other times extend across wide elevated tablelands. Down
in the valleys are olive trees, in the higher regions quinces, plums,
walnuts, and cherries (see map,
p. 165).

Riez, the Colonia Julia-Augusta of the Romans, is still partly
surrounded by its old fortifications, of which the highest of the towers
has been converted into a belfry. Up the main street, through either of
the gateways, are houses with sculptured doors and transomed windows
which tell of better days. Near the two inns, but on the other side of
the river, is La Rotonde, a temple, square externally, enclosing a
peristyle of 8 monolith granite Corinthian columns, bearing an elongated
octagonal dome. The diameter of the circle is about 23 ft. Near it are
the remains of a colonnade consisting of 4 composite monolith granite
columns. On the top of Mont St. Maxime is the chapel St. Maxime, 10th
cent., restored and altered in 1857. It is 17 yds. long and 10 wide,
outside measure. On each side of the chancel are three Corinthian
columns similar to those in the round chapel. At the S.W. corner is a
short square tower with a spire. From the brow of the eminence, where
there is a statue of Mary, there is an excellent view of the dingy town
and of the pleasing valley of the Colostre.

Moustiers Ste. Marie.

A very pleasant drive of 9½ m. E., fare 2 frs., is to the curious
village of Moustiers Ste. Marie by the courrier,
starting at 2 and returning at 4. _Inn:_ H. du Mouton
Couronné. The village consists of poor dingy houses, partly in a narrow
gully and partly on the slopes, at the base of vertical calcareous
sandstone cliffs, rising to the height of from 500 to 1000 ft. Between
two opposite points of these precipices is a chain 745 ft. long, from
which was suspended a gilt iron star which fell in 1878. Up the cliffs,
by the stair of the “Via Crucis,” is the chapel of Notre Dame, almost
immediately below the chain. Several caves are in the neighbourhood.
Lower down is the parish church of the 10th and 13th cents. From the S.
side rises a square belfry in three diminishing stages. Between
Moustiers and Riez is Roumoulles, with the ruins of a castle. 18 m.
E. from Moustiers is Castellane, but no public coach runs between
them.

Gréoulx. Baths.

12½ m. W. from Riez, and 9½ m. E. from Manosque, is Gréoulx, pop. 1400, a dirty village on a
hill rising from the Verdon. On the top are the gaunt ruins of a castle
built by the Knight-Templars. Less than ½ m. from the village is
the hotel and the bathing establishment. The rooms cost from 2 to
5 frs. Coffee in the morning, 60 cents.
168
 
Breakfast and dinner, 7 frs. Service, ½ fr. Or the lowest price per day,
10 frs., which is dear considering the quality of the house and
furniture. Bath, 2 frs. Cure lasts 25 days. The establishment is
1150 ft. above the sea. The mineral water, of which there is a most
abundant supply, is limpid and unctuous, and tastes like slightly salt
new milk. Temp. 95° to 100° Fahr. The principal ingredient is the
chloride of soda, and, in less quantities, the chloride of magnesia, the
carbonate of lime, and the sulphate of lime and soda. The water is also
rich in organic substances, such as baregine and glairine along with
other sulphurous compounds, which develop themselves rapidly when the
water is exposed to the action of the air. This organic matter is used
in the mud-baths for the cure of sores and tumours. The baths are
partially sunk into the floor, and are easily entered. The flow of water
into and out of them is constant. Coaches daily from Gréoulx to
Manosque, Mirabeau, and Riez (map,
p. 165).

Manosque.

Manosque, pop. 6200, on
the railway between Marseilles and Grenoble, 22 m. north from
Pertuis, 41½ m. from Aix, 48½ m. from Gardanne, and
59½ m. from Marseilles. 4½ m. south from Volx, 20½ m. from St.
Auban, 31 m. from Sisteron, 61½ m. from Veynes, 66 m.
from Aspres, and 130½ m. from Grenoble (see map of Rhône and
Savoy).

_Hotels:_ Pascal; Eymon, commanding an extensive view of the
surrounding mountains; near it the G. H. de Versailles; and the
Poste. Manosque is situated on an eminence rising from the plain of the
Durance, nearly surrounded by hills covered with vineyards and olive
trees. Portions of the town walls and towers still remain, and the
eastern and western gateways have been repaired and restored. Entering
the town by the gate close to the hotels, we ascend the narrow and
badly-paved principal street to the church of St. Sauveur, easily
recognised by the square belfry attached to the S.E. end. Within the
main entrance are two large caryatides. The windows of the façade are
circular, the others small and round-headed with modern glass. On each
side of the nave are semicircular arches of a great span; the chancel is
extremely shallow, the roof 4 partite, and the floor considerably lower
than the street. The narrow lane opposite the corner of the façade leads
to the principal “Place,” where there is a fountain, and whence there is
a good view. Higher up the principal street is Notre Dame, in exactly
the same style as St. Sauveur. The table or altar in the chapel to the
left of the high altar is formed of a marble sarcophagus, 5th cent.,
with figures, in bold relief, of the apostles, and in the centre a
crucifixion. Above is a black image of Mary and child, supposed to date
from the 6th cent. In the Hôtel de Ville is a silver bust by Puget of
Gérard Jung, the founder of the order of the Hospitallers,
a religious community whose office was to relieve the stranger, the
poor, and the sick. In the neighbourhood are deposits of gypsum and
lignite. Coach daily to Riez, 5 hrs., 22 m. E.; to the baths of
Gréoulx, in the same direction; to Apt (see index), 26 m. W., by
Reillane 15½ m., and Céreste 20½ m. W. Volx station is
the intended terminus of the rail from Apt.

169
 

Vallauris. Antibes.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
124
31
GOLF JOUAN or
VALLAURIS. A few
yards straight up from the station is a short column, which marks the
spot where Napoleon bivouacked after his arrival from Elba on March 1,
1815. A very pleasant road, lined with villas, connects this small
port with Cannes. Opposite station are pottery showrooms.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
127
28
ANTIBES, pop. 6000.
_Hotels:_ Escouffier, Aigles d’Or. A fortified port founded by
the Greeks, but, with the exception of two old towers, without any mark
of antiquity. The streets are lined with tolerable houses. In the square
the inhabitants have erected a monument to their valour. Those wishing a
bird’s-eye view of the town should ascend the tower beside the church.
The bellman’s house is close by. The wine of Antibes is of superior
quality (see p. 154). From Antibes
station omnibus to Biot, pop. 1400.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
132
23
VENCE-CAGNES. At
this station coaches await passengers for Cagnes, pop. 3000, about
1 mile distant. It is built on the slope of a hill, and contains
the old mansion of the Grimaldi. Six miles northwards by the same road
is Vence, pop. 3000, with an old cathedral and several
interesting antiquities. It is famous for figs, and flowers for
perfumery. One mile distant is St. Martin, with a splendid view from the
terrace, and most picturesque environs. Between Vence-Cagnes and Nice
runs a diligence (see p. 165).


MARSEILLES
MENTON
136
19
VAR. This station is on the left
or Nice side of the river Var, at the eastern end of the viaduct over
the mouth of the river. ¾ m. N.W. from the station by the road to
St. Martin are the Nice nurseries or pépinières, extensive, but not well
kept. About 2 m. N.E. from the station, up on the hill, is the
Caucade cemetery, in three stages. The first is used by the French, the
next by the English, and the highest by the Russians. The last two
contain many beautiful marble monuments.

At the mouth of the Var is the racecourse. The races take place in
January.


Nice.


opp. 171
plan of Nice


NICE

is 140 m. N.E. from Marseilles, 95½ m. N.E. from Toulon, 95¼ m.
N.E. from Hyères, 39 m. N.E. from St. Raphael, and 19¼ m. N.E.
from Cannes. It is 9½ m. W. from Monaco, 15 m. S.W. from
Menton, 23½ m. S.W. from Bordighera, and 30 m. S.W. from San Remo
(see railway map, fly-leaf).
Situated on the Bay des Anges and on the embouchure of the Paillon,
mostly covered over, pop. 66,300.

170
 

Nice: Hotels and Pensions.

Hotels and Pensions on the Promenade des Anglais, taking them in the
order of east to west. The Hôtel des Anglais, with one side to the
“Jardin Public.” Next it is the Cercle (club) de la Méditerranée; and
opposite it, projecting into the sea, a casino. On the other side
of the cercle is the H. Luxembourg. Then follow the Pension Rivoir,
13 to 18 frs.; the H. Méditerranée, H. Westminster, and the
H. West End, all first-class houses charging from 15 to 25 frs. per
day.

The following are at the western end of the Promenade, and, as they
have considerable gardens in front, the inmates do not hear the noise of
the sea so much. The H. de l’Elysée, No. 59; the Pension *Anglaise,
8 to 11 frs., No. 77; the H. Continental, 10 to 15 frs. On the
Boulevard du Midi, the eastern prolongation of the Promenade des
Anglais, are the Beau Rivage; the H. des Princes, 12 to 15 frs.;
and on the Quai des Pouchettes, the *H. et P. Suisse, 8½ to 12
frs.

Around the “Jardin Public” are the first-class houses, the Angleterre
and the Bretagne. On the Quai Massena the H. de France; while in
the Place Massena are the best cafés and restaurants, large cab-stands,
and the terminus of the trams. Over the river near the Place Massena is
the Casino Municipal, fronting the Quai St. Jean Baptiste, on which are
the hotels Cosmopolitain; the Paix; and the Grand Hotel, fronting the
garden in the Square Massena. These hotels are first-class, and charge
from 10 to 20 frs. Higher up is a second-class house, frequented chiefly
by French, the H. Ferrand, 8 to 10 frs.

On and near the Avenue de la Gare are some excellent hotels and
pensions. Taking them in the order of the Place Massena towards the
railway station we have, under the arches, the hotels Meublés, Deux
Mondes, and opposite the Univers. Then follow the hotels Ambassadeurs
with garden, Iles Britanniques, Prince of Wales, all the three from 10
to 20 frs. Opposite, at No. 42, is the H. and R. Duval, 9 to
12 frs. At the top of the R. de la Gare, the H. National, 9 to 12
frs., and the Hotel des Alpes.

In the streets at right angles to the R. de la Gare near the
H. Iles Britanniques are the Russian, German, English, and Scotch
churches, and some comfortable hotels and pensions, mostly with gardens.
The best of the hotels are the *Paradis and the *Louvre, in the Boul.
Longchamp, near the Scotch Church. At the western end of the Boul.
Longchamp, the H. et P. des Palmiers, and the H. Splendide,
all from 10 to 20 frs. Near the Splendide is the P. Java, 9 to 11
frs.

Behind the Scotch Church are the P. Internationale and the H. et
171
 
P. de Genève. Next the Russian Church is the P. Helvétique. Near it
the H. Royal; the H. et P. Mignon and the P. *Millet,
entered from R. St. Etienne, 8 to 12 frs.

At W. end of the R. de la Paix the H. Raissan, 10 to 12 frs.;
near it the Russie and the Beau Site, both quiet houses with
gardens.

Opposite the station the H. et P. du Midi, 9 to 11 frs. Farther
down the H. et P. Interlaken, 8 to 11 frs. with wine.

From the E. side of the Avenue de la Gare parallel streets extend to
the Boulevard Carabacel. In the first of these, the Rue Carnieri, is the
Theatre Français. In the Rue Pastorelli the Pension St. Etienne and the
H. Négociants, 8 to 12 frs. In the broad B. Dubouchage are the
first-class houses—the H. Littoral; *Empereurs; *Albion.
Behind the Albion, in the Rue Alberti, the H. et P. d’Orient. The
large building in the B. Dubouchage is the Bourse. Near it is the
American Episcopal Church. In the Avenue Beaulieu are the
H. Central and the G. H. *Rubion.

The hotels, pensions, and villas at the end of the
B. Dubouchage, and about the B. Carabacel, are frequented by
delicate people, who sun themselves in the gardens and boulevards of
this quarter. At the Carabacel end of the B. Dubouchage are the
first-class houses—the H. Hollande; H. *Windsor; and
opposite, the H. *Julien. On an eminence in a garden off the
B. Carabacel is the H. *Nice. Then follow, on the
B. Carabacel, the H. Bristol, P. Londres, H. de Paris,
and houses with furnished apartments. In this quarter is the Carabacel
Episcopal Church, and near it the Hôtel Carabacel.

On the way up to Cimiès, the G. H. Windsor. On Cimiès Hill, near
the Convent of St. Barthélemy, is the H. et P. *Barthélemy, on the
road to the Val Obscur, and near many pleasant rambles. On the Cimiès
Hill, on opposite sides of the Amphitheatre, are the H. et
P. Cimiès, and the Pension Anglaise, in the three houses from 9 to
12 frs. They are about 2 m. from Nice, and 430 ft. above it. The
tram from the Place Massena has its terminus near the
P. Barthélemy. The H. Cimiès has its own omnibus. The town
omnibus runs within a short distance of the P. Anglaise.

In the street behind the Promenade des Anglais, the R. de France, and
its continuation the R. Massena, are hotels and pensions, with
moderate prices. Commencing at west end and going eastward—at No.
100, in garden, the P. Torelli. On the hill behind the H. de
Rome, 12 frs. At No. 121 is the H. de l’Elysée, with front to the
Promenade des Anglais. At No. 46 the P. *Metropole, 8 to 10 frs.;
172
 
and opposite, the H. du Pavillon, with front to the Promenade des
Anglais. At No. 34 the P. Lampiano, 9 to 11 frs. At No. 30 R.
Massena the H. St. André, 8 frs. In the Place Massena the
H. et R. Helder, 18 frs. For commercial gentlemen the best is
the H. des Étrangers, R. Pont Neuf, 9 to 10 frs.

Those requiring to study economy will, by a little search through the
private pensions, find very comfortable and moderately-priced lodgings.
In the meantime they may alight at any of the following houses, where
they can arrange at the prices given:—H. du Midi, opp.
station, 8 to 11 frs., 3 meals, wine extra. At the head of the Avenue de
la Gare the H. des Alpes and the H. National, 9 to 12 frs. At
17 B. Carabacel H. et P. de Londres, 8 to 10 frs. with wine. In the
Rue de France the P. *Metropole, 8 to 10 frs. At the west end of the
Promenade des Anglais the Pension Anglaise, 8 to 10 frs. In the Rue
Massena the H. St. André, 8 frs., including everything. In the
R. Gioffredo the H. and R. Montesquieu, 8 to
9 frs.

Nice: Cafés. Banks.

_Cafés._—The
best in the Place Massena. _Restaurants._—The *London House,
Pl. du Jardin Public. Restaurant *Française, 3 Av. de la Gare, and at
No. 11 Rest. d’Europe. _Clubs or Cercles._—The Cercle de la
Méditerranée in the Prom. des Anglais. Cercle Massena, Quai St.
Jean.

_Banks._—The
Banque de France, 6 Quai du Midi. The best for all kinds of banking
business and money changing is the “Credit Lyonnais,” 15 Avenue de la
Gare. Other banks—the Banque de Nice, 6 P. Massena; Lacroix et
Roissard, 2 P. Massena; Viterbo, 13 Avenue de la Gare.

_House Agents._—John Arthur and Co., 1 Place Jardin
Public; C. Jougla, 55 R. Gioffredo; Salvi and Co., 2 R. du
Temple.

_Post Office_, 20 Rue St. François de Paul, behind the Quai du
Midi. Most of the clocks have two minute-hands, one for railway or Paris
time, the other for Nice time. The railway time is 20 minutes behind the
Nice time. In the same street is the excellent public library, with
45,000 volumes. Open from 10 to 3 and 7 to 10 p.m. It contains a few antiquities, some Roman
milestones, a collection of medals, and a bust of Caterina
Segurana. The Museum of Natural History is in No. 6 Place Garibaldi.
Observatory on the top of Mont Gros, 1201 ft. above the sea.

_Booksellers._—Galignani, 15 Quai
Massena, with well-supplied reading-room; Barbery, Place du Jardin
Public; Visconti, 2 Rue du Cours. Cook’s office adjoins Galignani’s.
Gaze’s is at No. 13, and Caygill’s No. 15 Avenue de la Gare.

_Druggists._—Of these there are excellent English
establishments in the principal streets.

173
 
_Confectioneries and Perfumeries._—Of the confections the
_specialité_ of Nice is candied Parma violets, sold in little round
boxes weighing 100 grammes, or 3½ oz., for 5 frs. the box. The most
expensive of the glazed fruits are pine-apple, 10 frs. the kilogramme
(2 lbs. 3¼ oz.), strawberries, 10 frs., and apricots, without the
stones, 8 frs. All the others cost either 5 or 6 frs. the
kilo. The best shops are— *Caëtan Féa, 4 Avenue de la Gare;
Guitton and Rudel, 23 same street; and *Escoffier, in the Place Massena.
Rimmel’s garden and perfume distillery are near the slaughter-house, on
the left bank of the Paillon.


Nice: Churches. Conveyances.

_Churches._—Temple Évangélique or Vaudois
in the Rue Gioffredo; Russian Memorial Chapel, N.W. from the station;
Russian Church, Rue Longchamp; German Church, Rue Adelaide; American
Church, Rue Carabacel. Trinity Church, Rue de France; St. Michael’s, Rue
St. Michel; Carabacel Episcopal Church, at the east end of the Rue Notre
Dame. Scotch Church, in the Rues St. Etienne and Adelaide.

Steamers to Marseilles, Genoa, Leghorn, and Corsica once weekly.

_Coach hire._—A carriage with coachman and 2 horses, 750
frs. per month. Per day, 30 frs. There are many excellent livery
stables, where carriages and riding horses can be had per day or per
month.

_Cabs._—Drivers
have to produce their tariffs. Cab with 1 horse and seat for 2, the
course 75 c.; seats for 4, 1 fr. The hour, seat for 2, 2½ frs.;
seats for 4, 3 frs. Cabs with 2 horses, the course 1½ fr.; the
hour, 3½ frs.

To or from the station. Cab with seat for 2, 1 fr.; with seats
for 4, 1½ fr. Cab with 2 horses, 1 fr. 15 sous. Each article on top
of cab 25 c., and 25 c. for each stoppage. It is better, if not sure of
a hotel, to engage the cab by the hour.

All the _tram cars_ start from the Place Massena.

_Diligences._—From the office, No. 34
Boulevard du Pont Neuf, start daily:—Coach to St. Martin Lantosque, 3117 ft. above the sea,
and 37 m. N. from Nice. Fare 6 frs., time 10 hrs. (see
p. 180). Coach to Puget-Théniers,
1476 ft. above the sea, and 42 m. N.W. from Nice. Fare 2½ frs.,
time 9 hrs. (see p. 182). To St.
Sauveur, 40½ m. N. (p. 182). Omnibus twice daily during
the winter season to Monte Carlo, by the low Corniche road. From the
office, Place St. François, start:—Coach to Cuneo, 80 m. N., by Tenda and the Col
di Tenda tunnel. Fare 16 frs., time 18 hrs. Coach to Tenda alone, 2680
ft. above the sea, and 51 m. N. from Nice. Fare 9 frs., time
11 hrs. (see p. 182). From Hôtel Chapeau Rouge, Quai St. Jean
Baptiste, coach to Levens, 1916 ft. above the sea, and 15 m. N.
from Nice. Fare 3 frs., time 4 hrs. From the Cloche d’Or, Rue de
l’Aqueduct,
174
 
coach to Contes, fare 1½ fr., time 2 hrs., 10½ m. N. up the valley
of the Paillon, passing the pretty village of Trinité—Victor,
5½ m. N., pop. 1300; Drap, on both sides of the Paillon; and then
on a hill to the left, 2½ hrs. distant by a path, the ruins of the
village Châteauneuf, abandoned on account of the want of water.
Contes.
Contes, pop. 1700, has good country inns, gardens full of orange trees,
and vineyards producing good wine. Cab with 1 horse and 2 seats to
Trinité-Victor and back, 5 frs.; ½ hour’s rest allowed.

Nice: Climate.

_Climate._—If I should be asked to draw a
comparison between Nice and Cannes with respect to climate,
I should be inclined to call Nice a trifle colder in winter,
especially if there be much snow on the mountains. M. Teysseire has
preserved and published records of twenty years’ meteorological
observations taken at Nice with instruments placed outside his window,
on a fourth floor facing the north-north-east. His mean results for the
twenty years are as follow; to which, for the sake of comparison,
I append the means of my six winter seasons at Cannes:—

Mean Temperature.
Nice.	Cannes.
November	53.8	52.6
December	48.5	46.3
January	47.1	48
February	46.2	48.8
March	51.8	51
April	58.1	55.5

The mistral is as well known at Nice as it is at
Cannes.—_Health Resorts_, by M. Marcet, M.D.

Vallons.

Nice occupies a plain bounded by the limestone summits of the
Maritime Alps, whence descend fertile wooded ridges composed of a
reddish conglomerate and a gray-blue clay of the Pleiocene period.
Between these ridges are deep vallons, gullies, or furrows, with
precipitous sides, scooped out to a great depth by the intermittent
action of torrents, the breadth and depth of the valleys depending on
the volume of water in the stream and the degree of consistence of the
conglomerate. The great vallons have tributary vallons. The pleasant
Vallon de Magnan exemplifies both kinds. From the Pont de Magnan (near
which a tram stops) the first tributary is nearly a mile up the stream,
opening from the right or west side. This vallon is short, the walls
nearly perpendicular, and in some parts scarcely 2 ft. apart. Higher up
the Magnan, and opening from the left or east side, next a church, is
the more beautiful and more extensive tributary vallon, the Madeleine,
which high up becomes so narrow and so choked with troublesome brambles
as to be almost impassable. The banks are covered with vegetation, and
the more level parts with maritime pines and olive trees. At the
entrance are beds of clay of immense thickness, of which
175
 
fire-bricks are made. The Mantéga Vallon, entered from the Chemin de
Mantéga (see plan), has great walls of clay and conglomerate. The softer
conglomerate is quarried and broken up for its sandy dolomitic material,
which, mixed with lime, makes excellent mortar.

The city of Nice consists of three distinct parts:—1st, the new
or fashionable quarter, stretching westwards from the Paillon,
containing avenues and gardens, and broad and well-paved streets
bordered with large and elegant buildings, of which a large proportion
are hotels and “pensions;” 2d, the Old Town, a perfect labyrinth of
narrow, dirty, steep streets, radiating from the Cathedral as a sort of
centre, and running up the sides of the Château hill, which separates it
from, 3d, the Port, with its seafaring population, and about 16 acres of
harbour.

During the season, from November to April, Nice is a luxurious city,
with the attractions and resources of the great northern capitals. In
winter the population may be estimated at 90,000, whereas in summer it
is only about 54,000, a diminution in numbers apparent only in the
largest and most elegant part of the city. The non-fluctuating
population inhabit the crowded tenements in the narrow streets huddled
together between the Paillon and the Château hill.

Nice: Promenade. Castle.
Cemetery.

The glory of Nice is the Promenade des Anglais, commenced by the
English in 1822 to employ the poor during a season of scarcity. This
beautiful terraced walk, 85 ft. broad, extends 2 m. along the beach
of the Baie des Anges, from the Quai Lunel of the Port to the mouth of
the Magnan, whence it will be continued other 3 m. west to the
mouth of the river Var, near the Racecourse.

Over the Port rises the Castlehill, 315 ft., commanding from the
platform, in every direction, the most charming views. To the E. are the
peninsula of St. Jean and Cape Boron, and rising from it, Fort
Montalban, Mt. Vinaigrier, and the Observatory residence and buildings.
To the N. is Mt. Chauve; to the E. the roofs of Nice; and in the
distance the Roche-Blanche (p. 164),
the peninsula of Antibes, and the Estérels. This fortress, founded by
the early Phœnician colonists, and destroyed and rebuilt at various
periods afterwards, was finally razed to the ground in 1706, by order of
Louis XIV., by Maréchal Berwick. Now it has become the great park of
Nice. A round tower that still remains, over the Hôtel des Princes,
called the Tour Bellanda, was probably added to the Castle by Emmanuel
Philibert in 1560. On the W. side of the hill (see plan) is the cemetery in five stages. At
the entrance is the monument to the “Victimes de l’Incendie du Theatre,
23d March 1881.” Towards the E. end, at the wall, is the grave of
176
 
Rosa Garibaldi, d. 19th March 1852. The tombstone was placed by her
son, General Garibaldi. In the highest terrace is the grave containing
Gambetta and his mother. In a terrace by itself in the eastern end is
the Protestant cemetery.

Caterina Segurana.

Near the harbour, and above the Quai Lunel, is the statue of King
Charles Felix. In the Rue du Murier, leading down from the Rue Segurane
to the Port, is the mulberry tree where Caterina Segurana had her tent.
On the 15th of August 1543 she, at the head of a devoted band, attacked
the allied French and Turkish forces commanded by François de Bourbon
and the Turk Barbarossa, struck down with her own hand the
standard-bearer, and put the enemy to flight. Giuseppe Garibaldi was
born, 19th July 1807, in a house which stood at the head of the Port
before its enlargement. In a small street, ramifying from the Rue
Segurane, is the church of St. Augustin, in which Luther preached in
1510. At the east end of the R. de la Préfecture, last street left, No.
15 R. Droite, is the Palais des Lascaris, with ceilings painted in
fresco by Carlone. It is now the “École Professionnelle.” This is also
the street of the jewellers patronised by the peasantry. Paganini died
(1840) in the house No. 14 R. de la Préfecture. The jambs and lintels of
the doorway are slightly decorated. The Cathedral and the other churches
in the old town are in the Italian style, ornamented with gilding and
variously-coloured marbles. The new church, Notre Dame, in the Avenue de
la Gare, is Gothic in style. The first non-Romanist church erected in
Nice was the Episcopal chapel of the Trinity in 1822. As it became too
small, the present church was built on the same site in 1856 at a cost
of £6000. To the N.W. of the railway station, by the Chemin St. Etienne,
in an orange grove, is the
Nice: Memorial Chapel.
Russian Memorial Chapel, a series of ascending domes, built over
the spot on which stood the villa in which the Prince Imperial of Russia
died, April 24, 1865. The interior is covered with designs in gold leaf,
varied here and there by a light-blue ground. Round the base runs a
white marble panelling, enclosing frescoes of saints in niches.

The principal thoroughfares in Nice are the Place Massena and the
handsome broad street the “Avenue de la Gare,” extending in a straight
line northward from the “Place” to the station. Next in importance are
the Quais Massena and St. Jean Baptiste. In the above are all the best
shops. The Rue Massena, and its continuation the Rue de France, behind
the Promenade des Anglais, contain shops principally of the provision
kind, British stores, grocers, wine merchants, confectioners,
177
 
and dressmakers. At the east end of the Rue de France is the Croix de Marbre,
a marble crucifix under a canopy on four marble columns, erected in
1568 to commemorate the visit of Charles V., Francis I., and
Paul III. in 1538, and the partial reconciliation of the two
potentates through the intervention of the Pope. The column opposite
commemorates the visits of Pio VII. in 1809 and in February 1814. Near
this is Trinity Church, and in the Rue Gioffredo the Temple Évangélique,
the second Protestant church built in Nice.

André Massena.

On the arched part of the Paillon, fronting the Quai St. Jean, is the
large and handsome Casino, and a little farther up the river the pretty
public garden called the Square Massena, with a statue in the centre, in
an animated posture, of André Massena, Prince of Essling and Marshal of
France, who was born on May 7, 1758, in a house now demolished, which
stood on the Quai St. Jean Baptiste. In 1810 he was chosen by Napoleon
to stop the advance of Wellington in Portugal, and was commissioned “to
drive the English and their Sepoy general into the sea.” But the wary
strategy and imperturbable firmness of the British general proved
resistless, and Massena was compelled to save his military fame by a
masterly retreat. On the pedestal Clio is seen writing his name in the
chronicles of his native city. This garden forms a pleasant lounge, but
it is not so fashionable as the other farther down, at the mouth of the
river, called the “Jardin Public,” planted with magnolias, acacias,
Japan medlars, and gum, cork, camphor, and pepper trees. The band plays
here in the afternoon. The most beautiful of the public gardens is on
the Castlehill, intersected by footpaths and carriage-roads up to the
summit. On one side of the hill is the public cemetery.

Cimiès.

All the side streets which ramify eastward from the Avenue de la Gare
lead to the Quartier Carabacel, one of the most sheltered parts of Nice,
and inhabited by the most delicate invalids. Above it, about 2 m.
distant, or 3 from the Place Massena, is Cimiès (430 ft. above the sea), another favoured
spot, frequented principally by nervous invalids requiring a sedative
climate. On the top of this hill stood the Roman city Cemenelium, of
which all that remains are the ruins of an amphitheatre 210 ft. long by
175 wide. Just under the Boulevard Prince de Galles are artistic ruins
composed of ancient material gathered in this neighbourhood. They stand
in the spacious grounds of the superb villa Val Rose, which in shape
resembles Noe’s ark. Entrance from behind G. H. Windsor. The
first road right from the theatre leads to a Franciscan convent built in
1543 on the site of a temple of Diana.
178
 
The altar-pieces of the two chapels to the right of the altar were
painted by Ludovico Brea, a contemporary of Raphael, and the only
artist of eminence Nice has produced. The cemetery contains some
beautiful tombstones. In the centre of the “Place,” on a spiral marble
column, is a crucifix with a winged J. C. Above is a pelican
feeding its young, a favourite Christian symbol of charity during
the Middle Ages.

A path in the corner of the “Place” leads down to St. Pons (p. 179).

At No. 6 Place Garibaldi is the Museum of Natural History. The first
hall contains a collection of the fungi growing in the department; and
separate, under a glass case, specimens of those allowed to be sold in
the market for food.

Nice: Drives.

The best of the drives from Nice is to Menton, 20 m. east,
either by the high Corniche road along the flanks of the mountains,
passing above Monaco, or by the beautiful new road which seldom rises
much above the coast, and passes through La Condamine to Monte Carlo. An
omnibus runs daily between the Boul. du Pont Neuf and Monte Carlo by
this road (see p. 187).

Cab with 1 horse and 2 seats to Villefranche and back, 5 frs.; ½
hour’s rest allowed. With 2 horses and 4 seats, 7 frs. Above the
Pont Neuf, near the Place St. François, omnibuses (without fixed time)
start for Villefranche, ½ fr.; St. Jean, 15 sous; and Beaulieu, 15 sous.
On feast-days a steamer generally sails to Monaco. In the village of St.
Jean there is a very comfortable country inn, H. Victoria, where
bouillabaisse can always be had. Pension, 8½ frs. And at Beaulieu, close
to the station, is the *H. et P. des Anglais, pension 9½ to 12 frs.
Those who go from Nice to St. Jean with luggage should leave in the
omnibus, but for Beaulieu the rail should be taken. A carriage with
2 horses to St. Jean and Beaulieu and back, 25 frs. The tour round Mt
Boron, ascending by the new and descending by the old road, costs, in a
coach with 2 horses, 15 frs. Time, 1½ hour.

Val-Obscur.

Nice to the
Val-Obscur, 4 m. N.—Take tram from the Place Massena to
St. Maurice, 2 m. N. It stops in front of the gate of the Villa
Chambrun, by the side of the Octroi. For the Vallon des Fleurs ascend by
the road to the right. For the Val-Obscur ascend by the road to the
left, passing the Chapelle du Ray. Carriages can drive the length of the
water-conduit. From this part the bed of the stream may be followed, but
as it is very stony it is better to keep on the path by the side of the
conduit as long as possible. The Val-Obscur is a deep ravine, 440 yards
long, between cliffs of an earthy
179
 
conglomerate from 200 to 300 ft. high, and 7 ft. apart at their
narrowest point. By continuing this path for a little distance past a
house on the side of the hill, then crossing over by a path to the
right, we reach the chapel of St. Sebastien, whence a road ascends to
Mt. Chauve, passing by Le Ray, with an inn, 1446 ft. above the sea, or
only 1324 ft. below the summit of Mt. Chauve.

The Vallon des
Fleurs ou des Hepatiques is renowned for its olive trees and its
wild flowers in early spring. The commencement of the valley is about 10
minutes’ walk from the St. Maurice terminus of the tram. A path
leads to the top of the valley. From the summit it leads round by the
head of other two vallons to the Cimiès road, which it joins nearly
opposite to the observatory, only a little higher up the valley of the
Paillon. The whole forms a very agreeable walk. (For Cimiès, see p. 177.)

Nice: Villa Clery. St. Pons. Grotte St.
Andre.

A much-frequented drive or walk is to the Grotte St. André, about
3¾ m. N. from Nice by the west bank of the Paillon and the Vallon
St. André. A cab with 1 horse and 2 seats there and back,
5 frs.; with 2 horses and 4 seats, 7 frs.; ½ hour’s stay
allowed. Carriage, 15 frs. But if the return to Nice be made by Falicon,
25 frs. When about 1½ m. up the Paillon there is a large gate which
gives access to the orchard of the Villa Clery, containing some orange
trees above 100 years old, yet in the whole plantation there is not one
well-developed specimen. The oranges are sold at from 4½ to 6 frs.
the 100, and packed and despatched to order. Almost opposite, on the
east side of the Paillon, are the more beautiful gardens and perfume
distillery of Rimmel. On the top of the hill (430 ft.), above the Clery
orchard, is seen the monastery of Cimiès, built in 1543 after the
original house, which stood near the Croix de Marbre, had been destroyed
by the Turks. The next large edifice passed on the west bank is the
monastery of St. Pons,
built in 775 by St. Syagrius, a contemporary of Charlemagne, on the
spot where the Roman senator St. Pontius suffered martyrdom. The emperor
is said to have spent some days here in 777 while on his way to Rome. In
890 it was destroyed by the Saracens, and in 999 rebuilt by Fredericus,
Bishop of Nice. In 1388 the treaty was signed here by which Nice was
annexed to the house of Savoy. A short distance beyond, at the part
where the stream St. André unites with the Paillon, 3 m. from the
Place Massena, is the asylum for the insane. First-class boarders pay
4 frs. per day, second 3 frs. A little higher up the
stream are the village, pop. 660, and (on a hill) the château of St.
André. The château is a plain house with a small chapel at the west end,
180
 
fronted by a terrace built by the brothers Thaon of Lantosque in 1685.
Part is occupied by a school and part is let. The chapel is now the
parish church. At the east end is a small petrifying spring. From the
château an avenue of ill-conditioned cypresses (the best have been cut
down) leads to the Grotte St. André. Fee, ½ fr. each. It is a
natural tunnel, 114 ft. long and 25 ft. high, through the limestone
rock, under which flows the stream St. André, dammed up at the outer end
to enable the man to take visitors through it in a boat. Near it are a
restaurant and shop in which petrifactions are sold.

From the “Grotte” up to the 8th kilomètre stone the ravine becomes so
narrow that there is barely room between the high cliffs for the road
and the stream. It is so picturesque that those who have come to visit
the cave should walk up this distance, 1 mile, before returning.
Those in carriages generally pass up this way and return by Falicon,
a village perched on the top of a steep hill above the river St.
André.

_To the
Observatory_, 1215 ft. above the sea, constructed in 1881 at the
expense of M. Bischoffsheim. Take the Abbatoir tram the length of
the Place Risso (see plan), where take the corner to the right and
ascend by the Corniche road. If on foot, on arriving at a well beside a
house, ascend the hill by the mule-path. The views are charming. The
establishment possesses 1235 acres of land. On the highest part are the
various buildings for astronomical purposes. A few yards below, on
the west side of the mountain, is a handsome building 228 ft. long and
46 broad. In the centre is the library, and the wing at each end
dwelling-houses.


Nice to Cuneo by St. Martin Lantosque.

(Map, page 165, and Map of Rhône and Savoy.)

_Nice to Cuneo by St. Martin Lantosque._—Diligence from
Nice to St. Martin, 37 m. N. From St. Martin to Entraque, on
the north side of the Col di Finestra, 8 hrs. by mule, considered equal
to 25 m. From Entraque to Cuneo by Valdieri and Dalmazzo,
24 m. N. by coach.

Levens. Lantosque.

The diligence from Nice ascends by the west side of the river Paillon,
and after passing the villages of St.
André (p. 179) and Tourette, near the ruins of Châteauneuf,
arrives at Levens, 1826 ft.
above the sea, pop. 1560, _Inn:_ H. des Étrangers, where the
coach halts a short time. After Levens it crosses the Col du Dragon, and
then descends into the prettiest part of the valley of the Vesubie,
where it passes through the village of Duranus, 18 m. from Nice,
pop. 1500. Then, after having traversed a tunnel 88 yds. long, crossed
the Vesubie, and passed by the hamlet of Le Suque (Suchet), 25 m.
from Nice, it reaches the village of Lantosque, 28½ m. from Nice, 1640
181
 
ft. above the sea, pop. 1910, _Inn:_ H. des Alpes Maritimes.
On a plateau 765 ft. above Lantosque, and 1¼ m. distant, is La
Bollène, with a large hotel, charmingly situated amidst hills covered
with chestnut trees. The coach next halts at Roquebillère, pop. 1800, on
the Vesubie, 3½ m. from Lantosque, 32 from Nice, and 1968 ft. above
the sea. It is the station for the village of Belvédère, pop. 1250, with
a comfortable hotel on a plateau 755 ft. above Roquebillère.
St. Martin Lantosque.
Col di Finestra.
From Roquebillère the coach proceeds up the valley of the Vesubie by the
villages of Berguerie, St. Bernard, and St. Sebastien, to St. Martin
Lantosque, 37 m. from Nice, pop. 1956, and 3117 ft. above
the sea. An ancient village at the junction of the Vesubie with the
Salèses. In the “Place” where the diligence stops is a very good inn,
the H. des Alpes. Down in the town is the Belle-Vue pension,
6 frs. Up by the side of the promenade are some good pensions. On
the opposite hill, ½ hour walk from St. Martin, and 700 ft. higher, is
the village of Venanson, pop. 250, commanding splendid views of the
surrounding valleys. The lower parts of the mountains are covered with
chestnut and cherry trees, and the higher with large firs. From St.
Martin commences the bridle-path to Entraque, by the valley of the
Vesubie and the Col di
Finestra, 8269 ft. above the sea, called thus from a fancied
resemblance of a cleft in the peak to a window. Mule and guide to
Entraque, 22 frs.; time, 8 hrs. 1¼ m. up the Vesubie is the stone
which marks the boundary between France and Italy, and 6¼ m.
farther the inn and the chapel of the Madonna di Finestra, 6234 ft.
above the sea. Many rare plants are found here, especially the
remarkable _Saxifraga florulenta_, on the ridges of rock above the
sanctuary. Half an hour beyond, a lake is passed among jagged
peaks, and, in about another ½ hour more, the summit of the pass, 8269
ft., is attained, commanding an extensive view both towards Italy and
France. At Entraque there is an inn, and a coach daily to Cuneo.

Valdieri.

A mule-path from St. Martin extends to the Baths of Valdieri, about 20 m. distant, time
7 to 8 hrs., by the Salèses, which it follows all the way to the Col de
Moulières, 6890 ft. A few miles farther northward it crosses also
the Col di Fremamorta, a depression between two mountains, 8745 ft.
and 8964 ft. respectively above the sea. It then descends by a long
dreary road to the Val di Vallaso, where it turns eastwards to the river
Valletta and the Baths of Valdieri. From the baths a carriage-road
extends 24 m. N.E. to Cuneo, passing by the village of Valdieri on
the Gesso, 2493 ft. above the sea, 10 m. N. from the baths, and
7½ m. S. from the next village, Roccavione, in the picturesque
valley of the Vermanagna. The coach then passes through the Borgo San
Dalmazzo, 5 m. from Cuneo, in a well-cultivated plain at the
junction of the Vermanagna with the Gesso.

A more direct but not such a good path separates from the Fremamorta
road at a small hamlet about 4 m. N. from St. Martin, whence it
ascends northwards by the Col de Cerise, 8500 ft., and then follows the
course of the Valletta to the baths. “The Baths of Valdieri make
excellent headquarters for exploring this part of the Western
182
 
Alps. In every village an inn of more or less humble pretensions is to
be found; and, though the first impressions may be very unfavourable,
the writer [Ed.] has usually obtained food and a bed such as a
mountaineer need not despise. Apart also from the advantage of being
accessible at seasons when travellers are shut out by climate from most
other Alpine districts, this offers special attractions to the
naturalist. Within a narrow range may be found a considerable number of
very rare plants, several of which are not known to exist elsewhere. The
geology is also interesting, and would probably repay further
examination. A crystalline axis is flanked on both sides by
highly-inclined and much-altered sedimentary rocks, which probably
include the entire series from the carboniferous to the cretaceous
rocks, in some parts overlaid by nummulitic deposits.” —_The
Western Alps_, by John Ball.

Puget-Theniers. Saint Sauveur.

_Nice to
Puget-Theniers_, 42 m. N.W. by the Vallon du Var, which does not
become picturesque till Chaudan, 22 m. N. from Nice, at the
junction of the Tinée with the Var, where the horses are changed and
where the coach from St. Sauveur (18¼ m. N. from Chaudan) meets the
Puget coach. Puget-Theniers (Castrum de Pogeto de Thenariis, pop. 1450,
1476 ft. above the sea, _Inn:_ *Croix de Malte) is a dirty village
on the confluence of the Roudoule with the Var at the foot of bare
precipitous mountains. Coach daily from the inn to Guillaumes, pop.
1300, on the Var, 22 m. N., _Inn:_ Ginié. The roads beyond are
traversed by mules. Coach also to Entrevaux, 3¾ m. W. from
Puget.

The banks of the Tinée are more picturesque than those of the Var. On
the Tinée, 40½ m. N. from Nice, is Saint Sauveur, pop. 800, _Inn:_ Vial, with
Romanesque church containing a statue of St. Paul, dating from 1309. Hot
and cold sulphurous springs issue from a granite rock called the Guez.
From St. Sauveur a good road extends northwards by the Tinée to St. Etienne, where there is an
inn. From St. Etienne, pop. 150, a good mule-path leads by the Col
Valonet to Vinadio (see map, p. 165).


Nice to Turin by the Col di Tenda.

Nice to the village of Tenda, by coach, 51 m., 11 hours,
9 frs.; Tenda to Cuneo, 29 m., 7 hours, 7 frs.; Cuneo to
Turin, by rail, 3 hours (see maps, pp. 165 and
107). This is rather a
fatiguing journey. The most beautiful views are seen during the descent
from Tenda to the Mediterranean. Nice.—Start from the Place
St. François. The road ascends the E. bank of the Paillon by the
villages of Trinité-Victor, pop. 1300, and Drap,
pop. 800, with a sulphurous spring called Eau de Lagarde. Beyond this it
leaves the Paillon and crosses over to Escarène on the Braus,
12½ m. N.E. from Nice, pop. 1500. About 1½ m. farther is
Touet, pop. 400, whence commences the tedious ascent of the Col
di Braus, 3300 ft, between the Tête Lavine on the S. and Mt. Ventabren
on the N. The road now descends to Sospel, 1125 ft., pop. 3500, on the Bevera, an
affluent of the Roja, 25½ m. N.E. from Nice. H. Carenio; coach
daily to and from Menton, 14 m. S. The
183
 
road now ascends the Col di Brouis, 2871 ft., whence passengers in this
direction have their last view of the Mediterranean.
Giandola.
Saorgio.
The descent is now made through bleak and barren mountains to Giandola, 39¼ m. N.E. from Nice,
1247 ft., at the base of lofty frowning rocks. _Inns:_ Étrangers,
Poste. Coach daily between this and Ventimiglia. To the E., on the Roja,
are Breglio, pop. 2580, and the ruins of the castle of Trivella. The
road now ascends a narrow defile of the Roja, which, suddenly widening, discloses Saorgio, pop. 1600, 400 ft. above
the torrent, composed of parallel rows of dingy houses among almond and
olive trees. On the top of the hill is the castle of Malemort, destroyed
by the French in 1792. From this the valley contracts so much that the
road has repeatedly to cross and re-cross the river on its way to
Fontana on the Italian frontier, 43 m. from Nice, pop. 1230.
Luggage and passports are examined here. Almost the only habitat of the
curious plant _Ballota spinosa_ is between Fontana and Breglio. The
road from this to St. Dalmazzo, 5 m. N., passes through one of the
most formidable defiles in the Alps, the Gorge de Berghe, between steep
massive walls of igneous rock. “The bold forms of the cliffs, and the
luxuriant vegetation which crowns every height and fills every hollow,
make the scenery of this road worthy to compare with almost any other
more famous Alpine pass.” —_Ball_. At St. Dalmazzo is a
hydropathic establishment, pension 8 frs. Coach daily between
Ventimiglia and Tenda.

Limone. Cuneo.

51 m. N.E. from Nice, 2 m. S. from the tunnel, and 12 m. S. from
Limone, is the village of Tenda, pop. 1800; _Inn:_ H. National; 2680
ft. above the sea, and 1516 ft. below the tunnel; situated on the Roja
at the base of a rock, on which are the picturesque ruins of the castle
of Beatrice di Tenda, executed on the 13th Sept. 1418 by her jealous and
tyrannical husband, Duke Fil. Maria Visconti. Many rare plants are to be
found on the rocks over the village. The village church (1476-1518) is a
good specimen of Lombardian architecture. The tunnel, opened in
1882—4196 ft. above the sea at the Tenda end, and 4331 ft. at the
Limone end—is 9844 ft. long and 23 ft. high. The Tenda end of the
tunnel is at the hamlet called La Punta, and the Cuneo end at the hamlet
La Panice. From La Panice the road descends rapidly by the Vermanagna to
Limone, 3668 ft., 63 m.
N.E. from Nice and 17 m. S. from Cuneo; _Inn:_ H. de la
Poste; pleasantly situated in the valley of the Vermanagna, from which
an occasional glimpse may be had of Monte Viso, 12,670 ft. The road,
after passing Robillante, Roccavione, and Borgo-San-Dalmazzo,
pop. 4600, arrives at Cuneo,
80 m. N.E. from Nice, 1500 ft. above the sea, pop. 1200;
_Inns:_ Barra di Ferro, Albergo di Superga; situated at the
confluence of the Stura with the Gesso. 55 m. N. by rail is
Turin.

Mondovi. Acqui.

The easiest way to go to Turin from Nice is to take the
rail to Savona, whence rail to Turin, 91 m. N.W. by Carru, Bra, and
Cavallermaggioré. On this rail, 4 m. W. from Savona, is the
Santuario di Savona, a pilgrimage church with large hospice for
poor devotees (p. 210). From Carru
station, 50 m. N., a branch line extends 8 m. S.
184
 
to Mondovi, pop. 17,000,
on the Ellero. _Inns:_ Croce di Malta; Tré Limoni d’Oro. From
Mondovi is visited the Cave of Bossea, about 15 m. S., in the valley of
the Corsaglia. Each seat in the conveyance, 8 frs.; cave, 2½ frs.
each, shown from June to October. 12 m. S.W. from Mondovi, and
about the same S.E. by coach from Cuneo, is the Certosa di Val
Pésio, formerly a monastery, founded in 1173, now a hydropathic
establishment, open from 1st June to 30th September. Pension, 8 to 10
frs. It is well managed, and well situated for botanists, fishers, and
sketchers.

At the station S. Giuseppe di Cairo, 13 m. W. from Savona, is the
junction with line to Alessandria, 52 m. N., by Acqui, 31 m.
N., traversing a picturesque country, between S. Giuseppe and
Acqui, where it passes down the beautiful valley of the Bormida.

Acqui, pop. 8000, on the
Bormida, and 21 m. S. by rail from Alessandria. _Hotels:_
Italia; Moro. The town is partly on and partly round the Castello. On
the other side of the river is the bathing establishment, a large
building with abundant accommodation. The pension price per day is from
9 to 12 frs., including the use of the water, which, besides being
drank, is employed both in water and in mud baths. The waters are
sulphurous and alkaline, temp. 120°, and were known to the Romans under
the name of the Aquæ Statielæ, yet of their times nothing exists but the
ruins of an aqueduct. The mud-baths of Acqui are remedies of
considerable power. The patient remains immersed for about half an hour
in the humus or mineralised mud of a temperature as hot as he can bear.
Immediately after he receives a warm mineral water bath. “The
therapeutic influence of this application is most evident in chronic
articular enlargements, rheumatic arthritis, some indolent tumours,
intractable cases of secondary syphilis, and rheumatism.” —Dr.
Madden’s _Health Resorts_.

Villefranche.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
142½
12½
VILLEFRANCHE,
pop. 3500. Approached by omnibuses from the Pont Vieux at Nice, also by
rail. Station at the head of the bay. _Hotel:_ Marine. Pleasant
boating excursions may be taken here to the peninsulas of St. John and
the Hospice. The climate of Villefranche resembles that of Cimiès and
Carabacel. 2 m. E. from Nice, at the head of a deep narrow bay,
2 m. long, are the arsenal, fortress, and port of
Villefranche, founded in the 13th cent. by Charles II., King
of Naples.
The bay is a favourite place of anchorage of the French squadron, as
well as of other ships of war and yachts. Boat from the mole to the
little pier on the peninsula of St. Jean, 1 fr. each person. From
Villefranche commences the splendid Road to Monaco, 8 m.
long and 18 ft. wide, exclusive of the space for foot-passengers. This
most enjoyable carriage-drive skirts with the railway the base of the
precipitous cliffs which rise from the sea. 1 m. from Villefranche
by rail, or 1¾ by road, is


opp. 185
THE CORNICHE ROAD
NICE to MENTON

see caption


Beaulieu.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
143½
11½
BEAULIEU, famed for its
large olive trees. A little above
185
 
the station is one of the oldest trees, and near it the H. des
Anglais among “countless terraces, where olives rise unchilled by
autumn’s blast or wintry skies.” Down towards the village is another old
olive tree, not far from a restaurant. Near the Church on the Monaco
road is the Restaurant Beau-Rivage, where a Bouillabaisse lunch can be
had. In the creek below are small boats for hire. Beaulieu is really a
beautiful place. It is situated in one of the most sheltered nooks of
the Riviera, at the foot of gigantic cliffs with patches of strata of
reddish sandstone. The edges of this grand precipice are fringed with
trees, which in the bright atmosphere look almost as if they were
transparent; while below, groves of stately olive trees cover the base
and struggle as far up as they can by the fissures in the rocks. Behind
the olives, and intermixed with them, are orchards of orange and lemon
trees, bending under the weight of their beautiful fruit. Trees and tall
shrubs hang over the edges of the abrupt banks, which enclose the tiny
creeks and bays bordered with diminutive sandy beaches, or with long
ledges of marble rocks, dipping gradually down into the deep-blue water,
carpeted in some places with the thin flat siliceous leaves of the
Posidonia Caulini, a Naiad not an alga, which covers the shore of
the Mediterranean, and of which great accumulations are seen thrown up
at various parts. It makes a poor manure, but prevents in some degree
evaporation.

Port of St. Jean.

A charming road, at some parts rather narrow for a carriage, leads
from Beaulieu round by the edge of the bay and east side of the
peninsula to the Port of
St. Jean. The real carriage-road commences at the railway
bridge, goes round by the west side of the peninsula, and descends to
St. Jean, a little before reaching the chapel of St. Francis. The
continuation past the chapel, of the road, extends to the lighthouse,
passing the signal-tower to the right.

The port of St. Jean, _Inn:_ H. Victoria, is used
principally by the tunny fishing-boats from February to April. It makes
a very pleasant residence for artists and naturalists. It is situated
among creeks and bays, gardens, orchards, villas, and woods, in the most
fertile part of the peninsula. Beyond, on the highest point of the
peninsula of St. Hospice, is a round tower, the remains of the
fortifications razed by the Duke of Berwick in 1706. The more ancient
crumbling masonry around belonged to a stronghold of the Saracens,
whence they were driven in the 10th cent. “A fir-clad mound amid
the savage wild bears on its brow a village, walled and isled in lone
seclusion round its ancient tower. It was a post of Saracens, whose
186
 
fate made them the masters for long years of lands remote and scattered
o’er a hundred strands.” —_Guido and Lita_, by the Marquis of
Lorne. Below, towards the point, are a cemetery, a church, 11th
cent., visited by Victor Emmanuel in 1821, and a battery.

Lighthouse.

At the south extremity of the peninsula of St. Jean is the lighthouse
(second-class), built in the 17th cent., but repaired, and the top story
added, in 1836. It is 98 ft. high, or 196 ft. above the sea, and is
ascended by 120 steps. The light is white and revolving, and is seen at
a distance of 20 m. The Antibes light is fixed, and is of the
first-class. By the east side of the lighthouse is the grave of Charles
Best, who died at Tenda, on the 30th day of July 1817, aged 38. The tomb
is hewn in the rock and arched over. His friends have laid him in a
grand place to await the call of the resurrection trumpet. Large
euphorbias and myrtles cover this stony part of the peninsula.


Petite Afrique. Eze.

EZE.

The most picturesque part of the Monaco road is between Beaulieu and
Eze, the next station, 2 m. distant by road, but only 1½ by rail.
The steep flanks of the mountains between Beaulieu and Cape Roux are so
exposed to the sun, and so protected from the cold, that this region has
been called the Petite Afrique. Cape Roux itself, the abrupt
termination of a lofty ridge, looks as if it would topple over into the
sea, to which it is so close that both the rail and the road have to
pass through it by tunnels. On the eastern side of this cape is the
equally picturesque and sheltered bay, the Mer d’Eze, backed by a
phalanx of lofty stalwart cliffs and mountains. On the peak (1300 ft.
high) of one of this confused assemblage of lofty calcareous rocks is
the nearly deserted village of Eze, pop. 770, with the ruins of
its castle founded by the Saracens in 814, and its small church,
recently restored, built on the foundations of a temple of Isis, whence
the name Eza or Eze is said to be derived. From the floor of rock of the
castle, under the remains of a vaulted roof, a charming marine
landscape displays itself, while inland is seen the Pass or highest part
(1750 ft.) of the Corniche road, which here crosses the ridge terminated
by Mt. Roux. At the Pass are an inn and a few houses. The road up to Eze
commences near the station. In some parts it is steep, and much exposed
to the sun, and throughout very picturesque and stony, passing through
plantations of firs, olives, and carouba or locust trees. The ascent
requires, doing it leisurely, 75 minutes. From Eze a road ascends to the
Corniche road, and another descends to St. Laurent, on the road to
Monaco. A little beyond Eze is the station for La Turbie.

187
 

Monaco.

100 min. from Cannes, 35 from Nice, and 44 from Menton, is


MARSEILLES
MENTON
149
6
MONACO station, situated in
La Condamine. At the station (6) an omnibus awaits passengers for Monaco
on the top of the S.W. promontory, 195 ft. above the sea. For Monte
Carlo, on the top of the N.E. promontory, alight at the next station,
1¼ m. N.E.

Monaco proper, pop. 1200. Hôtel de la Paix, 7½ frs., splendid
view from the square. Pharmacies under the direction of MM. Cruzel and
Muratore. Till the arrival of F. Blanc in 1860, Monaco was a poor
place, where the Prince and his subjects had to maintain themselves from
the produce of a few small vineyards and orchards scattered over patches
of scanty soil on the slopes of the mountains. But now that the
gambling-tables have brought a flood of gold into the principality,
wealth has taken the place of poverty, the palace has been furnished
anew, the humble Grimaldi church, 13th cent., thrown down, and in its
stead a majestic cathedral erected, the barns have been filled with
plenty, costly roads have been cut through the cliffs, the formerly arid
hills clothed with exuberant verdure, and beautiful villas have been
built in the midst of enchanting gardens, in places where, only a few
years ago, hardly enough of short wiry grass could grow to feed a goat.
The gambling establishment of Monaco was opened in 1856 by a company
with the sanction of Prince Charles III. The first house was in the
Place du Château; whence, after sundry changes, the company commenced to
build a house in 1858 on Monte Carlo. Becoming short of funds, they sold
their rights and property in 1860 to François Blanc.

The Grimaldi family have been in possession of this small territory
since 968, when the Emperor Otto I. gave it to Grimaldi I.,
Lord of Antibes and father of Giballin Grimaldi, who drove the Saracens
from the Grand-Fraxinet of St. Tropez
(p. 145). The greatest length of the principality, from the
cemetery wall at the western extremity to the brook St. Roman at the
eastern, is (including curves) 3½ m., and the greatest breadth,
from Point St. Martin northwards, 1 m. Population 10,000,
distributed among four different centres—the city, or Monaco
proper; the port, or La Condamine; Monte Carlo; and Les Moulins. They
are all united excepting the city, which, like an eagle’s nest, occupies
its own isolated rock, and is the one clean old town on the whole coast
of the Mediterranean, and, although about 200 ft. above the sea, is most
easily accessible by well-planned and gently-sloping roads.
Monaco: The Palace.
At the landward or north end of the promontory is the palace, of which
the rooms in the upper floor on the west side are shown to the public on
188
 
certain days. The earliest parts, including the crenellated towers, date
from the commencement of the 13th cent., but the rest is much more
modern and of different dates. It is in the form of an oblong rectangle,
the south small side being occupied by the entrance and the north by the
chapel, sumptuously decorated with marble, gilding, and mosaics. Within
the entrance is the Cour d’Honneur, decorated on the east side with
friezes and designs in fresco by Caravaggio, retouched in 1865,
representing the triumphal procession of Bacchus. On the opposite side a
horse-shoe marble staircase, of 30 steps in each branch, leads up to an
arcaded corridor. Under the 12 inner arches are frescoes by Carloni,
representing the feats of Hercules. The rooms shown are to the left and
right of the entrance passage, at the north end of the corridor. To left
the first room is the usher’s room. The second is in blue satin;
hangings and furniture in style Louis XV.; some family portraits on the
walls. 3. Reception-room in red; handsome chimney-piece of one stone.
Bust and full-length portrait of Charles III., Prince of Monaco.
Ceiling painted in fresco by Horace Ferrari. 4. Room with brown hangings
and green furniture. On the walls are some indifferently executed
pictures representing the exploits of the Grimaldis. 5. Bedroom with red
furniture; style Louis XIII.

Rooms on right hand of passage. 1. Sitting-room of the Duke of York,
brother of George III.; red furniture and hangings; family
portraits, some very good, and frescoes by Annibale Carracci. 2. The
bedroom in which he died, 1760; the walls hung with rich embroidered
scarlet satin; ceiling painted in fresco by Ann. Carracci. Table in
mosaic. Elegant bedstead, shut off by a richly-gilt banister or low
screen. 3. Sitting-room in pale yellow; style Louis XV. 4. Bedroom.
Furniture and walls covered with white satin richly embroidered.

The door in the N.W. corner of the court gives access to a very
pretty garden, 130 ft. above the sea, full of palms, orange trees, and
flowers. Below, near the beach, is the kitchen garden.

At the southern part of the town is the cathedral, built with money
bequeathed by Blanc. It is placed from north to south, is 75 yards long,
and at the transepts 32 yards. In front, handsome terrace and good view.
Northward, in the Rue de Lorraine, is the Church des Penitents Noirs,
and a little way farther down the same street are the Église de la
Visitation, founded in 1663, its schools, and the Hôtel Dieu. Down on
the face of the southern cliffs is the domain of the washerwomen. They
spread their clothes to dry on the hot rocks, or
189
 
over the prickly pear plants, here very abundant. At this end is also
the Jardin St. Martin, a very pretty promenade, with charming
views. 500 yards west from the foot of the Monaco rock, on the splendid
road to Villefranche, is the cemetery, whose wall forms the western
limit of the principality. Among the many tombs there is a beautiful
marble monument to Pierre and Modestine Neri, brother and sister.

La Condamine. St. Devota.

On the little plain between the promontories of Monaco and Monte
Carlo is La
Condamine, whose handsome houses extend, where practicable,
a considerable way up the surrounding mountains. In the picturesque
gully, entered from beneath the railway viaduct, is the parish church,
on the spot where the body of Santa Devota, a Roman martyr, the patroness
of Monaco, was washed ashore. In 1070 Hugues, Prince of Monaco, caused
the nose and ears of Captain Antinopes to be cut off for having stolen
the relics of St. Devota. La Condamine contains the harbour and the
principal railway station, as well as the less expensive hotels, such as
the G. H. des Bains between the sea and the gas-works, and the
Bristol on the terrace. Within the town, the Condamine; Étrangers;
Angleterre; Beau-Séjour; Beau Site; France; Marseille; in all, board and
lodging from 8 to 10 frs. At the station the H. Nice and Des
Voyageurs. On the road up to Monte Carlo are the first-class hotels:
Princes; *Beau Rivage; *Monte Carlo, occupying the house the late Madame
Blanc built for herself. On Monte Carlo are the first-class houses: the
Paris; the *Grand Hotel; *Des Anglais; Russie; Londres; Colonies; still
higher up, the *Victoria in the principality, but on the confines of
France; in all, 15 to 20 frs. per day. Behind the Londres a narrow lane
leads up to the Corniche road by the village of Le Carniet. Those hotels
marked in this instance with an asterisk do not receive promiscuous
company. Abundance of excellent restaurants, cafés, and furnished rooms.
English chapel in France, above the Hôtel Victoria. Mean winter
temperature, 49°.3. _Cabs._—The course, within the
principality, 1½ fr.; the hour, 3 frs. To Menton and back, 15 frs.
The omnibus that runs between Monte Carlo and Nice by the new road
starts from the Casino (see page 178).

Monte Carlo. Gambling-Rooms.

Monte Carlo is not an isolated rock like Monaco, but the abrupt
termination of a ridge sloping upwards from Point Focinana to the
Corniche road and the Château Mountains, both a considerable way beyond
the territory of Monaco. On the face of Monte Carlo, or rather of
Focinana Point, is the Casino, a large and showy building, erected
in 1862 by F. Blanc (d. 1877), a native of Avignon, and
formerly the
190
 
proprietor of the Cursaal of Homburg. To the right of the entrance into
the Casino are the cloak-rooms, the ladies’ (dames) and gentlemen’s
(hommes) lavatories, and the reading-room. Fronting the entrance is the
concert-room—a superb rectangular hall profusely decorated with
gilt ornaments intermingled with paintings in fresco representing the
Muses and mythological subjects. It is furnished with 600 cushioned
arm-chairs covered with scarlet velvet. The stage, or the part occupied
by the orchestra, is less ornamented, and the colours are more subdued.
Directly opposite is a sumptuous gallery for the use of the prince and
his suite, entered from the large door at the west side of the Casino.
The orchestra consists of nearly 80 first-class musicians, of whom about
three-fourths play on stringed instruments. To the left of the entrance
are the gambling-rooms and the office where visitors
give their names and addresses before entering. In the first three rooms
are the tables for roulette, which is played with one zero, and at which
the smallest sum admitted is 5 frs., and the largest 6000 frs. or
£240. The fourth room, ornamented with panel paintings by Clairin and
Boulanger, representing young lady riders, croquet-players, fencers,
fishers, archers, mountaineers, shooters, and sailors, is devoted to
trente-et-quarante, at which the smallest sum admitted is 20 frs., and
the largest 12,000 frs. or £480. Only French coin and notes taken at the
tables.

Les Moulins.

Charming gardens and lawns with exquisite turf surround the Casino,
and under it, at the foot of the cliff, is a large pigeon-shooting
gallery. Entrance, 5 frs. Well-constructed carriage-drives and
footpaths ramify in all directions, up the hill to the Corniche road,
and along the coast either to Menton or to Nice by the magnificent
coast-road to Villefranche (see
p. 184). The whole hill itself, or rather slope, is studded, even
beyond the boundaries of Monaco, with beautiful villas, partially hidden
among orange, lemon, and olive trees. On the eastern side of Monte Carlo
is Les Moulins,
now quite a town, with shops, hotels, restaurants, and furnished
lodgings. Up on the main road is the Hôtel de la Terrasse, 20 frs.,
dear. Down below on the coast-road, fronting the sea, is a small house,
the Hôtel du Parc.

At the Casino it is not necessary to gamble, while those inclined to
that horrid vice will find more dangerous traps laid to catch them in
the clubs of the principal towns on the Riviera. In Monte Carlo no one
can gamble on credit.
Lemons.
About a quarter of an hour eastward from Moulins by the main road is the
valley of
191
 
St. Roman, with some very large olive and locust trees. In the
principality are also large groves of lemon trees. They flower and bear
fruit throughout the whole year. The lemons, which ripen in spring, are
called graneti, and those which ripen in summer verdami. They are the
juiciest, and as they keep longest, are the most suitable for
exportation. The best paper for wrapping them in is that made from old
tarry ropes. The manure preferred for the lemon and olive trees is
composed of the waste of horns, woollen rags, and refuse.

_Excursions._—1640 feet above Monaco is La Turbie,
ascended by a road containing 860 terraced steps, of which the best are
14 feet long by 9 feet wide, but a great many are smaller, and the
most are in bad condition. The ascent, walking leisurely, requires one
hour. It commences from the Rue de Turbie, the second street left from
the railway station. At Turbie, pop. 2400, there are three
restaurants—the France, Paris, and Ancre; the first is the most
frequented. Bedrooms, 2 frs. Delicious lemonade, most grateful
after a hot climb. When up at La Turbie ascend by the tower of Augustus
to the little knoll close by and take a seat under the rock at the top,
whence “From ancient battlements the eye surveys a hundred lofty peaks
and curving bays.” But the one great view, which excels all the others,
is from the


Tête de Chien.

Tête de Chien.

The road to it ramifies from the Corniche road at the west end of
La Turbie. Carriages drive all the way. As there is a Fort on the
top, permission must be procured from the captain to approach the brow
of the mighty projecting precipice, which by its position commands a
splendid uninterrupted view east and west, but spoils that from the
other places. From the Tête de Chien eastward are seen every mountain,
town, village, cape, creek, and bay the length of San Remo. On the
western side the view is much more extensive, reaching to St. Tropez and
the Maure mountains. The east side embraces Monaco, Monte Carlo, Les
Moulins, Mt. de la Justice, Mt. Gros, Roquebrune, Cape St. Martin,
Menton, Ventimiglia, Braja and Bordighera on the Cape San Ampeglio,
which conceals San Remo, but not the entrance into the bay. The western
side embraces Eze, Cape Roux, Beaulieu, the whole of the peninsula of
St. Jean, a piece of Villefranche, the greater part of Nice,
Antibes, the lighthouse and peninsula, the Lerins islands, the Esterel
mountains, and the Maures above Saint Tropez, which close the view.
A good opera-glass should be taken. A stony road leads down
the west side of the Tête, through a plantation of firs, to the Monaco
road, which it joins near the battery (see map,
p. 185).

192
 

La Turbie.

La Turbie, the
ancient Trophræa Augusti station, on the Via Julia, is a poor village,
composed of narrow streets, old houses, and gateways close to the
massive Roman fort, which, after having stood nearly intact for 1700
years, was reduced to its present dilapidated condition by a prince of
Monaco in the reign of Louis XIV. The village is supplied with excellent
water from a spring to the N.W. of Mt. Agel. To the west of Turbie, at
the Colonna del Ré, a road descends northwards to the sanctuary of
Notre Dame de Laguet, at the foot of Mt. Sembole, 13 m. from Nice,
but scarcely 2 from La Turbie.

The conical hill, rising over La Turbie, is Mt. la Bataille, and the
long ridge farther east, leading up to Mt. Agel, 3771 ft., are the
Château mountains. The view from none of these mountains equals that
from the Tête de Chien; moreover, the ascent is uninteresting, by stony
paths. Ascend by the first road east from Turbie, and when at the Turbie
reservoir turn to the left for the Montagne de la Bataille; but for the
Chateau mountains take the path to the right. This path leads round into
a narrow ascending valley, at the top of which is the summit of the
Château mountains, and the commencement of the peak of Mt. Agel, one
half-hour higher. The mountain immediately over Monte Carlo and Les
Moulins is La Justice, 911 ft., used as a quarry. On the top is a pillar
of rough stones, rudely plastered together. By the side of it are the
remains of a similar column. At the chapel of St Roch a road leads up to
the Corniche road (see map, page 185).


MARSEILLES
MENTON
150¼
4¾
MONTE
CARLO station. Alight here for the Casino, for the hotels on
Monte Carlo, and for Les Moulins and its hotels.

Roquebrune.


MARSEILLES
MENTON
152½
2½
ROQUEBRUNE station,
where the Corniche road from La Turbie joins the low road from
Menton.

Roquebrune, pop. 1080, is 150 ft. above the station and the
sea, among great masses of brown conglomerate rocks. From the main road
a series of paved steps leads up to the village through a plantation of
lemon trees. The streets are steep and narrow, but the houses are better
and more comfortable than those of the villages similarly situated in
the neighbourhood of Menton, Bordighera, and San Remo. Near the terrace
is a small restaurant. On the summit of the hill are the ruins of the
great castle built by the Lascaris of Ventimiglia, who, in 1363, ceded
it to Charles Grimaldi. On a lintel on the eastern square tower is the
almost defaced sculpture representing a bishop’s mitre, with the
armorial bearings of the Grimaldis, and the date August 17, 1528. This
bishop is supposed to have been Augustine
193
 
Grimaldi, councillor to Francis I. of France, who repaired this castle
in 1528. A broken staircase leads up to the top. “No warrior’s
tread is echoed by their halls, no warder’s challenge on the silence
falls. Around, the thrifty peasants ply their toil, and pluck in orange
groves the scented spoil from trees that have for purple mountains made
a vestment bright, of green and gold inlaid.” —_Guido and
Lita_, by the Marquis of Lorne.

Menton. Hotels.

699 m. S.E. from Paris, 155 m. N.E. from Marseilles, 34½ m. N.E.
from Cannes, and 15½ m. N.E. from Nice, is

MENTON,

population 11,100, 16 miles S.W. from San Remo. _Hotels and
Pensions._—Commencing with those at the west end of the
Promenade du Midi, near the Gorbio, and going eastward through the town
to the Garavan. Those hotels with ² prefixed have a front to the sea and
esplanade, and another to the Avenue Victor Emmanuel II. The
asterisk signifies recommended. W signifies bottle of wine, and the
price given that of the cheapest quality. P signifies pension or
boarding-house. At the west end of the esplanade the ²H. du Pavilion;
the H. St. George, 9-12 frs., W 1½ fr., by the side of the Borrigo;
²*P. Condamine; *H. et P. Londres. These 4 houses charge from
9 to 12 frs., W from 1½ to 2 frs. Near the Carrei and the
Episcopal Church of St. John are the *H. Splendide, 9-12 frs., W 1½
fr.; the Parc, 8-10 frs., W 1½ fr.; and the ²*Russie, 9-12 frs., W 1½
fr. Now cross the Carrei, on which is a very sheltered promenade up the
eastern bank. By the side of the Place (where the band plays), built
over the mouth of the torrent, is the ²*H. de Paris, 10-14 frs., W
1½ fr. Same side, ²H. et P. d’Angleterre, 9-12 frs. Opposite, the
H. Camous, 9-12 frs.; and the Banque Bottini. Situated in the
busiest part of Menton are the *P. and H. Méditerranée, 9-12 frs.,
W 1½ fr. Next it the house agencies of Amaranté et Cie and
Tonin-Amaranté; and a little farther, the Menton Bank of Biovès et Cie.
Opposite, the ²H. Westminster, ²H. Victoria, and ²*H. de Menton,
all large good houses, charging 9-15 frs. The H. Menton is
patronised by Messrs. Cook. Nearer the harbour, but with a front only to
the sea, is the Midi, same price. We now enter the eastern or most
sheltered quarter, called the Garavan. The hotels are large and
first-class, and charge from 10 to 20 frs., and wine from 1½ to 2½ frs.
The most westerly is the H. Italie, and, about 100 feet up the bank
behind, the principal house of the hotel. A little farther east, on
the same eminence, is the *Belle-Vue. Near the Belle-Vue, and on
194
 
the same level, is the Villa Helvetia, a benevolent home for ladies not
younger than 18 nor older than 40, who are received for 20s.
a week, which includes everything “except laundress and fire in
bedroom.” For conditions of admission apply to Ransom, Bouverie, and
Co., bankers, London; Mrs. Seton Karr, 30 Lancaster Gate, Hyde Park; or
Miss Mackenzie, 16 Moray Place, Edinburgh. Below, on the terrace along
the beach, is Christ Church, and adjoining is the Paix,
a well-furnished house. Then follow the *H. des Anglais, the
H. et P. Santa Maria, *Beau Rivage, Grand Hotel, Beau Site,
Britannia. Queen Victoria spent the spring of 1882 in the Châlet des
Rosiers, about 200 yards from the H. des Anglais.

Inland, on the east side of the Carrei, in a warm nook, under the
shelter of a high hill, is a cluster of large and small hotels, just
behind the busiest part of the town. Of these the most prominent are the
first-class houses of the *H. des Iles Britanniques (expensive),
*H. National, *Orient, *Louvre, and Princes. Rather lower down are
the Ambassadeurs, Turin, Venise, Malte, Alpes, 9-15 frs., W 1-2 frs.;
the last five being less costly. Up the west side of the Carrei is the
P. des Orangers, pleasantly situated. On the road down from the station,
on the right or west bank of the Carrei, is the H. de l’Europe,
9-14 frs., W 2 frs. Almost adjoining is a second-class house, the
H. and P. des Deux-Mondes, 6-7 frs. The above prices include
service, coffee in the morning, and meat breakfast and dinner, but never
wine, excepting the G. H. de Menton, whose price includes wine but
not coffee.

Menton has certainly some very sheltered nooks, but this only renders
the more exposed parts the more dangerous. The distinguishing feature of
the neighbourhood is the abundance of lemon trees in the small valleys
watered by mountain streams. The annual yield of the trees amounts to 30
million lemons, of which the minimum price is from 12 to 15 frs. the
thousand.

Menton: Bankers. Churches. Conveyances.

_Bankers._—Bank of France, Maison Palmaro.
In the Av. Victor Emmanuel are: Biovès et Cie, Credit Lyonnais,
A. Bottini, and Credit de Nice. In 17 R. St. Michel, the Palmaro
Bank and the English Consulate. _House Agents._—G. Amaranté
and T. Amaranté, 12 and 19 Av. V. Emmanuel; Willoughby, R. St.
Michel. English doctors, chemists, and grocers.

_Protestant
Churches._—Christ Church, adjoining the H. de la Paix;
St. John’s, near the Pont Carrei; Presbyterian, above H. Italie;
Vaudois, R. du Castellar; German Church, R. Partouneaux.

_Cabs._—One-horse cab—the course,
1 fr. 25 c.; the hour, 2¾ frs. Two-horse cab—the course,
1 fr. 75 c.; the hour, 3 frs. 75 c. A one-horse cab for
the whole day costs 20 frs.; a two-horse cab, 25 frs. Donkey for
the whole day, 5 frs.; gratuity, 1 fr. Boats, 2 frs. the
hour.

195
 

Menton is situated round a large bay, bounded on the west by Cape St.
Martin, and on the east by Mortola Point. This bay is divided into two
smaller bays by the hill, 130 ft. high, on which the old town is built.
The platform of the parish church, St. Michel, is reached by 95 steps in
8 divisions. All the streets about it are narrow, dirty, steep, and even
slippery. The new town stretches out a great way along the beach. The
public promenade (about 40 ft. wide) bends round the west bay from the
town to Cape St. Martin. A kind of gloom pervades Menton. The strip
of ground on which it stands is narrow, and so are the streets.
Immediately behind rise great mountains with dark gray limestone cliffs,
intermingled with deep green olive trees and stiff straggling pines. The
valleys are narrow and sombre. The roads up the mountains are steep,
badly paved, and are generally traversed on unwilling donkeys.

The pleasantest walks and drives are those along the coast, extending
from Cape St. Martin to the Italian frontier, to which there are two
roads, an upper and a lower. The former, the main road, crosses the
bridge of St. Louis, while the latter skirts the beach to the famous
bone-caverns. The _débris_ found in these caves, like the
shell-banks in the north of Scotland, consisted of the waste
accumulation from the food of the early inhabitants, together with the
stone implements they had employed. Four of the caves are above the
railway, a little beyond the viaduct under the Italian
custom-house, and two are just below the line close to the beach.

Cape St. Martin. Gorbio. St. Agnès.

Cape St.
Martin, 2 m. W. Tram from Garavan to St. Martin, 50 c. The tram
stops at the N.E. corner of the cape. On the road northward from the
cape leading to Roquebrune is, right hand, a Roman sepulchre,
consisting of a centre arch with a smaller arch on each side, all that
remains of the Roman settlement Lumone, mentioned by Antoninus. From
this a straight road leads directly S. through a grove of large olive
trees to the signal-tower in the centre of the peninsula. Beside it are
the ruins of a nunnery, which was connected with the monastery of
St. Honorat (p. 158). Afterwards the road
leading westward joins the carriage-way, which sweeps round the
peninsula. A stony path on the W. side, parallel to the road,
extends along the coast by the rocks and cliffs (see map, p. 185).

Gorbio, 2½ hrs. or 5 m.
N. up the valley of the Gorbio, and 1427 ft. above the sea. Take the
road E. from the Pont de l’Union, passing by the entrance into the Villa
(Palais) Carnolès, and, traversing groves of lemon and olive trees. When
about 1 hr. from the village the road
196
 
becomes steep, and pines take the place of lemon trees. Gorbio, pop.
500, occupies the summit of a hill rising from a valley formed by the
stream Gorbio and by one of its affluents. The streets are narrow,
steep, and roughly paved; the houses poor but substantial; and the
little church, built in 1683, is dedicated “Soli Deo.” At the upper end
of the village is a beautiful tulip tree. The path northward from the
tree leads to Mt. Gorbio, 2707 ft., and to Mt. Baudon, 7144 ft. The
rough stony road leading to the right or eastward from the tree ascends,
in less than 2 hrs., to St. Agnès. It is easily followed, and unfolds
lovely views. St. Agnès,
pop. 580, is situated 2180 ft. above the sea, or 330 ft. below the
mountain peak, crowned with the ruins of the castle built in the 10th
cent. by Haroun, a bold Saracen chief. A narrow path leads up
to the top in 45 minutes, whence there is an extensive prospect.

From the village descend to Menton by the path on the W. side of the
village, which, after innumerable windings, reaches the road by the side
of the Gorbio. On the way down it is difficult, among the network of
execrable paths, to follow the right one, which in descending is not of
much consequence, but in ascending adds immensely to the fatigue. If the
traveller should stray into the Vallon Castagnec or Primevères, the bed
of the stream should be followed as much as possible. One excursion
should be made of Gorbio and St. Agnès, commencing with Gorbio.

Annonciade. Castellar.

Convent and Chapel of the Annonciade, 722 ft. above the sea, on the ridge
between the Carrei and the Borrigo. Walk up the right or west bank of
the Carrei to beyond the railway bridge, the length of the Hôtel
Beau-Séjour, whence the path commences. Opposite, on the other side of
the river, is seen the Hôtel des Iles Britanniques. The object of this
easy excursion is the charming view from the terrace in front of the
convent. The walls of the church are covered with votive offerings.

