University of Virginia Library

B. NORTH-WESTERN FRANCE.

43. From Paris to Orléans and Tours.

Chemin de Fer d'Orléans. Express to Orléans in 2½, ordinary trains
in 4¼ hrs. (fares 13 fr. 55, 10 fr. 15, 7 fr. 45 c.); to Tours in 4½—9¾ hrs.
(fares 26 fr. 20, 19 fr. 65, 14 fr. 40 c.). Station in the Boulevard de l'Hôpital,
comp. p. 24.

The line ascends the l. bank of the Seine, which is occasionally
visible on the l. On the r. Jvry, a manufacturing place
with 12,000 inhab. Stat. Athis-Mons lies at the confluence of
the Orge and the Seine.

From stat. Juvisy a branch-line diverges to the l., following
the course of the Seine, to the small manufacturing town of
Corbeil and Maisse.

The animated valley of the Orge is now traversed. After
crossing the river, the train commands an extensive view to
the r. The ruined castle of Montlhéry, with its lofty tower
(98 ft.), is a conspicuous object in the landscape. It was once
a place of great strength and was often unsuccessfully besieged

before it came into the possession of the French kings. A battle
took place here in 1465 between Louis and Charles the Bold,
the leader of the French nobility (the "Ligue du bien public"),
which although indecisive compelled the king to make concessions.
The castle was destroyed in the wars of the Huguenots.

At Bretigny a line diverges to the r. to Dourdan, Chateaudun
and Vendôme (110 M. from Paris), which will be prolonged to
Tours and will then be the most direct route between Paris
and Tours.

Stat. Chamarande possesses a château, erected by Mansard in
the 17th cent. To the r. of stat. Etrechy the huge, ruined tower
of Guinette becomes visible. It appertained to the citadel of the
ancient town and rises immediately to the r. above the station.

Etampes (Grand Courrier; Bois de Vincennes), with 10,000 inhab.,
consists of a long street with many architecturally interesting
buildings. The cathedral of Notre-Dame, in the round-arch and
pointed style combined, possesses a very graceful tower. St. Martin
was erected in the first half of the 12th cent.; the foundations
of the tower (15th cent.) have settled, so that it is considerably
out of the perpendicular. St. Gilles, the Hôtel de Ville and several
other old buildings deserve inspection.

Beyond Etampes the line ascends rapidly (1:125). The
district is monotonous and uninteresting, but becomes more
attractive as the vine-clad valley of the Loire is approached.

Stat. Les Aubrais. Those who arrive by express here, change
carriages in order to be conveyed to the town, 1 M. distant, the
station of which is entered by the ordinary trains only.

Orléans. *Hôtel d'Orléans, Rue Bannier 118, R. 2, B. 1, D. 3½,
A. ½ fr. Hôtel Lorret and Trois Empereurs, Rue Bannier 18.
Hôtel Boule d'Or. Near the station the Hôtel St Aignan, much
frequented. — Café Foy, Rue Bannier. — Bookseller A. Gatineau,
corner of the Rue Royale and the Rue Jeanne d'Arc. — Omnibus 30,
with luggage 60 c. — Voiture 1½ fr. per course, 2 fr. per hour.

Orléans, the ancient Aurelianum, founded by the emperor
M. Aurelius (according to others by Aurelian) on the site of
Genabum which was destroyed by Cæsar B. C. 52, lies on the
r. bank of the Loire. It is the capital of the Department of the
Loiret, with a population of 50,798. Its situation formerly rendered
it a place of great military importance. It is now a quiet town,
the ancient monuments of which have gradually given way to
modern improvements. Its prosperity was materially injured by
the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. A handsome bridge connects
the town with the suburb St. Marceau. From the bridge
the principal street, the Rue Royale, leads to the Place du Martroy
with the statue (see below) and is prolonged by the Rue Bannier
to the Boulevards near the railway station. Below the Place the
broad Rue Jeanne d'Arc diverges to the cathedral towards the E.

ORLEANS

The *Equestrian Statue of Joan of Arc, by Foyatier, was erected
by the town in 1855, "avec le concours de la France entière".
The statue is 13 ft., the granite pedestal 14 ft. in height. The
intention of the artist was to represent the Maid in the attitude
of returning thanks to God for a victory, but the execution is
somewhat unsatisfactory. The reliefs on the pedestal represent
the principal events in the life of the heroine, beginning at the
back on the l.: 1. Joan (born at the village of Domremy in 1412)
with her flock summoned by saints to the succour of her distressed
countrymen; 2. Her departure from Vaucouleurs; 3. Interview
at Chinon with Charles VII., whom she convinces of her divine
mission; 4. Entrance into the besieged town of Orleans, Apr. 29,
1429: "Messire m'a envoyé pour secourir la bonne ville d'Orléans":
5 (to the l. above) Capture on May 7th of Tourelles, the têtede-pont
on the l. bank of the Loire, in consequence of which
the siege was raised (the Maid was wounded on this occasion);
6. (to the r. above) Coronation of Charles VII. at Rheims, July 17th;
7. Joan wounded in the attack on Paris; 8. Her capture at Compiègne
in 1430 (comp. p. 245); 9. Her captivity at Rouen;
10. Her death (p. 218).

The Cathedral, partially destroyed by the Huguenots in 1468
was gradually restored in the 17th cent. The principal façade with its
two truncated towers (268 ft. in height), was completed in 1766,
the towers themselves in 1829. The vast dimensions of the
exterior, as well as of the interior with its nave and double
aisles, produce an imposing effect. The chapels of the choir are
a fine specimen of late Gothic of the 14th cent.; the stained
glass is modern.

On a marble basement adjacent to the cathedral rises the
bronze statue of Robert Joseph Pothier, the eminent jurist (d. 1762),
erected in 1859.

In the same Place is situated the *Hôtel de Ville, erected in
the florid Renaissance style in 1530, restored in 1850—54. The
Caryatides at the side-entrances are attributed to Jean Goujon.
The interior (concierge 1 fr.) deserves inspection, especially the
Salle des Mariages and the Salle des Conférences with fine
wainscoting and chimney-piece. One of the rooms contains a
cast of a beautiful statuette of Joan of Arc on horseback, over
a mortally wounded English soldier, executed by the Princess
Mary of Orleans.

To the S. of the Rue Jeanne d'Arc is situated the old Town
Hall, erected in the 15th cent. It contains the Museum (open
to the public on Sundays and Thursdays, 12—4 o'clock, to
strangers at any time for a gratuity).

Among the pictures may be mentioned Nos. 12—15 in the first saloon,
painted for Richelien by Claude Derret of Nancy, allegorically representing

the four elements and remarkable for their quaint style; 500. Statue of
Venus, by Pradier; 496. Hebe with the eagle, by Vilain. In the room to
the r. several modern pictures and a statue of Venus by Mollknecht; on
the l. portraits. Then a room with casts and two others with sculpture,
carving etc. The upper story contains a nat. history collection which
comprises the Collection Départementale, exhibiting the Fauna of the environs.

In the immediate vicinity is the so-called *House of Diana
of Poitiers, a charming specimen of the Renaissance style, the
side towards the court particularly well preserved. It contains
the Musée Historique, a collection of local antiquities.

No. 15 Rue de Tabourg, to the E. of the Rue Royale, is the
so-called *House of Agnes Sorel (mistress of Charles VII.). No. 45
in the same street is the House of Joan of Arc, in which she
resided during her stay in the town. No. 28. Rue de la Recouvrance
is the House of Francis I. Several other ancient houses
also merit inspection.

