[About 28 kil. to the west-north-west is ST. CLAUDE, another sous-préfecture (in department Jura), and a seat of a diocese, in a picturesque valley in the Jura range, where the Bienne and Tacon join. The cathedral is not remarkable. Many toys in bone, ivory, wood, as well as buttons, musical instruments, nails, copper goods (quincaillerie), &c., are made. Population, 6,320. Around it are some Objects worthy of notice.-As the falls of Flumen and Queue du Cheval (i.e., Horse Tail)-Foules Cave-the intermittent springs of Noire Combe-the Pont de la Pile on the Ain-and the Pass leading to Tour-duMeix. Sept-Moncel (12 kil.) is noted for its cheese, and manufacture of stone carvings.] FERNEY (12 kil.) or FERNEY-VOLTAIRE, on the Swiss side, is a small village of watchmakers, on a beautiful part of the Geneva lake, formerly the residence of Voltaire, from 1759 to 1778. They show his sitting-room and chamber, with portraits of him, of Frederick the Great, Catherine II. (in tapestry, worked by herself), Franklin, &c.; also a pyramid (which once held his heart), set up by the Marquise de Villette, his adopted daughter, with the words "Son esprit est partout, mais son cœur est ici" (his spirit is everywhere, but his heart is here). The theatre is gone, but the church he built, "Deo erexit Voltaire," remains. Mont Blanc is in view. At 6 kil. further is Geneva, to which omnibuses run; and thence there is railway communication with Lausanne, Lyons, Chambéry, &c. ROUTE 23. (Mont Cenis Route.) Paris to Mâcon, Bourg, Chambéry, Mont Cenis, and Turin; with branches to Lyons and Geneva. By rail the whole way. Distance from Mâcon to Geneva, 101 miles; to Chambéry and St. Michel, under Mont Cenis, 73 miles. Mâcon Station, as in Route 20. Mâcon is the birth-place of Lamartine. Leaving this we cross the Saône by a viaduct on five iron arches, each 118 feets pan, with heavy embankments on both sides," I into department Ain, a district of wet marshes and lakes, but very fertile, up the Veyle, to Pont de Veyle (5 miles). A model farm of M. Perceval is seen here. Vonnas (5 miles). Population, 1,440. Mézériat (2 miles). The Jura mountains in view. Polliat (3 miles). Population, 1,500. And 54 miles from this is BOURG, or Bourg-en-Bresse, on the line from Lyons to Besançon (see page 100), 47 miles from one, 97 miles from the other, and 23 miles from Mâcon. HOTELS.-Du Palais; De l'Europe; Du Nord; Du Griffin. Population, 14,050. The chief town of department Ain (formerly La Bresse), in a fine spot on the Reyssouse; founded by the Dukes of Savoy, and given up to France, 1350. One of its fountains is dedicated to the memory of General Joubert. A good bronze statue of Bichat, the surgeon, by David, is in the Bastion promenade; Nôtre Dame church contains some noticeable carvings. At the Hôtel de Ville is the Musée Lorin, of 117 paintings, bequeathed to the town, 1856. There are also a prison on the site of the ducal château, and a large hospital outside the town. In Faubourg de Brou is the fine Gothic church of Brou, built in the 15th century, by Margaret of Austria, whose motto, "Fortune, fortune, fortune," is repeated all over it. It is 228 feet long. It contains many specimens of arabesque, stained windows, and tombs of the dukes of Savoy. The dial was set up by Lalande, the astronomer, who was born at a house in the town, with "Observatoire, 1792," upon its front. Good poultry is got here. From Bourg, through the forest of Seillon, to La Vavrette (6 miles). Pont d'Ain (5 miles), on the Ain, here crossed by a suspension bridge. On Mont Olivet (about 1,000 feet high) is an old castle of the dukes of Savoy. Population, 1,470. [CERDON (13 kii.), is near the fine fall of Marcelin, not far from the great fall of the river Fogue, in a wild spot. NANTUA (19 kil. further), a sous-préfecture, &c., of 3,701 souls on a lake between the mountains in the Jura chain, having a Lombard church, where Charies the Bold was buried. Hotels.