From Sedan it is continued to Thionville (Route 8), and from Charleville to Givet; thus completing che north-east frontier line.

Pass Nouzon (4 miles), &c., to Deville (8 niles), to the west of which is

ROCROY, OF Rocroi, a fortress of the fourth class, with a frontier custom-house or douane, on a plain, 1,190 feet above the sea, where the great Condé, when Duke of Enghien, and only twenty-two years old, gained his famous victory over the Spaniards, &c., 19th May, 1643. The town stands among the forests of Ardennes, and was founded by Francis I. Population, 3,600. Coach to Couvin. It is about 85 kil. to Landrecies, described in Route 6.

Fumay (12 miles), on the Meuse, is noted for its = ardoisères, or slate works, in the mountains here, through which the river has made a deep cutting. An old castle stands upon it. Merinoes, flannels, steam engines, glass, &c., are made. Population, 3,100. It was the centre of a little neutral spot, when joined to France, 1770.

Givet (15 miles), a fortified town on the Meuse, close to the Belgian frontier, in a hilly and rather picturesque spot, is composed of Petit Givet, at the end of the stone bridge, and Grand Givet, with Charlemont fort at the other end, the latter being on a high rock. It was used as a depôt for English prisoners in the war, when the Rev. R. Wolfe voluntarily laboured among twelve hundred of them, preaching the gospel, forming schools, &c., as related in his work, "English Prisoners in France." It has the churches of St. Hilaire and Notre Dame, a library of 5,000 volumes, and chamber of manufactures. Population, 6,400.

Pottery, pipes, and iron goods are made. In the neighbourhood is the old Château of Mont d'Hano =(near Vireux Wallerand), and up the river, the =high slate cliffs, called the Dames de la Main. Boats ascend it to Mézières.

Hotel.-Du Mont d'Or.

Coach to Vireux, on the Sambre and Meuse line. Further down the river are Dinant, and Namur (in BELGIUM), from which the rail can be taken to Waterloo and Brussels. A rail is making to unite Dinant and Namur. The dark slaty cliffs of the river are high and imposing. (See BRADSHAW's Hand-Book to Belgium and the Rhine.

ROUTE 56.

Blesme to Chaumont.

Distance by rail, 55 miles, or 90 kil. Four trains a day.

Blesme, as on the Strasbourg line (Route 54). Then over a wide plain to

St. Dizier (7 miles), a sous-préfecture, in Haute-Marne (population, 8,100) on the Marne, among woods. It was besieged by Charles V., in 1544, and mostly burnt by accident, 1775. It has part of an old Castle, near the Gothic Church, and a modern Hôtel de Ville.

Hotels.-Du Soleil d'Or (Golden Sun); L'Arbre d'Or (Golden Tree). Wood is cut and iron forged here.

One of the forges, Marnaval, owes its origin, says tradition, to the following story. Henry IV. having visited St. Dizier, the échevin or sheriff, Beaudesson, came to pay his respects. He was so like the king, that the guard presented arms and sounded trumpets, to the astonishment of Henry, who, putting his head out of the window, asked if there were two kings there. Beaudesson entered, and the king, surprised at the likeness, inquired if his mother had ever been at Béarn (where Henry came from). "No, sire," answered the sheriff, "but my father has travelled a good deal." The king was so tickled with the répartée, that he told Beaudesson to ask whatever he liked. He asked to build a forge on the Marne; and this was the origin of Marnaval.

Branch rail to Vassy (144 miles), viâ Humbécourt (5 miles), Eclaron (2 miles), Louvemont (3 miles), and Pont-Varin (1 mile), all unimportant.

[VASSY, or Wassy, a sous-préfecture, on the site,

some say, of Vadieases, which was burnt by Caracalla in 211. Roman coins have been found. An inscription near the hospital marks where a massacre of the Protestants took place, 1562, by the Duc de Guise. Large forests and iron forges surround it. Population, 2,583.]

Eurville (6 miles), on the Marne, the nearest station for Vassy.

Chevillon (6 miles), further up the Marne.