The train from Orleans to Tours returns to Les Aubrais (p. 224).
The express trains do not enter the station of Orleans, passengers
for which by these trains change carriages. The best seats
are now on the I.

The line traverses the broad and sunny valley of the Loire,
on the N. side of the river. The district is well cultivated and
abounds in vineyards. The river is rarely visible, but ancient
towns and castles render the journey interesting.

Stat. Meung possesses a Romanesque church and a half ruined
castle peeping forth from the trees. The small and antiquated
town of Beaugency is picturesquely situated between two hills.
It is commanded by a venerable and massive square tower (10th
or 11th cent.) which adjoins the castle. Town Hall of the
16th cent. Then stat. Mer.

An excursion may be made hence to the celebrated château of Chambord
(near it the *Hôtel St. Michael), situated to the S. of the Loire. It
was founded by Francis I., but not finished till the reign of Louis XV.
The latter presented it to Marshal Saxe, who died here in 1750. It was
subsequently occupied by Stanislaus Lescinsky, the exiled king of Poland.
Napoleon presented it to Marshal Berthier, from whose widow it was
purchased by the now exiled proprietor in 1821.

Stat. Suevers, then Menars with a handsome château, once
occupied by Madame de Pompadour.

Blois (Hôtel d'Angleterre), an ancient town with 20,331 inhab.,
situated on an eminence on the Loire, over which a bridge leads
to the Faubourg Vienne, is the capital of the Department Loir-etCher.
The château, once a residence of the French kings, is rich
in historical reminiscences of Louis XII., Francis I., Henry III.,
and Catharine and Mary de Medicis. The church of St. Nicolas
is a fine Gothic structure of the 12th cent. The Cathedral or
Church of the Jesuits is by Mansard. The pleasant situation of
the town attracts frequent visitors. Omnibus in 2 hrs. to Chambord
(see above).

The line now skirts the river, the bank of which is protected
by a bulwark. Traces of the destructive inundation of 1866
are still everywhere visible. S. of the Loire, beyond stat. Onzain,
rises the handsome château of Chaumont, once the residence of
Catharine de Medicis.

Amboise (Lion d'Or), a town with 4570 inhab., possesses a
château of the 15th cent., the interior of which however was
entirely modernized by Louis Philippe, who kept Abdel Kader
in confinement here. The latter was indebted for his liberation
to the present emperor. The conspiracy of Amboise against the
Guises in 1560 terminated in a fearful massacre of the Huguenots
implicated. Leonardo da Vinci died at Amboise in 1519.

The château of Chénonceaux on the Cher, erected by Francis I.,
exterior and interior in admirable preservation, is situated 9½ M.
to the S.

Three stations in a fertile district. The train then crosses
the Loire. To the l. a number of cavities in the rocks, employed
as dwellings, are visible, a somewhat strange apparition in the
19th cent., which however is encountered in other localities in
France. Stat. Montlouis. Then over the Cher to St. Pierre des
Corps, where the express trains stop. Passengers by these trains
change carriages for Tours. The ordinary trains only go as far
as the town.

Tours. *Hôtel de l'Univers in the Boulevard, R. 4, D. 4, A.
and L. 1½ fr.; Hôtel de Bordeaux and Victoria in the Boulevard;
Hôtel de l'Europe, Rue de Paris 10; Hôtel du Faisan, Rue
Royale 9, all with similar charges and frequently occupied by families
making a prolonged stay. *Hôtel du Croissant, less pretending, a
commercial inn. — Cafés de la Ville and du Commerce in the Rue
Royale. — Omnibus with luggage 60 c. — English Church Service.

Tours, the Roman Caesarodunum, capital of the Turones, the
central point of the Department of the Indre and Loire, formerly
of the county of Touraine, with 41,061 inhab., is situated in a
fertile plain on the l. bank of the Loire. The river is crossed
by a handsome bridge of 15 arches, from which the Rue Royale,
the principal street, extends to the Boulevards, bisecting the town.

In the Place in front of the bridge stands the statue of the
celebrated philosopher René Descartes or Cartesius; on the pedestal
is inscribed the fundamental maxim of his philosophy: "Cogito,
ergo sum". At the entrance of the Rue Royale, on the r., is
situated the Hôtel de Ville, on the l. the Museum (open on Sundays
12—4 o'clock). The latter contains pictures and casts on
the first floor and on the second nat. historical and archæological
collections.

To the l. in the Rue Royale is the church of St. Julien, a
fine Gothic edifice of 1224, parts of which are of still earlier
date, restored in 1847. The interior is plain.

No. 35 Rue du Commerce (the second to the r. from the
bridge) is a handsome *Renaissance edifice of 1400, recently
restored. The same street contains several other interesting
houses, e. g. the corner-house in the Vieux Marché.

In the Rue Martin in the vicinity rise on opposite sides of
the street two towers, the Tour de St. Martin and the Tour' de
Charlemagne, which once pertained to the great cathedral of
St. Martin. From the 7th cent. downwards this church was
regarded as a most sacred shrine and was visited by vast numbers
of pilgrims, but was plundered by the Huguenots and
totally destroyed in the revolution. The corn-hall was formerly
a church of St. Clement, dating from the 16th cent.

E. of the Rue Royale stands the *Cathedral of St. Gatien.
The richly decorated principal façade, with its three lofty portals,
dates from 1510. The towers were roofed in at a later period
and consequently do not harmonize with the rest of the structure.
The interior (12th—15th cent.) is in the purest Gothic style.
The wheel-windows and those of the chapels of the choir merit
examination. The first chapel in the choir to the r. contains a
Renaissance monument to the two children of Charles VIII.,
after whose death Louis XII., of the younger branch of the
House of Valois, acceded to the throne in 1498.

In proceeding hence to the river the traveller observes in
the barracks to the r. an ancient tower, the last fragment of a
castle erected in the 12th cent. A chain-bridge (5 c.) crosses
by an island to the other side of the river, on which there is
a pleasant promenade.

Tours attracts a number of foreign residents, especially English
families, on account of the mildness of its climate.

From Tours to Angers (65½ M.) railway in 2½—3½ hrs.; fares
12 fr., 9 fr. 25, 6 fr. 50 c. The line returns at station Cinq-Mars to the r.
bank of the Loire, on which it remains. Station Saumur, with 14,079
inhabitants, is remarkable for its handsome Hôtel de Ville and numerous
windmills. Celtic antiquitics in the vicinity. Angers see p. 232.

From Tours to Le Mans (62 M.) by railway in 3 hrs.; fares 11 fr. 10,
8 fr. 30, 6 fr. 10 c.; Le Mans see p. 230.

44. From Paris to Nantes by Chartres, Le Mans
and Angers.

247½ M. By express in 9, ordinary trains in 15 hrs.; fares 44 fr. 35,
33 fr. 25, 24 fr. 35 c. To Chartres (55 M.) express in 1⅔, ordinary trains
in 2½ hrs.; fares 9 fr. 85, 7 fr. 40, 5 fr. 40 c.; from Chartres to Le Mans
(77 M.) express in 2½, ordinary trains in 3½ hrs.; fares 13 fr. 90, 10 fr.
30, 7 fr. 60 c.; from Le Mans to Angers (60½ M.) by express in 2, ordinary
trains in 3 hrs.; fares 10 fr. 85, 8 fr. 15, 5 fr. 15 c.; from Angers to Nantes
(55 M.) express in 2, ordinary trains in 4 hrs.; fares 9 fr. 85, 7 fr. 40,
5 fr. 40 c. — Railway station in the Boulevard Montparnasse (comp. p. 25).