-Du Nord; De l'Ecu (crown piece); D'Angleterre.] Ambronay (3 miles), near a Roman fort, called Motte Sarrasin. The Gothic church was part of an abbey founded by St. Bernard. Ambérieu (4 miles), at the junction with the direct line from Lyons. (See A, below.) Population, 2,470. It stands at the foot of the Jura mountains. The source of the Gardon is at hand, near Mont Luisandre, which stands 2,653 feet above sea. Across the Rhône (to the south) is the large and curious grotto de Balme. [A. The stations towards Lyons are as follows:-, Leyment (4 miles), in a gorge. Meximieux (5 miles), under an old castle. Population, 2,500. Montluel (8 miles), stands below the ancient Mons Lupelli, on the Séreine. Population, 2,800. It was the capital of Valbonnes. Beynost (2 miles). Miribel (2 miles). Population, 2,929. Thence to St. Clair, on the Rhône, and over to Les Brotteaux, in the suburbs of Lyons. See Route 20.] From Ambérieu, the rail passes up the valley of the Albarine, among wooded heights and remains of old forts, to St. Rambert-en-Bugey (7 miles), or St. Rambert-de-Joux, where the river Brévon falls in, on the Albarine, among mountains, with a population of 2,800, employed in the manufacture of linens, damasks, silks, velvet, and paper. [A pass to the right, 20 kil. long, leads to BELLEY (33 kil.) a sous-préfecture and bishopric, on the Furan, near the Rhône. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1385 by the dukes of Savoy, and given up to France, with the district of Bugey, 1609. The Cathedral has two pillars of a Roman temple to Cybele, and a good clock-tower. Hotels.Loyola; Tissot.] The mountain valley becomes more wild to Tenay, where the river forms several cascades. The line ascends, and then descends to the valley of the Rhône, at Rossillon (8 miles), marked by an old fortress. Through a tunnel of 1,883 feet, to Virieu-le-Grand (4 miles), where the vine begins to appear. Population, 950. Coach to Belley (as above). Artemare (2 miles) Here Mont Colombier, and the fall of Cerveyrien (6 kil.) may be visited. The mountain (close to the station) is nearly 5,030 feet above sea. The tooth-like peaks of hills about here are called molars. Culoz (5 miles), on the Rhône, under the southside of the Colombier mountain. Here the branch line to Geneva parts off, via Leyssel, &c., as below. The direct line to Chambéry, crosses the Rhône by a bridge of 685 feet, into Savoy, annexed to France 1860, by the name of department Savoie. The line passes under Mont du Chat, along the beautiful lake of Aix, or du Bourget, to Chatillon (5 miles). Then to Aix-les-Bains (10 miles), in a basin of hills, where the branch to Annecy turns off. Hotels.-Imperial; Grand Hotel de l'Europe; Grand Hotel de l'Univers. Steamer on the lake. Population, 2,000. This is the Roman Aquae Gratianae, near Bourget Lake, still much frequented for its warm sulphur springs-temperature 100° to 11. Casino, bath, reading-room, and park. Montmellian wine. Excursions to Haute Combe Monastery, founded 1225; Bourget Castle; and Bordeaux, under Mont du Chat (5,210 feet high). Among Roman remains are a Doric triumphal arch, and pieces of baths, and a temple to Venus. [The line to Annecy passes by Albens (8 miles), where Roman coins of Claudian, &c., have been found. Rumilly (8 miles), on the Cheron; the Roman Rumilliacum, with a population of 4,000. Annecy (12 miles), the old capital of the Duchy of Savoy, now the chief place of department Haute Savoie, which extends to the Lake of Geneva and Mont Blanc. The town (population, 10,740) stands on a plain among mountains, near Annecy Lake, which is 9 miles by 3, and gives outlet to the Fier, a branch of the Rhône. It has cotton factories, print works, glass, paper, and steel mills; also a castle of the former Counts, bishop's palace, a cathedral (where St. Francis de Sales, one of its bishops, was buried, 1632), and a statue to Berthollet, the chemist, who was a native. At Anneciacum, the Roman town, 2 miles north-east, are some inscriptions. Excursions, on the Lake, to Château Duindt, and Château de Monthen, where St. Bernard was born; also to the Castle of Faverges, the Roman Fabriacarium, where they forged iron and copper. It is 22 miles to Geneva, and 30 to 40 round to Chamounix and Martigny, under Mont Blanc. (See BRADSHAW's Hand-Book to Switzerland).] From Aix the line proceeds for 10 miles to CHAMBERY. HOTELS.