Joinville (6 miles), an old place in a pleasant spot on the Marne, among vineyards and iron forges, under a hill, on which stood (till the Duke of Orléan 3 pulled it down, 1790) the old Castle of

the Sires de Joinville and the Ducs de Guise, where the famous Catholic League was entered into, 1585. The Prince de Joinville takes his title hence. One of its lords was the Sieur de Joinville, who wrote the "Histoire de St. Louis IX. du nom," a charming picture of the French knight of that age and of his excellent and pious sovereign.

Vignory (6 miles).

Bologne (5 miles), and its tunnel. Here a branch rail turns off to Neufchâteau, 31 miles.

[It passes Chantraines, Andelot (9 miles), on the Rognon, Bourmont St. Blain (7 miles), &c., to Neufchâteau (14 miles) on the Meuse, as in Route 54; and is to be continued to Pagny on the Strasbourg line.] And 9 miles further is

Chaumont, on the Paris, Troyes, and Mulhouse line. (See Route 62.)

Nancy to Metz, Forbach, and Mannheim. By branch rail (from Frouard) 113 kil., or 78 miles to Forbach, in 34 to 4 hours.

Nancy, as in Route 54, on the Strasbourg line, 220 miles from Paris.

Frouard (C3 miles), towards Paris. The Moselle is navigable from here.

Marbache (4 miles). Population, 7,000. Dieulouard (3 miles), an ancient village on a rock, by the Moselle, on the site of Scarpone, or Sarpane, which the Huns destroyed (906). It has a Gothic church of the 15th century, and a ruined château. Coins and remains of a Roman way have been found at Scarpone. Through a pretty valley,

to

Pont-à-Mousson (4 miles), a town of 8,120 souls, at the brick bridge (pont) on the Moselle, under Mousson hill, which is crowned by a ruined castle of the 12th century. Here are a Gothic church of the 13th century, with two good sixsided towers on square bases; large cavalry barracks; part of St. Marie's old abbey; and an arcaded place (square), in which stands a house carved over with the Sept Péchés Capitaux (seven capital sins), in the quaint coarse style of the middle ages. Marshal Duroc was a native. Charles III., Duke of Lorraine, founded an university here.

Pagny-sur-Moselle (5 miles) is under the fine ruins of Prény, or Prigny Castle, built in the

10th century, a celebrated fortress from which the Dukes of Lorraine took their war-cry of "Prigny! Prigny!" The river improves in beauty, to the suspension bridge, at

Noveant (3 miles), which is on the new German frontier. Between it and the next station are seen (at Jouey), near the river, 20 or 21 fine Roman arches of the aqueduct, which went to Metz; one arch across the road is 60} feet high.

Ars (3 miles), or Arches-sur-Moselle, from the remains of the same aqueduct visible here. At 5 miles further is

Metz, the capital of German Lorraine, or Lothringen, annexed to the German Empire since the war. For this and the remainder of the line to Forbach, &c., see BRADSHAW's Hand-Book to Belgium and the Rhine.

ROUTE 58. Metz to Thionville, Montmédy, Sedan,

Mézières.

By rail. For the first part of this route, viz.: Metz to Thionville, now annexed to Germany, $2 BRADSHAW'S Hand-Book of Belgium and the Rhine.! At Thionville, the line turns off north-west towards Mézières, along the Belgian frontier, past several memorable spots, which figured in the war of 1870-1.

Hayange (4 miles), an industrious village in pretty part of the Feusch, among iron and ce works, near the Chandebourg mineral spring Then Fontoy (5 miles), Audun-le-Roman miles), Joppécourt (4 miles), and Pierrepont miles), all in a busy mineral district; follow by Longuyon (5 miles), on the Chiers, which ironworks and factories for fire-arms.

Here the line to Arlon, in Belgium, turns off Cons-la-Granville (6 miles) and Longwy

miles).