Journey to Versailles see p. 168. No stoppages at the minor
stations, except sometimes at Bellevue.

Stat. St. Cyr possesses a celebrated military school, founded
in 1806, where 350 pupils, who are received from their 16th
to their 20th year, are prepared for the army. About 140 students
annually obtain their commissions. An establishment for
girls originally occupied this spot, founded by Madame de Maintenon,
who died and was interred here in 1719. At St. Cyr a
branch-line diverges to Dreux and Laigle.

Rambouillet possesses an ancient chàteau of the kings of
France, where Charles X. signed his abdication in 1830.

Stat. Maintenon, with its old castle, gives its name to Françoise
d'Aubigné, widow of the author Searron, who in 1685,
when in her 50th year, was married to Louis XIV. The ruins of
the huge aqueduct, which that monarch purposed constructing for
his gardens in Versailles, are observed in the vicinity. From 1685
to 1688 about 30,000 men, principally soldiers, were employed in
this undertaking: but it was never completed and Louis for the
future avoided this locality. His successor employed part of
the materials in erecting the chàteau of Crécy for Madame
de Pompadour.

The valley is crossed by a long viaduct. The train crosses
the Eure and reaches

Chartres. *Hôtel du Duc de Chartres; Hôtel du Monarque;
Hôtel de France, all in the Place des Epars and very unpretending.
In the same Place Cafés de France and du Monarque.

Chartres, the loftily situated capital of the Department Eureet-Loire,
with 19,531 inhab., is one of the most ancient towns
in France.

The **Cathedral of Notre Dame is one of the finest Gothic
edifices in France. The crypt dates from the beginning of the
11th cent.; the upper part of the church was not completed till
1260. The towers are not uniform; that on the S. side, 324 ft.
high, belongs to the older structure; that on the N., 350 ft. high
and of graceful open-work, was added in 1506—1514.

The W. Façade, between the two towers, has three portals: in the
centre the Porte Royale, decorated with royal saints; over the door Christ
with prophets and elders. The entire façade is in the chaste style of the
12th cent., the figures however somewhat approaching Byzantine stiffness.
The N. and S. entrances, both much richer, roofed in and approached by
steps, are of the 14th cent. The profuseness of ornamentation for which
both exterior and interior are remarkable is very striking; upwards of
1800 separate figures have been counted.

The Interior produces a most imposing impression owing to the purity
and vigour of its proportions. Length 403 ft., breadth 141 ft., height of
nave 131 ft. Magnificent stained glass, principally of the 13th cent., representing
events in Scripture history and legends of saints; the three wheel-windows
merit special attention.

The Choir possesses a double passage and seven chapels. The interior,
of the last cent., harmonizes badly with the remainder of the church The
outer screen is adorned with *reliefs in the late Gothic style (begun in 1514,

not completed till 1706), representing events from the lives of Christ and
the Virgin; the detail remarkably elegant. In the first chapel on the l. is
the Vierge Noire, a miraculous image of the Virgin, which since the middle
ages has been an object of profound veneration; the surrounding walls are
covered with votive offerings.

The Lower Church (Durand, S. of the church, keeps the keys), pertaining
to an ancient edifice of the 11th cent., extends under the entire upper
church and contains a number of chapels, which are now undergoing restoration.
The ascent of the roof and the towers is recommended, more
for the thorough inspection of the church itself than for the sake of
the view.

St. Pierre, in the lower part of the town, near a hussar-barrack,
dating from the 12th to the 14th cent., exhibits the transition
from the round-arch to the pointed style.

At Chartres a much frequented corn-market is held on Saturdays.
In the market-place, Place Marceau, between the old and
new parts of the town on the side towards the railway station,
stands an obelisk commemorative of General Marceau, a native of the
town, "soldat à 16 ans, général à 23, il mourut à 27." Another statue
of the general in bronze was erected in the Place des Epars in
1851. Several ancient structures, such as the Porte Guillaume
(14th cent.), deserve inspection.

The railway from Chartres to Le Mans conveys the traveller
past several small stations to Nogent-le-Rotrou, with an ancient
château, once the property of Sully. The Hôtel Dieu founded by
him contains his monument and that of his wife in a kneeling
posture, by Boduin (1642); his remains were disinterred and dispersed
in 1793.

Stat. La Ferté Bernard possesses a late Gothic church of great
merit. The town-hall is established in an old gateway.

Le Mans. Hôtel du Dauphin; Boule d'Or, commercial; Hôtel
de France, all in the Place des IIalles. Cafés de l'Univers and de
l'Europe etc. in the same Place. — Omnibus 30 c., with luggage 60 c.

Le Mans, with 37,209 inhab., situated on an eminence on
the l. bank of the Sarthe, and the capital of the Department
of that name, formerly of the province of Maine, is an ancient
town of considerable importance and boasts of several attractive
edifices.

The *Cathedral of St. Julien, occupying the loftiest site in
the town, is one of the most interesting churches in France. It
owes its origin to different periods, the various styles of which
present a most striking contrast.

The simple W Façade dates from the 11th cent; that on the S. contains
a rich Portal in the Romanesque style of the 12th cent. At the
S.W. corner a high block of sandstone built into the wall is believed to
be of Druidical origin. The entire nave in the Romanesque style with
pointed arches exhibits the transition state of the two styles and belongs
to the 11th and 12th centuries. Certain portions bear manifest marks of
great antiquity, and the construction of the external walls recals the
Roman opus reticulatum (i. e. small stones with a superabundance of
mortar, in contradistinction to the solid slabs of Gothic masonry). It is

therefore probable that remnants of the earliest structure, dating from the
8th or 9th cent., still exist.

The Choir on the other hand is constructed in the matured pointed
style of the 13th cent., and the nave, especially in the interior, appears
low and depressed when compared with the noble proportions of the former.
It possesses a double passage with 13 chapels and beautiful stained
glass. The wheel-windows are of later date (beginning of 15th cent.).

The r. transept contains the monument of Berengaria, consort of
Richard Cœur de Lion, placed here in 1821. The first chapel of the Choir
to the l. contains the monuments of Charles IV. of Anjou (d. 1492) and
Guillaume de Bellay-Langey, a distinguished statesman and author under
Francis I.

Adjoining the cathedral is a handsome building in the Renaissance
style, termed Le Grabatoir. The house opposite the
tower is said to have once belonged to Searron (p. 229). Below
the cathedral extend regular avenues, where the Theatre is situated.
The lower apartments contain a Musée Historique with numerous
antiquities (open on Sundays 12—4 o'clock).

The abbey-church of *Notre Dame de la Couture, at present
undergoing restoration, possesses a fine portal of the 13th cent.
The choir and crypt date from the commencement of the 11th cent.;
the nave and aisles are less ancient.

The adjacent monastery has been converted into the Préfecture.
The building also comprises a Library and Museum
(Sundays, Thursdays, Fridays 10—3 o'clock). The pictures are
mediocre. An *enamelled slab of the 12th cent., representing
Geoffrey Plantagenet, count of Anjou and Maine, formerly decorating
his tomb in the cathedral, but removed during the Revolution,
is an object of interest. There is also a Nat. Hist. Collection
and several relics of antiquity.