-De France; Des Princes. Cost of living, 8 to 10 fr. a day. Cold tea should be drunk instead of water. Population, 18,000. The ancient Camperiacum, on the Leysse, and former capital of Savoy, now the chief place of department Savoie, and an archbishop's see. It has a cathedral; a Sainte Chapelle, at the Castle, built 1230, on a rock, by the Counts of Maurienne, its feudal owners; Town House, Academy, Theatre; with a Poor House and Hospital, founded by a wealthy native, General de Boigne, who made his money in India, where he was in Scindiah's service. He spent £150,000 on his château here, and died 1830. His statue is here Walks, on the Promenade de Vernay, and the Terrace. To Grande Chartreuse from here is about 9 hours, on foot, to Montmelian (9 miles), or Montmeillan, a fortified post on the Isère, where the line from Grenoble falls in. (See Route 25.) Follow the river to Chamousset (8 miles), which may be further ascended by road to Moutiers and the little St. Bernard Pass; also round to Annecy and Chamounix; but the rail ascends the valley of the Arc, to Aiguebelle (6 miles), La Chambre (14 miles, St. Jea" de Maurienne (6 miles). The line between this and St. Michel was for a time blocked up, 1872, by a land slip mile long, which half buried the neighbouring houses. St. Michel de Maurienne (7 miles), where the Pass and Tunnel routes of Mont Cenis part off. It is about 50 miles by either to Susa, on the Italian sile. The Pass Route, along the diligence road, is traversed by Fell's climbing rail in 4 hours. The Tunnel Route strikes off near Modane, to the southwe3', and passes through Col de Fréjus by a Tunnel nearly 8 miles long, to Bardonnechia on the Italian sile, shortening the distance by two hours, and opened December, 1870, after 12 years' labour. Seyssel station (8 miles), opposite the village which lies on the Swiss side of the river, and is reached by a suspension bridge, with the douanes of the two countries upon it. Here Seyssel asphalte is quarried. Pass the iron viaduct of the Vézéronce, 121 feet high. The Pyrimont Seyssel mines of asphalte are close by. The Rocky banks of the Rhône are now pierced by a succession of tunnels, the longest being Paradis (3,33 feet), opening out upon the Credo mountains (5,360 feet high), and Arlad Castle. Bellegarde (11 miles), a buffet at the Swiss border. Every one coming into France is strictly searched. Here the fall of the Rhône, the deep bed of the Valserine, may be visited; also the fine viaduct of the Valserine, 820 feet long, on 11 arches. Leaving Bellegarde, we enter the grand Credo tunnel, 12,796 feet long, ventilated by six shafts, the deepest being 705 feet down to the line. It took 3 years to make. The fort of Ecluse, built by Vauban to guard the deep pass, becomes visible. Two short tunnels of 279 feet and 606 feet, to Collonges (7 miles). Population, 1,280. Chancy (1 mile). La Plaine (3 miles), the first place within the Genevese territory. Satigny (3 miles). Population, 1,044. Meyrin (2 miles'. Here the line attains its culminating point, 1,331 feet above sea level, and Mont Blanc may be caught sight of. Pass a long cutting and embankment to Geneva, 100 miles from Lyons, 114 from Mâcon, 38 from Paris. (See BRADSHAW'S HandBook to Switzerland). ROUTE 24. Lyons to St. Etienne, Andrezieux, By railway, 844 miles, 4 to 5 hours. Over the Saône, at Mulatière