[Longwy (10 miles from Longuyon) or Low Vicus, on the Belgian frontier, includes Basse (lower) Ville, on the Chiers, and H Ville, on the hills above, strongly fortifie Vauban. It belonged to the Dukes of raine till the French acquired it, 1679: was taken by the Prussians, 1792. Ge Mercy, who fell in battle, 1659, was a nat The next stations, descending the Chiers Vezin (5 miles), Velosnes, and

Montmédy (7 miles from Vezin), a sou

fecture in department Meuse, of 2,700 souls, and one of Vauban's fortified forts of the fourth class, irregularly built on the Chiersthe upper town being placed between two hills (mons medius), from which the town derives its name. It was taken by France, 1657. Here the French were defeated, August, 1871. Trade in pottery (made by gipsies, here, as elsewhere, called "Bohemians "), leather, hosiery, &c.

At 7 kil. to the north is the deserted Gothic church of AVIOTHE, with some elegant carvings, and light spires; near it is a small chapel, having a pretty spire porch in front. Many traces of Roman possessions were found in 1823. To the west-south-west (15 kil.) is STENAY, an old place on the flats of the Meuse, called Satanacum, when the kings of Austrasia had a seat here. Louis XIV., in 1648, gave it to Condé, and captured it a few years after from the leaders of the Fronde, who made a treaty with the Spaniards here. There are large cavalry barracks, and forges turned by the stream.]

After this, the line passes Chauvency (33 miles), Lamouilly (3 miles), Margut (4 miles), and Blagny, in department Ardennes, to

Carignan (5 miles from Margut), on the Chiers, which joins the Meuse above Sedan. Formerly called Ivoi, and belonged to the families of Soissons and Penthièvre; It was given up to France at the peace of Ryswick, 1692, having been part of Luxembourg before. The French sustained a defeat here, August, 1871.

Leaving this, we come to Sachy, PourruBrévilly (5 miles from Carignan), and Douzy (1 miles) to Bazeilles, which, with its 700 houses, and 2,000 to 3,000 population, was miserably burnt in the fight of 31st August, 1870. It has been restored again. Next is Pont-Maugis (14 miles); and then

Sedan (34 miles), on the Meuse; a sous-préfecture (population, 15,540) and fortified town of the third class, in a flat spot. It had a castle in the 9th century, belonging to the archbishop of Reims, which came to the ferocious De la Marck, the Wild Boar of Ardennes, in the 17th century, and then to the Ducs de Bouillon.

Turenne was born, 1611, in the old château-a

site now marked by a stone; a bronze of him by Gois, stands near the Hôtel de Ville. He was brought up at Bazeilles. Here died, in 1662, another French Marshal, Fabert; a fine genius, and most high-minded man.

Sedan is well built, with many grey houses of stone and slate, among meadows, backed by woods; but the streets are narrow, and the water is so bad that the people are subject to goitres in the neck. There are, a library, a theatre, three barracks, one being for cavalry, a well-supplied arsenal and magazines, and a military hospital, on a hill, 130 feet above the river. A large tree, called Trois Frères, stands on the Garenne promenade. It is memorable in current history for the disastrous Battle of 1st September, 1870, between the French, under Napoléon III. and Marshal McMahon, and the Germans, under King William I. of Prussia; the French being completely defeated, and obliged to surrender their whole army-upwards of 80,000 men-as prisoners of war to the Germans. McMahon was disabled by a wound, and resigned the command to General Wimpffen, who signed the articles of capitulation. The rain poured incessantly during the fight.

The Emperor, upon giving himself up the day after, was sent to Wilhemshöhe, near Cassel. His meeting with the King took place at M. Amour's Château de Bellevue, 3 miles west, on a point overlooking the battle-field, after an interview with Bismarck at the Weaver's Cottage; both of which were visited by the Prince of Wales, August, 1871. The German head-quarters staff was at Donchéry, to which the King came up from Pont-à-Mousson, to watch the fight. At first he thought the Emperor had escaped, but was assured of final success by seeing a flag of truce. The French, who fought with desperation, were caught in the trap laid for them by Molkte, in their attempts to relieve Metz. Trade in grain, medical plants, leather, and the weaving and dyeing of cloth of noted quality.

Hotels.-De la Croix d'Or (Golden Cross); De l'Europe; De Turenne. Conveyances to Mézières, Verdun, &c. The rail to Charleville was opened in December, 1858, passing two viaducts on the Meuse. The next station is

Donchéry (1 miles), a small town on the Meuse, with manufactures of lace, etc. It was the German head-quarters at the battle of Sedan.