The town is connected with the quarter on the r. bank by
several bridges. The bank affords a pleasant promenade, passing
several old-fashioned wood-mills, the motive power of which is
the stream of the river. A good survey is obtained hence of the
narrow and crooked streets of the older quarters of the town
Near the river, on the r. bank, is situated *Notre Dame du Pré,
an antique church of the 11th cent. with a crypt, now undergoing
renovation. Le Mans was occupied by the partisans of the
Vendée in 1793, but was again wrested from them by Marceau
(p. 230), who sanctioned a fearful massacre among the women
and children who accompanied them.

From Le Mans to Rennes and Brest see p. 240. From Le
Mans to Tours see p. 228.

The line now follows the valley of the Sarthe, which it frequently
crosses. Stat. La Suze possesses a bridge of the time
of Henry IV. and an ancient château, now the town-hall, once
occupied by Gilles de Retz, better known as Barbe-bleue, who
after having committed many enormities was burned at Nantes
in 1440.

At stat. Sablé is a chateau of the last cent.; black marble is
extensively quarried in the vicinity, and several coal-mines are
encountered. The Benedictine abbey of Solesmes, containing some
celebrated sculpture in the late Gothic style, is situated 1½ M.
from Sablé.

Several small stations; then the junction of this line with
that from Tours. As Angers is approached numerous slate-quarries
are observed, which yield upwards of 150 million slabs annually,
supplying a considerable part of France and of the neighbouring
countries.

Angers. *Hôtel d'Anjou, agreeably situated in the Boulevard
and the Champ de Mars; *Cheval Blanc, Rue St. Aubin. — Faisan;
Londres on the quay etc. unpretending. — Café Sérin, Rue St. Aubin
41. — Omnibus 30 c., with luggage 50 c. — Steamboats to Nantes daily;
fares 3 fr. 20, 2 fr. 20 c.

Angers, capital of the Department Maine-et-Loire, formerly
of the Duchy of Anjou, with 56,797 inhab., is situated on both
sides of the Maine, which is formed by the union of the Mayenne
and Sarthe a short distance above the town and empties itself
into the Loire 5 M. below. Thus favourably situated in the
vicinity of three navigable rivers, the town has always been a
place of considerable importance. Its exterior has recently been
extensively modernized, and its former sobriquet of "la ville noire"
is no longer applicable. It still, however, contains a great number
of interesting relics.

The principal quarter of the town lies on the l. bank of the
river. The ramparts have been converted into boulevards. To
the E. of these is an open space, the Champ de Mars; adjacent
are the limited grounds and shady avenue of the Jardin du Mail;
farther N. a small Botanic Garden. Descending the Boulevard
to the W. the visitor reaches the *Castle, close to the river, a
massive structure of the 13th cent. with moats and 17 round
towers (70 ft. high). The interior now serves as a magazine
and, with the exception of a late Gothic chapel, contains nothing
worthy of special mention.

In front of the castle stands the bronze Statue of King René
of Anjou, a work of David, 1853; on the base are represented
12 princes of Anjou, from Dumnacus, the opponent of Cæsar, and
Roland downwards; also lists of the dukes and counts of Anjou.

The loftily situated *Cathedral of St. Maurice was commenced
in the 11th, but not completed till the 13th cent. It is surmounted
by two slender towers, the effect of which is somewhat
marred by the Renaissance erection subsequently introduced between
them. The principal façade exhibits the simple style of
the 12th cent. and is adorned with sculptures, Christ and saints;
higher up are statues of seven dukes of Anjou of a more recent
period.

The interior consists of a long nave without aisles. To the
l. of the entrance a basin for holy water of green marble, said
to be of Byzantine workmanship and a gift of king René. The
church is also remarkable for its rich stained glass of the 13th cent.

The *Museum, in the Rue Courte, a short distance S. of the
cathedral, occupies a most attractive edifice, partly Gothic and
partly Renaissance, erected about 1500 (Sundays and Thursdays
12—4 o'clock; at other times for a fee). The ground-floor contains
casts; one hall and two rooms here contain the principal
works of the sculptor David (d. 1856), a native of Angers, most of
them presented by himself. There are altogether about 150 works,
forming an instructive series. Five rooms on the first floor contain
pictures by ancient and modern masters; a small "Holy
Family" is attributed to Raphael. The mineralogical department
in the Nat. Hist. Cabinet is especially valuable. Also a collection
of Antiquities and a Library.

In the Rue Courte the traveller will also perceive the tower
of St Aubin (12th cent.), belonging to a former monastery, now
the prefecture. The neighbouring church of St. Martin (12th cent.)
has been converted into a magazine.

At the N. extremity of the town, near the seminary and the
Jardin des Plantes, stands St. Serge, an edifice of different periods,
portions of it very old. The simple nave, without transepts
or aisles, is entered from the vestibule. The choir of the
11th cent. is borne by 6 very slender columns.

The Marne is crossed at the N. end of the town by a chainbridge,
the Pont de la Haute Chaine (5 c.). Beyond it, on the r.,
appears the extensive modern Hospice Ste. Marie, capable of accommodating
upwards of 1000 patients and indigent persons. To
the l. the Hospice St. Jean, founded in the 12th cent. Below
the bridge the ruins of the old Pont des Treilles are observed;
farther on, the Grand Pont, or principal bridge. A third bridge,
the Pont de la Basse Chaine, crosses the river by the castle.
A suspension-bridge formerly occupied this position, but fell in
1850 as a batallion of light infantry were passing over it, 223 of
whom were drowned.

On the r. bank of the Maine (not far from the Grand Pont)
is the church de la Trinité, in the transition style of the 11th
and 12th centuries. The contiguous church du Ronceray, of the
11th cent., is within the precincts of the Ecole des Arts et Métiers
and in a very dilapidated condition. Both of these churches are
undergoing restoration. St. Jacques, without the Boulevards, is
also of very early origin.

Several other mediæval houses are encountered in the narrow
streets of the old town.

A visit to the slate-quarries, of which the most extensive are
Des Grands Carreaux (omnibus in the Boulevard, corner of the

Rue St. Aubin, every even hour 40 c.), is interesting. Another
excursion (omnibus from the same point every half-hour, 25 c.)
is to the Ponts de Cé on the Loire, 2 M. distant.

The line to Nantes crosses the Maine near stat. La Pointe
and then follows the r. bank of the Loire. At stat. Champtocé
are the ruins of the château of Gilles de Retz (p. 231), the veritable
French Bluebeard, who is said to have murdered upwards
of 100 girls and children, whose blood he drank in order to
restore himself to youth. To the l., on the opposite bank of
the river, rises Montjean with a ruined monastery.

Beyond stat. Ingrandes and Varades, St. Florent-le-Vieil is
perceived on the opposite bank of the Loire, a place frequently
mentioned in the wars of the Vendée, a district which commences
at this point.

At stat. Ancenis a suspension-bridge, at Oudon a lofty and
ancient church-tower. Several tunnels and small stations are
passed, and the train reaches

Nantes. Hotels: Hôtel de France, in the Place Graslin; Hôtel
du Commerce, Rue Santeuil; Hôtel de Bretagne, Place du Port
Communeau 6, a quiet situation; Hôtel de la Flcur, Place Neptune 4;
Hôtel de l'Europe, Place Neptune 7; Hôtel de Paris, Rue Boileau,
not far from the Passage; Hôtel des Voyageurs, Rue Molière.

