The South of France-East Half Part 52

{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 Briancon.

{31}{43} +MOUTIERS+, pop. 2100, and 600 ft. above the sea-level, on the confluence of the Doron with the Isere. _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 by salt-works and a bathing establishment. From Moutiers the road extends up a narrow and picturesque defile, following the course of the Isere, 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 pa.s.sing the village of Villette, pop. 500, we reach

[Headnote: AIME.]

{41}{33} +AIME+, pop. 1100, and 2385 ft. above the sea-level. _Inn:_ Pet.i.t 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 Pa.s.s 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 Isere with the Versoyen and Nantet.

[Headnote: SEEZ.]

{52}{22} +SEEZ+, the ancient s.e.xtum, a pretty village between six mountains, pop.

2600, and 2985 ft. above the sea-level. From Seez the road pa.s.ses 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

{58}{15} +HOSPICE+, 7077 ft., founded by St. Bernard of Menthon, on a gra.s.sy 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.

[Headnote: PRe ST. DIDIER.]

{70}{4} +PRe ST. DIDIER+, pop. 1300, on the Doire. _Inns:_ Poste; Pavilion.

Junction with road to Aosta, 23 m. E. (See map, p. 290.)

{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 circ.u.mstances, 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 Allee Blanche; the Col du Geant; the Col Ferret; and the Col de Serene, leading to the Great St.

Bernard.

+Paris to Modane by Lyons, Voiron, and Gren.o.ble.+

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 Gren.o.ble, 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 Gren.o.ble.

(Map, page 304.)

miles from PARIS miles to MODANE

{ }{476} +PARIS.+ Start from the station of the Chemins de Fer de Paris a 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.

{318}{158} +LYONS.+ Perrache station. (See p. 29.)

{325}{150} +ST. PRIEST+, pop. 2800. In the old castle here Charles VII. confined his son Louis XI., then the Dauphin.

[Headnote: BOURGOIN.]

{344}{132} +BOURGOIN+, pop. 5200. _Inns:_ Europe; Parc. Situated among 16,000 acres of bog, producing large quant.i.ties 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 pa.s.sengers for Chambery, 32 m. E., pa.s.sing by Les Ech.e.l.les, whence the Chartreuse may be visited.

[Headnote: VIRIEU.]

{363}{113} +VIRIEU+, pop. 2000. With a large old 14th and 16th cent. castle, in good preservation, containing tapestry and portraits, 16th cent.

[Headnote: CHABONS.]

{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.

[Headnote: RIVES.]

{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 Chateaubourg, destroyed by Richelieu in 1626. Branch line from Rives to St. Rambert, 35 m. W., on the Lyons and Ma.r.s.eilles line (see page 43).

[Headnote: VOIRON.]

{378}{98} +VOIRON+, 939 ft., pop. 12,000. _Hotels:_ Louvre; Cours; Poste. Coaches and gigs await pa.s.sengers 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 pa.s.s 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. 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 ma.s.s, 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 princ.i.p.al 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 Gren.o.ble, 17 m. S., 5 frs. Guests in the monastery should pay 6 to 7 frs. per day.

[Headnote: MOIRANS.]

{381}{94} +MOIRANS+, pop. 1000. _Inn:_ H. de Paris. Junction with branch line to Valence, 50 m. S.W., pa.s.sing, 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 Saone, 11 m. S., whence another coach runs to Die by the Grands Goulets and Chapelle. (For Die, see p. 47.)