Castellar, 1280 ft.
above the sea, 4 m. north, pop. 770. The road commences from the
narrow street, R. de la Caserne, a few yards W. from the Place du
Marché. Having passed a church, it enters on the broad highway which
skirts the flanks of the steep mountains, covered with lemon and olive
trees, rising from the left or east side of the stream Menton. With a
few interruptions the road is excellent all the way. Castellar, on the
plateau of St. Sebastian, surrounded by olive trees, is a poor village,
consisting of three narrow dirty parallel streets lined with ugly dingy
houses, and terminating
197
 
at the N. end with the parish church, rebuilt in 1867. Near the church
are the crumbling ruins of a castle of the Lascaris, descendants of the
Byzantine Emperors. From the terrace, where there are some beautiful elm
trees, is a charming view. Here also the village feast-day is held on
the 20th of January. From Castellar 2 to 3 hrs. are required for the
ascent of the Berceau, 3640 ft. above the sea, commanding a magnificent
prospect. Guide advisable.

Bennet’s Garden.

Pont St.
Louis, Bennet’s Garden, Hamlets of Grimaldi and Ciotti.—At the
east end of the Garavan is the boundary between France and Italy,
a narrow ravine with cliffs 215 ft. high, spanned by a bridge of
one arch 72 ft. wide. From this, on the first projecting point, are an
Italian custom-house station and the two entrances into the Bennet
Garden. The lower entrance is just before reaching the top of the point,
the other is by the path ascending from the point to Grimaldi. The upper
entrance is by the side of the square tower converted into a villa. The
garden on terraces is an oasis among cliffs, rocks, and stones, and is
chiefly remarkable for the number of English garden flowers in full
bloom in the middle of winter. The views from the walks are
charming.

The continuation of the path, or rather stair, up the steep rocky
hill leads to Grimaldi, a few straggling cottages among olive and
lemon trees. After Grimaldi the path crosses the top of the ridge, and
having passed up by the E. or left side of the Vallon St. Louis, ascends
the hill, on the top of which is the hamlet of Ciotti (1090 ft.),
consisting of some 20 houses compactly grouped together. N.E. from
Ciotti is Mt. Belinda, 1837 ft.

La Mortola. Hanbury Grounds.

La Mortola, about
2 m. E. from Garavan. The Menton and Ventimiglia omnibus passes through
Mortola by the gate (200 ft. above the sea) of the Hanbury Grounds,
consisting of 99 acres, sloping down to the beach by terraces. Large
olive trees occupy the larger portion, while in the more sheltered nooks
are palms, orange and lemon trees. On a level with the house, the
Palazzo Orengo, 150 ft. below the entrance, is the Pergola,
a charming walk covered with trelliswork supported by massive
pillars, up which climb above 100 different species of creeping plants.
Queen Victoria visited the grounds on the 25th March 1882. An excellent
view of the house and grounds, as well as of Ventimiglia and Bordighera,
is had from the stone seat a little below the Mortola cross, on the
highest part of the road, a little to the W. of Mortola. For time
and conditions of admission into the Hanbury Grounds apply to the
Palmaro Bank, 17 R. St. Michel. The
198
 
generous founder and father of the present owner died a few years ago.
Just beyond is the Piano di Latte, one of the most favoured little
valleys in the Riviera. Mortola is nearly an hour’s drive from
Bordighera.

Les Moulins. Monti. Hermit’s Grotto.

The most important drive towards the interior is to Sospel, 14
m. N., on the road between Nice and Cuneo by the Col di Tenda (see
p. 182). Excellent carriage-road all the way,
ascending by the western or railway station side of the Carrei. In the
lower part of the valley are large plantations of lemon trees. To the
left of the road near the octroi are Les Moulins olive-oil mills, with
four stages of water-wheels. 4 m. farther up the valley of the
Carrei, on a eminence considerably above the stream, are the church and
straggling village of Monti.
The bridle-road that descends here to the Carrei crosses over to
Castellar, well seen on the opposite side. About a mile beyond Monti,
opposite the part of the road where it makes a sudden bend to the left,
is seen a small stone bridge on the other side of the Carrei. This
bridge crosses the stream that forms the cascade called the
Gourg-d’Ora.

About a hundred yards to the west of the bridge, on the face of an
almost vertical rock, and at a considerable height, is a kind of window
or cavity called the Hermit’s Grotto. Over the entrance is an
illegible inscription in red hieroglyphics. By the side is another
inscription giving the name of a hermit who once lived in this
cave:—

CHRISTO LA FECE. BERNARDO L’ABITO.
1528.
(Christ made it. Bernard inhabits it.)

The inside of the grotto is composed of two rooms; the first, 6 yds.
by 4½, is continued by steep staircases up into the mountain for about
27 yds. At this extremity a large cavity leads into a second room, 3
yds. long, with a floor sloping in the opposite direction to the
opening. Into this cave the crusader Robert de Ferques is said to have
retired from grief.

At the time when King Philip Augustus had summoned all his nobility
to take part in the third crusade, a lord, named Robert de Ferques,
hastened to join the banner of the Count of Boulogne, his sovereign.
This Robert de Ferques had been recently married, and his young bride,
Jehanne de Leulinghem, unable to bear the thought of separation,
resolved to follow her lord and share his toils. She succeeded by
concealing her sex under a man’s dress, and set out with joy in the
capacity of esquire. Unhappily, during the journey she fell from her
horse, and was forced to stop at an inn.
Robert de
199
 
Ferques was obliged, with broken heart, to follow the army, and abandon
his young wife to the care of a faithful servant. But in a few days the
old esquire came with tears in his eyes to announce to his master the
death of the courageous Jehanne. The poor knight was so overwhelmed with
grief that, with the consent of the Count of Boulogne, he resolved to
give up the world, and consecrate to God, in the most austere solitude,
a life which he had already almost sacrificed to Him in war with
the infidels. In 1528 he seems to have been succeeded by the anchoret
Bernard.

Castellon. Climate.

The Sospel road now begins to ascend the Col de Guardia, pierced near
the top by a tunnel 260 ft. long, and shortly after it reaches the
walled town of Castellon or Castiglione, on an eminence 2926 ft
above the sea, commanding an extensive view, 8¼ m. from Menton,
pop. 320. 5¾ m. farther is Sospel, pop.
3500 (p. 182).

_Climate._—Menton being protected by an
amphitheatre of high hills from the northerly blasts, the winters here
are generally milder.

“A cool but sunny atmosphere, so dry that a fog is never seen at any
period of the winter, whatever the weather, either on sea or on land,
must be bracing, invigorating, stimulating. Such, indeed, are the
leading characteristics of the climate of this region—the
Undercliff of western Europe. Such a climate is perfection for all who
want bracing, renovating—for the very young, the invalid
middle-aged, and the very old, in whom vitality, defective or flagging,
requires rousing and stimulating. The cool but pleasant temperature, the
stimulating influence of the sunshine, the general absence of rain or of
continued rain, the dryness of the air, render daily exercise out of
doors both possible and agreeable. I selected Menton as my winter
residence six years ago, because I was suffering from advanced pulmonary
consumption, and after six winters passed at Menton I am now
surrounded by a little tribe of cured or arrested consumption cases.
This curative result has only been attained, in every instance, by
rousing and improving the organic powers, and principally those of
nutrition. If a consumption patient can be improved in health, and thus
brought to eat and sleep well, thoroughly digesting and assimilating
food, the battle is half won; and helping the physician to attain this
end is the principal benefit of the winter climate of the Riviera.”
—Bennet’s _Winter Climates_.

“With all its vaunted security from biting winds, and its mountain
shelter from the northern blasts, Menton lies most invitingly open to
the south, south-east, and south-west, and winter winds from these
directions can be chilly enough at times. What tells so keenly upon the
weak and susceptible is the land breeze, which regularly at sundown
steals from the mountains towards the sea. The mean temperature of
November is 54°, December 40°, February 49°, March 53°. When the air is
still, a summer heat often prevails during the day, though in the
shade and within doors the mercury seldom rises above 60°.”
—_Wintering at Menton_, by A. M. Brown.

For the Excursions, see maps pp. 163 and 185.


opp. 199
ITALIAN RIVIERA, &c.

see caption


200
 

THE ITALIAN RIVIERA,
or

Menton to Genoa.

By Ventimiglia, Bordighera, San Remo,
and Savona.

Distance 100½ miles. See accompanying Map.


GENOA
100½
MENTON. The road from Menton to Genoa crosses the frontier at the
bridge of St. Louis, spanning a ravine 215 ft. deep.

6½ m. E. from Menton by the carriage-road, passing the village of
Mortola, and traversing the Piano di Latte, is


MENTON
GENOA
6¾
93¾
VENTIMIGLIA, pop.
8500, on a hill at the mouth of the Roja. _Inns:_ near station, the
Hôtel Suisse; in the low town, the Hôtel Tornaghi. All the trains halt
here ¾ of an hour, and luggage entering France or Italy is examined. The
new station is commodious. At one end of the luggage-room is a clock
with Paris time, and at the other one with the time of Rome, 47 minutes
in advance of Paris. The waiting-rooms, “Sale d’Aspetto,” cloak-rooms,
“Camerini di Toeletta,” and the refreshment rooms are all at the French
end, as well as the way out to the train. The town is well seen from the
station. The church occupies a prominent position; and close to it, in
the Via Lascaris, are the post office, theatre, and the best café. The
walk up this same Via to the town-gate shows the best part of the town,
while the avenues in continuation beyond it lead up to the best sites
for views. Not far from the station, on the right bank of the Nervia,
on a large sandbank, are the remains of a theatre and of a cemetery,
which probably mark the site of the ancient Albintemelium. What remains
of the theatre is composed of large blocks of greenstone from the
quarries of Mortola. The excavations have been carried on under the
direction of the inspector of historic monuments in the province.
Omnibus between Ventimiglia and Bordighera. Diligence once daily between
Ventimiglia and Tenda, p. 183.

Bordighera.


MENTON
GENOA
10
90½
BORDIGHERA, pop.
2800. The old town, the Bordighera di sopra, is compactly built on the
summit of the eminence rising from the cape S. Ampeglio, whose
sides are covered with olives and palms. Down below, on almost a level
with the sea, is the low or new town, where most of the invalids reside,
though it is doubtful if the site is well chosen. _Hotels:_ the
best is the ¹*H. Angleterre, a first-class house in a garden,
near the station.
Similarly situated is the
201
 
¹H. Bordighera. Both charge from 10 to 20 frs. Behind the Angleterre is
the Episcopal chapel. West from the Angleterre is ²*Beau Rivage, 6 to 10
frs. Immediately opposite station are ²H. and P. Continental, 9 to
11 frs.; the ²H. and P. Sapia, 8 to 9 frs., and the Bordighera
bank, where money can be changed. Eastward are the hotels ²Victoria and
²Windsor. Admirably situated on an eminence overlooking the Moreno
palm-garden is the ¹*H. and P. Belvédère, 8 to 12 frs. Near it
is the ²*Pension Anglaise, 6 to 9 frs. At the commencement of the
Vallecrosia valley is a Home with industrial school for orphans of poor
Italian Protestants, founded by an English lady. Omnibus between
Bordighera and San Remo, passing through Ospedaletti, a beautiful
drive. Also omnibus every half-hour between Bordighera and Ventimiglia.
It passes through the low town of Ventimiglia and stops at the
commencement of the ascent to the high town.

The great feature of Bordighera are its plantations of palms, whose
tufted tops wave above the more lowly lemon trees laden with pale yellow
fruit, while the whole of the background is crowded with vigorous olive
trees. Some of the palms are 800 years old. The lemon, after the olive,
is the most profitable tree.

To the _Tower of Mostaccini_, 1½ hr. there and back, by the Strada
Romana, till near Pozzoforte, where ascend by path right hand. This
tower, of Roman origin, and still in excellent preservation, served as
an “avisium” or watch-tower in the Middle Ages. From it is obtained a
delightful view of part of the coast.

Isola Buona.

2½ m. west from Bordighera is the commencement of the valley of the Nervia, 16 m. long from north to
south, with a varying breadth of 1½ to 2½ m. A good
carriage-road extends all the way up to Pigna, 11 m. from
Bordighera. On this road, 1½ m. up the Nervia, or nearly 4 m.
from Bordighera, is Campo-Rosso, on the Nervia, at its junction with the
Cantarena, pop. about 250. It possesses two churches, both 12th cent.
St. Pierre has frescoes, 15th cent., on principal entrance and on the
sacristy, also some pictures attributed to Brea of Nice. The
confessionals are in the gallery. From Campo-Rosso a bridle-path leads
up to the top of the hill, on which is the chapel of Santa Croce,
commanding an extensive view. About 2 m. farther up the valley is
Dolce-Acqua, on both sides of the Nervia, crossed here by a stone bridge
with a span of 108 ft. Over the village, consisting of houses crowded
together and piled above each other, rises the imposing feudal castle of
the Dorias, reduced to its present dilapidated condition by the Genoese
in 1672. 2¼ m. from Dolce-Acqua, or 8½ m. from Bordighera, is
Isola Buona, pop.
1200, with paper and olive mills, heath pipe manufactories, and cold
sulphurous springs. From Isola, a little way up the Merdanio or
Merdunzo, is Apricale, pop. 1000. South from Apricale is Perinaldo, the
birthplace, 8th June 1625, of Giovanni Domenico Cassini, the most famous
of a family distinguished as astronomers, who succeeded one another as
directors of the observatory at Paris for four generations.

Pigna.

A little more than 11 m. from Bordighera is Pigna, on the Nervia,
202
 
at the foot of Mont Torragio, 3610 ft. above the sea, a village
where the principal occupation is the cutting and sawing of the timber
from the surrounding forests. The church, built in 1450, has on the rose
window a representation of the descent of the Holy Ghost on the
apostles. The frescoes on the choir are nearly of the same date as the
church, and are attributed to Jean Ranavasio. In the wild and
picturesque ravine of the Nervia, above Pigna, is a copious sulphurous
spring, temp. 79° Fahr., utilised by a bathing establishment. Near
Pigna, on a hill covered with chestnut trees, is the village of
Castel-Vittorio or Franco. From Pigna a bridle-path leads, 4 m. N.,
to Les Beuze, the last village in the valley of the Nervia.

The most pleasant of the drives is to San Remo, 6¾ m. N.E., by
Ospedaletti. About a mile from the E. side of Cape S. Ampeglio is
the hamlet of Ruota, with a small chapel containing a group in alabaster
representing the Annunciation. A short way farther a path descends
from the road to a house on the beach in a luxuriant garden of palm and
lemon trees. At the inner end of this orchard, near the railway, is an
excellent sulphurous spring, temp. 70° F. After this the Corniche road
bends round to Ospedaletti (see below). On the hills behind Ospedaletti,
about 2 m. N., is La
Colla, 1000 ft. above the sea. In the Town Hall is a valuable
collection of 120 paintings, mostly by great Italian masters, such as
Frà Bartolomeo, I. Bassano, F. Barocci, A. Carracci,
Caravaggio, Cortona, C. Dolci, Domenichino, Sasso Ferrati, Reni,
Salvator Rosa, Andrea del Sarto, and Spagnoletti. In another room is the
library. The pictures and books were collected by the Abbé Paolo
Rambaldi during his long stay at Florence, who at his death (1864)
bequeathed them to this his native city. In the sacristy of the parish
church is a beautifully-carved ivory crucifix, bequeathed, along with
some other articles, by the Prelate Stefano Rossi, also a native of this
quarter. A coach with 2 horses from Bordighera to La Colla and back
costs 20 frs.

La Colla is the native town of the sea-captain Bresca, who, contrary to
the orders of Pope Sixtus V., broke the silence by calling aloud to
“wet the ropes” when the obelisk was being raised in front of St.
Peter’s. 2 m. E. from La Colla is San Remo, which is 3 m. from
Ospedaletti.

The climate of Bordighera is similar to that of San Remo; but as a
residence it is more rural and has fewer resources. The mistral at
Bordighera, instead of being a north-westerly wind, deviates by the
configuration of the coast into a west wind.

Bordighera supplies Rome with palm-leaves for the Easter ceremonies, as
also the Israelites in Germany and Holland for the feast of
Tabernacles.

Ospedaletti.


MENTON
GENOA
13½
87
OSPEDALETTI, pop.
1000, a small village with nearly a mile of frontage towards the sea,
from which it is separated by the railway. In the village is the ²H. and
P. Ospedaletti, room 40 frs. the month.
203
 
Upon an eminence with garden is the ¹H. de la Reine, 12 to 20 frs.
Adjoining is a handsome Casino, in which there is dancing even during
the day. The gambling is private, and on a small scale.

San Remo. Hotels.


MENTON
GENOA
16½
84
SAN REMO, 16¼ m. E. from
Menton by the coach-road, pop. in winter 18,000. As Italy is entered it
will be observed that the women, the maidens and their mothers, are the
hewers of wood and drawers of water, and that to their lot falls the
menial work of the most laborious trades.

_Hotels._—Those with the figure ¹ are
first-class houses, with ² second-class. The asterisk signifies that
they are especially good of their class. Commencing at the railway
station and going eastward by the principal street, the Via Vittorio
Emanuele, we have the ¹G. H. de la Paix, close to the station and
fronting the public garden.
Then follow the ²H. and P. Nationale, 7 to 8 frs.; the
¹*H. San Remo; the ²P. Suisse; the Rubino Bank; the
Squire-Pharmacy; the Asquasciate Bank; the Vicario Store; the ²P.
Molinari, and the ²H. Bretagne, frequented principally by commercial
travellers. Behind Squire’s is the Episcopal Chapel, and a little
farther west, left hand, the Post Office.

On the Corso Garibaldi, the eastern continuation of Via Vittorio
Emanuele, are the ¹H. Nice and the ¹*H. Angleterre. Near the
Angleterre are the Pensions ²*Allemagne; ²Rossi; and ²Lindenhof; and the
Home for invalid ladies of limited means. Twenty-five shillings the
week; which, as at the similar institution at Menton, includes doctors’
fees, comfortable living, wine or beer, and everything except washing
and fire in bedroom. For particulars apply to Messrs. Barnetts &
Co., bankers, 62 Lombard Street, London.

At the end of the corso are two large houses in gardens, with one front
to the sea and the other to the road—the ¹H. Méditerranée and the
¹*H. Victoria. Near the harbour, behind the Via V. Emanuele,
are the ²*Beau-Séjour with garden, and the H. Bains.

At the west end of San Remo are some good houses, mostly on eminences in
gardens. Taking them in the order from E. to W. we have the ²P.
Anglo-Americaine; the Presbyterian Chapel; the ²P. Tatlock (German);
¹*Hôtel Royal; ¹*Belle-Vue; ¹Paradis; ¹*Londres; ¹Pavillon (moderate);
¹Anglais; ¹Palmieri; and the ¹*West-End, the most important hotel on
this side of San Remo, and situated at the commencement of the pleasant
walk by the Strada Berigo. In the first-class hotels the pension is from
9 to 18 frs., in the “pensions” from 7 to 11 frs.

Omnibuses run between the two ends of the town; also between San Remo
and Bordighera; San Remo and Taggia by Bussana; San Remo and
Dolce-Acqua; and San Remo and Ceriana, 6½ m. N. (see map, p. 165).

_Cab
Fares._—The course, 1 horse, 1 fr. during the day, and
1½
204
 
fr. night. Per hour, 2 frs.; at night, 3 frs. The course, 2 horses, 1½
fr. during the day, and 2½ frs. at night. The hour, 3 frs.; at
night, 4 frs.

San Remo: Climate.

Old San Remo is built on two hills, and the modern town at the foot
of these hills, on the Nice and Genoa road, called at this part the Via
Vittorio Emanuele, where are now all the best hotels, restaurants,
booksellers, confectioners, and dealers in inlaid woods. “The mean
temperature is 49°.1 Fahr. (Sigmund), nearly as high as Dr. Bennet’s
estimate of that of Menton; while it would appear, from a comparison of
the thermometrical tables kept by Dr. Daubeny with those of Dr. Bennet
for the same winter, that the range of temperature at Menton is nearly
3° more than at San Remo. The climate is warm and dry, but from the
protecting ranges not rising precipitously as at Menton, the shelter
from the northerly winds is less complete. At the same time the vast
olive groves screen the locality from cold blasts and temper them into
healthful breezes, imparting a pleasing freshness to the atmosphere, and
removing sensations of lassitude often experienced in too well-protected
spots. The size of the sheltered area gives patients a considerable
choice of residences, which can be found either close to or at varying
distances from the sea, according to the requirements of the case; while
the numerous wooded valleys, abounding in exquisite wild flowers,
provide plenty of donkey and foot excursions.” —Williams’
_Winter Stations_.

San Remo has many pleasant walks, in valleys full of lemon trees, as
at Menton, or up mountains covered with olive trees, generally on
terraces built up with low stone walls without plaster.

San Remo: Drives. Poggio. Madonna Della
Guardia.

The best of the drives is to the Madonna della Guardia, on Cape San
Martino, by the village of Poggio, and back by the coast-road. From the
Hôtel Victoria the Corniche is continued till arriving at a part where
the road divides into two; one descends, the other ascends; take the
latter, which an inscription on a marble slab indicates to be the
“Strada Consortile de San Remo à Ceriana.” This road ascends through
olive trees to Poggio. Just before entering Poggio, the carriage-road to
the Madonna strikes off to the right by the east side of the promontory,
while a stony bridle-path goes right over the centre. The town seen on
the opposite side of the valley is Bussana. Poggio, one of the many wretchedly poor villages,
has two churches. The road, which has ascended all the way from San Remo
to Poggio, still continues to ascend by the Ceriana valley to Ceriana.
_Inn:_ H. Etoile d’Italie, 6½ m. from San Remo,
commanding ever-extending views, which, together with the profusion of
wild flowers, form the principal
205
 
attraction of the excursion. Cab with 1 horse to Ceriana and back, 14 frs.; 2 horses, 20 frs.,
with ½ hr. rest. The Madonna road from Poggio is nearly
level. The chapel, with a few tall cypresses, stands at the extremity of
Cape San Martino. The prospect is extensive. To the east are, on the
coast, Arma, Riva, San Stefano, and in the distance San Lorenzo. On the
hills behind them are Bussana, Pompeiana, and Lingueglietta. Behind is
Poggio. To the west are San Remo, La Colla, and Bordighera. Cab with 1
horse to the chapel and back, 7 frs.; 2 horses, 10 frs., with ½ hr.
rest (see maps, pp. 163 and 199).

A good carriage-road, commencing near Cape Nero, leads up to La
Colla, on one of the spurs of the Piano del Carparo, 1000 ft. above the
sea, and 2 m. from San Remo, by the bridle-path. Cab with 1 horse,
8 frs.; 2 horses, 12 frs., with ½ hr. repose. See page 199.


San Romolo.

St. Romolo to Monte Bignone.

One of the most frequented excursions is to San Romolo, 1700 ft. above the sea, and
4 m. northwards, either from the Place St. Etienne, or the Place
St. Sir. Donkey, there and back, 5 frs. San Romolo consists of some
villas, an old convent, and a chapel, built over the cell which was
inhabited by the hermit St. Romolo. It commands splendid views, and from
it the ascent is made of the Piano del Ré, a ridge 3500 ft. above
the sea, between Mounts Caggio or Cuggio and Bignone. To reach the
ridge, descend a short way the Romolo road, then take the path to the
left, and make for the corner next Monte Bignone, whence the bridle-path
ascends to the summit, 4235 ft. above the sea, 5 hrs. from San Remo, or
about half that time from San Romolo. “In making the ascent of Monte
Bignone, it is always safest to be accompanied by a guide. For those who
are strong the ascent on foot is the pleasantest, but the road is quite
practicable for sure-footed donkeys, although in places it is somewhat
trying for those whose nerves are not strong. The whole route is
exceedingly beautiful, glorious prospects meeting the eye at almost
every turn; the path sometimes traverses forests of fir trees, with
amongst them innumerable bushes of the bright-leaved holly, at others it
runs along the edges of steep ravines and precipices: many curious and
rare wild flowers attracting the eye on the way; till at length, after
an ascent of about two hours from San Romolo and four from San Remo, the
broad sloping and grassy summit of the mountain is reached. Continue the
ascent until its highest point, marked by a stone obelisk, is gained,
and from which one of the most magnificent prospects imaginable
206
 
lies stretched out on all sides, embracing an area in some directions of
more than a hundred and fifty miles, astonishing and enchanting the
beholder. To the south, the glorious expanse of the Mediterranean, and
in the far distance the island of Corsica, with the snowy peaks of Monte
Rotondo; on the right Monte Caggio, and the mountains forming the
western half of the San Remo amphitheatre, terminating at Capo Nero
surmounted by Colla, and the valleys of San Remo and Bordighera; farther
away, the mountains of the Mentonean amphitheatre, and along the coast
successively the various capes and promontories as far as Cap d’Antibes
and even the Esterels; on the left the Ceriana and Taggia Valleys, with
on the farther side of the latter Castellaro and the Madonna di
Lampeduza, and Pompeiana and Riva on the seashore; while far away to the
east are the mountains of the Eastern Riviera or of the Riviera di
Levante, with the Apennines in the distance; lastly, to the north is a
broad and deep valley, having on the other side a range of mountains
still loftier than the one on which we are standing, and above these
again, the snow-capped Alps stretching away in the one direction towards
the Esterels, and in the other to Turin. Looking now more closely into
the valley below, on a narrow ridge on the near side of the valley, is
seen the town of Perinaldo, and on a hill on the opposite side,
Apricale; both of a singularly deep red hue, from the fact that the
tiled roofs only of the houses are seen from this great altitude. There
is a pathway leading down to Bajardo, and thence to Pigna, where
accommodation at a small but clean inn may be had for the night; whence
the return home can then be made by the Nervia valley and Bordighera,
altogether a most beautiful and varied excursion. (For the valley of the
Nervia, see p. 201, and map, p. 165.)

View from Monte Bignone.

“It is impossible to convey in words anything like a correct idea of
the splendour of the prospect on a clear day from Monte Bignone; it must
be seen to be appreciated; it has been described as one of the finest in
Europe. The excursion is one which may be safely undertaken with
ordinary precautions, and is within the compass of any person of fair
health and strength. An additional charm consists in the number of rare
and beautiful wild flowers, which are different from those found at a
lower elevation. Amongst the most noticeable of these is the blue
Hepatica, Anemone, Hepatica L., a pink variety of which is
sometimes met with, the pink cyclamen-like flower, Erythronium Dens
Canis L. with its trefoil-like and spotted leaves; in shady places the
Primrose, Primula acaulis All.; everywhere over the summit
207
 
of the mountain the Cowslip, Primula veris; two species of Gentian,
Gentiana verna and G. acaulis L.; Ophrys fusca Link, also a
species of Asphodel, Asphodelus albus Willd.; Saxifraga cuneifolia;
Sempervivum arachnoideum L.; and lastly, in shady dells, Daphne
laureola L. With two or three exceptions, these flowers were found
in blossom at the end of April, but they had been so for some weeks
previously. On my way up the San Romolo valley I noticed many plants of
Helleborus fœtidus L., as also for the first time in flower the
large and handsome pink Cistus, C. albidus L.; this is the
species so commonly found above the region of the olive trees.”
—_San Remo and the Western Riviera_, by Dr. Hassall.

San Remo
to Taggia, there and back, cab, 1 horse, 8 frs.; 2 horses,
12 frs., with ½ hr. rest; by coach, 2 horses, for the day, 20 frs. Or
from San Remo by rail to Arma, whence omnibus to Taggia, 10 sous. Donkey
from Taggia to Lampedusa, 2 frs.
The best place for refreshments in Taggia is the Albergo d’Italia,
formerly the palace of the Marquis Spinola. The stream Taggia or
Argentina is crossed by a long curved bridge of unequal arches. From the
east end of this bridge a steep road leads up to the town of Castellar,
whence a well-kept path ascends to the chapel of the Madonna di
Lampedusa. From both places there are charming views. The Taggia road
ascends the valley the length of Triora, by the village of
Badalucco.

Taggia.


MENTON
GENOA
21½
79
TAGGIA, pop. 5000, on the
Giabonte, 3 m. from the station. An omnibus awaits passengers
(½ fr.) In Taggia it halts at the Locanda d’Italia, at the
termination of the Via Curlo; whence commences the road to Castellar,
situated upon a hill on the opposite side of the river, and about ½
hour’s walk from Taggia. Castellar is visited on account of the gaudy
sanctuary and the view from the hill. Taggia, though a poor dirty town,
with steep, narrow, and slippery streets, has two very fair churches. At
No. 1 Via Soleri—the principal street in the town—is the
habitation of Giovanni Ruffini (Dr. Antonio). To reach it, on entering
the town, after having passed through the archway, take the street to
the left, the Via Ruffini, then, first left, the Salita Eleonora. On the
beach, near the Taggia station, is the little port of Arma, with the
ruins of a fort built in the 15th cent. 2 m. farther east by rail
is San Stefano, pop. 600, at the foot of Mont Colma, with a climate like
that of San Remo.

Porto Maurizio. Oneglia.


MENTON
GENOA
31
69½
PORTO
MAURIZIO, pop. 8000. _Hotels:_ France; Commerce.

Porto Oneglia, pop.
8000, H. Victoria, on the opposite sides of a small bay. The most
important part of San Maurizio is the high town,
208
 
containing the principal church, of which the porch consists of a double
row of Corinthian columns flanked by two square towers. The interior
represents the Roman-Greek style met with in all the churches on this
coast, only here the details are more elaborate and more highly
finished. The roof, instead of being plain barrel-vaulted, is divided
into arches, domes, and semi-domes, resting on massive piers with
attached Corinthian pillars. The soffits of the arches and domes are
covered with diaper mouldings, with rich friezes and dentils along the
edges. The form of the pulpit is graceful, and the staircase nearly
hidden. Many of the old houses have handsome cornices over their windows
and doorways. A good and much-frequented road, or rather promenade,
connects Porto Maurizio with Oneglia, about a mile distant,
beautifully situated at the mouth of the Impero. This is the birthplace
of Admiral Andrea Doria, 1466. After passing through a long tunnel we
reach the Port of Diano Marina. The broad valley inland up the Piètro is
covered with fine olive trees. Farther east is Cervo, on an eminence
overlooking the station and the sea. Then Laigueglia, with gardens full
of orange trees. From Laigueglia a fine smooth beach extends all the way
to

Alassio.

Alassio, pop. 5000, a
new winter station, 44½ m. east from Menton, and 56 m. west
from Genoa, built along the beach, and nearly surrounded by a high wall,
with at both ends a suburb beyond the walls. _Hotels:_ H. et
P. Suisse, opposite station, 6 to 9 frs. On the beach at the
E. end, the *G. H. Alassio, 8 to 9 frs. On the beach at
the W. end, the H. Méditerranée, 6 to 8 frs. Near the station,
the Episcopal chapel.

Alassio and its neighbour Laigueglia are partially protected from
some of the cold winds by low but compact mountains belonging to the
chain of the Ligurian Alps. Pleasant walks and well-paved causeways
extend up the hills, while along the coast are pretty drives to Loano
and Ceriale, or up the valley westwards from Albenga. Around both towns
are many large carouba and orange trees. Palms are less abundant.
Between Alassio and the next station, Albenga, is the small island of
Gallinaria, with a castle on the summit of the hill.

Albenga.

Albenga is 4 m. N. from
Alassio, on the Caprianna, and at a little distance from the coast.
_Hotels:_ Hotel d’Albenga; Italia; Vittoria. Their omnibuses await
passengers. This, the ancient Albium Ingaunum, the birthplace of the
Emperor Proculus, is situated on low ground, in a broad valley watered
by the Caprianna. Around Albenga are many deciduous trees, and here and
there in the sheltered spots orange and lemon trees trained as
espaliers. A good carriage-road
209
 
extends up the valley of the Nerva and across the Col di
S. Bernardo, then by the town of Garessio and the valley of the
Tanaro to Ceva, 4 hours by rail from Turin.

After Albenga follow Loano, pop. 3800, pleasantly situated on the
beach at the foot of a gentle sloping hill, and Pietraligure, on the
Isola, pop. 1000, a sheltered town, with abundance of palms,
orange, and lemon trees, principally at the eastern end, round the
cape.

Finalmarina. Noli.


MENTON
GENOA
59½
41
FINALMARINA, pop.
3500. _Hotel:_ Garibaldi. The church of St. John the Baptist, after
the design of Bernini, is richly ornamented with marbles of various
hues, mingled with rich gilding and bright frescoes, presenting a grand
combination of gorgeous colour. In Final Borgo is the church
S. Biaggio, resplendent also with colour, but more subdued. The
pulpit and altar display most delicate workmanship. There is a great
deal of fine scenery in the neighbourhood, and pleasant walks in the
valleys, and up the heights to the numerous dismantled forts (15th
cent.), and to the Castello Gavone, a picturesque ruin. Five miles
N. from Finalmarina is Noli,
pop. 1000, _Inn:_ Albergo del Sole, at the commencement of the
arcade, fronting the beach. This curious town, formerly a republic under
the protection of Genoa, is still partially surrounded by walls
garnished with rectangular towers. It is pierced from E. to W. by narrow
parallel streets, the best being the Via Emanuele II., which
commences at the beach on E. side by the clock-tower, near the inn, and
traverses the town to the W. side by the new church. The continuation,
outside the town, the Via Monasterio, leads up to the mountains covered
with vines, olives, and maritime pines. On the top of the hill are the
ruins of Noli castle, with walls garnished with circular towers. The old
church, 11th cent., is near the station. Fishing is the chief industry.
A beautiful road, 2 m. N. by the coast, leads to Spotorno.


opp. 211
GENOA and SAVONA
to SESTRI-LEVANTE

see caption


Savona.


MENTON
GENOA
74
26½
SAVONA, pop. 17,000.
_Hotels:_ Suisse, a large house in the Piazza di Teatro;
*Roma, under the Arcades; and the Italia, opposite the Suisse. In the
ancient seaport of Savona, Mago the Carthaginian deposited his spoils
after the capture of Genoa. The greater part of the town is now modern,
consisting of handsome gardens, boulevards, and well-paved broad streets
lined with massive arcades, and substantial houses built in enormous
square blocks of from four to five stories high. The rock, the Rupe di
S. Giorgio, on which the acropolis formerly stood, is occupied by
the castle, and pierced by an elliptical tunnel. At both ends are small
harbours with shallow water. The
210
 
Cathedral, built in 1604, is, in the
interior, entirely covered with ornamental designs in different shades
of brown and orange, relieved here and there by stripes of gilding. The
two large frescoes in the choir, and the other at the western end, are
by V. Garrazino. In the last chapel, N. side nearest the altar, is
a triptych by Brea, 1495. Near the Cathedral, in the Sistina chapel, is
the tomb of the parents of Pope Sixtus IV., the uncle of Julius II.
In the church of San Domenico there is in the first chapel, left on
entering, a “Nativity” by A. Semini. The figure of the Virgin
appears rather large, but the contour and expression of the others are
admirable. In another chapel on the same side of the church is an
“Adoration of the Magi” by Albert Durer, in the form of a triptych. In a
small church, called the Capella di Christo, over the altar within a
niche, is a wooden figure of our Lord, said to be 800 years old. In the
sacristy are two reliefs in black marble from 400 to 500 years old. The
Emperor Pertinax, and the Popes Gregory VII., Sixtus IV., and
Julius II., were born in or in the neighbourhood of Savona.
4 m. from Savona by coach and rail is the sanctuary of Nostra
Signora di Misericordia. The church, built in the 16th cent., is covered
with precious marbles, and ornamented with paintings by Castello, the
intimate friend of Tasso. At Savona junction with line to Turin,
91 m. northwards (see p. 183).

Albissóla.


MENTON
GENOA
77
23½
ALBISSÓLA, pop. 2000,
on the Sansobbia. This town is about a mile from the Port or Marina.
4½ m. farther eastwards by rail is Varazze, pop. 10,000, a pleasant town at the
head of a large bay. A little shipbuilding is carried on here.
Beautiful palm, lemon, and orange groves. This is the birthplace of
Jacopo di Voragine, the author of the _Golden Legend_, the reading
of which was the principal means of transforming Ignacio Loyola from an
intrepid soldier into a zealous missionary. Between Varazze, 64 m.
N.E. from San Remo, and Arenzano, 6¼ m. N.E. from Varazze, is
another favoured part of the Riviera, sheltered by a ridge of most
picturesque hills, of which Monte Grosso (1319 ft.) is the culminating
point. The road here passes through firs, umbrella pines, carouba trees,
cypresses, evergreen oaks, arbutus trees, and some fine shrubs of
_Phillyrea angustifolia_, with here and there just enough olive
trees to afford evidence of the comparative mildness of the climate.
About half-way between Varazze and Cogoleto is the village of
Inoria.

Cogoleto. Columbus.


MENTON
GENOA
85
15½
COGOLETO, pop. 1000.
From the station walk down to the town; and on reaching the main street,
the Via Cristoforo Colombo,
211
 
turn to the left. In the second division, right hand, at No. 22, is the
house of Columbus, with the
following inscription:—

Hospes, siste gradum. Fuit hic lux prima Columbo;
Orbe viro majori heu nimis arcta domus!
Unus erat mundus. Duo sunt, ait iste. Fuere.

It consists of three stories, with one side fronting the sea, and the
other the main street. The rooms are small, and with arched roofs. That
in which Columbus was born (1435) is on the first story. Fronting the
adjoining room is a large balcony overlooking the Mediterranean, where
it is possible the boy Columbus learned to conceive the idea of a
continent beyond the Atlantic by having been accustomed to gaze on this
sea at his feet, with the knowledge that beyond it there lay the vast
continent of Africa. Although his parents were in humble circumstances,
they were descended from a family belonging to the most illustrious
nobility of Piacenza, who had lost their estates during the wars of
Lombardy. Boatbuilding and fishing are the principal industries of
Cogoleto. Map, p. 199.

Arenzano. Pegli.


MENTON
GENOA
87¼
13¼
ARENZANO, pop. 5000.
*H. Arenzano, 7 to 8 frs., near station. One of the cleanest
towns on the Riviera, pleasantly situated in a picturesque country and
commanding extensive views of the coast. The road between Arenzano and
Cogoleto passes by Monte Grosso.


MENTON
GENOA
91¾
8¾
VOLTRI, and the next town,
Pra, may be called one. Paper-making and shipbuilding are the principal
industries. Map, p. 199.


MENTON
GENOA
95
5½
PEGLI, pop. 1000. _A winter
station._ The largest hotel is the *H. Pegli et de la
Méditerranée, with one side to the sea and the other to the public
garden and English chapel. Pension in winter, 9½ to 15 frs. On the beach
the H. Gargini, second class. Pegli is a quiet little village,
prettily situated on the sea, and among hills. It has constant
communication by tram and rail with Genoa, and is visited on account of
the grounds around the Villa Pallavicini, ornamented with
statues of Roman divinities, temples, triumphal arches, huts, and an
obelisk. But the remarkable object is the artificial cave, covered with
large stalactites, in the midst of a lake 5 feet deep, surrounded
by evergreen shrubs and trees so arranged as to produce wonderfully
pretty vistas. At one part the edge of the lake seems to join the sea,
although many miles distant. All this has been created on the formerly
sterile side of a hill, where almost nothing would grow from the want of
water and of soil. Water was brought from a great distance, and caused
to tumble down the mountain in cascades
212
 
into the lake, which had to be lined with porcelain to retain it. The
cave was then built of brick, and covered with consummate art with
stalactites, as in nature. The visitor is rowed in a boat about this
most curious piece of land and water. In other parts there are a
multitude of surprises, in unexpected jets of water, and in beautiful
peeps of scenery no larger than a picture. Attendant, 1 fr.; for
party, 2 frs.

Sestri-Ponente. Cornigliano.

1¾ m. E. from Pegli and 3¾ W. from Genoa is Sestri-Ponente, pop.
10,800. _Hotel:_ *G. H. Sestri, 8 to 12 frs., with
commodious bathing establishment at the foot of the garden. The beach,
composed of small pebbles, has a rapid slope. Good sea water can be
brought to bedroom every morning. The station is near the hotel, and the
trams pass by the gate. The interior of the parish church is superbly
gilt and covered with frescoes. Just under the wide spanned roof are
painted statues of the patriarchs and prophets. Sestri makes a better
winter station than the next town, Cornigliano, *H. Rachel, 9 to 12 frs.,
with sheltered garden, 2½ m. W. from Genoa. Both of these towns are
considered from 4° to 5° colder than Menton. The tram passes the garden
gate of both hotels. After Cornigliano the tram and train traverse the
populous suburb of Sampierdarena and arrive at Genoa. The principal
railway station is at the W. end of Genoa. The Piazza Annunziata is the
terminus of the Pegli, Sestri, and Cornigliano trams.

Genoa.


opp. 214
plan of Genoa


MENTON
100½
GENOA, pop. 145,000. The
hotels most conveniently situated for visitors are the G. H. de
Gènes, 9 to 15 frs., in the Piazza de Ferrari, opposite the theatre and
the post office; the *G. H. Isotta, 10 to 15 frs., No. 7 Via
di Roma, parallel to the glass arcade, and also near the post; the
*Londres, 9 to 10 frs., near the station; the Victoria, in the Piazza
Annunziata, and the H. Étrangers, No. 1 Via Nuovissima. The above are in
a line with the palaces, and cost 8 to 10 frs. Down in the port in the
Via Carlo Alberto, and most conveniently situated for those who have to
embark, are—taking them in the order from W. to E.—the Croix
de Malte, the H. de la Ville, the H. Smith, the
*H. Trombetta, and the *France. They charge from 8 to 14 frs. By
the side of the last two hotels is the Bourse, and in the neighbourhood
of the Bourse are the best money-changers.

For Genoa to Turin, see p.
279.

Anglican church in the Via Goito, a small street leading northwards
from the Acqua Sola Promenade. In the same neighbourhood is the broad
street Via Assarotti, with at No. 37 the Valdensian and Presbyterian
churches. Shops for filigree work in gold and silver in the Via degli
Orefici by the side of the Bourse, and at the foot of the Sestiere
213
 
della Maddalena, which descends from the Piazza delle Fontane Morose. At
No. 17 of that Piazza is a good shop for coral ornaments.

Genoa: Cafés. Cabs. Steamers.

_Cafés._—
*Café Roma, by the Teatro Carlo Felice; *Stabilimento delle Nazioni, Via
Roma; *Concordia, Via Garibaldi. The principal sights are the
church of the Annunziata, p. 212;
the Cemetery approached by the Staglieno omnibus from the Piazza de
Ferrari; the Palaces between the railway station and the Piazza Nuova.
The church of Santa Maria in Carignano,
approached by the Carignano omnibus from the Piazza de Ferrari, passing
through the Acqua Sola Gardens, 138 ft. above the sea (p. 218).
North from the Acqua Sola is the Villa Negro, containing the Museum of
Natural History. The best of the drives is along the Via di
Circonvallazione.

Florio-Rubattino have steamers to Bastia (Corsica), Cagliari,
Civita-Vecchia, Leghorn, and Porto Torres, in the north of Sicily.
Peirano, Danovaro, and Co. have steamers to Ancona, Brindisi, Catania,
Gallipoli, Leghorn, Messina, Naples, and Triest. For the English
steamers between Liverpool, London, and the ports of the Mediterranean,
apply to Lertora Fratelli, No. 2 Via S. Lorenzo.

1-horse cabs—the
course, 1 fr.; the hour, 1½ fr.; every successive ½ hour, 80 c. 2-horse
cabs—the course, 1½ fr.; the hour, 2 frs.; every successive ½
hour, 1 fr. Boats to and from the steamers, 1 fr. each. Rail
from Genoa to Turin, 104 m. N.W.
(p. 279).

Post Office in the Galleria Mazzini. Telegraph Office in the Palazzo
Ducale. Best money-changers near and around the Bourse.

Genoa is singularly constructed around a small bay on shelving
ground, rising rapidly from the water’s edge to the height of from 500
to 600 feet. The old part of the town is a labyrinth of crooked streets
from 6 to 12 feet wide, and frequently so steep that steps have to be
cut in them. The most remarkable of the new streets is the Via di
Circonvallazione, composed of a series of lofty terraced “corsos”
skirting the face of the hills, commencing at the E. end from the Piazza
Manin, 330 ft. above the sea, and extending westward in a zigzag form to
the railway station by the Albergo dei Poveri. They are reached from the
upper ends of the Vias Palestro, Mameli, Caffaro, and Brignone di
Ferrari, by ramps and long stairs. The palaces, another feature of
Genoa, are large gaunt mansions, all similar in style—gates 40
feet high, with marble columns—courts paved with various coloured
marbles—broad staircases, all of marble—rooms 30 feet high
with arched ceilings, and adorned with gilded columns, large mirrors,
crystal lustres, and mosaic floors; the roofs panelled, and the panels
214
 
divided by sculptured figures, and filled with finely executed paintings
in oil. The best churches and palaces are in the streets extending in a
continuous and slightly curved line from the railway station, at the
west end, to the Piazza de Ferrari at the eastern end of Genoa.

Genoa: Palaces. Palazzo Doria.

The visiting of the palaces is rather fatiguing, as the best works of
art are preserved in the upper stories, reached by splendid but lofty
staircases. The best two are close to each other, the Palazzo Durazzo
Pallavicini, No. 1 Via Balbi, and the Palazzo Rosso, No. 18 Via
Garibaldi. They contain specimens of everything for which the palaces
are remarkable. A fee of 1 fr. is sufficient to leave with the
keeper of the gallery. Most of the palaces have each of the rooms
provided with a list of the pictures and frescoes it contains printed on
a card, which makes the visitor quite independent of the servants and
guides.

As there are so many places to visit between the railway station and
the cathedral, the best plan is to do that portion on foot, and after
having visited the cathedral, to take a cab from the stand at the foot
of the Via S. Lorenzo, and drive by the Via Vittorio Emanuele,
round by the ramparts, and up the Via Rivoli to the church of Sta. Maria
di Carignano.

The only palace west from the station is the Palazzo Doria,
reconstructed by Montorsoli, 1525, and decorated and embellished by
Perino del Vaga, a pupil of Raphael’s, and a contributor to the
paintings in the Vatican. Perino’s best works here are Jupiter defeating
the Giants, in the principal hall, and the Triumph of Scipio, at the
entrance. In the centre of the garden is a fountain representing Andrea
Doria as Neptune, with his Sea-horses, by P. Carlone. In the
garden, on the other side of the railway, are a colossal statue of
Hercules, erected by Doria, and a monument to the memory of his dog
Rolando, given him by the Emperor Charles, who conferred upon him the
title of “Il Principe.” The tomb of Andrea Doria is in the church of San
Matteo, and over the altar the sword presented to him by
Paul III.

Genoa: Via Milano.
Adjoining the Doria palace is the Via Milano, a terraced promenade
lining the western side of the harbour, as the less beautiful but more
costly terrace by the Via Carlo Alberto lines the eastern front. Walking
_eastward from the station_ the first large building is the Royal
Palace, No. 10 Via Balbi. This palace, formerly the property of the
Durazzo family, was erected after the plans of P. F. Cantone and
J. A. Falcone, while the staircases and terraces, which have been
so greatly admired, were by the Chevalier Charles Fontane. The
accommodation is extensive, but the rooms are small, excepting the
principal
215
 
reception hall, the theatre, and the library. The pictures are
indifferent.

The Balbi Palace, No. 4 Via Balbi, built after the plans of
B. Bianco, and improved by P. A. Corradi, contains a large
collection of paintings—among others a Lucrecia, Cleopatra, and a
St. Jerome, by Guido; St. Jerome, a Virgin, and Jesus scourged, by
Tizziano; a St. George and St. Catherine; and the Infant Jesus, by
Correggio.

Genoa: P. Durazzo Pallavicini.

No. 1 Via Balbi is the P. Durazzo Pallavicini, one of the most
important to visit. The architect was B. Bianco, but the vestibule
and staircases (considered the finest in Genoa) are by
A. Tagliafico. The paintings are almost entirely by Italian
masters, such as Molinaretti, Guercino, Franceschini, Leida, Carracci,
Lanfranco, Procaccini, Cappuccino, Langetti, Castelli, Ferrari,
Vercelli, Reni, Merone, Cogorano, Zanotti, and Merighi. In the first
room there is a valuable triptych by A. Durer, and the gem of the
collection, James I. of England and Family, by Van Dyck. In the
reception room are other three choice works by the same master. The
frescoes on the roofs are by Boni, Piola, Davolio, and Bazzani. In each
room there are cards with the names of the artists and subject.

From the Via Balbi we pass into the Piazza dell’ Annunziata, with, on the left
hand, the church of that name, the most sumptuous in Genoa, built in
1228 by the Monaci Umiliati, but altered and left in its present state
by the Conventurati in 1587. The façade, supported on six stately marble
columns, is unfinished. The interior is full of beauty, and resplendent
with glowing colours harmoniously blended. Over the entrance is
Procaccino’s masterpiece, the Last Supper. The frescoes on the cupola
are by A. Ansaldi, those on the choir by J. Benzo, and the
remainder principally by the Carloni. Among the other beautiful things
are the angels supporting an altar, the spiral pillars in the apse, and
the elegant columns of the nave. In front of this church trams start for
Cornigliano, Sestri Ponente, and Pegli every 10 minutes.

We now pass along the Via Nuovissima, and at No. 6 descend to San Siro, which was
the cathedral church of Genoa till 985. The high altar is by Puget. The
fresco on the roof by G. B. Carlone. The marble columns are all of
one piece. Near San Siro, in the confined little square No. 6 Piazza
Pellicceria, is the Palazzo Spinola, with many beautiful
paintings, such as the Martyrdom of St. Barthélemy and St. Laurent by
Ribera, the Four Seasons by Bassano, Virgin and Child by Guercino,
a Magdalene by Guido, St. Anne and the Virgin
216
 
by L. Giordano, the Last Supper by G. C. Procaccini,
S. Jerome by Spagnolletti, a Holy Family by Albani, the Four
Evangelists by Van Dyck. In the fourth room is the gem of the
collection, a Holy Family by Rubens. The frescoes are by Tavarone,
G. Sebastiano, Ferrari, and Gallery.

Genoa: Palazzo Rosso.

In the Via Garibaldi, No. 18, is the Palazzo Rosso (Galleria Brignoli), with a
small but valuable collection of pictures by Italian masters,
distributed among the rooms denominated Spring, Summer, Autumn, and
Winter. The frescoes on the roofs are by Toila, Ferrari, and Carloni. It
contains also a good library.

No. 9 Via Garibaldi is the _Municipicio_ or City Chambers,
a splendid building, entirely of marble, and covered with frescoes
representing incidents in the history of Genoa. All the rooms and
galleries are open to the public excepting the council-chamber, the Sala
Rossa, and the Sala Verde. In the first hall (the council-chamber) is a
portrait of Columbus in mosaic, and on the roof a fresco representing
him in the presence of Ferdinand and Isabella. In the second, among
other paintings, is a triptych ascribed to A. Durer, and in the
third (the Sala Verde) a beautiful bust of Columbus. The architect
was Rocco Lugaro, the ornaments and figures over the windows are by
G. T. Carlone, and the frescoes by Pavarone, Paganelli, Passano,
and M. Canzio.

Genoa: Palazzo Serra.

At No. 12 Via Nuova is the P. Serra, built, like most of the other
palaces in this street, about the year 1552, by the celebrated architect
Galeazzo Alessi. The size and distribution of the principal apartments
are excellent, and many are beautifully ornamented in fresco by the
brothers Semini, particularly the ceiling in the first antechamber,
representing the funeral games instituted by Æneas in honour of
Anchises. The dining-room was the work of the famous Genoese architect
Tagliafico, and is greatly admired for its simplicity and good taste.
But the greatest object of attraction in this palace is the grand salon,
shining with gold. Along each side are columns of marble gilt,
alternating with lofty mirrors reaching from the floor to the roof. The
architraves and panels are curiously carved and gilt. The fresco on the
roof is by Leon, and represents the triumph of Spinola over the Turks.
The roof of the next room was painted by A. Semini.

The Palazzo Adorno, No. 8 Via Garibaldi, contains a good though
smaller display of paintings and frescoes. The same may be said of
No. 5 in this same street, the P. Spinola.

At No. 6 Via Garibaldi is the P. Doria, with a handsome portico and
splendid halls containing a choice collection of paintings by
217
 
P. Veronese, Guercino, Murillo, Van Dyck, Domenichino, and
Tintoretto. We now enter the Piazza de Ferrari, with the post office,
the principal theatre, the H. Gènes, and the Accademia delle Belle
Arti, where young men assemble at night to study drawing, painting, and
sculpture. Important trams start from this Piazza. The Staglieno tram
stops at the cemetery; the Carignano tram at the church of
Carignano.

The second street left from the P. de Ferrari leads to S. Matteo, built
in 1278, but altered in 1530 by G. A. Montorsoli at the request of
Andrea Doria, relating to whose family are the numerous inscriptions on
the church. Over the altar is his sword. The “palaces” in front of the
church belonged to the Doria family.

Genoa: S. Ambrogio. Cathedral.

In the Piazza Nuova is S. Ambrogio, entirely covered with
beautiful marbles and adorned in much the same style as the church of
the Annunziata. Among other paintings it contains a large picture of the
Assumption by G. Reni, third chapel right; St. Ignatius healing one
possessed of devils, by Rubens; and over the high altar, by the same
master, the Circumcision. The frescoes in the cupolas are by Carloni and
Galeotto. The large building to the right is the former Ducal Palace, now
the government house. The grand reception room up stairs is ornamented
with 54 columns of Brocatello marble, with bases of Siena marble. From
the windows is seen the tower of the Embriarci, constructed by Guglielmo
Embriarco, the inventor of the movable wooden towers used by Godfrey de
Bouillon in his attacks upon Jerusalem.

On the other side of the Ducal Palace is the Cathedral, built in
the 11th cent., but repeatedly restored. The exterior and interior are
of black and white marble in alternate bands. The façade consists of
three large portals resting on spiral, plain, and twisted columns. The
arch of the centre porch has an immense span, bordered by bold fascicled
work, while over the doorway is the Martyrdom of St. Laurence in relief.
In the interior there is a strange mixture of styles. The nave is
separated from the aisles by sombre coloured pillars supporting pointed
arches, over which runs a series of round-headed arches. The roof of the
choir has frescoes by Teverone. The marquetry of the stalls was executed
in the 16th cent. The leading feature, however, in this church is _the
chapel of St. John the Baptist_, in the centre of the left aisle. It
was built in 1490, and ornamented with statues by G. Porta and
M. Civitali, of which the best are those representing Zacharias in
his official robes, Elizabeth, and Habakkuk. Under a canopy supported by
four porphyry columns is the shrine by D. Terrano (1437), said to
contain the ashes of John the Baptist, brought from Mirra in
218
 
1097. At the end of the right or south aisle is the chapel of Mary, with
a Crucifixion by Van Dyck. In the sacristy is preserved a vase once
famous under the name of the Sacro Catino (sacred vessel). It was found
at Cæsarea, in Palestine, and tradition asserted that it had been
presented by the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, and that out of it the
Saviour had eaten the paschal lamb with his disciples. It was believed
to be of emerald; and a law was passed in 1476, declaring that if any
one applied a hard substance to the vase he should suffer death, because
it was suspected that the material was only glass.

Below the cathedral at the foot of the Via S. Lorenzo is a
cab-stand, whence drive by the church of Carignano and the Acqua Sola
Gardens to the Via di Circonvallazione, commanding a series of beautiful
views of Genoa. From the P. de Ferrari an omnibus runs to Carignano,
passing through the Acqua Sola Gardens, 30 c.

Genoa: S. Maria. Campo Santo, or Cemetery.

S. Maria in
Carignano, built 1555-1603 after designs of Galeazzo Alessi, is
165 ft. square, and 174 ft. above the sea. The statues above the
entrance, of Mary, Peter, and Paul, are by David. Of the four colossal
statues below the dome, St. Sebastian and Bishop Sauli are by Puget; the
other two are by Parodi and David. The best of the paintings (covered)
are—St. Francis by Guercino, Mary with Sts. Francis and Charles by
Procaccini, St. Peter by Piola, and a Descent from the Cross by
Cambiaso. But better than all the pictures is the view from the highest
gallery on the dome, 368 ft. above the sea, ascended by an excellent
stair of 249 steps, fee 25 c. each. The omnibus in the square goes to
the Acqua Sola Gardens. From the top of the little wooded hill at the
N.W. extremity of the Splanata della Acqua Sola is another fine
view.

About 2 m. from Genoa by the western side of the Bisagno is the
Campo
Santo, the Staglieno cemetery, approached by omnibus every ½
hour from the Piazza de Ferrari. The greater part of the road runs
parallel to the Genoa aqueduct arches, which follow the sinuosities and
inequalities of the mountain sides for nearly 15 miles.

The front portion of the cemetery is rectangular, 656 ft. wide and
820 ft. long, surrounded by a double arcade of marble arches with a span
of 21 ft., and 18½ ft. high. Each arch can contain seven tiers of three
coffins each, the end space of each narrow cell allowing just room
enough to label the date of the death and the name of the occupant. The
poorest people are buried in the ordinary way, in the ground surrounded
by the arches. The richest have a whole arch to themselves, where all
that money can command in talented sculpture is made to
219
 
do service to the feelings of bereaved friends, by perpetuating the
memory of those they have lost, in the choicest and most costly marbles.
These lovely statues appeal more to the sympathy of the spectator than
the medley contents of even a famous sculpture-gallery. Above this rise
other two galleries, and behind the second on the hill side is another
large piece of ground. On a level with the first upper gallery, and
approached by 77 long white marble steps bounded by a massive parapet of
dark greenstone from the quarries of Pegli, is the mortuary chapel,
consisting of a great dome supported on 16 round columns, each of one
block of black marble 32½ ft. high. In eight niches round the interior
are colossal statues of Bible personages, beginning with Eve. The façade
rests on six white marble columns 21 ft. high. The whole vast structure
of galleries, stairs, walls, and floors is arched into cells and vaults
for the dead.
Genoa: Albergo dei Poveri.
At the N.W. end of Genoa, above the Annunziata, is the workhouse,
Albergo dei Poveri, 318 ft. above the sea, on the Via di
Circonvallazione, founded in the 17th cent., and containing
accommodation for 1300 poor. At the E. end of the city is a large
establishment for the insane, called the Regio Manicomio.


The Riviera di Levante; or, Genoa to Pisa.


Distance 102½ miles, time 4½ hours by “direct” train. See Maps, pages 199 and 211.


PISA
102½
GENOA.—The best winter stations on the Italian Riviera are,
with the exception of Bordighera and S. Remo, those situated
between Nervi and Rapallo. The coast is exceedingly picturesque and
sheltered from the N. winds by precipitous mountains, covered at the
base with vineyards, orange and lemon trees, and on the higher zones
with olive, peach, and fig trees. Lord Carnarvon has been the first to
take advantage of the superior beauties of this part of the Riviera in
the choice of a site for a villa on Cape Portofino. Map, p. 211.

Nervi.


GENOA
PISA
7½
95
NERVI, pop. 8000. *H. et
P. Anglais, E. from the station, with large garden, 8 to 15 frs.
H. et P. Victoria, on the W. side of station, 9 to 12 frs. On
the face of the mountain, about 100 ft. above the H. et
P. Anglais, the *H. et P. Belle-Vue, 8 to 9 frs.,
including wine; admirably situated. In the Piazza, near the station, and
at the terminus of the Genoa and Nervi trams, is the *P. Suisse, 6 to
8 frs. Opposite, the H. et P. Nervi, 9 to 12 frs. English
doctors. Episcopalian service.

Nervi, with the neighbouring town of Bogliasco, forms one continuous
narrow street 2 m. long, hemmed in between houses and
220
 
walls. On the S. side is the sea, on the N. high hills covered with
olive trees and studded with churches and cottages. Ten m. S.E.
from Nervi is Santa Margherita Ligure, pop. 5000.
*H. et P. Belle-Vue, 7 to 10 frs. A charmingly situated
town at the head of a sheltered tiny bay. In the neighbourhood is the
sumptuous villa Spinola, in the midst of beautiful gardens. The
prettiest walk is by the road skirting the beach to the village and
promontory of Portofino, 3 m. S. To the right or N. is the villa
Castello di Pagi, and on the fourth hill from the end of the promontory
the villa of Lord Carnarvon overlooking the little fishing village of
Portofino, and commanding a glorious view.


GENOA
PISA
18½
84
RAPALLO, pop. 6000.
H. et P. Europe, 8 to 10 frs. At the head of a small bay.
A good deal of lace and olive oil is made here. Among the many
pretty walks is the one to S. Margherita, 2 m. N., by the low
road skirting the beach. The high road is more beautiful, and a trifle
longer.

Chiávari.


GENOA
PISA
24¼
78¼
CHIÁVARI, pop. 12,000,
at the mouth of the Entella. _Inns:_ Albergo della Fenicé; Locanda
Nazionale; Caffé Ristorante Priario. One of the best towns on the coast,
with well-paved and arcaded streets, substantial houses, and handsome
churches containing a few valuable pictures. The most profusely
ornamented is, close to the station, the church of the Virgin of Orta,
whose “sacred” picture hangs over the high altar. Chiávari manufactures
lace and chairs of light wood with twisted straw seats, plain and
coloured, called Sedié di Chiávari. Many of the organ-grinders are said
to hail from this town. 4½ m. from Chiávari, across the Lavagnaro,
is Sestri Levante, pop. 8000. _Hotels:_ Grand Hotel, with
palm-garden; Italia. Trains halt a few minutes at this pleasant place,
the Segeste of the Romans. Sestri is situated on a bay terminating with
a promontory, on which is a garden commanding a grand view. Shortly
after passing Riomaggiore, 51½ miles from Genoa, the Gulf of Spezia
comes into view, with the promontory of Porto Venere and the island of
Palmaria on the right, and in front numerous capes, the chief of which
is Cape Corvo. From Sestri to Spezia by carriage and pair, 45 frs.

Spezia.


GENOA
PISA
56½
46
SPEZIA, pop. 11,500, 1 m.
from station. Spezia, although near good scenery, has nothing attractive
itself; neither does it make a suitable winter residence. It has some
excellent hotels bordering the spacious corso along the beach, the best
being the “Croce di Malta,” a large and handsome building, 10 to 15
frs. Then follow the H.
221
 
National; the Italia; and, below the arcade, the Brettagna, all
first-class, but the Brettagna is the most moderate. Boats with one man,
1½ fr. per hour; with two men, 2 frs. In 1861 Spezia was made a
station of the Italian navy. As a harbour it is one of the finest and
largest in the world. Napoleon I. intended to have made it the
Mediterranean harbour of France. The Royal Dockyard, at the southwest
side of the town, occupies 150 acres; while the artillery magazines, in
the bay of S. Vito, cover an area of 100 acres. On the W. side of
the bay is the picturesque Porto Venere, the ancient Portus Veneris,
8 m. distant by land, 10 frs. per carriage 1½ hr., or boat 2½ hrs.
The marble of Porto Venere is black, with gold-coloured veins.

“To the N.W. and W. of Spezia is a chain of mountains, of which Monte
Bergamo, 2109 ft., is the most distant. It may be ascended from the
Genoa road, which runs under its N.E. flank. Nearer to Spezia is Monte
Parodi with a carriage-road to the top, whence there is a grand
panoramic view of the surrounding country. Near this is the village of
Biassa, whose inhabitants are supposed to be of Moorish origin. While
the N.W. coast of the Gulf of Spezia is rugged and hilly, the northern
and eastern portion for about three miles is comparatively level, which
renders it a good walking place for invalids. The valleys of the
Migliarini, at the northern extremity of the eastern half of the Spezia
valley, are also excellently adapted for invalids, especially at that
time of the day when the sea-breeze is blowing freshly. A favourite
excursion from Spezia by water is to Lerici and San Terenzo, about
6 m. S.E. The steamer sails at noon, and returns at 4. Lerici is in
a most sheltered situation, and remains in sunshine an hour after the
sun has set at Spezia. The house, a square old-fashioned Italian
villa, which Shelley occupied in 1822, is on the shore close to the sea,
near the village.” —_The Riviera_, by Dr. Sparks. After
Spezia, the train crosses the Magra, the ancient boundary between Italy
and Liguria, and arrives at

Sarzana.


GENOA
PISA
67¾
34¾
SARZANA, pop. 11,200.
_Hotels:_ New York; Londres. This ancient town, with the
picturesque fortress of Sarzanella, formerly belonged to the Grand Duke
of Tuscany, who, in the 15th century, ceded it to the Genoese in
exchange for Leghorn, at that time a mere village. Sarzana was the
birthplace of Tommaso Parentucelli, who, from a simple monk, was in 1447
elected pope under the title of Nicholas V., and who constituted
his native place into a bishopric. He was a great patron of learning and
founder of the Vatican library.

The Bonaparte family lived in this town till 1612, when they removed
222
 
to Corsica. The cathedral (14th cent.) is a plain cruciform edifice,
partly of marble and partly of stone. Behind the cathedral, by the first
street right, is the citadel, two minutes’ distant; and about fifteen
minutes’ farther, the fortress built by Antelminelli, Lord of Lucca,
a beautiful though low machicolated structure on the top of a hill
overlooking the railway. Both citadel and castle are partly in ruins,
and well seen from the station.

Avenza. Carrara.


GENOA
PISA
74
31
AVENZA. Station for Carrara,
3¼ miles N.E. by branch line. Gigs also for Carrara await passengers at
the station. Fare, 5 fr.

Carrara (pop. 14,000),
situated on the Carrione, formed by the union of the Torano,
Fantiscritti and Colonnata streams, descending valleys with valuable
marble strata. _Hotels:_ The Nazionale, close to the theatre; The
Posta, adjoining the Post-office and close to the Accademia. Near the
Nazionale is the Italian Protestant chapel. At the station great blocks
of marble meet the eye. Passing them and crossing the bridge by Walton’s
marble works, walk up the Corso Vittorio Emanuele to the Piazza
Alberica, with a statue of Maria Beatrice and a short arcade. Near the
right side of this piazza are the two hotels. The road to the left leads
up the Carrione to the valley of the stream Torano, and the village of
the same name, ¾ of a mile from Carrara. The valley now becomes
narrower, the road worse, and the heavily laden bullock-carts more
numerous, carrying and dragging blocks of marble. To the left rises
Mount Crestola, and immediately opposite Poggio Silvestro, Polvaccio di
Betogli, and the Mossa del Zampone, from all of which the Romans
procured statuary marble, and which still continue to yield some of the
finest quality. All the quarries (cavé), of which there are 400,
employing 6000 men, are a good way up the face of the mountains. The
ascent to them is over steep slippery marble debris. The nearest and the
easiest “cavé” to visit are on Mt. Crestola. The other quarries are in
the valleys of the Colonnata and of its affluent the Fantiscritti. In
the Fantiscritti mines Roman relics have been found. Any boy will do to
show the way to the rivers Carrione and Torano, and when there it is
impossible to go wrong; but to visit any particular mines a guide is
necessary. Fee 4 fr. Besides the common road there is a railway for
the conveyance of marble blocks from the valley of the Torano to the
Marina or Port of Carrara. Many antique Roman statues are of marble from
Carrara, anciently called Luni. The marble of which the Greek statues
are made is from Paros, and from Mount Pentelicon, near Athens. Carrara
is a healthy and busy town, not troubled in the least with mosquitoes in
winter and spring. The great business of the town is the transporting
and dressing of marble; and the principal establishments the studios of
the artists, where statues, monuments, chimney-pieces, and ornaments are
sculptured and exposed for sale. Admission readily granted.

The churches present nothing remarkable; the marble of the exterior
walls of the cathedral has become brown, while that of the interior is
223
 
nearly black. In the Accademia delle Belle Arti are some good copies of
the works of great artists and a few Roman antiquities found chiefly in
the mines of Fantiscritti.


GENOA
PISA
78¼
26¾
MASSA is about a mile from the
railway, by a good road, at the foot of Mt. Castagnola, which, with the
still loftier peaks in the rear, Mts. Tambura and Rotondo, protect it
from the northerly and easterly winds, so that it may be considered one
of the winter stations on the Mediterranean. The climate is mild, as the
vigorous orange trees in the gardens testify. In the neighbourhood are
many pleasant walks, both on the plain and up the valleys. The Hotel
Giappone in the Piazza Aranci, although a plain house, is clean, and is
kept by kindly people. The town is quiet; there are a few workers and
dealers in marble, but the principal occupation is agricultural. The
ducal palace in the square was once the residence of Elisa Bacciocchi,
Napoleon’s sister. Valuable marble quarries. Pop. 5000.


GENOA
PISA
84¼
20¾
PIETRASANTA, pop.
1000. _Inn:_ Europa. A poor town, with marble works near the
station outside of the walls, where baths are chiefly made. On the first
large house, right hand of square, a tablet informs us that in it
Michael Angelo Buonarrotti, on the 27th April 1518, “strinse nuovi
contratti per la facciata di S. Lorenzo in Firenze.”
S. Martino (13th cent.) has a fine wheel window, of the kind found
in nearly all the churches in this neighbourhood. At the entrance
opposite the Campanile (1380) is a font about the same period. In the
interior of the church are handsome marble columns, confessionals,
pulpit, and font. The domes and semidomes are painted in fresco. Next is
the Uffizio Municipale, with, in front, a statue to
Leopold II., 1848. Then follows St. Agostino (14th cent.), all
within a few yards of each other. In the neighbourhood are quicksilver
and argentiferous mines and the Quarceta marble quarries.

Viareggio.


GENOA
PISA
90¾
14¼
VIAREGGIO, pop.
20,000. _Hotels:_ Russie; Pension Anglo-Americaine; Commercio.
A favourite sea-bathing station of the inhabitants of Pisa and
Florence. On the 22d of July 1882 the body of Shelley was found cast on
this beach. A few miles eastward, towards Lucca, is Lake
Massaciuccoli, and the Roman ruins called the Bagni di Nerone, about
6 m. W. from Lucca in a beautiful country.

Pisa.


opp. 224
plan of Pisa


Pisa: Piazza del Duomo. Cathedral.


GENOA
105
PISA, pop. 26,300.
_Hotels:_ On right bank of the Arno, in the Lung’ Arno Regio, the
*Grand Hotel; *Bretagna; *Nettuno; Londra. Close to station, right hand,
the *Minerva et de la Ville; Washington;
224
 
left hand, Commerce. Behind the H. Bretagna is the Anglican church.
On the left side of the Arno, opposite the Victoria, is the Post-office.
Cab-stand at the station. _Fares._—From the station to the
cathedral, with from one to two passengers, 1 fr.; from three to
four, 1 fr. 15 sous. The hour, 2 fr. From the station go
straight up the Via Vittorio Emanuele to the Arno, where cross the
bridge and walk down the river to the fifth street right, the Via Santa
Maria, crossed by an arch at the commencement. The Via Santa Maria leads
directly to the Piazza del Duomo, containing, in a row,
the Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, and the Baptistery, and immediately
behind, the Campo Santo, with frescoes considerably effaced, yet
valuable as specimens of the Tuscan school of the 14th and 15th
centuries. Fee for the Campo Santo 25 cents each.

The _Cathedral_, commenced in 1063 by the Greek
architect Buschetto, was completed in 1092. The exterior is adorned with
a range of blind arches decorated with party-coloured marble. Four open
arcades, similarly constructed, rise over the western entrance, with the
beautiful bronze doors of John of Bologna, as well as over those at the
southern entrance by Bonano. Both doors are covered with a profusion of
figures in delicately wrought iron, representing saints, prophets, and
various other objects, enclosed in an elegant border of birds, foliage,
fruits, and flowers. The internal length of the church is 311½ ft., and
of the transepts 252 ft. The roof of the nave is 109 ft. high.
A double row of columns runs up the nave, and a single row along
the transepts and choir. Sixty of them are of oriental granite, and the
rest (14) of fine marble, and each of one piece. The arches resting on
them are semicircular, and are mostly in alternate layers of white and
black marble. The roof is covered with richly gilt panelling. The altars
are by Michael Angelo, and are arranged in pairs, each couple opposite
each other being alike, excepting the two at the opposite ends of the
transepts, which, however, are similar in design. One represents the
fall by woman, and the other the reconciliation by woman in the
ascension of the Virgin. Over the high altar, on the semidome, is a
colossal Mosaic by G. Gaddi, in 1325. Among the best of the
paintings are four of saints by A. del Sarto, near the bishops’ chairs.
Here also are paintings of Moses and Aaron, St. Luke and St. John, by
Beccafumi, and the Sacrifice of Abraham and the Entombment by Sodoma.
Upon a pier of the right transept is a St. Agnes by A. del Sarto, and on
the corresponding pier of the left transept a Madonna by Perino del
Vaga. In the right
225
 
transept notice the altar of St. Blaise, the chapel and tomb of
S. Ranieri, the great picture of the Virgin with Saints by del Vaga
and Sogliani. In the left (north) transept is the chapel of the Holy
Sacrament, with a beautiful silver ciborium. The windows are small, but
have some fine stained glass of the 14th and 15th cents. Galileo, while
a student at Pisa, discovered, by observing the oscillations of the lamp
suspended in the nave, that the vibrations of a pendulum are
synchronous, or recur at equal intervals whether great or small.

Pisa: Leaning Tower. Baptistery.

The _Campanile_ or leaning tower is a
cylindrical edifice built of square blocks of compact marble, and
consisting of a well-designed solid basement, 159 ft. in circumference,
with walls 13 ft. thick, above which rise six open arcaded galleries,
supported by 200 granite and marble columns. Over the sixth arcade rises
a round tower 27 ft. high. The entire height is 183 ft., the mean
diameter of the main portion 52 ft., and the deflection from the
perpendicular 11 ft. 2 inches, exclusive of the cornice, which projects
32 inches more. It was commenced in 1174, and finished 1350. The ascent
is very easy, by a stair 3 ft. wide, formed in the wall; but not fewer
than three are allowed to visit the top at the same time. Fee for the
party, 1 fr. The keeper lives in one of the small houses (No. 14)
nearly opposite.

The Baptistery is a circular building, 361½
feet in circumference, surmounted by a dome 180 feet high, and
constructed after the designs of Diotisalvi. It was commenced in 1153
and finished towards the end of the 14th cent. Above the third storey
rises the dome, intersected by long lines of very prominent fretwork,
meeting in a cornice near the top, and terminating in a small dome
crowned with a statue of St. John the Baptist, the titular saint of all
such edifices. In the interior eight large Sardinian granite columns and
four marble piers support twelve arches, over which rises the tier of
piers and arches which support the cupola, within conical, but
externally hemispherical. In the centre stands an octagon marble font
for the baptism of adults, with four circular compartments at opposite
sides for the baptism of infants. The beautiful pulpit by Niccolo da
Pisa (1260) is ornamented with bas-reliefs, and supported on seven
columns.
Pisa: Cemetery.
Behind the Baptistery is the _Campo Santo_, founded about the year 1189
by the Archbishop Ubaldo. It is a rectangle 424 feet long by 145 broad,
and surrounded by a broad gallery with a plain wall to the exterior, and
62 mullioned arches with quatrefoil tracery towards the interior. The
inner side of the wall is covered with paintings in fresco, begun about
the year 1300, and continued till 1670. Immediately to the left on
entering is the
226
 
monument of the oculist Andrea Vacca by Thorwaldsen. To the right
commence frescoes illustrating incidents in the life of St. Ranieri, the
patron saint of Pisa, by Andrea da Firenzi, 1377. Those beyond the
second door illustrate the temptations and miracles of hermits in the
Theban wilderness, by the Lorenzetti. Between Nos. 39 and 40, Hell.
Above 38, the Day of Judgment. Then, by Orcagna, the Power of
Death,—filling those living in pleasure with horror, but those in
sorrow with joy. Now follow (in the eastern side) the oldest of the
three chapels, and frescoes illustrating the Crucifixion, Resurrection,
and Ascension. On the north wall the most interesting frescoes are by
Puccio Orvieto, 14th cent., illustrative of events in the Old Testament.
On the west wall is hung part of the chain the Pisanos caused to be
drawn across the mouth of the harbour, which, however, Conrad Doria
broke through in 1290, burnt the fleet of Pisa, and carried off the
chain to Genoa. A few years ago, according to the inscription, the
Genoese returned it to Pisa. On the wall, under the chain, is the
monument to Giov. Niccoli Pisano; and, a little to the right,
a Madonna by that famous sculptor. The empty space within the
cloisters was once the common burying-ground of the city. It is filled,
to the depth of ten feet with earth brought from the Holy Land by the
galleys of Pisa.
Pisa: S. Maria della Spina.
Among the other churches may be mentioned Santa Maria della Spina, on
the bank of the Arno (a low square church)—an excellent
specimen of the Moorish-Gothic introduced into Italy in the 11th cent.
The churches of St. Matteo, St. Pierino, St. Michele in Borgo, St.
Andrea, and St. Francisco, contain a few curious and some good
paintings, with other antiquities. The church of St. Stephano is reputed
to contain the bones of St. Stephen. The palaces of the Cavaliers,
Lanfreducci, Seta, and Casa Mecherini, are worthy of notice.

Near the Grand Hotel is the Sapienza or University, founded by the
Emperor Henry VII. The quays and bridges of Pisa are extensive, and
well-constructed. Four miles from Pisa are the baths of St. Julian,
considered beneficial for diseases of the liver and gout (see next
page).

Leghorn.


opp. 226
plan of Leghorn

Between Pisa and Leghorn there are trains nearly every hour, distance
11¼ miles. Leghorn (pop.
90,000). _Hotels:_ In the Piazza del Cantiere, the Nord, fronting
the harbour; and close by, in the Via Vittorio Emanuele, the Bretagne;
New York; France; and at No. 59 of the same street, Il Giappone.
Anglican church in the Scala degli Hollandesi. Presbyterian church, No.
3 Via degli Elisi. Cabs per hour, 1½ fr. Boat from the hotel to the
steamer, 2 fr. Leghorn has many handsome and well-paved streets;
among the best of them is the
227
 
Via Vittorio Emanuele, which, commencing at the head of the harbour from
the Piazza dei Cantieri, traverses the principal square, the Piazza
d’Armi, with the cathedral, and extends to the Piazza Carlo Alberto. Its
continuation, on the other side of the square, the Via Larderel, extends
to a large building on the right hand crowned with a semi-dome. This is
the grand reservoir, supplied with water from the mountains Colognone by
an aqueduct 12 m long. Smollett died at Leghorn just after completing
“Humphrey Clinker,” and was buried in the English cemetery.
Leghorn: Steamers for Corsica.
Steam-boats every week for Bastia in Corsica, for Porto Torres in
Sardinia, and for Marseilles and Genoa.


Pisa to Florence by Lucca and Pistoja.

Distance 62 miles east. See Map of Turin to Florence, page 199.


FLORENCE
62
PISA. The direct line to
Florence is by Pontedera Empoli. Distance, 49 miles. Time, 2 hours and
10 minutes. The first station by the Lucca route is _San Giuliano_, with its
thermal springs, temp. 109° and 84° Fahr., rising from a calcareous rock
at the foot of the wooded Monti Pisani. The waters “are used internally
in chronic hepatic complaints, in gravel, and some renal affections; in
dysentery, and dyspepsia attended with pain and vomiting.”
—Madden’s _Health Resorts_. After Giuliano, we reach the
Rigoli station, whence the line extends along the left side of the
Serchio, enclosed within its bed by expensive embankments.