Restaurants and Cafés: several in the Place Graslin. Principal newspaper:
Phare de la Loire.

Omnibus with luggage 60 c. — Fiacre per drive 1 fr. 25 c., per hr. 1½ fr.

Post-Office in the Passage Pommeraye.

Consuls. English: Mr. P. Barrow, Rue Héronnière 6; N American:
M. de la Montagnie, Quai Fosse 78.

English Church Service, every Sunday.

Steamboats to Angers, St. Nazaire, Bordeaux and other French seaports.
A regular line of communication has also recently been established between
St. Nazaire and America (comp. p. 236).

Nantes (popul. 113,625) is situated on the r. bank of the
Loire, at the point where it receives the Erdre, coming from
the N., which flows through the centre of the town, and the
Sèvre from the S. It lies 32 M. from the sea, so that vessels
of small tonnage (200) only ascend as far as the town; it is
however regarded as the fourth seaport of France (after Marseilles,
Havre and Bordeaux). It is now the most important
sugar-mart of France; in 1863 upwards of 60,000 tons were
imported and here manufactured. The import-dues amounted to
29,549,024 fr. An extensive ship-building traffic is also here
carried on.

Nantes was founded prior to the Roman period. It was subsequently
one of the chief towns of Brittany. In the Revolution it was remarkable
for its republican bias, and in 1793 strenuously and successfully opposed
the partisans of the Vendée. The town has acquired a melancholy celebrity
from the "Noyades" of Carrier, a brutal, ignorant miscreant, who had
been an advocate in Auvergne, and was sent by the "committee for the
public welfare" to Nantes Oct. 8th, 1793, but recalled on Feb. 1st 1794.
He is said to have put to death within 4 months (the data of the different
accounts vary) 6—9000 persons, a large proportion of whom were women
and children. Not satisfied with the execution done by the guillotine and

Nantes.

the fusil, he caused many of his victims (as many as 600 in one day) to
be thrown into the Loire. Persons of different sex were bound together
in a state of nudity and committed to the waters: such were the "mariages
republicains" invented by this ruffian. In 1789 Nantes had a population
of 81,000, but in 1800, notwithstanding a vast influx of new citizens from
the Vendée, it numbered 75,000 only. It is estimated that in Nantes and
the environs not fewer than 30,000 persons fell victims to the Revolution.

Nantes is now a handsome town of modern construction. The
numerous bridges which cross the different arms of the river impart
to it a somewhat novel aspect. The central point of traffic are the
Place Graslin, with the theatre, and the Place Royale. The Rue
Crébillon descends from the former to the latter, and from it
the Passage Pommeraye, constructed in 1843, leads to the Rue
de la Fosse. This animated arcade is remarkable for its three
different stories, connected by stairs and thus accommodating itself
the level of different streets. In the Place Royale rises a large
and sumptuous *Fountain; the principal figure in marble is the
Loire, around which are a number of small bronze figures, representing
the tributaries Sevre, Erdre, Cher, Loiret etc.

In the vicinity is St. Nicholas (Pl. 18), a handsome modern church
in the Gothic style, commenced in 1844; tower still unfinished.

At the back of the church is situated the *Musée de Peinture
(Pl. 30), in a building restored in 1861. The five saloons, lighted
from above, are admirably arranged, and the collection is one of
the finest in the provinces (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays 12 to
4 o'clock; at other times fee 1 fr.; generally closed in September).

1st Room. Most modern pictures, among which, on the r.: Hamon,
Young mother and juggler. — 2nd Room. Older pictures: Two landscapes,
by Poussin: Adoration, by Honthorst (Gherardo delte Notti). The
most valuable addition to the museum, consisting of a series of fine paintings
of the modern French school, is due to the bequests of two private
collections. In the Collection Urvoy de St. Bedan: r. Ingres, Portrait;
Géricault, Hussar; Brascassat, several animal-pieces, the principal
of which are *Bulls fighting; Horace Vernet, The nocturnal ride; De Curzon,
Spinner; *P. Baudry, Charlotte Corday; by the same, Repentant Magdalene;
Destouches, Parting; *Grénier, Children attacked by a wolf; Ary Scheffer,
Dying nun. — Collection Clarke de Feltre: r. Portrait of Frederick
the Great; a number of heads, studies by P. Delaroche; H. Vernet, Abraham
and Hagar; *Delaroche, Sketch of the mural painting in the Ecole
des Beaux Arts (p. 151); Verboeckhoven, Sheep; Greuze, Boy reading; Leopold
Robert, Monk, Fisherboys, Girl of the neighbourhood of Naples; P. Delaroche,
Mother and child; Flandrin, Young girl; Delaroche, Girl swinging;
Fabre, Portrait of the Due de Feltre when minister of war in 1810; A. Hesse,
Reaper; R. Fleury, Cuirassiers; Nattier, Girl with flowers. — In the Last
Room, *Cleopatra, statue in marble over life-size, by Daniel Ducommun
du Locle, presented by the artist who was a native of Nantes.

The Natural History Museum (Pl. 29), Rue St. Léonard 3
(Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays 11—3 o'clock), contains a
mineralogical collection formed within the Department, a mummy
etc. The principal curiosity is the tanned skin of one of the
soldiers who fell in 1793 whilst fighting against the army of the
Vendée: before his death he had said to his comrades: "J'ai
fait peur aux brigands (i. e. the Royalists) pendant ma vie, je

veux leur faire peur encore après ma mort. Promettez-moi de
vous faire un tambour avec ma peau". This whimsical request
was, however, only partially complied with.

The Archaeological Museum (Pl. 28), comprising Egyptian,
Roman and mediæval antiquities, is situated in the Rue Felix 14
(Thursdays and Sundays 12—4 o'clock). — The public Library
(Pl. 3), Rue de l'Aigle 1 (daily, except Sundays and Mondays,
11—4 o'clock) is a collection of considerable value.

The *Palace (Pl. 6) on the Loire was entirely renewed in
the 16th cent.; some portions only are of earlier date. Part of
it is employed as an arsenal (access permitted).

The *Cathedral of St. Pierre (Pl. 19), with unfinished towers,
dates from different periods. A thorough restoration was commenced
in the 15th cent., but has never been entirely carried
out. The three portals of the W. Façade are remarkable for
their profuse decoration with sculpture. The nave, 160 ft. in
height, is very impressive. Its loftiness and late Gothic construction
present a marked contrast to the Romanesque choir of
the 11th cent.

Since the Revolution the S. transept has contained the *Monument
of Francis II., the last Duke of Bretagne, and his wife
Margaret de Foix, a sumptuous work with numerous figures,
saints and allegories in the Renaissance style, by Michael Colomb
(d. 1514).

The Cours St. Pierre and St. André, a broad promenade,
separating the old town from the Faubourg St. Clément, is adorned
with mediocre statues of Anna of Bretagne, Arthur III.,
Duguesclin and Clisson. In the centre is the Place Louis XVI.,
with a column (86 ft. high) surmounted by a statue of the king.
Here on July 30th, 1830, a skirmish took place between the military
and a band of enterprising youths who desired to uphold the charter.
Ten of the latter, however, fell victims to their temerity.

