The South of France-East Half Part 22

[Headnote: RUOMS. LARGENTIeRE.]

+Ruoms, Largentiere, Vallon, Pont d'Arc.+

See map, page 56.

25 m. S.W. from Teil, 8 m. S.W. from Vogue, and 36 m. N.E. of Alais, is +Ruoms+. Station for Largentiere, 9 m. N., 1 fr. For Joyeuse, 8 m.

W., and for Vallon, 6 m. S. Largentiere, pop. 3000. _Hotels:_ Europe; France. Coaches to Joyeuse, Les Vans, and St. Ambroix. St. Ambroix, pop. 5000, on the Ceze, H. Luxembourg, is a town with silk-mills and gla.s.s-works. Near Ambroix is Robiac, station for Besseges, with important coal-fields. Largentiere, or properly L'Argentiere, 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 Cha.s.siers, pop. 1300.

Joyeuse, pop. 2300. _Inns:_ H. Nord; Europe. Situated with its suburb, Rosieres, on the Baume. The town has part 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.

[Headnote: 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 Rhone (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 Ardeche. The Pont d'Arc is a natural bridge across the Ardeche, 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 stalact.i.te 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.)

miles from LYONS miles to NiMES

{102}{69} +VIVIERS+, pop. 3300. _Inn:_ Louvre. The station and the new town are along the road parallel to the Rhone: 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 Rhone, are lofty limestone cliffs, the quarrying and preparing of which forms the princ.i.p.al industry of the place. Coach to Aps, 8 m. N.W. on the Teil and Alais railway, pa.s.sing St. Thome, pop. 600, at the junction of the Negue with the Escoutay, which flows through a deep ravine. Omnibus to Chateauneuf, on the opposite or east side of the Rhone.

[Headnote: BOURG-ST. ANDEOL.]

{109}{62} +BOURG-ST. ANDEOL+, pop. 4500. _Hotels:_ Luxembourg; Europe; their omnibuses await pa.s.sengers. Omnibus also for Pierrelatte (page 50), on the opposite or E. side of the Rhone. Le Bourg has handsome quays alongside the Rhone, a church founded in the 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 Rhone. About 20 ft. above it is a much effaced sculpture in relief, representing the sacrifice of a bull to the G.o.d Mithras.

[Headnote: ST. JUST.]

{115}{57} +ST. JUST+ and St. Marcel station, from which both towns are less than a mile, but in different directions. 2 m. from the village of St. Just is St. Martin, pop. 600, on the left or N. bank of the Ardeche.

A ferry-boat crosses the river. On the other side, a little farther up, is Aigueze, 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, 4 m. up the river, or 3 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, 4 m. long, which here and there widens out into s.p.a.cious lofty caverns hung with stalact.i.tes. 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. Andeol.

[Headnote: PONT-ST. ESPRIT.]

{119}{53} +PONT-ST. ESPRIT+, pop. 5000. H. de l'Europe. Coach to La Croisiere, on the other or east side of the Rhone. (See for bridge and Croisiere page 50.) Station of the steamboat between Lyons and Avignon. Pont-Saint Esprit, on the west side of the Rhone and on the western Rhone railway, makes a convenient and comfortable resting-place, with pleasant promenades by the side of the Rhone. 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 b.u.t.tress. The arch, 20 ft. span, is richly decorated. In the Hotel Dieu (infirmary) are a few specimens of old (faences) pottery.

Carriage from the hotel to Valbonne (4 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 Ardeche, 4 m.

N.W., there and back 12 frs. (For St. Martin see above.)

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

{132}{39} +LAUDUN+, pop. 2200, about 2 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, 35 m. west, by Connaux, St. Pons, Cavillargues, Seyne, Celas, and Mejannes; small and uninteresting towns (see map, p. 26).

[Headnote: ROQUEMAURE.]

{137}{34} +ROQUEMAURE+, pop. 3100. _Inns:_ H. du Nord; H. du Midi. Omnibus at station. Situated on the small branch of the Rhone which encircles the island of Memar, 1 m. long. The best part of this curious old town is in the neighbourhood of the Hotel du Midi, where are the public promenade with large trees, the great embankment to protect the town from the invasions of the Rhone, 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 Rhone, 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.

[Headnote: PONT-D'AVIGNON.]

{144}{27} +PONT-D'AVIGNON+, station on the west side of the Rhone for Avignon (p. 63). Omnibuses from the hotels await pa.s.sengers. The omnibus between Avignon and Villeneuve pa.s.ses the station every hour. Tram every between the station and Avignon.

7 m. S. from the Pont-d'Avignon is Aramon, pop. 2800, on the Rhone, at a considerable distance from its station. 3 m. farther is Theziers, pop.

650, with the church of St. Amans, 11th cent., and the ruins of a castle. (Map, page 66.)

{159}{12} +REMOULINS+, pop. 1400, with ruins of a castle. From Remoulins branch to Uzes, 12 m. N.W. On this line, 3 m. from Remoulins and 9 from Uzes, 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.)

[Headnote: UZeS.]

+UZeS+, 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 bal.u.s.trade, 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 Nimes. At the S.W. corner of the church rises from a square bas.e.m.e.nt 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-Prefecture, 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 Carree 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 ecole des Freres, 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, ne a Uzes le 11 Fevrier 1753. Mort a Aboukir (battle of the Nile) le 2 Aout 1798. Now walk up the street to the Marche au Ble, with a pretty bronze fountain opposite the Mairie and Post Office. Behind the Mairie is the entrance to the castle called Le d.u.c.h.e, which has for centuries belonged to the family of Crussol, Ducs d'Uzes. 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 facade, 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 Uzes. Besides the railway, Uzes is connected by a good diligence with Bagnols, 17 m.

E. on the railway of the west side of the Rhone, 19 m. N. from the Pont d'Avignon, and 7 m. S. from Pont-St. Esprit.

[Headnote: SERNHAC-LeDENON.]

After Remoulins the train halts at the station +Sernhac-Ledenon+.

+Ledenon+, pop. 700, is about 2 m. W. from the station, and +Sernhac+, pop. 1200, about the same distance E. 7 m. from Nimes is the St.

Gervasy-Bezouce station, and 2 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.

[Map: Nimes]

[Headnote: NiMES. AMPHITHEATRE.]

172 m. S.W. from Lyons, 27 m. S.W. from Avignon, 31 m. N.E. from Montpellier by Gallargues, 17 m. W. from Tarascon, 80 m. N.W. from Ma.r.s.eilles, and 450 m. S.E. from Paris by Clermont-Ferrand, is

NiMES,

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 Hotel 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 Carree, the H. Manivet, 9 to 12 frs., the most conveniently situated for visiting the sights. Their omnibuses await pa.s.sengers 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 Calquieres. 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 Calquieres, beyond the Esplanade.