PISA
FLORENCE
15
47
LUCCA (pop. 22,000). Each
portmanteau taken from the station to the cab, 6 sous; bag, 2 sous. Cabs
await passengers, 1 fr.; portmanteau, 4 sous.

_Sights._—A walk on the ramparts, 3 miles in
circumference, and a visit to the Duomo and to the Picture-Gallery. To
the south of Lucca, near the station, is an ancient aqueduct of 459
arches.

_Hotels:_
Universo, between the Duomo and the Piazza Napoleone, a first
class-hotel; Croce di Malta, near the Piazza Napoleone; and the Corona,
near the Piazza also, but towards the church of St. Michele. Diligence
to the Baths of Lucca start from a court opposite the H. Corona.
Distance, 17 miles. Fare, 3 fr. Carriage, 15 fr. Money-changer in
the Piazza dell’Erba, off the P. Napoleone. Lucca is one of the
most ancient cities in Italy. Originally it belonged to
228
 
the Etrurians, but was taken from them by the Ligurians, and colonised
by the Romans about 170 years before the birth of our Lord. The most
remarkable event that distinguished it in ancient times was the
interview which took place here between Cæsar, Pompey, and Crassus, and
which attracted to the town half the senate and nobility of Rome. After
the fall of the Roman empire, Lucca was governed by princes of its own,
from one of whose race, Azon II., of the house of Este, the royal
families of Brunswick and England are descended. The town is in the form
of the letter O, surrounded by ramparts which afford a most agreeable
drive. At the railway end is the Piazza Napoleone, and near it all the
principal sights.
Lucca: Palazzo Ducale.
Picture-Gallery. Cathedral.
One entire side of the Piazza is occupied by the Palazzo Ducale, now the
Palazzo Provinciale, a vast and substantial edifice, built in 1578,
enclosing two large courts, and containing the prefecture, the
post-office, the picture-gallery, and the government offices. The
Picture-Gallery,
open every day (except Mondays), between 10 and 2, although small,
contains some precious works, in handsome halls. In the first room is a
Madonna della Misericordia, and in the second, the Creator with Mary
Magdalene and St. Catherine, both by Fra. Bartolommeo, in 1515 and 1509.
Also pictures by Reni, Zucchero, and Tiziano. In the Sala da Ballo,
painted in fresco by Luigi Adamolli Milanese in 1819, are a Madonna by
Perugini; a full length portrait of Napoleon’s sister Elisa; and
two ancient pictures on wood—a Nativity, and a Christ with Saints.
The remainder of the pictures are in the rooms which were occupied by
Maria Aloysia Borbonia (Marie Louise), whose monument by Bartolini
(1843) stands in the centre of the square. Leaving the Piazza Napoleone,
by the street at the end of the small avenue, we come to another open
space containing San Giovanni and the Duomo, and between the two
churches a house called the “Administrazione del opera della chiesa;”
where, among other things, are preserved _La Croce dei Pisani_, an
elaborately wrought gilt silver cross, by B. Baroni in 1350, and
the gold lamp, weighing 24 lbs., which formerly hung in front of the
Tempietto in the Duomo. They are shown at any time, but a fr. is
expected. The Cathedral or Duomo of St. Martino was commenced by Anselmo
Badagio, who, three years afterwards, as Pope Alexander II.,
blessed the enterprise of the Norman invader of England. The façade,
with its three tiers of columned galleries, was built in 1204, the choir
in 1308, and the triforium in 1400. The sculptures of the portico are
subjects from the life of St. Martin. Over the door on the left is a
Descent from the Cross, by Nicolo di Pisa, 1233.

229
 
Loftiness and simplicity, verging on plainness, characterise the
interior of this church, as well as those of all the others in Lucca,
with the exception of San Romano, which is profusely decorated. The
windows are small and filled with modern glass, excepting the three at
the eastern end, which are by P. Ugolino. All the pictures are
covered, excepting on Sundays and feast-days, but the custodian can
always be found in the sacristy, who shows the church for a franc.
Commencing at the first altar, right hand from main entrance, Nativity,
by Passignano; second, Adoration of the Magi, P. Zucchero; third,
Last Supper, Tintoretto; fourth, Crucifixion, Passignano; fifth,
Resurrection. In south transept, west side, is the monument to Pietro da
Noceto, one of the many admirable works by Matteo Civitali, to whose
genius the church owes its best sculpture, which he contributed during a
period of nearly thirty years from 1472. The angels on the altar in the
Chapel del Sagramento, opposite the monument, as well as the whole of
the chaste white marble altar in the Chapel of St. Regulus, adjoining
the sacramental chapel, are by him. On the left side of the high altar
is the altar to “Christo Liberatori,” by G. Bologna, and adjoining,
La Cappella del Santuario, where again we find the beautiful handiwork
of Civitali displayed on the altar and reliquaries on both sides. The
Madonna which forms the reredos of the altar is by Fra
Bartolommeo. This picture and the Madonna by Ghirlandaio (1400), in the
sacristy, are the two gems in the church. Just outside the Cappella del
Santuario is a recumbent figure of _Ilaria del Carretto_ by Jacopo
della Quercia (1444), unfortunately slightly mutilated, yet a beautiful
imitation of the repose of nature transferred to statuary.
Lucca: The Tempietto.
S. Giovanni.
S. Frediano.
In the north aisle is the Tempietto, a small octagonal chapel
standing apart, in which is preserved the cedar wood crucifix, 8th or
9th cent., said to have been carved by Nicodemus with the assistance of
an angel. The fresco on the left side of the main entrance into the
Duomo represents him cutting it out. This cross is exhibited three times
a year. The embroidery on the red curtain is an exact copy. The figure
of S. Sebastian on the Tempietto, as well as the elegant pulpit
opposite, are by Civitali. Opposite the cathedral is San Giovanni,
founded in the 12th cent. The baldness of its great walls is partly
relieved by the coloured panelled ceiling. Leaving the Piazza Napoleone
by the western corner of the Palazzo Provinziale, we soon reach the
Piazza and Church of San Michele, founded in the 8th cent., with a lofty
façade composed of tiers of variously shaped columns. Continuing in the
same direction towards the ramparts, we reach S. Frediano, of
the
230
 
7th cent., with a large Mosaic (12th cent.) over the main entrance. Just
within it, on each side, are frescoes by Ghirlandaio. To the right is an
ancient circular font about 9 feet in diameter, beautifully carved
in relief by Magister Robertus in 1151. The font at present used is
against the wall, and is by N. Civitali, the nephew of Matteo. The
second chapel on the right contains the tomb of St. Zeta, the patroness
of Lucca, in a sarcophagus on the altar. Third chapel beyond this (east
side) is a coronation of the Virgin by Francia, and on the opposite wall
of the same chapel a curious old carving in relief, representing the
assumption of the Virgin. On the opposite side of the church is a chapel
covered with ancient frescoes by Aspertino, one of which represents the
transporting to the church of the cross made by Nicodemus after it had
been found in the sea. By the side of it is St. Augustine being baptised
by St. Ambrosius at Milan; and above them, in the semicircle, an
entombment. Opposite is S. Frediano (who was an Irishman) staying
by prayer an encroachment of the sea, and an Adoration of the Magi.
Above is St. Ambrosius instructing his disciples. On the ceiling, God
surrounded by Angels, Saints, and Prophets. 3½ m. from Lucca is the
Villa di Marlia, in the midst of beautiful grounds.


The Baths of Lucca.

The Baths of Lucca.

17 miles from Lucca. See Map, page 199.

The road ascends by the left bank of the river Serchio, through pleasing
scenery, passing the town of Muriano, situated on the right side of the
river. About 13 miles from Lucca is the curious bridge of the Maddalena,
consisting of four arches, the arch next the village of Borgo being
disproportionately large, and with a gradient from the bank to the
centre of 60°. It is only 4 feet wide, and, although built in 1322,
is the only bridge across the Serchio that withstood uninjured the great
flood of 1836, when the Serchio attained in three hours a height till
then unknown, and swept away with irresistible fury all the other
bridges, and broke up the mounds, dikes, and embankments. The two
villages (pop. 9500) which go under the name of the Baths of Lucca are
_Il Serraglio_ on the left bank, and _Corsena_ on the right
bank of the Lima, near its junction with the Serchio. On the hill behind
Corsena are the springs and bathing establishments. By the side of the
Lima is the Bagno Cardinali, close to the Casino; and about 100 feet
above the Cardinali is the Bagno Bernabó. A short way westward,
overlooking the valley of the Lima, is the Bagno Doccebasse, and
immediately below it the Bagno dello Spedale-Demidoff, for the exclusive
use of the poor. On the top of the hill, among some houses, is the Bagno
Caldo, and a little to the east, standing by itself, the Bagno San
Giovanni. _Hotels:_ the best are Pagnini’s Hotel and Pension, next
the Casino; and the America, nearer the bridge. On the opposite side of
the river, in Il Serraglio,
231
 
are the New York, and the Corona, plainer houses. A mile up the
river by the right bank, along a beautiful road, the Strada Elisa, is
another village, which is also included in the Baths of Lucca, the
Bagno alla Villa, the most beautifully situated of the three.
_Hotels:_ At the entrance of the village, the H. and
P. Queen Victoria. At the foot of the hill on which the bathing
establishment is situated, the H. and P. du Pavilion and the
Anglican chapel. Near them the H. and P. du Parc. The pension price
in all, both here and at Corsena, is from 7 to 11 frs. _Cabs:_
First hour, 2 fr.; afterwards 1½ fr. Numerous furnished houses to
let. From 400 to 1000 fr. for six months.

The bathing establishments are fitted up with every modern appliance.
The baths are rather small. Chemically the different springs are very
similar, but in temperature they vary; the coolest is the Doccebasse,
85° Fahr., and the hottest the Bagno Caldo, 133° Fahr. The principal
ingredients are sulphates and carbonates of lime, chlorides of soda and
magnesia, and carbonate of iron. The total amount of saline matter being
15 grs. to the pint. On a tablet at the entrance to the baths of La
Villa is inscribed a list of the diseases cured by the water; but their
principal action is on the digestive organs, and through them
sympathetically on the whole animal economy. Besides, a great deal
of the beneficial effect said to be produced by the water ought with
more reason to be ascribed to the delightful mountain air, and the
charming walks, drives, and rides, which entice visitors to spend the
greater part of the day in healthy rambles. The surrounding country is
beautiful—steep mountains covered with vines, chestnuts and oaks
rise on each side of the river; while well-made paths and roads wend
their way up through these vineyards and forests to multitudes of points
of various heights, commanding charming views. Season, May to
October.

Pistoja. Cathedral. Baptistery.


PISA
FLORENCE
40½
21½
PISTOJA (pop. 13,600).
_Hotels:_ Globe et Londres; Inghilterra, both in the Piazza Cino.
Cabs from the station to the hotels, 1 fr.; portmanteau, 20 c. Next
the H. Inghilterra is the church of S. Giovanni, erected at
the end of the 12th cent., in alternate layers of black and white
marble. The sculptured pulpit, resting on lions, is supposed to be by
Fra Guglielmo of Pisa, 1270. The centre of interest is in the Piazza
Duomo, easily found from different parts of the town by means of the
lofty Campanile, the “Torre del Podesta,” which rises above all the
other buildings. By the side of it is the Duomo, a plain edifice, built
in 1240. Over the central door is a Madonna, with angels, by
A. della Robbia, and over the side-door frescoes by Balducci and
Giovanni Christiani, 1369. To the right, on entering, is the monument to
the jurist Cino (1336). In the upper tier he is represented addressing
an assembly, accompanied by six other doctors, while below he is
represented in his class-room lecturing to nine students.
232
 
The altar of the chapel, to the right of the high altar, is of solid
silver. It is generally covered, but by applying at the sacristy a man
will uncover it for 2 fr. It remained unfinished for more than 150
years (1314-1466), and is said to be the finest piece of silversmith’s
work of that time in Italy, and that 416 lbs. of silver were employed in
its execution. Below the chancel is a crypt. Fronting the Duomo is the
_Baptistery_, begun 1339 (by C. di
Nese), an elegant octagonal structure, also in alternate layers of black
and white marble, each corner terminating in a pinnacle. The font is
quadrangular, of panelled marbles, and constructed in the 13th cent.
Outside, near the door, is a beautiful stone pulpit. Adjoining is the
Palazzo del Podestá (now the seat of the Tribunale Civile), constructed
in 1367, and restored in 1864. The vaults and soffits of the massive
arches are covered with the armorial bearings of the former mayors of
the town; while, to the left of the entrance, are still the stone-seats
and tables where they sat in judgment.
Pistoja: Pal. Municipale.
S. Andrea.
Opposite is the Palazzo Municipale (14th cent.), and a little way down
the street, the Ospedale del Ceppo (13th cent.), with a coloured
terra-cotta frieze. Near the two hotels is the church of
_S. Maria dell’ Umilta_, built in 1509 by Ventura Vitoni. In
the vestibule are large frescoes by Vasari. Near it is _S. Andrea_
(12th cent.), with quaint reliefs over the entrance door, and in the
interior a precious marble pulpit, sculptured by Giovanni da Pisa,
1298-1301. The beadle, for a trifle, illuminates this piece of elaborate
sculpture, when it is seen to still greater advantage. Between the two
last churches is _S. Filippo da Neri_, with such a quantity of
frescoes, representing angels and saints in glory, that even the visitor
on entering feels himself among clouds also. In the Piazza Prato is
S. Francesco, with some good frescoes and altar pieces. In the
centre of the nave is the tomb of an Englishman, Thomas de Weston,
Doctor Legum, 1408. The word pistol is said to be derived from the name
of this town, as they have been manufactured here from a very early
date. Catiline lost his life in a battle fought near Pistoia, b.c. 62, and the precise spot where he is
said to have fallen is marked by a tower.

Passengers from Pisa to Florence have generally to change carriages
at Pistoja.

11¼ m. from Florence and 50¼ m. from Pisa is Prato, pop. 13,100. _Hotels:_ Giardinetto,
Contrucci, surrounded by ancient walls, and defended by a castle built
by the Ghibelines. The interior and exterior of the Cathedral are faced
with white and green marble in bands. The nave has columns of
serpentine. The elevated choir has good frescoes by Filippo Lippi, and
in a chapel are others by Agnolo Gaddi (1365).

233
 

Florence.


opp. 234
plan of Florence

61½ m. from Pisa by Lucca, or 49 m. by Empoli, is Florence, 357 m.
from Turin, 82 m. from Bologna, 134 m. from Piacenza,
196 m. from Rome, and 60¼ m. from Leghorn.

Florence: Hotels and Pensions.

FLORENCE, on the Arno, pop. 169,000. _Hotels and
Apartments:_ On the right or north side of the Arno, the Grand
Hôtel Royal de la Paix; de la Ville; Grand Hôtel d’Italie; Washington;
Grand Hôtel Nueva York; Gran Bretagna; del Arno; and just behind the
Paix, the Russie. All these hotels have a south exposure, and are
greatly run after in winter. Charge from 10 to 16 frs. per day,
according to the room. The following charge from 9 to 13 frs., and are
situated in the new streets a little way back from the Arno, and near
the Cascine or Park of Florence (north-west side of plan):—Hôtel
and Pension Corona d’Italia, Via Montebello; Hôtel and Pension Iles
Britanniques in No. 42; and Hôtel and Pension Venise in No. 33 Via della
Scala. In the Iles Britanniques are also furnished apartments at from
250 frs. to 400 frs. per month. Hôtel and Pension Couronne d’Angleterre,
Via Solferino; Hôtel and Pension Anglo-Americain, Via Garibaldi; and the
Universo in the Corso Vitt. Emmanuele. In the busy parts of the town,
and charging rather less than the above, the Hôtel Milan No. 12 Via
Cerretani; Hôtel and Pension Angleterre, Via Panzani; and at No. 21 of
same street, Hôtel Bonciani, with front also to the Piazza S. Maria
Novella. Near the bridge La Santa Trinitá, and in the Via Tornabuoni are
the Europe and Nord. In the Via Porta Rossa the Hôtel Porta Rossa; in
the Via della Spada the Ville de Paris; in the Via Condotta, La Luna; in
the Piazza S. Maria Novella (near the station) Hôtel Roma; Minerva;
Bonciani, with furnished apartments; and by the side of the station, La
Posta and Rebecchino. In the Piazza Maria Novella there are omnibuses
for Sesto Fiorentino and a large cab-stand. Conveniently situated for
visiting the sights, and not expensive (from 7 to 9 frs. per day),
are the H. d’Espagne above the Restaurant Etruria and the Etoile
d’Italie in the V. Calzaioli. Pension Suisse, Via Tornabuoni; Le
Phœnix, Via dei Martelli; Lion Blanc (in which also single rooms are
let), Via Vigna Nuova; Cavour, Via del Proconsolo; Commerce, Piazza di
S. Maria Novella; Hôtel and Pension Rudolfo, Via della Scala.
Furnished apartments all over the town. Just outside the Porta Romana,
in the Viale Petrarcha, furnished apartments cost from 250 to 400 frs.
the month. The most expensive as well as the most fashionable are those
situated on the right bank of the Arno; but in the streets a little way
back from the Arno apartments can be had for less. It is of very great
importance in winter to have
234
 
bedrooms with a south exposure. Those with a north exposure feel cold
even on a sunny day. People who take furnished rooms can dine at very
moderate rates in restaurants, such as the Toscana or the Etruria, both
in the Via Calzaioli. Best money-changers and restaurants in the Via
Calzaioli, between the Piazza della Signoria and del Duomo. Fioravanti
and Co., 5 Via Cerretani, change circular notes as well.

_Protestant Churches._—American Church, 17 Via dei
Serragli; American Episcopal, 11 Piazza del Carmine; English Episcopal,
5 Via del Maglio; Scotch Church, 11 Lungarno Guicciardini.

_Cab
Tariff._—The course, 1 fr.; night (between 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.),
1 fr. 30 c. Time, first half-hour, 1 f. 30 c.; every
successive half-hour, 70 c. Large trunks, 50 c.; portmanteau, 25 c.
Omnibuses run between the Piazza della Signoria and the old city gates.
Fare, 10 c.; Sundays, 15 c.

Florence: Hints and Directions.

Best maps of Italy and of the environs of Florence at the office of
the Topografico Militare, No. 8 Via Sapienza, near the Annunziata. Best
plans of the town published by Pineider, in the Piazza della Signoria,
and Bettini, No. 12 Via Tornabuoni. They also publish excellent little
guides to Florence, with complete catalogues of all the pictures and
statues in the various museums and churches. Pineider’s is published in
English likewise, and costs only a franc. They have a similar one for
Rome. For the investigation and study of art in Florence, see the works,
_Walks in Florence_ by Susan and Joanna Horner, 2 vols., Isbister
and Co., London, and volume 3 of _Hare’s Cities of Italy_.

It is fatiguing, and unwise in those who are not students, to wander
into every part of Florence to gaze upon every picture and every figure
by a great master. The best are all in a few places, which, fortunately,
are near each other. For oil-paintings the combined galleries of the
Uffizi and Pitti are sufficient. In them the most important room is the
Tribuna (p. 238), containing the
concentrated excellence of both galleries in painting and antique
sculpture. Besides what are in the Tribuna, Raphael has eleven pictures
in the Pitti, of which the most famous is No. 266 in the Stanza dell’
Educazione di Giove (see p. 244).
Michael Angelo’s finest sculpture is in the new sacristy of San Lorenzo
(see p. 265), but the
best collection of his works is in the _National Museum_ (see
p. 261). His David is in the
_Accademia delle Belle Arti_ (see p. 272). In the National Museum is the
best collection of sculpture by great _Italian Artists_, such as
Michael Angelo, G. Bologna, Luca and Andrea della Robbia, Ghiberti;
Brunelleschi, Donatello, Pisano,
235
 
Benvenuto Cellini, Rossi, Mino da Fiesole, and Verrochino, chiefly in
the first and sixth rooms of the first floor, and in the sixth room of
the second floor. Of the churches, the most important are the Duomo or
Cathedral, the Baptistery and Campanile, Santa Croce, San Lorenzo (but
particularly the Sagrestia Nuova and the Cappella dei Principi, attached
to St. Lorenzo), S. Maria Novella, and the Annunziata. They are
open from early in the morning till mid-day, and again from three till
six. The best specimens of fresco painting are in the churches and their
cloisters. Remarkable ancient frescoes in the Brancacci chapel of Del Carmine (page 252).
Best painting by Cimabue, a Madonna, executed in 1240, in the
Rucellai chapel of S. Maria
Novella (page 268). Best frescoes by D. Ghirlandaio on the chancel
or recess occupied by the high altar in S. Maria Novella (page 268). Best
frescoes of A. del Sarto in the narthex
of the Annunziata (page 269). Best frescoes of Giotto in the first
and second chapels of S. Croce
(page 260). Of the palaces the best are the Palazzo Vecchio (page 274), Palazzo Strozzi (page 275), and the Palazzo Corsini (page 275). The best view
of Florence is from the top of the dome; the ascent is very easy. The
pleasantest drive, with views, is to the Piazza Michel Angiolo, by the
Porta Romana and the Boulevards Machiavelli, Galileo, and Michel Angiolo
(page 249), studded with
handsome villas.

Florence: Piazza della Signoria. Loggia dell’ Orcagna.

At Florence the Arno is crossed by six bridges. One of these, the
_Ponte Vecchio_, differs from all the rest in having shops on each
side. By referring to the plan it will be observed that the road to the
Pitti Palace with the Boboli gardens, commences at the south end of this
bridge; while, at the northern end, commences the Via Por S. Maria,
leading to the Piazza della Signoria. From the
north-west corner of the Piazza della Signoria a fine broad street, the
Via Calzaioli, leads to the _Piazza del Duomo_; from the eastern
corner the street called the Borgo de’ Greci leads into the Piazza
Santa Croce. It is of great importance to understand the
relative position of these three squares. The chief feature of the
Piazza della Signoria is the _Palazzo Vecchio_, a fine specimen
of the Florentine castles of the Middle Ages (page 274). On either side
of the main entrance are the terminal statues of Baucis and Philemon, by
Bandinelli, and in front the colossal group of Hercules and Cacus, also
by him. Opposite is the spacious Gothic arcade called the Loggia dell’
Orcagna, from the name of the architect, or dei Lanzi, from the
name of the watchman who formerly guarded the building. It was usual in
the early period of the Republic to provide a space near the
government-house where the people
236
 
could meet and take part in public affairs; and for this purpose this
open gallery was built opposite the Palazzo Vecchio about the year 1376.
Five steps, running along the front, lead up to the platform, covered by
a vaulted roof, supported on four arches, resting on three columns
terminating in beautiful capitals of the Corinthian order. Two shaggy
lions, in Cipollino marble, ornament the entrance. The lion on the left
is by F. Vacca, 17th cent.; the other, on the right, as well as the
six statues of Sabine priestesses, along the inner wall, beautiful in
attitude and drapery, are antiques, and were brought from the Villa
Medici in Rome in 1788. In front, under each arch, stand three separate
groups, by celebrated masters of the 16th cent. To the right is the Rape
of the Sabines, by G. Bologna, in 1583. Originally this group was
intended to represent Youth, Manhood, and Old Age. To the left the
statue in bronze of Perseus, with the head of the sorceress Medusa, by
B. Cellini. The posture is fine, and full of power and animation,
but the head and body of the Medusa are represented streaming with blood
with a revolting exaggeration. Also left, Judith and Holofernes in
bronze, by Donatello. Behind Perseus is the Rape of Polixena,
a marble group, by Pio Fedi, in 1864. In the centre is an antique
group supposed to represent Ajax dragging the body of
Patrocles—restored by S. Ricci. Next it is the marble group,
by G. Bologna, representing Hercules slaying the Centaur. In this
Piazza is also the Fountain of Neptune, by Ammanati (pupil of
Bandinelli), 1571. It is crowded with nymphs and satyrs, presided over
by a statue of Neptune (19½ feet high) in a car drawn by four horses.
Adjoining is a superb equestrian statue of Cosmo, by Bologna. The horse
is admirable. To the left of the statue is the Palazzo Uguccione
(considered to have been designed by Raphael), built in 1551. Adjoining
the Loggia dei Lanzi are the extensive buildings “degli Uffizi,” the
great storehouse of art treasures. On both sides of the Piazza, along
the basement floor, extends a wide and lofty colonnade, by Vasari
(1560-74), ornamented with 24 statues of the most eminent Italians. On
the same side as the Loggia is the Post-Office (Reale Poste).
Florence: National Library.
On the opposite side, at the second door from the end, is the entrance
to the Galleria degli Uffizi, and six doors farther down, the entrance
to the _Biblioteca Nazionale_, with about 250,000 vols. and 14,000
MSS. Open from 9 to 4. Any book may be had for consultation in the
reading-room by writing the name on a slip of paper. The National
Library was formed in 1864 by the union of the Palatine Library
collected by the Medici with the Magliabecchian Library collected by
Antonio Magliabechi in 1700. The arch at the S. end of the colonnade
leads to the river Arno and the Ponte Vecchio.


opp. 237
PLAN of the UFFIZI & PITTI
GALLERIES

see caption

237
 

Galleria degli Uffizi.

Open daily from 10 to 3. Fee, 1 fr. each. Sundays, free. W.C.’s near
the portrait rooms; key with the keepers in the corner of the southern
gallery. In the top storey of the Uffizi buildings is the famous
collection of paintings, statues, and antiquities, united with a similar
collection in the Pitti Palace, by long galleries which cross the Arno
by the Ponte Vecchio, and extend along the street Via Guicciardini, by
the tops of the houses. The payment of a franc admits to both
collections, and the visitor may commence at either end; either from the
second door left hand, under the Uffizi colonnade, or from the door at
the N.E. corner of the Pitti Palace, next to the iron gate opening into
the Boboli gardens. But the easiest plan is to commence with the Uffizi,
and to descend towards the Pitti gallery by the stair at the top of the
western gallery. The only part of the way in which it is possible to go
wrong, is where (after having passed through the gallery of birds,
fishes, and plants, admirably drawn in 1695 by Bart. Legozzi, and a
small room with a few beautiful miniature paintings representing scenes
in the life of our Lord,) we come to a common stone staircase, which, to
enter the Pitti galleries, _ascend_, but to go out, descend.
Downstairs, outside, are the Piazza Pitti and the entrance to the Boboli
gardens.

Florence: Uffizi
Gallery—Vestibules—Corridors.

Entering the Uffizi by the second doorway under the colonnade, those
who wish to save themselves the fatigue of the 126 steps up to the
galleries may, for a franc, be carried up in a lift. In the first
vestibule are Roman statues and bas-reliefs representing festivals and
sacrifices, and busts of Lorenzo the Magnificent, Cosmo I.,
Francis I., and of others of the Medici. Second vestibule, more
Roman statuary, and an inimitable Greek figure of a wild boar; the whole
expressing admirably the growling ire kindling in an irritated animal.
Two exquisite wolf-dogs, bold, spirited, and true to nature. The horse,
said to have belonged to the Niobes group, does not bear close
examination.

We now enter the
eastern corridor, 178 yards long, with the ceiling painted in
arabesques by Poccetti. Ranged on both sides are valuable specimens of
ancient statuary, and of Roman busts of emperors and members of the
imperial family, Augusti et Augustæ. On the walls is hung a valuable and
interesting series of pictures, beginning with the stiff gilded
Byzantine style of the infancy of the art, as No. 1, a Madonna by
Andrea Rico di Candia (1102), and advancing gradually by No. 2, St.
Cecilia, by Cimabue, 130 years later. A marked improvement in
colour and grouping is seen in No. 6, Christ in Gethsemane,
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by Giotto, pupil of Cimabue. No. 17 is a beautiful triptych by Fra.
Angelico; No. 24 a Madonna by Credi; No. 29 a Battlepiece by
P. Uccello; and No. 61 a Crucifixion by Lippi.

Florence: Uffizi Gallery.—Tuscan School.

From the two long sides of the gallery large doors open into halls
where the pictures are arranged in schools; the first of these being, as
is shown on the plan, the Scuola Toscana, contained in three rooms, and
consisting of 165 paintings, by M. Albertinelli, A. and
C. Allori, B. Angelico, M. A. Anselmi. B. Bandinelli,
Fra. Bartolommeo, G. Biliverti, S. Botticelli, A. Bronzino. F.
Cambi, J. Casentino, Cigoli, P. di Cosimo, L. di Credi,
F. Curradi. C. Dolci. Empoli. P. Francesca, M. A.
Franciabigio. A. L. Gentil, D. and R. Ghirlandaio, F. Giorgio,
G. S. Giovanni, B. Gozzoli, F. Granacci. Ignoto (unknown). Fra
F. Lippi. O. Marinari, Masaccio, T. Manzuoli, G. da Milano,
F. Morandini. G. Pagani, M. Pasti, S. Pieri,
A. Pollaiolo, Pontormo. G. Ramacciotti, Razzi, Il Rosso,
G. F. Rustici. V. Salimbeni, C. Salviati, A. del Sarto,
L. Signorelli. Fr. Ubertini. R. Vanni, O. Vannini,
G. Vasari, Dom. Veneziano, A. Verrocchio, Leonardo da Vinci,
Volterrano. F. Zucchero. The earliest painters are in the inner
room. Among the most remarkable of them are, B. Angelico, 1294. A.
Botticelli, 1286, a large picture, and 1289 and 1299. Fra.
F. Lippi, 1307. D. Ghirlandaio, 1295 and 1297. G. da Milano, 1293,
in ten compartments. A. Pollaiolo, 1301 and 1306; D. Veneziano,
1305.

In the middle hall—Albertinelli, 1259. Fra. Bartolommeo, 1265;
Bronzini, 1271. Cigoli, 1276 his best work. F. Lippi, 1257 and
1268; Razzi, 1279, formerly a banner carried in processions. Leonardo da
Vinci, 1252, an unfinished picture.

First hall—Albertinelli, 1259; Allori, 1165; Biliverti, 1261,
one of his best works; Bronzino, 1271; Cigoli, 1276; Credi, 1168;
Leonardo da Vinci, 1157 and 1159 remarkably fine.

Florence: Uffizi Gallery.—Tribuna.

Next to the rooms occupied by the Scuola Toscana is the Tribuna, a plain
8-sided hall, 30 ft. in diameter, designed by B. Buondelmonti, and
painted and decorated by Poccetti. In this room are preserved five of
the most famous antique statues in the world, and forty-two of the
choicest pictures in the collection by Alfani, F. Barocci, Fra.
Bartolommeo, A. and L. Caracci, Correggio, Domenichino,
A. Durer, Guercino, L. Kranach, F. Francia, Lanfranco,
B. Luini, Mantegna, Michael Angelo, L. d’Olanda, P. Perugino,
Raphael, G. Reni, Giulio Romano, Rubens, A. del Sarto, Schidone,
Spagnoletti, Tiziano, Van Dyck, P. Veronese, and D. Volterra.
Facing the door is the Venus de Medici, 4 ft. 11 inches high,
supposed to be by Cleomenes, son of Apollodorus, which, along
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with the statue of the Apollino, were brought from the Villa Hadrian, in
Tivoli, during the reign of Cosmo III. The group of the Wrestlers,
exquisitely finished, wants animation. The Dancing Fawn, attributed to
Praxiteles, is one of the most exquisite works of art that remains of
the ancients. The head and arms were restored by Michael Angelo. In the
_Knife-Grinder_, the bony square form, the squalid countenance, and
the short neglected hair, express admirably the character of a slave,
still more plainly written on his coarse hard hands and wrinkled brow.
Among the paintings, six are by Raphael—all gems. 1120 Portrait of
a Lady, painted when he was 20; 1123 the Fornarina, every hue as perfect
as if transferred to the canvas by the sun—the expression is pert;
1125, the Madonna del Pozzo (Well), attributed also to Franciabigio,
beautifully finished; 1127 St. John in the Desert, colouring tawny, but
admirable light and shade; 1129 the Madonna del Cardellino
(nightingale), one of Raphael’s best works, painted when he was 22; 1131
Portrait of Julius II., considered one of the finest portraits in
the world. In the Hall of Saturn, in the Pitti Gallery, and in the
National Gallery of London, are likewise portraits by Raphael of this
impetuous and warlike pope. 1139 Holy Family by Michael Angelo. This
picture, one of the few by him in oil, exhibits powerful drawing with
dexterous execution. 1112 the Madonna between St. Francis and St. John,
called also the Madonna delle Arpie, by Andrea del Sarto—rich but
subdued colouring, very pleasing to the eye. 1117 the famous recumbent
Venus, by Tiziano. 1118 the Rest in Egypt, by Correggio—wonderful
colouring.

Florence: Uffizi Gallery.—The Italian School.

Six rooms follow in succession from the south side of the Tribuna,
and contain respectively the Italian, Dutch, Flemish-German, and French
schools, and the collection of gems. The Italian, or more properly the
Lombardo-Venetian Schools contains 115 paintings by Albano,
D. Ambrogi. Baroccio, J. Bassano, G. Bonatti. Cagnacci,
Canaletto, A. Caracci, G. da Carpi, G. Carpioni, B.
Castiglione, M. Cerquozzi, C. Cignani, Correggio. Domenichino, B.
and D. Dossi. C. Ferri, D. Feti, L. Fontana. Garofalo,
L. Giordano, Giorgione, F. Granacci, J. Guercino.
J. Ligozzi, B. Luini. A. Magnasco, A. Mantegna,
L. Massari, L. Mazzolini, Fr. Minzocchi, Moretto da Brescia. Palma
(both), G. P. Pannini, Parmigianino, P. Piola, C. Procaccino,
S. Pulzone. G. Reni, P. Reschi, S. Rosa. E. Savonazzi, J.
Scarsellino, B. Schidone, F. Solimena. A. Tiarini, Tinelli,
Tintoretto, Tiziano, A. Turchi. G. Vanvitelli, P. Veronese, A.
Vicentino. B. Zelotti. S. Zugo. Of those, the most noteworthy are
Guido Reni, 998 Madonna; Parmigianino,
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1006 Madonna, and 1010 Holy Family; Correggio, 1016 Child’s Head;
A. Mantegna, 1025 Virgin, with Child in her lap; Caravaggio, 1031
Medusa.

Florence: Uffizi Gallery.—The Dutch, Flemish, and French
Schools.

_The Dutch
School_ contains 135 paintings, of which the best are by
Berkeyden, Borch, G. Dow, Galle, Hemskerch, Metsu, Mieris,
Netscher, O. Paulyn, Poelemburg; Rembrandt, 922 an Interior, with
Holy Family. R. Ruysch, Ruysdael, Schalken, Stingelandt, Van Aelst,
Van der Heyden, Van der Werf, Van Kessel.

_The Flemish and German Schools_, in two rooms, consist of 157
paintings, of which the best are by Cranach 822, Catherine Bore, wife of
Luther; 838 Luther; 845 John and Frederick, Electors of Saxony; 847
Luther and Melancthon. C. Gellé or Claude Lorraine, 848 Landscape,
considered the gem of this department. G. Dow, 786 Schoolmaster.
A. Durer, 766 His father; 777 St. James; 851 Madonna. Holbein, 765
Richard Southwell. 784 Zwinglius, and 799 Sir Thomas More. Quintin
Matsys, 779 St. Jerome. Rubens, 812 Venus and Adonis, but his best
pictures are in the Sala della Niobe. Susterman, 699 and 709 Portraits.
Teniers, 742 a Chemist, and 826 a Landscape. Van Dyck, 783 a
Madonna.

_The French
School_ is represented by 47 paintings, of which the most
noteworthy are by Fabres, 679 the poet Alfieri, and 689 the Countess of
Albany, wife of, firstly, Prince Charles, the young Pretender, and
afterwards of Alfieri. Gagneraux, 690 A Lion-hunt. Mignard, 670 Madame
do Grignan and her Mother, and 688, Madame de Sévigné. N. Poussin, 680
Theseus before his Mother. Rigaud, 684 Portrait of Bossuet.

Florence: Uffizi Gallery.—Room of Gems.

_The Room of
Gems_ has six upright glass cases, in which are exposed to view
statuettes, vases, cups, caskets, and a variety of ornaments made of
lapis lazuli, rock crystal, jasper, agate, aqua marina, turquoise, and
gold. In the second glass case is the most valuable article,
a casket of rock crystal, with twenty-four events from the life of
Christ engraved upon it by Valerio Belli, by order of Clement VII., who
presented it to Catherine of Medicis as a wedding present. The Room of
Gems opens into the south or connecting corridor, painted in fresco by
Ulivelli, Chiavistelli, and Tonelli. The most remarkable sculptures here
are 129 reliefs on a sarcophagus, representing the Fall of Phaeton into
the Eridanus (the river Po), with the Transformation of his Sisters into
Poplar Trees; and the races in the Circus Maximus of Rome; 137 Round
altar with reliefs representing the Sacrifice of Iphigenia; 145 Youth
extracting a Thorn, a replica of the more famous statue in the
Vatican; 145 Venus Anadyomene; 146 Nymph. (The key of the W.Cs. is kept
in the little office in the corner of this corridor).

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Florence: Uffizi Gallery—The Venetian School.

West Corridor and rooms. Rows of Roman statues stand on both
sides, and the walls are covered with Italian paintings of a much later
date than those in the eastern corridor. The first two rooms contain the
Venetian
School, represented by 82 paintings, and the next four contain
portraits of artists, nearly all by themselves. The room behind the
Venetian school contains a collection of 80,000 medals and coins. The 82
pictures which illustrate the _Venetian School_ are by twenty-five
great masters, T. Bassano, G. Bellini, P. Bordone, C. Caliari,
D. Campagnole, Giorgione, L. Lotto, A. Maganza, Moretto,
Morone, G. Muziano, Padovanino, Palma (both), Pini, Porta, Savoldo,
A. Schiavone, Tinelli, Tintoretto, Tiziano, P. Veneziano, C.
Veronese, P. Veronese, A. Vicentino. At the head of all stands the
immortal Tiziano. His finest portraits are those of the Duchess (599)
and of the Duke of Urbino (605), Francesco della Rovere I.; of
“Flora,” called his Mistress (626); of Giovanni, father of
Cosimo I. (614); and of Sansovino (596). Also by Tiziano, 633, Holy
Family; 609 Battle between the Venetians and Austrians; 648 Catherine
Cornaro, Queen of Cyprus; and 618 Sketch of Virgin and Child for his
celebrated picture in Sta. Maria at Venice. P. Veronese, 589
Martyrdom of St. Justina; 596 Esther before Ahasuerus, and 636 The
Crucifixion. Tintoretto, 617 The Marriage in Cana.
Florence: Uffizi Gallery—
Portraits of Artists.
In the next two rooms are Portraits of Artists of all nations,
from the 15th cent. to the present time. In a niche is the statue (338)
of Card. Leopoldo de’ Medici, and in the middle of the hall the
celebrated Medici Vase (339), with the sacrifice of Iphigenia in
relief, by a Greek sculptor. Cardinal Leopold, brother of the Grand Duke
Ferdinand, founded this collection in the 17th cent., and left it with
200 portraits; now it has about 500. Among the most remarkable
are—288 Raphael, by himself, in 1506, when 23; 225 Van Dyck; 228
Rubens; 232 Holbein; 292 Leonardo da Vinci; 384 Tiziano; 378 Tintoretto;
374, 384, and 459 Annibale Caracci; 368 Antonio Caracci; 403 Guido Reni;
546 Sir Joshua Reynolds; 465 Thomas Murray. The door adjoining the hall
of portraits of painters opens into the long series of corridors and
stairs leading to the Pitti
Gallery. See page 243. Sala delle Iscrizione.—The walls
are covered with Greek and Roman inscriptions, arranged in 12 divisions
according to the subject. In this room are also some very interesting
ancient sculptures. Among others (315) the Torso of a Faun. _Cabinet
of the Hermaphrodite._—The most important piece of sculpture
here is 306 Hermaphrodite reclining on a lion’s skin, a valuable
Greek work; 318 Bust of Alexander the Great in suffering. _Cabinet of
Cameos._—A very
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precious collection of ancient and modern cameos, statuettes, and
enamels, including those presented by Sir William Currie in 1863.

Florence: Uffizi Gallery—The Hall of
Niobe.

_Sala del Baroccio._—Against the walls are beautiful
tables in pietradura or Florentine mosaic, and one in the centre of the
room by Jacopo Antella, in 1615, from designs of Ligozzi. This hall
contains 172 pictures, chiefly by Italian artists. The great picture in
size and merit is 169, by Baroccio, The Madonna del Popolo or “The
Virgin interceding with her Son;” 163 is Susterman’s portrait of
Galileo; 191, by Sassoferrato, a Madonna; 207, one of Carlo Dolce’s
best works, “St. Galla Placida.” Sala della Niobe.—The hall
of Niobe was built in 1774, by the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo, for the
famous statues supposed to have been by Scopas or Praxiteles, and found
near the Porta S. Paolo at Rome in 1583, representing Niobe and her
children struck by thunderbolts from Apollo. They constitute one of the
finest and most powerful groups in the world, but stationed as they are
round the cold, flat, white wall of an oblong saloon, each on his
separate pedestal, the illusion of design and composition is not only
destroyed but individual criticism invited, a test all of them
cannot bear. It is believed that originally they formed a group on the
pediment of a temple. Niobe is rather large, nearly nine heads high, but
the child she protects is without a fault in form. This group is of one
piece of marble. All the others are in single figures. But the soul and
source of all that is interesting in these statues is the wonderful
figure of the wounded and dying youth, represented lying on his back,
his legs just crossing each other, the left hand reclining on his
breast, and his right arm slightly raised. As a statue, it commands the
highest admiration, and as a chaste and powerful picture of death, the
keenest sympathy. Behind the statue of Niobe is a very large picture by
Rubens—Henri IV. at the battle of Ivry—a performance of
wonderful spirit, but unfinished; and opposite it, 147 The entry of
Henri IV. into Paris; 144 Van Dyck, a portrait; 152 Honthorst,
Fortune-teller.

Florence: Uffizi Gallery—The Hall of Bronzes.

_Sala dei
Bronzi._—In two rooms; among these ancient bronzes the most
remarkable are the bronze heads of Sophocles and Homer, and the Torso
428 found near Leghorn—a torso is the trunk of a statue that has
lost the arms and legs; 426 The head of a horse; 424 The figure of a
youth, 5 feet in height, called the Idolino, found at Pesaro in
1530. The pedestal is attributed to Ghiberti. A tablet containing a
list of the Roman Decurions, dated a.d. 223. _Galleria Feroni._—In this room
are arranged the pictures bequeathed by the Marchese Leopoldo Feroni, of
which the best are, an Angel with a Lily, by C.
243
 
Dolce; A Butcher’s Shop, by Teniers the younger; and a Holy Family, by
B. Schidone. Outside, in the corridor, is 131, Portrait of Pasquali
Paoli, the Corsican patriot, by Richard Cosway; and 110 and 113,
Landscapes, by Agostina Tassi, the master of Claude Lorraine.


Florence. The Way from the Uffizi to the Pitti Galleries.

The Connecting Galleries.

Between the Uffizi and Pitti Galleries is a series of passages and
stairs finished in 1564, and opened on the occasion of the marriage of
Francesco de’ Medici with Joanna of Austria, of whom the statue of
“Abundance” in the Boboli gardens is supposed to be a likeness. The
walls of the stairs and corridors on the Uffizi side of the Arno are
covered with a rich and valuable collection of engravings, constituting
a complete history of the art from the 15th cent. to the present time.
The corridor on the Ponte Vecchio crossing the Arno is occupied
with a glorious collection of drawings by the great masters. The first
part of the corridor on the south side of the Arno contains numerous
portraits of the Medicean family, and then follows (on the long passage
behind the Via Guicciardini) a vast collection of tapestry,
executed in the 16th and 17th cent. in Paris and Florence. The best are
those representing the festivities at the marriages of Henry II.
with Catherine de’ Medici, and of Henry IV. with Maria de’ Medici,
executed in 1560 after designs by Orlay. From the tapestry gallery a
short stair ascends to a room hung with pictures painted in chiaroscuro,
or in one colour, by several of the old painters. From this another
short stair leads to the long narrow gallery on the wall of the Boboli
gardens. This gallery is hung with water-colour drawings, by Bartolommeo
Ligozzi, in 1695, representing with wonderful truthfulness, figures of
birds, fishes, and plants. To these illustrations of natural history
succeeds a series of miniature paintings of scenes in the life of our
Lord. Now we come to the common stone stair leading upwards to the Pitti
Gallery, and downwards to the door fronting the Piazza Pitti, and next
the gate leading into the Boboli gardens. At the top of the stair is a
large vestibule, with a window looking into the gardens. The names of
the Sale and Stanze (Halls and Rooms) are on the catalogues. Each room
is provided with two of these catalogues, one in Italian and another in
French. The halls are painted in fresco, and adorned with statuary and
rich tables of Florentine mosaic.


Florence: Pitti Gallery. Halls of Saturn and Jupiter.

The Pitti Gallery.

The vestibule opens into the _Sala dell’ Illiado_, painted by
Sabatelli in 1837, and having in the centre a statue of “Charity,” by
Bartolini.
244
 
Nos. 191 and 225 are Assumptions, by Andrea del Sarto, and 184 is his
Portrait, painted by himself. No. 185, a Concert, is a remarkable
picture, and one of the few existing by Giorgione. Tiziano is
represented by some of his best portraits:—No. 200,
Philip II. of Spain; 201, Cardinal Ippolito de’ Medici; 215,
Portrait; and 228, the Head of Jesus. 208, the Madonna del Trono, by
Fra. Bartolommeo. 219, P. Perugino, Adoration of the Child Jesus. 188,
S. Rosa, his own Portrait; and 218, Warrior. 190, Sustermans,
a Prince of Denmark. 224, Rod. Ghirlandaio, Portrait of a Lady.
230, Parmigianino, the Madonna col lungo Collo. 235, Rubens, Holy
Family. 286, Bassano, House of Martha.

_Sala di
Saturno._—The frescoes on the ceiling are by Pietro da
Cortona. The gems of this room may be considered:—151, Portrait of
Pope Julius II.; and 165, the Madonna del Baldacchino, by Raphael.
The others by Raphael are the Portraits of (158) Card. Bibbiena; and of
(171) Inghirami and (174) the Vision of Ezekiel. 150, Charles I. of
England and Henrietta Maria, by Van Dyck. 164, a Deposition, by
Perugino.

_Sala di
Giove._—Ceiling painted by P. da Cortona. In the centre of
the room statue of “Victory,” by Consani, and at the sides five Tables
in Florentine mosaic. The most remarkable picture in this, the Saloon of
Jupiter, is 113, the Three Parcæ, or Fates, by Michael Angelo. Then
follow Nos. 118, Andrea del Sarto and Wife; and 124, an Annunciation, by
A. del Sarto. No. 133 is a Battle-piece, by Salvator Rosa. In the
lower corner, right hand, is his own Portrait, with the initials
S. A. R. O. No. 140, an exquisitely finished Portrait of
G. Benci, by Leonardo da Vinci. 139, Holy Family, by Rubens.

Florence: Pitti Gallery—Halls of Mars and Apollo.

_Sala di
Marte._—Frescoes and decorations by Cortona. Raphael,
Rubens, Van Dyck, and A. del Sarto, have in this room some beautiful
paintings. The gem is (79) the Madonna della Sedia (chair), by Raphael.
94 is a Holy Family, also by him—called the “Impannata” or cloth
window. No. 81, Holy Family; and 87 and 88, Story of Joseph, by A. del
Sarto. 82, Card. Bentivoglio, by Van Dyck. No. 86, Peace and War, by
Rubens. 96, Judith, by C. Allori.

_Sala di Prometeo._—The Mosaic Table in this room, by
Giorgi, occupied him fourteen years. 338, Madonna, by Fra. Filippo
Lippi.

_Sala di
Apollo._—Raphael has three portraits in this room:—59
and 61, M. and A. Doni; and 63, Leo X. Tiziano has some fine
works:—No. 67, a Magdalene, shows his power in colour; and
54, Aretino, the poet, is one of his best portraits. 40, Madonna, by
Murillo. 58, by
245
 
A. del Sarto, Descent from the Cross, one of his best works. 64, the
same subject admirably treated by Fra. Bartolommeo.

_Sala di Venere_ (Venus).—Painted by Cortona. Nos. 4 and
15 are two most charming Sea-pieces, by Salvator Rosa. No. 18, La Bella
Donna, by Tiziano. No. 27, Jesus appearing to Peter, by L. Cardi
(Il Cigoli).

_Galleria Poccetti._—Painted by Poccetti. Bust of Napoleon
by Canova. Small corridor, or Corridor of the Columns, with two columns
in oriental alabaster, and the walls hung with Florentine mosaics, and
admirably executed miniatures in water-colours and oil, collected by
Card. Leopold. No. 4, In glass cases are displayed valuable articles in
ivory, amber, rock-crystal, and precious stones.

_Stanza della Giustizia._—Painted by Fedi. The beautiful
ebony cabinet was used by Card. Leopold. The most interesting picture in
this room is 408, Portrait of Oliver Cromwell, painted from life by Sir
Peter Lely, by request of Ferdinand II. of Tuscany.

Florence: Pitti Gallery—Rooms of Flora, Ullisse, Giove.

_Stanza di
Flora._—In the centre is the famous Venus by Canova, called
also the Venus Italica from its having been intended to replace the
Venus de’ Medici, when that still more famous statue was carried off to
Paris, where it remained fifteen years. No. 415, Ferdinand II., by
Sustermans. 416 and 421, Landscapes, by Poussin. 423, Adoration of the
Shepherds, by Tiziano.

_Stanza dei Putti._—Painted by Morini. No. 470 is a large
picture by Sal. Rosa, called the Philosopher’s Forest—Diogenes
throwing away his drinking-cup. No. 465, Landscape, by Ruysdael.

_Stanza d’
Ullisse._—Painted by Martellini. No. 324 is a fine portrait
by Rubens of the favourite of James I., George Villiers, Duke of
Buckingham, assassinated by Felton in 1628. No. 289, Madonna, by
Ligozzi. 297, Paul III., by Bordone. 306 and 312, Landscapes, by
Sal. Rosa.

_Stanza del Bagno._—This, the bath-room, is tastefully
fitted up with a mosaic pavement. Four handsome columns in verd antique,
and four marble statues, by Insom and Bongiovanni.

_Stanza dell’
educazione di Giove._—Painted by Catani. 266, the Madonna
del Granduca, by Raphael, is one of the finest pictures in the Pitti
Gallery. 245 is attributed to Raphael. 243, Philip IV. of Spain by
Velasquez. 248, a “Descent” by Tintoretto. 256, Holy Family by Fra.
Bartolommeo.

_Stanza della Stufa._—The frescoes on the walls,
representing the Four Ages of Man, are by Cortona, from sketches by the
nephew of Michael
246
 
Angelo. The frescoes on the ceiling, representing the Virtues, are by
Rosselli, in 1622. Among the treasures of this room are four antique
statues in niches, a column of green porphyry, bearing a porcelain
vase with a likeness of Napoleon I., and two justly celebrated
bronze statues of Cain and Abel, modelled by Dupré of Siena, and cast by
Papi in 1849.


Florence: Boboli Gardens.

The Boboli Gardens.

Now either return to the Uffizi by the very long galleries or descend
to the foot of the stairs, and when outside, turn to the left and pass
through the gate leading into the Boboli Gardens, open on Thursdays and
feast-days. Permission to enter on other days is easily obtained at the
office of the Minestero della Casa, under the south corner of the
corridor. The gardens are laid out in a stiff style. Clumps of oleanders
and oleasters among ilexes, laurels, pines, yews, and cypresses,
encircled by tall myrtle hedges, make the grounds in many parts more
like a labyrinth than a garden. Near the entrance is an artificial
grotto, with, in front, a group by V. Rossi, and a Venus by
G. Bologna; and in the four corners unfinished statues by Michael
Angelo, intended for the monument of Julius II. at Rome, and
presented to Cosmo I. by L. Buonarotti. Opposite the palace is
the Amphitheatre; within the centre a granite obelisk and a large
granite basin from Egypt, but brought to Florence from Rome. Beyond the
palace, near the Porta Romana, is the Piazzale del Lago, with groups in
marble by G. Bologna. In the flower-garden “del Cavaliere,” are two
more fountains, with monkeys in bronze, by the same artist, and a small
villa, from the top of which there is a fine view (entrance 25c.) On the
highest part of the gardens, facing the palace, is a colossal statue of
Dovizia (Abundance), commenced by Bologna, and finished by his pupil
Dacca.

Florence: Pitti Palace.

THE PITTI
PALACE was begun by Luca Pitti, a Florentine merchant, in
1436, from designs by Brunelleschi. In 1549 the still unfinished
building was purchased by the Medici, who advanced it considerably, but
not till quite recently was this vast pile finished. The façade is 659
feet in length, 148 feet in height, and the total surface occupied by
the building 35,231 yards. Bart. Ammanati added the wings, and enclosed
the beautiful court opposite the middle entrance with Doric, Ionic, and
Corinthian columns, and placed at the extremity the pretty grotto
covered in with Roman mosaic, supported on 16 columns, and ornamented
with statues in marble and porphyry, and small trees and satyrs in
bronze. To the right of the court is the Royal
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Chapel. Above the altar is an ivory crucifix by G. Bologna. At the
end of the portico, to the left, a door opens into the court, in
which is the entrance into the room containing the splendid
_Collection of Plate_ by Benvenuto Cellini and Maso Finiguerra, and
ivories by Bologna and Donatello. Zumbo, the famous artist in wax, has
likewise some of his works here. The state apartments are sumptuously
furnished.

Florence: Tribuna Galileo—Museum of Natural History.

Nearly opposite the Pitti palace, at No. 16 Via Guicciardini, is the
house in which Machiavelli lived and died in 1527. A little farther
up the Via Romana, in the house No. 19, is the

Museo di Storia Naturale,

in the second floor, and the Museo Galileo in the first floor. Both
open on Thursdays and Saturdays, from 10 to nearly 3. In the vestibule
is an old terrestrial globe, black with age, 3 feet in diameter,
probably by Ignazio Dante, a famous astronomer, brought to Florence
by Cosmo I. He died in 1586. Upstairs is the Museo, or
Tribuna di Galileo.* Explanatory catalogues in Italian and French are on the
table. The statue of him is by A. Costoli. In the niche to the
right are his telescopes, of which the lower one was constructed by
himself, and by which he discovered the satellites of Jupiter. In the
niche on the left are his compasses and magnet. The other philosophical
instruments belonged to the Accademia del Cimento, instituted in 1657
and dissolved in 1667. It held its meetings in the palace of Prince
Leopold de’ Medici. All around are beautiful frescoes, illustrating
scenes in the life of Galileo. Among the relics is the forefinger of
Galileo, taken from the body when it was removed to its present
resting-place in the church of Santa Croce. In the second storey is the
excellent and comprehensive Museum of Natural History. The collections
are admirably arranged, and in good condition. The botanical department
contains the herbariums of Andrea Cesalpino, which he is supposed to
have collected about the year 1563; of P. A. Micheli, collected
about the year 1725; of Central Italy, by Parlatore, commenced in 1842;
of Labillardière, who accompanied La Perouse in his expedition to New
Holland; of R. Desfontaines, the master of De Candolle; and of the
Englishman, P. B. Webb, who bequeathed his herbarium to this
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museum.
Florence: Anatomical
Preparations in Wax.
But the most wonderful objects in the museum are the anatomical
preparations in wax, chiefly by Clemente Sasini and his assistants,
under the direction of Tommaso Bonicoli, 1775 to 1791. Like the great
works of the great painters, they are executed with the most minute care
and truthfulness to nature, whether it be the magnified anatomy of the
cuttle-fish or of the silkworm, or the life-like representation of the
most delicate organs of the human body. They are contained in twelve
rooms, entered from the shell department, by the door lettered
“Ittiologia,” opening into the Zootomia.

*
The word tribune is used in Florence to designate any large niche. But
the real meaning of the word “Tribuna” is the semicircular cavity at the
extremity of a Roman basilica, where the judges sat. In the early ages
of the church some of these buildings were given to the Christians for
public worship, who still retained their secular name, and worshipped in
them without consecration.


Florence: House of Galileo.

The House of Galileo,

at the head of the Via Romana, is the Porta Romana, the city gate by
which, in 1536, Charles V. and Pope Leo X. entered Florence.
An omnibus runs between it and the Piazza del Duomo. At the outer side
there is a cab stand, which is likewise the starting-place of the
omnibus for the Certosa (see page
250). Immediately outside the Porta commence three broad roads—the
lowest is called the Via Senese and leads to the Certosa; the centre
one, bordered with tall cypresses, is the Via del Poggio Imperiale;
while to the left is the Viale Machiaveli, the first of a series of
magnificent boulevards (viali) leading to that noble terrace the Piazza
Michelangiolo. Let us first ascend the Via del Poggio to the Royal
Villa, formerly the property of the Medicis, now the Instituto della
Annunziata, a boarding-school for girls. From it ascend by the Via
del Pian di Giullari, and when at the top of it take the road to the
right leading directly to the village of Arcetri, containing the house
in which Galileo spent the last years of his life, and in which when
blind, and 74 years of age, he was visited by Milton. Galileo was born
in 1564, at Pisa, and died in 1642. The house, a plain building, is
indicated by a bust and tablet on the wall towards the street. The steep
little road to the left leads up to the farmhouse in which is the Tower
(Torre del
Gallo) from which Galileo made his astronomical observations. It
contains several relics of the great astronomer—a telescope,
table, and chairs, a bust of him taken after death (il piu antico
che si conosca), a pen-and-ink sketch of him on marble by
Salvatelli, a smaller portrait of him by P. Leoni, 1624. From
the farmhouse
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a steep narrow road leads down to the Boulevards between the Piazza
Michelangiolo and the Porta Romana.


Florence: Piazzale Michelangiolo. San Miniato.

The Piazzale Michelangiolo.

There is no place about Florence which affords such an agreeable walk
or drive as to the Piazzale Michelangiolo and the church of
S. Miniato. They are situated on a hill on the left bank of the
Arno, two bridges higher up the river than the Uffizi, and are
distinctly seen from the Lung’ Arno. The nearest way to approach them on
foot is, having crossed the Ponte alle Grazie (the first bridge above
the Ponte Vecchio), walk up the left bank of the Arno, passing the
Piazza containing the fine marble monument to Prince Nicholas Demidoff,
by L. Bartolini, in 1835, and continue the walk up the river till
arrival at a square tower in the Piazza della Molina, whence commence
the ascent by the stairs and road the Viale dei Colli. Or approach it
from the Porta Romana by the fine avenues the Viali Machiavelli and
Galileo, bordered by trees and handsome villas, disclosing as they wind
round the steep sides of the hills a succession of ever-varying views.
The Piazzale Michelangiolo is a splendid terrace, 165 feet above the
Arno, commanding a grand prospect, and adorned with five statues in
bronze, copies by C. Papi of Michael Angelo’s famous works. To the
right is the Viale Michelangiolo, the carriage road leading down to the
Barriera San Niccolo, opposite the suspension-bridge (Ponte Sospenso).
Above the Piazzale, by the convent church of San Salvatore del Monte
(built in 1504 by Cronaca), is the Basilica of San Miniato, one of the
earliest (1013) as well as one of the most perfect structures in the
Byzantine style. Internally it is 165 feet long by 70 wide, and is
divided longitudinally into aisles by pillars of classical design. The
façade is faulty. The tower was erected in 1519. The floor of the nave
is considerably under the level of the chancel, which terminates in a
semi-dome, covered with mosaics executed in 1247, and of the same kind
as those of St. Mark’s at Venice. Behind the altar are five small
windows of thin slabs of Pavonazzo marble. Between the stairs leading up
to the chancel is the chapel constructed in 1448 by Michelozzi. Here lie
the remains of Gualberto, the founder of the church and of the order of
Vallombrosa. In the centre of the north aisle is the chapel of Cardinal
Ximenes (died 1459). The monument is by B. Rossellino, and the
beautiful terra-cottas on the ceiling by Luca della Robbia. On the south
side is the Sacristy (built in 1387), exquisitely painted in fresco by
Spinello Aretino, representing scenes in the life of St. Benedict. In
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the centre of the nave is a curious piece of Byzantine pavement,
executed in 1207. Below the chancel is the crypt, supported on 38 marble
columns, several being prolongations of those above. Under the altar is
the tomb of San Miniato. From the terraces of the adjoining cemetery
there are splendid views of Florence and of the valley of the Arno.

Florence: The Certosa.

The Certosa.

From outside the Porta Romano a small diligence starts every hour, at
the hour, passing by the Carthusian Monastery of the Certosa, 3¼ miles
distant; fare, ½ fr. Passengers alight at the great wall enclosing the
grounds at the commencement of the small by-road to the right, leading
up to the top of the circular hill on which the convent is picturesquely
situated. It was erected by Niccolo Acciaiola in the 14th cent., and is
now the property of the State, who retain in it some twenty-three friars
of the order to take charge of the church, chapels, and buildings. At
the entrance-gate is the pharmacy, where the liqueurs made in the
convent can be bought and tasted. Their Chartreuse cordial is not equal
to that made in France, but the Alkermis is of good quality. Fee to see
the convent, ½ fr. At the top of the stair leading up to the church is a
fresco by Empoli. The church, paved with marble in the cinque-cento
style, has some good stalls (1590), and over the marble altar a fresco
by Poccetti. Right hand, chapel with frescoes by Masari on the walls,
and on roof by Poccetti and his school. From S. aisle pass to chapel of
S. Maria, in the shape of a Greek cross. Here is a curious Trinity
of the Giotti school. Descend to the Cappella di Tobia, with the
mausoleum of the founder, by Orcagna (1360), and three monumental slabs
over the tombs of his father, sister, and son. Next, a narrow
cloister with eight small windows, with vignette paintings by Udine,
1560; Cappella del Capitolo, having for the reredos a Crucifixion by
Albertinelli, and in the centre of floor the mausoleum of Buonafede by
Stogallo, 1545; then the Camere di Pio Sesto, his sitting-room, and
bedroom. He was a prisoner here nine months. Beautiful views are
obtained from various parts. In passing through the villages women may
be seen plaiting straw—a standard occupation in Tuscany.

Florence: Bello Sguardo. Monte Oliveto.

Views.—From the Porta Romana
commences also the road to the Bello Sguardo and to Monte Oliveto (about
a mile distant), both commanding splendid views of the city, of the
valley of the Arno, and of the surrounding mountains. Immediately
outside the Porta turn to the right, and walk by the side of the city
wall by the Via Petrarcha till the second road on the left, the Via de
Casone, by which continue
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to ascend till a road is reached on the left lettered, Via di Bello
Sguardo. By it ascend to the next on the left, the Via dell’ Ombrellino,
where at the house No. 1 ring the bell. The view is from the
pavilion of this house; fee, ½ fr. To go from this to Monte
Oliveto descend to the Via di Bello Sguardo, and from a house
with a high railing turn to the right by the “Via di Monte Oliveto Per
S. Vito,” and descend to a large gateway and house on the left
hand. At this house ask for the key of the Monte Oliveto, then walk
forward past the old convent, now a military hospital, to the top of the
knoll crowned with cypresses, and behold the view. Now descend by the
Via di Monte Oliveto, which, at the foot of the hill, enters the Via
Pisana opposite house No. 82, near the Porta S. Frediano, whence an
omnibus runs to the Piazza della Signoria. If preferred, the tour may be
commenced at this end, taking the omnibus from the Piazza to the
Porta.

Florence: Santo Spirito.

Santo Spirito and
Santa Maria del Carmine.—By referring to the plan it
will be observed that a very short way north from the Pitti Palace are
two churches, the Santa Maria del Carmine, containing the famous
frescoes of Masaccio (b. 1402, d. 1429), and of Filippino
Lippi (b. 1457, d. 1504), and the church of Santo Spirito, in
which Luther preached as an Augustinian friar when on his way to Rome.
The present church of the S. Spirito was commenced in 1446 by
F. Brunelleschi, destroyed by fire in 1470, and rebuilt in 1488
according to Brunelleschi’s design. The belfry, which is of admirable
proportions, was erected by B. d’Agnolo. The church is 315 ft. long, and
191 at the transept, and is placed from south to north. The arches of
the aisles rest on 47 pilasters and 35 columns, each of one piece of
pietra-serena, brought from the quarries of Fiesole. Around the church
are 38 semicircular chapels, ornamented with pictures by Alessandro
Allori, Fra. Bartolommeo, Sandro Botticelli, Franciabigio, Raff. del
Garbio, Rodolfo Ghirlandaio, Giotto, Filippino Lippi, Ant. Pollaiolo,
and Cosimo Rosselli. Among the best of these are, in the choir, 12th
chapel from entrance to church, a Madonna by Lippi. In left
transept, 19th and 20th chapels, Martyrs, and The Adulteress, by Allori.
22d chapel, an Annunciation, by Botticelli. Among the sculptures the
most remarkable work is in the 2d chapel, right hand on entering,
a Pieta, by Baccio Bigio, a copy of the group by Michael
Angelo in St. Peter’s, Rome. The proportions of the dead body of our
Lord are admirable, and the ribs, loins, and pectoral muscles skilfully
marked. Before the choir is a screen erected in 1599, composed of bronze
and rich marbles, and although rather out of place, full of beautiful
details.
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The high altar, under a ciborium or canopy supported on four columns of
rare porphyry, is decorated with statuettes and candelabra by Giovanni
Caccini. A door in the west aisle opens into the sacristy, the
joint work of San Gallo and Pollaiolo, by whom it was finished in 1490.
In the sacristy a door to the right opens into the cloisters, by
A. Parigi, adorned with frescoes by Perugino, Ulivelli, and
Cascetti.

Florence: Santa Maria del Carmine. Brancacci Chapel.

The church Del Carmine was erected in 1475,
destroyed by fire in 1771, and rebuilt in 1788 by Ruggieri and
Mannaconi. Among the parts which escaped destruction in 1771 was the
Brancacci
chapel, at the end of the western or right transept, covered
with valuable frescoes, in 12 compartments, by Masaccio, Lippi, and
Masolino da Panicale. The four principal subjects are (left wall)
“Christ directing St. Peter to take a coin from a fish’s mouth to pay
the tribute,” by Masaccio, whose portrait is given in the last apostle
to the right; “the Restoration to Life of the Emperor’s Nephew,” painted
by Filippino Lippi and Masaccio. On the right wall are— “St. Peter
raising Tabitha,” by Masolino; “the Crucifixion of St. Peter;” and “St.
Paul before the Proconsul,” by Filippino Lippi. These frescoes are said
to have been studied by Perugino, Raffaelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and
Michael Angelo. Of the eight small subjects, “The Expulsion of Adam and
Eve,” and “St. Peter and St. John Healing the Sick by means of their
Shadows,” on the left wall; “St. Peter Baptising,” and “St. Peter
Distributing Alms,” on the right wall, are all by Masaccio. “The Visit
of St. Paul to St. Peter in Prison,” on the left wall, and “the
Deliverance of St. Peter from Prison,” on the right wall, are by Lippi.
“Adam and Eve under the Tree of Knowledge,” and “St. Peter Healing the
Cripple,” are ascribed by some to Masolino, by others to Masaccio. In
the opposite arm of the transept is the Corsini chapel, with large
marble alti-relievi by Foggini, and frescoes on the ceiling by Luca
Giordano. In a chapel in the sacristy are some frescoes discovered in
1858, attributed to Spinello Aretino, but also, and with more
probability, to Agnolo Gaddi, representing scenes in the life of St.
Cecilia. The old church contained frescoes by Giotto, some fragments of
which, removed the year before the fire, are now in the Royal
Institution, Liverpool.


The Duomo, 252.
The Campanile, 255.
The Baptistery, 256.
Il Bigallo, 257.
San Michele, 257.
Santa Croce, 258.
The National Museum, 261.
La Badia, 263.
The House of Michael
Angelo, 263.

Florence: Cathedral—Dome—Ascent.

The Duomo, or Cathedral Church of Santa Maria
del Fiore was commenced by Arnolfo di Cambio, and the foundation-stone
laid on
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the 8th of September 1298, under the auspices of the first papal legate
ever sent to Florence, Cardinal Pietro Valeriani. Arnolfo died in 1310.
In 1330 Giotto was appointed master-builder, who, assisted by Andrea
Pisano, continued the work according to Arnolfo’s design. Giotto died in
1337. To Giotto succeeded Francisco Talenti, Taddeo Gaddi, and Andrea
Orcagna. In 1421 Filippo Brunelleschi commenced the dome, and
completed it in all its essential parts before his death, which took
place in 1446. In 1469 Andrea Verrochio added to the dome the copper
ball and cross. The dome, built without timber centrings, consists of
two vast vaults, an interior and an exterior, both supported by strong
ribs at the right angles, and surrounded at the base by a strong iron
chain. From the floor to the top of the dome the height is 300 feet, the
lantern 52 more, and to the top of the cross other 35. The total height
therefore is, from the floor to the top of the cross, 387 feet. The
circumference of the dome is 466 feet. Three galleries are carried round
the drum. The first is reached by 153 steps; the next by 62 steps more;
and the third, which runs round the top of the drum and the base of the
dome, by other 65 steps. The appearance of the church from the first and
third galleries is most striking. Outside the third gallery commences
the cornice gallery of the dome. From this part 180 steps (between the
two vaults) lead to the top of the cupola. From the top of the cupola to
the ball the ascent is made up through the lantern by
32 vertical bronze steps, and 13 steps in marble, and 23 in wood. The
number of steps, therefore, from the floor into the ball is 528; the
only difficult part being the vertical bronze bear-like ladder in the
lantern, which is not worth ascending, as little can be seen (and that
little with difficulty) from an aperture in the ball. But the view from
the gallery at the top of the dome is truly magnificent. Florence and
neighbourhood lie stretched out below like on a map, and as the
clearness of the Italian air admits of the smallest objects being seen
distinctly, the traveller should visit this gallery as early as
possible, to gain, by the assistance of the plan (page 234), a practical acquaintance with the
topography of the city. To the N.E., by the Piazza Cavour and the stream
Mugnone, is Fiesole, 3 miles distant, on an eminence (see page 276). To the west of the town, on the Arno, is the
Cascine or Park, and the small hill with the clump of trees, on the
other side of the river, is the Monte Oliveto (page 250). To the S.E., on
the other side of the Arno, are the Piazzale Michelangiolo and San Miniato (page 249), while a good piece
beyond is the Torre del Gallo
(page 248). West from the Piazzale are the Boboli Gardens and
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the Pitti Palace. Fee to ascend tower, 1 fr. Attendant to be found
in south sacristy.

The length of the cathedral is 556 feet, and of the transept 342
feet. The breadth, including the aisles, is 132½ feet, and the
superficial area 84,802 feet, or about 6000 feet less than the area
occupied by Cologne cathedral. In 1860 Victor Emmanuel laid the
foundation-stone of the gorgeous new façade, coated, like the whole
exterior of the church, with polished white marble, and dark magnesian
serpentine disposed in chastely ornamented panelling, an arrangement
often met with in the churches of Italy.

In the interior, four arches of enormous span run down each side of
the nave to the choir, which expands with unrivalled majesty under the
magnificent dome. Walk in and behold its beautiful proportions. Do not
struggle to perceive by means of the dim light the few relatively
unimportant statues and pictures, or the intricate designs on the marble
pavement by Agnolo, San Gallo, and Michael Angelo, but go at once and
stand below the second greatest dome in the world, shaped like the
narrow end of an egg, or more correctly, in the form of an elongated
octagonal elipsoid, resting on six massive piers ornamented with statues
of eight of the apostles, by Bandini, Donatello, Bandinelli, and
Sansovini. The octagonal balustrade is by Baccio d’Agnolo, and the
reliefs on the panels by Bandinelli. The fresco on the roof represents
the Judgment Day. The upper portion is by G. Vasari, in 1572, and
the rest by Federigo Zucchero, known in England by his portraits of
Queen Elizabeth. The drum of the dome is lighted by seven circular
windows, which, as well as the three over the main entrance, and the
twenty-seven long windows in the choir, were the work of Domenico Livi
da Gambassi, Bernardo de’ Vetri, and others, from 1434 to 1460. Behind
the altar is the last work of Michael Angelo (when eighty-one years of
age), an _unfinished Pieta_, a heroic group, large but not
colossal, composed of four figures, those of our Saviour, the Virgin
Mary, Joseph, and an Angel. The interest of the piece lies in the
melancholy but placid countenance of the Redeemer, and the inclination
of the head lacerated by the crown of thorns.
Florence: Michael Angelo’s last Work.
The Mask, Michael Angelo’s first work, is in the sixth room of the
National Museum, along with some other works of the great sculptor. His
greatest productions are in the Sagrestia Nuova, see page 266. The reliefs in
terra-cotta, over the elegant bronze gates of the sacristies, are
considered amongst the best works of Lucca della Robbia. On the pier at
the N.E. end of the nave is the statue of St. James, by Sansovino; and
just behind it, on
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the wall, is a painting by Domenico di Michelino, in 1465, representing
Dante (holding in his hands a copy of his poems), with a view of
Florence in the background, the only monument the Republic raised to him
they had so unjustly banished. In the north transept, covered by the
wooden floor, just under the iron bar, is the gnomen and meridian line,
formed by P. Toscanelli in 1408, and repaired by A. Ximines in
1756. The line drawn on the true pavement, under the present boarded
floor, runs in a direction nearly at right angles to the nave (the nave
being nearly east and west). It is only about 30 feet long, and receives
the image of the sun, at and near the solstice, in June and July; at
other seasons the image is lost on the sides of the cupola. The short
diameter of the image in July is about 36 inches. The height of the
aperture, through which the ray enters by a window of the cupolina, is
277 feet 4 inches, 9.68 lines French measure; so that, as the
inscription states, it is the greatest gnomen existing.

Florence:
Cathedral—Monuments—Campanile.

Among the most interesting monuments in the church are: at the main
entrance, an equestrian portrait, by Uccello, of Sir John Hawkwood,
a captain in the army of the Florentine Republic, who died at
Florence in 1394. The mosaic, representing the coronation of the Virgin,
is by Gaddo Gaddi. At the west end of the south aisle is the marble
monument and portrait of Filippo Brunelleschi, by his pupil, And.
Cavalcanti. The third monument from the door is to Giotto, by Majano.
The beautiful water-stoup in front is by Giotto. Opposite the southern
entrance, in front of the Casa dei Canonici, are the statues, in a
sitting posture, of Arnolfo di Cambio and Brunelleschi, by Luigi
Pampaloni, in 1830. To the right of Arnolfo’s statue, at house No. 29,
is a stone in the wall, bearing the words “Sasso di Dante,” because on
it the poet used to sit watching the progress of the cathedral from its
commencement till 1301, when he was compelled to leave the city.

At the southern entrance is the Campanile del Duomo, designed and
commenced by Giotto in 1334, and finished by Taddeo Gaddi. This
dove-coloured marble gem of architecture, of admirable proportions and
beautiful workmanship, towers 276 feet up into the air, by four storeys
of elegant windows, and terminates in a grand square cornice projecting
from the summit, from which, according to Giotto’s plan, a spire of
94½ feet was to have risen. The niches are peopled with statues of
apostles, saints, and philosophers, and the panels with Scripture
subjects in bold relief, by Donatello, Giovanni Bartolo, Andrea Pisano,
Niccolo Aretino, Lucca della Robbia, Giottino and N. di Bartolo. Ascent
by 414 steps. Fee, ½ franc each visitor.

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Florence: The Baptistery—Gates.

Adjoining the cathedral is the church of San
Giovanni, the baptistery of the city, founded in 6th cent., and
repaired and restored in 1293 by Arnolfo di Cambio. It is an octagonal
building, 94 ft. in diameter, covered by a cupola and lantern built in
1550. Three celebrated bronze gates, of
admirable workmanship, give access to it. The gate on the S. side
(fronting the Via Calzaioli) was modelled by And. Pisano, and, after
twenty-two years of incessant labour, cast and gilt in 1330. The
architrave, ornamented with foliage, was added by Lor. Ghiberti in 1446,
and the group at the top, representing the Beheading of John, by V.
Danti, in 1571—a work full of expression. The N. gate is by
Lorenzo Ghiberti, commenced by him when twenty-one, and finished
(modelled and cast) when forty-one, in the year 1424. It is in twenty
compartments, representing scenes from the life of Christ. The three
statues above, and the ornaments, are by Rustici, 1511,
a fellow-pupil of Michael Angelo, and friend of L. da Vinci. At the
eastern end, facing the cathedral, is the bronze gate which Michael
Angelo said was worthy to form the entrance into Paradise. This marvel
of art was commenced by Lorenzo Ghiberti in 1425, cast in 1439, and
finished, with the exception of the lower reliefs, in 1456, when
Ghiberti died, and left the remainder to be completed by his pupils,
among whom were the brothers Pollaioli. It is in ten compartments,
representing as many scenes from the Old Testament. In grouping,
drawing, grace, and beauty, the figures are truly admirable. The
perspective is well sustained; the distant objects being done in low,
the nearer objects in middle, and those close upon the eye in high
relief. Over the gate is the Baptism of Christ, by Sansovino, who, when
he died, in 1529, had finished only the modelling; but Danti, in 1560,
produced it in marble. The Angels, executed nearly a century afterwards,
are by Spinazzi, also from Sansovino’s model.

Florence: The
Baptistery—Altar.

The interior of the Baptistery rests on syenite columns and marble
pilasters with gilded capitals. Above them is a triforium, with frescoes
of saints on a gold ground painted on the panels. The roof and the
soffit of the arch over the altar are covered with mosaics representing
the Judgment Day, by Tafi, Torrita, and G. Gaddie, 13th cent. To
the right of the altar is the monumental tomb of Pope John XXIII.
(d. 1419), by Donatello and Michelozzi. To the left is the font,
placed here in 1658, and attributed to G. Pisano. The silver altar
of the Baptistery is kept in the “Uffizio del Comitate per la facciata
del Duomo” (behind the east end of the cathedral), where it can be seen
any day from 9 to 12, for 10 sous. It was constructed, during a long
series of
257
 
years from 1316, by the most eminent artists of the time, and represents
in bold relief the story of John the Baptist. It weighs 335 lbs., is 12
ft. long by nearly 4 ft. high. The silver statue of St. John, made in
1452, weighs 14½ lbs., and cross 140 lbs.

Florence: The Bigallo. Or San
Michele.

Opposite the Baptistery, at the corner of the Via Calzaioli, is the
very beautiful little arcade or loggia of the Bigallo, attributed to
Orcagna, enclosed with iron gates by F. Petrucci. The oratory
contains an image of the Virgin by A. Arnoldo, 1359; and a
predella, with paintings, by Ghirlandaio.

Or San Michele.