bridge, to Ou lins (3 miles), on the west bank of the Rhône, in a pretty spot. having a church in which Jacquard is buried; and the Château du Perron, which belongs to the Lyons Hospital. Irigny (33 miles). Vernaison (2 miles), opposite Solaise. La Tour-de-Millery (14 mile). Grigny (14 mile), opposite Ternay, is a little port, and has remains of a fine château of the Moulceau family. Givors (24 miles), is placed where the canal and the Gier join the Rhône, and has a basin or port, 880 feet long. Population, 10,000. There are important glass-works and foundries here, and a large new church, in the Grecian style. A junction of 3 kil. places it in communication with Chasse, on the Marseilles line, across the Rhône. St. Romain (3 miles). Burel (2 miles). Couzon (3 miles), near a tunnel of 2,950 feet. Rive de Gier, close to the last station, a manufacturing town of 12,000 souls, on the Gier, where tho canal to Givors ends in a large basin, is at the middle of the best coal-field in France. They make glass, steel, machinery, railway carriages, silk, &c., here. It is in department Loire. Some distance to the right, at Champonost, are to be seen many arches of a Roman aqueduct. Grandecroix (3 miles), or Les Rouardes. St. Chamond (3 miles), under a cultivated hill, where the Janon joins the Gier. Population, 8,300, It is well built, and has two churches, a college and library, public baths, and a ruined château, with many foundries, cotton and silk mills. Ribbons, lace, nails, copper goods, &c., are made. Hotels.-Du Chapeau Rouge (Red Hat); La Tête d'Or (Gold Head). Many fossil plants, of the usual tropical character, are found in the coal mines. Terrenoire (5 miles). Then through a tunnel of 4,900 feet (only a single line), to St. Etienne (1 mile). ST. ETIENNE (35 miles from Lyons). HOTELS.-De l'Europe; Du Nord; De la Paix; De la Poste. Population 96,700. In 1804 it was only 24,000. A sous-préfecture in department Loire, on the Furens, with little to recommend it beyond its manufactures of fire-arms, tools, cutlery, hardware, and ribbons, which are some of the most important in France. It stands under Mont Pilate (3,516 feet high) on a rich bed of coal and iron; and the river turns above a hundred factories of various sorts. Grindstones are quarried in the neighbourhood, of the white sandstone of which the houses are built. The Hôtel de Ville, in the Grand Place, is a large pile, including the bourse (exchange), chamber of commerce (conseil de prud'hommes), museum of minerals and practical arts, and a bibliothèque of 5,000 volumes. The church is of the 11th century. There are bridges, a school of mines, a college, the government gun factory, a salle de spectacle (theatre), gas works, &c. The ribbons produced here are of great beauty, and worth upwards of 45,000,000 francs yearly. About 500,000 tons of coal are exported. Conveyances: Rail to Le Puy (see Route 28), Montbrison, &c. [Across the Mont Pilate ridge, dividing the basins of the Loire and Rhône, lies BOURG-ARGENTAL (23 kil. south-east), which stands in the valley of the Deune, under an old castle, and is noted for its white silk manufacture. Annonay (see Route 20), is 15 kil. further. From St. Etienne, on the railway to Montbrison and Roanne, by a succession of inclined planes only, you pass Villars (3 miles). La Fouillouse (2 miles) and St. Just (2} miles), where the line to Montbrison turns off. [It passes Andrézieux (2 miles), near the Loire, Bonson ( mile), Sury-le-Comtal (2 miles), St. Romain-le-Puy (3 miles), whence it is 44 miles to MONTBRISON. HOTELS.