The Cours Napoléon, near the Place Graslin, is adorned with
a statue of General Cambronne (Pl. 34), a native of Nantes,
erected by the town and the army in 1848. The words on the
pedestal: "La garde meurt, mais ne se rend pas" are erroneously
attributed to him.

His grave, like that of General de Bréa and the victims
of the July Revolution, is in the principal burial-ground, the
Cimetière de la Miséricorde.

The seaport of Nantes is Saint Nazaire, at the mouth of the
Loire, with 10,849 inhab., rapidly rising in importance. By
railway (5 trains daily) in 1¾—2½ hrs., fares 5 fr., 4 fr., 2½ fr.

From St. Nazaire Steamboat (Comp. Générale Transatlantique) on the
8th of every month to St. Vincent, Cayenne and Panama (in 21 days, 1st
cl. 1100, 2nd cl. 965 fr.); on the 16th of every month to St. Thomas, Havanna
and Veracruz (in 24 days, 1st cl. 1240, 2nd cl. 1100 fr.); every ten days to
Lisbon, Cadiz, Gibraltar and Malaga (to Lisbon 1st cl. 220, 2nd cl. 150 fr.).

45. From Nantes to Brest.

The Direct Railway, skirting the coast of Brittany, is open as far as
Châteaulin, a distance of 177½ M.; one train daily in 8½ hrs., fares
30 fr. 60, 22 fr. 70, 15 fr. 65 c. Omnibus from the station at Châteaulin
to the harbour (1 fr.), whence Steamboat to Brest in 4—5 hrs., fares 4
or 3 fr. The last portion of the route is however expected to be completed
during the present year.

Branch-line from Redon to Rennes. From Nantes to Rennes in 5,
thence to Brest in 8 hrs. (p. 239)

The peninsula of Brittany, 13,640 sq. M. in area, is intersected by
chains of hills which rise to the height of 1200 ft. The rock-formation is
principally granite; the soil is poor, the climate stormy and rainy. The
inhabitants, who are of Celtic origin, still cling to their ancient language
and customs, and are the least advanced in civilisation of all the inhabitants
of France. Rude Celtic antiquities (Menhir, stones placed on one end, sometimes
upwards of 40 ft. high; Dolms, or tables of stone, both probably employed
as monuments to the dead) are still encountered in great numbers, but
are gradually disappearing as cultivation advances.

On leaving the principal station the train skirts the harbour
on the Loire and passes the Palace and the Exchange (station).
It then follows the bank of the river for some distance and
finally proceeds inland. The S. coast of Brittany is flat and
marshy and the sea is seldom visible, so that the journey is
uninteresting.

At stat. Savenay the branch-line to St. Nazaire (p. 236) diverges,
at Redon (Rail. Restaurant) the line to Rennes (p. 239).

Several minor stations, then

Vannes (*Hôtel du Commerce; Hôtel de France), capital of
the Department du Morbihan, with 14,564 inhab., a small harbour
and no gas, although a place of considerable importance.

At Carnac near stat. Auray (Poste) the Celtic monuments of
Brittany are most abundant. Branch-line from Auray to Napoléonville,
formerly Pontivy (the former name, given to it by Napoleon
I., after having long been in abeyance, was revived under
the second empire).

Lorient (Hôtel de France), with 35,462 inhab., is an important
military and commercial place of modern origin, strongly fortified
and situated in a marshy plain. The next important place is

Quimper (Hôtel de l'Epée), with 11,438 inhab., capital of the
Department of Finisterre, possessing a handsome cathedral,
pleasantly situated.

A bleak stony district is next traversed and the train then
descends to stat. Châteaulin (Grande Maison), charmingly situated
in the valley of the Aulne, the continuation of which forms one
of the branches of the harbour at Brest. The train crosses the
river by an imposing viaduct. The steamboat journey to Brest
is beautiful. The diligence accommodates a limited number of
passengers only.

Brest. Hôtel de Provence (Pl. a), in the Champ de Bataille;
Hôtel du Grand Monarque (Pl. b); Hôtel des Voyageurs (Pl. c),

Rue de Siam 16; Hôtel de la Marque, or de Nantes (Pl. d), a commercial
inn; Hôtel de France.

Omnibus from the station or the quay, with luggage 60 c.

Steamboats daily to Châteaulin and Landerneau (see p. 239); to
New York every fortnight (every other Saturday) in 10 days, 1st cl. 825,
2nd cl. 500 fr. (the express from Paris at 8 p. m. on Fridays corresponds
with these vessels which start on Saturday afternoon).

Brest, situated near Cape Finisterre, the most W. point of
France, with 67,833 inhab., possesses an admirable harbour, the
best in France and one of the best in Europe. It extends
between two promontories and is extremely capacious, being
about 13 M. long and 2¼ M. broad. The narrow (1 M.) entrance,
Le Goulet, is blockaded by a rocky island, which renders it almost
impregnable, and commanded by powerful batteries, numbering
about 400 guns. An extensive system of fortifications protects
these batteries and the various forts towards the land-side and
at the same time commands the inner roadstead. The latter is
divided into two main arms, which with numerous creeks and
inlets at last terminate in rivers. The N. arm, that of Landerneau,
is the estuary of the Elorn; the S., that of Châteaulin, is formed
by the influx of the Aulne.

At the mouth of a deep, ravine-like creek, on the N. side
of the roadstead, the town of Brest is situated. The principal
part of the town lies on the 1. bank, connected with the suburb
Recouvrance by a massive iron bridge, capable of being opened
to admit of the passage of the vessels of war from the docks
situated within it. The Naval Harbour is established in this
creek, which is 30 ft. in depth. At the issue stands an ancient
castle of the Dukes of Brittany, modernized by Vauban and incorporated
with the other fortifications. The improvement of the
harbour was commenced by Richelieu in 1631, and subsequent
governments have prosecuted the works down to the present
time. These operations have been conducted on a gigantic scale,
and in many places vast excavations in the solid granit have been
necessary. The entire establishment comprises three docks, a
number of workshops for the manufacture of cables, sails,
machines, cannon etc., extensive magazines, sailors' barracks accommodating
3500 men, a large hospital etc. (permission to visit
the dockyard obtained at the office of the "Etat Major" on exhibiting
a passport or visiting-card).

To this vast naval station, the workshops of which employ
8—9000 hands, Brest is indebted for its importance and busy
traffic. In other respects it is a place of modern aspect and
destitute of attraction. The Cours Ajot, a charming promenade,
affording an extensive survey of the roads, is however deserving
of mention.

At the foot of the latter, near Portztrein, to the 1. of the
entrance to the inner government-harbour, the commercial harbour,

BREST

in pursuance of a decree of 1859, is in course of construction
and is enclosed by protecting bulwarks. It is, however, questionable
whether this harbour will attain to great importance, Brest being
so far removed from the main arteries of traffic.

A number of vessels of war generally lie in the roads. A
visit to these, or by a local steamer to landerneau or Châteaulin
(2½ hrs., returning by railway, p. 237), is recommended as the
pleasantest occupation for a few leisure hours.

Brest is also strongly fortified on the land-side and even in
former centuries has frequently been unsuccessfully attacked by
the English.