Nearly in the centre of the Via Calzaioli, between the Piazzas del
Duomo and della Signoria, is the Or San Michele, built at first
of undressed stone, by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1282, for a granary or
horreum. Having been destroyed by fire in 1304, it was rebuilt in 1337
under the direction of Taddeo Gaddi, the chief architect of the
commonwealth. To Gaddi succeeded And. Orcagna, who received orders to
transform the lower part (the loggia) into a church. In 1569 the upper
storey was converted into government offices. Round the building, in
deep niches, are statues in simple attitudes and of noble dignified
forms, the result of a decree that each trade should bear the expense of
furnishing one statue, which should be the protector and supporter of
its own profession. St. Luke, by John of Bologna (good specimen of his
style), was executed at the expense of the lawyers. Our Lord and St.
Thomas, by Verrochio, for the mercantile tribunal. John the Baptist, by
L. Ghiberti, for the guild of foreign wool-merchants. St. Peter, by
Donatello, for the butchers. John the Evangelist, by Montelupo, under a
graceful canopy of Robbia-ware, for the silk manufacturers. St. George,
by Donatello, his noblest work, for the armourers. St. James, by
N. Banco, for the tanners and furriers. St. Mark, by Donatello, for
the flax-dealers. West front, St. Eloy, by Banco, for the blacksmiths
and farriers. St. Stephen, by L. Ghiberti, for the wool-merchants.
St. Matthew, by L. Ghiberti and Michelozzo, for the stockbrokers
and money-changers. Statues of four canonised sculptors, by Banco, for
the builders and carpenters. St. Philip, by Banco, for the hosiers. And
inside the church, to the left of the altar of St. Anne, a Madonna,
by Simone da Fiesola, for the physicians and apothecaries. These statues
are considered the finest works of the ancient Florentine school. Over
the niches are the arms of the respective trades, under graceful
canopies.

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In the interior the most remarkable object is the canopied high
altar, by Orcagna, otherwise called Cionis, with Ugolino’s sacred
picture of the Madonna. Inscribed on the altar is “Andreas Cionis pictor
Florentinus hujus oratorii archimagister extitit, 1359.” It is
ornamented with Scripture histories in relief on marble, the different
pieces being fixed together by pins of bronze run in with lead. The
small but beautiful stained glass windows do not admit sufficient light
into the church. Behind San Michele, in the Mercato Nuovo, is an
admirable copy, by Pietro Tacca, of the celebrated Boar, adapted no less
admirably to a Fountain.

Florence: Santa Croce.

Santa Croce.

South-east from the fountain, in the Piazza della Signoria, by the
narrow street the Borgo dei Greci, is the Piazza Santa Croce, with, in
the centre, the fine marble statue of Dante, 16½ feet high, by Enrico
Pazzi. It and the new façade of the church were inaugurated in 1865, on
the 600th anniversary of the birthday of the poet. The church of Santa
Croce was commenced by Arnolfo di Cambio in 1297, to whom succeeded
Giotto in 1344. The façade, although only recently finished, is
according to the old design of S. Pollaiolo (d. 1509), and
owes its erection in a very great measure to the liberality of an
English gentleman, the late Francis Sloane, who died at Florence in
1871. The interior is divided into a nave and two aisles by seven acute
Gothic arches. The pilasters, supporting columns as well as the roof,
are of rude work, while the side chapels are not inclosed, but spread
out on the walls of the aisles, an arrangement which greatly favours the
display of the magnificent monuments erected in this church. The entire
length from west to east is 385 feet, and from north to south at the
transepts 128 feet.

Florence: Santa Croce—Michael
Angelo—Dante—Macchiavelli.

Over the principal entrance, in the interior, is the statue of St.
Louis, Bishop of Toulouse (d. 1297), the last work executed by
Donatello. In the right or south aisle, commencing from the main
entrance, after 1st altar, lies the monument and resting-place of Michael
Angelo, who died at Rome in 1563, in his 89th year. The monument was
designed by G. Vasari, and executed by three pupils of Michael
Angelo. The bust, considered an excellent likeness, is by
B. Lorenzione, one of the three. Next follows the great marble
monument by S. Ricci, in 1828, to the memory of Dante, who died when in
exile at Ravenna in 1321, in the 56th year of his age; and 3d,
a monument to the poet Vit. Alfieri (d. 1803), by Canova, in
1809, and one of his best works. Opposite this monument is an
elaborately wrought pulpit, by B. da Majano, in 1470. 4th.
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Monument and resting-place of Macchiavelli (d. 1527), by Spinazzi,
in 1778. The originator of this monument was Lord Cowper, who, in 1707,
raised a subscription for the medallion. Then follow a fresco of St.
John and St. Francis, by A. Castagno, and an Annunciation in stone
by Donatello;
Florence: Santa Croce—Ketterick—
Countess of Albany.
and opposite it, on the floor, is the tombstone of John Ketterick,
Bishop of Exeter, who died at Florence in 1419, when on a mission from
Henry V. of England to the Pope. Then follow the monument to
L. Bruni (d. 1444), by B. Rossellini. The Virgin, above,
is by A. Verrochio, the master of Leonardo da Vinci. The tomb of
P. A. Micheli, and the mausoleum of Leop. Nobili, by Leop.
Veneziani. Turning to the right by the monument to Neri Corsini (died in
London, 1859), and a slab on the ground, with an inscription by
Boccaccio, in honour of the poet Berberino (14th cent.), we enter the
Chapel of the Castellani, with frescoes by Starnini (the ablest pupil of
Giotto), and reredos by Vasari. Over the altar is a crucifix, by Giotto;
at each side sarcophagi of the Castellani; and statues of St. Bernard
and St. Francis, by L. della Robbia. To the left is the monument to the
Countess of
Albany, widow of the young Pretender, died at Florence January 29,
1824; age, 72 years, 4 months, and 9 days. After the chapel of the
Countess of Albany follows the Baroncelli or Guigni chapel, with reredos
painting by Giotto, frescoes by T. Gaddi, and a Pietà by
Bandinelli.

A handsome door by the side of the Baroncelli chapel opens into the
cloisters. In the cloister, the first door left hand opens into the
sacristy, built by the Peruzzi family in the 14th cent. Separated from
the sacristy by an iron railing is the Rinuccini chapel, with frescoes
and altars by Giovanni da Milano (1379), a favourite pupil of
T. Gaddi. The reredos painting is by T. Gaddi, 1375. At the
extremity of the cloister is the Cappella del Noviziato. At the entrance
is a shrine by Mino da Fiesole, and opposite it, and also over the
altar, admirable specimens of L. Robbia’s terra-cotta work. The
large relief is considered one of Robbia’s masterpieces. The small door
to the right of the altar leads to the room where the remains of Galileo
were kept many years after his death (in 1642). There are also two
mausoleums—one to a young American girl, Fauveau; and another
attributed to Donatello, both executed with much expression.

Florence: Santa Croce—Giotto’s Frescoes.

Returning to the church, we have, in the first chapel (right)
frescoes of the Giotto school, and an Assumption by Allori. Second
chapel, frescoes by Gio. da Giovanni. In the third, the Bonaparte
chapel, is, to the left, the monument by Pampaloni, 1839, to the memory
of the wife of Joseph Bonaparte; and, to the left, another to the memory
of their daughter, Julie Clary Bonaparte (d. 1845). The fourth, or
the first to the right of the high altar, is the Peruzzi chapel, with
reredos
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by A. del Sarto. On the walls Giotto’s best frescoes, representing the
stories of St. John the Apostle and of John the Baptist. Fifth, the
Bardi chapel. The painting on the altar, representing S. Francesco,
is by Cimabue. The frescoes are by Giotto, and represent the life and
death of San Francesco.

_Chapels of the Choir._—Over the high altar, painting by
Andrea Orcagna. The walls and ceiling are covered with frescoes by
Agnolo Gaddi, representing the legend of the finding of the cross, and
the life of St. Francis. The five following chapels are not of much
importance, excepting the third, in the north transept, painted in
fresco by Luigi Sabatelli. The sixth is the Niccolini chapel, with
frescoes on the roof, painted in the 17th cent. by Baldassarre
Franceschini, surnamed _il Volterrano_. This chapel contains five
mediocre statues by Francavilla, and two large paintings on wood by
Alessandro Allori, and is also richly decorated with beautiful marbles.
In the adjoining chapel, belonging to the Bardi family, is a crucifix by
Donatello, one of his earliest and best works, yet not equal to that of
his rival Brunelleschi in S.
Maria Novella (page 267). After the Bardi chapel follow the Zamoyska
mausoleum, with a painted reredos by Ligozzi, and the monument to the
composer Luigi Cherubini (d. 1842), by Fantacchiotti.
Florence: Santa Croce—Galileo—
Bartolini’s Last Work.
Having arrived at the fine monument to Luigi, at the east corner of the
north aisle, to avoid confusion it is better to return to the main
entrance, and walk up the north aisle, commencing with the monument and
resting-place of

Galileo Galilei,

who died in the village of Arcetri (p. 248), in 1642. Over the cenotaph is his
bust, and a representation of his first telescope. Then follows the
monument to Pompeio Josephi, a jurist; 3d, to G. Lani (1770),
by Spinazzi,—on the column before this monument is a Pietà by
A. Bronzino; 4th, to Angelus Tavantus, sarcophagus below flat
pyramid; 5th, to Vitt. Fossombroni, by L. Bartolini, 1846; 6th, to
Karolus Marzupinus, the learned secretary of the Florentine Republic, by
D. Settignano, 1450; 7th, to Antoni Cocchio, 1773; and 8th, to
_Raffællo Morghen_, the illustrious Neapolitan engraver,
a beautiful monument, by Fantacchiotti. Fronting it, on the column,
is the monument to L. B. Alberti, the last work of Bartolini.

To the south of the façade a large doorway gives access to the
cloisters, around a spacious open court. At the far end, within this
enclosure, is the chapel of the Pazzi, one of Brunelleschi’s best works.
To
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the right of the entrance into the cloisters is a building containing
the refectory, with a Last Supper, by Giotto, and above it a Crucifixion
and Tree of Jesse. In the smaller refectory, adorned with a fine fresco
of Gio. di Giovanni, the Inquisition held its tribunals from 1284-1782.
The doorkeeper at the gates has the keys of the Pazzi chapel and of the
refectory. In the centre of the enclosure is a statue by Bandinelli
which originally stood on the high altar of the Duomo.


Florence: National Museum.

The National Museum or Bargello.

At the southern end of the Via del Proconsolo, and between the
Piazzas Sta. Croce and Signoria, is the National Museum, in the
Palazzo del Podestà, built in the 13th cent. by Lapo Tedesco and two
Dominican friars, Fra. Sisto and Fra. Ristoro. It bore various names,
according to the functions of the different dignities who occupied it.
When, in the 17th cent., it was converted into a prison and became the
seat of the head of the police, it was called the Bargello. In 1864 it
was chosen for the National Museum. Open from 10 till 3.30, 1 fr.
Free on feast-days. The walls of the court are ornamented with the
escutcheons of 204 Podestas (chief magistrates). The rooms on the ground
floor are filled chiefly with armour, among which are a bronze cannon
cast in 1636, and Donatello’s seated lion, the Marzocco, or the
Arms of Florence, a seated lion supporting a shield with its
left paw. Ascend to the first floor by the _outside_ staircase in
the court. It was built by Agnolo Gaddi. At the top, in the vestibule,
are two bells, one cast in 1228 by Bart. Pisano, and the other by Cenni
in 1670.

Florence: National Museum.—Sculpture—Michael
Angelo—Bologna—Cellini.

_First
saloon._—All labelled. Principal objects—By _Michael
Angelo_, Wounded Apollo, Bacchus and Satyr, Dying Adonis, and an
unfinished group of Victory. Donatello, David with the head of Goliath.
G. da
Bologna, Virtue conquering Vice. A beautiful series of reliefs,
illustrating Music and its effects, chiefly by L. Robbia and
Donatello. _Second room._—Furniture and glass ware. Wax group
by Zumbo. _Third hall_, the audience chamber of the
Podestà.—Majolica, porcelain, and enamelled ware. _Fourth
hall_, originally a chapel, but afterwards the room in which
prisoners under sentence of death were confined. The frescoes are
chiefly by Giotto, 1301. Among the portraits on the fresco of the east
wall, representing heaven, are those of Dante, and of his master
Brunetto Latini. The St. Jerome and the Madonna are thought to be by
Ghirlandaio. In the adjoining Sacristy are two frescoes, one of which is
thought to be by Cimabue and the other by Gaddi. Those who wish to see
them must request the door to be opened. _Fifth_
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_saloon._—Two triptychs by Orcagna. Works in ivory and rock
crystal by Cellini, Bologna, and N. Pisano. Wood carving
by Gibbons. (In this saloon is the stair up to the second floor.)
_Saloons 6 and 7._—Sculptures by the best Italian
artists of the 15th cent., all labelled. Among them may be noted, in the
sixth saloon, Donatello’s David, in the centre. In the seventh, in the
centre, a Child by Donatello. The famous _Mercury_, by
Bologna. David, by Verrochio. On the wall, a bronze table by
Pollaiolo, representing the Crucifixion, and two bas-reliefs, the one on
the right by Ghiberti, and the other on the left by Brunelleschi,
prepared for the competition for the doors of the Baptistery of
Florence, won by Ghiberti. Next, a fine ornament by Donatello. At
the beginning of the third wall is a large bas-relief by V. Dante,
representing the Brazen Serpent in the Desert; and below it, another
representing a Battle, by Bertoldo. These are followed by a cabinet full
of sketches by the best artists of the 15th and 16th cents. After these,
the famous bust of Cosmo of Medicis in Armour, by Benvenuto Cellini, and
his model in bronze of the Perseus, under the loggia. Ascend now to the
second floor by the stair in the fifth room. 1st room.—Portraits
in fresco by A. Castagno (1450), transferred to canvas a few years
ago: viz. Uberti, Acciaoli, Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio. Stained
glass by Marcilla, 1470-1537. 2d room on the right.—Fine display
of glazed terra-cotta work by Luca and Andrea Robbia. Stained glass
window by Giovanni da Udini. 3d room (tower).—Tapestry 17th cent.
4th room (on the left of the entrance).—French tapestry and
collection of coins. In the next two rooms, 5 and 6, are the
Masterpieces of Mediæval Sculpture, which formerly stood in the
galleries of the Uffizi. Room 5, in centre, John the Baptist, by
Donatello. On the wall, in relief, by B. da Rovezzano, 1507, the
Translation of St. Gualberto, on white marble, mutilated. Room 6, in the
centre, St. John by Benedetto da Maiano. Young Bacchus, by Sansovino.
Apollo, by Michael Angelo. On end wall, the Death of St. Peter, by
L. Robbia. By Michael Angelo, the Virgin, Jesus, and St. John
(unfinished); the famous Mask of a Satyr (executed in his 15th year);
Martyrdom of St. Andrew (unfinished); and Bust of Brutus. Window wall,
bust of Battista Sforza, and a Holy Family, by Mino da Fiesole. Entrance
wall, Leda, by Michael Angelo. By Mina da Fiesole, a Madonna and a
bust of Piero dei Medici. Left wall, by Rossellino, a Madonna and a
St. John. Faith, by Civitale, 1484, one of his best works. Five children
supporting festoons, by Quercia, 1150, one of his best; and a Madonna,
by Verrochio.

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Florence: La Badia. House of Michael Angelo.

At the end of the Via Proconsolo, and opposite the National Museum,
is La
Badia, founded by Willa, in 978, for the Black Benedictines;
rebuilt in 1284 by Arnolfo di Lapo; and again, in part, in 1625 by
Segaloni. The church, in the form of a Greek cross, has some good
monuments and pictures. The Campanile was built about 1330. The handsome
door is by Benedetto da Rovezzano, 1495. The second monument to the
right of the entrance is to Gianozzo Pandolfini, by Ferrucci in 1457. On
the adjoining altar are beautiful reliefs by Maiano, 1442 to 1497. In
the north transept is the mausoleum of the Gonfalonier Bernardo Giugni,
d. (1466), by Mino da Fiesole. In the south transept is the mausoleum of
Count Ugo of Tuscany (d. 1000). Above is an Assumption, by
G. Vasari, and in the Cappella de’ Bianchi, a Madonna
appearing to St. Bernard, by F. Lippi.

A little way east from the National Museum, at No. 64 Via Ghibellina,
is the house of Michael Angelo Buonarrotti,
a plain building, containing a collection of paintings, sculptures,
and sundry objects connected with Michael Angelo, bequeathed to the care
of the State by the last member of the family, Cosmo Buonarrotti, in
1858. The gallery is open to the public on Mondays and Thursdays, from 9
to 3. Catalogue in Italian or French, ½ fr. The collection is contained
in seven rooms, some very small. In the centre of the first room is a
small bust of Michael Angelo, and Nos. 1, 2, and 3 portraits of him at
different ages. No. 14, Battle of Hercules, and No. 17, Madonna, both in
relief, by Michael Angelo. Nos. 11, 13, 15, and 16 are glazed
terra-cotta figures by the Robbias, displaying admirably the fine
delicate surface of the enamel peculiar to their productions. Amongst
those who have distinguished themselves in the manufactory of
earthenware is Luca della Robbia, a Florentine goldsmith and
statuary, born in 1388. He made heads and human figures in relief, and
architectural ornaments of glazed earthenware, terra-cotta invetriata.
The colours are white, blue, green, brown, and yellow. The art of making
these glazed earthen figures invented by Luca was taught by him to his
brothers Ottaviano and Agostino, and was afterwards practised by his
nephew Andrea. The rooms to the left contain drawings and plans of
Michael Angelo, many being the original sketches of his greatest works.
First room right, the principal room of all, contains the statue of
Michael Angelo in a sitting posture, by Novelli; and around the room
sixteen pictures illustrating scenes in his life. The lower six are in
grisaille. The ceiling is painted in fresco. The next or fourth room
contains the family history, illustrated by twenty-one fresco paintings.
In the small cabinet off this room are, among other things,
a two-edged sword with the
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Buonarrotti arms. In the fifth room, No. 74, Michael Angelo,
a Madonna in relief, on marble. 77, a cast in bronze of 74, by
Jean Bologna, by whom is also 81, a bust of Michael Angelo. Sixth
room (the Library), large frescoes, representing the eminent men of
Italy. In the seventh chamber, and in the small room off, are Etruscan
antiquities.


San Giovannino, 264.
San Lorenzo, 264.
The Mortuary Chapel.
The Sagrestia Nuova, 265.
Biblioteca Laurentiana.
Etruscan and Egyptian Museum, 267.
Santa Maria Novella, 267.
Spezeria, 268.
See Plan, near station.

Florence: San Lorenzo. Road to the Sagrestia Nuova.

North from the baptistery, at the end of the Via de Martelli, and
next the Palazzo Riccardi (see
page 275), is the Church of San Giovannino, rebuilt in the 16th
cent., with frescoes representing scenes in the life of Christ, by
Passignano, Barbieri, Bronzino, Tito, Corradi, and Ligozzi. A few
yards west from San Giovannino is San Lorenzo,
considered in the earlier periods of the Republic the metropolitan
church of Florence. Its existence is traced as far back as the year 393,
when it was consecrated by St. Ambrose. In 1059 it was rebuilt and
consecrated by Pope Nicholas II. Having been destroyed by fire in
1417, during a festival given by the Guelphs of Arezzo and the Guelphs
of Florence, it was again rebuilt by Brunelleschi and Michael Angelo,
and finished by Antonio Manetti in 1461. It is constructed in the form
of a T, 400 feet long from east to west, and 170 from north to south.
The aisles are lofty, and separated from the nave by 14 Corinthian
columns. The two pulpits are adorned with subjects from Scripture, in
relief, by Donatello and his pupil Bertoldo. The cupola is painted by
Meucci. At the north transept is a monument in white marble by
Thorwaldsen to Pietro Benvenuto, the painter of the cupola of the
mortuary chapel. In the south transept is a monument to the memory of a
daughter of General Moltke. A slab at the foot of the high altar
bears the title and age of Cosmo I., but his remains repose in a
black and white marble tomb in the subterranean church. Those pressed
for time should, on arriving at the main or eastern entrance of St.
Lorenzo, turn down to the left by that narrow busy street the Via del
Canto de’ Nelli, to the large folding-doors under the west end or apse
of San Lorenzo,
Florence: Underground Chapel—
Mortuary Chapel.
which gives access to the burial chapel, “Dei Principi,” of the Medici
family, and to the still more famous chapel called the _Sagrestia
Nuova_. Both open on Sundays from 10, on Mondays from 12, and every
other day from 9 to 3. Having entered the crypt, ascend the stair to the
left, which leads into the mortuary chapel.
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Guides offer their assistance, but they are of no use, as the sacristan
alone can unlock the doors. The Mortuary Chapel is octagonal, and covered
with polished marbles and other shining stones, glowing with brilliant
harmony of colour, yet chaste and simple. The splendid hues are
continued on the ceiling under the dome by the masterly frescoes of
P. Benvenuti, painted in 1835. In each of six of the sides is a
monument to a member of the Medicean family, from Cosmo I. to
Cosmo III. (d. 1723), whose son, G. Gastone
(d. 1736), has his memorial slab behind the altar in the crypt or
lower church downstairs, where repose the remains of Donatello near
those of his patron Cosmo I., as well as those of 35 other members
of this once powerful family, which gave three popes to the Church of
Rome, two queens to France, and reigned 250 years over the sixteen
cities of Tuscany, whose escutcheons in beautiful mosaic are set in
panels round the mortuary chapel, below the granite mausoleums of these
princes. The Cappella dei Principi was designed by G. de Medici, and
built by M. Nigetti in 1604, for Ferdinand I., Duke of
Tuscany, to receive the “great stone” which Joseph of Arimathea rolled
“to the door of the sepulchre” of our Lord; and which had been promised
him by the Emir Focardino, governor of Jerusalem. The Emir not having
fulfilled his promise, Ferdinand adopted the intention of his
predecessor, Cosmo I., and had it converted into the burial chapel
of the Medicean family.
Florence: Sagrestia Nuova.
From this chapel a short narrow passage leads to the Sagrestia
Nuova, or the Cappella dei Depositi, containing the monuments and
mortal remains of Giuliano, Duke of Nemours, and brother of Pope Leo X.;
and of their nephew Lorenzo, Duke of Urbino, and father of Catherine of
Medicis; these two monuments, with the statue of Moses at Rome, are the
greatest works of Michael Angelo. The plan of the edifice was conceived
by Pope Leo, but the design and execution were entrusted in 1521 to
Michael Angelo. The interior is disappointing. A formal square
chapel, with walls partly encrusted with whitish marble, supported by
two tiers of Corinthian pilasters of that cold grey stone called pietra
dura, and pierced with doors and windows arranged in the same tame, flat
style. To the right on entering is the grand monument of Giuliano. He is
represented in a sitting posture, with his left hand gloved and raised.
The bent forefinger touches the upper lip, which seems to yield to the
pressure. The helmet throws a deep shade on the countenance. The two
statues reclining on the urn represent Day and Night. Day is little more
than blocked, yet most magnificent. To have done more would have
weakened the striking effect of the whole, which is
266
 
heightened by what is left to the imagination. Night is finely imagined.
The attitude is beautiful, mournful, and full of the most touching
expression—the drooping head and the supporting hand are
unrivalled in the arts. Opposite is the monument of the nephew. The
attitude of Lorenzo is marked by such a cast of deep melancholy brooding
as to have acquired for it the title of “il pensiero.” Beneath are the
personifications of Evening and Dawn. Twilight is represented by a
superb manly figure, reclining and looking down; the breadth of chest
and the fine balance of the sunk shoulder are masterly, while the right
limb, which is finished, is incomparable. The Aurora is a female figure
of exquisite proportions. In its serene countenance a spring of thought,
an awakening principle, seems to breathe life into the face of stone, as
if preparing it to open its eyes with the rising day. In front of the
altar is a striking but unfinished Madonna, by Michael Angelo. On the
right is a statue of San Cosmo, by Montorsoli, a pupil of Michael
Angelo’s, and on the left Santo Damiano, by Montelupo.

Florence: Bibliotheca Laurentiana.

A door in the middle of the south aisle of the church of
S. Lorenzo leads into the cloister, whence ascend the staircase, by
Vasari, to the Bibliotheca Mediceo-Laurentiana. The
books are kept in desks. Open from 9 to 3. Closed on feast-days. Fee,
1 fr. This library was founded by Cosmo in 1444. Amongst the
remarkable manuscripts there is one of Virgil of the 4th cent. in Roman
capitals, not very different in form from the letters on ancient Roman
marbles; it is on vellum, of the size of a small quarto, with notes; the
notes written in the 5th cent. by the Consul Turcius Rufus Apronianus,
as his signature attests. This is one of the most ancient legible
manuscript books in Europe of which the period is authentic. The
manuscript of Virgil, in the Vatican library, with paintings, was said
to be of the 4th cent., of the time of Constantine. The manuscripts of
the middle ages, instead of being in Roman capitals, are written in
letters resembling in some degree the small Roman printed letter now in
use; and, at a still later period, they are in a running hand. This
library also possesses the celebrated manuscript of the Pandects,
supposed to be of the time of Justinian, in the 6th cent., written in
capital letters, which vary a little from the capitals on ancient Roman
marbles; it is on vellum, of the size of a large folio book; it was
brought from Pisa, and Cosmo I. caused an edition to be printed
from it by Lelio Torelli. A Tacitus, of the 11th cent. is in a
running letter. The library contains 8000 volumes of manuscripts. Many
of them are chained to the desks.

Florence: Etruscan Museum.

Between S. Lorenzo and San Maria Novella in the Via Faenza, No.
267
 
144, is the Etruscan and Egyptian Museum. Open from 9
to 4. Fee, 1 fr. Free on Sundays.

_First Room_, The vases stand round the room in glass cases. The
earliest are in the first case to the right. Next, case 11, is the
entrance to an Etruscan tomb, which in its main features resembles that
in which our Lord lay. From the frescoes, which are copies of the
original on the tomb near Orvieto, it will be observed that the
Etruscans seem to have treated death as a feast, to which the spirits
were invited by the gods. _Second Room_, In the centre is the vase
of Peleus, or vase of François, by whom it was discovered in 1845 near
Chiusi. It is supposed to have been modelled by Ergatimos, and painted
by Clitias. _Third Room_, Minor objects. _First Octagon Room_,
Beautiful gold ornaments, beads, and glass bowls. Etruscan coins. From
this room a corridor extends to a similar room, in which is a beautiful
bronze statue of Pallas Athene with the ægis, and some fine Etruscan
mirrors. _Fourth Room_, In the centre stands the Chimæra, one of
the celebrated statues of antiquity. _Fifth Room right_, Armour.
_Sixth Room_, Etruscan sculpture. Both of the gems of the
collection are in this room—_The Orator_, a bronze
statue above life size, discovered near Lake Thrasymene; and an
_Etruscan Sarcophagus_, which lay nearly 2000 years buried in the
earth, and is supposed to have been made about 300 years b.c. From this we enter, by a passage covered with
inscriptions, into the Egyptian Museum. _First Room_, In the
centre, a Scythian war-chariot (the only specimen known), and by
the side of it the remains of the Egyptian soldier who probably captured
the chariot in battle. _Second Room_, The most interesting object
here is the fresco of the _Last Supper, by Raphael_, in 1505, when
only twenty-two. On the border of St. Thomas’s dress are the date and
name. In the last great hall are sarcophagi, reliefs, statues, obelisks,
idols, mummies, portraits, and tabernacles.

Florence: Santa Maria Novella—Rucellai Chapel.

Close to the railway station, and a short way west from the cathedral
and S. Lorenzo, is the church of Santa
Maria Novella, facing the piazza of the same name, adorned with
two large obelisks of Serravezza Mischio marble, crowned with Florentine
lilies in bronze, by G. Bologna, 1608.

This church, standing south and north, was commenced in 1221 and
finished in 1371. The façade was designed by L. Alberti, and
erected at the expense of G. Rucellai, whose name is inscribed on
the frieze, “Joannes Orcellarius, 1470.” Affixed to it are gnomonic
instruments, made by Ignazio Dante in 1573. In the interior, the fresco
over the principal door is after the Lippi school. The crucifix is by a
pupil
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of Giotto, Puccio Capanna. On the wall to the right of the door is a
remarkable fresco, a Trinity, by Masaccio; opposite is a fresco
attributed to Gaddi. But the most interesting objects are all at the
northern or apsidial end of the church. At the extremity of the east or
right transept, up some steps, is the Rucellai Chapel. On the reredos of the
altar is the Madonna painted by Cimabue, considered his masterpiece.
Florence: S. Maria Novella—
Ghirlandaio—Brunelleschi.
The walls of the chancel, or recess occupied by the high altar, are
covered with exquisite paintings in fresco by D. Ghirlandaio,
nearly all representing scenes from Scripture. The stalls are by
B. d’Agnola, and the windows by G. Fiorentino. In the chapel
on the left, or west from this, the Cappella Gondi, is the famous wooden
_Crucifix by Brunelleschi_.
A curtain is before it. At the end of the W. transept, up some
steps, is the Strozzi chapel, with frescoes by A. Orcagna and his
brother Nardo, representing the Day of Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. The
open door at the foot of the steps leads into the sacristy, where,
immediately on one side of the door, is a beautiful terra-cotta basin,
by L. Robbia; and, on the other side, one of marble by
G. Fortini. A large door in the west, or left aisle, opens
into the cloister called the Chiostro Verde, because the frescoes on the
walls, by Paolo Uccello, 1390-1470, and Dello Delli, 1401, are painted
in green. Here the keeper, for a few sous, opens the door leading into
the Cappella degli Spagnuoli, designated thus from having been used by
the attendants of Eleonora de Toledo, wife of Cosmo I. The ceiling
and the left wall are covered with admirably conceived and executed
frescoes by Taddeo Gaddi, while those on the right wall are by Simone
Memmi. Adjoining is the Chiostro Grande, ornamented with 52 frescoes, by
Cigoli, Allori, Tito, Poccetti, and other artists of the 15th and 16th
cent., illustrative of the history of the Dominicans, with views of
Florence in the background.
Florence: Spezeria.
At No. 16 Via della Scala is the entrance to the _Spezeria_, or
pharmacy of the convent, long noted for its perfumes, as well as for a
red liquor called Alkermes, a specialty of Florence, resembling in
taste the liqueur made at the Chartreuse, near Grenoble, only sweeter.
It is also made and sold at the Certosa (see page 250). The chapel contains some
beautiful frescoes, illustrative of the last hours of our Saviour, by
Spinello Aretino.


The Santissima Annunziata, 268.
San Marco, 270.
Picture-Gallery of San Marco, 270.
Academy of Fine Arts, 271.
Galleria dei Lavori in Pietre Dure,
273.
North-east side of Plan.

Florence. The Annunziata—Narthex Frescoes.

From the N.E. end of the Cathedral the street, the Via dei Servi,
leads straight to the Piazza and Church of the _Santissima
Annunziata_
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the only church in Florence open the whole day. All the others close at
12; but most of them re-open about 2 or 3 p.m. On the right side of the Piazza is the Spedale
degli Innocenti, a foundling hospital designed by Brunelleschi, and
ornamented in 1470, by Andrea della Robbia, with pretty terra-cotta
figures over the columns of the arcade. In the centre of the square is
an equestrian statue of the Grand Duke Ferdinand I., by Bologna, in
1608, and two bronze fountains by Pietro Tacca. The Church of the
Annunziata was built in 1250 by the Order of the Servi di Maria. At
the entrance is a narthex or vestibule decorated with admirable
frescoes, protected by glass. To the right, on entering, an Assumption
by Il Rosso, 1515; then follow a Visitation, by J. Pontormo, 1516,
pupil of A. del Sarto; a Marriage of the Virgin, by Franciabigio,
1513; a Birth of the Virgin, by Andrea del Sarto, as also the next
picture, an Adoration of the Magi, both among his greatest works;
a Nativity by A. Baldovinetti. The next five are by A. del
Sarto; Children being Healed by touching the Dress of the Servite
Filippo Benizzi; a Dead Child recalled to life by touching the Bier
of Filippo; the Cure of a Woman possessed of a Demon; Men destroyed by
Lightning who had insulted Filippo. He parts his Cloak with a Beggar. By
Rosselli: Filippo assumes the habit of the Order. In the narthex is also
the tomb of Andrea del Sarto (died 1606), with bust by Caccini.

The design of the interior of the church is by Ant. da S. Gallo.
Gherardo Silvani added the marble decorations. The pictures between the
windows are almost all by C. Ulivelli. On each side of the aisle
are five chapels, and at the termination of the aisle are two short
transepts and a circular tribuna designed by Alberti, covered with a
cupola painted by B. Franceschini and Ulivelli. In the right
transept is the tomb of Bandinelli, with a Pieta by himself. Immediately
behind the high altar, adorned with a ciborium or canopy by
B. Agnolo (1543), is the Cappella del Soccorso, with the tomb of
Gian Bologna (d. 1608), who constructed this chapel for himself,
and ornamented it with some of his best works. Under the organ in the
second chapel is an Assumption by Perugino. In the third chapel is a
Crucifixion by Stradano, his best work. In the fourth, a copy of
Michael Angelo’s “Judgment Day,” by Allori. Next it, and to the left of
the main entrance, is the chapel and shrine of the _Annunziata_,
built in 1445, by Michelozzi, and lighted by forty-one silver lamps and
one gold lamp glittering among costly polished stones. Over the altar is
an Annunciation in fresco by Pietro Cavallini (d. 1364), said to
have been done by angels.
Florence: The Annunziata—
Sacred Picture.
This picture is shown only once a year; but a duplicate
270
 
of it, also by Cavallini, is in San Marco, on the wall to the right on
entering. Over the altar is an “Ecce Homo,” by An. del Sarto, in silver.
Adjoining is the cloister built by S. Pollaiolo. Over the door
opening into the church is a “Holy Family,” by A. del Sarto,
a production in the highest style of excellence, called the Madonna
del Saco, as Joseph is seen in the background seated on a sack. The
other fresco paintings in the cloister are by Poccetti,
A. Mascagni, M. Rosselli, and V. Salimbeni (1542-1650), all
displaying rich colouring without gaudiness. In this cloister is also
the chapel of _St. Luke_, with the fresco of “St. Luke painting the
Virgin,” over the altar, is by Vasari, while those on the walls are by
Bronzino, Pontormo, and Santi di Tito.

Florence: San Marco—Picture-Gallery.

By referring to the plan, it will be observed that near to the
Annunziata are the Academy of Fine Arts and the Church of
S. Marco (standing from S.W. to N.E.) We shall commence
with _San Marco_, erected in 1290, and enlarged in 1427 by
Michelozzi. Interior.—Over central door a “Crucifixion” by Giotto.
First altar right, Thomas Aquinas before the Cross by S. di Tito, and an
Annunciation by P. Cavallini (covered). Second altar, Madonna and
Saints, Fra. Bartolommeo. Third, Madonna. Here a small door opens into
the sacristy built by Michelozzi, with statue of Christ by Novelli, and
of S. Antonino by Montorsoli. To the left of the high altar is the
Chapel of the Sacrament, with paintings by Tito, Empoli, Poccetti, and
Passignano. In the left transept is the chapel of S. Antonino, with
frescoes by Passignano in his best style, and a painting by Bronzino.
Between the second and third altars on this the left side of the church,
are the graves of the scholar Pico della Mirandola, d. 1494; the
poet Girolano Benivieni, d. 1542; and of Poliziano, d. 1494,
tutor to the sons of Lorenzo the Magnificent. To the right of the main
entrance is the Convent, now the _Picture-Gallery_, of St. Mark. Open from
10 to 3. Fee, 1 fr. Sundays free. During the 15th and 16th cent.
this convent had for its superiors the good Bishop Antonino
(d. 1459), Fra. Angelico Fiesole (d. 1455), Fra. Girolamo
Savonarola, the great preacher and martyr (1498), and Fra. Bartolommeo
della Porta (d. 1517), the best collection of whose works is in
this convent. Among the very fine frescoes are—On the door of the
church, left hand wall, “St. Peter, martyr, with his hand on his mouth,”
B. Angelico. On the end or S.E. wall, “Crucifixion,” with St.
Dominic, B. Angelico. The door in the wall opposite the church
opens into the refectory, with a fresco representing Angels bringing
food to St. Dominic, by Sogliani (d. 1544), pupil of L. Credi.
Above is a “Crucifixion” by Fra. Bartolommeo. The door in
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the south corner of the east wall opens into the chapter-house, with a
large fresco of the Crucifixion by B. Angelico. A very famous
work. The crucifix on the left is by B. Montelupo, and the other by
his son. The door in the middle of the east wall gives access to the
picture-gallery in the upper storey. At the foot of this stair is a
grand picture, a Last Supper (Cenacolo) by Ghirlandaio, who has
dressed the company in the costume of the brotherhood. From this ascend
to the first floor to what were the cells or rooms of the monks, ranged
on each side of a narrow passage ornamented with paintings in fresco. At
the head of the stair is a very beautiful Annunciation by Fra. Angelico,
and also by him, on the opposite wall, a St. Dominic embracing the
Cross. Opposite the Crucifixion is the best of the corridors. The cells
of the right corridor are ornamented with frescoes, principally by Fra.
Benedetto, and those of the left principally by his more famous brother,
Fra. Angelico. Next the staircase we have the library. Second room,
banners used for Dante’s festival in 1865. Next, two frescoes by
Benedetto. In the last two rooms, one a little higher than the other,
Cosmo de’ Medici (Pater Patriæ) used frequently to reside. His portrait
is by Pontormo, “The Jesus of Nazareth” is by Fra. Bartolommeo, and the
beautiful fresco by Angelico. In the cell opposite is a Crucifixion by
Angelico. In the third room, painted on wood by Angelico, are an
“Adoration” and an “Annunciation.” In the fourth, also by him, other two
famous pictures on wood, the _Madonna della Stella_ and the
_Coronation of Mary_. Turning to the right we find all the cells
(as far as that of Savonarola), with paintings by Fra. Benedetto or some
pupil of Angelico. In the middle of this corridor is the beautiful
Madonna enthroned, an admirable work of B. Angelico. At the end, in
a kind of chapel, are two Madonnas on the wall by Fra. Bartolomeo:
a Virgin in _terra invetriata_, by L. della Robbia; the bust
of Savonarola, full of expression, modelled by Bastianini; and a sketch
of the bust of Benivieni by Bastianini. In the two little cells at the
side, in which dwelt Savonarola, are preserved some manuscripts,
a crucifix, and other objects which belonged to him; as also his
portrait painted by Fra. Bartolommeo, and a view of the Piazza della
Signoria, with the burning of Savonarola and his companions. Proceeding
along the corridor, in which there are no cells on the right for some
distance, we come to more frescoes by Benedetto, the best being a
“Coronation” in the third cell.

Academy of the Fine Arts.

At the south-west corner of the Piazza San Marco, at No. 34 Via
Ricasoli, is the entrance to the Academy of Fine Arts. Open from 9 till
3. Fee, 1 fr. Sundays, free. The principal door is by Paoletti.
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In the vestibule are reliefs and busts of contemporary artists by L.
della Robbia. In the cloister are bas-reliefs by the brother and nephew
of Robbia, and Bologna’s models for his statues of Virtue and Vice, and
of the Rape of the Sabines. A corridor, containing statues in
stucco, to the right of the main entrance, leads to the library. Midway,
left hand, a door opens into the principal gallery, the hall of the
large pictures, with 124 paintings, by the following artists:
M. Albertinelli, A. Allori, B. Angelico, Spinello Aretino,
Fra. Bartolommeo, Biliverti, F. Boschi, Botticelli, Brina,
Bronzino, Buffalmaccio, Calabrese, A. Castagno, Cigoli, Cimabue,
Credi, Curradi, C. Dolci, I. Empoli, Gen. da Fabriano, A. and
T. Gaddi, R. del Garbo, Ghirlandaio, Giotto, Ligozzi, Fra.
F. Lippi, Aur. Lomi, Masaccio, Giov. da Milano, Monaco, S. P.
Nelli, L. di Niccolo, D. Passignani, Perugino, F. Pesellino,
Fra. P. da Pistoia, Poccetti, Fr. Poppi, C. Rosselli, A. Sacchi, A.
del Sarto, L. Signorelli, G. A. Sogliani, A. Squazelli,
Santi di Tito, Vasari, Veracini, Verrochio, Vignali. In No. 43, the
Baptism of Christ, by Verrochio, the angel to the right of the spectator
was painted by Leonardo da Vinci when he was twenty-three years old. No.
115, by Cigoli, St. Francis. It is said that in order to obtain the
unearthly expression of the face the painter kept a poor pilgrim for
many hours without food, until he fainted from hunger. This room is
followed by a chamber communicating with the Tribune, built in
1875, for the celebrated statue of _David_, sculptured by Michael
Angelo when 28 years of age. It was brought here in 1873 from the Piazza
della Signoria, where it had stood 369 years. From the library a door
opens into the Hall of Ancient Pictures, containing sixty paintings. The
artists of a large number are unknown. The others are by
B. Angelico, S. Aretino, M. Arezzo, A. Baldovinetti,
B. Berlinghieri, Neri di Bicci, Sim. da Bologna,
S. Botticelli, P. di Buonaguida, A. Ceraiolo, D. Ghirlandaio,
Bicci di Lorenzo, G. Pacchiarotto, and Signorelli. In the hall of
the small pictures there are seventy-one paintings, by artists already
named, the most important being Fra. and B. Angelico, who, with
Sandro Botticelli, Francesco Granacci, Luca Signorelli, and Lorenzo di
Credi, are better represented here than anywhere else. The most
remarkable are 41, “The Day of Judgment,” by Fra. Angelico. 13,
A “Nativity,” by L. di Credi; and 18, Portraits of two
Vallombrosian friars, by Raphael or Perugino. Beyond this is a
collection of original designs in a room called the Sala dei Cartoni. 2
and 5 are by Raphael. 6, Correggio. 3 and 12, Ben. Poccetti. 1, 4, 9,
10, 11, 18, and 22, Fra. Bartolommeo. 19, Bronzino. 7, 8, and 20, F.
Barroccio. 24, Credi, and 23, Carlo Cignani.

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From the vestibule a staircase leads up to the Galleria dei Quadri
Moderni, a collection of 160 modern paintings, distributed in six
rooms. The custodian of the academy keeps the keys of the Cloister dello
Scalzo, No. 69 Via Cavour, adorned with fourteen frescoes by A. del
Sarto, and two by his friend Franciabigio, in chiaroscuro, during 1517
to 1526, illustrative of the life of John the Baptist. They are not in a
good state of preservation.

Florence: Mosaics. Galleria dei Lavori in
Pietre Dure.

Adjoining the Accademia delle belle Arti, at No. 82 Via degli Alfani,
is the entrance into the Galleria dei Lavori in Pietre Dure, open from
10 to 3 daily. Entrance free. Rooms 1, 2, and 3 contain, in glass cases,
specimens of all the minerals and rocks used in Florence in the
manufacture of mosaics. They are numbered, and accompanied with
explanatory catalogues. They consist chiefly of varieties of marble and
alabaster, agates of different shades, chalcedony, jasper, lapis lazuli,
and red porphyry. The large room contains the finished mosaics, all for
sale, at prices from £80 upwards. Mosaics are made and sold in numerous
establishments throughout the city, but the best and most artistic are
sold here.

The Palaces of Florence.

The palaces of Florence are great square edifices of a grand and
gloomy aspect, built of dark blue stones (pietra forte) measuring from 3
to 4 feet. The bases, to the height of from 20 to 30 feet, consist
of coarsely chiselled rubble work, which lessens the baldness, and
contributes character and effect to the from 200 to 300 feet of plain
wall. At intervals are strong bronze banner-rings and torch-sockets,
while at each corner is a curiously-shaped lamp of wrought-iron. Near
the main entrance there is generally a niche, with an opening called a
“cantina,” just large enough to allow a quart bottle to pass through,
whence various articles of food are transmitted into the house. Those
that sell by retail the oil and wine from their estates have painted
over this niche “Vino é Olio.” The empty bottle, with the money, having
been passed through, it reappears shortly after full. The windows of the
first range are generally 10 feet from the ground, and are grated and
barred like those of a prison. Under the eaves runs a deep cornice with
bold projecting soffits. The roofs of the palaces, as well as those of
the smallest houses, are of a low pitch, and covered with tiles of two
different forms—a flat tile with ledges on the side, and a tile
nearly semi-cylindrical and tapering upwards, which thus covers the
interstice between the ledges of the flat tiles. The entrance to the
palaces is by a high arched massive gateway, giving access to a court
surrounded by
274
 
an arcade or loggia, whence massive stone staircases lead up to the
highest storeys. The lofty ceilings of the principal rooms are
decorated, and the beams though displayed, are carved, painted, and
gilded, and contribute to the grandeur of the whole. The floors are of
thin bricks, either laid flat or edgeways in the herring-bone or
_spina di pesce_ fashion. As in Genoa, several of the palaces
contain collections of works of art open to the public on certain days.
Florence: Palazzo Vecchio.
Of these the best are—first, the Palazzo Vecchio, in the
Piazza della Signoria, erected in 1218 by Arnolfo di Lapo. It is
surmounted by a noble antique tower 305 feet high, commanding an
excellent view of Florence. The entrance is through a superb but gloomy
court, surrounded by an arcade on massive columns, by Michelozzi,
substituted for those of Arnoldo in 1434. They are 8 feet in
circumference, and of admirable proportions. In the centre is a neat
little fountain by Andrea Verocchio, intended originally for the Villa
Careggi. Having traversed this court, ascend first stair left hand, and
keep turning to the left the length of the first storey, where take
first door right, which opens into the great hall or council chamber,
170 feet long by 77 broad, built in 1495, but altered by Vasari in 1540,
who also added the frescoes on the walls and oil-painting on the ceiling
illustrative of events in the history of Florence. Now ascend to the
second storey, where enter the ante-room to the left, the Sala de’
Gigli, with a grand but injured fresco by Ghirlandaio in 1482. The
lintel of the door in this room opening into the next, the Sala
d’Udienza, is by Benedetto da Majano. On one of the leaves of the door
is a linear drawing of Dante, and on the other one of Petrarch. The Sala
d’Udienza is painted in fresco by Salviati, illustrative of Roman
history. It communicates with the Cappella S. Bernardo, beautifully
painted in imitation of mosaic by R. Ghirlandaio. Near the chapel
of St. Bernard (sometimes approached by the four rooms of Eleanora de
Toledo, painted by Stradan of Bruges, and at other times by a narrow
passage), is a small chapel beautifully painted by Bronzino, and an
adjoining chamber painted by Poccetti.

Florence: Dante’s House.

North from the palace, by the Via dei Magazzini, is the Via
S. Martino, in which is a house with a marble slab over the
door, bearing the following inscription: “In questa casa degli Alighieri
nacque il Divino Poeta.” —_Dante._ He was married to Gemma in
S. Martino, a humble little church close by, in the Via dei
Magazzini. The Beatrice of Dante (like Petrarch’s Laura) lived in
the Palazzo Salviati, in the Via del Proconsolo. She married Giovanni
delle Bande Nere, and became the mother of Cosmo I.

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Florence. Palazzo Strozzi, Corsini, Riccardi.

In the Via Tornabuoni is the Palazzo Strozzi, open on Wednesdays
from 11 to 1. It was built in 1489 from designs by Majano. The ironwork,
rings, and lanterns are by Grosso di Ferrara, 1510. The picture-gallery
on the first floor is contained in four large rooms elegantly and
comfortably furnished. In each room there is a list of the paintings on
a card. The two most remarkable are—Portrait of one of the
ladies Strozzi by Leonardo da Vinci; and another of one of the children,
“La Puttina,” by Tiziano. Between the Strozzi Palace and the Arno is the
Piazza S. Trinità. In it, opposite the Hotel du Nord, is a column
of Oriental granite from the baths of Antoninus, presented to
Cosmo I. by Pius IV. A short way down the Arno (see plan), at
No. 10 Lungarno Corsini, is the Palazzo Corsini, built (1618-56) by
G. Silvani, staircase by Ferri. The collection of paintings,
contained in twelve rooms, may be visited on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
Saturdays from 10 till 2. Entrance by No. 7 Via Parione.

Next to the church S.
Giovannino (see p. 264), at No. 1 Via Cavour, is the Prefettura
della Provincia di Firenze, formerly the Palazzo
Riccardi, 300 feet long by 90 in height. This, the cradle of the
Medicean family, was erected in 1431, after the design of Michelozzi, by
Cosmo Pater Patriae, and continued to be the residence of the Medici
till 1540, when it was abandoned for the Palazzo Vecchio. The first row
of large windows was opened by Michael Angelo; for originally the base,
rising to 30 feet, presented one unbroken space, varied only by the
projection of the vast and rudely chiselled stones of which it is
composed. In the court below the corridor are statues and busts, and the
sarcophagi which were formerly outside the baptistery, and a curtain
beautifully sculptured in stone over one of the arches. Upstairs are the
Biblioteca Riccardi, a picture-gallery, and a small chapel covered
with most charming frescoes by Benozzo Gozzoli 1400-1478, painted by
lamplight, as the chapel at that time had no window. Palace open from
12.30 till 2.

Down the Arno, beyond the Ponte alla Carraia (see plan), is the
Church of Ognissanti. In the chapel next the door of the sacristy repose
the remains of Amerigo Vespucci, who gave his name to America. In the
centre of the nave are frescoes by Ghirlandaio and Botticelli. The
frescoes in the cloisters illustrating the life of St. Francis are by
Giovanni and Ligozzi. The Last Supper, in the refectory, is by
Ghirlandaio. A little way up the street called the Borgo Ognissanti
is the Hospital S. Giovanni di Dio, founded
by Amerigo Vespucci; while the house in which he lived and died stood on
the site of the present No. 21 Borgo Ognissanti.

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Park of Florence. Villa Careggi. Palazzo Torrigiani.

At the west end of the town, near the Porta Prato, is the Cascine or Park of
Florence, on the right or north hank of the Arno, much frequented in the
afternoon. An omnibus runs every 10 minutes between the Porta Prato and
the Piazza della Signoria. Opposite the Cascine is the hill Monte Oliveto, page 251. Nearly two miles
north from the railway station by the Romito road is the Villa
Careggi, built by Michelozzi for Cosmo Pater Patriae, in which
he died on August 1, 1464, as also Lorenzo the Magnificent, on the 8th
of April 1492. At the Ponte alle Grazie, the first bridge above the
Ponte Vecchio, is the Palazzo Torrigiani, built by Baccio
d’Agnolo, containing a valuable collection of paintings, accompanied
with catalogues. Open daily excepting Saturdays and Sundays.


Fiesole.

At the east side of the town, by the Via Alfieri or
Pinti, is the Protestant cemetery, between the Boulevards Eugenio
and Amedeo, the latter leading northwards to the Piazza Cavour with the
Porta S. Gallo. From this Porta commences the road to the Etrurian
city of Faesula, the modern _Fiesole_, 3 miles from Florence,
and about 600 feet above it, on the summit of a ridge composed of a
dark-coloured sandstone. Rail to Fiesole. Carriage there and back, 8 to
10 fr. From the Porta S. Gallo it is an easy walk of about 2½
miles. See the excellent map of the environs (Dintorni) of Florence,
published by the “Istituto Topografico Militare,” 1 fr. Beyond the
Porta S. Gallo take the road leading up the left or east bank of
the Mugnone for about 1 mile, as far as the Villa Palmieri, where,
in 1348, Boccaccio wrote his Decameron. From this the road ascends
between walls about 1 mile more to the Church and Convent of
S. Domenico, in which Beato Angelico was one of the monks. The
church contains an Annunciation by Empoli; a Baptism of Christ by
Credi; a St. Francis by Cigoli; and in the choir a Virgin with
Saints by B. Angelico. Near S. Domenico is the Villa Landore,
which was occupied for many years by Walter Savage Landor. The road
striking off to the left or towards the Mugnone, leads to the venerable
abbey of La Badia di Fiesole, rebuilt in 1462 by Brunelleschi. The road
from St. Domenico to Fiesole is rather steep, and passes, at about
two-thirds of the way, the beautiful old mansion with terraced gardens
called the Villa Mozzi or Spence, once a favourite residence of Lorenzo
il Magnifico, and the place in which the Pazzi conspiracy was formed in
1478. A short way beyond, the road enters the Piazza of
_Fiesole_ (pop. 11,500. _Inns:_ Locanda
277
 
Firenze; Trattoria l’Aurora), famous for views and stone-quarries. One
side of the Piazza is occupied by the Cathedral, dedicated to St.
Romulus, commenced in 1028, and in form resembling S Miniato. To the
right of the high altar is the mausoleum of Bishop Salutati, and a
marble tabernacle by Mino da Fiesole in 1465. The frescoes on the
ceiling of the chancel are by Ferrucci; and the statue of St. Romulus in
a sitting posture by Luca della Robbia or his nephew. In a garden behind
the church are the remains of a Roman theatre. The road passing this
garden leads to the ruins of the ancient walls, formed of huge
uncemented blocks, not parallel, but of different sizes, and some of
them indented into each other. Fronting the Cathedral is the
commencement of a little stony road leading up to the terrace of a
Franciscan convent, commanding a glorious view, and to the church of
S. Alessandro, with columns of Cipollino marble.

S. Salvi—Vencigliato—Settignano.

S.
Salvi. Vencigliato. Settignano.—1¼ mile east from the
Porta S. Croce, by the road following the railway, is
S. Salvi, containing a Last Supper, by A. del Sarto, in the
refectory. From S. Salvi northwards to the Via Settignano, which
follow for 1½ mile eastwards, then take the road to the left going
northwards, and crossing the Mensola above its union with the
Frassinaia, is the Castle
of Vencigliato, founded in the 10th cent., 5 miles
north-east from the Porta S. Croce, and situated on the summit of a
hill commanding a splendid view. In 1860 it was restored at the expense
of an Englishman, Temple Leader. 1¼ mile east from the part of
Settignano road, whence the Vencigliato road ramifies, is Settignano, the birthplace of
Michael Angelo.

Straw-plaiting gives employment to numerous females around Florence.
The wheat used is sown in March, and is cut before the grain is ripe.
The straw is then divided into pieces from 6 to 8 inches long, and
exposed for sale in the markets in small bunches. In this state it is
bought by the plaiters, who in their turn expose for sale yards of
plaited straw to the hatters.

The vin ordinaire given at the restaurants of Florence is principally
the Vino Monteferrata, which, when two or three years old, resembles an
inferior dry claret. In Savoy and Tuscany large flat cakes are made of
ground chestnuts. They are sold hot, have a sweetish taste, and are very
nourishing to those who can digest them.

Excursion to Vallombrosa, Camaldoli, and
Alvernia to the east of Florence. (See Map on page
199.)

To Vallombrosa. Take rail to Pontassieve, 13 miles east from Florence, pop. 11,000.
_Inn:_ Italia; where hire coach for Pelago,
278
 
6 miles east. Fare, 6 fr. Pelago (pop. 2000). _Inn:_ Buon
Cuore; whence mule, 5 fr., guide, 2 fr., to Vallombrosa,
8 miles south. Or coach as far as Tosi, about 5½ miles from Pelago,
and the rest by mule or on foot. At Pontassieve a carriage for two at 12
fr. per day, or for four at 20 fr. per day, may be hired for visiting
the three sanctuaries. Having visited Vallombrosa, return to Pelago, and
proceed to Bibbiena, 15 miles east, by the Consuma, Borgo alla Collina,
and Poppi, 4 miles from Bibbiena. From Bibbiena mules or horses
must be hired for Alvernia, 2 hours distant. From Alvernia a fatiguing
path leads to Camaldoli, in about 6 hours. The better plan is to go to
Camaldoli from Bibbiena, distant 4 miles northwards from
Bibbiena.

Vallombrosa.

A little beyond Pelago the road to Vallombrosa begins to ascend the
Apennines, disclosing in the ascent many charming views of hills crowned
with villas, and mountains covered with evergreen oaks, intermingled
with bare perpendicular cliffs, and roaring torrents tumbling from the
crags. _Vallombrosa_
is situated 2980 feet above the sea, on the side of Mt. Protomagno,
which rises 2340 feet higher. Although the scenery does not agree
altogether with Milton’s description in _Paradise Lost_, book iv.
lines 131-159, it possesses that charming loveliness which inspired the
divine poet with the ideas conveyed in these lines. The steep acclivity
is clothed with a “woody theatre” of stateliest chestnuts, oaks, firs,
and beeches, which in ranks ascend, waving one above the other, shade
above shade; or hang from the very brows of precipices, whose verdant
sides are with thicket overgrown, grotesque, and wild. “Higher than
their tops” an occasional glade breaks the uniformity of the sylvan
scene, while on the summit expands a wide grassy down with enamelled
colours mixed, from which there is a “prospect large” over foliaged
hills, and the wild, bleak, sterile mountains of Camaldoli and Alvernia.
The church and convent were erected in 1637. The latter is now occupied
partly by a forestry school and partly by an inn. Nearly 300 feet
higher, by a winding path, is Il Paradisino, a little hermitage
romantically situated on a projecting rock commanding a grand view. The
scagliola decorations in the chapel were by an Englishman, Father
Hugford, who excelled in various branches of natural philosophy,
and in the art of imitating marble by that composition called scagliola.
He died in the last century. The ascent to the summit of the Protomagno
occupies 1 hour; guide 2 fr. The road to Camaldoli winds round the
mountain that shelters Vallombrosa on the north side, and then descends
into the Val d’Arno Inferiore. On a knoll, encircled with trees in the
middle of the plain, is the noble now ruined castle of Romena, and
behind it the villages of Poppi and Bibbiena.

Camaldoli. Sacro Eremo. Alvernia.

The abbey of _Camaldoli_, founded by S. Romualdo,
a Calabrian anchorite, in 1046, is situated on the torrent Giogana,
in a valley surrounded by high mountains. About 2 miles above the
monastery, on a hill to the north, by a zig-zag path through the forest,
is Il Sacro Eremo,
the hermitage of the convent. The church is neat, and possesses an
Annunciation in relief by Robbia. From the culminating point of the
ridge, the Prato al Soglio, is one of the finest views in this part of
Italy.
279
 
About 14 miles from Camaldoli, on Mons Alvernus, a lofty
rock towering above the neighbouring eminences, and split into
numberless pinnacles of fantastic forms, full of grottoes and galleries
hollowed out by nature, is situated the convent of _Alvernia_, founded by St. Francis in 1213, and
inhabited by about 110 monks. From the church a covered gallery leads to
the cave with the chapel of the Stemmate, in which St. Francis is said
to have received, imprinted on his body, marks similar to those produced
on Jesus Christ by the crucifixion. From Camaldoli and from Alvernia
return to Bibbiena, where the diligence may be taken to Arezzo, pop.
12,000, whence rail either to Rome, 141 miles south, or to Florence, 54
miles north-west. The drive from Pontassieve to Florence, by the Arno,
is very beautiful.

Florence is 291 m. S.E. from Turin by
Pistoja, Bologna, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, and Alessandria. Time by
quick trains, 13 hrs. 1st class, 52 frs. 95 c.; 2d class, 37 frs. 5 c.
See Black’s _South France_, East half, page
233.

(Paragraph shown as printed.)

Florence is 196½ m. N. from Rome by Arezzo, Terontola, Chiusi,
Orvieto, and Orte. 8 hrs. by quick train. 1st class, 34 frs. 30 c.; 2d
class, 23 frs. 55 c. Florence is 60¼ m. E. from Leghorn by Empoli,
Pontedera, and Pisa. 2 hrs. 20 min. by quick train. 1st class, 10 frs.
45 c.; 2d class, 7 frs. 15 c. See the “Indicatore Ufficiale.” To
the price given in the Indicatore the amount of the tax has to be
added.


Busalla. Novi.

Genoa to Turin by Alessandria and Asti.

Distance, 103½ m. N.W. Time by quick trains, 4¼ hrs. Map, page 199.

Genoa.—The train after traversing the first tunnel
emerges at the busy populous suburb of Sampierdarena, 1¼ m. W. from
Genoa and 2½ m. E. from Sestri-Ponente. The rail now turns northward and
ascends the valley of the impetuous torrent of the Polcevera, traversing
six tunnels. Having passed Rivarolo, Bolzaneto, and Pontedecimo, the
train arrives at Busalla,
14¼ m. N. from Genoa and 89¼ m. S. from Turin. Busalla is
situated on the culminating part of the line (1192 ft.), on the crest
which divides the basin of the Adriatic from the Gulf of Genoa. Here
also the gradients of the line are highest, being about 1 in 28½ or 35
in 1000. The longest tunnel on the line, the Galleria dei Giovi, 3390
yards, is just before arriving at Busalla. It perforates calcareous
schists, and is ventilated by 14 shafts. The scenery, which has been
hitherto very picturesque, becomes tame after traversing the last tunnel
at Arquata, 26 m. N. from Genoa, in the narrow valley of the
Scrivia. 33½ m. N. from Genoa, and 70 m. S. from Turin, is
Novi, H. La Sirena,
a town of 11,000 inhabitants, situated among hills; where, in
August 15, 1799, a great battle took
280
 
place between the French under Joubert and the Austrians and Russians
under Suwarrow, when the former were defeated and their general killed.
Novi is 60 m. S.W. from Milan by Tortana, Voghera, and
Pavia.

Alessandria.

47¼ m. N. from Genoa and 56¼ m. S.E. from Turin is Alessandria, pop. 30,000,
234¼ m. N.W. from Florence by Piacenza, Parma, Modena, Bologna, and
Pistoja. See Black’s _South France_, East half. See map, page 199.

At the Alessandria station hot coffee and chocolate are always ready.
_Hotels:_ L’Universo; Italia; Europa. Alessandria received its name
in compliment to Pope Alexander III. The citadel, capable of
holding 50,000 men, was built in 1728. The cathedral has a façade in the
modern taste, with granite columns; in the interior is a colossal statue
of St. Joseph by Parodi. The other churches are the Madonna di Loreto
and S. Lorenzo. The Ghilino palace, now belonging to the crown, was
designed by the elder Alfieri. Two great fairs are held annually at
Alessandria—one in April, the other in October. In the
neighbourhood is the village of Marengo, near which took place (June
1800) the battle between the French and the Austrians that was first
lost by Bonaparte and afterwards won by Desaix and Kellermann. From
Alessandria the train ascends the valley of the Tanaro, passing the
minor stations of Solero, Felizzano, Cerro, and Annone; then at
34¾ m. E. from Turin, and 68¾ m. N.W. from Genoa, arrives
at

Asti.

Asti (the _Hasta Pampeia_,
or Pompey’s Market, of the Latins), a place of 18,000 inhabitants.
H. Leone d’Oro. Celebrated for its sparking wines, both red and
white. The cathedral is a large and fine Gothic structure (1348). The
adjacent church of S. Giovanni is built upon a basilica, of which
the existing part is borne by monolithic columns with capitals bearing
Christian symbols, 6th cent. Near Porta Alessandria is the small
Baptistery of San Pietro, 11th cent., resting on short columns with
square capitals. Alfieri, the poet, was born here, in a palace built by
his uncle, who was a count and an architect. He died in 1803. The
tertiary strata of the neighbourhood are very rich in fossils. Loop-line
from Asti to Milan in 3½ hrs.

From Asti the train descends by Villafranca, where there is a viaduct
over the Standvasso, about 100 ft. above the stream. Farther W., at
Trofarello, is the junction with the loop-lines to Savona, 82½ m. S. (page 183), and to Cuneo, 46½ m. S.W. (page 183).

Five miles S. from Turin is Moncalieri. On the hill-side, overlooking
the town, is the large royal palace in which Victor Emmanuel I.
died in 1823.

For Turin, see Black’s _South France_, East half. Loop-line
to Pinerolo, 23½ m. S.W., and to Torre-Pellice, 10½ m. farther
west, in the Waldensian valleys. See Black’s _South France_, East
half.

Paragraph shown as printed.

 



Italy and the Alps: Itineraries
Italy and the Alps: Maps
Italy and the Alps: Text

General Index



ITINERARY
(pages 281–end)

PARIS to TURIN
281

PARIS to MODANE
281

Aix-les-Bains to Geneva by Annecy
286

Modane to Turin
291

Bussoleno to Susa
291

Turin to Torre-Pellice by
Pinerolo
305

Torre-Pellice to Mont-Dauphin by the Col de la
Croix
306

Perosa
to Mont-Dauphin by the Col d’Abriés
307

Perosa to
Cesanne by the Col de Sestrières
307

Saluzzo to Mont Dauphin by the Col de la
Traversette
308

Cuneo
to Barcelonnette (_see_ Barcelonnette to Cuneo)
341

TURIN to FLORENCE by
Piacenza, Parma, Modena and Bologna
309

St.
Pierre d’Albigny to Courmayeur by the Little Saint Bernard
320

PARIS to MODANE by
Lyons, Voiron and Grenoble. This is the route to take to visit the
Grande Chartreuse and the picturesque valleys about the formidable group
of the Ecrin mountains
322

Grenoble to
Sassenage
327

Grenoble to Briançon by
Bourg d’Oisans and the Col de Lautaret. A grand mountain road
328

Bourg
d’Oisans to La Berarde, at the
base of the Ecrin group, by Vosc and St. Christophe
329

Briançon to Mt. Pelvoux by La Bessée and the Val
Louise
333,
345

Briançon to
Oulx by Mt. Genèvre and Cesanne
333

Grenoble to Corps by La
Mure (map, p. 27).
From Corps another diligence proceeds to Gap (p. 340). From Corps the pilgrimage is made to
N. D. de la Salette
333

Goncelin to
Allevard-les-Bains
336

MARSEILLES to GRENOBLE
by Gardanne, Aix, St. Auban, Sisteron, Serres, Veynes, Aspres, Clelles
and Claix (map,
p. 27)
338

St. Auban to
Digne
339

Digne to Barcelonnette by La Javie and Seyne (map, p. 304)
339

Digne to Barcelonnette by Draix, Colmars and
Allos
339

VEYNES to MONT DAUPHIN-GUILLESTRE
station, 51 miles N.E. by rail. Both of these towns are at the French
end of several of the important passes between France and Italy
340

Gap to
Barcelonnette
341

Barcelonnette to Cuneo (map, p. 27)
341

Gap to
Grenoble by Corps (map, p. 304)
342

Mont-Dauphin to Saluzzo (map,
p. 304)
344

Paris to Lyons by Saint Etienne (map, p. 27)
346

Paris to
Lyons by Tarare (map, p. 27)
348

Lyons to
Clermont-Ferrand by Montbrison (map, p. 27)
349

Paris to Marseilles by Clermont-Ferrand and Nîmes
(see map on fly-leaf)
351

Moulins to the
Baths of Bourbon-l’Archambault by Souvigny and
Saint Menoux (map,
p. 1)
356

Moulins to the
Baths of Bourbon-Lancy by
Dompierre and Gilly. Beyond Gilly is Paray-le-Monial (p. 27, map p. 1)
357

St.
Germain-des-Fossés to Vichy
359

Clermont-Ferrand to Brive by Laqueuille
376

Laqueuille to
the Baths of Mont-Dore and Bourboule
377

Mont-Dore
to Issoire by the Baths of St. Nectaire
385

A diligence runs between St. Nectaire and the Coude railway station.

 


MAPS AND PLANS
(pages 281–end)

 
page

Bologna, Plan of
316

Mont Cenis railway, Plan of
291

This plan shows the railway from St. Pierre-d’Albigny to Turin by Modane
and Susa. Rail from St. Pierre to Albertville; whence coach-road to
Courmayeur by Moutiers, Bourg-St. Maurice, Seez and the Little St.
Bernard. Coach road from Albertville to Annecy on Lake Annecy.

Mont-Dore and Bourboule, Map of environs
378

The French and Italian Waldensian valleys, with the
mountain-passes between them
304

Turin, Plan of
293

Vichy, Plan of
359

 

281
 

Paris to Turin and the Italian Riviera.

By Fontainebleau, Joigny, Dijon, Macon, Bourg,
Ambérieux, Culoz, Aix-les-Bains, Chambery, Modane, and Mont Cenis. The continuation of this line
southwards from Turin extends to Genoa by Alessandria (page
279).

Part First.—Paris to
Modane, 431 miles. Time by the Rapide, 13 hrs. 36 min. Part
Second.—Modane to Turin, 58½
miles. Time by Express, 3 hrs. 27 min.

_Time-tables._—In England, see under “London to Turin” in the
Continental Time-tables of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, which
Company give through tickets. In Paris, start from the station of the
Chemins de Fer de Paris à Lyon. At the bookstall buy one of their
Time-tables, 40 c. The best resting-places are Dijon, Macon, and
Chambery. For the whole route consult the Sketch Map on the fly-leaf. For the
northern part, between Paris and Macon, see map, page 1; and from Macon to Turin, map, page 26.


PART I.—PARIS TO MODANE.


MODANE
431
PARIS. In front of the departure side of the Chemins de Fer de
Lyon Station is the Grand Hôtel de l’Univers, and under it a Café
Restaurant. A little farther off is Hôtel Jules César. Good
restaurant also in the station. For the first 274 m. between Paris
and Macon, see pages 1 to 26. At Morel junction the Vichy line separates
from this one. At Montereau, 49½ m. from Paris
(p. 10), the Express halts 4 min.; but not the Rapide. At La Roche (p. 14) both
the Rapide and the Express halt 5 min. At Tonnerre (p. 17) they halt again 5 min.
At Les Laumes
(p. 19) the Express halts 5 min. At Dijon (p. 20) both halt 6 min. At Macon (p. 26) they halt 5
min. At Macon the Turin line separates from the Marseilles line, and
goes 23 m. E. to Bourg, 297 m. from Paris. At Bourg, in the
church of Brou, are sumptuous mausoleums. From Bourg a loop-line
traverses a picturesque country by Nantua to Geneva, 97 m. W. (See
map, p. 27; and
for description, Black’s _France_, North half.) 5½ m. S.E. from Bourg the
line crosses the Ain at the village of Pont-Ain, and afterwards arrives
at Ambérieu,
316¼ m. S.E. from Paris, and 114¾ m. N.W. from Modane. At
Ambérieu the Rapide halts 10 min., and the Express 15 min. Ambérieu,
pop. 4000, is a pleasant town on the Albarine at the base of the Jura
mountains, and connected by rail with Lyon, 32½ m. west. From
Ambérieu another loop-line extends 11 m. S. through a mountainous
country to Montallieu, pop. 2000, with important quarries, on the Fouron
near its junction with the Rhône. Between Ambérieu and Culoz the rail
passes through the last ramifications of the Jura
282
 
mountains. In approaching Culoz it winds round the S. base of Mt.
Colombier, 4733 ft., ascended in 4 hrs. either from Culoz or Artemart.
The view is admirable—on one side the Savoy Alps, with the lakes
of Bourget, Annecy, and Geneva; while on the side of France it extends
to Lyons and the mountains of Ardêche.

Lagnieu. Virieu le Grand. Culoz.

8 m. S. from Ambérieu and 3 m. N. from Montallieu is Lagnieu, pop. 3500, station for
La Balme, pop. 1000,
3 m. S.W., on south side of Rhône. There is a cave here with great
galleries and stalactites, and a lake 130 yards long, 8 yards wide, and
13 ft. deep. It is easily approached from Aix-les-Bains by the Lyons
steamboats. Alight at the Salette station, 20 min. walk from the
entrance into the grotto.

From Ambérieu the train ascends the valley of the Albarine, which,
after St. Rambert-de-Joux, 7 m. S.E. from Ambérieu, becomes wild
and imposing. At Tenay, _Inn:_ Pittion, 4¼ m. farther, the
train quits the Albarine and traverses a sequestered valley to

Virieu le
Grand, 340 m. S.E. from Paris, pop. 1100. Junction with
loop-line to Belley, 9½ m. S., pop. 5000; _Inns:_ Rey; Camus,
with important quarries of lithographic stones. 442½ m. from Paris
and 19¼ m. N. from Aix-les-Bains is Artemart, with the falls of
Cerveyrieu.

347½ m. S.E. from Paris, 14½ m. N. from Aix-les-Bains, and 83½ m. N.
from Modane, is Culoz, on the
Rhône, about ¾ m. E. from the station, 771 ft. above the sea, pop.
1200. Near the station are the inns *H. Folliet; H. Mémon.
A great deal of carriage-changing takes place here. 41 m. N.E.
is Geneva; see Black’s _North France_, and map p. 26. 4½ m. S. from Culoz and
10 m. N. from Aix-les-Bains is Châtillon, 700 ft. above the sea, on
the N.E. extremity of Lake Bourget, 2 hrs. distant by row-boat from Aix.
In the castle, 13th cent., commanding a charming view of the lake, Pope
Celestin was born.

Lake Bourget is 700 ft. above the sea, 10 m. long, from 2 to
3 m. wide, and from 200 to 300 ft. deep. The W. side is bounded by
the steep ridge of Mont Chat. Opposite to Aix is a depression, the
Col du Mont Chat, 2070 ft., and
immediately to the S. a bold craggy peak, La Dent du Chat, 5302
ft., ascended from the little village of Bordeaux in about 4 hrs., after
a very fatiguing climb. One of the best points for a view over the lake
and the surrounding country is the Revard, 5112 ft., one of the summits
of the ridge Mont d’Azy, which bounds the E. side of the plain of Aix
(see page 285). It is ascended from the
village of Mouxy in about 4 hrs.

The best of the fish caught in the lake is the ombre-chevalier. The
lavaret is peculiar to it. There are also trout, perch, pike, shad,
carp, gudgeon, tench, and barbel.

283
 

Aix-les-Bains. Hotels.


PARIS
MODANE
362
69
AIX-LES-BAINS,
850 ft. above the sea, 1½ m. from Lake Bourget, pop. 6000. The
Casino is a handsome building, with park of its own extending to the
railway station. First-class hotels—their pension is from 12 to 20
frs., but it is necessary to arrange the price at the commencement. On
each side of the Casino are the *H. Aix, with garden, and the
Univers. Opposite are the H. de la Galerie and the Nord. Then
follow the _Hotels_: *Europe; *Venat, with large
garden; and opposite, at the end of R. du Casino, the H. Genève.
Second-class houses: in the parallel street, the R. Genève, behind
the R. du Casino, are the H. Durand; *Gaillard; in the Place
Centrale the H. Poste. Opposite the H. Poste is the office
whence the omnibuses start for the lake and the Lyons steamboats, and
for Marlioz. Up by the side of the Bath-house is the H. de
l’Etablissement. In front, the H. de l’Arc Romain. To the left, in
the Rue des Écoles, is a small clean family house, the H. Germain.
A little beyond is the H. Châteaux-Durrieux. Below the last,
the H. Folliet and Italie. The pension price in the above
second-class houses varies from 7 to 11 frs. On road to station, the
H. des Bergues.

On an eminence overlooking the park is the *Splendide Hôtel,
a really splendid first-class house. Below it is the
H. Beau-Site, also a new but a smaller first-class house.

The Port is nearly 2 m. from Aix by the R. de Genève, and then to the
left. At the pier is the inn Beau-Rivage, “Poissons frais.”

Abundance of furnished lodgings. English chapel, Rue du Temple,
behind the H. Venat. Presbyterian chapel in the park.

Aix-les-Bains: Cabs.

_Cabs or
Fiacres._—One-horse cab—3 frs. for the first hour;
every succeeding hour, 2 frs.; per day, 20 frs. Two-horse
cab—for first hour, 4 frs.; every succeeding hour, 3½ frs.;
per day, 20 frs. Riding horses—two hours, 4 frs.
Donkeys—one hour, 1 fr.; half-day, 4 frs.

The bathing establishment is a very large edifice, especially fitted
up for the external application of the water, very little being drunk.
Mineral water flows from the fountain in front of the building. Behind
the establishment are the caverns whence the springs issue. To visit, ½
fr. There are three different springs, their temperatures being 112°,
114°, and 115° Fahrenheit, and their contents carbonates of lime,
magnesia, and iron, sulphate of soda, and some phosphates. Ordinary bath
with linen, 1½ fr. Opposite the establishment is a Roman arch, 3d cent.,
with the inscription “Lucius Pompeius, Campanus, Vius fecit.” Behind the
arch is the chateau of the Marquis of Aix, now occupied by the Hôtel de
Ville and the post and telegraph offices. A handsome
284
 
stone stair of fifty-eight steps, under a quadripartite roof on round
columns, leads up to the various offices. At the top is the museum. On
the ground-floor, just beyond the foot of the stair, a door opens
into what is called the Temple of Diana, a large rectangular hall
of coarse masonry, recently restored. Adjoining are the Hotel de l’Arc
Romain, 9-12 frs., the parish church, and the park. The waters used for
drinking are the cold sulphur springs, situated a little way out of
town.

Aix-les-Bains: Springs.
Excursions.

The most powerful and peculiar is the spring at Challes, 900 ft. above the sea, and 45 min.
distant by omnibus from Chambery. _Hotels:_ Château de Challes;
Terrason; Ferret. It, like the others, is used for indigestion and liver
complaints, but especially for laryngeal affections.

Nearly a mile from Aix by the Chambery road is the Marlioz mineral
water establishment, with hotel, furnished apartments, and villas, all
within a large park. The water is cold, sulphurous, and alkaline, with
bromine and iodine, and costs 10 c. the glass. About 20 min. walk from
the town by the Geneva road, near the village of St. Simon, is the Raphy
spring, frequently taken at meal-time and prescribed in certain gastric
diseases, dyspepsia, and nervous disorders of the stomach.

Excursions from
Aix-les-Bains.—The steamer on certain days makes the tour
of the lake, stopping at the principal places, of which the chief is the
Abbey of Hautecombe; fare there and back, with small boat and two men,
9 frs. To Bordeaux and back, 5 frs.; Bonport, 4 frs.;
Châtillon, 14 frs. Arrange price beforehand. No boat permitted to carry
more than six passengers. An hour on shore allowed. Drive round the
lake—one horse, 11 frs.; two horses, 15 frs.

The Abbey of Hautecombe was founded in the 12th cent., but rebuilt in
1745. The church, containing 300 statues and many frescoes, is 215 ft.
long, the transept 85 ft., and the height of the roof 34 ft. The
interior, as well as most of the mausoleums, is of a soft white
fine-grained magnesian limestone, from the quarries of Seyssel, near
Culoz. The best of the statues are those of Charles Felix, King of
Sardinia (died 1821), and of Marie Christine, his spouse (died 1849), on
the right and left hands of the nave at the entrance. They are of
Carrara marble. In the chapel of Notre Dame de Compassion, in the
right-hand transept, is another beautiful group in Carrara marble; in
the left transept is a wood figure of St. Joseph, well executed.

About half a mile from the convent by a road following the shore of
the lake is an intermittent fountain, very irregular in its action. To
reach it continue the road till arriving at a clump of chestnut and
horse-chestnut trees, some having stone seats round the trunks. The
285
 
fountain is in the corner under the fourth tree. Near Hautecombe are the
village and castle of Bordeaux, founded in the 9th cent., over which
rises the Dent du Mont Chat (see
p. 282).