-Du Centre; De la Poste; Du Lion d'Or. Population, 7,200. This town, via which there is a correspondence with Clermont (see Route 53), was chosen for the capital of department Loire, on account of being near the middle of it, and stands on the Vizezy, under a volcanic rock, which bears some remains of a castle built by the counts of Forey, and gives name to the place. The old town walls are gone; it is ill built; and the only edifice worth notice is Nôtre Dame Cathedral Church, founded 1205, by Guy IV., Comte de Forey, whose marble effigy, with a lion at the feet, is inside. It is a plain Gothic building, having but one tower completed, and a lofty vault. St. Maurice church has a dome The Préfecture belonged to the brethren of the Oratory; a library of 15,000 volumes is at the college. There are a corn market, a salle de spectacle, barracks, a hospice, &c. Charles VII. signed a treaty here with the Duke of Savoy. It was ravaged by the Calvinist leader, the Baron des Adrets, 1562. In the neighbourhood are three mineral springs on the river, one, called the Hospital, being the most useful. Conveyances to Clermont-Ferrand, &c. About 2 kil. south of Montbrison, at Moignt, is a round building, about 130 feet diameter, faced with pilasters, and commonly called the palace of the Saracens. It is supposed to be the site of the Roman Mediodunum. Further south (21 kil. from Montbrison), is St. Bonnet-le-Château, near Agrippa's Roman way, on the top of a hill, on which stood the camp of Varus, afterwards styled Château-Vair.] La Renardière (3 miles). St. Galmier (3 miles). Montrond (6 miles), a little place on the Seine, 15 kil. from Montbrison (as above), having the ruins of an old castle, with another, called Bellegarde, not far off. The next station on the main line, is Feurs (6 miles), on the Loire, the old capital of Forrez, and the site of the Roman Forum Secfusianorum, of which traces are seen, in parts of the church, in a mosaic, &c., in a house hard by, besides parts of columns, aqueducts, &c. There is a bronze statue to Colonel Combes, who fell at Constantine, in Algiers. Population, 2,900. Outside is an unfinished church, begun by Louis XVIII., as a memorial to the victims of the Revolution. Mont Lezore, a basalt bill, is near. Balbigny (5 miles); then comes St. Jodard (6 miles), on a double inclined plane. Vendranges St. Prie (3 miles), near St. Symphorien de Lay, which has remnants of old walls and cotton factories. St. Cyr (3 miles). Roanne (4 miles), the Roman Rhodumna, and a sous-préfecture in department Loire, on that river, with 17,400 population, and a trade by water and rail in wines (called Renaison, St. André, &c.), cotton, grain, iron, charcoal, and other products. It has a good bridge over the Loire, a large church, baths, a theatre, and a library of 10,000 volumes at the college. Hence the rail proceeds to St. Germain des Fossés, near Vichy and Moulins (see Route 45), where the junction with the Orleans rail is formed, making the direct railway distance of Roanne from Paris 280 miles. ROUTE 25. Lyons to Bourgoin; Grande Chartreuse, Lyons Station, in Perrache, as in Route 20. Heyrieux (6 miles). St. Quentin (23 miles). Coaches to Beauvoir, Chamagnieu, Crémieu, Diémoz, Heyrieux, La Fayette, Royers, St. Georges, Septéme, Vienne, &c. La Verpillière (2 miles), and its old château, in a pretty spot. Vaulx-Milieu (24 miles) Bourgoin (2 miles), on the Bourbre, has 5,000 population, and manufactures of cotton, linen, paper, leather, &c. Here the line ends, for the present, but it is to be carried on towards Gre noble. Coaches to Les Abrets, Aoste, Cessieux, Chambéry, La Combe, Côte St. André, Faverge, Pont de Beauvoisin, St. Chef, St. Thibaut, Vignireaux, &c. La Tour du Pin (9) miles), a sous-préfecture, with 2,700 souls, on the Bourbre, with a trade in wine, grain, leather, &c. St. André-le-Gaz (4 miles), where the road from Grenoble and Voreppe crosses the Rhône, towards Belley, on the other side of it. [Following the Chambéry road, you come to PONT DE BEAUVOISIN (10 kil.), on the Guiors, which is covered by a single-arched bridge, with the French and Savoy douanes at the ends. Population, 3,800 (part in both countries). The Chaille pass leads on by Les Echelles-de |