46. From Brest to Paris by Rennes and Le Mans.

389½ M. Railway in 17 hrs.; fares 69 fr. 80, 52 fr. 35, 38 fr. 40 c. —
As far as Rennes (155½ M.) two ordinary trains only daily, thence to
Le Mans there are also two express trains, from Le Mans to Paris five express
Endeavours are made to attract to this channel a large proportion of the
stream of emigrants bound for America, the sea-voyage between Brest
and the W. hemisphere being the shortest of all those from the French
coast (9—11 days). Express trains will probably soon run between Rennes
and Brest, so as to diminish the journey by 2 hrs.

The train passes stat. Kerhuon, on the Landerneau arm of
the harbour; pleasing scenery (views on the r.). Beyond stat.
Landerneau (Hôtel de l'Univers), a small manufacturing town
with a popul. of 7000, the Elorn is crossed. To the r. the
church and picturesque ruined castle of La Roche Maurice are
next passed.

Stat. Morlaix (Hôtel de Provence), a town with 14,000 inhab.,
is picturesquely situated in a ravine, which the train crosses by
an imposing viaduct (290 yds. long, 195 ft. high). Then several
unimportant stations, of which Guingamp possesses a handsome
church.

The train now ascends to stat. Chatelaudren and crosses the
valley of the Gouet by a viaduct 540 ft. in height. Stat. St. Brieuc,
a town with 15,341 inhab. will be the junction of this line with
that from Auray and Napoléonville (p. 237). Eight insignificant
stations are next passed, and the train reaches

Rennes. Grand Hôtel Julien; *Hôtel de France. — Café
de France. — Omnibus 40 c., with luggage 60 c. Fiacres per drive
1 fr. 25 c., for 1 hr. 1 fr. 75 c., each subsequent hr. 1 fr. 50 c.

Rennes, situated at the confluence of the Vilaine and Ille,
capital of the Department of these rivers, formerly of Brittany,
with a popul. of 45,485, was almost totally destroyed by fire in
1720 and is now a pleasant modern town.

The handsome Palais de Justice, dating from 1670, is situated
in the Place du Palais. The Cathedral is modern, with vaulted
ceiling and Corinthian columns. Opposite to it the ancient Porte

Mordelaise is still standing, by which the Dukes of Bretagne
formerly entered to celebrate their coronation.

On the quay rise the handsome, recently erected University
Buildings. They contain a *Museum (Sundays and Thursdays
12—4 o'clock; entrance at the back), a very creditable collection
which is worthy of a visit.

It contains a large saloon with sculptures and casts; a natural history
collection; a corridor with drawings of the French school; 5 saloons with
pictures (Lion Hunt by Rubens, Andromeda by P. Veronese, Horses by
Wouvermann etc.; also a quaint picture representing death in the different
grades of life, attributed by the inscription, which was subsequently added,
to René d'Anjou, Roy de Sicile); another room with engravings.

Beautiful walks to the Mont Thabor, in the Botanical Gardens,
Le Mail, the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine etc.

Branch-line from Rennes in 2½ hrs. to St. Malo (Hôtel de France,
the house in which Châuteaubriand was born; Hôtel de la Paix), a fortified
seaport with 10,886 inhab., situated on a rocky islet which is connected
with the mainland by an embankment.

Laval (Hôtel de Paris), on the Mayenne, capital of this Department,
with 22,892 inhab., is the next stat. of importance.
Several ancient structures still exist, such as the castle, now
prison, of the 12th cent., and the Romanesque church of Avenières,
erected in 1040. The town possesses extensive manufactories
of linen and cotton.

The line then crosses the Mayenne and passes eleven unimportant
villages, most of which lie to the r. of the line

Le Mans, and thence to Paris, see pp. 231—229.

47. From Paris to Caen and Cherbourg.

To Cherbourg (232 M.) in 10—11 hrs.; fares 41 fr. 55, 31 fr. 15, 22 fr. 85 c.
— To Caen (149½ M.) in 5½—7½ hrs.; fares 26 fr. 75, 20 fr. 10, 14 fr. 70 c.
— Station in the Rue St. Lazare (p. 23).

As far as Mantes (36¼ M.), where the Cherbourg line diverges
from that to Rouen and Havre, the journey has been described
at p. 220. The valley of the Seine is quitted and the scenery is
uninteresting. Beyond stat. Bueil on the Eure, the river is crossed.
Stat. Evreux (Grand Cerf), capital of the Département de l'Eure
(12,265 inhab.), boasts of an interesting cathedral, a museum etc.
and an animated traffic in cotton manufactures. The town lies
on the Itou, an affluent of the Eure, which the railway now
follows. Beyond stat. La Bonneville the train enters a tunnel
beneath Conches, a village on an eminence, possessing a fine
church (St. Foy) and a ruined castle.

A branch-line here diverges to the l. to Laigle (p. 229).
From stat. Serquigny a line runs to stat. Oissel, affording the
most direct communication between Caen and Rouen.

Stat. Bernay is a manufacturing place; so also stat. Lisieux,
a town with 13,121 inhab., boasting of a handsome Gothic church

CAEN

(St. Pierre). Branch-line hence by Pont l'Evêque to Honfleur and
Trouville (p. 222). The train then passes through a tunnel,
nearly 2 M. in length. Stat. Mézidon is the junction of a line
which runs to Argentan, Alençon and Le Mans (p. 230).

Caen. Hôtel d'Angleterre, Rue St. Jean 79; *Sainte Barbe,
Rue Ecuyère 13, not expensive; Hôtel Humby on the quay, an English
house. — Omnibus with luggage 15 c. (low fare owing to great competition).
— Fiacre per drive 1, per hr. 2 fr., luggage 25 c.

English Church Service, Rue de la Geole.

Caen, capital of the Department of Calvados, with a popul.
of 43,740, on the Orne, 9 M. distant from the sea, is indebted
for its extent and importance to William the Conqueror. It
finally became subject to France in 1450. The town suffered
severely during the wars of the Huguenots, and still more in
consequence of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685).
"Cette ville au jugement de chacun qui la voit et contemple,
est l'une des plus belles, spacieuses et delectables, qu'on puisse
regarder", is the opinion pronounced respecting Caen by an historian
of the town. The traveller will not fail to find this
opinion confirmed by a visit to Caen, the principal attraction
of which however consists rather of its relics of antiquity than
of its modern "improvements".

*St. Etienne or L'Abbaye aux Hommes was commenced by
William the Conqueror in 1066 and completed in 1077. This
work was undertaken by him and the Abbaye aux Dames (p. 242)
was at the same time founded by his consort Matilda on expiation
of their offence of intermarriage within the prohibited degrees.
The principal façade towards the W. is strikingly simple. The
interior is also remarkable for its vigour and severity. The nave
is formed by means of two series of round arches, one above the
other. A contrast to this Romanesque construction is afforded
by the Gothic choir of the 12th cent., to which period the upper
portions of the towers also belong. The choir is flanked by
16 chapels. A black marble slab marks the tomb of the founder
(d. 1087), who by his own wish was here interred. His bones
however were dispersed by the Huguenots. A portrait of the
Conqueror is preserved in the Sacristy.

The adjacent monastery has been converted into a Lycée
Impérial.

To the N. of St. Etienne stands the former church of St. Nicolas
(1083), now employed as a hay-magazine. To the S.E.
La Gloriette, a Gothic edifice of the 15th cent., recently judiciously
restored.