_Other
Excursions._—To the S.W. the Colline de Tresserve, 1109
ft., good views, chestnut trees, and the castle of Bonport. To the S.E.
the Roche du Roi, with quarries, which were worked by the Romans. The
Rocher de St. Victor, by the chestnut forest of Mouxy; there and back, 5
hours. The mountains of the Grand-Revard and the Cluse, 5154 ft., by
mule-path; there and back, 6 hours. To the N. the cascade of Gresy, 45
minutes, 3 m. Gresy, with its keep, 12th cent. 5 m., the
defile of the Combes and the Prime rocks. To the N.N.W. the Montagne de
Gigot, 2680 and 2762 ft.

Grotto of Banges. Le Châtelard.

Aix to the Grotto of
Banges, _by Gresy and Cusy._— Seat in car there and
back, 5 frs. About 3 m. from Aix is Gresy, with its pretty
waterfall. Beyond the village the road ascends by the stream Sierroz to
an undulating plain, on which is Cusy, 3½ hours from Aix. To the N., on
a rock rising from the Chéran, are the extensive ruins of a castle. On
the opposite bank are seen the hamlet of Aiguebellette and the castle of
St. Jacques, and, rising abruptly from the valley, three singular
obelisks of rock. 2 hours from Cusy the Chéran is crossed by the Pont de
Banges, and not far from this bridge, where the road is hemmed in
between the rocks and the stream, is the entrance to the Grotte de
Banges, containing a lake, 216 ft. below the level of the entrance,
approached by a gallery 270 yards long, hung with stalactites.

This road may be continued to Le Châtelard, 1¾ hour from the bridge, 2500
ft. above the sea; _Inns:_ Des Beauges; De la Poste; pop. 950. This
is the capital of the “Pays des Beauges,” occupying a plateau 13 m.
long and 8 m. wide, traversed from S.E. to N.W. by the Chéran, and
surrounded by steep rocks. Cheese-making, the rearing of cattle, and the
manufacture of articles in wood form the industries of the inhabitants,
of whom there are 10,000. Châtelard, in its social and geographical
position, resembles Le
Beage (p. 84).

The road from Aix to Chambery is through the broad valley which
separates the mountains of the Grande Chartreuse from those of the
Beauges. Belonging to the former are Mont Grelle, 4649 ft., to the S.W.,
and Mont Granier, 6348 ft, due S.; while to the N.E. is the Dent de
Nivolet, 4597 ft, an advanced bastion of the Beauges.

At Aix-les-Bains, junction with branch to Annecy, 26 m. N.,
whence a diligence starts daily for Geneva, 27½ m. farther N. by
Brogny, Cruseilles, and St. Julien (see map, p. 27).

286
 

Aix-les-Bains to Geneva by Annecy and Annemasse, by rail.

21½ m. by rail N. from Aix-les-Bains, and 3½ m. from Annecy, is
Lovagny, the station to
alight at to visit the “Galeries des Gorges” of the torrent Fier, about
10 minutes distant. From the station take the road to the left, cross a
bridge, and walk on to the châlet, where refreshments are sold, and
tickets, 1 fr. each, to visit the gorge, which is of the same
nature, though much superior, to the galleries of Pfäffers. The gallery,
or rather balcony, is 1162 ft. long, and on an average 72 ft. above the
torrent. It rests on iron brackets driven into the face of vertical
cliffs 310 ft. high, and on an average 8 ft. apart.

3½ m. farther by rail is

Annecy, pop. 11,000.
_Hotels:_ Angleterre, opposite the post office; Verdun, at the head
of the town, near the public gardens and the lake, and not far from the
steamboat-pier; Aigle; Savoie.

The steamboat sails from the side of the public gardens opposite the
Convent of St. Joseph. It makes the tour of the lake three times daily.
Diligence daily to Bonneville, 23 m. N., passing the villages of
Plot and La Roche; also to Albertville,
28 m. N., on the road to Italy by the Little St. Bernard (see page
320).

This ancient town, with narrow arcaded streets, is situated on the
north-west end of Lake Annecy. The two most prominent buildings in
Annecy, as seen from the lake, are the Barracks, and the Castle of
Tresun, in which St. François de Sales, the founder of the Order of the
Visitation, was born August 21, 1567. Opposite the steamboat-pier is
another prominent edifice, the Church and Convent of St. Joseph, both
modern, but containing, in the garden behind, the first chapel erected
by St. Francis, dating from 1610. The house Madame Chantale, his friend,
inhabited adjoins this chapel.

The mortal remains of St. Francis are in a shrine above the high altar
in the Church of the Visitation, at the western side of the Rue Royale.
The house in which he resided is in No. 18 Rue St. Claire, entrance at
the left-hand corner within the court. The house in which Madame de
Warrens first received Rousseau stood in the parallel street, behind the
Rue de l’Évêché, on the site of that house next the Episcopal palace,
with railings in front. The best promenade is the garden around the
Hôtel de Ville at the head of the lake. It contains a statue by
Marochetti of the great French chemist, Claude Louis Berthollet, born at
Talloires in 1748.

The Lake of Annecy is 9 m. long, 2 broad, and 1455 ft. above the
sea-level. It is surrounded by vine-clad and wooded mountains, of which
the highest is La Tournette, on the eastern shore, 6260 ft. above the
lake. To ascend it land at the village of Talloires, where there are a
comfortable inn, the Hôtel de l’Abbaye, and guides.

Near the shore of the lake, on the side of a hill about 2 m. east
from Annecy, is the house in which Eugene Sué spent the last years of
his life. It is one-storied, with garret-windows, and behind a small
square tower. On the morning of August 1, 1857, he took his
287
 
last walk on the hill, returning from which fatigued he went to bed, and
died two days afterwards. The remains of Rousseau’s house are seen a
little farther south, above the village of Veyrier.

Leschaux. Cruseilles

South from Veyrier, also on the lake, is the village of Menthon, the
birthplace of St. Bernard, the founder, in the 10th cent., of the
hospices of the Great and the Little St. Bernard. He is buried on the
right-hand side of the choir in the cathedral of Lausanne. At the south
extremity of the lake is the village of Doussard, at the entrance into
the dark gorge of the Combe Noire. Here a coach awaits passengers for
Faverges and Albertville, 18 miles south from Doussard. In this
neighbourhood the best mountain to ascend for the view is Semnoz, 4148
ft. above the lake. The ascent is made from the straggling village of
Leschaux, 1590 ft. above the lake, 10 m. S. from Annecy, and
14 m. N.E. from Aix-les-Bains. Donkeys can be hired at the village.
The ascent takes about 2 hrs. On the top is a comfortable inn. Duingt,
at the S.W. end, is the most picturesquely situated village on the lake.
(See map of Mt. Cenis, p. 291.)

3 m. N. from Annecy and 24 m. S. from Geneva is the village of Brogny,
where, in 1342, Jean Allarmet the swineherd was born, who became
successively Bishop of Geneva, Viviers, and Ostia, Archbishop of Arles,
and then a Cardinal. From Brogny the road passes the Pont de la Caille,
18 m. from Geneva, a small village near the suspension bridge,
212 yds. long, across Les Usses, and 665 ft. above the bed of the
torrent. Higher up, in a ravine, are the baths of Caille.

16½ m. from Geneva is Cruseilles, pop. 2000, and 2576 ft. above the
sea. The road from Cruseilles passes over the top of Mont Zion, 2586
ft., and then descends to Chable. 10 m. farther is St. Julien, 1535
ft., pop. 2500. French custom-house station, 6½ m. from Geneva.

Chambery.


PARIS
MODANE
370¾
60¼
CHAMBERY, pop. 20,000,
and 815 ft. above the sea. Passengers arriving late should spend the
night at Chambery, and next morning proceed to Turin.
_Hotels._—Princes, in the Rue de Boigne, near the fountain.
France, on the Quai Nezin. In the Rue d’Italie, the Poste and Europe,
near the theatre. In the Rue de la Banque is the Banque; and opposite it
is the Temple Protestant.

Chambery is situated in a plain surrounded by high mountains.
The first object that strikes the stranger on arriving from the station
is the monumental fountain to General Boigne in the Boulevard du
Theatre, opposite the termination of the principal street, the Rue de
Boigne. It consists of four bronze elephants supporting a column crowned
with a statue of the General. At the other extremity of the Rue de
Boigne is the Château, formerly the residence of the Dukes of
Savoy, built in 1230. The entrance is either by the stair in front or by
the road round from behind, which leads also to the Botanic Gardens.
Within the precincts of the château is the Préfecture, having
288
 
attached to it one of the old massive round towers, ascended by a most
handsome staircase of 160 low broad steps to within a short distance of
the top, attained by 36 more steps in two short flights. In the stair is
the entrance to the Museum, chiefly archæological. The Natural History
Museum is in the Botanic Garden. The view from the top of the tower is
very pleasing, and overlooks the whole of the town. Fee, ½ fr. Opposite
the tower is the Chapel of the Dukes of Savoy, 14th cent. Fee, ½ fr. The
three tall windows are filled with beautiful old glass. The roof is
covered with stone groining, with cleverly-executed arabesque painting
between the nervures. The roof of the cathedral is similarly painted,
but on a blue ground. It is situated near the Rue de Boigne, and was
built in the 14th, 15th, and 16th cents.

Chambery: Church of Lemenc. J. J. Rousseau.

The Rue de Bourgogne, the second street to the right up the Rue de
Boigne, leads past the Hôtel de Ville and the post office to the Palais
de Justice, with the Jardin Public behind. In front of the Palais is a
bronze statue of the jurist, Antoine Favre, who died 1624. On a hill on
the other or eastern side of the railway are the Convent de la
Visitation and the Church of Lemenc. The upper church
of Lemenc is of the 13th or 14th cent., but the under church or crypt is
of the 7th cent. In the centre of the crypt is a curious baptistery, six
feet in diameter, under a peristyle. Beside it is an Entombment. In the
upper Church are the mausoleum of General Boigne and the relics of Saint
Concors, an Irish archbishop from Armagh, who died here 600 years ago.
His relics are said to have the power of working miracles on children.
In the adjoining cemetery, close to a small chapel, is the grave of
Madame de Warrens.

Excursions.—The house which Jean
Jacques Rousseau inhabited is on the height called the Charmettes, 395
ft. above and 2 m. from Chambery by a pleasant road shaded with
walnut and plane trees. It is a mere cottage. The room to the right on
entering was the dining-room. It contains in a drawer his watch,
opposite the window his bookcase, and hanging on the walls, facing each
other, the portraits of himself and of Madame de Warrens. The next room
was their sitting-room; here are his card-table and mirror. The room
above was madame’s bedroom, and the one over the dining-room Rousseau’s.
From the garden the view extends to the Dent de Nivolet, 4597 ft.,
ascended from Chambery in between 5 and 6 hrs.; guide advisable. View
not equal to that from the Dent du Chat
(p. 282). The pretty walk to the Bout du Monde, at the foot of the
Dent de Nivolet, by the bank of the Laisse and the gorge of the Doria
may be made in little more than an hour. Omnibus in 45 min. to the cold
sulphurous iodo-bromuride springs of Challes
(p. 284).

289
 


PARIS
MODANE
376
55
LES MARCHES, a
straggling village at the foot of a hill crowned by the chapel and image
of Notre Dame de Myans. To the S.W., 4 hrs. there and back, are the
Abimes de Myans, lakes between conical hillocks, formed by a partial
landslip of Mt. Granier.


PARIS
MODANE
378
53
MONTMÉLIAN,
pop. 1200. _Inn:_ Voyageurs. Junction with line to Grenoble, for
which change carriages (p. 338).

St. Pierre d’Albigny. Aiguebelle.


PARIS
MODANE
358¼
45¾
ST. PIERRE
D’ALBIGNY, 971 ft. (map, p. 291),
pop. 3300, 1½ m. from its station. _Inns:_ At station:
H. des Voyageurs. In town: Croix-Blanche; Soleil. Junction with
line to Albertville, 14 m. N.E., whence diligences to Annecy,
28 m. N., passing close by Ugine, 1755 ft., and through Faverges;
_Inn:_ Poste. Diligence also to Moutiers and Bourg St. Maurice on
the road to the Little St. Bernard, one of the easiest of the Alpine
passes (see p. 321). From St.
Pierre take the N. window of the carriage to have a proper view of the
immense cones and pinnacles of calcareous rocks, which tower in many
places almost vertically above each other. These lofty walls afford
protection from the chilling blasts to the pretty villages, vineyards,
orchards, and maize fields; which places only at a little distance from
these mountains do not enjoy. Vineyards cease a little above St. Michel,
2400 ft., but patches with vines may be seen within 3 m. of La
Praz. Up to La Praz the mountains are cultivated more or less in
terraces. Higher up the valley of the Arc they are too steep and
arid.


PARIS
MODANE
332
39
AIGUEBELLE, pop.
1100. H. de la Poste. Village close to station. Arch to Charles
Felix. The valley now begins to widen.


PARIS
MODANE
409
22
LA CHAMBRE, pop.
800, on the confluence of the Bugion and the Arc. Afterwards, to the
right, is the valley of the Glandon.


PARIS
MODANE
414½
16½
SAINT-JEAN DE MAURIENNE, pop. 3200.
_Inns:_ Europe; Cheval Blanc; Voyageurs. The cathedral, founded in
the 15th cent., contains the mausoleum of Count Humbert, and some
beautifully carved stalls. The arcades of the cloister are of alabaster,
and were constructed in 1452. In the neighbourhood are the argentiferous
mines of Rocheray and the saline thermal springs of Echaillon.


PARIS
MODANE
421
10
ST. MICHEL, pop. 3000.
A village on the Arc, 2323 ft. above the sea-level, in a hollow at the
foot of high mountains. _Inn:_ Poste, near the post office. From
St. Michel the Alpine region commences. The next station is La Praz,
6 m. from St. Michel, 3140 ft. above the sea.

290
 

Modane.


PARIS
431
MODANE STATION, 3445 ft.
above the sea, and 727 m. from London, is really part of the
village of Fourneaux. Modane is a little farther up, and the train
passes through it on the way to the tunnel. Large refreshment-room at
station. Opposite station—_Inn:_ Hôtel International, where
comfortable lodgings can be had, as well as carriages to visit the
neighbourhood. The river Arc runs by the back of the house. There are
also several restaurants. Luggage from France and Italy is examined
here. In Italy every pound of registered luggage is charged. The scenery
on both the French and Italian sides is beautiful, and the traveller
ought to endeavour to pass through it during the day.
The passage through the tunnel is done in 30 minutes. The air is at no
part disagreeable. The entrance is 492 ft. above the station, and is
reached by a winding railroad of 3-1/10 m., with a gradient of 2½
per cent. The highest part of the tunnel is 4380 ft. above the sea, and
5250 ft. below the summit of the ridge perforated.

From Modane the ascent is made of Mont Thabor, 7100 ft. higher than
Modane, in 7½ hrs., by the Col de la Saume. Descent in 6 hrs., or a
little over 5, by Bardonnecchia.


Lans-le-Bourg. Les Tavernettes.

Modane to Susa by Mont Cenis.

From Modane a carriage-road leads over the Pass of Mont Cenis to Susa, 40 m. distant
by Villarodin, pop. 220. On the right bank of the Arc up the valley is
Avrieux, where Charles the Bold was poisoned by his doctor. Near this
are passed the forts Esseillon or Bramans, connected with the road by a
steep winding path. 8¾ m. from Modane is Le Verney, where the road
crosses the Arc; 10¾ m. Solliers; to the left, the valley of the
Laisse or Doron; 16¾, Termignon, pop. 1080, and 4251 ft. above the sea,
at the confluence of the Laisse with the Arc, church with frescoes and a
curious belfry; 18 m. Lans-le-Bourg, pop. 1500, consisting
principally of inns, situated on the Arc, 4560 ft. above the sea, at the
base of Mont Cenis. After crossing the Arc the ascent of the Pass is
commenced. From Lans-le-Bourg to Susa are twenty-three houses of refuge.
At the culminating point, 6882 ft. above the sea, is the inn Ramasse.
The road now descends. 13 m. from Susa and 27 from Modane is
Les
Tavernettes, on a terrace 200 ft. above the lake, which is
1¼ m. long and 6234 ft. high, and contains good trout. This is one
of the best headquarters in the Alps for a naturalist. 10 m. from
Susa and 29½ m. from Modane is the Hospice of Mont Cenis, on the
great plateau. 2 m. farther is the hamlet of La Grande Croix, 6069
ft., on the edge of the plateau, and whence the descent becomes more
rapid. 4½ m. from Susa is the post-house of Molaret, and about
3 m. more, or 1¼ from Susa, the hamlet of Giaglione, with splendid
views and rich vegetation (Susa, see page
291).


MONT CENIS RAILWAY
St. Pierre to Courmayeur by the Little St. Bernard.
modane to susa by langlebourg


opp. 291
see caption


291
 


PART II.—MODANE TO TURIN.

See Map of Mont Cenis Railway.


TURIN
58½
MODANE. At Modane passengers enter the carriages of the Alta
Italia Railway Company.
The Italian time is 47 minutes in advance of the Paris time. The best
time-table for Italy is the “Indicatore Ufficiale delle Strade Ferrate,”
1 fr.; also a smaller edition, 20 c., sold at all the railway
stations. Waiting-room is Sala d’Aspetto. W.-C’s., Cessi, or Latrine, or
Retirate. For ladies, Cessi per le donne. Smoking carriages, Pei
fumatori. Non-smoking carriages, E vietato il fumare. Way out,
Uscita. Way in, Entrata. Station, Stazione or Fermata.


MODANE
TURIN
5
53½
BARDONNECCHIA,
4127 ft., pop. 1600. At the station the Albergo della Stazione, and in
the town the Hôtel de France.
Situated near the Italian end of the tunnel, but in a more fertile
country than that above Modane.


MODANE
TURIN
12
46½
OULX, pop. 2000, and 3514 ft.
high. _Inn:_ Dell’ Alpi Cozzié, at the station.
At this pretty little village the road from Briançon, 17 m. S.W. by
Mont Genèvre, joins the rail. The mountains, which extend from Monte
Viso to Mont Cenis, were called the Alpes Cottiae, from King Cottius,
who, according to Pliny, reigned over this region some years before the
beginning of the Christian era (Pliny, _Hist. Nat._, lib. iii. cap.
20). Cottius erected the arch of Susa, and also constructed the road
from that town over the Cottian Alps, by Oulx to Ebrodunum, now Embrun, on the Durance (see page 343).


MODANE
TURIN
21¾
36¾
CHIOMONTE, 2526 ft.
Beyond are some charming views.


MODANE
TURIN
25½
33
MEANA, 1 m. from Susa, and 325
ft. above it. The train, having traversed beautiful chestnut woods,
crosses the Dora and arrives at Bussoleno, 30½ m. from Modane,
whence a loop-line of 5 m. extends to Susa, 1625 ft., pop. 5000. _Hotels:_ France;
Soleil.
This, the ancient Segusium, the chief city of the Segusiani, who
inhabited what is now called Savoy, is situated on the Dora, 1625 ft.
above the sea. On the W. side of the town is the Roman Triumphal Arch
erected about 8 b.c. in honour of
Augustus. It is adorned with Corinthian columns and sculptured friezes
on the entablature, but all are in a decayed condition. The cathedral,
San Giusto, dates from the llth cent.

12 m. from Bussoleno and 16 from Turin is San Ambrogio station, at the
foot of Monte Pirchiriano, 3150 ft. above the sea and 1500 above the
plain. On the summit is the convent of S. Michele della Chiusa,
founded by Ugone Marino in 966, and finished in 1000. It was partially
repaired by Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emanuele II. The government
intend to establish a meteorological station here. A good mule-path
leads to the top in about an hour, passing the village of
S. Pietro, with a good inn, 2617 ft. above the sea.


opp. 293
plan of Turin

292
 

TURIN,

pop. 264,000, on the Po and the Dora Riparia, 785 ft. above the sea,
and 490 m. S.E. from Paris. The city derives its name from the
tribe Taurini, who were first the opponents and then the allies of the
Romans. When Hannibal descended from the Alps he destroyed the city,
that he might have nothing to dread from its hostility. Having risen
speedily from its ruins, it received within its walls the army of
reserve of Julius Cæsar when he marched against the Gauls. Under the
Lombards it was made the capital of a duchy, and became the favourite
residence of Queen Theodolinda, who, in 602, built the church of
S. Giovanni Battista, now the cathedral of Turin, reconstructed in
1498. Francis I. so damaged Turin in 1536 that its entire
reconstruction became necessary. The streets are wide, clean, and well
paved, and pass through spacious squares ornamented with statues and
bordered by handsome arcades. The most aristocratic part of Turin is the
western end of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. and the streets
ramifying southwards from this.

_Hotels._—The *Europa, 19 Piazza Castello.
In the same square, and less expensive, is the H. di Londra. This
piazza is in the neighbourhood of the principal sights, and is the
terminus of the most important trams. The other first-class houses are:
the *Torino, opposite the arrival side of the station. The *Liguria, 14
Piazza Bodoni, with one end to the Via Carlo Alberto. Their new house is
at 9 Via Madama Cristina, near the English chapel and the Vaudois
church. The Liguria is patronised by Messrs. Cook. The H. Feder, 8
Via S. Francesco di Paolo. At 31 and 29 Via Roma, the Angleterre;
and the Trombetta. The Albergo Centrale, Via delle Finanze; Bonne Femme
(Buona Fama), Via Barbaroux. Less expensive: H. *Suisse;
H. Bologna, both opposite arrival side of station; *France et
Concorde, Via dell’ Accademia Albertina, with one side to the Via di Po;
Albergo del Campo di Marte, 40 Via della Providencia; the Dogana
Vecchia, 4 Via Corte d’Appello; Albergo del Gran Mogol, 41 Via
Lagrange.

_Cabs._—One
horse, from 6 a.m. till midnight, the
course, 1 fr. First half-hour, 1 fr. First hour, 1½ fr. Each
successive half-hour, 75 c. The course from midnight to 6 a.m., 1¼ fr. From the central station to any part of
the town, 1¼ fr. Trunks, 20 c. each. Cabs with 2 horses, ½ fr.
additional. Porters, for carrying each portmanteau from the station to a
cab, 2 sous. Each small article, either to cab or to the railway
carriage, 1 sou.

Horse-trams traverse Turin in every direction; while the steam-trams
293
 
run from the city to the towns and villages not only within but beyond
the suburbs. The fare of the horse-trams is universally 2 sous; that of
the steam-trams from 12 sous to 3 frs. 18 sous. In the horse-trams
no more than four may occupy one seat.

Turin: Stations.

_Stations._—The most important is the
Central Station, a well-situated and well-arranged and
spacious edifice. On a tablet on the departure side is an inscription to
the honour of George and Robert Stephenson. Parallel to the station is
the wide and handsome Corso Vittorio Emanuele, which traverses the city
from east to west, having at the eastern end the Po and the Giardino
Pubblico, and at the western the model prison, the Carcere giudiziario,
the artillery barracks, and the cattle-market. In front of the station
is a bronze statue of Massimo d’Azeglio, a poet and painter, who
died in 1866, one of those who helped to throw off the yoke of Rome.
Behind the statue is the garden or Piazza Carlo Felice, and the straight
street, the Via Roma, extending to the Piazza Castello, by the Piazza
S. Carlo, with, in the centre, a bronze equestrian statue,
modelled by Marochetti in 1838, of Emanuele Filiberto, Duke of Savoy,
and son of Carlo III. il Buono. He died in 1580. The attitude is
rather theatrical. The station for Rivoli, at the west end of the Piazza
dello Statuto, communicates with the P. Castello by the Via
Garibaldi. The Cirié Lanzo station is on the Dora, N. side of plan, at
the Ponte-Mosca. Opposite the Rivoli station, in the Piazza dello
Statuto, is a monument to the engineers of Mt. Cenis tunnel, in the
shape of a pyramid, 60 ft. high, composed of huge blocks of unhewn
granite, up which scramble discomfited, colossal, naked Titans in white
marble. On the pinnacle stands the Genius of Science, of a slighter
make, and on a tablet the names of the engineers, Sommeiller, Gratoni,
and Grandi.

Turin: Post Office. Booksellers.

_Post and telegraph
offices_ are in the Piazza Carlo Alberto, by the side of the
Palazzo Carignano (p. 297).
Stamps are sold at all the tobacco shops. This piazza is close to the
P. Castello, and connected with the Via di Po by a lofty arcade,
covered with glass, and bordered on both sides with well-stocked
shops.

_Booksellers._—For maps of Italy,
Carlo Crespi, 2 Via Lagrange. For guide-books, Loescher and Brero, both
in the Via di Po.

Money-changers in the central railway station and in the principal
streets. In the main streets are also elegant Cafés, where the charge in
all of them for a good cup of coffee with a piece of ice is 6 sous. The
same price for an excellent ice cream heaped up in a glass.

_Theatres._—See list on plan. A short
way east from the central
294
 
station, in the Corso Vittorio Emanuele, is the Vaudois church, built in
1853. Adjoining are the Vaudois schools, and behind, at 15 Via Pio
Quinto, the Anglican chapel. Near the chapel is the synagogue,
a handsome edifice with square towers crowned with balloon-like
cupolas.

Turin: Sights.

_Sights._—The museums and picture gallery
(Pinacoteca) in the “Accademia delle Scienze,” with one side to the
Piazza Carignano and another to the Via dell’ Accademia delle Scienze.
Nearly opposite is the Palazzo Carignano, containing the zoological and
mineralogical collections. The white marble statue in front represents
the philosopher, Vincenzo Gioberti, born 5th April 1801 in the house
opposite, 5 Via Lagrange, where a white marble tablet states: “II Conte
Camillo di Cavour naque in questa casa, addi 10 Agosto 1810. E vi
mori il 6 Giugno 1861.” The armoury, enter by door headed “Reale Armeria
Antica” under corridor, 13 Piazza Castello; adjoining is the Royal
Palace. On the other side of the palace is the cathedral, San Giovanni.
A walk down the Via di Po. Several drives in the horsetrams. All
the above places are near each other, around the Piazza Castello. The
only one that is at a little distance is the Museo Civico, up the side
street, V. Rossini, from the Via di Po. The Superga, by steam tram
from the Piazza Castello.

Turin: Palazzo dell’ Accademia. Museum of Antiquities.

The Museum of Antiquities and the Picture Gallery.

The Palazzo dell’ Accademia delle Scienze, designed by Guarini, was
built in 1678 as a college for the sons of noblemen. It is a vast
earthy-coloured brick edifice, of which the ornaments, mouldings, and
cornices are also of dingy brick. On the ground-floor are the more
massive, and in the first story the smaller antiquities. In the second
story is the picture gallery, containing about 800 paintings in fifteen
rooms. Open daily from 9 to 4, 1 fr. On Sundays and feast-days
free, when it is open from 12 to 4. The large antiquities are contained
in two halls. Hall 1. Left. In the centre, against the wall,
under an inscription in honour of the Egyptologist Champollion, is the
gem of the collection, a black basalt statue of Sesostris,
Rameses II., 1388 b.c. On his
right, in rose-coloured granite, is the colossal statue of
Amenophis II., 1565 b.c., and on
his left a small black basalt statue of Amenophis II., the god
Ptah. Opposite are three figures in a sitting posture, representing the
Egyptian Trinity, Osiris, Horus, and Isis. At the head of this hall is
the colossal red sandstone statue of Seti II., in whose reign the
exodus of the Israelites took place. From
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this a room ramifies at right angles, containing Greek and Roman
statues, busts, friezes, vases, etc.

Parallel to Hall 1 is Hall 2. At the head of this hall, in a
sitting posture, is the black basalt statue of Thothmes III., 1591 b.c., who was one of the most powerful of
the Pharaohs.

Upstairs, first floor, are the smaller antiquities, contained in
three large halls and several rooms. Near the centre of the first hall,
left, is the oldest of all the articles in the museum, the pedestal of a
table covered with hieroglyphics, supposed to have been made about 2654
b.c. A little farther down, in
the centre of the hall, under a glass case, No. 13, is the Tabula
Isiaca, a bronze tablet, 4 ft. long by 2 ft. 2 in. wide, inlaid
with hieroglyphics in silver, made at Rome in the reign of Hadrian.
Exactly opposite this tablet commences the passage that leads to the
smaller rooms. In the first room, left, in the corner, is a colossal
bust of Juno, hollowed, that the priest might the more easily work the
oracle. In the first room, right, is a mosaic pavement, found at
Stampacci in Sardinia. The rooms contain besides Phoenician terracotta
figures, Etruscan vases, statuettes, urns, reliefs, ancient iron
ornaments, lamps, etc.

The Centre Hall contains idols, jewellery, amulets,
sarcophagi, mummies, Egyptian heads with the hair on, and bricks made by
the Israelites.

In the Third Hall are the Papyri, of which the most important
are: No. 4, near centre, against left wall, in second row, The Book
of the Dead, 35 ft. long and 8 in. wide, illustrated with plain
vignettes. Opposite, in centre of hall, is 126, fragments of the famous
annals of Manetho, which contained a list of more than 300 kings
of Egypt down to the 19th dynasty.

Turin: Picture Gallery.

In the second story is the Picture Gallery. All the paintings are
labelled. In Room 1 are portraits of princes of the house of
Savoy, and battles in which they were engaged. Room 2. In this
room are excellent specimens of the Turin painter, Gaudenzio Ferrari,
No. 49, St. Peter and Donor; 52, Madonna and St. Elizabeth; 53, God; 54,
Descent from Cross; 57, Joachim driven from the Temple. Rooms 3
and 4. Italian pictures, Massimo d’Azeglio, another Turin
painter, 90, a Landscape. Room 5. Italian paintings of the
14th, 15th, and 16th cents.: Clovio, 127 bis, an Entombment, painted on
silk; Bronzino, 127 and 128, Portraits of Eleonora da Toledo and her
husband, Cosimo I. de Medici. Room 6. J. da Ponte (II
Bassano), 148, Portrait; P. Caliari (Paolo Veronese), 157, Queen of
Sheba presenting
296
 
gifts to Solomon; A. Carracci, 158, St. Peter; Caravaggio, 161,
Musician; J. Robusti (Il Tintoretto), 162, The Trinity. Room
7. Guido Reni, 163, S. Giovanni; Spagnoletto, 174, St. Jerome.
Room 8. Enamels and paintings on porcelain by Constantin of
Geneva. Room 9. A small room entirely filled with fruit and
flower pieces by Dutch artists. Between rooms 9 and 10 is a dark lobby,
hung also with pictures. Room 10. Continuation of the Italian
school, 16th, 17th, and 18th cents.: B. Strozzi, 232, Portrait of
Prelate; 251, Homer singing his own Songs; Paolo Veronese, 234, Mary
Magdalene at our Lord’s Feet; Guido Reni, 235, Apollo; 236, Cupids;
G. Dughet (Poussin), 237, 238, Tivoli Waterfalls; G. F.
Barbieri (Il Guercino), 239, 262, *S. Francesca Romana, and in next
room, Return of Prodigal Son. Room 11. A. Canale (Il
Canaletto), 257 bis, Ducal Palace, Venice; F. Albani, 260, 264,
271, and 274, The Four Elements; S. Ricci, 272, Hagar sent away;
275, Solomon burns the Idols; C. Dolce, 276, Head of Madonna;
B. Bellotto, 283, 288, Royal Palace, Turin; Old Bridge across the
Po. Room 12. Flemish and German school: Acken (Bosch), 309, an
Adoration; G. Van Eyck, 313, St. Francis; Rogier Van des Weyden,
312, *Madonna; F. Franck, 335, Room with Ladies and Gentlemen; Van
Dyck, 338, 351, The three Children of Charles I. of England; *The
Princess Clara Eugenia of Spain; Rubens, 340, Sketch of his apotheosis
of Henri IV. in the Uffici of Florence. Room 13. Containing the
gems of the collection: A. Mantegna, 355, Virgin, Child, and
Saints; L. Credi, 356, *Virgin and Child; G. F. Barbieri
(Guercino), 357, *Virgin and Child; Hans Memling, 358, *The Seven
Sorrows of the Woman Mary; Saenredam, 361, *Interior of a Protestant
Church, the figures by A. Ostade; Van Dyck, 363, *Large equestrian
portrait of the Principe Tommaso di Savoia; his finest work is **384,
Holy Family; D. Teniers, 364, Tavern; G. Ferrari, 371, Jesus
giving up the Ghost; Raphael, 373, *La Madonna della Tenda; Donatello,
375, Virgin and child in relief on marble; Sodoma, 376, *Death of
Lucretia; P. Potter, 377, *Cattle grazing in a meadow;
H. Holbein, 386, Portrait of Erasmus. Room 14. Dutch and
German school: Picture by Jordaens; Sallaert, 398, Procession in
Brussels; Floris, 410, Adoration; P. P. Rubens, 416, Resurrection
of Lazarus; C. Vos, 417, Portraits of Snyders and his wife; Teniers
(the younger), 423, Card Players; Schalcken, 458, Old Woman. Room
15. French school: C. Gélée (Claude Lorrain), 478, 483,
Landscapes; I. Courtois (Bourguignon), 481, Cavalry Charge.
Catalogues sold of the contents of the museums and picture gallery.

297
 

Palazzo Carignano. Royal Armoury.

Museum of Zoology and Mineralogy.

Opposite the Palazzo dell’ Accademia, but a little to the left, is
the Palazzo Carignano, also by Guarini, and also of earthy-coloured
brick; but the decorations are superior, more varied, and more pleasing
than those of the Palazzo dell’ Accademia. In large gilt letters, on the
façade fronting the Piazza Carignano and the statue of Gioberti, are the
words, “Qui nacque Vittorio Emanuele II.” Within is a high and
spacious court, surrounded by lofty halls, and at the east end, fronting
the Piazza Carlo Alberto, with the beautiful bronze monument to him by
Marochetti, cast in London, is the more pretentious stone façade, built
in 1871, but not in harmony with the rest of the building. (See also
p. 293.) In this palace, magnificently
housed, are the zoological and mineralogical collections. Open daily,
1 fr. Sundays and feast-days free.

Royal Armoury.

No. 13 Palazzo Castello, open on feast-days from 11 to 3 free.
On other days procure admission from the secretary. This collection is
of great interest only to the inhabitants of northern Italy, as it is
filled chiefly with relics of their kings, dukes, and wars. In the first
room is “Favorito,” the favourite horse of the magnanimous Ré, Carlo
Alberto. Above it, near the roof, are numerous tattered flags taken in
battle. In the large hall are two rows of armed knights and
foot-soldiers. At the head of this hall, in a glass case, numbered 301,
is an embossed oval shield, inlaid with gilding, and surrounded by a
fringe of massive gold thread. On five medallions are represented, in
_alto-relievo_, scenes from the war of Marius against Jugurtha. It
belongs to the school of Giulio Romano, was executed probably in the
latter half of the 16th cent., and was presented to the university of
Turin by the Princess Vittoria di Sassonia Hilburghausen. Among the
relics are the sword worn by Napoleon at the battle of Marengo, the
saddle of Charles V., and some beautifully inlaid body-armour of
the Dukes of Savoy. The large door at the end of this hall opens into
the “Medagliere del Ré,” containing 30,000 Greek, Roman and ancient
coins and medals, including a complete series of those struck in the
State of Sardinia; and also 5000 medallions, seals and stamps. In this
same part is the Biblioteca del Ré, with 40,000 vols., 1800 MSS.,
numerous autographs, engravings and drawings by the great masters. To
visit these special permission must be obtained. From the windows of the
armoury is a view of the palace-gardens.
298
 
At the N.E. angle of the Piazza Castello is the Teatro Regio, considered
the finest work of Benedetto Alfieri. It is seated for 2500, and is open
only during carnival and on extraordinary occasions.
Turin: Royal Palace.
In the absence of the royal family the palace may be visited. It is a
plain brick building, commenced in 1646, with the front to the Piazza
Castello, plastered to imitate stone. Having passed the main entrance,
turn to the left. At the end of this corridor is seen, through a glass
door, the equestrian statue of Vittorio Amadeo I. (died 1675) in a
niche at the foot of the grand staircase. The rider is in bronze, the
horse in marble. Ascend the marble steps, then, to the right, two
flights of narrow steps lead to the hall of the palace, where the
servants will be found who show the palace. Fee, 1 fr.; party,
2 frs. After the guardroom succeeds a series of rooms with much
gilding, inlaid floors, and rich furniture. The pictures are all modern,
and of no great merit. The room called Maria Theresa’s contains some
fine china vases.

Turin: The Cathedral.

The Cathedral.

Adjoining the western end of the palace is the Cathedral San
Giovanni Battista. To the left of the altar is the pew of the royal
family. Behind the altar, and approached by two staircases of 37 steps
each, is the Cappella del Sudario (open till 9 a.m.), a circular chapel, separated from the
church by a glass screen. It was built by Guarini in 1694, and is
encrusted with the dark grayish-blue marble from Fabrosa, near Mondovi,
which brings out in striking relief the pure white of the statues and
the rich gilding of the ornaments, cornices, capitals, and eight-limbed
stars which spangle the interior. Double monolith columns of the same
dark marble, with bronze pedestals and capitals, support six arches
ornamented with diaper-work on the soffits. Above them rise six smaller
arches containing the windows, while the dome or cupola is composed of
an intricate series of interlacing zigzag arched ribs rising from the
second tier, and intermingled with loopholes, which throw light in such
a manner upon the star at the summit as to give it the appearance of
being suspended. The beautiful altar, lighted with gold and silver
lamps, has two faces, so that two masses are said before it at the same
time. The shrine on this altar is said to contain the shroud (Sudario)
in which Joseph of Arimathea wrapped the body of our Lord when he laid
Him in the tomb. Round the chapel are the beautiful white marble
monuments of three kings of the house of Savoy—Em. Filiberto (ob.
1580), by Marchesi; Carlo Emanuele II. (ob. 1675), by Fraccaroli;
and Amedeo VIII., first Duke of Savoy (ob.
299
 
1451), by Cacciatori. One prince, the Principe Tommaso (ob. 1656), by
Gaggini. In a sitting posture is the lovely statue of Queen Maria
Adelaide, consort of Vit. Em. II. (ob. 1855), by Revelli. The door
behind the altar communicates with the upper corridors of the palace.
Outside the palace gates is San Lorenzo, designed by Guarini, and
finished in 1687. The interior is gorgeous, but it is chiefly
distinguished for the boldness of its arches.


Turin: The Castello. Museo Civico.

The Castello.

The large brick building in the centre of the Piazza Castello was
erected in the 13th century, and called the Castello till 1718, when it
became the favourite residence of the widow of Carlo Emanuele II.,
Madama M. G. Battista, who built the stone façade, and in honour of
whom it has ever since been called the Palazzo Madama. Before the seat
of government was removed to Florence the senators assembled in the
great hall of this palace. One of the towers is used as an observatory,
and another part of the palace by the “Accademia reale di Medicina,” who
here hold their meetings, and have also a museum of craniology.


Museo Civico.

Via Gaudenzio Ferrari, No. 1, near the Via di Po. Open from 12 to 3,
1 fr. Sundays and feast-days free. First room, autographs and MSS.
of celebrated Piedmontese. 2. Water-colours, representing
landscapes and historical scenes in Piedmont. Under glass frame is a
solid oblong chased silver vase, 3 ft. and some inches in its greater
diameter, and 2 ft. 8 inches in its smaller. At each of the two long
ends is a lion’s head with a ring in his mouth. Near this vase, and also
under a glass frame, and also in solid silver, are two candelabra,
a vase, and two flower-holders adorned with figures in relief. The
first was presented in 1871 by the English Government, and the other by
that of the United States to the Count Frederic Sclopis, President of
the Geneva arbitration in the Alabama question, and given to this
institution by his widow. None of them display much art; as for the
English vase, it needs only a lid to turn it into a respectable
soup-tureen.

The rooms from 4 to 11 contain modern oil-paintings,
some very good, and all labelled. Down the centre are white marble
statues; among the best are Eve and the Serpent by Fantacchiotti, and
the Crucifixion of Eulalia by E. Franceschi. Second
story.—Room 12, Embroidery; 13, Miniatures and
illustrated MSS.; 14, Iron work; 15, Carving in wood and
ivory—notice 947, Judgment of Solomon; 16, Glass and
300
 
majolica; 17, Italian porcelain; 18, Busts; 19,
Small oil-paintings and uniform of Azeglio; *20, Italian painted
glass from 1300; 21, Egyptian pottery; 22, Pottery and
stone age.


Turin: Via di Po. University. Madre di Dio.

The Via di Po.

The finest of the streets is the Via di Po, which extends from
the Piazza Castello to the great rectangular square, the Piazza Vittorio
Emanuele, on the bank of the Po; and as both of these spacious squares,
as well as this magnificent street, are lined throughout with wide and
lofty arcades, they form together an excellent and interesting walk in
all weathers. The Via di Po is 768 yards long and 19½ wide, and the
pavement within the arcade 6½ yards wide. Good shops are ranged on both
sides of the street under the arcades. In the Via di Po is also the
University,
built in 1713 by Vittorio Amedeo II., but founded in 1404 by the
Prince Lodovico di Acaia. It is attended by 2500 students, and directed
by 70 professors. The Library, open every day from 9 to 4, contains
200,000 volumes and 3000 MSS. In the court are Roman bas-reliefs,
inscriptions, and statues, ancient and modern. Between the Via di Po and
the Piazza Carlo Emanuele ramifies the Via dell’ Accademia Albertina,
containing at No. 6 the Accademia Albertina delle Belle Arti. Open
daily. Apply to the custodi.

The Piazza Vittorio Emanuele is 394 yards
long and 121½ wide. In front, on the other side of the Po, is a
conspicuous church, the Gran Madre di Dio, built in 1818, in the
style of the Pantheon at Rome, by Bansignori, to commemorate the return
of Vittorio Emanuele I. to Turin after the fall of Napoleon.
A little to the right on a hill (Il Monte) is a Capuchin convent,
built towards the end of the 16th cent. The road up is very easy, and
the view from the terrace admirable. Immediately above the Madre di Dio
church is the palace, La Vigna della Regina, built by Prince Maurice of
Savoy, which after his time was inhabited by one of the queens of
Sardinia, from whom it acquired its present name, “The Queen’s
Vineyard.” It is now a government school for the education of children
of military men. Up the river, beyond the suspension bridge, is the
Castello del Valentino, distinguished from a distance by its four
pavilions with high-pitched roofs. It was built by the widow of Victor
Amadeus I., daughter of Henri IV. of France, and is now used as a
government school of civil engineering. It contains a good collection of
minerals, the larger part of which, obtained from Sardinian provinces,
are topographically arranged. The Botanical Garden belonging to
the university is also here.

301
 

Turin: Monument to Cavour.

Monuments.

In the Piazza Carlo Emanuele II., a short way S. from Piazza
Castello, is the monument to Camillo Cavour, by Dupré of Florence, for
which he received £1200, contributed by the inhabitants of every part of
Italy in 1872. The statues are in white marble, the tablets and friezes
in bronze, and the pedestal in granite. The monument is tame and mystic.
Cavour, in an upright position, holds in his hand a scroll bearing the
words, “libera chiesa in libero stato.” (See p. 294.) The climate of Turin is more suitable for
bronze than for marble statues. To the west is the Piazza S. Carlo,
with a bronze monument to Emanuele Filiberto (see p. 293). Farther west, in the Piazza Solferino, is
the remarkable, almost painful, bronze group representing Ferdinando di
Savoia (brother of V. Emanuele II.) at the battle of Novara in
1848. When about to lead the charge on the Bicocca his horse fell,
mortally wounded. The poor animal, on bended knees, with gaping mouth
and outstretched neck, seems about to breathe its last in an agony of
suffering.

A short way west from the Piazza Castello by the Via Palazzo di Citta
is the Piazza del Palazzo di Citta, having on one side the Palazzo di
Citta, or the Municipality buildings, designed by Lanfrachi, and erected
in 1659. At the entrance to the Palazzo are the marble statues of the
celebrated Prince Eugene and the Duke of Genoa, brother of King Victor
Emanuel, and under the portico statues of Prince Thomas di Carignano and
Victor Emanuel. In the centre of the square is a bronze group
representing Count Verde (Amadeus VI.) over a fallen Saracen. Close
to this square is the church of Corpus Domini, with the interior
encrusted with beautiful marble, and ornamented with frescoes and
gilding. From this the Via Milano leads towards the Piazza Em.
Filiberto, passing by on the left S. Domenico, and on the right the
Basilica. In S. Domenico, in the first chapel to the right of the
altar, is a picture of the Virgin by Guercino.

Turin: La Consolata. Cemetery.

Near the Piazza Em. Filiberto, by the Via Giulio, is the church
La
Consolata, with an ugly square brick tower. It consists of three
churches built at different periods. On the principal altar is a
miracle-working image of the Virgin; while a great part of the adjoining
walls is hung with pictures illustrating the cures and deliverances
effected by it. Two lovely kneeling figures, in the most precious
Carrara marble, looking towards the altar, represent respectively Maria
Theresa, queen of Carlo Alberto, and Maria Adelaide, queen of Vit.
Emanuele,
302
 
dressed in the same way as they used to be when they attended worship
every Sunday in this chapel. They both died in 1855. In the square
outside, on a granite column, is a statue of the Virgin, erected in
fulfilment of a vow when the cholera raged in 1835.

In the Piazza Savoia, near the Piazza dello Statuto, is an obelisk 72
ft. high, erected in 1854 to commemorate the abolition of the
ecclesiastical courts. On the four sides are the names of the towns
which contributed to the monument.

Less than a mile from the Ponte delle Benne is the cemetery or Campo Santo of
Turin. (See N.E. corner of plan.) It is badly kept and not worth
visiting. The inner or new part is a little better.

A little to the W. of the P. Solferino, and parallel to it, is the
citadel and the barracks of the Cernaia. In front of the entrance is the
monument to Pietro Mico, who, to save the citadel from the enemy, sprang
a mine at the cost of his own life.


Turin: La Superga.

La Superga.

Leave by the steam tram starting from the Piazza Castello; the
time-table is in the waiting-room, where the tickets are also sold half
an hour before starting. As the train can take only a limited number,
the tickets are generally all taken in the first 10 minutes. The tram
runs down the Via Po, crosses the Ponte Vit. Emanuele I., passes by
the western end of the church, the “Great Mother of God,” and descends
by the left side of the Po to the Cassale station, whence the ascent
commences by the rope and locomotive railway constructed by Agudio, and
opened in 1884. The ascent takes 20 minutes, the length is 3500 yards,
the average inclination 13%, and the greatest 20%. At the Superga
station are waiting-rooms, and a few feet below them a commodious
restaurant. On arriving at the station ascend by the road, right hand,
for the Superga. The walk down the mountain is very pleasant, and it is
probable that the pedestrian will fall in with some tram when on the
main road to Turin.

The Superga is situated 4½ m. N.E. from Turin, on a mountain 1420 ft.
above the Po, or 2146 ft. above the sea, and cost £100,000. It was
commenced by Vittorio Amedeo II. in 1717, and finished in 1731, to
fulfil a vow made by him on 7th September 1706, for the victory over the
French at the battle of Turin, when the house of Savoy regained the
duchy. The architect was Filippo Juvara.

Enter by door at the north side of the building, where the men will
be
303
 
found who conduct visitors over the church. Gratuity optional. The first
hall shown contains small and indifferent portraits of all the popes.
Then down 27 large marble steps to the crypt. At the foot is a white
marble group, St. Michael overcoming Satan. None of the monuments are
worthy the name of royal mausoleums. The best are: in centre, Carlo
Alberto, 1779-1849; at right hand end, Carlo Emanuele III.,
1701-1773; towards left, Duke Ferdinando de Genova, a colossal
white marble statue; at left end, Vittorio Amedeo II., the founder,
1666-1732. In an adjoining vault children under seven are buried.

From this ascend by 357 steps from floor of church to the gallery
outside the lantern. A door about 80 steps up opens into the
gallery round the interior of the octagonal dome, whence the church is
well seen. The top of the lantern is 229½ ft. above the pavement of the
church.

Turin: Views. Lamprede. Wines.

The chief object for visiting the Superga is the splendid view from
the outside gallery of the lantern. In one direction is the plain of
Piedmont with the Po wandering across it; everywhere else the horizon is
bounded by a vast chain of snowy Alps, with Monte Rosa on one side and
Mont Blanc on the other.

Among the delicacies of Turin are the lamprede, thin eels from 5 to 8 inches long, caught
in the Po. They are killed by being plunged into milk. The white
truffles are also celebrated, and when cooked “à la Piedmontese” or “à
la fonduta,” and taken with a bottle of Asti wine, make most enjoyable
dishes. The vermouth of
Turin is an agreeable aperitive, and is taken before sitting down to
table. The best wines of Piedmont are the Caluzo, a white wine; the
Barolo, a dryish red wine with a taste of the soil; the Barbera,
a strong red wine; and the Nebrolo. The Gressini are double baked
bread in strips 18 inches long and a quarter of an inch thick. In the
Italian houses a handful of them is put down to each cover at the
dinner-table. They are made at very many places besides Turin; even at
Cannes on the Riviera. A great deal of maccheroni (macaroni) is
consumed in Italy. In Turin are important silk mills.

Turin to Cuneo, 54¾ m. S., by Cavallermaggiore (see p. 153). Turin to Genoa,
103¼ m. S.E., by Asti, Alessandria, and Novi (see p. 279).
Turin to
Savona, 91¼ m. S.E., by Carmagnola, Bra, Carru, and Ceva (see
p. 183, and map
p. 27). Turin to Florence,
291 m. S.E., by Asti, Alessandria, Piacenza, Parma, Modena,
Bologna, and Pistoja (see p. 309, and map p. 199).


THE WALDENSIAN VALLEYS
and the Passes between France and Italy.

opp. 304
[Northwest] _See map, page 291._
[West] _For continuation of the French Waldensian Valleys see map, page 326._
see caption
_For S. continuation see map, page 103._


304
 

THE VALLEES VAUDOISES, OR
THE VALLEYS OF THE WALDENSES.


(See accompanying Map.)

The Waldensian valleys are very beautiful, are drained by splendid
trout-streams, and possess a rich variety of rare plants.

The chief town, Torre-Pèllice (formerly called Torre-Luserna) is 34¼
miles S.W. from Turin by rail, passing by Pinerolo, 23½ m. S.W.
from Turin, and 10¾ m. N.E. from Torre-Pèllice. From Pinerolo a
steam tram runs 12 m. N.W. up the valley of the Chisone to Perosa,
the second Waldensian town in importance. Time, 1 hr. 30 min. The tram
station is near the railway station.

Pinerolo is connected with Saluzzo by steam tram, 2 hrs. 20 min. S.,
2 frs. 15 c. and 1 fr. 55 c., passing Osasco and Cavour. This
tram station is at some distance from the Pinerolo railway station.

The Italian steam
trams run on single lines laid on one side only of the highroads.
Some towns they traverse, while others they merely skirt. They afford
excellent opportunities for seeing the country, but run neither so
quickly nor so smoothly as the railway trains.

Rail between Cuneo and Mondoví, 11½ m. E. and 58 m. S. by rail
from Turin. Mondoví, pop. 17,000, on the Ellero; _Inn:_ Tré Limoni
d’Oro. On one side of the Ellero is the railway station, and on the
other are the inn and town, built on the lower slopes of a wooded hill
rising from the river. The Via San Agostino contains the best shops. On
the top of the hill is another town nearly as large as Mondoví (see
p. 184).

The country of the Italian Waldenses consists of parts of the valleys
of Pèllice, San Martino, and Perosa or Chisone, is about 20 m. long
from W. to E. by 13 broad, is divided into 15 parishes, exclusive of the
isolated parish of Turin, and contains a population of about 25,000.
They have besides a thriving colony in Uruguay. Till Cavour in 1848
procured for Italy civil and religious liberty, the Waldenses were
confined by law to their valleys; now, however, they have spread
themselves over the best parts of Italy, while many emigrate every year
to the United States and to Uruguay. Of late mills and manufactories
have been established on their rivers, which has caused a large influx
of Piedmontese workmen, so that many Waldensian towns and villages which
up to 1848 were inhabited almost exclusively by Protestants have now a
larger population of Romanists.

These valleys are very fertile, bearing luxuriant crops of maize,
wheat, barley, potatoes, French beans, etc., intersected by long rows
305
 
of vines on high trelliswork, and studded with mulberry, apricot, peach,
apple, pear, and cherry trees, while at the base of the densely-wooded
mountains which enclose them are walnut and chestnut trees. The only
high mountain in the territory is Monte Meidassa, 10,185 ft., between
the valleys of the Pèllice and the Po, which river has its source 6625
ft. above the sea among the snowy summits of Monte Viso, 12,607 ft.,
a short way south from Monte Meidassa by either the Col dell’
Agnello or the Col Traversette, 9680 ft.

Waldensian Doctrines and
Persecutions.

The Vaudois inhabited originally not only the valleys on the E. side
of the Alps but also those of Louise, Embrun, and Barcelonnette on the
French side (pp. 344, 345), and, as
there was constant communication between them, French became the common
language, as it is still in a great measure. They consider themselves a
part of the Apostolic Church, which by its isolated position in the then
almost inaccessible ravines had escaped the early innovations introduced
by the church of Rome; albeit not altogether, for they admitted
confession by contrite prayer to God and the mention aloud of their sins
to a priest, the power of priests to bind and to loose, that sins were
of two classes, mortal and venial, and the efficacy of fasts and
penance. At the Reformation all these were swept away, and the doctrines
and church polity of Calvin adopted. The independent church of the
Waldenses, or valley-people, existed about a century before the arrival
of Pierre Valdo from Lyons in 1180. Their name is supposed to be derived
from “valle densa,” contracted into Vallenses, Valdenses, and finally
Vaudois. The first serious persecution of the Italian Vaudois was begun
at the instigation of Yolande, sister of Louis XI and wife of Amadée
IX., Duke of Savoy. By her representation Innocent VIII. in 1487
fulminated against the Waldenses a bull of extermination. Whoever killed
any of these heretics were to be absolved from promises they had made,
property wrongly obtained by them was to be rendered legal, and they
were to have a complete remission of all their sins. Persecution among
the French Vaudois commenced in the 13th cent.

Torre-Pèllice.

Torre-Pèllice, pop. 5200, _Inn:_
H. de l’Ours, good and comfortable, is situated on the Pèllice and
its affluent the Angrogna, 34¼ m. S.W. by rail from Turin,
10½ m. from Pinerolo, and 1¼ m. from the station of
Luserna-San Giovanni, pop. of both places together, 4200. Luserna is a
considerable town to the N. of the station. _Inn:_ Albergo del
Belvédère. Opposite is San Giovanni, a large unfinished-looking
village, with barracks, a “Tempio Evangelico,” and several
elementary Protestant schools.

306
 

Torre-Pèllice is a thriving town in the midst of a fertile valley
enclosed within most picturesque mountains. At the west end are the
Waldensian church, the manse, the college, and the higher school for
girls. At the other end of the town are the inn, the post and telegraph
office, the Romanist church and schools, and up by the Angrogna the
Baptist chapel and manse. On the rivers are cotton and flour mills, and
dye and calico-printing works. These establishments have attracted many
Piedmontese to the town, which, from this and other causes, have made
the Romanist population more numerous than the Protestant.

The wine made in the valley of Pèllice is principally red, and is
drunk in the second year. A beautiful walk extends up the valley of
the Angrogna to Perosa, about 6 hrs. N. by the defile of Pra de Tor,
4360 ft., and the village of Pramollo with Waldensian chapel and
schools. Pop. of the district of Pramollo, 1350.

Bobbio. Mirabouc. Col de la Croix.

Torre-Pèllice to Mont Dauphin
by Bobbio, Mirabouc, Les Granges des Pras, the Col de la Croix, La
Monta, and Abriés, 47 m. W., 16 to 17 hrs. walking. Up to Bobbio, 2838 ft, 7½ m. and 2½
hrs. walking, pop. 1520, Tempio Evangelico, _Inns:_ Camoscio, etc.,
there is nothing particular. Afterwards the valley gradually contracts
till it becomes a mere gorge, having at the entrance the ruins of
Fort Mirabouc. At Mirabouc,
4718 ft., the valley turns southward to the inn and custom-house
station, 5683 ft., about 3½ hrs. from Bobbio, where provisions and
accommodation may be had for the night. From this commences the ascent
of the Col, 7576 ft.,
17 m. from Torre-Pèllice and 30 from Mont Dauphin, commanding a
splendid view of Monte Viso. The top (with an Hospice) is nearly level,
and the descent by the French side easy. At La Chalp the track joins the
char-à-banc road leading to Mont Dauphin by La Monta, Ristolas, Abriés,
and Guillestre. (For Mont Dauphin and
Guillestre, see p. 344, and map
p. 304.)


Pinerolo.

PINEROLO.

23½ m. S.W. from Turin by rail and 10¾ m. NE. from Torre-Pèllice is
Pinerolo, 1237 ft., pop. 19,000. _Inns:_ *Couronne d’Or; Campana;
Cannon d’Oro. A handsome but rather a straggling town, with a large
Piazza d’Armi, a good promenade, several hospitals, and
representatives of the chief Italian banks. It contains besides a public
library, various colleges and schools, including one for cavalry and
another for music. The Waldenses have a chapel near the public garden,
and a school for girls and another for boys. In the Via Sommeiller is a
large seminary. The Cathedral is a handsome building, served by a large
staff of dignitaries. In the Piazzetta Santa Croce is
307
 
the Italian Alpine Club. _Cabs_—the course, 1 fr.; the
hour, 1 fr. 75 c.; each successive half-hour, 1 fr.

Perosa. Col d’Abriés.

Near the centre of the town is the terminus of the steam tram to
Saluzzo, 2¼ hrs. Near the railway station is the terminus of the steam
tram to Perosa, 12 m. N.W. from Pinerolo. Perosa, 2015 ft., pop. 2400, _Inn:_
H. National, agreeably situated on the Chisone near its junction
with the Germanasca. On the other side of the Chisone is Pomaretto, pop.
760, with a Waldensian chapel and school.

Perosa to Mont Dauphin.—There
is a post-road up the Germanasca and down the Guil, an affluent of the
Durance, to Mont Dauphin, passing by Perrero and Abriés. Abriés is 24 m. S.W. from
Perosa and on the S. side of the Col d’Abriés, and 21 m. N.E. from
Mont Dauphin. (For Mont Dauphin, see
p. 344.) About 7 m. W. from Perosa is Perrero, 931 ft, pop.
560, on the Germanasca at its junction with the Germanasca di Massello.
From this the road, still ascending the Germanasca, turns southward, and
passing by the hamlets of Pomeifre, Fontana, Gardiola, and Bonous on the
Germanasca at its junction with the Rodoretto, arrives at Prali on the
Gormanasca, 4502 ft., pop. of district 1370, about 4½ hrs. walk from
Perosa. The road from Prali passes Cugno, Ghigo, Orgiere, and Pomé to
Giordano, whence it becomes a mule-path, which at the hamlet of Ribba
separates from the path to the Pass Giuliano, 8358 ft. to the S.E., and
continues in a S.W. direction by the Germanasca to the Col d’Abriés,
8677 ft., frequented even in winter. The summit is 3 hrs. from Prali,
and the descent to the village of Abriés by the hamlet of Roux, 2½ hrs.
(For Abriés and Mont
Dauphin, see p. 344, and map,
p. 304.)

Fenestrelle. Col de Sestrières.

Perosa to
Cesanne, 28½ m. N.W. by the river Chisone, Fenestrelle,
Pragelas, and Sestrières. 9 m. above Perosa is Fenestrelle, pop. 1120,
_Inns:_ Croce Bianca; Scudo di Francia, one of the strongest
Italian fortresses on the frontier. 7 m. from Fenestrelle is
Pragelas, where the valley becomes more Alpine in character. Other
4½ m. is Sestrières, “whence the road mounts in zigzags to the
Col de
Sestrières, a nearly level plain 2 m. long, commanding
a good view of Mont Albergian. The descent is by long windings to the
level of the Dora, which is crossed to reach Cesanne, 8 m. from
Sestrières” (Ball’s _Alps_, p. 36). (For Cesanne to Briançon by Mont Genèvre, see under
Briançon, p. 333, and map p. 304.)


SALUZZO.

Saluzzo is 42¼ m. S. by rail from Turin, and 4 hrs. by steam
tram from the same city. Saluzzo is 2¼ hrs. N. from Cuneo by steam
308
 
tram, passing Cavour, pop. of district 7220. Coach daily to Paesana on
the Po, 14 m. W., fare 1½ fr.; also to Sampeyre, Albergo della
Posta, 6 hrs. S.W., on the Vraita; and to Barge, 1½ fr., _Inn:_
Lion d’Or.

The termini of the Cuneo and Saluzzo, the Pinerolo and Saluzzo, and
the Turin and Saluzzo steam trams are just within the town. The tram to
Pinerolo leaves Saluzzo near the railway station, passing by the marble
statue to the poet Silvio Pellico, born at Saluzzo in 1788,
d. 1854. Saluzzo, pop. 18,000, _Inns:_ Corona Grossa; Gallo,
is a town of considerable size, possessing great facilities for visiting
various places in the neighbourhood, either by tram, rail, or coach.

Paesana. Crissolo. Col de la
Traversette.

Saluzzo to Mont Dauphin, 65½ m. W.
by Paesana, Crissolo, Col de la Traversette, Abriés, and Queyras. Take
the coach which starts in the evening for Paesana on the Po, 1778 ft.,
with two fair inns, passing Martiniana and Sanfront. Above Paesana the
valley becomes very picturesque and the view of Monte Viso gradually
more and more imposing. After having passed Ostana, 4266 ft., the road
reaches the sanctuary of San Chiaffredo, and a little farther on is
Crissolo, 8 m. from
Paesana, 4374 ft.
Next is the Borgo, 4954 ft., the highest village in the valley of the
Po, consisting of three hamlets, the lowest having a small inn. On the
opposite side of the valley and about 1 m. farther up is the cave,
Balma Rio Martino, 5020 ft., in strata of dolomite. The valley shortly
after becomes wild and Alpine, yet enclosing two small oases—the
Pian Fiorenza,
6034 ft., and the Pian del
Ré, 6625 ft., containing in summer a rich variety of rare Alpine
plants. A little to the S.W. of the Pian del Ré is the source of
the Po. The road to the Col de la Traversette leads N.W. from the
Pian del Ré through a hollow covered with snow the greater part of the
year, whence the real ascent commences. About 300 ft. below the crest
and 9564 ft. above the sea is the tunnel, generally closed with snow,
pierced in 1480 by Ludovico II. The summit of the pass is 9680 ft. and about 4 hrs.
ascending from Crissolo. The descent into the valley of the Guil is by
the Buco di Viso. On the French side, 1897 ft. below the summit, is La
Bergerie du Grand Vallon. (See Mont
Dauphin to Saluzzo, p. 344, and map
p. 304; also Ball’s _Alps_, p. 22.)


Cuneo.

CUNEO.

54½ m. S. from Turin by rail, and 2½ hrs. S. from Saluzzo by rail, is
Cuneo, 1500 ft., pop. 1200, _Inns:_ H. Barra di Ferro;
Albergo di Superga. Steam tram to Borgo-San-Dalmazzo, pop. 4600, 45 min.
S.W.; also to Dronero on the Maira, 1¼ hr. W. (See also pp. 182 and 279.)

Cuneo to Barcelonnette, 61¼ m. W., by Borgo-San-Dalmazzo, Demonte,
Vinadio, Bersezio, the Col de Largentière and l’Arche, the frontier
village of France, with two inns. (See under Barcelonnette; Cuneo to Nice by the
Col di Tenda, see p. 182.)

309
 

Turin to Florence.

291 miles southwards by Alessandria, Piacenza, Parma, Modena, and
Bologna. Time by quick trains, 13 hours. For London to Florence, and
through tickets, see the Continental Time-tables of the London, Chatham,
and Dover Railway, 3d.


FLORENCE
291
TURIN. (For Asti, and the route as far as
Alessandria, see p. 280, and map p. 199.)


TURIN
FLORENCE
81
210
VOGHERA, pop. 10,000, on
the Staffora. _Hotel:_ H. Italia. Branch to Pavia, 17 m.
N., and Milan. Between Voghera and the next station, Casteggio, is on
the right Montebello, where the battle took place, 9th June 1800, which
preceded that of Marengo by five days.

Piacenza. Cathedral.


TURIN
FLORENCE
117
174
PIACENZA, pop. 36,000,
on the Po. _Hotels:_ S. Marco; Italia; Croce Bianca.
_Cabs_—the course, 1 horse, 70 c.; 2 horses, 1 fr. For
the first hour, 1 horse, 1 fr. 50 c.; 2 horses, 1 fr.
80 c.

In the middle of the town is the square called the Piazza de’
Cavalli, from the two bronze equestrian statues of Duke Alexander
Farnese and his son Duke Ranuccio. On one side is the church of
S. Francesco, and on the other the Palazzo del Governo, and
opposite it the picturesque Palazzo del Comune, begun in 1281.
The portico underneath is used as a market. The upper part of the
building is of red brick with handsome windows. The principal street,
the Strada Diritta, leads to the Cathedral (1122-1233), containing some
admirable paintings. In the interior the arches are round, but the ribs
of the roof meet at an angle. At the 3d altar is a picture, by
A. Sirani, of the Ten Thousand Martyrs; at the 4th a painting of
the Death of a Saint. In the right transept is an altar-piece, Three
Saints, by Calisto di Lodi, and on the ceiling frescoes by Agostino and
Lodovico Carracci, in Correggio’s style. The Coronation of the Virgin is
by Procaccini. The Cupola is divided into eight compartments; six
of them were painted by Guercino, with figures of prophets and sybils;
the other two figures were by Morazzone. Below are four allegorical
paintings by Franceschini. The roof of the crypt under the church rests
on 100 columns. S. Antonino (the former cathedral) was commenced in
the 10th cent., and restored in 1562. The curious vestibule and the
massive columns bearing the tower are relics of the earlier edifice. At
the W. end of the town is Sa. Maria di Campagna, famous for
paintings by Pordenone. On
310
 
the left of the chief entrance is a fresco by him of St. Augustine and
five Angels; in the 1st chapel left are two large frescoes, the Nativity
of the Virgin and the Adoration of the Magi. Crossing the transept we
have on the left the “Marriage of St. Catharine,” the faces being
portraits of the Pordenone family, and a fine fresco also by him,
representing the dispute of St. Catharine. By him are likewise the
frescoes in the eight compartments of the cupola; those in the
pendentives are by B. Gatti. The most highly decorated church is
_S. Sisto_ (built in the 16th cent.), with an Ionic atrium.
Raphael’s Madonna, now at Dresden, was taken from S. Sisto.

The _Palazzo Farnese_ is a great, unfinished, building, begun in
1558 by Margaret of Austria, now used as barracks. The Mandelli palace,
now the Prefettura, has a handsome façade. 24 miles to the south of
Piacenza is the site of _Velleia_, a town which was
overwhelmed by a landslip in the 3d cent. Many interesting objects have
been obtained there; which have been deposited in the museum of Parma.
In the vicinity are emanations from the ground of carburetted hydrogen
gas, which takes fire on the application of a flame.

Parma. Museum.


TURIN
FLORENCE
153
138
PARMA, pop. 46,000, on the
Parma. _Hotels:_ Albergo Centrale; Croce Bianca; Leone d’Oro.
Parma, although founded by the Boii, and conquered by the Romans 183
b.c., is a neat clean town of modern
appearance, surrounded by bastioned walls. The most important of the
edifices is the Palazzo Ducale, forming, with the _Palazzo
Farnese_, a large unsymmetrical assemblage of buildings in the
Piazza del Corte behind the Piazza Grande. In the Ducal Palace is a
collection of paintings belonging to the French school. In the Farnese
are the Museum of Antiquities, the Picture-Gallery, the Library, and the
Farnese Theatre, now in a ruinous condition. It was built in 1620, in
the time of Duke Ranuccio, and for many years was the scene of splendid
spectacles and grand public entertainments.

_The Museum of
Antiquities_ embraces a small collection, in four rooms, of Roman
altars, bronzes, busts, and mosaics, principally from Velleia and Rome.
Among the most remarkable, are “The Theft of the Tripoid,” in 1st room.
In the 2d room, a statuette of Hercules intoxicated, and the
“Tabula alimentaria,” a rescript of the Emperor Trajan, relating to
the support of certain poor children. In 4th room, a bust of Maria
Louisa, the first Napoleon’s second wife, by Canova. Higher up on the
same staircase is the _Library_, with 150,000 volumes, and some
thousands of MSS., in several large galleries and halls, at the end of
one of which is Correggio’s fresco of the Coronation of the Virgin.

311
 

Parma: Picture-Gallery—Correggio.

_The
Pinacoteca_ is on the same floor of the palace as the library,
and is open daily during the same hours. The collection is not large,
but is remarkable for the number and value of Correggio’s pictures. In
selecting the best pictures, we shall arrange the names of the painters
alphabetically to facilitate reference.

_Annibal Caracci._—Pietá. _Lodovico
Caracci._—Funeral of the Virgin; the Apostles at the tomb of
the Virgin (two large pictures). _Cima da Conegliano._—Two
very good pictures. (Correggio.)—1. The Madonna della
Scala, a fresco. 2. The Flight into Egypt, known as the Madonna
della Scodella, from the dish in the Virgin’s hand. 3. _The Madonna
with St. Jerome_, sometimes called Il Giorno, from its bright
daylight effect and in contrast with La Notte at Dresden—this is
Correggio’s best picture here, perhaps it is the best picture he ever
painted on canvas, and it is universally considered one of the marvels
of art. The letters A. A. (Antonio Allegri) are worked into the silk
that covers the walls of the cabinet. 4. The Martyrdom of St. Placidus
and St. Flavia (such subjects are not agreeable, however skilfully
treated). 5. The Entombment. 6. Christ carrying his Cross (some critics
think this to be a work of Anselmi, others that it is an early
production of Correggio). 7. A Portrait attributed to him. (On the
walls of some of the rooms are the drawings that were made for Toschi
the engraver from Correggio’s frescoes at Parma.) _Albert
Durer._—Man with a Skull. _Francesco
Francia._—Descent from the Cross; the Virgin enthroned with
Saints; the Virgin with the Infant and St. John (most charming).
_Garofalo._—Virgin and Child in the clouds, with a landscape
below. _Giovanni di San Giovanni._—A Singing party.
_Murillo._—St. Jerome. _Parmegianino._—The
Marriage of St. Catharine (an exquisite picture); Marriage of the
Virgin; Portrait of a Man with a music book (marked “incerto” on the
frame). _Fra Paola da Pistoia._—Adoration of Magi.
_Pordenone._—Portrait of a Man with an open book.
_Raffaello(?)._—Christ in the clouds with the Virgin and St.
John, and Saints below (it is by no means certain that this is a work of
Raffaello). _Giuseppe Rosa._—Landscape with Cattle.
_Lionello Spada._—Fortune-telling, three figures; Marriage of
St. Catharine. _Spagnoletto._—Twelve pictures of Saints.
_B. Schidone._—The Entombment; the Maries at the Sepulchre;
Virgin, Child, and St. John. _Vandyck._—Virgin and Child;
Portrait of an Old Lady. _Velasquez._—Portrait of a Man in a
black dress (there are other portraits ascribed to him). _L. da
Vinci._—Sketch of a Female Head. _Zuccarelli._—River
Scene.

_The Ducal Garden_, open daily to the public, is on the other
side of the river, and may be reached from the palace by a bridge called
the Ponte Verde. It is a large piece of ground, laid out in a formal
style; but when its chestnuts, limes, and acacias, are in leaf, it
affords a pleasant promenade. Within the grounds is a palace called
Palazzo di Giardino. The _Botanic Gardens_ are at the other side of
the town,
312
 
near the citadel. The broad road near it, called the Stradone, is
planted with trees, and is a favourite place of resort for the
town’s-people, both in carriages and on foot.

Parma: Cathedral.

By a narrow street leading east from the Ducal Palace is the Cathedral,
a good specimen of Italian Gothic, built in the 13th and 14th
cents. The portals are adorned with lions, by B. da Bisoni, 1281. In the
interior, along the top of clustered articulated columns, runs an
elegant triforium, and over it extends a lofty elliptical roof, painted
by G. Mazzola. The choir is above the level of the nave. Within the
great door, left side, is a portrait of Correggio, and on the other, one
of Parmegianino. _The cupola_ was painted by _Correggio_
(1526-30), with frescoes representing the _Assumption of the
Virgin_, but they are in a ruined state. Those on the vault of the
right transept were by a son of Correggio, while those on the left
transept were by Orazio Sammachini. In the Capella dei Canonici, on the
right side of the church, at the foot of the choir-steps, is an
altar-piece by B. Gatti; and near it a poor bust of Petrarch, with
an inscription recording that he was archdeacon here. Beneath the choir
is a spacious crypt, supported by thirty-four marble columns. On the
walls of the sacristy are frescoes of the 14th century, and intarsias by
L. Biancho.

Parma: Baptistery. S. Giovanni.

The _Baptistery_ is a lofty octagonal building
(1196-1281), with four deeply-recessed doorways, enriched with
bas-reliefs. The four tiers of open galleries with columns, and a fifth
tier of engaged arches, the pinnacled canopies at the top, and the ring
of fantastic carvings below, combine to render this one of the most
remarkable buildings of its class in Italy. In the interior there are
two tiers of galleries, some rude sculpture, and a profusion of fresco
painting—old, but not of much value. At the middle is a great
font, hewn out of one piece of marble, and having in the centre a place
where the priest could stand, protected from the water, whilst he
immersed the child. The font at which the Parmesans are now baptised is
at one side, ornamented with carvings, and supported by a marble lion.
S.
Giovanni Evangelista (1510), a church standing near the
cathedral, and much visited on account of the _frescoes painted by
Correggio_ (1520-25) _in the cupola_; they represent the Vision
of St. John, and, though blackened and badly lighted, they are
fortunately in a better condition than those in the cathedral. The
figures are on a large scale, and include the Evangelists and the
Fathers of the Church, who look with astonishment at the glory above.
Correggio also painted in grey the decorations of the vault of the
sanctuary; and over the door of the sacristy in the left transept a
fresco of St. John.
313
 
In the 1st chapel to the right of the principal entrance is a good
painting of the Modenese school, and the monument of
Sanvitale-Montenuovo; in the 2d an Adoration of the Shepherds, by
Giacomo Francia (the painter’s portrait is seen in the old man to the
left); in the 6th chapel is a copy of Correggio’s “Night,” now at
Dresden. On the arches of the 1st and 2d chapels on the left of the
entrance are much-damaged _frescoes by Parmegianino_ (four
subjects); and in the 6th chapel is a picture, by Anselmi, of Christ
with his Cross. The white marble holy-water fonts deserve notice. In the
adjoining _convent_ (now used as barracks) is a damaged fresco of
two children by Correggio.

Parma: S. Paolo—Correggio.

Near the Piazza Grande is the church of the _Madonna della
Steccata_, from designs by F. Zaccagni in 1521. The best
frescoes are by Parmeggianino, Moses breaking the Tables of Stone, Adam
and Eve, and the Virtues, on the archway of the choir. On the vault over
the high altar a Coronation of the Virgin, by Anselmi. Gatti painted the
cupola. The wooden pulpit combines elegance with simplicity. A good
Madonna in corner chapel left of main entrance. Near the Piazza di Corte
is the church of S. Lodovico, and adjoining it the suppressed
Convent of
S. Paolo, now a school. In this small building are the best
preserved works of Correggio, painted for the abbess of the convent
on the walls and ceiling of this her reception-room. The subject is
Children, or Amoretti, represented as being seen through the openings of
a bower or piece of trellis-work. Their varied attitudes are most
charmingly portrayed. Diana herself, whose Triumph is thus depicted, is
painted over the fireplace. Below the principal subjects are smaller
figures in grey. The frescoes in the next room are by Araldi. The
custodian is generally to be found in the picture-gallery.

The famous Parmesan cheese is made chiefly in dairies around Milan,
Lodi, and Pavia, and is called Formaggio di grana, because commonly used
in a granular form with soup. 17½ miles S.E. from Parma is Reggio Emilia (pop.
24,000). _Hotels:_ Posta; Cavaletto. _Cabs_—80 c. the
course; 1½ fr. the hour. _Sights_—Cathedral; house of
Lodovico Ariosto, born here 1474. His _Orlando Furioso_ went
through sixteen editions in the 16th cent. 9 m. N.E. is Correggio,
the birthplace of the great painter Antonio Allegri, called Correggio.
To the Castle of Canossa and back, 14 frs.

Modena. Cathedral.


TURIN
FLORENCE
185¼
105¾
MODENA, pop. 31,000.
_Hotels:_ Reale; San Marco; Italia. Their omnibuses await the
trains. _Cabs_—one horse, 80 c. the course, 1 fr. 50 c.
the hour; 2 horses, 1 fr. the course, 1 fr. 70 c. the
hour.

Modena (_Mutina_, Lat.), the capital of the former duchy of
Modena,
314
 
is a clean and well-built town surrounded by ramparts, some of which
serve the inhabitants as promenades. The country around is flat and
fertile. A canal connects the town with the Panaro,
a tributary of the Po, by which means water communication with the
Adriatic is obtained.

The Cathedral, begun in 1099, is in the centre
of the city. Its exterior is irregular, and encumbered with houses. The
principal façade is small but pleasing, with a large rose window and
three doorways. On the side next the Piazza Grande is a handsome porch,
with columns resting on rudely-carved lions of red marble. The interior,
though low, and destitute of paintings of merit, is interesting,
especially for the sub-choral chapel, with a roof supported by many
marble columns. At the entrance of this chapel is a group of lions, and
in one corner life-size figures in coloured terra-cotta, by Begarelli,
representing the Nativity. In the church notice the holy-water fonts,
which look as if they were the hollowed capitals of ancient columns, and
the stone pulpit with bas-reliefs. On the right side of the choir are
some curious old bas-reliefs, including one of the Last Supper; and on
the left side of the choir is the mausoleum of the last Duke of the
house of Este in the male line, died 1803. The _Campanile_, one of
the finest in Italy, 315 feet high, was erected in the 13th and 14th
cents. It received the name of Ghirlandina from its vane being
ornamented with a bronze garland.
Modena: Ducal Palace.
At the head of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele is the Ducal Palace,
an immense pile, containing the Picture-Gallery, occupying several halls
in the upper stories, with an entrance on the north side. It is open
daily from 9 to 4. The collection comprises between 500 and 600
pictures, amongst which, though there are no _chefs d’œuvre_, are
many good ones. The gallery once ranked high amongst Italian galleries,
but towards the end of the last century 180 pictures were sold,
including five Correggios, to the King of Poland (they are now at
Dresden); and the Duke when expelled in 1860 took away with him a few
more of the best. In two of the rooms are glazed cases full of drawings
and sketches by the old masters. Amongst them is a drawing in sepia for
Tintoretto’s masterpiece, the Miracle of St. Mark at Venice. In a room
kept locked, but which the custode will open on application, are some
interesting cabinets (one designed, it is said, by B. Cellini,
another of amber, a third of tortoise-shell); also bronzes, carving
in wood and ivory, majolica, enamels, etc. Amongst other curiosities is
a “Presepio,” with numerous figures in coral, the metal work being of
silver.