Nouvion-sur-Meuse (34 miles), followed by
Charleville (3 miles), opposite
Mézières, on the Meuse, as in Route 55.

ROUTE 59.

Nancy to Epinal, Mulhouse, Besangon, Vesoul, and Gray.

Nancy, and Varangeville-St.-Nicholas (8 miles), as on the Strasbourg line, in Route 54. The next stations are

Rosières-aux-Salines (34 miles), and

Blainville-la-Grande (4 miles); both on the main line. Then turn off to

Einvaux (44 miles).

Bayon (4 miles). Coaches to Haroné, Tantourville, Vezelize.

Charmes (7 miles), on the Moselle. Coaches to Mirecourt, Vittel, Contrexeville, Lamarthe, Bourbonne-les-Bains (see Route 62).

[MIRECOURT (20 kil. south-west) is a sous-préfecture on the Madon. Population, 5,400. Lace and musical instruments are made.] Châtel-Nomexy (6 miles), on the Moselle. At 94 miles further, in the old province of Alsace, is

EPINAL,

46 miles from Nancy, 266 miles from Paris. HOTELS.-Du Louvre; De la Porte; Des Vosges; Du Lion d'Or.

Population, 11,960. Chief town of department Vosges, on the Moselle, in a hollow, on the slope of the Vosges mountains, 1,050 feet above the sea, with the ruins of its old castle seated on a rock higher up. The river divides it into Grande Ville and Petite Ville (joined by a stone and a suspension bridge) and the Faubourg, near the canal. It is well built, and provided with fountains; but the buildings are of no consequence. The large college belonged to the Jesuits; the Capuchin convent is turned into a hospital, and has extensive gardens round it; the parish church has a good choir. There are, besides, a library of 17,000 volumes, a museum, orphan asylum, cavalry barracks, the Doublat gardens, salle de spectacle, &c., and several paper works. The river makes some cascades. Many English were confined here in the war time. Trade in grain, cattle, wood, &c.

Rail to Remiremont, Laveline (see Route 60). Aillevillers (for Plombières), Vesoul, etc.,

The rail is continued, via Vesoul, to Gray, bringing Nancy into direct communication with the southern lines.

[By rail to Remiremont, up the Moselle, you pass Dinozé (3} miles), to Arches (7) miles), where the branch to Laveline turns off, as in Route 60; then Pouxoux (3 miles), Eloyes (mile), and St. Nabord (24 miles), to Remiremont (34 miles), a sous-préfecture in department Vosges (with a population of 5,670), in a pretty valley under the Vosges mountains, just above where the two heads of the Moselle join. It began in an abbey for canonesses, founded 620, rebuilt in the Italian style, 1751, and used as the Mairie. It is well laid out, with wide streets, and fountains. The library has 6,700 volumes, and there is a good cabinet of mineralogy. The Bouchot and Cave falls are near Vagny, on the Clurie (16 kil.) To Plombières (14 kil).

Trade in butter, Géromé cheese, kirsch-wasser (cherry brandy), pâtés de truite (trout pies). From this, by road, to ST. MAURICE (29 kil.), stands under the Ballon d'Alsace, one of the highest (4,100 feet) of the Vosges, which commands a view of vast extent, taking in the plains of Alsace, the Black Forest (in Baden), the nearer Alps, &c. It is less by 108 feet than the Ballon de Guebwiller, which overhangs St. Amarin. GÉRARDMER (22 kil. eastnorth-east), is near a lake at the Vologne's head, among the Vosges hills and forests, and is noted for its cheese. Population, 5,700. Further on, you come to

BUSSANG, in a deep gorge of the Vosges, with 1,750 souls, and excellent mineral waters. Then to the picturesque valley of

ST. AMARIN, near the new German border, and the old castles of Friedbourg, Stoenbourg, and Wildenstein.

At 20 kil. from St. Maurice is

Thann, where the railway is taken for Mulhouse, on the Strasbourg and Basle railway. (See BRADSHAW's Hand-Book to Belgium and the Rhine).]

From Epinal, by the main line to Vesoul, w pass on to

Douxnoux (11 miles), and