In the centre of the town stands *St. Pierre, which possesses
one of the most beautiful Gothic towers in existence (215 ft. high),
erected in 1308. Its central story contains long, narrow windows,
a perfect model of vigour combined with gracefulness. The

summit consists of elegant open-work in stone. The decorated
portals, as well as the nave, date from the 14th cent., whilst
the ceiling, the choir and its chapels, with their overladen and
fantastic decorations, belong to the 16th cent. The capitals of
the columns of the nave have been decorated with a variety of
the most whimsical devices, such as Lancelot riding across the
sea on his sword, Aristotle with bridle and bit employed as a
steed by the mistress of Alexander.

In the main street, which runs hence to the quay and railway
station and derives its appellation from the church, is situated
St. Jean, with two unfinished towers of the 14th cent. Restoration
begun but far from complete.

A Palace, rising on the eminence to the N. above St. Pierre,
was also erected by William the Conqueror, but the sole remnants
of it still extant are the chapel of St. Georges, restored in
the 15th cent., and an ancient hall, both now employed as artillery-magazines.

On an eminence to the E., without the town, rises *Ste. Trinité,
or L'Abbaye aux Dames, consecrated in 1066, but not completed
until a later date. It is smaller and far more attractive
than St. Etienne, to which it forms a most pleasing counterpart.
With the exception of the upper parts of the towers, it is a
perfect specimen of the pure Romanesque style. In the choir,
which is reserved for the nuns of the contiguous convent, the remains
of the foundress Matilda repose. Beneath the choir is a
crypt, supported by 36 buttresses. The buildings of the eloister
are modern and comprise a hospital, conducted by sisters of the
Augustine order.

The Place Royale is a handsome modern square, but destitute
of animation. The centre is adorned with a very mediocre
bronze Statue of Louis XIV. by Petitot. The handsome Hôtel
de Ville contains a *Picture Gallery (entrance in the court on the
l., 1st door to the l. on the 1st floor; open to the public on
Sundays and Thursdays 11—4 o'clock), of considerably greater
merit than the collections usually encountered in the provinces.

1st Room: Modern pictures. 2nd Room: *Perugino, Sposalizio
(Nuptials of the Virgin) from the cathedral of Perugia, carried off by the
French during the Revolution and not restored; this is the identical model
on which Raphael based his celebrated and far more highly perfected picture
of the same subject in the Brera at Milan, an engraving of which may
be here inspected for the sake of comparison. 3rd Room: Rubens, Melchisedek
offering bread and wine to Abraham; several pictures by
P. Veronese, Judith, Temptation of St. Antony, Exodus of the Jews, Christ
gives Peter the keys of Heaven; Jordaens, Beggar. 4th Room: Modern
pictures 5th Room: Animal pieces; Van der Meuten, Passage of the
Rhine by Louis XIV.

There is also a Collection of Antiquities, opposite to which is
a Library of considerable extent.

CHERBOURG

The University Buildings, Rue de la Chaine, contain an extensive
Natural History Museum, which at the same time comprises
the collection made in the Pacific by Admiral Dumont
d'Urville (p. 166).

Caen and its environs afford abundant materials for architectural
research. The Departement du Calvados boasts of no fewer
than 70 churches of the 11th and 12th centuries. The bank of
the Orne affords a pleasant walk.

From Caen to Havre. Steamboat daily in 3—4 hrs.; fare 6 fr.; the
hour of departure varies with the tide. The voyage is a very pleasant
one in favourable weather: for 1¼ hr. the narrow Orne is traversed,
skirted at first with villas and promenades; near its mouth are the quarries
which have yielded the excellent stone of which Caen is principally
constructed. The steamer then skirts the broad and open bay on the
coast of Normandy into which the Seine empties itself, and where Trouville
and Honfleur (p. 222) are situated. The heights of Havre, its houses
and embankments now soon become visible. The vessels stop at the
Grand Quai in the Avant Port.

As the train proceeds towards Cherbourg, it crosses the Orne
and the Odon; to the l. the handsome church-tower of Norrey.
Several chateaux are also passed. Bayeux (Hôtel du Luxembourg)
possesses an admirable Cathedral, dating from several different
epochs, and a very celebrated piece of Embroidery by Queen
Matilda (215 ft. long, 1½ ft. high), representing in 58 sections
the conquest of England by her husband. This curiosity is exhibited
in the library of the Hôtel de Ville. When Napoleon
contemplated a descent on England, he caused this embroidery
to be sent from town to town, with a view more effectually to
stimulate the patriotism of the French.

From stat. Lison a branch-line diverges to St. Lo. Stat. Isigny
is a small seaport; Carentan possesses a handsome church (15th
cent.) and a dilapidated castle. A flat district is now traversed.
Valognes is one of the most important stations. To the I. of
Sottevast stands a château of the time of Louis XIV. The line
ascends as far as Couville, then descends in wide curves by
Martinvast to

Cherbourg (Hôtel de l'Univers; Hôtel de France; Hôtel de
l'Europe; Hôtel de l'Amirauté), with 41,812 inhab., situated on the
N. side of the peninsula La Manche which here extends into
the English Channel. It is the principal naval harbour of France,
to which circumstance the town is indebted for its importance.
The remarkable advantages of the situation, which would be highly
favourable for offensive as well as defensive operations against
England, were fully appreciated by Vauban. At the same time
insurmountable obstacles to the construction of a harbour appeared
to have been thrown in the way by nature. The works were
commenced by Louis XIV., prosecuted by Louis XVI., Napoleon
and Louis Philippe, notwithstanding frequent failures, and finally

completed in 1858, on which occasion Queen Victoria visited the
Emperor of the French and was present at the inauguration-festival.

The Roads of Cherbourg are exposed to violent storms from
the N., but are protected by the Digue, a vast breakwater, the
construction of which did not succeed until the labour of 50 years
and a sum of 67 million fr. had been expended on it.

Under Louis XIV. large wooden cones filled with stones were sunk,
but were soon washed away. Masses of irregularly shaped stones were
then submerged and on this foundation a fortified breakwater erected, but
these works were totally destroyed by a storm in 1808. Under Louis
Philippe the plan of cementing the stones with mortar ("beton") was
adopted. Notwithstanding these precautions, however, doubts are justly
entertained with regard to the durability of the Digue. It is 3880 yds. in
length and consists of two parts, the foundation (jetée) sloping outwards,
increasing from 180 ft. to 600 ft. in breadth, and the upper wall, 280 ft.
in thickness, which at low tide is above the surface of the water. The
depth of the water by the side of the breakwater is 30—40 ft. At the
sides are the entrances to the harbour. Three forts have been erected on
the Digue.

The Naval Harbour, entirely hewn out of the solid rock
(cards of admission, from 8—11 o'clock, are obtained at the
"Majorité", or office of the commandant, on exhibiting a passport
or visiting-card), consists of three portions, the Avant-Port, the
Bassin à Flot and within these the Bassin Napoléon III. (the
latter was commenced in 1836 and completed in Aug. 1858).
At the lowest ebb-tide 40 ships of the linec an easily be accommodated
here. The various workshops, magazines and arsenals
are of vast and imposing dimensions. The aggregate expenses
of the entire establishment have amounted to upwards of 400
million ft. An extensive system of Forts command the roads
and at the same time protect them from attack from the land side.

The Commercial Harbour, now in process of being extended,
is of little importance. The town is of recent origin and contains
no objects of interest, except perhaps the Picture Gallery
in the Hôtel de Ville (Sundays 12—4), termed the Musée Henri
after its founder.

The Fort du Roule (accessible on payment of a fee), ascended
in 15 min., commands a good survey of the town and roads.