The _Library_, on the same staircase as the
Pinacoteca, contains
315
 
about 100,000 printed books (including 2500 quattrocentisti) and 3000
MSS. placed in several halls, one of which is very large. Also a few
Roman and Etruscan antiquities, and the series of coins and medals
struck at Modena. In the suppressed convent of S. Agostino, near
the gate of that name, is the Museo Lapidario. Among the articles is a
block of stone obtained from the ancient Via Mutina, at a depth of 18
feet below the surface. On the other side is a collection of mediæval
tombs. In the church of St. Agostino is a terra-cotta group, by
Begarelli, of the Entombment. M. Angelo spoke very highly of this
artist’s works.

The _Ducal Garden_ is a prettily laid out piece of ground, which
is open to the public daily from the early morning to the evening.

Bologna.


opp. 316
plan of Bologna


TURIN
FLORENCE
208¼
82¾
BOLOGNA, pop. 91,000.
_Hotels:_ Brun; Italia; Bologna; Aquila Nera; del Pellegrino; Tre
Re; Venezia; Commercio. _Restaurants:_ Stelloni; Felsineo.
Omnibuses from the hotels meet the trains. _Cabs_—one horse,
the course, 75 c.; by the hour, 1 fr. 50 c. To or from the railway
station, without luggage, 1 fr.

Bologna is a walled city, with twelve gates, situate on a fertile
plain near the foot of the Apennine range. The Bolognese school of
painting is called the Scuola Caraccesca, from its founders, Lodovico
Carracci (b. 1555, d. 1619), and his two cousins Annibale
(b. 1560, d. 1609) and Agostino, a man of erudition, who
furnished the general plan of the pictures. Their most distinguished
pupils were Guido Reni (b. 1575, d. 1642), Domenichino
(b. 1581, d. 1641), Lanfranco (b. 1581, d. 1647), G.
Barbiere, called Il Guercino, from his squinting (b. 1590,
d. 1666), Michel-Angiolo da Caravaggio (b. 1569,
d. 1609), and Carlo Cignani (b. 1628, d. 1719);
Bologna: Picture-Gallery.
beautiful specimens of whose works are to be seen in the various
churches, but especially in the picture-gallery of the “_Accademia delle Belle
Arti_,” situated at the north-east end of the town, near the
Porta S. Donato (see plan). It occupies eight rooms of the first
floor, contains 360 paintings, all bearing the names of the artists, and
is open from 9 to 3. Free on Sundays. The gem is St. Cecilia, by
Raphael.

The other best works are:—12. _Guercino_.—St. William;
13, St. Bruno; 15. St. John the Baptist; 18. St. John the Evangelist.
26. _Bugiardini_.—Marriage of St. Catharine. 34. _Agostino
Caracci_.—Last Communion of St. Jerome, one of his finest
paintings; 35. Assumption. 36. _Annibale Caracci_.—Virgin and
Child, with Angels and Saints; 37 Virgin enthroned, with Saints. 39, 40.
_Lodovico Caracci_.—Assumption;
316
 
42. Saints (Bargellini portraits) adoring the Virgin and Child; 43.
Transfiguration; 44. Calling of St. Matthew; 46. St. John the Baptist;
47 to 53. Pictures by the same artist. 70. _M.
Desubleo_.—Christ appearing as a Pilgrim to St. Augustine. 75.
_Lavinia Fontana_.—St. Francis de Paul. 78. _Fr.
Francia_.—Virgin and Saints (1490), extremely fine; 79.
Annunciation; 80. Virgin and Saints; 81. Virgin and Saints. There are
several other unnumbered pictures by this master on frames. 84.
_Giacomo Francia_.—Virgin and Saints; 85. Virgin and Saints.
89, 90. _Innocenzio da Imola_ (an imitator of
Raffaello).—Virgin and Saints. 122. _Nicola da
Cremona_—Descent from the Cross.. 134.
_Guido_.—Madonna with the Protectors of Bologna; 135.
Massacre of the Innocents; 136. Crucifixion; 137. Samson with the Ass’s
Jawbone; 138. The Virgin of the Rosary (this is on silk, and was carried
in processions); 139. Bishop Corsini; 143. Portrait of a Carthusian.
152. _Raphael_.—St. Cecilia,
with other Saints, listening to the Music of the Angels (the instruments
of secular music lie broken on the ground). This celebrated composition,
painted in 1515, is well known from copies and engravings. 175.
_Elisabetta Sirani_.—St. Anthony of Padua; 176. Madonna. 181.
_L. Spada_.—Melchisedec blessing Abraham. 183.
_Tiarini_.—St. Catharine of Alexandria. 197.
_Perugino_.—Virgin and Saints. 204. _Timoteo delle
Vite_.—Magdalene. 206. _Domenichino_.—Martyrdom of
St. Agnes; 207. Madonna of the Rosary; 208. Martyrdom of St. Peter of
Verona (the same subject as that treated by Titian in a picture lately
burnt at Venice). 212. _Unknown_.—Sleeping Child. 291.
_Desubleo_.—St. John the Baptist. 292. _Innocenzio da
Imola_.—Virgin and Saints. 294.
_Bugiardini_.—Madonna. 360. _Aluno_ (_Nicolo da
Foligno_).—Virgin and Saints (given to the Gallery by Pius
IX.)

In the same building is a collection of old arms and armour
(_Oploteca_), and on the ground-floor a few good modern pictures.
A collection of original drawings is preserved in the library.

Bologna: University. S. Giacomo.

Nearly opposite the Accademia is the University, with about 430
students, directed by 59 professors, of whom, among the most famous,
have been Galvani, the first that observed the phenomena of Galvanism,
Laura Bassi, a lady professor (d. 1778), and Giuseppe
Mezzofanti (d. 1849), who spoke fluently upwards of forty-two
languages. From the tower is a good view of the town. Attached to the
University is a Museum of Antiquities and a Library. The Geological
Museum is in a separate building. From the University, walking towards
the leaning towers, we pass, in the Strada Donato or Luigi Zamboni (see
plan), the oratory of St. Cecilia, the church of S. Giacomo, and (14) the Palazzo
Maloezzi-Medici; and shortly after, stand below two of the peculiar kind
of watch-towers used in Italy during the middle ages.

_S. Giacomo Maggiore_ was built in 1267, but subsequently
restored. In the 6th chapel right is a fine work by Bart. Passarotti,
the Virgin
317
 
on a Throne, with Saints; in the 7th, Prospero Montana’s St. Alexis; in
the 8th, Innocenzo da Imola’s Marriage of St. Catharine; in the 11th,
three pictures by Lor Sabbatini; in the 12th, two frescoes by Pellegrino
Tibaldi, the Baptism in the same chapel is by P. Fontana. At the
end of the church, to the left of the altar, is the Bentivoglio chapel,
with Francesco Francia’s best work, a “Madonna,” the lunette above
by Giacomo Francia. The 5th, 7th, and 10th chapels, on the left side of
the church, contain good pictures, and in the 9th is Samacchini’s
Presentation in the Temple, which was engraved by Agostino Caracci.

Bologna: The Two Towers.

In St. Cecilia are frescoes representing the legend of St. Cecilia
and St. Valerian, by F. and G. Francia, Costa and Amico Aspertini.
During the French occupation they were considerably damaged. At the
commencement of the Strada Donato are the Two Towers (28 in plan), seen from a great
distance. The taller, the _Torre degli Asinelli_, commenced in
1109, is 272 feet high, with an inclination of 3½ feet, and ascended by
a rickety dirty staircase of 447 steps to the summit, whence there is
the best view of the town. The Torre Garisenda, commenced in 1110, is
139 feet high, with an inclination of 8½ feet. From the towers, the
Mercato di Mezzo leads W. to the _Piazza Vittorio Emanuele_, with,
on the S. side, the church of S. Petronio; on the N., the Palazzo
del’ Podesta; on the E., the Pal. dei Banchi; and on the W., the Pal.
Pubblico, an immense edifice, commenced in 1290, consisting of various
buildings thrown together. In front is the Fountain, by Laureti, adorned
with a statue of Neptune, by Bologna.

Bologna: S. Petronio.

S.
Petronio, commenced in 1390, but still unfinished, is of brick,
and in the pointed arched Gothic style. The doorways of the façade are
remarkable works; the middle one was by Jacopo della Quercia (1425). In
the interior, notice on the right side the stained glass of the 4th
chapel; Sansovino’s statue of St. Anthony of Padua, and Treviso’s
grisaille pictures relating to that saint in the 9th chapel; the windows
are said to be from M. Angelo’s designs; in the 11th chapel,
a bas-relief, an Assumption, by Tribolo, with Angels at the sides,
attributed to Properzia de’ Rossi, a Bolognese lady (d. 1535),
who was at once painter, sculptor, engraver, and musician. The campanile
is over this chapel. The large fresco of the choir is by Franceschini.
On the floor of the left aisle is the meridian line traced by Cassini in
1652. In the 1st chapel, on this side, is some modern Milanese glass; in
the 7th, a Madonna, by L. Costa; and in the 10th, Sa. Barba,
by Tiarini. At the southern end of the church is (29 in
318
 
plan) the Biblioteca Comunale, in the building called the Archiginnasio
Antico, originally the University, before it was removed to its present
edifice. Besides the Library, open daily from 10 to 4, it contains a
valuable Museum of Antiquities. Between S. Petronio and
S. Stefano are (17) the _Pal. della Mercanzia_, the Chamber of
Commerce, erected in 1294; (18) the Pal Pepoli, 1344; and (9) the
Casino. 
Bologna: Santo Stefano.
Santo Stefano is a combination of ancient churches, chapels, and
courts, on the site of a temple dedicated to Isis. Enter first the
Church of the Crucifix, so named from the old painting at the great
altar. In the 1st chapel on the right is a picture by Muratori; in the
2d on the left St. Elisabetta, by Gessi. Then pass through a small
chapel into the circular chapel styled San Sepolchro, which contains the
tomb of St. Petronius, with curious carvings, and a miraculous well,
considered to have healing virtues. This building is thought to have
been formerly the baptistery of the next chapel (originally, perhaps,
the principal chapel), dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul. From a small
court, called the Atrium of Pilate, from its alleged resemblance to that
at Jerusalem, we gain access to the chapel of the Trinity, which
contains four marble columns said to have belonged to the temple of
Isis, and some pictures by Tiarini and others. There are ancient mural
paintings in the sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation; and in
the subterranean chapel of the Confession, a broken column is shown
which is said to afford the measure of the Saviour’s height. After
visiting a cloister, where the columns show much variety of form, we
have made the complete tour of this singular labyrinth of buildings,
which are of great interest to the ecclesiologist. Behind Santo Stefano
in the Strada Maggiore are (beginning at the leaning-towers’ end, see
plan), 2, S. Bartolommeo; 23, the Pal. Zampieri; 24 is the house of the
celebrated composer Rossini, built by him in 1825. On the opposite side
is the church Ai Servi, and No. 13 the Pal. Hercolani, once famous for
its collection of pictures.
Bologna: San Bartolommeo.
Palazzo Zampieri. San Domenico.
_San Bartolommeo_, built in 1653, has
some fine marbles and rather a gaudy dome. In 4th chapel right an
“Annunciation,” by Albano. The paintings behind the high altar are by
Franceschini. In the left transept, an oval picture of the Madonna, by
Guido. The Latin inscription on the wall relates how it was returned
from London in 1859. _Palazzo Zampieri_ (admission, ½ fr.),
although deprived of most of the pictures, still retains the admirable
frescoes by Agos. Annibale, and Lod. Caracci and Guercino. The church of
_Ai
Servi_, built 1393, has a fine interior, with thin columns. In
the 2d chapel left is a “Touch-me-not,” by Albano; and in the 4th,
a St. Andrew, also by him. In the 6th chapel an “Annunciation” by
Inno da
319
 
Imola. South from the principal square is (No. 1 in plan) the church of
S.
Domenico, attached to a convent where St. Dominic lived and
died. The church dates from the 12th cent., but restored in the 18th.
Interior—2d chapel right, Miracle of Ferrerio, by D. Creti.
Right of south transept—the splendidly decorated chapel of _St.
Dominic_, with his sarcophagus ornamented with bas-reliefs, by Nic.
di Pisa. The garlands and statuettes were by Nic. di Barri (Arca), 1469.
The kneeling angel on the right, and St. Petronius, over the
sarcophagus, were by Michael Angelo in his youth. The base of the tomb,
with its bas-reliefs illustrating the life of the Saint, was not added
until 1532, a work of Alfonso Lombardi. On the beautiful ceiling of
the chapel is a fresco by Guercino, “The Transformation” of St. Dominic.
The painting of the Saint burning Heretical Books (on the left wall) is
by L. Spada; that of the Saint recalling a Child to Life is by
Tiarini. In a chapel on the right side of the high altar is the Marriage
of Saint Catharine, by Filippino Lippi. The Adoration of the Magi at the
high altar is by Bart. Cesi. In the left transept should be noticed the
tomb of a Pepoli (1348), and on the wall a portrait of St. Thomas
Aquinas, considered here an accurate likeness, though painted 100 years
after the death of the saint.
Bologna: Guido’s Tomb.
Opposite St. Dominic’s chapel, and in the north transept, is the chapel
of the Rosary, containing in the centre, under a slab, the grave of
Guido Reni (b. 1575; d. 1642). Near him lie the remains of his
favourite lady pupil, Elizabeth Sirani, who, with her master and the
Caracci, executed the small paintings which adorn the frame of the
reredos of the altar in this chapel.

Bologna: San Pietro.

Directly north from the Palazzo Pubblico is S. Pietro, rebuilt in 1605,
containing, on the arch above the high altar, an Annunciation, the last
painting by Lodovico Caracci, who died a few days after finishing it.
Near S. Pietro is a small church Madonna di Galleria, with, in 1st
chapel left, St. Philip Neri, by Guercino, and in the next, a fine
Albani. N.E. from S. Pietro is S. Martino, 1217, restored. In
the 1st chapel right, Giorlanno da Carpi’s Adoration of the Magi; and in
the 5th chapel on the left side is an Assumption, attributed to
Perugino; in the next, a St. Jerome, by L. Caracci; and in the
chapel next the entrance, Madonna and Saints, by F. Francia. Old
monuments in the cloisters. East from the leaning-towers is
S. Vitale, consecrated in the fifth cent., and lately restored. At
the 2d altar, right, is a Flight into Egypt, by Tiarini; in a large
chapel on the left, Angels, with a beautiful landscape, by
F. Francia; and at the first altar in the body of the chapel on the
left, an Adoration of the Infant in Perugino’s manner.

320
 

ENVIRONS OF BOLOGNA.

Beyond the Porta Maniola are the convent and church of the Annunziata. In
the 2d, 3d, and 4th chapels of the church are three pictures by
L. Costa, and in the Chapel of the Sacrament a Madonna by Lippo
Dalmasio. In the choir is a very fine work by Fr. Francia (1500), and in
the sacristy an Entombment by Giacomo Francia.

Madonna di S. Luca. The Certosa.

Beyond the Porta di Saragossa is the much-visited church of the
Madonna di
S. Luca, on the top of a hill commanding a beautiful view.
It is approached by a portico of 640 arches, which begins just beyond
the gate, and extends to the church, a distance of nearly 3 m.
This portico was begun in 1672, but many years elapsed before it was
finished. The church derives its name from possessing a picture reputed
to have been painted by St. Luke. The best pictures have been removed
from the church. Outside the same gate is the Certosa, formerly a
Carthusian convent, now a cemetery. The church contains some pictures,
and the chains of some Algerine slaves with the amount of ransom
attached to each.

269¾ m. from Turin and 21¼ from Florence is Pistoja (see p. 231), and 291 m.
from Turin is Florence (see p. 233).


St. Pierre to Courmayeur by the
Little St. Bernard.

(74 m. N.E. See Map, page 290.)


COURMAYEUR
74
ST. PIERRE D’ALBIGNY (see p.
289), 15 m. S.E. from Chambery, and 45½ m. N.W. from
Modane.


ST. PIERRE
14
60
ALBERTVILLE, pop.
5000 on the Arly, and 1180 ft. above the sea. _Inns:_ Million;
Balances. A diligence runs between Albertville and Annecy,
22 m. N.

22
52
LA ROCHE
CEVINS, pop. 1000. _Inns:_ Croix Blanche; Lion d’Or. Hidden
and sheltered behind a great rock which closes the valley. 2 m.
beyond is the defile Pas de Briançon.


ST. PIERRE
COURMAYEUR
31
43
MOUTIERS, pop. 2100, and
600 ft. above the sea-level, on the confluence of the Doron with the
Isère. _Inns:_ Couronne; Courriers. One mile from the town is the
Roc du Diable, rising to the height of 8200 ft. At the base are the salt
springs, utilised both
321
 
by salt-works and a bathing establishment. From Moutiers the road
extends up a narrow and picturesque defile, following the course of the
Isère, past St. Marcel, pop. 500, then ascends to the summit of a rock
called the Detroit du Ciel, 945 ft. above the bed of the river, where
the valley is only 145 ft. wide; and after this enters a rich plain with
the village of Centron. On the opposite side of the river is Mont Jovet,
8375 ft., commanding a splendid view. Then, after passing the village of
Villette, pop. 500, we reach

Aime. Seez.


ST. PIERRE
COURMAYEUR
41
33
AIME, pop. 1100, and 2385 ft.
above the sea-level. _Inn:_ Petit St. Bernard. This, the “Forum
Claudii et Axuma,” possesses remains of extensive Roman fortifications,
and a very ancient church called St. Martin, built of stones from Roman
buildings. 4 m. beyond is Bellentre, pop. 1100, on the Isere, where
the culture of the vine ceases. The Pass of the Little St. Bernard comes
into view.

50
24
BOURG ST.
MAURICE, pop. 2600, and 2780 ft. above the sea. _Inns:_
Voyageurs; Royal. A village consisting of one long street, near the
confluence of the Isère with the Versoyen and Nantet.

52
22
SEEZ, the ancient Sextum, a
pretty village between six mountains, pop. 2600, and 2985 ft. above the
sea-level. From Seez the road passes the village of Villard-Dessus, and
then crosses the Recluse by a lofty bridge near an escarpment of gypsum,
called the Roche Blanche, supposed to be the place noticed by Polybius,
where Hannibal posted himself to protect his cavalry and beasts of
burden. 3 m. beyond is St. Germain; the last inhabited village
during the winter. From St. Germain the ascent is easy to the


ST. PIERRE
COURMAYEUR
58½
15½
HOSPICE, 7077 ft., founded
by St. Bernard of Menthon, on a grassy plain 3 m. long, and about a
mile from the summit (7193 ft.), indicated by the Colonne de Joux,
Jovis, or Jupiter, 23 ft. high, of Cipolino marble. From the Hospice,
Mont Belvidere, 10,093 ft, may be ascended. About 300 paces from the
column is the Cirque d’Annibal, consisting of a circle of large stones
lying on the ground, where Hannibal is said to have held a council of
war, 218 b.c. A few miles below
are Cantine des Eaux Kousses, with a small inn, and Thuile,
a hamlet, 4685 ft. above the sea-level, 9 m. from
Courmayeur.

Pré St. Didier.


ST. PIERRE
COURMAYEUR
70
4
PRÉ ST.
DIDIER, pop. 1300, on the Doire. _Inns:_ Poste; Pavilion.
Junction with road to Aosta, 23 m. E. (See map,
p. 290.)

322
 

74
COURMAYEUR, 4211
ft., the highest considerable village in the valley of Aosta.
_Inns:_ Royal; Angelo; Mont Blanc; Union. A public coach
leaves daily for Aosta by St. Didier. Fare, 7 frs.; time, 5 hrs.
Courmayeur is frequented by Piedmontese in considerable numbers every
summer, both on account of the mineral springs in its neighbourhood and
for the sake of the exquisite freshness of its climate. The waters,
which rise from alluvium, are saline and purgative. Those of La Saxe are
sulphureous. All who have visited Courmayeur, under favourable
circumstances, agree in considering its position one of the finest in
the Alps. Six different routes diverge from Courmayeur—the road to
Aosta; that of the Little St. Bernard; the Allée Blanche; the Col du
Géant; the Col Ferret; and the Col de Serène, leading to the Great St.
Bernard.


Paris to Modane by Lyons, Voiron, and Grenoble.

From Paris to Modane by this route the distance is 476 m., and
Modane to Turin 50 m. farther. This is the route to take for the
Baths of Allevard, the Monastery of the Grande Chartreuse, and for
Grenoble, which is one of the nearest railway stations to Mont Pelvoux
and the other lofty mountains in the Dauphiny. The best resting-places
are Dijon, Lyon, and Grenoble.

(Map, page 304.)


MODANE
476
PARIS. Start from the station of the Chemins de Fer de Paris à
Lyon, where buy one of their Time-tables, 40 c. From Paris to Lyons
follow pp. 1 to 29, and examine the maps referred to.


PARIS
318
158
LYONS. Perrache station. (See p. 29.)
 

325½
150½
ST. PRIEST, pop. 2800.
In the old castle here Charles VII. confined his son Louis XI., then the
Dauphin.


Bourgoin. Virieu.


PARIS
MODANE
344
132
BOURGOIN, pop. 5200.
_Inns:_ Europe; Parc. Situated among 16,000 acres of bog, producing
large quantities of peat. 10 m. farther is La Tour-du-Pin, pop.
3200. _Inn:_ Poste. On the Bourbre.

358
118
ST.
ANDRE-LE-GAZ. A coach at this station awaits passengers for
Chambery, 32 m. E., passing by Les Echelles, whence the Chartreuse
may be visited.

363
113
VIRIEU, pop. 2000. With a
large old 14th and 16th cent. castle, in good preservation, containing
tapestry and portraits, 16th cent.

323
 

Chabons. Rives. Voiron.


PARIS
MODANE
368
108
CHABONS, pop. 2000. 5 m.
distant is Lac Paladru, 3 m. long and 160 ft. deep, surrounded by
wooded slopes studded with villages. At the N. end of the lake is
Paladru, pop. 1000.


PARIS
MODANE
371
105
RIVES, pop. 2900. _Inn:_
Poste. Situated about 1 m. from the station, on the Fure. It has
some of the largest paper-mills in France, as well as some considerable
forges. A great proportion of the inhabitants employ themselves in
the weaving of silk and linen by hand-looms. The parish church was built
in the 14th cent. Here are the ruins of the castle of Châteaubourg,
destroyed by Richelieu in 1626. Branch line from Rives to St. Rambert,
35 m. W., on the Lyons and Marseilles line (see page 43).


PARIS
MODANE
378
98
VOIRON, 939 ft., pop.
12,000. _Hotels:_ Louvre; Cours; Poste. Coaches and gigs await
passengers for the Grande Chartreuse, 15 m. distant by the
village of St. Laurent-du-Pont, which is 9 m. from Voiron and
6 from the Grande Chartreuse. Fare, 5 frs. Voiron is a busy
town on the river Morge, with important silk, linen, and cloth
manufactories. Here the monks of the Grande Chartreuse have large
premises for the sale of their famous cordials, which they distil, not
in the monastery itself, but in a large building a little beyond St.
Laurent. The road from Voiron to the Grande Chartreuse joins the road
from Voreppe just before reaching the village of St. Laurent-du-Pont,
distant from both stations 9 m., 1344 ft., pop. 2000. _Inns:_
Princes; Nord. After leaving St. Laurent we pass on our right the
distillery of the monks, and then ascend by a narrow gorge, among fine
woods and perpendicular cliffs, to the convent, consisting of an immense
square building, garnished with pavilions, situated on a narrow plateau
3200 ft. above the sea-level, at the base of the Grand Som, which towers
3460 ft. higher, easily ascended from this place in about 3 hrs. This
monastery, the head establishment of the Carthusian friars, was founded
by St. Bruno, the originator of the order, in 1084. At first it
consisted only of a small chapel, with six poor cells, the habitations
of St. Bruno and his followers, built in what was then an almost
inaccessible spot among rocks and forests.

The Grande Chartreuse now contains from 70 to 75 monks, each provided
with a suite of three small upper and two lower chambers, and a small
garden. They pray 3 hrs. every day, the rest of their time being
occupied in cultivating their gardens and working at any of the
handicrafts they understand, and in the preparation of their simple
vegetable fare. On Thursdays they take together a 3 hrs.
324
 
walk in the surrounding woods, during which time they may converse; and
on feast-days they all dine together, when also they may converse.
Animal food and linen clothing are prohibited. At 7 a.m. they attend mass, excepting on Sundays, when
the hour is 8 a.m. Vespers are said at
4 p.m., and matins at a quarter to 12
midnight. Visitors who wish to see the monks should endeavour to be at
the chapel-door at any of these hours. For gentlemen guests there is
ample accommodation in the convent, clean beds, three large
dining-rooms, good wholesome food and excellent water. The men-servants,
of whom there are 59, inhabit the top story; the wives, however, of
these servants, not being allowed to enter the convent, dwell in a house
a few yards distant kept by nuns. It is in this house also that ladies
who accompany gentlemen must lodge, as no female is allowed to enter the
monastery.

Their principal revenue is derived from the sale of the liqueurs they
distil at St. Laurent, and which are sold both wholesale and retail at
Voiron, at the following prices:—Liqueur verte, 8 frs. the
litre bottle; liqueur jaune, 6 frs.; liqueur blanche,
4 frs.

From the monastery the ascent is made of the Grand Som, 6660 ft., in
about 3 hrs. It is necessary to make a considerable detour before
commencing the ascent. The first point reached is the Chapelle St.
Bruno, erected on the supposed site of the Hermitage. The view from the
top, though limited, is very beautiful. Coach to Grenoble, 17½ m. S.,
5 frs. Guests in the monastery should pay 6 to 7 frs. per
day.

Moirans. Voreppe. Grenoble.


PARIS
MODANE
381½
94½
MOIRANS, pop. 1000.
_Inn:_ H. de Paris. Junction with branch line to Valence,
50 m. S.W., passing, at about half-way, St. Marcellin, pop. 4000. _Inns:_
Poste; Courriers. From St. Marcellin a coach runs daily to the
picturesque village of Pont-en-Royan, on the Saône, 11 m. S.,
whence another coach runs to Die by the Grands Goulets and Chapelle.
(For Die, see
p. 47.)

385
91
VOREPPE, pop. 3000.
_Inn:_ Paris. Passengers for the Grande Chartreuse may alight here
also, from which it is 15 m. distant.


PARIS
MODANE
394
82
GRENOBLE, pop. 46,000,
and 702 ft. above the sea, beautifully situated on the Isère, by far the
greater part being on the left bank, while on the other there is a mere
strip hemmed in between the river and the steep declivities of the
Bastile. _Hotels:_ in the Place Grenette, the *Monnet; Europe; the
two principal hotels. Fronting the promenade, in the Rue Montorge, is
the Trois Dauphins, frequented by commercial travellers.
Napoleon I. on his way from Elba lodged in this house from the 7th
to the 9th March 1815. He slept in room
325
 
No. 9. Among the cheaper second-class houses are the H. des Alpes;
Marseille; *Bayard; all near each other and to the Place Grenette. Of
the small houses at the station, the best is the H. Savoie. Temple
Protestant at the W. end of the Rue Lesdiguières. Pleasant excursions
for a very small sum may be taken to all the important places in the
neighbourhood by means of the rail and the diligences and omnibuses
which start from the Place Grenette. On the road to the railway station
is a large and handsome hospital, founded in the 11th cent, by St.
Hugues. A little way down, on the other side of the river, is the
Esplanade, a very large oblong square, 430 yards by 120, surrounded
by trees, much frequented on feast-days. The band plays in the Jardin de
Ville, off the Place Grenette.

Grenoble: Coaches. Bastile.

From the Place de la Halle coaches start for Sassenage, Nogarey,
Seyssenet, and Seyssins; from the P. Notre Dame for Domene and
Gières; from the P. Grenette for La Chartreuse, time 4 to 5 hrs.,
fare 5 frs.; also to Briançon by Bourg d’Oisans, 6 frs., 7
hrs.

The most important place to visit in the neighbourhood is the summit
of the Bastile, 915 ft. above the river. To reach
it cross the river by the bridge highest up, then ascend by the first
road to the left in the village of La Tronche, beyond the gate. After
numerous windings by a bullock-cart-road through vineyards, on the side
of the mountain exposed to the S., a square house is attained on
the plateau behind the fort. The view is magnificent, but it is still
better from the peak immediately above, where there is one of the
quarries of argillaceous siliceous limestone, extensively used for
making cement. Ascend either by the continuation of the same
bullock-road or by the steep footpath. The isolated mountain, so
prominent from the village of La Tronche, is Mt. Eynard, 4846 ft.
Although Grenoble is of great antiquity, all that remains of its early
history are some fragments of the walls built by Diocletian. The most
interesting of the buildings is the Palais des Dauphins, now the Palais
de Justice.
Grenoble: Bayard. St. André.
In the square in front is a bronze statue of Bayard, one of the most
illustrious heroes of a chivalrous age, esteemed by his contemporaries
the model of soldiers and of men of honour. Born in 1476 at the
neighbouring castle of Pontcharrá, he died at Rebecq on the 30th April
1524 from wounds received at the battle of Romagnane, and was buried in
the church of the Minimes, 1¼ m. from Grenoble, whence in 1823 his
ashes were removed to the church of St. André and deposited in the tomb
in the N. transept. St. André, founded in the 13th cent., was
the private chapel of the Dauphins. From the intersection of the
transepts rises
326
 
a fine tower, terminating with a steeple 183 ft. high. Adjoining is the
Hôtel de Ville, fronting the promenade. The tower of the 12th cent,
attached to the Hôtel de Ville stands on foundations laid by
Diocletian.

Grenoble: Library.

E. by the Rues du Palais and Brocherie is Notre Dame, from the 10th
to the 15th cent. Next the altar is a beautifully-wrought stone
tabernacle, and behind it, in the aisle, the chapel of St. Hugues, 13th
cent. At the S. end of the town are the best streets and houses, the
Place de la Constitution, and the Botanic Gardens. The Préfecture
occupies the entire S. side of the “Place.” Behind are the Botanic
Gardens and the Natural History Museum. Opposite the Prefecture, in a
handsome building, are the class-rooms of law, science, and literature.
On the E. side are the Artillery School and a large handsome edifice
containing the public library and the picture gallery. It is 279 ft.
long and 156 ft. wide, and cost £67,585. The Library, open every day except
Monday, contains 150,000 vols. and nearly 2000 manuscripts. There is a
comfortable reading-room open to all. The great hall, 204 ft. long and
44 ft. wide, is lined with shelves of books in three stages, and lighted
by handsome cupolas. Round the sides, under glass, are displayed
richly-illuminated manuscripts, while down the centre are other glass
cases containing medals and antiquities, many belonging to prehistoric
times. Among the MSS. is a Bible (imperfect) translated into French by
Raoul de Sestre in 1377 by order of Charles V.; also a New
Testament, 12th cent., and another in Vaudois, 13th cent.

Grenoble: Picture Gallery.

The Picture Gallery, open also every day excepting Monday, contains
550 paintings in four spacious halls, of which the centre one is the
largest and contains likewise the best pictures. The principal artists
are:—Albani, Alfani, Allori, Battoni, Bellini, Blanc-Fontaine,
Bloemaert, Bloemen, Bol, Bonifazio, Bouchet, Breughel, Bronzino,
Canaletto, Ph. Champaigne, Cock, Coypel, Crayer, Dagnan, Desportes,
C. Dolce, Gustave Doré (landscape), Dubuisson, Faure, Feti, Flink,
Foschi, Fouquières, Fragonard, Franquelin, Tadeo Gaddi, Gautier, Claude
Gellée, Gerard, Giordano, Glauber, Guardi, E. Hebert, Heusch,
Holbeina, Jordaens, Jouvenet, G. Lacroix, Lafosse, Lanfranc, Lepic,
Licinio, Maltais Le, G. Manni, Massé, Meulen, P. Mignard,
Millet, Monnayer, Montessuy, Moor, J. Ouvrié, Pannini, Parrocel,
Perugino, Piombo, Procaccini, Rigaud, Rivera, Romano, Roos, Rubens,
Ruisdael, Rysbraek, Salvator Rosa, Sassoferrato, Sneyders, Sueur,
D. Teniers, Terburg, Thielen, Thulden, Tintoretto, Uden, Valentin,
Van den
327
 
Veldt, Van Loo, P. Vannucci, Verelst, P. Veronese, Vos. Off the last
room of the picture gallery is a chamber containing the busts and
portraits of the most famous Dauphinois. Round the room are the
Dauphins, Dukes Guigues I. to VI., Jean I. and II.,
Humbert I. and II.—Bayard, 1476-1524; Lesdiguières,
1543-1626; Vauconson, 1709- 1782; Condillac, 1715-1780; Champollion,
1791-1831, etc. Upstairs is a collection of valuable antique furniture,
porcelain, carved ivory, and other ornaments; also one of those models
of the Bastile which were distributed among the eighty-three departments
of France after the fall of that stronghold of despotism on the 14th of
July 1790. On one side of the picture gallery is the Rue Lesdiguières
leading to the Temple Protestant.
Grenoble: Museum.
On the way is passed the entrance to the Botanic Gardens, with the
Museum of Mineralogy and Natural History. The great interest of the
museum consists in the well-arranged collection of specimens
illustrating the organic and inorganic products of this part of the
Alps. The birds and ores are well represented. Near the gate leading out
to La Tronche is the church of St. Laurent, 11th cent. The crypt, 6th
cent., is supported on twenty-four slender marble columns from 4 to 5
ft. high.

Grenoble: Manufactures.
Twelve million pairs of gloves are manufactured annually at Grenoble,
representing a value of £1,600,000. The material is given out to the
workmen, both men and women, upwards of 25,000, who make it into gloves
in their own houses. Certain improvements introduced by Xavier Jouvin in
1840 gave a great impulse to the glove trade and manufacture of
Grenoble, but for some years both have been seriously on the decline.
Excellent liqueurs, principally of cherries, are made in the department.
The wines are indifferent, chiefly because the vines are not well
selected.

Courrier every night at 9 to La Motte, 15 m. N., for 2 frs.
Returns next day at 8. Coach daily to Barcelonnette, time 11 hrs. (see p. 341),
passing Monètier, Allemont, the ancient Roman station of Mutatio on the
Roman road and the Durance.
7½ m. N.E. are the ruins of N. D. de Chardavan, in a narrow
valley. 1¼ m. N.E. is St. Geniès, with a saline sulphurous spring,
and strata of anhydrite gypsum, black marble, anthracite, and lead
ore.


opp. 326
the french
WALDENSIAN VALLEYS

see caption


Sassenage.

3¾ m. N. from Grenoble by the Pont du Drac is Sassenage. Omnibuses start from the Place
Grenette, fare 40 c. The Sassenage et Noyarez omnibuses leave their
passengers at the entrance into the town near the H. Faure, but the
Sassenage-Fontaine omnibuses go up to the “Place” and stop before the
inn *H. du Commerce. To the left of the inn is the house of the
guide for Les Cuves, whose services are necessary to be able to cross
the Furon and the torrent from the Cuves.
328
 
This is a most enjoyable little trip from Grenoble, and Sassenage itself
makes a very pleasant residence in May. An immense number of small
vehicles are constantly running to the Pont du Drac; whence it is a very
pleasant walk of a little more than 2½ m. to Sassenage. The
suspension bridge over the Drac was one of the first of this kind
constructed in France, but instead of being hung on chains it is
supported by long narrow plates held together by strong pivots. The
gigantic and lofty cliffs about Sassenage are composed of limestone
strata of great thickness, much valued for building purposes. The path
to the Cuves commences at the left side (approaching) of the H. du
Commerce, and, having passed through a doorway, enters a kind of park
and ascends by the right side of the Furon. About 1½ m. up is a
great cavern, so sharply cut that it looks as if it had been made
artificially, out of which rushes a copious stream of pure water. After
crossing the torrent, an ascent is made of a little more than 150 ft. to
an enormous vault, within which are two caves, called Les Cuves, out of
each of which rushes a great volume of water, which united passes under
the cavern below called the Four des Fées. After this two or three
beautiful cascades, quite near, are visited, and the Furon is crossed
and the return made by the left side of this most picturesque river.
From the Cuves side is seen part of the ruins of the old castle of the
Berangers, to which a series of steps leads up, commencing near the
mills, left bank. Their modern castle, built in the 17th cent., stands
within a large park adjoining the village. The large halls are furnished
with antique furniture and hung with paintings, a large proportion
being family and historical portraits. The bedrooms of the marquis and
marchioness are hung with old tapestry. The so-called Sassenage cheese
is made in the mountains around Villard and Lans, some miles to the
south of Grenoble. The general quality is not so good as formerly, as
more of the cream now is used for making butter.

Grenoble to Briançon.

Grenoble
to Briançon by Bourg d’Oisans and the Col de Lautaret (see
map p. 304). Distance, 69 m.
E. Diligence daily. When there is much snow, the Col is passed on
sledges. Time, 15 to 18 hrs., according to the state of the road. Fare,
16 and 14 frs. As the diligence from Briançon to Grenoble stops several
hours at Bourg d’Oisans, it is a good plan to alight there for the
night. This magnificent mountain-road, commenced by Napoleon I. in
1804, opened in 1842, and finished in 1868, makes a charming walking
excursion; while from almost every village grand mountain tours may be
made. Bourg d’Oisans, with a comfortable inn, the H. de France,
makes capital quarters. There are besides very fair inns at Le Freney,
H. d’Europe; La Grave, H. Juge; Le Dauphin, Inn Dode; Le
Monètier, H. Alliey, and even in the Hospice itself on the top of
the Pass, where beds and food may be had at most reasonable charges.

Claix. Vizille. Séchilienne.

5 m. from Grenoble by a straight road bordered with elms, between the
river Drac and the railway, is the village of Claix. _Inn:_ H. de France, with a bridge
across the Drac, having a span of 85 ft. and 53 ft. above the river,
built in 1611 by Lesdiguières. 5½ m.
329
 
farther S. by a road between poplars is Vizille, pop. 3900. _Inns:_ Imbert; Lion
d’Or, near each other; their omnibuses await passengers at the station.
A manufacturing town on the Romanche, in a valley between high
mountains. 15 m. from Grenoble is Séchilienne, pop. 1300. _Inn:_ Petit
Versailles, where the horses are changed. A village of one street,
magnificently situated, 1182 ft. above the sea, in the valley of the
Romanche, surrounded by steep mountains towering above each other. To
the S. is Mont Taillefer, 9390 ft., ascended from Séchilienne in about 6
hrs. In 1½ hr. the hamlet of La Morte is reached, whence the ascent lies
through pastures and pine woods to some steep rocks. The track then,
leaving on the right a small tarn, keeps along the base of the rocks to
an abandoned mine, where it runs along the ridge called the Arete de
Brouffier, overlooking the valley of the Combe de Valloire on the right
and the Combe de Gavet on the left. The ridge leads to a small plateau,
usually covered with snow; whence a second ridge leads up to the highest
peak.

From Séchilienne the diligence passes through the hamlet of Riouperoux,
in a narrow defile, among broken masses of rocks brought down by the
terrible flood of the 14th September 1219, which desolated the plain
from Oisans to Grenoble. 22 m. from Grenoble is the hamlet of Livet
at the foot of the Grand Galbert, on the Romanche near its junction with
the Olle. Up the Olle are the foundries of Allemont and the
argentiferous lead mines of Chalanche. Here is also the Pointe de
l’Infernet, 8184 ft., at the entrance to the defile leading up to the
Bella Donna.

Bourg d’Oisans. Ecrins. Road to the
Ecrins.

29 m. from Grenoble is Le Bourg d’Oisans, 2190 ft, pop. 3100.
_Inns:_ France; Milan; Poste. As the diligence from Briançon
remains at the Bourg some hours, it is a good plan to break the journey
here and start next morning. The village is situated near the Romanche,
surrounded either by the vertical cliffs of mountains, upwards of 1000
ft. high, or by their steep but carefully-cultivated slopes studded with
houses and hamlets. An easy excursion of 4 hrs. may be made to Lac
Blanc, 6170 ft. above Le Bourg, one of the highest lakes for its
dimensions in the Alps. It is nearly ½ m. long and 110 yds. wide,
and commands an extensive view. From the Bourg a tract mounts nearly due
N. in 3 hrs. by the villages of La Garde and Huez to the plateau of
Brandes with ruins attributed to the Romans, abandoned mines and
valuable deposits of anthracite worked in several places. 1 hr. farther
is Lake Blanc.

Many interesting mountain excursions may be taken from this town, of
which the most important is to the Ecrin Group, by Vosc, 7½ m., St. Christophe
13 m., and La Berarde other 10½ m. Entire distance to La
Berarde from Oisans, 23½ m. A few miles above Oisans we leave
the narrow gorge of the Romanche and follow the course of the Venéon to
the hamlet of Pont Ecofier, commanding a magnificent view of the whole
valley of Oisans, confined in its mural precipices, terminated by the
distant peaks of the Bella Donna. In the extreme distance a glacier
summit rises in glorious perspective precisely in the
330
 
prolongation of the valley; while midway stands Venosc, pop. 900;
_Inn:_ Paquet, on an elevated slope, clothed with exquisite verdure
and noble walnut woods, on the right bank of the Venéon. Exactly
opposite Venose are the green pastures leading to the Col de la Muselle,
8300 ft. As the tributary valleys do not join the principal valley at
common level, but are considerably higher, a waterfall, often of
great beauty, almost invariably accompanies the meeting of the streams.
In ascending the valley of St. Christophe the gorge soon becomes
narrower, the rounded forms characterising the intruded lias are quickly
left, and, the torrent having been passed on a substantial bridge,
a very short distance brings us to a scene of sublime desolation.
A mountain on the right hand has at some remote time crumbled into
fragments and literally filled the valley from side to side with a
colossal heap of ruins. Through and amongst these winds a narrow path
practicable for mules, whilst the river dashes from rock to rock with
excessive commotion, sometimes passing under the fragments which it was
unable to displace. One huge slab of granite, wide enough for three
carriages to pass abreast, forms a natural and ponderous bridge,
harmonising with the desolation of the scene. On the right stands the
romantic village of Enchastraye, a hamlet consisting of a few
houses perched on a projecting rock in a tributary valley above one of
the beautiful cascades.
St. Christophe.
La Berarde.
Not much farther on, the road leaves the stream and leads up the face of
a rough hill to St.
Christophe, pop. 600, which gives its name to the valley. Just
before reaching the hamlet a bridge crosses a very wild and narrow
cleft, through which foams a wild glacier stream called the Torrent du
Diable. 2 hrs. farther up the valley is the village of Les Etages,
commanding one of the finest Alpine views which the admirers of Swiss
scenery can desire, terminated by the Montagne d’Arsine, standing
immediately above the hamlet of La Berarde. It presents a series of
rocky pinnacles in manifold rows, between which the snow can scarcely
adhere; and as seen from Les Etages, especially by the morning light, is
comparable to the Aiguilles of Mont Blanc, while the valley which
stretches beyond it to the foot of Mont Pelvoux may almost rival the
scenery of the Allée Blanche. La Berarde, which is placed in the midst of this
savage landscape, consists of a few poor houses, with a small chapel
distinguished from the rest by a belfry. Cultivation ceases just at the
village; a few stunted pines are found still higher up, but there
is no wood worth mentioning in the valley above Venose. This excessive
sterility peculiarly characterises the valleys of Dauphiné. The village
of La Berarde is at a height of only 5710 ft., that of St. Christophe is
4825, and of Venose 3365, but the character of the scenery is, like that
of Switzerland, at a greater elevation. The unbroken rocky surfaces
deceive the eye to such an extent that it is difficult to realise the
enormous scale of these mountains. To ascertain their height we must
attempt to mount them, and even then the eye has some difficulty to
submit to the testimony of the limbs. The ascent of the Pointe des
Ecrins is made from La Berarde, but it is extremely dangerous. Mont
331
 
Pelvoux is not accessible from La Berarde, but is ascended from Val Louise (see p. 333, and map p. 304).


Le Freney. La Grave.

Continuation of Road from Grenoble to Briançon.

After Le Bourg d’Oisans the road ascends by the side of the Romanche
flowing several hundred feet below in a deep narrow ravine, by the side
of La Combe de Malaval. 8 m. from Le Bourg and 37¼ from Grenoble is
Le Freney, 3085 ft.,
pop. 900; _Inn:_ H. Europe, with mines up in the mountains but
of difficult access. It is in these mines that the crystals and the
species of quartz containing gold are found, for which the Dauphiné is
so celebrated among mineralogists.

2 m. farther, among masses of rocks, is the hamlet of Le Dauphin, with a
small inn. From this place, until the summit of the Col de Lautaret is
passed, every gap in the mountains shows a glittering glacier or a
soaring peak. About 3½ m. farther up, near the hamlet of Les
Freaux, a tributary of the Romanche pours its torrent over a
precipice of granite, forming a beautiful cascade. 45 m. from
Grenoble and 24 m. from Briançon is

La Grave, 5000 ft.;
_Inn:_ H. Juge; pop. 1500. Built on a slope rising from the
road, with, behind, almost inaccessible cliffs containing copper mines,
and opposite, on the other side of the river, the great glacier which
streams from the summit of the Meije, 13,080 ft. To the E. of the Meije
is the Bec de l’Homme, 11,372 ft., with a smaller glacier. The ridge
called La Meije runs from E.S.E. to W.N.W., and is crowned by numerous
aiguilles of tolerably equal elevation. The two highest are towards the
eastern and western ends of the ridge, and are rather more than a mile
apart. Any attempts to ascend the highest or western aiguille must be
made from the northern side. The view of this mountain from the village
of La Grave can hardly be praised too highly; it is one of the very
finest road views in the Alps, and one cannot speak in exaggerated terms
of its jagged ridges, torrential glaciers, and tremendous precipices.
The perpendicular cliff, extending from the Glacier des Etançons to the
summit of the Meije, is about 3200 ft. From La Grave the road leads
through a bleak region and several tunnels to Villard d’Arene,
4½ m. from La Grave and 32 from Briançon, a miserable hamlet,
considerably under the high road, at the foot of the Bec de l’Homme.

Col de Lautaret. Le Casset.

51¾ m. E. from Grenoble and 17¼ m. W. from Briançon is the Hospice of the Col de
Lautaret, a very fair inn on the summit of Pass, 6791 ft.,
where refreshments are taken and the horses changed. The two diligences
pass it daily. An iron plate on the house indicates that it is 11
kilomètres (6⅘ m.) from La Grave and 13 kilomètres (8 m.) from
Le Monètier. The pass commands a grand view down the gorge of Malaval
and towards the lofty towering Meije or Aiguille du Midi, 13,081 ft.
above the sea. From one side of the pass the Romanche descends to
Grenoble, and from the other the Guisanne to Briançon. From the Hospice
the road traverses several galleries, and passes by a mine of anthracite
coal not far from the village of Lauzet.
332
 
The discovery of this mine has been a great boon to the inhabitants of
this region, where wood is so scarce and where the winter is so long and
inclement. 2½ m. from Lauzet and considerably below the road is the
hamlet of Le Casset,
at the foot of Mt. Vallon, 10,136 ft., at the entrance to the ravine of
the Torrent Tabue, descending from the great glaciers which spread
themselves over the eastern slopes of Mont Pelvoux. When the snow is
melted the effect of the sun upon them is splendid. 60 m. from
Grenoble and 9 from Briançon is

Le Monètier. Briançon.

Le Monètier de
Briançon, 4898 ft. above the sea, surrounded with barley-fields,
pop. 2600, on the Guisanne, near the foot of St. Marguerite, 8328 ft.,
which, like Mont Vallon, belongs to the Pelvoux group. Horses changed
here. _Inn:_ Alliey; mineral bath establishment, with hot
sulphurous springs. Mines of anthracite. The road then passes the
villages of Les Guibertes, 4689 ft.; La Salle, with cloth and night-cap
manufactories; and St. Chaffrey, 3¼ m. from Briançon and 4299 ft.
above the sea. 69 m. E. from Grenoble is

Briançon, 4335 ft., pop.
6000. _Inn:_ H. de la Paix. Temple Protestant. The Brigantium
of the Romans, and now a fortified town of the first class, with eight
strong fortresses, which guard this important entrance into France from
Italy. The town stands on the steep sides of an eminence rising
vertically from the Durance, here a roaring mountain torrent hemmed in
between the cliffs of the Mont Infernet, with strong forts on all the
salient points up to the very summit, 7810 ft. above the sea. At this
part the Durance is spanned by a bridge of one arch, 120 ft. wide and
108 ft. above the river, erected in 1734, in the reign of Louis XV. On
the right side of the river, above the town, is the Fort du Château, and
opposite, on the left side of the river, are the Trois Têtes, the
largest of the forts. The views from them are very extensive, especially
from the fort Pointe du Jour. Carriage up to it, 30 frs. Permission to
visit the forts must be procured from the commandant. The large building
down the Durance seen from the bridge, in the suburb called St.
Catherine, is a manufactory where the waste of silk on cocoons is carded
and prepared for spinning. About 800 people are employed. The women earn
14d. per day, working from 5 in the morning to 6 p.m., 1½ hr. allowed for meals. The longitudinal
streets of Briançon are narrow and steep, little better than staircases,
down the centre of each of which runs a stream of water in a marble
gutter, with such an impulse that all manner of garbage thrown into it
quickly disappears. At the foot of Briançon is the fertile valley formed
by the union of the Guisanne with the Durance, surrounded by
carefully-cultivated mountains studded with villages. All the Briançon
coaches start from the Place du Temple, in front of the church. “The
neighbourhood of Briançon abounds in rare plants. Amongst them may be
mentioned Astragalus austriacus and A. vesicarius, Oxytropus
Halleri, Prunus brigantiaca, Telephium Imperati, Brassica repanda,
Berardia subacaulis, Rhaponticum heleniifolium, Crepis pygmæa, Androsace
septentrionalis, and Bulbocodium vernum.” —Ball’s _Western
Alps_.

333
 

Val Louise. Grand Pelvoux.

The
great excursion from Briançon is the ascent of the Pelvoux group,
whose highest peak is 12,975 ft. It can only be effected, however, in
favourable weather and with experienced guides. A wheel-road
extends by the village of La Bessée to Val Louise, 3780 ft., whence a
path ascends by the hamlets of Claux and Aléfroide. The Ville de Val Louise lies near
the union of the Valley des Entraigues with the principal branch of the
Val Louise, called the Aléfroide, stretching up to the foot of the
monarch of the group, the Grand Pelvoux itself, which, although at no
great distance, cannot be seen from the village on account of the hill
which rises immediately behind. (See p. 345, and map
p. 304.)

Cesanne.

Briançon to
Oulx, 17 m. N.E. by diligence, 4 hrs., 7 frs., by a
beautiful road winding up fir-clad mountains disclosing charming views
of the valley of the Durance and of the Mont Pelvoux group. On the
summit of the Pass or of Mont Genèvre, the Mons Jovis of the Romans, is
the village of Genèvre (pop. 400), with the French custom-house, 6476
ft. above the sea or 2141 ft. above Briançon, and 7 m. from it and
10 m. from Oulx. An iron plate indicates that it is 11 kilomètres
from Briançon, 61 from Embrun, 10 from Cesanne, and 40 or almost
25 m. from Susa (p. 291). A few
yards beyond is an obelisk which marks the boundary between France and
Italy, and which commemorates in French, Latin, and Italian the opening
of this road in 1807 under Napoleon I., and its restoration or
rather repair in 1835. 5 m. farther is Cesanne, at the confluence of the Dora with the
Ripa, 4420 ft., or nearly at the same height as Briançon. Italian
custom-house. _Inn:_ Croix Blanche, where the horses are changed.
A post-road leads from Cesanne to Perosa,
28 m. E. (p. 307). 5 m. from Cesanne is Oulx, 3514 ft.,
with a good inn, the Dell’ Alpi Cozzié, close to the station. The
diligence halts at and starts from the station. (See also p. 291. From Oulx rail to Turin, p. 291.) The road between Briançon and Oulx forms a
pleasant and easy walking excursion, which can be considerably shortened
on the French side by following the footpath.

Grenoble to Gap
by diligence, 62 m. S. The Grenoble diligence goes only the length
of Corps, where the Gap passengers enter the diligence for Gap.


Grenoble to Corps.

By diligence, 39½ m. S., 9 hrs., 9 frs., by a very beautiful road. From
Grenoble the road extends nearly in a straight line between the railway
and the Drac to Claix, 5 m. S. (pp. 328 and
345), and thence in another straight line
between poplars to Vizille, 5½ m. farther. Coach from Vizille to La
Motte les Bains. From Vizille the diligence takes nine horses, and
having crossed the Romanche, ascends by the flanks of Mont Conex in 2
hrs. to the village of La Frey
or Laffrey, 2000 ft. above, and 4½ m. from Vizille, and
15 from Grenoble, in a cold situation on the top of this pass, about
3000 ft. above the sea; the horses
334
 
are changed, and time given to take a cup of coffee. On this plateau,
immediately beyond the village, is Lake Laffrey, 3050 ft. above the sea,
2 m. long and 875 yards wide. At its S. end is the village of the
Petit-Chat, whence commences the Lake Pierre-Châtel. To the right or
west of the road is Mt. Peychagnard, with rich anthracite coalmines,
some of the beds being from 10 to 15 yards thick. The diligence next
passes through Pierre-Châtel, 20 m. from Grenoble,
a considerable village, with to the E. Mont Tabor, 7829
ft.

La Mure. Corps.

23¾ m. S. from Grenoble and 38¼ m. N. from Gap is La Mure, 2860 ft., pop. 3800, the largest
town on the road, with the ancient castle of Beaumont, nail
manufactories, and the anthracite mines of Availlans, 3½ m.
distant. Horses changed. Between La Mure and La Salle, the next village,
is perhaps the grandest scenery, the road running along the edges of
high cliffs or in the profound depths of the ravine of the Bonne, which
it crosses by the Pont-Haut. The hamlet of La Salle is exactly half-way
between Grenoble and Gap, 31 m. from each, and 8½ m. from
Corps. The road, after passing the village of Quet and the gorge of La
Salette, arrives at

Corps, 39½ m. from Grenoble,
on a plateau 814 ft. above the confluence of the Drac with the Souloise,
or 3156 ft. above the sea. Pop. 1500. _Inns:_ *Poste; Palais; next
each other. Mules for La Salette with man, 4½ frs. Vehicles, 5 frs.
the seat, or 15 frs. the whole. La Salette is 5½ m. from Corps, and
2750 ft. above it, by a wheel-road. The ascent by mule takes 2½ hrs. It
is better to descend on foot. The excursion to La Salette is very
picturesque, and, like all the journeys among the mountains of the
department of Isère, of great interest to the botanist and geologist.
The inhabitants of these mountains wander in winter to distant parts
selling their plants, bulbs, and seeds. From the aromatic varieties most
justly famous liqueurs are distilled at the Chartreuse, La Salette,
Grenoble, and elsewhere. The rocks produce nearly every kind of metal,
one of the best cements, and many beautiful crystals and marbles, of
which the black variety of Beaumont is the most celebrated.


La Salette. Church of Notre Dame de la Salette.

LA SALETTE.


This place, formerly a dreary and desolate mountain plateau, is now
visited by thousands of pilgrims, especially on the great feast-day of
Notre Dame de la Salette, sanctioned by Pio IX. himself. The church,
a handsome and substantial edifice, built in 1860, of unpolished
marble, is 146 ft. long and 49 ft. wide, and 60 ft. high, inside
measure. Eighteen columns surround the nave and choir, while attached
pillars support the walls, all covered with votive offerings. The pulpit
was a gift from Belgian votaries. The façade, with three doorways, has
on each corner a handsome square tower. The expenses, which were very
great in a region of such difficult access, and where winter lasts six
months, were defrayed by spontaneous contributions. Opposite the façade
are well-executed colossal figures in bronze, the gift of a Spaniard,
representing the events of the story. On the south side of the choir
335
 
a door opens into the large and spacious building occupied by the nuns,
and on the north side another door opens into a similar building
occupied by the monks. The hotel accommodation in each is exactly the
same. The pension price, including wine and everything else, is 5½ frs.
per day. Visitors can have a good meat breakfast for 1½ fr., dinner 2½
frs., supper 2 frs., a bowl of café au lait ½ fr., a cup
of café noir 25 c. Both the monks and the nuns are very obliging. Books
approved of by the bishop of Grenoble are sold in the “magasin” of the
establishment, giving the history of the apparition, from which the
following is extracted:— “On the 19th of September 1846, at 2.30
p.m., was seen by a girl and a boy in
the place where the statue now is, a figure seated on a stone
shedding tears so copiously that they caused a dried-up spring, about 2
ft. in diameter and 2½ ft. deep, a little to her left, to flow
forth freely. Since then it has been fed by a pipe, and has been called
the miraculous fountain. The girl’s name was Fraçoise-Melanie Calvat
Mathieu, 15 years old, and the boy’s Pierre-Maximin Giraud, 11 years
old, both employed as cowherds, and both so ignorant that they could
neither read nor write. They understood only the patois, and had such
frail memories that the girl had as yet been hardly able to remember a
few lines of the catechism, while it had taken the boy three years to
learn the Pater Noster and the Avé Maria. The statues of the children in
the path between the railings indicate the place where they were
standing when they first saw the figure. When the apparition became
aware of their presence it arose, and calling them to her, said in
French, shedding tears abundantly all the time, ‘If my people will not
submit, I shall be obliged to let loose the arm of my son; it is so
heavy and weighty that I cannot retain it any longer. You may pray and
do what you like, you will never be able to recompense the labour I have
taken for you. I have given you six days for work, and have
reserved for myself the seventh, but they will not grant me it; it is
that that makes the arm of my son so heavy. Those who drive carts cannot
swear without using (inserting) the name of my son. These are the two
things which make the arm of my son so burdensome.’ She continued a
little longer in French till, observing the children did not understand
her, she added in patois a long harangue in the same strain,
a diatribe on the blasphemy of the age and the desecration of the
Sabbath— ‘only some old women go to mass.’ After her speech, and
having twice charged the children to make known her discourse, ‘a tout
mon peuple,’ she glided up the path between the railings, followed by
the children, to the eminence where the colossal statue stands with the
statues of the children before it, and, having ascended 5 ft., she
disappeared, looking to the S.E.” That this being was really Mary was
acknowledged by Pio IX., who sanctioned the institution of a feast-day
in her honour, and several plenary indulgences for pilgrimages and other
acts of devotion, to Notre Dame de la Salette. On the 6th August 1867
the worship (culte) of her was publicly established in Rome. The first
stone of the church, up on the mountain near the site where Mary
appeared to the children,
336
 
was laid by Bruillard, bishop of Grenoble, on 25th May 1852, assisted by
Chatrousse, bishop of Valence, in the presence of 15,000 pilgrims. In
the churches all over France and in many of those in Belgium are
pictures representing N. D. de la Salette addressing the children.
In the litany addressed to Mary of Salette she is appealed to as “the
tower of David,” “the gate of heaven,” “the morning star,” “the refuge
of sinners,” “the queen conceived without sin,” “the healer of
diseases,” “thou by whose supplications the arm of the irritated Lord
against us is held back,” “thou who hast said, If my people will not
submit I shall be forced to let go the arm of my son,” “thou who
continually beseechest thy divine son to have mercy upon us, pray for
us.”

The lad, Pierre Maximin, after serving his time in the army, kept a shop
at Corps, upon which was written, “Objets de Piété vendus par Maximin
Giraud.” He died about the year 1880. Melanie, the girl, was sent to a
nunnery at Naples. A priest is said to have affirmed that the
pretended Mary was an eccentric lady called Mlle. Lamerlière, born near
Saint-Marcellin, Isère.

From Corps either return to Grenoble or take the diligence to Gap,
22½ m. S. (See p. 333, and
map p. 304.)

Gières. Domene. Goncelin.


PARIS
MODANE
398
78
GIÈRES. At this station
omnibuses await passengers for the baths of Uriage, 4 m. N., and
1358 ft. _Hotels:_ Grand Hôtel; Cercle; Ancien Hôtel; Des Bains; Du
Rocher. The bathing establishment is comfortable and commodious, and is
pleasantly situated in a narrow wooded valley, about 400 ft. higher than
Grenoble. The water contains common salt, sulphates of magnesia and
soda, and carbonate of lime, and rises in a deep valley at the junction
of granite and lias, which is, however, concealed for some way by an
immense mass of detritus, through which the spring forces itself. It is
conveyed 700 yards in a subterraneous conduit to the establishment,
whence it issues with a temp. of 71° Fahr.


PARIS
MODANE
401
75
DOMENE, pop. 2000.
_Inn:_ Hôtel du Commerce. From this village is generally made the
laborious ascent of the Pic de Belledonne, 9780 ft. above the sea-level.
Guides necessary. The first night is generally spent at the village of
Revel. Two days required.


PARIS
MODANE
412
64
GONCELIN, pop. 1600.
Station for Allevard-les Bains, 6¼ m. distant by an excellent road
through a beautiful country, in comfortable omnibuses awaiting
passengers at the station, fare 2 frs. Here also a coach awaits
passengers for Tourettes, pop. 400, in the opposite direction, upon the
right bank of the Isére.

Allevard on the Breda, 1837 ft. above the sea, pop. 4000. The
337
 
three principal hotels are within the park, and the prices are from 8½
frs. to 12½ frs. per day, including everything. The Hôtel des Bains,
with the casino, theatre, and mineral water establishment. At the other
end of the park are the Louvre and the H. Parc. In the Place
contiguous to the Temple Protestant is the H. du Rhône, 8½ to 10½
frs. In a garden of its own, Le Châlet. Near the diligence office, the
France. The H. Very. Nearly a mile from Allevard at the junction of
the lias with the primitive talc-slate rise the springs, temp. 61°
Fahr., with a great deal of free sulphuric acid gas, especially
efficacious in diseases of the throat and the respiratory organs, for
the cure of which the establishment is especially adapted, the apparatus
for inhalation and gargling being both complete and varied.

Allevard possesses also important ironworks, where the rich carbonate of
iron ores from the neighbouring mountains are smelted.

Among the easiest of the many delightful walks around Allevard is the
road that leads up the gorge of the Breda to what is called the “Fin du
Monde,” 1 m. distant, where masses of rock render it impracticable
to proceed farther. To reach it, walk up the left bank to a bridge at
the upper ironworks. Do not cross it, but continue on the left bank and
ascend the road to the right. Finger-posts indicate the rest of the way.
At one part of the road travellers are requested to pay a toll of 10
sous.

The ascent of the Brame Farine, 3983 ft., takes 1¾ hr. It is an elevated
point on the ridge between the valleys of the Breda and the Isère. 25
min. from Allevard is the Tour de Treuil, 10th cent., the remains of a
castle belonging to the family of Crouy Chanel. From this a path ascends
through a ravine planted with walnut trees to the hamlet of Crozet.
Descend by sledge, 2 frs.

There are a great many other excursions into the valleys and up the
mountains, either by carriage or on horseback, for which there is a
tariff by the authorities of the place.

Sept Laux. Pontcharrá.

The most remarkable of these excursions, and at the same time the most
difficult, is 9 m. up the valley of the Breda by the hamlet of
La Ferrière, to the Sept
Laux or Lakes, 7144 ft. above the sea-level, and the Glacier of Gleyzin,
9480 ft. above the sea-level. Time required to go, 14 hrs. constant
walking, but to the lakes only, about half that time. This series of
lakes, above 30 in all, lies in a wild gloomy ravine, shut in on all
sides by low bare peaks. They are fed by springs, and are not
accumulations of stagnant water derived from the melting snow. The banks
are surrounded with fragments of rock, covered with snow nearly the
whole year, while the highest of the lakes, Lake Blanc, is almost always
frozen over. Some of them contain trout, and a sluggish frog inhabits
the marshy margins.


PARIS
MODANE
418
58
PONTCHARRÁ station.
An omnibus awaits passengers for the village of Pontcharrá, pop. 2800,
_Inn:_ Domenjon, 1¼ m. distant.
From Pontcharrá the coach proceeds 5 m. E. to the village of La
338
 
Rochette, in a beautiful valley. Near Pontcharrá, and seen distinctly
from the station, is the castle in which Bayard was born.


PARIS
MODANE
426
50
LES MARCHES, a
straggling village overlooked by a hill, on which stands the church of
Notre Dame de Myans, with a colossal statue of the Virgin. Beyond are
some small lakes and mounds formed by landslips from Mt. Granier, 6520
ft. 2½ m. from Les Marches is Montmélian, where passengers by this
route for Modane and Turin _change carriages_ and join the direct
line. For the rest of the journey to Modane (53 miles), see from Montmélian, p. 289.


Marseilles to Grenoble,

190 m. N., by Gardanne, Aix, Pertuis, St.
Auban, Veynes, and Clelles.
Fare—first class, 36 frs. 70 c.; second, 27 frs. 55 c. Grenoble is
394 m. S.E. from Paris by Lyons (see p. 324).


GRENOBLE
190
MARSEILLES. There are two ways from Marseilles to Aix, either by
Rognac 33 m., or by Gardanne 16¾ m. The Rognac route must be
chosen by those who desire to visit the aqueduct of Roquefavour (see p. 77).

Gardanne. Pertuis.


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
11
179
GARDANNE, pop. 3500, on
the stream Jaret. Both here and at Septêmes are important coal-fields.
Southwards, towards the Bouches du Rhône, are seen the chimneys of
numerous tile, brick, and pottery works. From Gardanne a branch line
extends to Carnoules, 52 m. S.E., on the line between Marseilles
and Cannes (p. 142), on which the only towns of
interest are Brignoles and St. Maximin.


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
18½
171½
AIX-en-provence (see p. 78). At Aix
change carriages for Rognac. 5 m. N. from Aix is La Calade station,
where a coach awaits passengers for St. Cannat, 5 m. N.W. (p. 80); and
Lambesc, 3½ m.
farther (p. 80). 5 m. S.W. from Lambesc is Pelissanne.
16 m. N. from Aix, or 34½ m. N. from Marseilles, is Meyrargues (see
p. 79).


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
38
152
PERTUIS, pop. 5800.
_Hotels:_ Reynaud; Thomas; both near each other.
Their omnibuses await passengers at the station. Situated 2 m. from
the Durance, at the junction of the branch line from Avignon, 48 m.
W., passing Cavaillon, the station for Apt, and L’Isle, the station for Vaucluse
(see pp. 64 and 66). The Marseilles canal from the Durance commences
near Pertuis
(p. 77). In the centre of Pertuis is the Tour d’Aigues, which was
part of the old fortifications. From Pertuis the country becomes
picturesque. 10 m. N. is the station of Mirabeau, pop. 800, with
the castle in which Mirabeau spent his boyhood, and in which his father
was born.

339
 

60 m. N. from Marseilles, and 130 m. S. from Grenoble, is Manosque, pop.
6200 (see pp. 166
and 168).
4½ m. N. from Manosque is Volx village and station, with beds of
lignite. 69½ m. N. from Marseilles is La Brillanne, pop. 400, on
the Oraison. 3½ m. N. from Brillanne is the station and village of
Lurs, pop. 1000, on a hill overlooking
the Durance. It contains the convent of Alaun, visited by pilgrims, and
a Roman road called the Chemin-Seinet.

Peyruis.


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
77½
112½
PEYRUIS, pop. 1000;
_Inn:_ Latil; curiously situated on the Durance, at the base of
cliffs of conglomerate more than 1000 ft. high, which by the action of
water have been cut up into tall pinnacles.


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
80½
109½
ST. AUBAN, pop. 250,
junction with line to Digne. (For Digne, see p. 166, and maps pp. 162 and 304.)

Digne to Barcelonnette by La Javie,
Seyne, Le Lauzet, and Thuiles, 53 m. E., by coach; time, 11
hrs.; fare, 10 frs. 9 m. from Digne is La Javie, famous for plums;
pop. 500; H. de France, at the junction of the Bléonne with the
Arigeol. 2 m. beyond is Beaujeu, pop. 400, on the Combefère, whence
a narrow valley leads to the Col de Labouret, 3990 ft. Thence descend to
Le Vernet, pop. 300, on the Besse, with beds of gypsum, 19 m. from
Digne and 33 from Barcelonnette. Near Le Vernet is commenced the ascent
of the Col de Maure, 4708 ft.; from which descend to Seyne-les-Alpes,
pop. 2800, on the flanks of a mountain, and half-way between Digne and
Barcelonnette. It contains a church of the 11th and 12th cents.
18 m. from Barcelonnette, and 5 from Le Lauzet, is St.
Vincent, pop. 600, situated on a grassy eminence overlooking the Ubaye.
From Le Lauzet to Barcelonnette, see Gap to Barcelonnette, p. 341.

Colmars. Sisteron.

Digne to Barcelonnette by Draix, St.
Thomas, Colmars, and Allos, 55 m. N.E. 10½ m. from
Digne and 4 from La Javie is Draix, pop. 200, on a confluent of the
Bléonne. 21¼ m. beyond is Colmars, pop. 1100, at the foot of Mts. Meunier and
Draye, on the Sence at its junction with the Verdon. Excellent cheese,
called Thorame. Cloth and saw mills. 5 m. beyond is Allos, pop.
1400, with a small inn, 18 m. from Barcelonnette. A short way from
Allos by the hamlet Champ Richard, in one of the wildest and most
sequestered valleys of the Alps, is Lake Allos, 7346 ft. above the sea,
4 m. in circumference, 140 ft. deep, containing capital trout, and
surrounded by cliffs in some places 590 ft. high, over which tower bleak
mountains, of which the most lofty is Mt. Pela, 8600 ft. The lake
discharges its surplus water through a subterranean canal 1640 ft. long,
whence it issues under the name of the torrent Chadoulin. From the
village of Allos proceed to Barcelonnette by La Foux, pop. 150, with an
interesting church, and Mourjouan, both on the Verdon, a tributary
of the Ubaye. (For Barcelonnette, see
p. 341. For Cannes and Grasse to Digne, see
p. 165.)


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
91
99
SISTERON, pop. 5000.
Good resting-place. _Hotels:_ Vassail; Negre; their omnibuses await
passengers at station.
Picturesquely
340
 
situated, 1575 ft. above the sea, on both sides of the Durance at its
confluence with the Buech. At the railway end of the town are the church
of Notre Dame, 11th cent., and three towers, part of the fortifications
built by the Counts of Provence. Notre Dame has been very much altered
externally by restoration and repairs. The effect of the graceful
octagonal tower has been destroyed by the square tower adjoining. In the
interior the arches are early pointed, inclining to the stilted form.
The three apsidal terminations are semicircular. The small window at the
end of each is closed. The end of the town farthest from the railway is
picturesque. From the gateway rise perpendicular cliffs of blue
limestone, on the top of which is a fortress of the third class.
Immediately opposite, on the other side of the Durance, are similar
strata heaved up and twisted into an enormous pyramid. A little
beyond the gateway, a good road leads up by the cemetery to a place
where there is a good view of the valleys of the Durance and the Buech.
7 m. N. from Sisteron is Mison station, 2002 ft. above the
sea, on the border of the Hautes-Alpes. 5 m. farther, Laragne
station, 1883 ft. 34 m. N. from Laragne is Eyguians-Orpier station,
1979 ft.

Serres. Veynes.


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
112½
77½
SERRES, pop. 1200;
_Inns:_ *Alpes; Voyageurs; Commerce; consisting of dirty, steep,
narrow streets, on the sloping side of a calcareous cliff rising from
between the Buech and the Blême. Diligence to Nyons, 41 m. E., p. 51. 8 m. N.
from Serres is Chabestan, 2411 ft.


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
121½
68½
VEYNES, 2614 ft. above the
sea, pop. 1800. _Inns:_ At station, H. and Rest, de la Gare;
in town, H. Dousselin.

Junction with rail to Mont Dauphin-Guillestre, 51 m. N.E.
This branch line extends to the passes leading to the roads which
traverse the valleys of the Waldenses.

Gap. Le Lauzet.

On this branch line, 16¾ m. E. from Veynes and 34¼ m. S.W. from
Mont Dauphin, is Gap, on the Luye,
2895 ft. above the sea, pop. 9300. _Inns:_ Poste; Nord; Provence;
France. This, the ancient Civitas Vappium, has a large Champ de Mars,
extensive barracks, long avenues of walnut trees, and a handsome modern
cathedral, built on the site of one of the 11th cent. In the Préfecture
is the mausoleum of the Connetable Lesdiguières, originally one of the
leaders of the Protestants. In the hamlet of Tareau, close to Gap,
Guillaume Farel, a celebrated French reformer, was born in 1489. He
died on the 13th Sept. 1565. The most remarkable features of his
character were dauntlessness and untiring energy and zeal. He possessed
a sonorous and tuneful voice, fluency of language, and passionate
earnestness; yet, although seldom failing to arrest the attention of
large audiences, he often, by imprudent torrents of denunciation,
aroused against his doctrines unnecessary opposition.

Gap to
Barcelonnette, coach daily; distance, 42 m.; fare,
8 frs.; time, 8 to 9 hrs. The road follows the Luye to its
confluence with the Durance, 5 m. S. from Gap. From this point it
ascends by the N. side
341
 
of the Durance, passing the pretty village of Remollons, 10 m. from
Gap. 3½ m. farther is the roadside station of Espinasse, where the
horses are changed. 300 yds. above the confluence of the Ubaye with the
Durance the road crosses the Durance by the bridge of Saulze, and
ascends by the right side of the Ubaye to the village of Ubaye,
23 m. from Gap, producing large quantities of walnuts, of which oil
is made. The apples of this neighbourhood were once famous. From almost
every part of the road between Espinasse and Ubaye are seen the
picturesque fort and extensive forest of St. Vincent. 28½ m. from
Gap is Le Lauzet, pop.
1000, _Inn:_ France, surrounded by great mountains, with narrow
gorges and lofty waterfalls. In the neighbourhood is a lake abounding
with trout. 3 m. higher up is the hamlet of Martinet, at the
entrance to the beautiful valley of the Laverq, extending to the S. side
of Mt. Siolane, on whose slopes the spire of the church of Meolans
occupies a prominent position. From Martinet the road crosses to the
right side of the Ubaye, whence, passing by Les Thuiles. 4½ m. from
Barcelonnette, and St. Pons, 1½ m., arrives at Barcelonnette. St.
Pons contains the ruins of a castle, a church said to be of the 7th
cent., and a Via Crucis up a steep hill. The most curious part of the
church is the S. portal, under a soffit, having pillars on each side.
Above the pillars are small quaint figures of the apostles, and over the
door one of J. C. On the tympanum is a fresco representing the
presentation of the kings to the child Jesus. On N. side of chancel is a
square tower with short spire, which seems to have served as a pattern
to all the church towers in, the department of the Alps, the
characteristics being that the height of the tower is proportionally
great to the height of the spire.

Barcelonnette. St. Paul.

Barcelonnette,
3718 ft. above the sea, pop. 2100, _Hotels:_ Nord; France; on the
Ubaye, in the midst of meadows, surrounded by mountains clothed with
walnut, larch, and fir trees. The present village was built in 1230 on
ground given by Reymond Beranger, in honour of whose ancestors, the
Counts of Barcelona in Spain, the newly-erected town received its name.
The parish church, begun in 1230, was, on account of a conflagration,
nearly rebuilt in the 16th and 17th cents. The tour de l’horloge at the
corner of the “Place” is all that remains of the church of N. D. de
Confort, built in 1290 and destroyed in 1789.

From Barcelonnette, besides the coaches daily to Gap and Digne, there is
also one to the village of St.
Paul, 4730 ft. above the sea, and 13½ m. N.E. from
Barcelonnette, fare, 2½ frs.; time, 3 hrs., by the Maddalena road, the
length of 2 m. above La Condamine, where it diverges 6½ m. N.
up the narrow and picturesque gorge of the Ubaye. The wheel-road
continues 10 m. beyond St. Paul to Maurin, 6565 ft. above the sea.
From this a bridle-road enters Italy by the Col Longet, 8767 ft., and
the hamlets of Chenal (Italian custom-house with a fair inn) and Château
Dauphin and the river Vraita.

Jausiers.

Barcelonnette to Cuneo by the Col
della Maddalena, Vinadio, Demonte, and Dalmazzo, 62 m. E., 12
hours’ walk to Vinadio; whence there is a diligence to Cuneo. Wheel-road
all the way (see map, p. 304).
342
 
Guide not necessary. 3¼ m. from Barcelonnette is the hamlet of Faucon.
3¾ m. more, Jausiers, pop. 1000, on the confluence of the
Ubaye with the Sanières and the Verdon. Church of the 14th cent. The
road, to avoid the narrow passage called the Pas de Grégoire, ascends to
a considerable elevation, and then descends to the village of
Condamine-Châtelard, 7 m. from Barcelonnette, under the fortress of
Tournoux, with remarkable excavations and stairs. 2 m. beyond La
Condamine the road divides into two. One goes northward up the valley of
the Ubaye to St. Paul (see p. 341), the
other goes to the Pass of La Maddalena. 7 m. beyond Chatelard, or
14¼ m. from Barcelonnette, is Larche, pop. 800, _Inns:_ Alpes;
Italie; 5570 ft., the last French village. 5 m. beyond, or
19 m. from Barcelonnette, is the culminating point of the Pass of
the Maddalena or Argentière, 6548 ft. above the sea, between Mt. Mourre
and the Punta della Signora, 7190 ft. The mule-path on the S.E. side now
descends 850 ft. by the Lago della Maddalena, the source of the Stura,
to the hamlets of Maddalena and Argentiera, 5596 ft., with an inn and
Italian custom-house.
Bersezio.
A little distance farther, or about 7 m. from the Col and 24
from Barcelonnette, is Bersezio, with an inn situated amidst much fine
wild scenery. 14 m. from Bersezio is Vinadio, with an inn. The
Baths are up a steep glen, which ramifies southward from the Stura at
the hamlet of Plancies, about 4 m. beyond the village of Vinadio.
8 m. from Vinadio is Demonte, near the junction of the Staura with
the stream di Valcorera, descending from the pass of the Colle del Mulo,
8422 ft., leading over to the picturesque valley of the Grana, about
25 m. W. from Cuneo. 12 m. from Demonte, 5 from Cuneo,
and 57 from Barcelonnette is S. Dalmazzo, whence steam tram to
Cuneo. (For Cuneo, see pp. 182 and 279.)

Gap to Grenoble by
Laye, Corps, and La Mure, 62 m. Diligence to Vizille, the
remaining 8 m. by rail.

From Gap the diligence road extends 62 m. northwards to Grenoble,
by Laye, 6½ m. N., where
the Col de Bavard, 4088 ft., is traversed. On the summit is a house of
refuge. 4½ m. beyond Laye is Les Barraques, _Inn:_
H. Gentillon, near which is, at the mouth of the valley of the
Drac, St. Bonnet, 3350 ft., pop. 2200, the birthplace of Lesdiguières,
in a most fertile district. 23 m. from Gap is Corps (see p. 333).

