VIII. General Remarks on N. France.
The majority of visitors to Paris will find comparatively little
to interest them in the provinces of N. France. The scenery is
seldom of so attractive a character as to induce a prolonged
sojourn, whilst the towns are on a small scale mere repetitions
of the metropolis. The taste of the present day for improvement,
which has been so strongly developed and so magnificently
gratified in Paris, has similarly manifested itself in the provincial
towns. Broad and straight streets with attractive shop-windows
are rapidly superseding old and crooked lanes; whole quarters of
towns are demolished, and large, regular squares take their place;
ramparts of ancient fortifications are converted into boulevards,
faintly resembling those at Paris. Admirably adapted as this
utilitarian bias doubtless is to the requirements of the 19th
century, it cannot but be profoundly regretted that the few characteristic
remnants of antiquity which survived the storms of the
wars of the Huguenots and the great Revolution, and have hitherto
resisted the mighty centralizing influence of the metropolis, are
now rapidly vanishing. Those who were acquainted with such
towns as Rouen and Angers ten years ago will now become
painfully aware of this fact.
The towns of France generally present less variety than those
of most other countries. They almost invariably rejoice in their
boulevards, glass-arcades, jardins des plantes, theatres and cafés,
all feeble reproductions of the great Parisian models. Each also
possesses its museum of natural history, interesting perhaps to
the professional visitor, its collection of casts and antiquities and
its picture-gallery, the latter usually consisting of a few modern
pictures and a considerable number of mediocre works of the
17th and 18th centuries.
The magnificent churches, however, which most of these towns
possess, offer attractions not to be disregarded by even the most
hasty traveller. The Gothic style, which originated in France
has here attained a high degree of perfection, especially in Normandy,
a district of so great importance in the middle ages.
Architects will here find abundant material for the most attractive
studies, and even the amateur cannot fail to be impressed by the
gems of Gothic architecture, such as St. Ouen at Rouen or the
cathedral of Chartres, notwithstanding the alterations which most
of them have undergone. The Huguenots made deplorable havoc
in the interiors of the churches, and the Revolution followed their
example and converted the sacred edifices into "Temples of Reason."
The task of restoring and preserving these noble monuments has
recently been commenced and is now everywhere progressing.
Railways. A complete network connects Paris with the
most important provincial towns. The trains from Paris run on
the left, those to Paris on the right line of rails. It should
also be observed that passengers always alight on the left side.
The fares per English mile are approximately: 1st cl. 18 c.,
2nd cl. 13½, 3rd cl. 10 c. The express trains ("trains express")
generally convey first class passengers only. The first class
carriages are inferior to those of other parts of the continent and
resemble those on most of the English lines; the same remark
generally applies to the second class also. Smoking is prohibited
if any one of the passengers object, unless, as rarely happens,
the coupé is specially set apart for the purpose.
Tickets for intermediate stations are given up at the "sortie";
those for termini, before the station is entered. Luggage to the
weight of 30 kilogrammes (66 Engl. lbs.) is free; 10 c. is charged
for booking. The railway-porters (facteurs) are not entitled to
remuneration, but it is usual to give a few sous for their services.
Public omnibuses convey passengers to and from the Parisian
stations, to which a few only of the hotels send their own
vehicles. Fare 30—40 c., luggage 20—30 c. more. The traveller's
taste for light literature may be gratified by a purchase at the
book-stalls at the stations. The principal newspapers are sold
at 5—10 c. more here than in the town. The Petit Journal and
Journal pour Tous cost 5 c. only.
Hotels of the highest class and fitted up with modern accessories
to comfort are encountered only in such towns as Havre,
Rouen, Dieppe, Tours etc., where the influx of visitors is very
great. In other places the inns generally retain their primitive
provincial characteristics, which, were it not for the frequent
absence of cleanliness, would prove rather an attraction than
otherwise. Usual charges at houses of the latter description:
R. 1½—2 fr., L. 25—50 c., A. 50 c. As a rule the table
d'hôte dinner (3—4 fr.) at 5. 30 or 6 o'clock is recommended,
as a tolerable repast is not easily procured at other places or
hours. The déjeuner (1½—2 fr.) at 10 or 11 o'clock will
generally be regarded as superfluous by the English traveller,
especially as it consumes a considerable space of time during
the best part of the day. A slight luncheon at a café, which may
be partaken of at any hour, thus leaving the traveller entire
master of his own time, will be found far more convenient and
expeditious. In southern districts, as on the Loire, wine is
usually included in the charge for dinner. In Normandy a
species of cider is frequently drunk in addition to, or as a
substitute for wine. The usual fee for attendance at hotels is 1 fr.
per diem, if no charge is made in the bill; if service is charged,
50 c. per diem in addition is generally expected. At the cafés
also the waiters expect a trifling gratuity, but the obnoxious
system is not carried to such an extent as in the metropolis.
The Churches, especially the more important, are open the
whole day. As, however, divine service is usually celebrated in the
morning and evening, visitors will find the middle of day or afternoon
the most favourable time for their inspection. The attendance of
the sacristan, or "Suisse", is generally superfluous; usual gratuity
½ fr., unless the contrary is stated in the following pages.
The Museums are open to the public on Sundays and
Thursdays from 12 to 4 o'clock and are often crowded. Visitors
may always obtain access at other times for a gratuity (1 fr.).
Catalogues may be borrowed from the concierge.
The most trustworthy information with regard to the departure
of trains is contained in the Indicateur des Chemins de Fer,
published weekly and sold (40 c.) at all the stations.
Railway time is always that of Paris, which in many places
differs considerably from the real time. Thus the Strasbourg time
is 23 min. before, that of Brest 27 min. behind railway time.
Considerable English communities are resident in many of
the towns mentioned in the following pages and opportunities of
attending English churches are frequent (e. g. at Calais, Boulogne,
St. Omer, Dieppe, Havre, Rouen, Caen, Tours etc.).