La Mure. Chorges.

23¾ m. from Grenoble and 38¼ from Gap is La Mure, pop. 3800, and 2860 ft. above the
sea-level. _Inns:_ Pelloux; Commerce. A coach runs between La
Mure and Grenoble by La Motte. Situated on the Jonche. There is a large
trade carried on here in cattle and grain. 3½ m. distant are the
anthracite mines of Availlans. 20½ m. from Grenoble is
Pierre-Châtel, pop. 1200, to the E. of Mont Tabor, 7829 ft. 10 m.
W. by a branch road is Motte-les-Bains. 16 m. from Grenoble is
Laffrey (see p. 333).

26¾ m. from Veynes junction is Chorges, pop. 1900. _Inn:_ H. de la
Poste. This, the ancient capital of the Caturiges, occupies a marshy
unhealthy situation. The parish church was originally a temple to Diana.
In the “Place” is a marble pedestal with the name of Nero. In and around
the town are fragments of Roman
343
 
buildings. The chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Rencontre, in the valley of
Chorges, is visited by pilgrims.

Savines. Embrun.

34¼ m. from Veynes is Savines, pop. 1300. _Inn:_ H. de la
Poste, on the Réallon. This is the place to alight to visit the forest
and valley of the Boscodon, with splendid gorges. The road extends all
the way to the valley of the Ubaye, which it enters near Martinet and
Meolan. 6¼ m. beyond Savines is

Embrun, 3014 ft. above the
sea, pop. 4000. _Inns:_ Thouard; Poste; 8¾ m. S.E. from
Réallon and 12½ from Pruntères. This, the Ebrodunum of the Romans and
one of their important military stations, is situated on an eminence in
the midst of mountains on the Durance, and the S. side of Mont St.
Guillaume, 5550 ft. above the town. In a conspicuous situation stands
the church of Notre Dame, said to have been founded in the time of
Charlemagne. The walls, pierced with small round-headed deep-set windows
with sculptured arches resting on colonnettes, are supported by flat
buttresses rising to the eaves. The façade or west end consists of a
flat gable with a 4-storied spired tower rising from the N. side. Above
the portal is a rose window with valuable old painted glass. The N.
portal is within a portico on four columns. The two outer rest on lions;
the two inner, each a cluster of four slender columns, rest on the
shoulders of men in a sitting posture. The apse with its two apsidal
chapels and part of the adjoining wall are probably the only parts of
the church which date from the time of Charlemagne. The interior is
about 60 yds. long and 25 wide. On each side of the nave are four wide
spanned early pointed arches resting on massive rectangular piers. Above
each arch is a small roundheaded deeply-recessed window within a
corniced arch resting on colonnettes. Below in the aisles are their
exact counterparts, only about double the size. The roof of the nave is
quadripartite, and that of the aisle semicircular. The high altar and
angels are of white marble. The organ and most of the ornaments date
from the time of Louis XI., who frequently visited this church to pray
to Notre Dame d’Embrun, that white marble image of the Virgin and Child
over the altar fronting the northern entrance. On the inside of the
northern doorway (left hand) are two horseshoes, not exactly of the same
size. It is said that Lesdiguières, the Protestant leader, attempting to
ride into the church to the altar of the image of Notre Dame, the horse
reared, and the shoes of its hind hoofs sticking to the pavement, the
animal could proceed no farther.

Behind the cathedral is the archbishop’s palace, now a barrack. In the
centre rises a lofty square machicolated tower called the Tour Brune.
3 m. S. the road passes the village of Les Crottes.

After Embrun the rail passes Châteauroux, 3¾ m. N.E. from Embrun,
with a bridge over the ravine of the Rabious, and St. Clement,
3¾ m. farther, near the Plan-de-Phazy, a poor village with a
bathing establishment supplied by four hot mineral springs.

Mont Dauphin. Guillestre. Queyras.

51 m. N.E. from Veynes is Mont Dauphin, an isolated rock of coarse
reddish conglomerate rising from the junction of the Guil with
344
 
the Durance to the height of 3445 ft. above the sea, or 496 ft. above
the road, the railway, and the rivers. A carriage-road leads up to
the summit, where to the right are large barracks with the stables on
the top story. To the left is the promenade, consisting of a group of
stunted elms and horse-chestnuts, and immediately above is the village,
which, like the other parts of the fort, has an untidy appearance. From
the ramparts are magnificent views of valleys and mountains, including
Mont Pelvoux. In the village is the inn Univers, and down at the foot of
the rock is the inn St. Guillaume.

2 m. from Mont Dauphin, up the Rioubel, an affluent of the Guil, is the
village of Guillestre, 3116 ft., pop. 1000, with an inn and
church of the 16th cent. The road now ascends the valley of the Guil,
passing through La Gorge de Chapelue, bounded by precipices from 700 to
800 ft. high. At the hamlet of Veyr, 9 m. from Mont Dauphin, is a
cascade. 3 m. farther up the Guil, at the upper end of the defile,
are the fort and village of Queyras, 17 m. S. from Briançon and 14 m.
N.E. from Mont Dauphin, with an inn. “In the valleys around Queyras
Protestants are numerous, especially in the Val d’Arvieux,
reached by a road branching off on the left about 1½ m. below
Château Queyras; as well as in the Commune of Molines, and its hamlets,
St. Veran, Pierre Grosse, and Fontgillarde. They have churches at
Arvieux, St. Veran, and Fousillarde, in all of which service is
performed once in three weeks by a pastor who resides alternately for a
week in each parish” (see p. 304, and
_Murray_, p. 216).
Aiguilles.
Abriés.
A little higher up the left or S. bank of the Guil is the
Ville-la-Vieille, with a church, 10th cent., and an inn. 18 m. from
Mont Dauphin is Aiguilles, pop. 700, with an inn, on the right
bank of the Guil. 21 m. from Mont Dauphin, and 5½ hrs. walk from
the foot of Monte Viso, is Abriés, with an inn and Romanesque church,
the highest village in the valley of the Guil. Although Abriés is a
convenient halting-place, it is a most unattractive spot as
headquarters. 4 m. S.E. from Abriés on the Guil is La Monta, with custom-house,
where France is left.

For Perosa to Mont Dauphin, see
p. 307; Torre-Pèllice to Mont
Dauphin, p. 306; Saluzzo
to Mont Dauphin, p. 308, and map
p. 304.

Mont Dauphin to Saluzzo and Mont
Viso, 65 m. E. From Mont Dauphin a good road extends
21 m. E. to Abriés, the highest village in the valley of the Guil,
5 hrs. walk from the foot of Monte Viso. From Abriés a mule-path leads
over the Col de la Traversette, 9680 ft., on the S. flank of Monte
Meidassa, 10,185 ft., to Crissolo, 7½ m. E. from the Col. 8 m.
beyond by post-road is the village of Paesana, the chief town in the
valley, and 1778 ft. above the sea. 5 m. farther E., on the road to
Saluzzo, is Sanfront, whence a road strikes off, about 17 m. S., to
Sampeyre, 3205 ft., the principal village in the valley of the Vraita.
Saluzzo is 14 m. E. by coach from Paesana and 25 m. N.E. from
Sampeyre (see p. 307, and map p. 304).

Mont Pelvoux.

45¼ m. N.E. from Gap, and 9½ m. N.E. from Mont Dauphin, is La Bessée, 3420 ft. above the
sea, pop. 1000. _Inn:_ H. de la Poste. Here passengers alight
for Mont Pelvoux, and proceed to the village of
345
 
Val Louise, about 6½ m.
W. by the Col de la Batie, 3445 ft. (see p. 333). 10½ m. N. from La Bessée is Briançon (see p. 333). “Nearly opposite La Bessée
to the N.W. opens out the Val Louise, which terminates in the glaciers
and peaks of the Mont
Pelvoux, whose top, rising 12,973 ft. above the sea-level, is
visible from the road in clear weather. The Val Louise branches into
two; that on the right leads to Mt. Pelvoux. Its summit, or Pic des
Arcines, is a mass of ice. By the other branch there is a difficult
pass, called Col de Celar, into the Val Godemar. Within the Val Louise
was a cavern called Baume des Vaudois, from a number of these people
having concealed themselves within it in 1488, carrying with them their
children and as much food as they could collect, relying on its
inaccessible position and the snows around for their defence. When the
officer despatched by Charles VIII. arrived with his soldiers in the
valley, none of its inhabitants could be found; but at length tracing
out their hiding-place, he commanded a quantity of wood to be set fire
to at the mouth of the cave to burn or smoke them out. Some were slain
in attempting to escape, others threw themselves headlong on the rocks
below, others were smothered; there were afterwards found within the
caverns 400 infants stifled in the arms of their dead mothers. It is
believed that 3000 [French Vaudois] perished on that occasion in this
valley. The cavern
has fallen, and is nearly buried in the _débris_. The present
inhabitants are all Roman Catholics, and a miserable goitred race.”
—_Murray_, p. 218.


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
126
64
ASPRES, pop. 2000, 2493 ft.
above the sea. _Inn:_ Ferdinand. Junction with road to Livron, 68 m. W., on E. side
of Rhône (see p. 46). The road after leaving Aspres crosses the Col
de Cabres, and then proceeds westwards by the valley of the Drôme (see
p. 47).

154½
35½
CLELLES, 2400 ft., pop.
1000. _Inn:_ Lion d’Or. Station to alight at to make the ascent of
Mont Aiguille, a limestone rock 6880 ft. high, near Chichiliane,
about 7 m. distant towards Die.

163
27
MONESTIER DE CLERMONT, pop. 1000.
_Inns:_ Europe; France. Cold acidulous spring for diseases of the
kidneys and stomach.

Vif. Vizille.


MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE
177
13
VIF, pop. 3000. At the foot of a
calcareous ridge, which connects Mt. Moucherotte, 7454 ft., with Mt.
Moucherolle, 7509 ft.

181
9
VIZILLE, pop. 4000.
_Inns:_ Terrat; Europe; Parc. Vizille, the Vigillia of the Romans,
is an ill-built manufacturing town on the right bank of the Romanche,
with a castle built by Lesdiguières, now restored and used as a
manufactory (see p. 333).

185
5
PONT DE CLAIX,
pop. 2500, at the foot of mountains from 5000 to 6000 ft. high (see
p. 328).

190
GRENOBLE. (See p. 324.)

346
 

Paris to Lyons by St. Etienne.

See fly-leaf, and Map of the
Rhône and Savoy, p. 27.


LYONS
349
PARIS. For time-tables, see under Paris, Roanne à Lyon par Saint
Etienne. For the first 200 miles, between Paris and the important
junction of St. Germain-des-Fossés, see pp. 351 to 358.


PARIS
220
129
ST.
GERMAIN-DES-FOSSES. All the trains halt here.

231
118
LA PALISSE, pop.
3000, on the Bèbre. The ruined castle on the eminence overlooking the
town was built in the 14th century.

235½
113½
ARFEUILLES, pop.
3400, on the Barbenant. Fine waterfall, and castle of Montmorillon, 15th
cent.


PARIS
LYONS
262
87
ROANNE, pop. 20,000.
_Hotels:_ Centre; Commerce; *Nord. A busy, well-built,
manufacturing town, on the Loire and the canal of Digoin, possessing
many interesting Roman remains. Among the buildings the most noteworthy
are—the church of St. Etienne, built in the 15th cent.; the ruins
of the ancient feudal castle, and the college built by the Jesuit
Cotton, the confessor of Henri IV. The cotton-mills employ 1200 workmen,
and the annual value of the produce is £1,120,000. After Roanne, the
line to St. Etienne and Le Puy passes through a picturesque country
among the Cevennes and their offshoots.


PARIS
LYONS
282
67
FEURS, pop. 4000, on the
Loire. _Inn:_ Poste. This, the ancient Forum Segusinorum, contains
several antiquities, and a church partly of the 12th century. In the
neighbourhood is a chalybeate spring, called La Fontaine des Quatre.
Many Roman remains.


PARIS
LYONS
297½
51½
SAINT GALMIER, pop.
3100, on the Coise. _Hotel:_ Poste. Springs of mineral water of
great repute, called by the Romans Aquae Segestae. It is exported, and
not utilised on the spot (see p. 348).

St. Etienne.


PARIS
LYONS
312
37
SAINT ETIENNE, 1770
ft. above the sea, pop. 127,000. _Hotels:_ Nord; France; both
first-class. The Poste; Europe; Des Arts; Paris, are less expensive, and
frequented by commercial travellers. From the Europe the diligences
start for Annonay. In the Rue de la Paix is the Temple Protestant. East
from the temple, in the Rue des Jardins, is the Palais de Justice,
a large handsome building.

This great manufacturing town, cold and muddy in winter, and dusty in
summer, was founded by the Romans b.c.
56, and from a very early period became famous for forges and the
manufacture of cables, ribbons, firearms, and “faïence” or crockery. It
is situated in the long narrow valley of the Furens, amidst productive
coal-beds. One long street, bearing the names of the Rues de Roanne,
Paris, Foy, St. Louis, and Annonay, extends from west to east, dividing
the city into two nearly equal parts. Off this street are the principal
squares or “Places.” In nearly the centre of this street, where it is
intersected by the Rue des Jardins and the Rue Royale, leading
northwards to the railway station, is the Hotel de Ville, with, at the
west end, the Post
347
 
and Telegraph Offices. On the south side of the part of the street
called the Rue St. Louis are: the Theatre, and on the hill behind, the
Ecole de Dessin, reached by 53 steps, passing an artificial grotto.
Above the Ecole, in the Rue St. Barbe, reside some of the many weavers
of ribbons, who exhibit their looms with pleasure to visitors. On the
summit of this hill is a Capuchin convent and church, surmounted with a
gilded image of the Virgin. The road from this convent, down the hill,
passes the church of St. Etienne, built in the 12th cent., containing
some beautiful glass, and a relief representing the martyrdom of St.
Etienne.

St. Etienne: Museums.

A little to the east, and also on the side of the hill, is the PALAIS DES
ARTS, open from 10 to 12 and from 2 to 4. It contains The
Picture Gallery, The Museum of Natural History, and complete collections
of specimens of the manufactures of St. Etienne. On the ground-floor are
the fire arms, labelled and ranged in rows. Under glass-cases are the
separate pieces, from the smallest screw to the barrel; including locks,
triggers, cartridges, percussion-caps, shot, and balls. The centre room
upstairs contains the Picture Gallery, nearly all modern. The most
striking is, “Nero beholding the effect of poison on slaves.” On one
side of the Picture Gallery is the Natural History Museum, and on the
other, collections of ancient tapestry, enamels, cabinets, and
furniture. In a separate saloon is the faïence, consisting chiefly of
plates. In the second storey is the MUSEE DE FABRIQUE. In the
centre of the room are models of the ribbon-looms, and round the walls,
under glass, specimens of the ribbons, which, from their small size and
arrangement, do not show to advantage. Even the portraits, although most
remarkable specimens of silk-weaving, are apt to be passed by, as simply
very good engravings. Among them is a group in a sitting posture
representing the Queen, Prince Albert, and the Prince of Wales, woven by
Carquillat, who has several other works of art in this room. In the
lower cases, in pattern books, are specimens of all the varied fabrics
from the looms of St. Etienne.
St. Etienne:
Manufactures.
The annual value of the silk manufactures is estimated at £3,300,000,
employing 40,000 workmen and 280,000 spindles (broches), of which
165,000 work organzines and trames, and 114,000 work the silk intended
for crapes and gauze ribbons. The number of looms has been estimated in
all at 65,000 for weaving silks, and 80,000 for ribbons. The coalfields
occupy nearly 85 square miles, employ 5000 miners, and produce on an
average annually £1,600,000 worth of coal. At the west end of the long
street, opposite the gas-works, are the Manufacture d’Armes of the
Government, and adjoining their coal-pits (puits). This large
establishment is under the superintendence of artillery officers of high
rank, and employs about 2800 men. There are, besides, several private
gun manufactories throughout the town, which turn out annually as many
as 300,000 stand of arms, including pistols and revolvers. The Promenade
of St. Etienne is the Cours Fauriel. It adjoins the Jardin des Plantes,
and is north from the Place du Palais des Arts, by the straight street,
the Rue de la Badouillière.

348
 

Rochetaillée.

_Excursions._—Nearly 2 m. S. is Valbenoite, pop. 7000, with
large hardware manufactories, and the great reservoir of the city called
the Gouffre d’Enfer. 2½ m. farther by the same road is the
village of Rochetaillée. This is also the road to take to
ascend Mont Pilat. A carriage-road reaches the length of Bessat,
10 m. from St. Etienne. Thence a path leads to the farm of the
Perdrix, 7 m. farther, where pass the night. Mont Pilat has two
peaks—the Trois Dents, 4480 ft., and the Crête de la Perdrix, 4705
ft.

14½ m. by rail from St. Etienne is the St. Galmier station, 1260 ft. above the sea (see
p. 346). An omnibus awaits passengers
for the town, 1½ m. distant, on a hill 200 ft. above the station.
It is a poor place with poor inns, the Commerce and Voyageurs. At the
foot of the hill are the mineral springs and the establishments for
bottling the water. The springs are at a considerable distance below the
surface, reached by deep shafts, like the “Source Remy,” cased with
masonry, and furnished with spiral staircases.

From Roannes (p. 346), on the St. Galmier branch line, an
omnibus starts for St. Alban, 6¼ m. distant, with a hotel and
bathing establishment possessing cold acidulous chalybeate springs.

Nearer St. Germains, at the station of St. Martin d’Estreaux,
a coach awaits passengers for Sail-les-Bains, 3¼ m. from the
station. The bath-house has a hotel of its own. The establishment is
supplied by six springs containing bicarbonate of soda, sulphur, and
iron.

St. Germains is the station for Vichy
(p. 358).


Paris to Lyons by Tarare.

Distance, 318 miles. Time, 17½ hours.


LYONS
318
PARIS. This route is the same as the preceding as far as Roanne.
For time-tables, see under “Paris, Tarare, et Lyon.” The route becomes
picturesque after Roanne.

Roanne. Tarare.


PARIS
LYONS
262
56
ROANNE. (See p. 346.) 5 m. S.E. is
L’Hôpital, and 19 m. more the manufacturing town of Amplepuis, pop.
7000, at the foot of a hill 1525 ft. above the sea-level, producing
considerable quantities of muslin, calico, cotton, and linen cloth.
3 m. from Amplepuis commences the tunnel, 3200 yards, which pierces
the ridge that separates the basin of the Loire from the Rhône. The
temperature of the Rhône basin in winter is rawer and colder than that
of the Loire.


PARIS
LYONS
288
30
TARARE, pop. 15,000.
_Hotel:_ Europe; an uninteresting and unattractive manufacturing
town on the Turdine, surrounded by steep mountains, among which is Mont
Chevrier, one of the highest summits of the Beaujolais range. At the low
end of the town is the
349
 
railway station, and at the high end the viaduct of 21 arches across the
valley of the Turdine. The arch which crosses the road has a span of 95
ft., the others average 35 ft. About 60,000 men in the town and environs
are employed in the manufacture of velvet, embroidery, trimming, and
especially in the particular kind of muslin called “tarlatan,”
a thin gauze-like fabric, for which it is celebrated.


PARIS
LYONS
318
LYONS (see p.
29).

Lyons to Clermont-Ferrand,

121 m. W. by Givors-Canal, St. Etienne,
Montbrison, and Thiers.

Montbrison.

At Givors-Canal passengers for stations on the west side of the Rhône
change carriages. From Givors-Canal to St. Etienne the train passes
towns with coal-mines and large smelting works and foundries. At St. Etienne (p. 346) a long halt is
generally made. A little way up from the station will be found the
steam tram, which, after traversing the best part of the town, returns
to this terminus. 56½ m. W. from Lyons and 64½ m. E. from
Clermont is Montbrison on the Vizezy, pop. 6700. _Inn:_
H. Lion d’Or. An uninteresting town, whose public buildings occupy
religious edifices, secularised after the revolution of 1793. Of these
the most prominent is the Palais de Justice, in the convent and church
of the nuns of “Sainte Marie.”

Behind the inn is the parish church of N. D. d’Esperance, founded
in 1223, but recently repaired. The west portal (restored), with its
heavy square tower and buttresses, was built in 1443 by order of
Charles I. de Bourbon. The most interesting part is the five-sided
apse, with in each side one long lancet window, and above it two small
windows separated by an impost colonnette. To each corner is attached
diagonally a long, narrow, slightly receding buttress. The church is 206
ft. long, and 62 ft. high from the pavement to the roof. At the E. end
of the N. aisle is the mausoleum to Count “Fores and Niver, Guigo IV.,”
who founded the church in mccxxiii.
Opposite is the monument to the jurist Vernato, d. mccclviii.

Montbrison: Salle des Etats.

Fronting the E. end of the church is the Salle des
Etats (house of Parliament) du Forez, built about the year 1300
by Jean I., Comte de Forez, and recently restored by the Duc de
Persigny from plans by Violet-le-Duc. The name was afterwards changed
into the Salle de la Diana (decana), from having been converted into the
chapter-house of the church. It now contains the library of the Diana
society, who also hold their meetings here. It is 64 ft. long, 26¼ ft.
wide, and 26¼ ft. high. The roof is entirely covered with small painted
representations of the escutcheons of the Counts of Forez, and of every
family that has possessed land in the territory. The large end windows
are modern
350
 
additions. The chimney-piece, though modern, occupies the place of the
original one.

Less than ½ m. from the inn, by the Clermont road, is a cold mineral
spring, containing bicarbonates of lime, magnesia, and soda, with free
carbonic acid gas. It makes a refreshing drink, as well as a tonic and
diuretic. A little farther, about a mile from the town, is the old
untidy village of Moingt, with church 12th cent., and in front of it a
ruined gateway and round tower 13th cent. Montbrison is 49¼ m. W. from
Lyons by the Dombes railway. The Lyons terminus of the Dombes railway is
the station of St. Paul (p. 30).

Between Montbrison and Thiers there is nothing remarkable till just
after St. Remay, the station before Thiers, when the train passes by the
gorge of the Durolle at an immense depth below. At this part the train
traverses eight tunnels, and crosses the valley of the Durolle by a
viaduct of seven arches. 24¼ m. E. from Clermont, 40½ m. W.
from Montbrison, 60 m. W. from St. Etienne, and 96¾ m. W. from
Lyons is

Thiers. Vertaizon. Billom.

Thiers, pop. 16,500, at
first a small hamlet beside a fortress (Tigernum castrum) and a chapel
dedicated to St. Symphorien (see p. 367).

Thiers is 72¼ m. N. from Darsac by coach, passing Olliergues, Vertolaye,
Ambert, Marsac, Arlanc, and Chaise-Dieu (see p. 89).

Thiers makes a pleasant railway excursion either from Vichy or
Clermont-Ferrand.

1¼ m. W. from Thiers and 23 m. E. from Clermont-Ferrand is

Courty. Junction with line
to St. Germain des Fossés, 27½ m. W., passing Vichy, 21½ m.
N.

13 m. W. from Courty and 10 m. E. from Clermont is Vertaizon, pop. 2200, situated 1¼ m. S.
from the station. Junction with branch line to Billom, 5½ m. S., pop. 4300. _Inns:_
Voyageurs; Commerce. A prettily situated town among hills crowned
with ruins of castles from 12th to 16th cents. Church St. Cerneuf, 11th
to 13th cents.

The train from Vertaizon takes 30 minutes to reach Clermont-Ferrand (see p. 369).

351
 

Paris to Marseilles by Clermont and Nîmes.

This Route conducts to the volcanic region of Central France; to the
famous Spas of Vichy, Royat, Mont-Dore, Bourboule, and St. Nectaire; and
to the best towns for studying the architecture of Auvergne. (See Maps,
pp. 1 and 27.)


MARSEILLES
530
PARIS. Start from the station of the Chemins de Fer de Paris à
Lyon, and request a ticket for Nîmes by Clermont-Ferrand. The first
stations passed are Brunoy (p. 2), Melun (p. 2), and Fontainebleau (p. 3). At Moret,
42 m. S.E. from Paris, the rail to Marseilles by Nevers and Nîmes
separates from the rail to Marseilles by Dijon and Lyon. (For Moret, see p. 10.)


PARIS
MARSEILLES
73
457
MONTARGIS, pop.
10,000, on the Loing and the canal Briare. _Inns:_ Poste; France.
The principal street leads directly from the station to the Hôtel de la
Poste at the opposite end of the town. The streets about the old castle
are narrow and dirty, and some of them steep. This castle, rebuilt by
Charles V., called formerly the “berceau des enfants de France,”
became private property in 1809. A house has been built within the
circle of the crumbling walls, of which a 14th cent, gateway still
stands.

The parish church is of different epochs—the nave and the
aisles belong to the 12th cent., and the chancel, which is four steps
higher, to the 16th. It is supported on ten tall slender columns, from
which the groining of the roof ramifies in all directions.

The town fairs are held in the promenade, called the Patis. In the
adjoining forest, covering 21,030 acres, is the Dolmen of Paucourt.
Montargis is a great railway junction on one of the main lines between
Paris and the south of France.

10 m. S. by rail from Montargis is Nogent-sur-Vernisson, station for
Châtillon-sur-Loing. Time, 75 minutes; fare, 1 fr. Admiral Coligny
was born in 1516 in the old castle of this place, situated in the midst
of the hereditary domain of the family.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
96
434
GIEN, pop. 7600. _Inns:_
Poste; Paris. An old town on the Loire, and an important railway
junction. On the hill rising from the town is the church of St. Pierre,
flanked by a square tower, 15th cent., commanding an admirable view.
Adjoining is the château, a handsome edifice built in 1494 by Anne
de Beaujeu, daughter of Louis XI. It is now occupied by the Préfecture.
Below, in the town, is the church of St. Louis, 17th cent. 38 m.
N.W. by branch line is Orleans (see pp. 148 and 151 in Black’s
_Normandy_).

352
 

Briare. Cosne.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
102½
427½
BRIARE, pop. 5200.
_Inn:_ H. de la Poste. A pleasant town on the Loire,
where large quantities of buttons are manufactured. 3 m. farther S.
by rail is Châtillon-sur-Loire, pop. 3300. Inn: H. des Trois Rois;
omnibus awaits passengers.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
121
409
COSNE, pop. 7000. _Inns_:
Grand Cerf; Belle Étoile. This little town, with ironworks of
considerable importance, and still retaining parts of its old
fortifications and castle, is situated on the Loire at its junction with
the Nohain. The best of the churches is St. Aignan, of which the portal
and apse are of the 11th cent.; the rest is modern. 6½ m. farther
S. by rail is Sancerre on the Loire, pop. 3700. _Inn:_ Pointe du
Jour. With castle, 13th cent., on a hill 987 ft. above the sea. In the
neighbourhood are important quarries.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
138
392
POUILLY-SUR-LOIRE, pop. 3500. _Inn:_
Écu. The surrounding vineyards produce a famous white wine, with a
peculiar flavour. It is drinkable in the second year, and deteriorates
after the 15th.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
141
389
LA CHARITÉ, built on
a hill sloping down from the railway to the Loire, crossed by both a
stone and suspension bridge. _Inns:_ Poste et G. Monarque;
Dauphin; omnibuses await passengers. It has still part of its
fortifications and towers of the 14th cent. Of the church St. Croix,
consecrated in 1107 by Pope Pascal II., there remain a vast
narthex, the choir, and a high and profusely ornamented tower. This
church belonged to a Benedictine convent, whose deeds of charity gave to
the town its name. The convent is now occupied by the order of the
Visitandines (Visitation). In the treasury are the chasuble and mitre of
St. François de Sales.

Pougues les Eaux. Fourchambault.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
150
380
POUGUES LES
EAUX, pop. 1400. _Hotels:_ Near the station, the H. du
Châlet. At the entrance into the avenue, the H. de l’Etablissement,
and opposite the “Etablissement,” the Hôtel Thermal. Pougues, being a
quiet place, can be recommended only to those in search of repose, whose
stomach or other internal organs have become weak or deranged. The
establishment, which has every kind of apparatus for administering the
water, is situated in a park extending to the Loire, where fair
rod-fishing may be had. The water, principally used internally, is cold,
has a pungent taste, and contains a large amount of carbonic acid gas,
both free and in combination with lime, soda, potash, magnesia, and
iron, and is serviceable in the cure of dyspepsia, enlargement of the
liver, gall-stones, and diseases of the kidneys. Douche baths of
carbonic acid gas are employed.

353
 


PARIS
MARSEILLES
154
376
FOURCHAMBAULT,
pop. 6500. _Inns:_ H. Bourges at station; in town,
H. Berry. A town on the Loire full of large ironworks,
employing above 5000 workmen. The Colonne de Juillet and the Pont du
Carrousel were cast here. Omnibus at station.

Nevers.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
158
372
NEVERS, pop. 20,400.
_Hotels:_ at the station, H. de la Paix; H. du Chemin de
Fer. In the town the France, Europe, and Nièvre. A short distance
N.W. from the station, or from the N.W. corner of the Park, is the
nunnery of St. Giddard, containing the tomb of Bernadette Soubirous, to
which establishment she was entrusted after her reported interviews with
the “immaculately conceived one,” and where she died, after a lingering
illness, caused, it is said, by the knowledge that the present pope had
not the same implicit faith in her story as his predecessor Pio IX.
entertained (see under Lourdes, in Black’s _South France_, West
Half). In the garden of the convent, in a small chapel, is her grave,
covered by a marble slab bearing the following inscription:— “Ici
repose, dans la paix du Seigneur, Bernadette Soubirous, honorée à
Lourdes en 1858 de plusieurs apparitions de la Très Sainte Vierge. En
religion Sœur Marie Bernard, décédée à Nevers, à la Maison-Mère des
Sœurs de la Charité, le 16 Avril 1879 dans le 35e année de
son age et la 12me de sa profession religieuse. C’est ici le
lieu. Psalm 131, v. 15.”

Julius Cæsar kept his military stores in Nevers; but after his defeat
at Gergovia (p. 372) the inhabitants
plundered his camp and massacred the soldiers. Of the old fortifications
there remain the tower of the Loire, of which the lower part is of the
11th cent.; the tower of St. Eloi, 16th cent.; the tower Goguin, 12th
cent.; and the Porte du Croux, a square tower of the 12th cent.,
but rebuilt in 1393, now containing an antiquarian museum. At the
entrance into the town by the Paris road is a triumphal arch, erected in
1746 to commemorate the victory of Fontenoy, 12th May 1745, when the
French defeated the Anglo-German and Dutch forces under the Duke of
Cumberland. Nevers stands on the slope of a hill rising from the Loire
in the midst of a flat country abounding with iron, giving employment to
important ironworks. In the most elevated part is the Grande Place, with
the Palais de Justice, formerly the Palais Ducal, a stately
edifice built in 1475 by Jean de Clamecy, Comte de Nevers, but altered
and enlarged during the 16th cent. by his successors, belonging to the
families of Clèves and Gonzaga. It is in the form of a parallelogram,
flanked with four towers, each containing
354
 
a staircase. In the centre turret is the “Escalier d’honneur,”
ornamented with sculpture representing scenes connected with the history
of the house of Clèves. The market-place occupies the site of the old
Palais de Justice, built in 1400 by Philippe de Bourgogne. Opposite the
Palais de Justice is a fountain by Lequesne.
Nevers: Faïence.
In the Hôtel de Ville are the Library, the Picture Gallery, and an
interesting collection of faïence, which has been manufactured at Nevers
for eight centuries. Faïence is the French term for all descriptions of
glazed earthenware, and corresponds nearly to the English word
“crockery.” The manufacture of majolica or enamelled pottery was
introduced into France by Catherine de Médicis and her kinsman Louis
Gonzaga, who, by marriage with Henrietta of Clèves in 1565, became Duke
of Nevers. There are still important pottery works in the town.

Nevers: Cassini.

Opposite the Palais de Justice is the Cathedral of St. Cyr,
reconstructed in the 13th cent., with parts belonging to other epochs.
The nave was rebuilt in 1188, the N. portal in 1240, the choir in the
14th cent., and the S. portal, which is flamboyant in style, adorned
with complicated mouldings, in the 15th cent. In the interior we find a
western and eastern apse; the former, 16th cent., covers a crypt of the
11 th cent. Statuettes like Caryatides sustain the columns of the
triforium. On the floor of the western end is the meridian traced by the
astronomer Cassini
while engaged in the triangulation of France.

The church of St. Etienne, 1097, is in the Romanesque style. St. Père
was built in 1512, St. Genest, now in ruins, in the 12th cent., and the
chapel of the Visitandines in 1639.

32½ m. E. by rail is Cercy la Tour, where a coach awaits passengers
for the comfortable bathing establishment of St. Honoré. The water is
hot, and in chemical composition resembles very much the springs in the
Pyrenees. Hotel at the establishment. (See map, p. 1.)

Varzy. Clamecy.

Junction with branch to La Roche, 108 m. N. on the direct line
between Paris and Turin (see p. 14). On this branch line, 8¾ m.
N. from Nevers, is Guerigny, pop. 3050, on the Nièvre, with the
important ironworks called the Forges de la Chaussade, employing upwards
of 1300 men. 24¼ m. farther by the same line is Varzy, pop. 2890; _Inn:_ H. de la
Poste; with a very beautiful church, St. Père, 13th and 14th cents.,
surmounted by two square towers. In the interior are an elegant
triforium and a beautiful Flemish painting (1535) of the Martyrdom of
St. Eugenie. 44 m. S. from La Roche and 64 m. N. from Nevers
is Clamecy, pop. 5400 (p. 15);
_Inns:_ Boule d’Or; Univers; *Poste; on the junction of the Yonne
with the Beuvron. On
355
 
the bridge across the Yonne is a bronze bust by David of Jean Rouvet,
the inventor of those large rafts by which the wood from the forests is
floated down to Paris and other parts. In the church of St. Martin, 12th
to 15th cent., are a statue of Ste. Geneviève by Simart, a handsome
organ-case of the 16th cent., and a beautiful reredos on the high altar.
Under the markets are the vaults of the old castle of the Dukes of
Nevers. The Palais de Justice, the gendarmerie, and the prison occupy
one large building.

22 m. N. from Clamecy is Cravant (p. 14), an important railway junction.
Junction also at Nevers with line to Chagny, 178 m. E. (see p. 24). Branch
to Le Creusot and Autun
(see p. 24).

Saincaize. Moulins.


PARIS
154
SAINCAIZE, 600 ft.
above sea; junction with line to Bourges, 38 m. W. (See Black’s
_South France_, West Half.)


MARSEILLES
195
335
MOULINS, pop. 22,000.
_Hotels:_ At the station, H. du Chemin de Fer; in. the town,
Dauphin, Paris, France, Allier. Omnibuses at the station.
A cheerful town with extensive boulevards and pleasant walks along
the banks of the Allier, crossed by a bridge built in 1763, of 13
arches, and 328 yards long. In the centre of the town is the Cathedral
of Notre Dame, in the transition florid style of the 15th cent. The
façade, over which rise two handsome spires, is of white sandstone, with
colonnettes of dark Volvic lava. The tops of the buttresses are adorned
with statues. The choir, which is seven steps higher than the nave, is
lighted by windows containing valuable 16th cent. glass, and covered
with a curious roof. In the chapel to the right of the altar is a small
mausoleum with a recumbent figure illustrating the condition of even the
fairest forms after death. Under the altar, in a little crypt, is an
Entombment. In the first chapel, N. side of the choir, is an “Adoration
of the Virgin” of considerable merit. Opposite the main entrance is a
large square tower called “La tour mal coiffée,” 15th cent., now a
prison, which, with the handsome portico of the Gendarmerie, formed part
of the famous castle of the Dukes of Bourbon. The most interesting old
houses are within and around the Place de l’Allier. In that square is
also the church of St. Nicolas, built in the style of the 13th cent. In
the chapel of the Lycée, No. 15 Rue de Paris, a little beyond the
Palais de Justice, is the marble mausoleum, by Coustou, Anguier,
Renaudan and Poipant, of Henri II., Duc de Montmorenci, godson of
Henri IV., and one of the bravest marshals of France. He had the
misfortune to draw upon himself the enmity of Cardinal Richelieu and the
displeasure of Louis XIII., which
356
 
led to his execution in the Capitole of Toulouse on the 30th October
1632, where the knife is still preserved. His widow, Maria Orsini,
caused his body to be brought to this chapel, then belonging to the
convent of the nuns “de la Visitation.” The statues, all of the finest
Carrara marble, represent the duke in a half-recumbent posture and the
duchess seated near him. Fee, ½ fr. In the Hôtel de Ville is the public
library, with 25,000 vols. and a manuscript Bible of the 12th cent,
called the Souvigny Bible. The town clock, with its moving statues, is
mounted on a square tower, 15th cent., 40 ft. high.

Duke of Berwick. Sterne’s Maria.

Lord Clarendon, while on his way from Montpellier to Rouen, stayed
some time at Moulins, where he wrote a part of his _History of the
Rebellion_, which he finished while resident in Rouen, where he died
on the 9th of December 1674, after having appealed twice in vain to
Charles II. to be allowed to return to England. James Fitz-James,
Duke of Berwick, a marshal and peer of France, natural son of James
Duke of York, afterwards James II., by Arabella Churchill, sister
of the great Duke of Marlborough, was born at Moulins on the 21st of
August 1670, and died 12th June 1734. Montesquieu said of him: “In the
works of Plutarch I have seen at a distance what great men were; in
Marshal Berwick I have seen what they are.” By the side of the Paris road,
under a tree at the northern entrance into Moulins, the forlorn Maria,
with her lute and her dog Sylvie, used to sit. Thwarted in love by the
intrigues of the parish curate, she became the prey to a deep-seated
melancholy. (See Sterne’s _Sentimental Journey_, “Maria.”)

Souvigny.

9 m. W. from Moulins by rail is Souvigny, pop. 4000. _Hotel:_ Croix d’Or. At
the end of the village farthest from the station is a beautiful
basilica, commenced in the 10th cent and rebuilt and restored at various
periods. It is 275 ft. long, 125 broad, and 56 high. In the Chapelle
Vieille, to the right of the high altar, is the mausoleum of
Louis II., Duc de Bourbon, and Anne his wife. On the other side is
that of Duc Charles I. and Anne de Bourgogne his wife. Both chapels
are enclosed in a stone screen with delicate flamboyant tracery. To the
left of the principal entrance is an ancient column with the signs of
the Zodiac sculptured on it. N. from the church, on the opposite side of
the street, is the old castle of the Bourbons, occupied by people of
humble rank. From the Souvigny station an omnibus runs 10 m. N. to
Bourbon l’Archambault, passing at about half-way St. Menoux (Hôtel de
l’Écu). It stops in front of the church just sufficient time to allow
the traveller to cast a rapid glance over this
357
 
pleasing specimen of Aquitaine and Auvergne architecture of the 11th
cent. (See map,
p. 1.)

Bourbon-l’Archambault Baths.

Bourbon-l’Archambault, pop. 4500.
_Hotels:_ Close to the bathing establishment, the Hôtel Montespan,
on the site of the house which used to be occupied by Madame de
Montespan and Louis XIV. About 100 yds. distant the Hôtel de France. On
a hill at the northern side of this ancient town are the ruins of the
once strong feudal castle of Bourbon, commenced by Louis I. in
1321, and finished in the 15th cent, by Duc Pierre II. Four massive
towers, built of stone, with projecting points, still remain of the
twenty-four which it had originally.
On a hill at the opposite side of the town is the parish church,
commenced in the 12th cent., resembling the church of St. Menoux. In the
centre of the town is the copious spring of mineral water which, besides
supplying the bathing establishment, is largely used for drinking and
domestic purposes. It is clear, inodorous, unctuous, easily digested,
slightly saline and aperient, and 128° Fahr. One-sixth of its volume is
free carbonic acid gas, besides the same acid in combination with lime,
magnesia, and soda; and some salts of bromine, iodine, and iron. It is
eminently diaphoretic, diuretic, and tonic, and excellent for
rheumatism, rheumatic gout, and scrofula. Between the bathing
establishment and the church is the cold water spring called the “Source
de Jonas,” containing bicarbonates of lime and magnesia, chlorides of
soda and magnesia, silicates of lime, alumina, and soda, the carbonate
of iron and the oxide of manganese. The water is tonic and slightly
laxative.
St. Pardoux Spring.
9½ m. S. from Bourbon is St. Pardoux, in a wooded and hilly
country, forming one of the best drives from Bourbon. There is here a
spring of remarkably sparkling water, ⅚ths of its volume being free
carbonic acid gas. It contains the bicarbonates of lime, magnesia, and
soda, silicates of lime and alumina, and the oxide of iron. It is
delightful to the taste, very pungent, and, owing to the presence of so
much carbonic acid gas, slightly heady. It is an excellent tonic, highly
diuretic, and stimulates the secretion of bile. It is sold in litre
bottles at Bourbon at 3d. per bottle. Madame Montespan, when in the
height of her power, used regularly to visit Bourbon to recruit her
health, and here she died, in solitude, on the 25th of May 1707, cast
off and deserted by Louis XIV. 33 m. W. from Souvigny by rail is
Commentry (see map,
p. 1).

From Moulins branch line extends 73 m. E. to Montchanin, passing, at
17½ m. E. from Moulins, Dompierre; at 23 m. E., Gilly, station
for Bourbon-Lancy; 29¼ m. E., Saint Agnan; 35 m. E., Digoin;
and 41½ m. E., Paray-le-Monial (see p. 27, and
map, p. 1).

Dompierre-sur-Bebre, pop. 2230.
_Inns:_ Commerce; Lion d’Or. Coal and iron found in this
neighbourhood. The country is undulating and well cultivated. Near the
next station, Diou on the Loire, is the Cistercian abbey of Sept-Fonds,
founded in 1132, rebuilt in the 17th cent., and now an agricultural
school.

358
 

Gilly.

Gilly, station for Bourbon-Lancy, pop.
3300, 8¾ m. N. by the Loire. Coach awaits passengers at station,
fare 1½ fr. _Inn:_: H. Trois Barbeaux, where carriages for
drives can be had. The village, situated on an eminence, is full of old
houses, of which the best are near the clock-tower, 15th cent. In the
valley at the foot of the eminence is the suburb of St. Leger, with an excellent small Bathing
Establishment, supplied by five alkaline springs, temp. 132°
Fahrenheit, which flow into large basins in the court fronting the
baths. The water contains free carbonic acid gas and 19 grains of the
chloride of sodium to the pint. In lesser quantities the chlorides of
calcium and magnesium, the sulphate of soda, the carbonates of lime and
magnesia, and the oxide of iron. In Vichy the drinking of the water is
the most important, but here it is the external application by baths and
other means. They are very serviceable in the cure of nervous and
cutaneous diseases, in neuralgia of the face, and in every form of
rheumatism. The baths are of marble and easily entered, and furnished
with ingenious contrivances to facilitate the application of the water
to any particular part. Near the Casino, and standing by itself, is a
swimming bath, 62 ft. long by 29½ wide and 5 deep, filled with the
mineral water cooled down to 90° Fahr. The surplus water is still
carried off by the underground channels constructed by the Romans. At
intervals along their course perpendicular shafts are sunk down to the
bed of the outlet.

On a height near the bathing establishment is a hospital built by M. and
Mme. Aligre, and given by them to the town. A monument to their
memory is in the Place of St. Leger, and a replica of the statue of
Madame in silver is in the hospital. _Inns:_ Opposite the
establishment, the *Grand Hotel, 12 frs., and the G. H. des Termes,
pension 8½ frs. A little farther, the G. H. des Bains, 7½
frs.; for a lady, 6 frs. Opposite, the H. Allier. The charge
for the baths and Casino is very reasonable. For particulars write to M.
Le Regisseur des Bains de Bourbon-Lancy. The surrounding country is of
considerable interest, the Loire is within an easy walk, while several
important cities are within a few hours by rail.

A little beyond Gilly is Saint Agnan on the Loire. _Inn:_
H. de Marion. A small town in the midst of iron and coal
mines. 6 m. farther is Digoin, pop. 3300. Inns: H. des Diligences, in
the town; at the station, the H. de la Gare. Church of the llth
cent. Suspension bridge across the Loire.

St. Germain-des-Fossés.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
220
310
ST.
GERMAIN-DES-FOSSES, 845 ft. above the sea. Large refreshment
rooms. Always a great deal of traffic at this station. Change carriages
for Vichy. Behind the station, on a little eminence, is the inn G.
H. du Pare (bed 2 frs.), with garden. At the warehouse end of
the station is the inn H. de la Gare. In the village, the Paix.
7 m. S. from St. Germain and 227 m. S. from Paris is

359
 

VICHY

on the Allier, pop. 7000, 8 hrs. by express from Paris.
_Hotels:_ The largest and best are around the Parc. Of them the
most elegantly furnished are:—The Nouvel Hôtel, pension 25 frs.;
the H. Parc, 12 to 20 frs.; Ambassadeurs, 12 to 20 frs.; Mombrun,
12 to 20 frs.; and the Grand Hôtel, 12 to 16 frs., all first-class.


opp. 359
plan of Vichy


Vichy: Hotels and their Charges.

The following, also round the Parc, are equally comfortable, but the
furniture is not so costly.
The H. des Thermes, 10 to 12 frs., adjoining the Villa Strauss, in
which Napoleon III. resided; Cherbourg, 9½ to 15½ frs.; the
Princes, 9½ to 15½ frs.; the G. H. de la Paix, 12¾ to 15¾ frs.; the
G. H. Velay et des Anglais, 9½ to 13½ frs.; Royal Hotel,
Amirauté, 7½ to 10½ frs.; and H. de la Restauration. Almost
adjoining the Ambassadeurs, the H. Moliere, 8½ to 12½ frs.,
a smaller house. In all the above hotels, excepting in the first
three, servants are taken at the rate of 6 frs. per day. The above
prices include everything except the charge of 1 fr. for candles at
the end of the stay.

Adjoining the north corner of the Etablissement, near the Grande Grille,
is the G. H. des Bains, 9 to 14 frs. Opposite the Etablissement,
the H. Britannique, 7½ to 10 frs.; the Richelieu, 8½ to 10½ frs.;
and behind it the H. Grande Grille, 8½ to 11½ frs., a more
handsome house.

In the Rue Petit, near the Châlets in the Boulevard National,
*H. d’Amerique, 9 to 10 frs., a clean quiet house, generally
full.

In the Place de l’Hôtel de Ville at the south end of the Parc are the
H. d’Espagne, 6½ to 10 frs., a small house served principally
by the family; and the Deux-Mondes, 8½ to 10½ frs., fronting likewise
the Place Rosalie. The fraction in the prices is for service.

In the Place Rosalie are the Source de l’Hôpital and the Banque
de Vichy, where circular notes are cashed and money changed.

In the Rue de Nîmes, a busy street, separated from the Parc by a row of
houses, is the H. de Nice, 8½ to 10 frs.; one side faces the
church. On the other side of the church is the *H. Notre Dame, 9½
to 10½ frs. Then follow the G. H. du Centre, 7 to 10 frs.;
H. Fénélon; H. du Regence, 8 to 9½ frs.; Orleans and Milan
same price.

In the Rue de Paris, the street between the town and the railway
station, are the G. H. du Louvre et de Reims, 7 to 10 frs., open
all the year; Univers, 8 to 10 frs.; *Rome, 7½ to 9½ frs.; the Suisse;
H. Dubessay; *Couronne, 8½ to 9½ frs.; Beaujolais; Brest, 7 to 8½
frs.; Cote d’Or, 7 to 7½ frs.; Globe, 7 frs., open all the
year—all between the railway station and the Etablissement.

At the end of the Rue de Paris, in the Rue de Ballore, the G. Hôtel
Maussant, 8 to 10 frs. In the Avenue Victoria, behind the military
hospital, and in front of the petrifying spring, is the H. de
Provence, 6 to 9 frs. In front of hospital, Hotel Lucas.

In the Rue de Nîmes, between the Parc and the Parc des Celestins, are
the G. H. Palais, 7½ to 10 frs.; Genève; Milan; Bordeaux. Near
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the entrance into the Parc des Celestins, the H. Venise, 8 to
9 frs. and the H. Palais-Royal.

There are a great many maisons meublées, in which furnished rooms are
let at prices varying from 4 to 8 frs., and ½ fr. for service.
Lodgers can always have a breakfast prepared for them of coffee, bread,
and eggs, without any extra charge, but the dinner is more troublesome.
Among the maisons meublées are the Villa Sévigné (in which Madame
resided) in the Boulevard National, near the Source Larbaud.

Travellers wishing to inspect the hotels and maisons meublées before
deciding which to take should alight at one of the hotels in the Rue de
Paris, as they are nearest the station, and sufficiently comfortable
without being expensive.

Close to the principal establishment, in the Rue Lucas, is one of the
best apothecary shops, the Pharmacie Durin, where information regarding
the different doctors can be had.

Vichy, during the season, from 15th May till the end of September, forms
a most enjoyable residence. It is full of comfortable hotels presided
over by civil landlords, charging various prices from 6½ to 25 frs. per
day, which includes wine, service, and everything else. The best
situations are the Parc and in the contiguous streets.
Tastefully-planned grounds, called the Neuf Parc, extend between the
town and the Allier, crossed here by a handsome bridge, on the site
where Caesar built his wooden bridge. On an eminence at the southern end
of Vichy are the old town and the old parish church of St. Blaise, 13th
and 14th cents. In works undertaken for the railway numerous coins have
been dug up bearing the effigy of the Gallic chief Vercingetorix, as
well as many Roman objects belonging to all the epochs of the empire. In
1402 Louis II., Duke of Bourbon, surrounded Vichy with a moat and
fortified walls, within which he erected his castle; but of it all that
remains is the great clock-tower or belfry.

Vichy: Mineral Water Establishment.

At the head of the Rue de Paris, on the north end of the Pare, is the
Mineral Water
Establishment, composed of two large buildings—1st, The
“Grand Etablissement,” containing only first-class baths;
a parallelogram 167 ft. long by 250 broad, provided with 100
cabinets with baths, and traversed by a gallery from N. to S., having on
the western side the gentlemen’s baths, and on the eastern side the
ladies’. At the extremity of this passage is an inhaling-room. Each bath
costs 2½ frs., including service and linen. An hour and a quarter is
allowed, including dressing. Below the baths are large reservoirs. In
front of the entrance to the central gallery, near the spring Chomel, is
the _office_ for the taking down of the bathers’ names and for the
sale of the bath tickets.

2d, Separated by a narrow street is a similar edifice in which second
and third class baths are given, costing respectively 1½ frs. and 60 c.
each. The difference in the price of the baths arises from the quality
of the accommodation and the amount of linen and towels supplied. The
baths themselves are the same, and are filled too from the same springs.
The two buildings contain together 350 baths and 150
361
 
shower-baths, and during the season as many as 4000 baths can be given
in a single day. They commence at 3.30 a.m. and continue till 5 p.m., but at one part of the season till even later.
But it must always be remembered that the external application of the
water is not nearly so important as the internal. Patients may visit
Vichy, at any time; but the season suited to follow with success the
course of treatment is from the 15th May till the beginning of October.
The month of May is sometimes rainy. August and September are generally
the driest months, and the most equable. The Vichy treatment lasts from
3 to 4 weeks. The waters are taken in the morning and during the day,
and baths daily or every second day. For elderly people with sanguine
and irritable temperaments and delicate constitutions the duration of
the bath should not be more than 20 or even 15 minutes.

Vichy: Casino. The Vichy Springs.

At the south or opposite end of the Parc is the Casino, a handsome
comfortably-furnished edifice. The ballroom is 60 ft. long by 38 wide
and 45 high, and lighted by five large bay windows looking into the
park. The decorations are of the period of Louis XIV., with
elegantly-painted walls and ceiling. A gallery, running across the
building in a lateral direction, separates the ballroom from the
theatre, which occupies the centre of the Casino and contains seats for
800 persons. The remainder of the building is occupied by the reading,
billiard, and gambling rooms, and a saloon for ladies. One entrance
ticket, 2 frs.; a month, 25 frs. There is music every morning,
a concert in the afternoon, and theatricals in the evening.
A great quantity of journals and reviews are at the disposal of
members; also books, pianos, and music. A professor of billiards is
attached to the Casino.

The Vichy
Springs.—The Vichy waters are stimulating, but not tonic.
They are gaseous and alkaline, their principal constituents being
carbonic acid and the bicarbonate of soda. They differ materially from
each other only in temperature. They are easily digested and readily
eliminated into the system, where they restore the vitality of the
organs below the diaphragm. None of the springs possess any special
specific property, the best for the patient being that which agrees best
with him. Nevertheless, experience has detected certain peculiarities
which may assist him to discover the most suitable spring. The maximum
quantity which can be taken daily with advantage is from 24 to 28 oz.
The usual dose is four glasses of 5 or 6 oz., taken at different times
throughout the day, and not necessarily from the same spring. The water
may with advantage be mixed with the wine taken at dinner. Carafes are
filled at the springs without any charge. In the shops are sold
graduated glasses of 150 to 180 grammes, divided into three equal parts.
30 grammes equal 1  oz.

The Springs and their peculiarities.—Under the vestibule of
the principal establishment are three important springs—the Grande
Grille, the Puits-Chomel, and the Mesdames (see plan).

Vichy: Grande-Grille, Chomel, Mesdames.

The
Grande-Grille, 110° Fahr., is slightly aperient, and is employed
362
 
with success by persons suffering from indigestion, obstructions of the
viscera, congestion of the liver, spleen, biliary calculi, and
gravel.

The Puits-Chomel, 113° Fahr. The water of this
spring possesses marked anodyne properties, which render it very
valuable whenever the weakened state of the constitution or its
irritability requires to be moderately excited. Of all the Vichy waters
it contains the least carbonic acid without being more difficult of
digestion, and as, on the other hand, it is the most mineralised, it can
in many cases profitably replace the other springs.

Mesdames, 61° Fahr.,
highly chalybeate, is beneficial in cases of chlorosis, amenorrhœa, and
in debility following loss of blood. In cases where the constitution has
been weakened without any evident derangement it stimulates the energy
of the digestive functions so as to enable the patient to recover his
usual strength.

The only other spring in the establishment is the Puits-Carré, 113°
Fahr., which rises in the centre of the building, and is used for
supplying the baths.

Vichy: Prunelle, Parc, Hôpital, Celestins.

About 100 yards E. from the principal establishment, in a building
opposite the military hospital, is the Source Prunelle, a cold spring,
recommended for diseases of the liver, gravel, and calculi.
A little farther E. is the Source Lucas, 84° Fahr.,
principally employed in baths for diseases of the skin. As a drink it is
beneficial where the organs are more disturbed than diseased. In the
park, opposite the Hôtel de la Paix, is the Source du Parc, 71° Fahr., recommended for
sluggish action of the digestive organs, atonic derangement of the
intestines, and affections of the bronchial tube caused by chronic
irritation or catarrh. At the N. end of the Casino, in front of the town
hospital, is the Source de l’Hôpital or Rosalie, 89° Fahr.,
resembling very much the Grande Grille, but less exciting. It is
recommended to those affected with diseases of the digestive organs,
dyspepsia, gastritis, obstinate diarrhœa, and dysentery; and is
particularly useful to literary men whose digestive functions are
deranged from mental labour. It renders important service in ovarian
tumours and other diseases of females.

A short way up the river by the Boulevard des Celestins are the five
important springs, the Sources des Celestins, 54° and 58° Fahr.,
of which the nearest is under a handsome artificial grotto. They are
largely exported, and have the same action, the only question being
their respective degree of efficacy. Those who chiefly frequent these
springs are invalids suffering from gout, gravel, and affections of the
urinary organs, whose stomachs are sufficiently sound to be able to
digest the water easily. Otherwise it is best to commence with either
the “Hôpital” or the “Grande Grille” spring. In all cases the water of
the Springs Celestins should be drunk moderately and with caution. Just
beyond the Celestins, at the end of the Boulevard and near the Parc des
Celestins, are the Lardy springs and establishment. The water, 77°
Fahr., which rises from a depth of 620 ft., has a stimulating
363
 
action on the mucous membrane of the stomach, is easily eliminated, and
is generally drunk after meals by the Vichy invalids. “Stomach disorder,
attended with heartburn and acidity, is in many cases capable of being
cured or materially relieved by the use of one or other of the Vichy
waters. When complicated with pain (gastralgia) and diminished power of
the stomach, the Hôpital spring in some cases, the Lardy and Mesdames in
others, would be most likely to have a beneficial effect: in other
cases, where a more energetic action is required, the Grande Grille
would be preferable.” —_Dr. E. Lee._

Source Hauterive. Influence of Vichy Water.

3 m. S. from Vichy, on the W. bank of the Allier, is the Source Hauterive,
57° Fahr., used principally for exportation. In therapeutical qualities
it resembles the Celestins.

The
principal use of the Vichy waters is in the treatment of gout, and
in chronic diseases of the stomach and abdominal viscera, such as
dyspepsia, chronic hepatic disease, biliary calculi, fatty degeneration
or cirrhosis, and in hæmorrhoidal affections, which are so often
connected with congestion of the liver. They are equally serviceable in
enlargements of the spleen and in many cases of hypochondriasis.
Moreover, this spa is specially adapted for the cure of some of the
chronic diseases of women connected with disordered menstruation, and
for the anomalous “critical complaints” which often set in at the period
of life when this function ceases. “The complaint for which nine-tenths
of the English visitors drink these springs is gout; but it should be
distinctly understood that Vichy water is not a specific for gout; it
can only act on the gouty diathesis by improving the tone of the
digestive organs, augmenting the secretions, and correcting the
abnormally acid condition of the blood.” —_Madden’s Health
Resorts._ “The Vichy waters do not cure gout. They have, however,
a very beneficial effect when administered with caution in cases of
either hereditary or acquired gout, whether articular or internal, acute
or chronic. The proper time to use the waters is in the interval of
attacks, and as far as possible from the last attack. If too near the
last attack, a repetition is to be feared, and there is almost as
much danger in provoking nature as in resisting its action in a crisis.”
—_Dr. Daumas._ “We may then sum up the effects of a Vichy
course, when judiciously prescribed, as restorative to the digestive and
assimilative functions, and invigorative to the general health. The tone
of the stomach is soon improved, digestion becomes easier and more
rapid, pain and weight after food disappearing. The bile flows more
freely. The bowels become regular. Diarrhœa, if previously present,
ceases. The consequence of these changes is better assimilation, and
therefore flesh is often gained. With the improvement in nutrition the
colour returns to the cheeks and energy to the mind.” —_Dr.
P. James._

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CHEMICAL ANALYSIS of the Principal Springs.

GG = Grande Grille.
Ch = Chomel.
Md = Mesdames.
L = Lucas.
P = Park.
H = Hopital.
Ce = Célestins.
Hr = Hauterive.

 
Acids and Bases contained in each litre.
 	NAMES OF THE SPRINGS.
 
GG	Ch	Md	L	P	H	Ce	Hr
Carbonic Acid	4.418	4.429	5.029	5.348	5.071	4.719	4.705	5.640
Sulphuric   „	.164	.164	.141	.164	.177	.164	.164	.164
Phosphoric   „	.070	.038	traces	.038	.076	.025	.050	.625
Arsenic   „	.001	.001	.002	.001	.001	.001	.001	.001
Hydrochloric Acid	.332	.334	.222	.324	.344	.324	.234	.334
Silica	.070	.070	.032	.050	.055	.050	.060	.071
Protoxide of Iron	.002	.002	.012	.002	.002	.002	.002	.008
Lime	.169	.169	.235	.212	.239	.222	.180	.168
Strontia	.002	.002	.002	.008	.003	.003	.003	.002
Magnesia	.097	.108	.134	.088	.068	.064	.105	.160
Potash	.182	.192	.098	.146	.151	.228	.163	.098
Soda	2.488	2.536	1.957	2.501	2.500	2.500	2.560	2.368

Totals	7.997	8.043	7.866	8.877	8.687	8.302	8.327	9.039

Saline ingredients
in each litre.
Free Carbonic Acid	.908	.768	1.908	1.751	1.555	1.067	1.049	2.183
Bicarb. of Soda	4.883	5.091	4.016	5.004	4.857	5.029	5.103	4.687
   „  Potash	.352	.371	.185	.282	.292	.440	.315	.189
   „ 
Magnesia	.303	.338	.429	.275	.213	.200	.328	.501
   „ 
Strontia	.303	.003	.003	.005	.005	.005	.005	.003
   „  Lime	.434	.427	.604	.545	.614	.570	.462	.432
   „ Protox. of
Iron
.004	.004	.026	.004	.004	.004	.004	.017
Sulphate of Soda	.291	.291	.250	.291	.314	.291	.291	.291
Phosphate	.130	.070	traces	.070	.140	.046	.091	.046
Arseniate	.002	.002	.003	.002	.002	.002	.002	.002
Chloride of Sodium
.534	.534	.355	.518	.550	.518	.534	.534
Silica	.070	.070	.032	.050	.055	.050	.060	.071

Totals	7.914	7.959	7.811	8.797	8.601	8.222	8.244	8.956

The Larbaud spring, which is not given in this analysis, differs only
slightly from the Célestins.

In a garden of a house in the Boulevard Victoria is a petrifying
spring, containing a large quantity of the carbonate of lime.


Vichy: Drives.

Excursions.

CAB FARES.—The
course within the town from 6 a.m. to
12 p.m. with 1 horse, 1½ fr.; 2
horses, 2½ frs. By time, carriage and 1 horse, first hour, 3 frs.,
and 2 frs. each successive hour. Half the day, 9 frs.; the
day, 18 frs. Carriage with 2 horses, first hour, 4 frs., the
following hours, 3 frs. each. The half-day, 12 frs. 50 c.; the day,
25 frs.

Art. 17—The price for the first hour, in or outside Vichy, is
always fully charged although the coachman has not been employed the
entire hour. All the other hours are divided and paid by quarters.

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Art. 18.—The day is fixed at 12 hrs., which comprises 2 hrs. for
rest; the half-day at 6 hrs., and 1 hr. for rest.

For drives with a fixed destination the price should be settled
beforehand. The following are the usual prices. To the Casino des
Justices (about 2 m. beyond Gusset), there and back, 1 horse,
7 frs.; 2 horses, 10 frs. The same prices are charged, there and
back, from Vichy to Charmeil, Côte St. Amand, Hauterive, Les Malavaux,
and Montagne-Verte. To the Ardoisière, there and back, 1 horse,
8 frs.; 2 horses, 12 frs. To Chateldon and back, 1 horse, 15 frs.;
2 horses, 20 frs. To Busset and back by the Ardoisière, 1 horse, 16
frs.; 2 horses, 20 frs. To Maulmont and back, 1 horse, 15 frs.; 2
horses, 20 frs. To Randan by Bois-Randenez, return by Maulmont, 1 horse,
18 frs.; 2 horses, 24 frs.

Cusset.

Cusset, pop. 6200, on the
Sichon, 2 m. E. from Vichy. _Inn:_ H. du Centre, in the
Place de la Halle, near the church. Omnibus, 20 c. At the entrance into
the town is the Etablissement Thermal Ste. Marie, a neat
building of red and black brick, with a large entrance flanked with
turrets. Opposite are the “Sources Ste. Marie” and Elizabeth, both cold.
The baths cost 1½ fr. From 9 in the morning till 2 in the afternoon only
1 fr. is charged. The waters are of the same class as those of
Vichy, but have a little more soda and iron.

From Cusset a pleasant road leads to Les Malavaux, 2½ m. S.E. Take
the road to Les Guitons the length of the bridge, which do not cross,
but walk up by the course of the stream Joland. The hill to the right is
called the “Côte des Justices,” because on it criminals suffered the
extreme penalty of the law. Shortly afterwards the valley narrows into a
miniature gorge between basaltic rocks, and situated in the prettiest
part, 1¼ m. from the bridge, is an inn with refreshment rooms.
Pension per day, 10 frs. Beyond the inn the valley gradually widens and
flattens. From the inn are visited the Puits du Diable; and on the
Malavaux the Fontaine des Sarrasins and the scanty ruins of a castle
said to have been built by the Knight Templars; admission, 1 fr.
each.

Montagne-Verte. Grivats.

2½ m. N. from Vichy by the Rue de Ballore is the Montagne-Verte, 1288
ft. above the sea, with a restaurant on the top, whence there is a good
view of the surrounding country. This road makes the nicest walk in the
neighbourhood of Vichy. At about a mile it passes by the cemetery.

Vichy to
Busset by Cusset and the Ardoisière, 10 m. S. Return
by St. Yorre, where the rail may be taken.

The road passes by Cusset and then extends southwards by the side of the
Sichon. The first village passed on the Sichon is Grivats, famous for the manufacture of the Toiles
de Vichy, called also Grivats, a variegated cotton stuff used for
gowns and petticoats. The best quality, made only at Grivats, costs 1½
fr. the mètre (1 ⅛ yard); the inferior qualities, made chiefly at
Roanne, cost from 75 c. to 1 fr. the mètre. At Grivats they are all
made by handlooms in the houses of the weavers. Among the best shops in
Vichy for this article is that of Delorme-Desfougères, Rue de
l’Hôpital.

366
 

From Grivats the road, after passing through a fertile country, reaches
the Ardoisière, situated at the foot of Mont Peyroux, 7½ m. S. from
Vichy. Inn with refreshment rooms. Here there is an abandoned slate
quarry, charge to visit 1 fr., but it is not worth entering. The
favourite excursions here are to the falls of the Sichon or the Cascade
du Gourre-Saillant, fee 1 fr., which, unless after heavy rains, are
very small; and to the ruins of the Château des Templiers on the top of
Mont Peyroux, whence there is a beautiful and extensive view.

Busset. Randan.

The road now leaves the banks of the Sichon and extends due S. towards
Busset, 2½ m. from the Ardoisière, or 10 m. from Vichy by this
road. Busset is a poor
village at the foot of a hill, on which is the Château Bourbon-Busset,
built in 1319, but restored since. Admission readily granted. Splendid
view from the Tour de Riom. W. from Busset, on the E. side of the
Allier, is St. Yorre (see below), where the rail may be taken to Vichy,
5 m. N.

Nearly 8 m. S.E. from the Ardoisière by the valley of the Suhan and the
village of Arronnes is Ferrières, with, in the neighbourhood, the ruins
of the old feudal castle of Mont Gilbert, the Roc St. Vincent, the
Pierre-Encise, the Grotte des Fées, and the Puy-Montoncel. Time required
from Vichy and back, 8 hrs.

Vichy to
Randan.—Coach daily from the Place de la Marine at 11.20
a.m.; arrives at Randan at 1 p.m.; leaves Randan at 3.20, and is back to Vichy by
5. Fare there and back, 2½ frs. The castle of Randan is open on
Thursdays and feast-days. The return journey, 4 m., by Maulmont
costs 3½ frs.

Vesse-Intermittent-Spring.

The coach, having crossed the bridge of the Allier, passes on the left
hand a small house with the sign Source
Intermittente. In the garden is the very interesting
intermittent spring of Vesse, which acts every 6 or 7½ hours, when it
rises from a depth of 375 ft. to the height of 16 ft. above the surface.
During the irruption, which lasts 30 minutes, the water has a milky hue,
from the quantity of air it contains. Admission, 25 c.

From this spring the road follows at a little distance the course of the
stream Sermon, passing the villages of Les Séchauds and the Bois
Randenez, and then enters the forest of Boucharde, at the southern
extremity of which is situated Randan, with its large modern mansion
belonging to the Orleans family. It contains a picture gallery with
several drawings by the gifted Marie d’Orleans, the rooms of Madame
Adelaide and of her brother Louis Philippe, a beautiful little
chapel, and a large kitchen (see p. 368).
From Randan the road leads due E. through the woods to the hunting-seat
of Maulmont, constructed by Madame Adelaide in the Gothic style, on the
site of an old commandery of the Knight Templars. From this the Allier
is crossed by the suspension bridge of Ris, whence the return journey
may be made by rail or by the high road along the E. side of the
river.

St. Yorre. Ris. Chateldon.

Vichy to
Thiers by rail, 22 m. S., changing at Courty. 5 m. S. from
Vichy are the village of St.
Yorre and the Larbaud mineral
367
 
water establishment, with an intermittent spring in the grounds. The
water, which is bottled here, rises from a depth of 340 ft.

The next station S. from St. Yorre is the station Ris-Chateldon,
5 m. from St. Yorre and 10 from Vichy. About 200 yards N. from the
station the road that crosses the rail leads directly to the suspension
bridge, or the Pont de Ris, over the Allier, about 1 m. W. The
broad road opposite the station leads to Ris (pronounce the s) about 1 m. E. It is a
large village, with dunghills, geese, and ducks in the principal street.
The church, 12th and 13th cents., has narrow aisles and nave and
semicircular apse.

For Chateldon, 3¼ m.
S.E. from station, take the road that follows the rail southward to
second road left. This village, more interesting than Ris, is situated
in the little valley of the stream Vauziron, surrounded by hills covered
with vineyards. In the “Place” is the principal inn, the H. Camin,
pension 6 to 7 frs., whence the coach starts for the station, but
not for every train. The house with the mineral water springs is up at
the other end of the village, by the side of the Vauziron.

Maringues is 11½ m. W. from the station by the Pont de Ris. Puy
de Guillaume, 3¼ m. S. from the station.

Thiers.

23½ m. S. from Vichy by rail is the picturesquely-situated town of
Thiers, pop. 16,230.
_Inns:_ *Paris; Aigle d’Or; Univers; all near each other, and on
almost the same level as the station. Also approached by rail from
Clermont, passing through a mountainous country.

Thiers, with its old houses, and steep, tortuous, dirty streets, is
built on the side of Mt. Besset, which rises to the height of 1716 ft.
above the sea, but only 405 ft. above the old prison near the “Place.”
At the foot of this mountain flows the impetuous Durolle, which turns
the wheels of the paper-mills and forges in the low town. From the
different terraces are splendid views of the curiously-shaped
surrounding mountains and of the plains of the Limagne. The manufacture
of cutlery (coutellerie) is the standard occupation of the inhabitants.
The steel is made in the forges; all the rest is done in the houses of
the workmen, each individual of the family taking the part in the
manufacture corresponding to his or her ability. At the foot of Mt.
Besset, near the Durolle, is the church of St. Moutiers, of the 11th
cent., excepting the square apse, which is of the 7th. From the chancel
a very pretty road leads up the valley of the Durolle to the Margeride.
The church in the high part of the town to the left is St. Jean, 14th
cent., with a cemetery. Considerably higher than St. Jean is St. Genest,
built in about 1020. It has been recently restored. Over the second
altar, left or north of the high altar, is a fresco, 16th cent.,
representing Mary among angels entering heaven. The painted glass is
modern. 3 m. S.E. from Thiers is the village of Escoutoux, where a
pleasant sparkling wine is made called Champagne de la Dore. Excellent
butter and cheese are made at Thiers. The richest are flat and thin, but
the most pungent is a cheese not unlike the Stilton in shape and colour.
The best of the thin moist cheeses are those of
368
 
Mont d’Or, near Lyons, not the Mt. Dore of Clermont. From Thiers the
country becomes most picturesque all the way to St. Etienne, the line
winding its way around the steep sides of lofty mountains with roaring
torrents in the deep ravines below. After leaving Thiers it follows the
course of the Durolle to its source. 3¼ m. from Thiers by rail is
the station for St. Remy, pop. 5000 (see below).

Vichy to the Château d’Effiat, 18 m. S.W. by the villages of Vesse (or
Vaisse) and Serbannes, and the forest of Montpensier.

The Château d’Effiat (15th cent.) belonged in the 16th cent. to Antoine
Coiffier Ruse, a marshal of France, whose eldest son was the
unfortunate Cinq-Mars. It was afterwards purchased by the famous Scotch
financier Law of Lauriston, who had to give it up to his creditors. The
castle was dismantled by order of the State, but is now partially
restored. 3¾ m. W., on the line between Gannat and Clermont, is
Aigueperse, pop. 2600. _Inn:_ St. Louis. A coach runs
between Aigueperse and Randan, 8 m. E. (see below). Between Vichy
and the railway station of St. Remy is the modernised Château of
Charmeil on the Allier, 3¾ m. N. from Vichy. It forms a pleasant
afternoon drive.

2 m. N. from St. Germain-des-Fosses railway station are the ruins of the
Château de Billy (14th cent.), formerly one of the strongest and most
imposing in the Bourbonnais. In the village are some old houses.

17 m. N.E. by rail from Vichy, on the, Lyons line, is La Palisse on the
Bèbre, pop. 2830; _Inn:_ H. de l’Écu; with a castle (14th
cent.) on an eminence overlooking the town (see p. 346).


PARIS
224
SAINT-REMI-EN-ROLLAT, 867 ft. above the
sea.
 

Gannat. Aigueperse.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
235½
294½
GANNAT, pop. 6000.
_Inns:_ Nord; Poste. A town of crooked streets, on the
Andelot, at the confines of the plain of La Limagne. The church of St.
Croix (choir 11th cent., nave reconstructed in the 14th cent.), is a
good specimen of the architecture of Auvergne. Some of the windows are
by J. du Paroy. In the “Place” are two houses, one belonging to the
Dukes of Bourbon, the other to the Fontanges family, both 15th cent.
Gannat is famous for beer. Junction at Gannat with the railway system of
the Chemins de Fer d’Orleans, leading to Orleans and Tours, and the
Feudal Castles on the Loire. See Black’s _Normandy, Brittany, and
Touraine_.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
242
288
AIGUEPERSE, pop.
2600. _Hotels:_ St. Louis; Lion d’Or. The finest building is the
Sainte Chapelle, built in 1475. The Hôtel de Ville is in a convent of
the Ursulines, built in 1650. A coach from this station goes to
Randan in the Limagne, 8 m. E., pop. 2000, with a beautiful castle
of bright and dark coloured bricks, reconstructed in
369
 
1822 by Mme. Ad. d’Orleans. 2½ m. distant, on the border of the forest
of Randan, is another castle constructed by Mme. in the style of the
Middle Ages. See under excursions from Vichy.

Riom.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
253
277
RIOM, 1105 ft. above the sea,
pop. 11,000. _Inns:_ H. Paris; Poste; Puy-de-Dome. Diligences
to Volvic, 3¼ m. S.W.; to Châtelguyon, 5 m. N.; and to
Châteauneuf, 20 m. N.W. The most interesting church in Riom is St.
Amable, 12th cent., with a large nave supported on 14 piers, each pier
having three engaged columns. On the tower and south transept is the
same kind of rude mosaic which ornaments the church of Issoire. Near St.
Amable is the Tour de l’Horloge, 16th cent., and close to it a few 15th
and 16th cent. houses. Down this same street, the Rue de l’Horloge, is
the church of Notre Dame, 15th cent. Attached to the west end of the
Palais de Justice is the Ste. Chapelle, 14th cent., consisting of a
choir, with a pinnacle at each corner of the west end. In the building
called the “Hôtel Chabrol” is the museum and picture gallery.

20 m. N.W. from Riom, by diligence starting at 6 a.m., are the mineral baths of Châteauneuf, pop. 1000.
_Hotels:_ Viple; Denys; Mossier. Water saline. Temperature of the
fourteen springs from 60° to 102° Fahr. Recommended for obstruction of
the liver, neuralgia, nervous affections of the heart, cutaneous
diseases, glandular swellings. Bath, 1 fr.

5 m. N. from Riom by omnibus are the hot mineral springs of Châtelguyon,
most picturesquely situated among mountains. _Hotels:_ Bains;
Thermes; Barthélemy; Marret; Lacroix. Bathing establishment with every
accessory. Recommended for dyspepsia, constipation of the bowels,
gall-stones, chronic bronchitis, syphilis. Water saline. Temp. 100°
Fahr.

3½ m. S.W. from Riom by diligence is Volvic, pop. 4000, built on lava. Visit the church,
the Musée in the Mairie, and the workshops where the lava brought from
the quarries of the Puy de la Nugère is hewn (see p. 377).

Clermont-Ferrand.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
260½
269½
CLERMONT-FERRAND, 1335 ft. above the sea,
pop. 43,000, on an eminence crowned by the cathedral, of which the
principal façade, the west entrance, is towards the Place de Jaude,
while the chancel or eastern end is towards the railway station.
_Hotels:_ in the Place de Jaude are the *Univers; *Poste, for
commercials; Europe. Just off the Place de Jaude are the Paix; France.
All the above are large houses. Near the Académie and the Botanic
Gardens, the H. des Facultés, a small but good house. Among
the hotels in front of the station the best is the H. des
Voyageurs.
370
 
Coaches from the Place de Jaude for Saint Mart, Royat, St. Amand, and
Champeix. During summer, coach to nearly the top of the Puy-de-Dome (see page 372). In the “Place” are a
large cabstand and offices where carriages may be hired for
excursions.

Clermont-Ferrand: Post Office. Cathedral.

The general post
office is in the Place St. Herem, down from the N. side of the
cathedral, just under the Promenade de la Poterne, whence there is a
charming view of the Puy-de-Dome mountains. In the Place St. Herem is a
bronze statue of Blaise Pascal, 1623-1662, in a sitting posture.
A little beyond the foot of the stairs to the right of the statue
is the Temple Protestant, service 1 p.m. The first narrow street beyond the post office
leads down to the Fontaine Petrifiante.

Large quantities of fruit are preserved in Clermont, both in the
moist and crystalline (glacé) state.

The most prominent edifice in Clermont is the Cathedral,
founded in the 9th and rebuilt in the 14th cent. The material is basalt
and Volvic lava, which admits of a very sharp edge. The narrow round
belfry on the N. side is 165 ft. high. Round the nave and choir are
twenty-eight, or, including those of the transepts, thirty-six fascicled
piers, which rise nearly to the roof. Between are pointed arches, and
immediately above, the triforium, having over each arch a treble window
resting on four fascicled and three impost colonnettes. As the choir
contracts towards the apsidal termination the piers become less massive
and the arches ⅓ narrower. The stained glass of the clerestory windows
of the nave dates from the 15th cent.; but only a few are complete,
having been injured by a hailstorm in 1835. The best glass is in the
apse and in the N. transept, dating from the 13th cent. The glass in the
rose of the S. transept, which is also beautiful, is modern. The clock,
with its three men to strike the hours and quarters, dates from the 16th
cent. Ten chapels radiate from the choir. In the first on the N. side is
a miracle-working image of Mary and Child.

The house in which Blaise Pascal was born in 1623 is No. 2 Passage
Vernines, a small kind of court near the right or S. angle of the
principal entrance into the cathedral. It is more easily found by going
to the front, No. 2 Place de la Cathedral, on the third story of which
is a bust of Pascal. This part of the building is modern. Through the
shop in a little room up a few steps is the exact spot where he was
born.

Clermont-Ferrand: Notre Dame Du Port.

The Rue des Notaires leads down from the cathedral to the Place de la
Poterne, where there is a good view of the surrounding mountains.
371
 
The large block of buildings passed on the right includes the Palais de
Justice, the Hôtel de Ville, and the prison. The second street beyond
these buildings, the Rue du Port, leads down to Notre Dame du
Port, built in 578, destroyed by the Normans in 853 and restored
in 866, according to the inscriptions on the tablet in the N. transept.
The exterior is decorated with blind arches, mouldings, and dental
friezes, while the apse and its radiating chapels have besides patterns
in mosaic. From the intersection of the transept rises an octagonal
tower.

In the interior the roof is waggon-vaulted with no groining. Round
the nave are fourteen piers with attached columns, having on their
capitals sculptured figures of men, animals, and plants. The chancel is
surrounded by columns of the same kind, on which rest arches more or
less stilted according to the width of the space. The triforium is
massive and on short columns. All the glass is modern, excepting in the
window behind the high altar and in each of the windows in the S. and N.
ends of the chancel, which date from the beginning of the 13th cent.

Below the chancel is the crypt, supported on twelve massive columns.
Over the altar is a miracle-working image, about 6 inches high, of Mary
and child Jesus, found at the bottom of the well, 18 ft. deep, in 578,
when the foundations of the first church were being laid. The well,
which is covered, is in front of the altar. Its water is endowed with
miraculous properties. The walls are lined with expressions of gratitude
for favours obtained by praying to this tiny representative of the woman
Mary.

It was within the walls of the upper church, when Pope Urban II.
and Peter the Hermit were exhorting their hearers in 1096 to undertake
the first crusade, that the whole assembly, as if impelled by an
immediate inspiration, exclaimed with one voice, “It is the will of
God!” which words became the signal of battle in all the future exploits
of the Crusaders.

The open space behind the statue of General Desaix leads to the wide
Rue Lagarlaye and to the Boulevard du Taureau, in which is situated the
Académie or College of Clermont, containing, besides the class-rooms,
the picture gallery, the museum of natural history, and the Public
Library founded by Massillon when bishop of this diocese.

Clermont-Ferrand: Botanic Gardens.

Behind the Academy are the Botanic Gardens, in which a considerable
part is wisely devoted to the training, grafting, and pruning of fruit
trees and vines. Attached is the École de Pisciculture, with tanks and a
small aquarium. Near the Academy is the Hôtel Dieu.
372
 
Tolerable wine is made at Puy-de-Dome, but it is generally cold and
flat, and does not sit easily on the stomach.

Romagnat.

3¾ m. S. from Clermont is Romagnat, pop. 2000, at the foot of
M. Rognon, 1875 ft., and 1½ m. more is Mt. Gergovia, 2240 ft.,
the site of the principal city of the Averni, which was successfully
defended by Vercingetorix against a powerful army commanded by Cæsar,
whom he compelled to retreat with great loss. The Roman headquarters are
supposed to have been on a lower hill called Le Crest. (See also under
Les Laumes,
p. 19.)

Coach to the Puy-de-Dome from Clermont. The road from Royat up to the
Puy-de-Dome passes by Fontanat and the poor village of Font-de-l’Arbre;
or, if preferred, the road to Fontgieve may be taken as far as the
Baraque, and ascend by the S. side, which is easier.

The Puy-de-Dome
is 4806 ft. above the level of the sea, has no crater, and is covered
with a long tufted grass, with here and there a rough spongy rock
cropping out, of volcanic origin, and called trachyte, of which the
variety found here, and almost here alone, has been named domite. It is
grayish-white, fine grained, compact, earthy, often friable, and with
flakes of brown mica. It appears to be a decomposed trachyte, in which
the feldspar has been affected, but not the mica. The most perfect
craters here are the Puy-de-Pariou, 3970 ft. high, and the Nid de la
Poule. On the top of the Puy-de-Dome is an observatory, connected with
the keeper’s house by an underground way. On the Puy are also the ruins
of the chapel of St. Bernabé, 2d or 3d cent., and of a Gallo-Roman
temple to Mercury.

For Clermont-Ferrand to Brive by
Royat, Mont-Dore, and Bourboule, see p. 376. Junction at Clermont
with rail to Lyons, 121 m. E. by Courty (where change for Thiers),
Montbrison, St. Etienne, and Givors-Canal (see p. 349).

From Clermont-Ferrand the railway to Nîmes ascends the course of the
Allier to La Bastide, 116 m. S. Some parts of the valley are
very picturesque. The train after Clermont passes, 267 m., Le
Cendre, 1145 ft.; 270¼ m., Les Martres-de-Veyre, 1148 ft.;
272 m., Vie-le-Comte, 1164 ft.; 276½ m., Coudes. The station
is near the Allier, 1173 ft., but the town is on the top of an adjoining
hill, with the tower of Montpeyroux, 13th cent.

Issoire.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
282½
247½
ISSOIRE, pop. 6400, and
1200 ft. above the sea-level. _Hotels:_ Poste; Pezissat; opposite
each other in the principal street. It is a clean little town. The
principal church, founded in the 10th cent., is a highly interesting
specimen of the architecture of Auvergne. The
373
 
exterior is plain, but the plan admirable. The transepts are just
sufficiently developed to give expression to the edifice; while the
elegant projection of the five apsidal chapels illustrates one of the
characteristic beauties of the style. A mosaic decoration of
differently-coloured lavas under a handsome cornice runs round the
chancel, resembling what is seen on the south transept and tower of St.
Amable at Riom. The interior is beautiful and harmonious, but the gaudy
painting on the walls of an edifice of such a severe style surprises the
eye on entering. The crypt (10th cent.), below the chancel, but not
below the ground, consists of many short massive columns, bearing a
complex series of arches around a central arch, under which is the
altar.

Le Breuil. Ardes.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
287¾
242¼
LE BREUIL, 1287 ft.,
pop. 1000. Opposite station, _Inn:_ H. Beranger. Coaches await
passengers for St. Germain-Lembron, an agricultural town, 2 m. W.,
and Ardes. The road to Ardes from St. Germain ascends through a hilly
and well-cultivated country, passing, at 4¼ m. from St. Germain,
a bathing establishment, possessing a copious spring containing the
carbonate of iron and a large quantity of free carbonic acid gas.
2½ m. farther is Ardes;
_Inns:_ Paillardin; Barreyre; on an eminence rising from the Couze.
In the low part of the village is the church, 11th cent., but restored
and repaired. In the cemetery is a stone cross (1519) with Mary and
Child against it, resting on a demure-looking figure holding an open
book. The valley of the Couze, between high wooded mountains and great
basaltic cliffs, offers an excellent field for geological and botanical
rambles, while the river itself, which runs in a narrow bed at the foot
of the mountains, through little meadows by the side of the road,
contains excellent trout. High up are firs and forest trees, but below
are apricot, apple, pear, quince, cherry, and walnut trees interspersed
among small vineyards and meadows. The best display of the basaltic
formation is between the first bridge and the village of Rentière,
perched on a basalt cliff rising from the road. A little way
beyond, on the right or opposite bank of the river, is an isolated cliff
resembling a statue of Mary with the back towards the spectator. About
4½ m. up the valley are the ruins of a mill, La Gravière, destroyed
by lightning in 1881. This is considered the commencement of the widest
and most imposing part of the valley, which extends to the Cantal. About
5 m. up, on the top of a hill on the right bank, is the chapel of
St. Pesade.

2½ m. S. from Le Breuil is Le Saut du Loup, a village with mineral
waters, picturesquely situated on the Allier, 1277 ft. above the sea.
Between Brassal, _Inn:_ Chevalier, 3¾ m. farther S., 1322 ft.
above the sea, and Arvant are valuable coal-fields and a bed of kaolin
clay.

Arvant. Brioude.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
298
232
ARVANT, 1400 ft., a dirty
hamlet on the Vergonghéon, an affluent of the Allier. The best of the
inns is the H. Voyageurs.
374
 
Junction here with the line to Capdenac, 110 m. S.W., traversing
the whole of the interesting geological region of the Cantal. (See
Black’s _South France_, West Half.)

From the hamlet of Neussargues, 30½ m. S.W. from Arvant, commences
the loop-line of the Chemins de Fer du Midi, which traverses the lofty
woodless highlands of Lozère, the coal-region of Aveyron, and the wine
and olive department of Herault to Beziers on the Mediterranean line,
between Cette and Narbonne. On this line, 11¾ m. S. from
Neussargues, 7 m. S. from St. Flour, and 37½ m. N. from
Marvejols, is the highest bridge in the world, the Pont de Garabit,
which crosses the ravine of the Truyère 400 ft. above the river. The
span of the great arch is 541½ ft., and the length of the viaduct
1851 ft.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
304
226
BRIOUDE, 1430 ft. above
the sea, pop. 5000. _Inns:_ *Nord; Commerce. A dirty town on a
tableland, 1¼ m. from the Allier. The parish church St. Julien
(restored) dates from the 11th and 12th cents. The W. façade, of red
sandstone, is flat, with round-headed windows over the three portals.
The largest, the centre one, is between two thick plain buttresses, over
which rises a low square tower. On the S. side of the church is another
portal, preceded by a massive portico on three large semicircular
arches, resting on short square piers with attached columns bearing
large foliaged capitals. On the N. side is a similar entrance, but
plainer. From the choir rises a square tower, becoming octagonal in the
two upper stages. From the apse, which is semicircular, radiate at a
lower level five semicircular chapels, their roofs terminating in a
cornice of tiny stone interlaced arches. The wall of the apse above the
chapels is ornamented with a mosaic, chiefly stars, in black and white
stones.

The interior of the church is surrounded by great, tall, square piers
with attached columns and vaulting shafts bearing grotesque foliaged
capitals. Over the arches, which are early pointed, run a built-up
triforium and circular clerestory windows. The five chapels have a
profusion of colonnettes, three round-headed windows each, and some
beautiful sculpture in relief. Under the chancel is a crypt.

Behind the church is the covered market, and a little farther the
Hôtel de Ville, with the town promenade on a terrace overlooking the
plain.

St. Georges-d’Aurac. Langeac.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
318½
211½
ST.
GEORGES-D’AURAC, 1872 ft. above the sea. _Inn:_ Lombardin,
near the station. Change carriages for Le Puy, 32 m. E., and for
St. Etienne 54½ m. farther. (See p. 91, and map p. 46.)

375
 


PARIS
MARSEILLES
323
207
LANGEAC, pop. 4800.
_Inns:_ H. Lombardin; Pascon. (See p. 91, and map p. 46.) Between Langeac and Langogne the
train passes through a most picturesque country. Rich vegetation amidst
vast masses of basalt, either continuous or isolated, either rugged or
grooved with pentagonal columns; sometimes also rent into deep dark
ravines, between vertical cliffs of which the eye just catches a glance
while being hurried past in the train. 3¾ m. S. from Langeac is
Chanteuges, 1800 ft., pop. 1000, on an eminence above the station. The
fortified tower, the remains of the old abbey, is well seen from the
rail. Just before arriving at the next station, Chazes, 8½ m. S.
from Langeac, is an interesting church, 11th cent., against a rock. Then
follow the stations of Monistrol-d’Allier, 2000 ft. (p. 91);
Alleyras, 2195 ft.; and Jonchure, 2238 ft.

Langogne.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
364½
165½
LANGOGNE, 2940 ft. above
the sea, pop. 4000. _Inns:_ Cheval Blanc; Chambon. Pleasantly
situated on the Langouyrou. All the trains halt here. (See pp. 88 and 94, and map p. 46.) 7½ m.
farther S. is Luc station, 2900 ft.; and 4½ m. farther S., La
Bastide, 3070 ft., the culminating point of the line. A few miles
to the W. of the station is the source of the Allier. At Prevenchères,
6 m. S., the station is only 2580 ft. above the sea. The line now
passes by immense rocks and cliffs of granite.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
390
140
VILLEFORT, 1820 ft.,
pop. 2000. A poor village on the Devèze, in a deep valley at the
foot of Mt. Lozère. Diligences at this station for Mende, passing
through, at about half-way, Bagnols les Bains, 23½ m. W.

Bagnols les
Bains, pop. 500. _Inns:_ Lacombe; Des Bains; Midi.
A poor village 3087 ft. above the sea, at the confluence of the
Villaret and the Lot. It has a thermal establishment supplied by an
unctuous and clear water, temperature 100° Fahr., efficacious in
rheumatic affections, cutaneous diseases, bruises, etc. In the
neighbourhood are pleasant excursions, good fishing in the Lot, and
plenty of game on the mountains.

From Villefort to Alais the line penetrates a very mountainous
country by numerous tunnels and viaducts. At La Grande Combe, with the two stations
of La Levade and La Pise, the important coal, iron, and zinc mines
commence which extend to Alais.

Alais.


PARIS
MARSEILLES
419
111
ALAIS, pop. 22,000, on the
Gardon. _Hotels:_ Commerce; *Luxembourg; Champagne. Situated, like
Sainte Cecile, La Levade, La Pise, and Tamaris, among coal-fields,
iron-works, and manufactories.
376
 
This is the best station from which to enter the mountainous regions of
Lozère, traversed easily by diligences corresponding with each other.
Some very capital wine is made at Alais.

Junction at Alais with the branch line extending 62 m. N.E. to
Teil (see p. 96,
and map p. 56);
also to Laudun,
35½ m. E. (see p. 99, and map p. 56).


PARIS
MARSEILLES
450
80
NÎMES (see p. 101, and map p. 66).
 

467
63
TARASCON (see
p. 66, and map p. 66).
 

470
60
ARLES (see p.
68, and map p.
66).
 

499½
30½
ST. CHAMAS (see p. 76, and map p. 66).
 

512½
17½
ROGNAC (see p.
77, and map
p. 66).
 

518
12
PAS-DES-LANCIERS.
 


PARIS
530
MARSEILLES (see p. 111, and map p. 123).
 


Clermont-Ferrand to Brive-la-Gaillard,

122 m. W. by rail, passing Royat 3¾ m., Durtol 5 m., Volvic
12½ m., Vauriat 17½ m., St. Ours-les-Roches 20 m.,
Pont-Gibaud 24 m., La Miouze-Rochefort 28½ m.,
Bourgheade-Herment 35½ m., Laqueuille 40½ m., Meymac
73 m., and Tulle 105¾ m. S.W. from Clermont and 16¼ m.
N.E. from Brive.

Royat.

From Clermont station the train describes a semicircle as it ascends
the highly-cultivated vineclad mountains rising from Clermont. The first
station is Royat, with the hotels Univers; Monnet; Nice; St. Mart,
adjoining the Casino; Grand Hotel; Continental Hotel. On the road up to
Royat are H. Chabassière; Victoria; Paix; Paris; Europe; Lyons.
Higher up beyond the hotels is the village of Royat. The parish church,
founded in the 7th cent, and rebuilt in the 10th and 11th, was
heightened and fortified in the 12th cent. In the centre of the transept
is a low tower, square in the first stage and octagonal in the second.
Under the small chancel, raised 5 ft. above the floor of the nave, is a
crypt supported on six colonnettes.

In the “Place” is a crucifix of lava erected in 1486. At the back of
J. C. is Mary with the child, and the apostles standing on
consoles. The narrow steep road from in front of the Mary side leads
377
 
down to the Grotte des Sources, a cave in basalt, whence gush forth
sundry springs of crystal water. Only those, however, are seen which are
allowed to flow into the receptacle used by the washerwomen; the others
are led to Clermont, where they supply the fountains.
St. Mart.
The road, after crossing the Tirtaine, enters the territory of St. Mart.
In the lower part of the valley, in a small park on the right side of
the Tirtaine, is the bathing establishment, supplied by five springs, of
which the most important is the Eugenie, which rises in front of the
establishment; temperature, 100° Fahr. The principal ingredients are the
chlorate of sodium, mixed with the bicarbonates of lime, soda, and
magnesia, and a little iron. The baths are made of volcanic tufa. The
charge is from 1½ fr. to 2½ frs. according to the season.

Besides the hotels already mentioned there are around the
establishment the H. St. Mart; the H. Splendide; Bains;
Bristol, all large first-class houses. On the road up the left bank of
the Tirtaine are the Louvre; Richelieu; Belle Vue; France et Angleterre;
Sources. St. Mart is 1¼ m. from Clermont by omnibus, passing
through Chamalières. A great variety of excursions in the
neighbourhood.


CLERMONT
MARSEILLES
5
117
DURTOL, situated among high
wooded mountains.
 

Volvic. Pont-Gibaud. Laqueuille.


CLERMONT
MARSEILLES
12½
109½
VOLVIC. In the neighbourhood
of the station are large quarries of lava, the produce of the extinct
crater Puy de la Nugère, 3261 ft. Through the gap in the hill in front
of the station is an excellent view of Riom, 3½ m. E. from Volvic
by coach. Volvic, pop. 4000, is partly on an eminence at the foot of Le
Puy de la Bannière. The parish church dates from the 13th cent.
Quarrying, stonecutting, and agriculture are the principal industries
(see p. 369).

The train still ascending passes Vauriat 17½ m., St.
Ours-les-Roches 20 m., and then arrives at the station for Pont-Gibaud, pop. 1300,
24 m. distant. _Inns:_ H. Johannel; H. Beraud. Their
omnibuses await passengers. Pont-Gibaud and its castle, 14th cent., are
situated on the Sioule, which traverses by a deep ravine a bed of lava
from the crater of Puy de Dome. Near the castle are the smelting-houses
of the important argentiferous mines in the neighbourhood.


CLERMONT
MARSEILLES
40½
81½
LAQUEUILLE, 3624 ft.
above the sea. Change here for Mont-Dore-les-Bains 10½ m. S.E., and
for Bourboule 8 m. S.W. The beautiful mountain-road to Mont Dore
passes through at about halfway the village of Le Quaire, 3620 ft. above
the sea. Immediately below Le Quaire is Bourboule. The road to Bourboule
passes through the village of St. Sauves, 2838 ft. above the sea.


opp. 378
Environs of
MONT DORE
and LA BOURBOULE

see caption

378
 

MONT-DORE-LES-BAINS


is situated among high mountains, in the narrow valley of the Dordogne,
3402 ft. above the sea. _Hotels._—Considering the style of
their furniture and of the meals, they are rather dear. The charge in
the first-class houses is from 12 to 18 frs. per day, which includes
coffee or tea in the morning, two meals with wine and service. The
difference in the price is caused by the position of the room. Around
the “Place” of the bathing establishment are the first-class houses,
Chabaury ainé; Paris; Poste. By the side of the Casino, the H. du
Parc and the Grand Hotel, which last charges from 16 to 21 frs. as it is
rather better furnished. Around these hotels are what may be considered
second-class houses, but if no agreement is made they are apt to charge
as much as those of the first class: H. Bardet-Chanonat;
H. Boyer-Bertrand; the Paix, open all the year; H. Ramade;
H. Parisien; France; Nord; Madeuf-Baraduc; Thermes. The Casino is a
handsome edifice, the greatest part being occupied by the theatre and
the halls connected with it. The Mineral Bath Establishment and the
Inhaling Establishment occupy two sides of the principal square; the
other two are occupied by the first-class hotels.

The bathing establishment is slightly lugubrious; otherwise it is well
adapted for the cure or alleviation of the diseases it professes to
treat. The springs for drinking are arranged in the vestibule just
within the entrance. In the right-hand corner is the Source de la
Madeleine or Bertrand, temperature 113° Fahr. Besides containing the
usual quantity of the arseniate of soda, about one-thousandth part in
two pints, it contains more than any of the other springs of the
bicarbonate of soda, lime, and magnesia. Next it is the Source Ramond,
temperature 107°, containing the greatest quantity of iron. It rises in
an octagonal basin built of large stones by the Romans. Then the Source
César, temperature 113°, used chiefly for baths. Towards the left-hand
end is the Source Sainte Marguerite, temperature 55°, used at table
mixed with the wine.

Among the baths there are five upstairs supplied directly from some
little springs which rise through the fissures of the rock. The flow in
and out is constant. These baths are made of stone; all the others are
of iron. Besides the usual appliances for making the water act upon the
more delicate parts of the body, there are also elaborate arrangements
for foot-bathing and for douching the nose.

The tariffs of everything at Bourboule and Mont-Dore depend on the
month. The hotels, baths, casinos, etc., are at their dearest during
July, the height of the season. An ordinary bath with towels costs then
2 frs., at other times 1½ fr.; a nose douche, 50 c. to 75 c.
Baths from 92° to 100° should be continued from 30 to 40 minutes; from
109° to 112°, from 10 to 15 minutes. The charge for drinking the water
in July is 10 frs., in other months 5 frs. The men who carry the
sedan-chairs between the hotels and the establishment are paid by
tickets bought at the office of the baths.

379
 

Mont-Dore: Analysis of the Water.

Contents of the Springs of Mont-Dore and Bourboule.

MdS = Madeleine Spring.
PvS = Pavillon Spring.
RiS = Rigny Spring.
CsS = Caesar Spring.
RaS = Ramond Spring.
BPC = Bourboule, Perrière and Choussy Springs.


 			MdS	PvS	RiS	CsS	RaS	BPCS
Free carbonic acid gas	0.3552	0.3810	0.3644	0.5967	0.4997	0.0518
Bicarbonate of soda	0.5362	0.5452	0.5375	0.5361	0.5362	2.8920
   „  of
potash	0.0309	0.0309	0.0232	0.0212	0.0212	....
   „  of
lime	0.3423	0.3142	0.3092	0.3209	0.2720	0.1905
   „  of
magnesia	0.1757	0.1676	0.1628	0.1676	0.1647	....
   „  of
protoxide of iron
0.0207	0.0235	0.025	0.0258	0.0317	0.0021
Chloride of Sodium	0.3685	0.3630	0.3599	0.3587	0.3578	2.8406
Sulphate of soda	0.0761	0.0761	0.0761	0.0756	0.0737	0.2084
Arseniate of soda	0.00096	0.00096	0.00096	0.0009	0.00095	0.02847
Silicic acid	0.1654	0.1686	0.1653	0.1552	0.1550	0.1200
Alumina	0.0112	0.0094	0.0101	0.0083	0.0065	Traces.

Bourboule contains, besides what is given here, the chloride of
potassium and magnesium. The active and special principle of both waters
is the arseniate of soda, which, it will be observed, is 29 times more
abundant in the Bourboule water than in that of Mont-Dore. The
temperature of the two hottest Bourboule springs is 140° F., or 27°
above the hottest of Mont-Dore.

These waters are recommended for certain forms of chronic bronchitis,
asthma, and laryngeal complaints, gastro-enteric and uterine disorders
marked by congestion, similar cases in which the liver is implicated,
nervous maladies, and scrofulous diseases.—Madden’s _Health
Resorts_. Three or four glasses of the Madeleine water are taken
daily by the majority of patients. It produces an increase of appetite,
and is often attended with diarrhœa about the fifth or sixth day; this
is mostly succeeded by a certain degree of constipation, which
frequently lasts to the end of the course. About the twentieth day a
disgust of the water is generally experienced, which is an indication
that the saturation point has been obtained.—Lee’s
_Baths_.

As the weather of Mont-Dore is changeable, a supply of warm
clothing is necessary. For excursions, a vehicle with 2 horses
costs per day 20 to 25 frs.; saddle-horses, 5 to 10 frs. per day.

Mont-Dore: Excursions. Queureuilh.

_Excursions._—There are many
pleasant and beautiful excursions around Mont-Dore, among the volcanic
hills clothed with sombre pine forests and verdant meadows, rent at
intervals by deep gullies with sullen waters or roaring torrents in the
dark depths below, chafing against the jagged vertical cliffs of the
ravines. Lakes sleep placidly in the craters which vomited forth these
confused masses of rocks and knolls over which in many places now rush
and tumble superb waterfalls. The Alpine Club have distributed over the
district a liberal supply of finger-posts, which indicate the distance
as well as the way to the different places.

380
 

One of the first excursions undertaken is to the Cascade du Queureuilh, about
2 m. N. by the village of Le Queureuilh, half-way between the falls
and Mont-Dore. This cascade, one of the most beautiful in this region,
is formed by the outlet of the Enfer from Lake Guéry (see below),
5 m. N. from Mont-Dore, or 3 from the falls. The stream, after
rushing through the ravines of Blaise and Queue, tumbles over a hard
basaltic precipice 98 ft. high. From the falls of Queureuilh tourists
often return by what is incorrectly called the falls of the Rossignolet,
a placid stream which enters the ravine of Enfer about half a mile
below the falls of Queureuilh. This excursion may be made in a carriage.
On foot it is easily walked in 4 hrs.

Excursions of much the same character, and in the same direction, are
made to the Cascades de l’Angle 1¾ m., to the Saut-du-Loup
1¾ m., and to the Pré du Barbier.

Lake Guéry. Orcival.

The excursion to Lake
Guéry, 5 m. N., commences by the new road to Randanne, cut in
the flanks of the prettily-wooded Mt. Angle. At a turning of the road,
just over the village of Queureuilh, there is a charming panoramic view
of the valleys of Mont-Dore and of Sauves. To the W. are the towns of Le
Quaire and Bourboule. Southwards are the Capucin, 4807 ft., the
Aiguilles d’Enfer, and the giant peak De Sancy. Lake Guéry, one of the
shallowest of the lakes, 4062 ft., is 1½ m. W. from the main road,
in a desolate region, surrounded by arid rugged peaks. N. from the lake,
at the entrance to a picturesque defile, stand like sentries, on the
left the Roche Tuillière, 4246 ft., one side a vertical cliff, the other
clothed with verdure; on the right the Roche Sanadoire, with huge
basaltic columns, resembling those of the Giant’s Causeway.

4½ m. N. from Lake Guéry is the ancient village of Orcival, with an inn and a church of the 9th
and 10th cents., containing a miraculous image found near it under the
earth. 2½ m. W. from the Orcival road is the Pierre-Branlante,
a slightly movable overhanging rock. From Orcival return by the
Randanne road to Mont-Dore, 11 m. S.

N.E. from Lake Guéry, or 9½ m. N.E. from Mont-Dore by Mt. Aiguiller,
5076 ft., is Lake Servières, 3939 ft. above the sea, 75 ft. deep, in an
extinct crater. On the N. margin are a tumulus and an ancient camp.

9 m. E., at the village of Fohet, S. from Lake Aydat, are some
menhirs.

The village and lake of Chambon, 2881 ft. above the sea, are 12 m.
E. from Mont-Dore by the valleys of Moneau and Chaudefour, and rather
less by the highway passing Diane or Dyanne.

From Murols the road ascends 5¾ m. S. to Besse, whence it passes by Lake
Pavin to Vassivières, 5¼ m. W. from Besse. At Vassivières a
bridle-path diverges N. to the Pics of Ferrand and Sancy (see p. 381).

To the W. and S.W. of Mont-Dore are the Salon Mirabeau 2 m., the
cascades of Vernière 3 m., and Plat-a-Barbe 3¼ m. (p. 385); and the top of the Puy Gros 3¾ m. (p. 385).

Pic de Sancy.

The most important excursion is to the summit of the Pic de
381
 
Sancy, 6188 ft. above
the sea, or 2786 ft. above the village of Mont-Dore, and 5 m. S.
from it by the valley of the Dordogne. Guide unnecessary. Good
bridle-road till within 20 minutes of the top. Horse, 6 frs. From
the Grande Rue enter the Pic de Sancy road, leave the Château-d’Eau on
the left. At about a third of the way the Dordogne is crossed, and
shortly afterwards is passed the ravine of the Egravats, formed by a
landslip of the trachytic mountain, the Roc de Cuzeau, 5706 ft.; and a
little farther S. on the same (E.) side the Puy de Carcadogne, 5890 ft.
To the right or W. side are the valleys of Lacour and Enfer, separated
from each other by a dyke of dark porphyritic trachyte. Shortly after,
the Dore is crossed where it joins the Dogne, 4420 ft. above the sea.
A little farther is the cascade of the Serpent, where the Dogne,
descending by a tortuous course, has been likened to a serpent. Opposite
are the more noisy falls of the Dore. A path at the foot leads to
an old alum mine.

The road, cut in the sides of the mountain, now ascends by the course of
the Dogne, which rises between two large blocks. Then having crossed the
infant Dore we arrive at the Buffet, 5863 ft., situated in the marshy
meadow of the Dore. The horses are left here—25 c. charged for
taking care of each. From this to the top on foot requires about 20
minutes. The view is splendid and of immense extent from this the
highest mountain in central France and the culminating point of that
great volcanic eruption called the Mounts Dore, 54 m. in
circumference, which have broken their way through the early and solid
granite rocks. A half-hour is sufficient to descend Sancy and mount
the Puy Ferrand,
6066 ft. Return to Mont-Dore, 6 m. N., by the Chemin des
Crètes.

Pic de Ferrand. Lake Pavin.

3 m. S. from Sancy or 8 from Mont-Dore is Vassivières, a poor
hamlet on a tableland, 4266 ft., with a church built in 1595, containing
a miracle-working image, discovered while digging for water a little to
the W. of the church. It spends four months of the year at Vassivières,
and the rest in the church of Besse. It is carried between the two
places with all the pomp possible; the iron crosses on the road indicate
the resting stations. 2¼ m. E. from Vassivières, or 10¼ m.
from Mont-Dore, on the road to Besse, is the Lac-de-Pavin, 3928 ft. above the sea, in the
crater of an extinct volcano, but not full to the brim. It is 2625 ft.
long, 2462 ft. wide, and 315 ft. deep, completely surrounded, excepting
at the outlet, by vertical cliffs from 300 to 500 ft. high. Boats are
let for sailing and fishing on this singular lake. At the S. end rises
the Puy Montchal, 4629 ft. At the foot of Montchal, S. side, is the
Creux-de-Sancy, a circular cavity 55 ft. deep, at the bottom of
which a stream of water is seen, supposed to come from Lake Pavin.

3 m. E., or 13 from Mont-Dore by an excellent road, is
Besse-en-Chandesse, 3399 ft., on the slope of a mountain. _Inns:_
Voyageurs; Commerce; pop. 2000, the wealthiest town in the
neighbourhood, and excellent headquarters for visiting this region. It
contains some 14th and 15th cent. houses and most of its old gates, one
having the belfry or Tour du Beffroi built over it. In the centre of the
town is
382
 
the house Queen Marguerite de Navarre inhabited; now it is converted
into shops and dwellings.

Murols.

From Besse go 5¾ m. N. to Murols, 13 m. E. from Mont-Dore, on the highway
between Mont-Dore and Issoire. The road to Murols discloses beautiful
views of Limagne as it passes Montredon, Chomeilles, Breuil, St. Victor,
and Bessoles. As most of the houses in Murols (_Inn:_ Nierat, pop.
700) have been built of material taken from the castle, many have
escutcheons and sculptured stones on their walls. On a cone of basalt,
3186 ft., overlooking the village, are the ruins of a formerly important
castle, 12th or 13th cent., and favourite residence of the lords of
Murols et d’Estaing. From the top of the repaired tower is a beautiful
and extensive view, embracing Besse, St. Victor, Lake Pavin, the
Chaudefour valley, Chambon with its lake, Varennes, the Dent-de-Marais,
and Tartaret. 13 m. W. from Murols is Mont-Dore, passing on the
left the Puy du Tartaret, 2953 ft., Lake Chambon, 2625 ft. above the
sea, considered one of the prettiest lakes in Auvergne. A little
farther W. is the village of Chambon, 40 ft. higher than the lake, pop.
1000, on the Couze and Surrain at the foot of a granite mountain.

The journey from Mont-Dore to the Pics de Sancy and Ferrand and back is
11 m.; but if it be prolonged round by Vassivières, Besse, and
Murols the entire distance is 32 m.

Salon du Capucin. Vallée d’Enfer.

A very pleasant promenade is to the Salon du Capucin, recommended as well as the
Salon de Mirabeau for the breathing of the air from the pine forest. If
on foot, cross the suspension bridge, and having reached the Jubilee
cross about 600 yards from Mont-Dore, take the road to the left which
enters the forest, and after having ascended a few minutes, a stone
to the right will be seen bearing the inscription: “Petit Chemin du
Capucin,” which take. Shortly after it divides, when take the left. At
last the path enters a large open space surrounded by beeches, where
several roads meet. The road to the left goes to the Vallée d’Enfer, to
the right to the Rigolet, and the road in front to the Salon, which is
quite near. The path which divides the Salon into two parts leads up to
the top of the Rocher du Capucin, 4807 ft. above the sea, about
2 m. S. from Mont-Dore, commanding a charming view. It owes its
name to the detached pinnacle, like a monk’s hood, called the Aiguille
du Capucin, which is rather difficult to ascend.

To go to the Vallée
d’Enfer return to the open glade and take the Enfer path which
leads to the valley by the Vallée Lacour, ¾ m. long, near the top
of which, at the Rocher de Courlande, 5325 ft., is the opening where
those on foot climb over to the Vallée d’Enfer; those on horseback have
to pass round by Burens. The Vallée d’Enfer is an arid narrow gorge
between naked volcanic cliffs traversed by vertical dykes. From the
valley continue southwards to the Pic de Sancy, or return to Mont-Dore,
4¾ m. N.

383
 

Bourboule. Hotels.

BOURBOULE.


8 m. from Laqueuille, surrounded by wooded mountains, in the valley of
the Dordogne, is Bourboule, pop. 1600, 2796 ft. above the sea, or 606
ft. lower than Mont-Dore. The rapid increase of Bourboule is due to the
excellence of its mineral waters, of the same nature as those of
Mont-Dore, but richer in the chief ingredient to which they owe their
especial virtue—the arseniate of soda. The climate too is a little
milder, and the valley of the Dordogne wider and more open than it is at
Mont-Dore.

_Hotels._—Around the principal
establishment, called the Etablissement des Thermes, are the ¹Grand
Hotel; H. ¹Bellon; ¹Univers; Bains; Europe; Globe; Étrangers; H. de
¹l’Etablissement; ¹Paris; ¹Sources. On the other side of the Dordogne,
by the side of the Parc de Fenestre, are the Angleterre; France; ¹Parc;
Beausejour; and also the Casino, Theatre, and Gambling-rooms.

At the east end of the town, on the road to Mont-Dore, are the ¹Poste;
Bourboule; Helder; ¹Louvre; Nice; ¹Ambassadeurs; ¹Continental.

Abundance of furnished lodgings (Maisons Meublées) and villas to
let.

The figure (¹) indicates that the hotel is first-class, with first-class
prices, which vary according to the month and the story in which the
room is situated. From the 25th of June to the 10th of August the charge
is from 11 to 15 frs. the day, which includes room and two meals with
wine. Coffee or tea in the morning, 1 fr. extra. Service, ½ to
1 fr. per day. Candles, 3 frs. at end of season. From the 25th
of May to the 25th of June, and from the 10th of August to the 30th of
September, the charges are less. Intending visitors should bear this in
mind in their correspondence with the hotel-keepers.

The other hotels should charge less; but unless the price be agreed upon
beforehand it will be much the same.

Bourboule: Baths. Charges.

The bath charges are rather complicated. There are three bathing-houses,
of which the most important is the Etablissement des Thermes,
a very large, well-arranged, and handsome building by the side of
the Dordogne, opposite the park, near the springs Fenestre and Plage.
Behind it, and more hidden among houses, are the Etablissement Chaussy
and the Etablissement Mabru, both under the same roof. A part of
the latter establishment is portioned off for the indigent.

In the Etablissement des Thermes a bath with linen, from 16th June to
31st August, 3 frs.; from 25th May to 15th June, and from the 1st
to the 30th September, 2½ frs.

In the Etablissement Choussy the charges are ½ fr. less than in the
Thermes. In the Mabru they are ½ fr. less than in the Choussy.

The pump-rooms of the Thermes and Choussy cost the season 10 frs., and
in the indigent department of Mabru 5 frs.

The duration of a bath, with or without a douche, and of an inhalation
or pulverisation sitting bath, must never exceed one hour,
384
 
including the time for dressing and undressing; whoever exceeds that
time pays double. Chairmen to the baths and back, 1½ fr.

Bourboule: Springs.

The Springs.

Bourboule possesses seven mineral springs, of which five are on the
right bank of the Dordogne, and two, the Sources Fenestre on the left,
in the Park. The three most important, the Perrière, the Choussy, and
Sédaiges, are within a few feet of each other, near the Mabru bathhouse.
They rise from the place where the trachytic rocks overlap the granite,
and were obtained by boring to the depth of from 82 to 92 ft. The water
pumped up by steam-engines has, above ground, a temperature of 140°
F.

These three springs produce the strongest arsenical water as yet
discovered. Near them, but still on the same side of the river, are the
springs of the Puits de la Plage, 81°, and of the Puits Central, 104°,
mineralised more feebly, but in the same proportions. The two springs
Fenestre, on the opposite side of the river, are cold (64° F.), and as
they contain more free carbonic acid gas than the others, are drunk with
wine at dinner.

Their Constituents and Effects.

Of the springs, Perrière, Choussy, and Sédaiges, each litre (11/50 of a
gallon) contains 82 grains of mineral substances, of which nearly one
half is the bicarbonate of soda, and the other half the chloride of
sodium; and every 28 ounces contains the third of a grain of the
arseniate of soda (see p. 379).
Besides the special uses of these waters arising from the arsenic, their
composition, resembling that of the serum of the blood, makes them
applicable to cases of arrested development, defective nutrition, cases
of slow convalescence, and other forms of general debility. In all
scrofulous affections, such as enlarged glands, scrofulous discharges
from mucous membranes, diseases of the bones, etc., these waters produce
great benefit. But it is more especially in the chronic forms of skin
disease that La Bourboule claims to effect the most remarkable cures,
and chiefly when they arise in connection with a rheumatic or scrofulous
constitution, or as the result of simple debility. The scrofulous form
of pulmonary consumption, nasal and pharyngeal catarrhs, asthma, and
chronic bronchitis, are all alleviated by the use of the Bourboule
waters.


Bourboule: Excursions.

Bourboule Excursions.

On the wall of the Etablissement des Thermes a notice indicates that it
is 2¼ m. from the Cascade de la Vernière, 2½ m. from the
Cascade du Plat-a-Barbe, 3-1/10 m. from Murat-le-Quaire, 5½ m.
from Mont-Dore-les-Bains, 4⅓ m. from the Cascade du Queureuilh,
4½ m. from the Cascade de Rossignolet, 4¾ m. from the summit
of the Puy Gros, 2½ m. from the petrifying spring, 3½ m. from
the village of St. Sauves, and 10⅘ m. from Latour. The most of
these places are between Mont-Dore and Bourboule.

385
 

The only promenade of interest which may be said to belong especially to
Bourboule is to the top of the Roche-Vendeix, with splendid specimens of
basaltic columns, 2¼ m. S. by a path following the right or east
bank of the stream Vendeix. About ¼ m. beyond, the Vendeix path
joins the high road between Latour and Mont-Dore, which traverses the
forest of La Reine and the forest of Bozat. Near the point of junction,
in a glade of the forest, are a large sawmill and Mont Bozat. About
1¼ m. E. from the junction the high road crosses the Clergue, where
a path descends northwards by the stream passing the Cascade
Plat-a-Barbe, about 4½ m. from Bourboule by this roundabout way,
but only 2½ m. by the direct path. The falls, 60 ft. high, tumble
into a cavity bearing some resemblance to a barber’s shaving basin.
A little way farther down through the woods the Clergue makes the
cascade of La Vernière, consisting of a sheet of water 26 ft. high,
2¼ m. from Bourboule.

On the way between Bourboule and Mont-Dore, 1½ m. from Bourboule
and 4 m. from Mont-Dore, a road extends 2½ m. N. to the
summit of the Puy Gros, 5003 ft. above the sea.


Saint-Nectaire.

Mont-Dore to Issoire,

31¾ m. E., by Saint Nectaire 15½ m. E., and Champeix other 8¾ m.
Diligence from St. Nectaire to Coudes railway station, 12½ m.
E. The Mont-Dore coach, after having passed by the cascades of the
Saut-du-Loup and of the Barbier, the village of Diane, the castle of
Murols, and traversed the village of Sachapt and its narrow gorge,
arrives at Saint-Nectaire-le-Bas, with a large bathing
establishment. _Hotels:_ Paris; Madeuf; Mandon, etc.

N. from St. Nectaire-le-Bas is Saint-Nectaire-le-Haut, also with a
large bathing establishment, supplied with similar mineral waters.
_Hotels:_ Mont Cornadore; France. The waters are alkaline,
ferruginous, and stimulant, temperature between 75° F. and 110° F., and
are recommended for renal and hepatic diseases, amenorrhœa, leucorrhœa,
and gout. The specialité may be said to be baths and douches of carbonic
acid gas. In Mont Cornadore are large caves.

The parish church, built on a rock, 11th cent., is a curious specimen of
Auvergnian architecture. In the neighbourhood, at Pernay, is a dolmen,
of which the horizontal surface is 13 ft. by 6½ ft.; and 2½ m. distant
the cascade of the Granges. 8¾ m. beyond, towards Issoire, is
Champeix, pop. 2100, most picturesquely situated in the valley of the
Couze. From Champeix the plateau of Pardines, 1620 ft., may be ascended;
whence continue to the Tour de Maurifolet, and descend by the stair in
the cliff to Perrier, pop. 600, among rocks pierced with caves,
3 m. from Issoire (p. 372).

386
 

Continuation of Route—Clermont to Brive.

14 m. S.W. from Laqueuille by rail, 54 m. S.W. from Clermont, and
68 m. N.E. from Brive, is Eyguirande, pop. 1150. Junction here with
loop-line to Largnac, 30 m. S. Coach daily to Murat 41 m.
S., passing Mauriac 12 m. S. (see Black’s _South France_, West
Half).

31 m. S.W. from Eyguirande station is Meymac, pop. 3200, on the Lozege. Romanesque church,
tower 15th cent.; remains of fortifications. Junction here with
loop-line to Puy-Imbert, 9½ m. N., and close to Limoges. (See
_South France_, West Half.)

Tulle. Brive-la-Gaillarde.

16¼ m. N.E. from Brive, and 105¾ m. S.W. from Clermont, is Tulle, pop. 15,500, on the Corrèze.
_Hotels:_ Notre Dame; Lyon; Charles. Firearms and coarse woollens
are made here, but not an inch of the fabric called tulle.

122 m. S.W. from Clermont, 311 m. S. from Paris, 156 m. N. from
Toulouse, and 45 m. E. from Perigueux, is Brive-la-Gaillarde, pop. 12,000, on the
Corrèze. _Hotels:_ Bordeaux; Toulouse (see Black’s _South
France_, West Half).

 


387
 


INDEX.

When an Index entry is mentioned on more than one page, the primary
reference is listed first. As in the rest of the text, links are
visually coded; since everything in the Index is a hyperlink, color has
been omitted. Visual details may be overridden by your browser settings,
but the links will still work.

Most Index entries have direct anchors; the rest are linked to the
top of the page. Page numbers in _b_ and _c_ indicate columns
in the printed book; the location of the page number—left or right
margin—depends on columns in the e-text.

A–Ap  
Ar–Av  
B–Be  
Bi–Br  
C–Ce  
Ch–Cl  
Co–Cr  
D  
E  
F–Flavigny  
Florence A-N  
Florence O-V  
Fo–Fr  
G–Ge  
Gi–Gu  
H  
I  
J  
La  
Le–Lu  
Lyons  
Ma  
Me–Mons  
Mont–Mu  
N–Ne  
Nice  
Nicholas–Ny  
O  
P–Pi  
Po–Pu  
Q  
R  
S–St. N  
St. P–San  
Saou-Su  
T–Turbie  
Turin  
U  
V–Ve  
Vi–Vo  
W  


A–Ap
Abries
344
Acqui 184
Agay 147
Aiguebelle 289
Aigueperse 368
Aigues-Mortes
73
Aiguilles 344
Aime 321
Aix-en-Provence 78, 338

olive oil 79

Aix-les-Bains 283
—— to Geneva by Annecy 286
Alacoque, M. M.
27
Alais 375
Alan 49
Alassio
208
Albenga
208
Albertville 320
—— to
Annecy 320
Albissóla
210
Alesia 19

Alessandria
280

Alise-St. Reine
19
Allègre 89
Allevard-les-Bains 336
Allos 339
Alvernia
279
Alzon 105
Amberieux 281
Ambert 91
Amplepuis 348
Ampuis 81

wine 81

Amyot, Jacques 3
Ancy-le-Franc
18
Annecy 286
Annonay 81
Antibes 169,
154
Antraigues
94
Apricale
201
Aps 97
Apt 66

preserves 66

Ar–Av
Aramon 99
Arenzano
211
Ardèche sketch of
45
—— coaches to 45
—— map of 46

387b
 

Ardes 373
Arezzo 279
Arfeuilles 346
Arlanc 90

Arles 68, 376

to
Fontvieille 71

to Port Bouc
72

to Port
St. Louis 72

to St. Gilles
72

Arma 207
Arsac 86
Artemart 282
Arvant 373
Aspres 48, 345
Astet 89
Asti 280
Aubagne
122
Aubenas 93
Aups 145,
167
Auribeau
156

Autun 24
Auxerre 14
Avallon 16
Avenza 222

Avignon 58

Benezet’s bridge
63

—— tomb 62

Hotels 58

Hôtel de
Ville 61

J. S. Mill’s
tomb 63

Laura’s tomb 62

Musée Calvet
61

Museum of
Natural History 62

Notre Dame des
Doms 60

Popes’ palace
58

Rocher des Doms
60

St. Agricol
61

St. Didier
62

St. Joseph
62

St. Nicolas
63

St. Pierre 62

to Manosque
by Cavaillon 66

to Nîmes
64

to Vaucluse
64

to
Villeneuve 63

B–Be

387c
 

Bagnoles-les-Bains 375
Bagnoles-sur-Ceze
99
Bains 91
Balaruc 76
Bandols
123
Banges 285
Bar 163

Barcelonnette 341

to Cuneo 341

to St. Paul 341

Bardonnecchia 291
Barjols 143,
167
Barrème
166

Baths—Acqui
184
——
Aix-les-Bains 283
—— Aix-en-Provence 78
——
Allevard 336
—— Bagnols 375
—— Balaruc 76
—— Bourboule 383
——
Bourbon-Lancy 358
—— Bourbon l’Archambault 357
——
Challes 284, 288
——
Châteauneuf 369
——
Châtelguyon 369
——
Chateldon 367
—— Cusset
365
—— Foncaude 75
—— Gréoulx 168
—— La
Motte 327
—— Lucca 230
——
Marlioz 284
——
Mont-Dore 378
—— Neyrac 94
—— Pougues-les-Eaux 352
—— Royat
376
—— Sail
348

—— St.
Alban 348
——
St. Galmier 348
—— St. Giuliano 227
—— St.
Honoré 354
—— St.
Mart 377
——
St. Nectaire 385
——
Uriage 336
—— Valdieri 181, 182
—— Vals 103
—— Vichy
359
—— Vinadio 183

388
 

Beage, Le 84
Beaucaire 67
Beauchastel 82
Beaufort 46
Beaujolais 29
Beaulieu
184
Beaune 23
Beaurières 48
Beausset
123

Bec-de-l’Homme 331
Becket, Thomas à
11, 15,
17
Bedoin 56
Belgentier
129
Bellentre 321
Belleville
29
Belvedère
181
Berarde 330
Berlingots 56
Bernadette Soubirous 353
Berre 77
Bersezio 342
Bessée 344
——
to Mt. Pelvoux 344
Besse-en-Chandesse 381
Beza, T. 15

Bi–Br
Billom 350
Blaizy-Bas
20
Bobbio 306
Bogliasco
219
Boileau 2
Bollène 50

Bologna 315

Accademia 315

Ai Servi (church) 318

Annunziata 320

Biblioteca Communale 318

Bolognese school 315

Cabs 315

Certosa 320

Galvani 316

Guido’s grave 319

Madonna di S. Luca 320

Mezzofanti 316

Pal. Mercanzia 318

Pal. Zampieri 318

Picture gallery 315

S. Bartolommeo 318

S. Domenico 319

S. G. Maggiore 316

S. Petronio 317

S. Pietro 319

S. Stefano 318

S. Vitale 319

Torre Asinelli 317

Torre Garisenda 317

University 316

Bondonneau 49

388b
 

Bordighera
200
Bormes 142
Borne 89
Bossuet, J. B.
22
Bouillabaisse 113
Boulerie
147
Bourbon-Lancy baths 358
Bourbon-l’Archambault baths
357

Bourboule 383
Bourdeaux 47
Bourg-Argental
81
Bourg-d’Oisans 329
—— to
Lac Blanc 329
—— to
the Ecrin group 329
Bourgoin 322
Bourg-St.
Andeol 97
Bourg-St. Maurice 321
Breuil, Le 373
Briançon 332
—— to Mt. Pelvoux 333, 345
—— to Oulx 333
Briare 352
Brignoles
142, 167
Brillane 339
Brioude 374
Brive 386
Brogny 287
Brunoy 2
Buffon, Comte de
18
Burgundy wines 22,
23, 24
Busalla
279
Bussoleno 291

C–Ce
Cagnes 165
Callian
162
Camaldoli
278
Camargue 70,
72
Campo-Rosso
201
Cannes 149

Agents 149

Adalbert 151,
159

Antibes
154

Auribeau 156

Banks 151

Brougham,
Lord 151, 155

Cabs 151

Californie
152

Canal 162,
152

Cannet 154

Castelaras
156

Cemetery 152

Churches
151

Clausonne 154

Climate
151

Corniche
152

Croisette, La
154

388c
 

Croix des
Gardes 155

Drives
152

Estérels
155

Hesperide 154

Hotels and
Pensions 149

Iron Mask
157

Lerins Islands
156

Mont Vinaigre
156

Mouans-Sartoux
156

Mougins 156

Cannes—

Napoule 154

N. D.
d’Esperance 151

Observatories
151, 152

Pegomas 156

Pottery
153

St. Anne 151

St. Cassien
155

St. Honorat
158

St. Marguerite
157

Théoule 155

Vallauris
153

Carnoules
142
Carpentras
54

Carqueyranne
141

Mont Negre
141

Mont Paradis
141

Carrara
222
Casset, Le 332
Cassini, G. D.
201
Castellane
165
Castellaro
206
Cavaillon 66
Cayres 88
Celles-les-Bains
83
Cercy-la-Tour 25,
354
Certosa
184
Cervo 208
Cesanne 333
Cette 75
—— to Balaruc 76

Ch–Cl
Chablis 14
Chabons 323
Chagny 24, 355
Chaise-Dieu
89
Challes 284, 288
Chalon-sur-Saône 26
Chambertin
23
Chambery 287
Chambon 380
Champeix 385
Charenton 2
Charmes 82
Charmettes, Les 288
Châteauneuf (Riom) 369
Châteauroux 343
Châtelard, Le 285
Chateldon 367
Châtelguyon 369
Châtillon 47

389
 

Châtillon (Lake Bourget) 282
Châtillon-sur-Loing 351
Châtillon-sur-Loire 352
Chavanay 81
Cheilard
83
Chenal 341

Chiavari
220
Chiomonte 291
Chorges 342
Cirque-d’Annibal 321
Citeaux abbey
23
Claix 328, 345
Clamecy 354, 15
Clelles 345

Clermont-Ferrand 369

Academie 371

Botanic gardens 371

Cathedral 370

Coaches 370

Hotels 369

Notre Dame 371

Pascal’s house 370

Peter the Hermit 371

Preserved fruits 370

Puy de Dome 372

Romagnat 372

to Brive by Mont-Dore-les-Bains and
Bourboule 376

to Lyons by St. Etienne 349

Cluny 27

Co–Cr
Cogoleto
210
Cogolin
145

Col Abriés 307
—— Braus 183
—— Brouis 183
—— Cabres 48
—— Cerise 181
—— Chavade 89
——
Croix 306
—— Finestra 181
—— Fremamorta 181
——
Lautaret 331
——
Longet 341
——
Maddalena 342
—— Maure
339
—— Moulières 181
——
Muselle 330
—— Mulo
342
—— Ribeyret 51
—— Sestrières 307
—— Tenda 183
—— Traversette 308, 344

Colla, La
202
Colmars 339
Collobrières
130
Columbus
211
Condamine-Châtelard 342
Condamine, La
189

389b
 

Condrieu 81

wine 81
Cornigliano
212
Corps 334
Correggio 313
Corsena
230
Cosne 352
Cote d’Or 22
Coupe-d’Aizac
94
Courmayeur 322
Courpière 91
Courty 350
Craponne 89
Cravant 14, 355
Crest 46
—— to Aspres 47
Crissolo 308, 344
Croisière, La
50
Croix Blanche
105
Cruseilles 287
Cruzy-le-Chatel
18
Cuers 130,
142
Culinary terms xxiii
Culoz 282
Cuneo 182,
279, 308
—— to Barcelonnette 341
—— to Nice 182
Cusset 365

D
Darcey 19
Darsac 89
—— to Chaise-Dieu 89
Dauphin, Le 331
Decize 25
Demonte 342
Dent de Nivolet 288
Dent-du-Chat 282
Diano Marina
208
Die 47
Dieulefit 47
Digne 166

Digoin 358
Dijon 20
Doctors’
fees 110
Dolce-Acqua
201
Domène 336
Dompierre-sur-Bebre 357
Donzère 50
Doussard 287
Draguignan
145
Duingt 287
Duke of Berwick 356
Duranus
180
Durtol 377

E
Eaux Chaudes
166
Embrun 343
Enchastraye 330
Entraque
181
Epinac 24
Escragnolles
165

389c
 

Espaly 89

Estaque, L’
80
Estérels 156,
146
Etang 25
Eugene Sué 286
Eyguirande 386
Eze 186

F
Fayence
145
Fenestrelle 307
Feurs 346
Fiesole
276

Finalmarina
209
Fix-St. Geneys
91
Flavigny 19

Florence
(A-N)
Florence
233

Academy of
Fine Arts 271

Alkermes 268

Alvernia
279

Amerigo Vespucci
275

Arcetri 248

Arezzo 279

Badia,
La 263

Baptistery 256

Bargello 261

Bello
Sguardo 250

Bibbiena 279

Bibliotheca Laurentiana 266

—— Nazionale 236

Bigallo,
Il 257

Boboli
Gardens 246

Brancacci
chapel 252

Brunelleschi’s crucifix
268

Cab tariff
234

Camaldoli
278

Campanile 255

Cascine 276

Cathedral 252

Certosa
250

Dante
258

David, by Michael
Angelo 272

Donatello’s crucifix
260

Duomo
252

Florence—

Galileo 247, 260

Galleria
Uffizi 237

Gallery of
mosaics 273

Guide
books 234

Hawkwood, John
255

Hospital
St. Giovanni 275

Hotels and
apartments 233

House of Amerigo
Vespucci 275

—— of Dante 274

—— of Galileo 248

390
 

—— of Macchiavelli 247

—— of Michael Angelo
263

Ketterick, John 259

Loggia Orcagna 235

Luca della Robbia
ware 263

Masaccio 252

Money-changers
234

Monte
Oliveto 251

Mortuary
chapel 255

Mosaic
manufacture 273

Museum of
Etruscan Antiquities 267

—— Nat. Hist. 247

National Museum 261

Niobe
242

Florence
(O-V)
Florence—

Ognissanti
275

Or St.
Michele 257

Palaces
273

Palazzo
Corsini 275

—— Riccardi 275

—— Strozzi 275

—— Torrigiani 276

—— Vecchio 274

Park
276

Pazzi chapel
260

Perazzi chapel
259

Piazza S.
Annunziata 269

—— S. Croce 258

—— Signoria 235

Piazzale Michelangiolo
249

Picture
gallery of S. Marco 270

Pitti
gallery 243

—— palace 246

Pontassieve
278

Porta
Romana 248

Post office
236

Prefettura della
Provincia 275

Protestant churches
234

Raphael 239

Refectory of S. Croce
261

Restaurants
234

Rucellai
chapel 268

Florence—

Sagrestia Nuova 265

S.
Annunziata 268

S. Croce
258

S.
Giovannino 264

S.
Lorenzo 264

S. Marco
270

S. Maria
del Carmine 252
390b
 

S. Maria
del Fiore
252

—— Novella 267

S.
Michele 257

S.
Miniato 249

S.
Spirito 251

Sarto, Andrea del
269

Savonarola
270

Sights 234

Spezeria
268

Straw-plaiting
277

Torre
del Gallo 248

Tribuna
238

—— di Galileo 247

Uffizi
gallery 237

Vallombrosa 278

Venus de Medici
238

Views
250

Fo–Fr
Foncaude baths
75
Fontainebleau
3
Fontana
183
Fontenay abbey
19
Forcalqueiret
129
Fos 76
Fourchambault 353

Freaux, Les 331
Frejus 146
Freney, Le 331
Frontignan
75

salt 75

wine 75

G–Ge
Gallinaria
208
Gannat 368
Gap 340
—— to
Barcelonnette 340
—— to Grenoble 342
Garabit, Pont de 374
Gardanne 142,
80, 338
—— to Carnoules 142
Genoa 212,
279

Accademia 216

Acquasola 216

Albergo
dei Poveri 218

Cabs 213

Cafés 213

Campo-Santo
218

Cathedral
217

Corsos 213

English church
212

Hotels 212

Money-changers
213

Palazzo Adorno
216

—— Balbi 215

—— Doria 214

—— ——  (Giorgio) 216

Genoa—

Palazzo Ducal
217

390c
 

—— Durazzo 215

—— Municipicio 216

—— Rosso 216

—— Serra 216

—— Spinola 216

Post office
216

Royal Palace
214

S.
Ambrogio 217

S.
Annunziata 215

S. Maria in
Carignano 218

S. Matteo
217

S. Siro
215

Shops 212

Steamers
213

Telegraph office
213

Valdensian church
212

Via Circonvallazione
213

Via Milano
214
Gerbier-de-Joncs 84
Gevrey
23

Gi–Gu
Giandola
183
Gien 351
Giens 140

La Madrague
141

Le Chateau
141

Salt works
141

Semaphore 141

Gières 336
Gilly 358
Givors-Canal
81, 349
Gleyzin glacier 337
Golf Jouan
169
Goncelin 336
Gonfaron
131
Gourdon
163
Grand Som 324
Grande-Chartreuse 323
Grande Combe 375
Grasse 160
Grave, La 331

Grenoble 324

Bastile 325

Bayard 325

Coaches 325, 327

Gloves 327

Hotels 324

Library 326

Picture gallery 326

St. André 325

St. Laurent 327

to Barcelonnette 341

to Briançon 328

to Corps 333

to Gap 342

391
 

to La Motte-les-Bains 327

to Sassenage 327

Gréoulx
167
Grignan 49
Grimaud
144
Guerigny 354
Guillestre 344

H
Hautecombe
Abbey 284
Hermitage wine
43
Hospice of Little St. Bernard 321

Hyères 133

Banks 133

Butterflies 139

Cabs 134

Caterpillars 139

Charles of Anjou
136

Château, Le
136

Climate
140

Clubs 134

Cork trees
139

Costebelle
136

Drives
134

English Pharmacy
133

Episcopal Chapel
133

Fenouillet,
Mont 137

Game 138

Hermitage 136

Hotels
133

Hyères—

Jardin
d’Acclimatation 136

La Plage 140

Map 129

Massillon
135

Napoleon I.
136

Oiseaux Monts
138

Olive trees
138

Palm sticks
108

Palms 136

Paradis Mont
141

Pauline, La
142

Pipes
139

Potence 139

Productions
139

St. Louis
136

St. Paul
135

Stage
coaches 134

Temple Protestant
133

Town water
139

Trou des Fées
138

View from Le
Château 137

I
Iles de Lerins 157
Iles d’Or
131
Il Serraglio
230

391b
 

Issoire 372

coach to St. Nectaire 385

Isola Buona
201
Istres 76
Italian railway terms and time-tables 291,
200

J
Jaujac 95
Jausiers 342
Javie 339
Jean-Sans-Peur
10, 20, 22

Joigny 14
Jouques 79
Joyeuse 96

La
La Balme
282
La Barben 79
La Bastide 375
La Begude 93
La Bollene
181
La Chalp 306
La Chambre 289
La Charité 352
La Ciotat
122
La Crau
130
La Garde 128,
130
La Garde
Fraiseinet 144
La Madrague
141
La Monta 344
La Mothe 94
La Palisse 346, 368
La Pauline
142
La Roche 14
La Salle 334
La Salette 334
La Sauvetat 88
La Seyne
123
La Valette
128
La Voulte 82

Lachamp-Raphael 84
Laffrey 333

Lagnieu 282
Laigueglia
208
Lake Allos 339
——
Annecy 286
——
Bourget 282
——
Paladru 323
——
Pavin 381
—— Thau 76
Lamartine 27
Lambesc 80
Langeac 375, 91
Langogne 375, 95
—— to Le Puy 88
Lans-le-Bourg 290
Lantosque
180
Laqueuille 377
—— to
Mont-Dore, 377
—— to
Bourboule, 377
Larche 342

391c
 

Largentière
96
—— to Les Laumes 14
Larzac 106
Laudun 99
Laurent-du-Pont 323
Lauzet 331
Lauzet, Le 341
Lavandou
143

Le–Lu
Le Barroux 57
Le Beage 84
Le Bouchet
88
Le Buis 57
Le Creusot
25
Le Monastier
85
Le Pal 96
Le Peage de Roussillon
43
Le Pouzin 92
Le Puy 86
Le Teil 93
Le Trayas
149

Leghorn
226
Lemons 191,
194, 201
Lerici 221
Les Arcs
145
Les Baux 67
Les Etables 85
Les Etages 330
Les Laumes
19
Les Marches 289, 338
Les Piles 51
Les Saintes Maries
72
Les Salins
141
Leschaux 287

Levant, Ile du
132
Levens 180
Limone 183
L’Isle 64
Livet 329
Livron 46
Loano 209
Lorgues
145
Lord Clarendon 356
Lovagny 286
Luc 144
Lucca 227

Cabs 227

Cathedral
228

Hotels
227

Picture gallery
228

S.
Frediano 229

S. Michele
229

Luc-en-Diois
48
Lunel 72

wine 73
Lurs 339
Luserna 305
Luzy 25

Lyons

392
 

Lyons 29

Antiquaille Hospital
33

Aqueduct 34

Boats, Penny
31

Bourse 38

Cabs 30

Cathedral
34

Cheese 42

Condition des Soies
37

Distances 29

First sewing-machine
38

Flourvière 32

History 41

Hospice 39

Hôtel de Ville
37

—— Dieu 39

Hotels 29

Ile Barbe 42

Jacquard’s loom 38

Libraries 37,
38

Minerals
37

Mont Ceindre 41

—— d’Or 42

Musée
Archéologique 36

—— Guimet 40

—— Lapidaire 35

—— of Silk 38

Notre Dame
33

Lyons—

Observatoire Gay 33

Palais de Justice
35

—— des Beaux Arts 35

Park 40

Picture gallery
36

Place des Terreaux
37

Post office 30

Préfecture 37

Railway station
30

St. Bruno 37

St. Irénée
34

St. Martin
d’Ainay 39

St. Nizier 35

St. Paul 33

St. Pierre 35

St. Polycarpe 37

Sights 32

Silk museum
38

Squares (Places)
32

Steamers
31

Tête d’Or 40

Theatres
31

to Nîmes
81

Trams 31

Weavers 40

Workhouse (Hospice)
39

Ma
Macon 26

wines 24

392b
 

Maisons-Alfort 2
Malaucene 57
Manosque 168,
66, 166, 339
Marcols 84
Marlioz 284

Marseilles
111, 80

Anglican chapel
112

Arc
de Triomphe 116

Biblothèque
117

Bishop Belsunce
116

Boats 112

Bonneveine
113

Bouillabaisse
113

Bourse
116

Cabs
111

Canal 77

Cathedral 115

Charities 119

Château
Borely 113

Commerce
120

Consigne
115

Corniche
113

Custom-house 112

École des Beaux Arts
117

History
120

Hôtel
de Ville 115

Hotels
111

If, island of
118

Industries 119

Marseilles—

Joliette 115

Lazarus’s grave
119

Lycée
117

Marseillaise,
the 120

Martigues 118

Money-changers
112

Musée
d’Archéologie 113

Notre
Dame 117

Observatory
115

Palais de Justice
116

—— Longchamp 114

Port 115

Préfecture
116

Reservoir 115

St.
Victor 117

Sights
112

Steamboats 112

Temple 112

to Grenoble 338

to
Menton 112

Trams
113

Zoological garden
115

Martinet 341
Mary Magdalene
124, 145
Massa 223
Maurin 341
Mayres 94, 89

Me–Mons
Meana 291
Meije 331
Melun 2
Menthon 287

392c
 

Menton 193

Annunciata 196

Banks
194

Bennet garden
197

Berceau 196

Cabs 194

Cape St.
Martin 195

Castellar
196

Castellon 199

Caves 195

Churches
194

Ciotti
197

Climate
199

Gorvio
197

Gourg-d’Ora
197

Grimaldi
197

Hanbury
grounds 197

Hotels
193

Mont Baudon
196

Monti 198

Mortola
197

St. Agnese
196

—— (village) 197

St. Louis
196

to Genoa 199

Meounes
129
Meursault 24
Meymac 386
Meyrargues
80
Meze 76
Mezillac 84
Mirabeau 338
Mirabouc 306
Miramas 76
—— to Port Bouc 76
Modane 290
—— by road to Susa 290

Modena 313

Campanile 314

Cathedral 314

Library 314

Museo Lapidario 315

Picture gallery 314

Moirans 324
Monaco 187
Monastier, Le
85
Mondoví 184,
304
Monestier de Clermont 345
Monètier de Briançon 332
Monge, Gaspard
23
Monistrol-d’Allier
91
Mons cave 163

Mont–Mu
Mont Agel
192
—— Aulas 105
—— Auxois 19
——
Belledonne 336
——
Cenis 290
—— —— Hospice 290
—— Chenavari 93
—— Coudon 128, 125
—— Faron 127

393
 

——
Ferrand 331
——
Genèvre 333
——
Gergovia 372
—— Grand Sambiu 79
—— Gravenne 96
——
Meidassa 305, 344
—— Mezenc 85
——
Pelvoux 345, 333, 344
—— Pilat
348
——
Pirchiriano 291
—— Protomagno 278
——
Sancy 381
——
Semnoz 287
——
Taillefer 329
—— Ventoux 57, 56
—— Vestide 96
—— Viso 344, 305
Montagnac 88
Montallieu 281
Montargis 351
Montauroux
162

Montbard 18
Montbrison 349
Montchanin
25
Mont-Dore-les-Bains 378
—— to Issoire 385
—— to St. Nectaire 385
Mont Dauphin 343, 306, 307
—— to Saluzzo 344
Monte
Carlo 189, 192
Monte Grosso
210
Montélimart
48
Montereau 10
Montgeron 2
Mont-Majour
71
Montmélian
167, 289, 338

Montpellier
73

École de
Médecine 74

Musée Fabre
74

to Palavas 75

wine 75
Montpezat 96
Montrieux
129
Moret 10
Mornas 46
Moulins 355
——, Les 190
Moustiers Ste. Marie 167
Moutiers on Doron 320
Mure, La 334, 342
Murols 382

N–Ne
Napoleon I. 64
Napoule
156
Narce 89, 94
Nervi 219

Neussargues 374
Nevers 353
Neyrac
94

Nice
Nice 169

Banks 172

Booksellers
172

Cabs 173

Cafés 172

Carabacél 177

Caterina
Segurana 176

Cathedral 176

Château, Le
175

Churches
173

Cimiés 177

Climate
174

Clubs 172

Column 177

Confectioneries 173

Contes 174

Crois-de-Marbre 177

Diligences
173

Drives
178

Falicon 180

Garibaldi 176

Hotels and
Pensions 170

House agents
172

Jardin Public
178

Nice—

Luther 176

Massena
177

Memorial
chapel 176

393b
 

Money-changers
172

Mont Chauve
179

Monte Carlo
178

Museum 178

Observatory
180

Paganini 176

Palais de Lascaris
176

Pharmacies
172

Post office
172

Promenade
175

Protestant
churches 173

Public library
172

St. André
179

St. Augustin
176

St. Jean 178

St. Pons 179

Val Obscur
178

Vallon des
Fleurs 179

Vallons 174

Villa Clery
179

Villefranche
184, 178

Nicholas–Ny
Nicholas V.
221
Nieigles 95
Nîmes 101, 376
—— to Vigan 105
Nolay 24
Noli 209

Novi 279
Nuits 23
Nuits-sous-Ravieres 18
Nyons 50
—— to Serres 51

O
393c
 

Olbon 83
Olliergues 91
Ollioules
123
Olive tree
138
Orange 51
—— Prince of 52

Orcival 380
Orgon 66
Ortolans 56
Ospedaletti
202, 201
Oulx 291, 333
Ours-Mons 88

P–Pi
Palavas 75
Paradisino
278
Paray-le-Monial 27
Paris to Lyons by St. Etienne
346
—— to Marseilles 1
—— Directions 1
—— to Marseilles by Clermont and Nîmes
351
—— to Marseilles by Lyons 1
—— to Turin by Aix-les-Bains 281
—— to Turin by Grenoble 322
Parma 310
Parmesan cheese 313
Pas-des-Lanciers 376, 80, 88

Pegli 211
Pelago 278
Pelussin 81
Perinaldo
201
Perosa 307
—— to Cesanne 307
—— to Mont-Dauphin 307
Pertuis 338, 77
Petite
Afrique 186
Petrarch
65

Peyerbelle 95,
89
Peyraud 81
Peyrolles 79
Piacenza 309
Pian Fiorenza 308
——
del Ré 308
Pierre-Chatel 334
Pierrefeu
130
Pietrasanta
223
Pigna 201
Pinerolo 306

Pisa 223

Baptistery
225

Cabs 224

Campo Santo
225

Cathedral
224

Hotels 223

Leaning
Tower 225

394
 

Post office
224

Santa Maria
226

University
226

Pistoja
231

Po–Pu
Polignac 89
Pomaretto 307
Pomponiana
143
Pontaix 47
Pontassieve
277

Pont Avignon
99
—— d’Arc 97
—— de-la-Beaune 95
—— du-Gard 104
——
Ecofier 329
——
Gibaud 377
—— St. Esprit 98

Pontcharra 337
Pontigny 16
Pontius Pilate
43
Porquerolles
131

Port Bouc 76
—— ——  to Arles 76
—— Cros 132
—— Grau du Roi 73
—— Man 132
—— St. Louis 72

Porto
Maurizio 207
—— Oneglia 208
—— Venere 220
Portofino
220
Pougues-les-Eaux 352
Pouilly-sur-Loire 352
Pourcheyrolles
95
Pouzin 92
Pra 211
Pradelles 89,
95
Prades (Ardèche)
95
Prato 232
Praz 289
Pré-St Didier 321
Prices
109
Privas 92
Puget, Pierre
80
Puget-Theniers 182
Puligny 24
Puy-de-Dome 372

Q
Queyras
344

Quincy abbey 18

R
Randan 366,
368
Rapallo
220
Reggio Emilia 313
Remoulins 99
Resin baths
57, 48
Rians 79
Riez 166,
168
Riom 369
Riouperoux 329
Rioutort 96

394b
 

Ris 367
Rives 323

Riviera, the 107

Climate
108

Cost of
living 109

road to 1

Vegetation
108

Roanne 346, 348
Robilante
183
Rocavignon
160

Roche Cevins 320
Rochemaure
92
Rocher
Blanc 164
—— Noir 165
Rognac 77, 376
—— to Aix-en-Provence 77
—— to Roquefavour 77
Romaneche 28
Roquebillère
181
Roquebrune
192
Roquefavour
aqueduct 77
Roquemaure
99
Roquotaillado
tunnel 162
Rosans 51
Roumoulles
168
Rousseau, J. J. 288, 287
Rouvray 16
Royat 376
Ruoms 96
Ruota 201

S–St.
N
Saillans 47
Sail-les-Bains 348
Saincaize 355
St. Agnan 358
St. Agnes
131
St. Alban 348
St. Ambroix 96
St. André-le-Gaz 322
—— to Chambery 322
St. Auban 339, 166
St. Baume (Agay)
147
—— (Bouches du Rhône) 144
St. Bernard 27,
287
St. Cannat 79
St. Cesaire
162
St. Chamas 76,
376
St. Christophe 330
St. Cyre
123
St. Didier
57
St. Edmund 17
St. Etienne 346, 349

manufactories of muskets, pistols, swords, and
ribbons 346, 347
St. Eulalie
96
St. Florentin
16
—— to Chablis 16

St. Galmier 346, 348

394c
 

St.
Georges-d’Aurac 91, 374
St. Germain 321
St.
Germain-au-Mont d’Or 29
St. Germain-des-Fossés 358
St. Gilles
72
St. Honorat
158
St. Honoré baths 354
St. Honoré-les-Bains
25, 354
St. Jean
185
St. Jean du Bruel
106
St. Julien-du-Sault
13
St. Louis (king)
73
St. Marcel caves
98
St. Marcellin 324
——
to Pont-en-Royan, 324
St. Marguerite
157
St. Mart 377
St. Martin 98
St.
Martin-Lantosque 181
St. Maurice 2,
50
St. Maximin
143
St. May 51
St. Menet
122
St. Michael (Mont Cenis) 289
St. Nazaire
123
St. Nectaire 385

St.
P–San
St. Pardoux 357
St. Paul-Trois-Château
50
St. Péray 82

wine 82
St. Pêre 15
St. Pierre-d’Albigny 289
—— to Annecy 289
—— to Courmayeur 320
St. Pierre-d’Argenson
48
St. Pierreville
83
St. Pilon
144
St. Pons 341
St. Priest 322
St. Privat 91
St. Rambert-d’Albon
43

St. Raphael
147
St. Remi-en-Rollat 368
St. Remy 67
St. Sauveur
83
St. Seine 19
St. Thomé 97
St. Tropez
145
St. Vallier
165, 43
St. Yorre 366

Salon 66
Saluzzo 307, 344
—— to
Cuneo 307
—— to Mont Dauphin 308
—— to
Paesana 308
—— to
Sampeyre 308, 344

395
 

Sampierdarena
212
San Ambrogio (Mt. Cenis) 291
San Chiaffredo 308
San Dalmazzo 308
San Giuliano
227

San Remo
203

Cabs
203

Ceriana 204

Climate
204

Hotels
203

Madonna
205

Monte Bignone
205

Poggio 204

St. Romolo
205

—— to Taggia 207

San Stefano
207
San Terenzo
221
Sancerre 352

Santa
Margherita 220

Saou–Su
Saou 46
Sarzana
221
Sassenage 327
Sauclières 105
Saugues 91
Saulieu 16
Saut-du-Loup 373
Savigny 24
Savines 343
Savona 209
Sea
bathing 110
Séchilienne 329
Seez 321
Seine, source of
19
Semur 16
Senez 166
Sens 10
Sept Laux 337
Sermizelles
15
Serres 340, 51
Serrières 81

Sestri Levante
220
—— Ponente 212
Settignano
277
Seyne-les-Alpes 339

Shelley 221,
223
Sisteron 339
Six-Fours
123
Solliès-Pont
142, 129
Solliès-Ville
129, 142
Sorgues 54
Sospello
182
Source of the
Loire 84
Souvigny 356
Spezia 220
Steam trams 304
Sue du Pal 96
Susa 291
Suze-le-Rousse
50

T–Turbie

395b
 

Taggia 207, 206
Tain 43
Talloires 286
Tanlay 17
Tarascon 66,
376

Martha’s grave 67
Taulignan 49
Tavernettes, Les 290
Teil 93
Tenay 282
Tenda 183
Termignon 290

Theoule
155
Thezièrs 99
Thiers 367, 350
Thomery 10
Thueyts 94
Thuile 321
Tonnerre 17
Torre-Péllice 305
—— to Mont Dauphin 306

Toulon 124

Arsenal
125

Bagne 125

Balaguier 127

Belle-Poule
124

Cap Brun 128

Cathedral
126

Dardenne 128

Toulon—

Diligences
129

Hotels 124

Le Pradet 128

Le Tamaris
127

Mont Faron
127

Omnibuses
128, 124

Port, the
124

Puget’s house
126

Rue Lafayette
126

St. François de Paule
126

St. Mandrier
127

St. Marguerite
128

Smith, Sir Sydney
126

Temple Protestant
124

Town Hall
126

Tour-du-Pin 322
Tournon 82
Tournus 26
Trayas, Le
148
Trets 144
Trévoux 29
Trinité-Victor 182
Troy weight
13
Troyes 11
Truffles 55
Tulle 386
Turbie, La
192, 191

Turin

395c
 

Turin 292

Accademia Albertina 300

Armoury 297

Biblioteca del Ré 297

Booksellers 293

Cabs 292

Cafés 293

Castello, the 299

Cathedral 298

Cavour house 294

——
monument 301

Cemetery 302

Gran Madre di Dio 300

Gressini 303

Hotels 292

King’s palace 298

La Consolata 301

Medagliere del Ré 297

Money-changers 293

Monuments 301, 293

Museo Civico 299

Museum of antiquities and picture
gallery 294

Museum of zoology and mineralogy
297

Turin—

Palazzo Carignano 297

——
dell’ Accademia delle Scienze 294

—— di Citta
301

Piazza Carlo Felice 293

—— dello
Statuto 293

—— San
Carlo 293

—— Vitt. Emanuele 300

Post and telegraph offices 293

Railway stations 293

Superga, La 302

Teatro Regio 298

Theatres 293

to Cuneo 153

to Florence 309

to Genoa
279

to Savona
183

Trams 292

University 300

Via di Po 300

Wines 303

U
Ubaye
341
Uriage baths 336

Usclades 96
Uzès 99

V–Ve
Vaison 53
Val Louise 333, 345
Valbonne 98

396
 

Valdieri 181,
182
Valence 44
—— coaches from 45
Vallauris
154
Valleraugue
105
Vallombrosa
278
Vallon 97
Valréas 49
Vals 93
Var 169
Varazze
210
Varennes 26
Varzy 354

Vassivières 381
Vaucluse 64
Vaugris 43
Velars 20
Venanson
181
Vence 163
Vence-Cagnes
169
Vencigliato
277
Venosc 330
Ventimiglia
200
Vernet 91
—— (Digne) 339

396b
 

Verrey 19
Vesseaux 93
Veynes 340
Vezelay 15

Vi–Vo
Viareggio
223
Vichy 359
Vienne 42
Vif 345
Vigan 105
—— to Millau 105
Villa
Pallavicini 211
Villard-d’Arène 331
Villefort 375
—— to Bagnol-les-Bains 375
Villefranche
184
Villefranche-sur-Saône 29
Villeperdrix 51
Ville-la-Vieille 344
Villeneuve-les-Avignon 63

Hospital 63

Marchioness de Ganges
63
Villeneuve-St. George 2

396c
 

Villeneuve-sur-Yonne 13

Vinadio 183,
342
Virieu 322
Virieu-le-Grand 282
Viviers 97
Vizille 345, 328, 333
Voghera 309
Voiron 323

coach to the Grande Chartreuse 323
Voltri 211
Volvic 377, 369
Volx 339
Voreppe 324

coach to the Grande Chartreuse 324
Vougeot 23
Voulte, La
82
Voute-Chilhac
91

W
Waldenses, or Vaudois 305
Waldensian valleys 304

Warrens, Mme. 286, 288
Wellington 2

 
 

THE END.

 
 

_Printed by R. & R. Clark,
Edinburgh._