126 UZES-ALAIS-LA GRAND COMBE. By rail from Nismes to Alais; 30 miles or 49 kil. in 1 hours; twice a-day. The rail passes several rocky trenches, and has four tunnels (one 1,300 feet long), and some well constructed bridges and viaducts. NISMES, as in Route 43. St. [At 20 kil. north-north-east is Uzès, 14 kil. north-west of Pont duGard, a sous-préfecture of 6,200 souls, on the olive-covered rocks above the Auzon. It is the roman Ucetia which had a temple to Augustus, and sent a bishop to the council of Arles 455 A.D. In 1560 the bishop and all went over to the reformed faith, for which Louis XIII. garrisoned it and razed the walls. It was latterly a duchy in the Crussol family (first peers of France), whose old château remains, with high walls and corner towers, like the bastile at Paris; the chapel has stained windows, and tombs of the dukes from 1660. Therri's cathedral was burnt 1611, except the fine circular romanesque tower of six stages (once, eight, they say) to which a modern church is added, with a portrait of Cardinal Pacca. St. Etienne's was the Jesuits' church. An ancient crypt, in another part, has an ill-made figure of Christ crowned, with the stigmata. The large bishop's palace is now the préfecture, with a beautiful park behind. A little beyond is the house where Racine lived, 1661-2, when studying theology here; it has a fine prospect over the valley of Gisfort, in which is a grotto called Temple des Druides, with a dolmen close by; also the Tournal tower and the Fontaine d'Eure, which supplied the great aqueduct to Nismes. Many roman inscriptions have been found. A few silk goods are made. Revs. MM. Saussine, Dumergue, and Roux, are protestant pastors here. Conveyances to Nismes, Alais, &c.] MAS-DE-PONGE (6 miles), [Sec. 4 valley of Beau-rivage, on the Gardon, with the Cevennes in the distance. VEYENOBRES (1 miles) on a hill side. Alais (3 miles) a sous-préfecture in department Gard, of 17,000 people, and a thriving town, among coal and iron mines, under the Cevennes mountains, where the Cèze meets the Gardon d'Alais and Gardon de Mialet. It had a leper's hospital for the crusaders in the time of St. Louis, and was held by the English when given up 1422, to Charles VII. Having become a head quarters of the French reformed church (which held a synod here, 1620, under Dumoulin), it was besieged and taken by Louis XIII., who razed its walls. Louis XIV. built a citadel, and sent a bishop to bring them back, but without success. The fort is now a law-court;there are a gothic cathedral church, a library of 3,000 vols., silk mills, &c. In the neighbourhood are the pretty walks on the Gardon, the hermitage, part of a convent, the sulphur mines of St. German de Valgagne; by another way, in the valley of the Calaigon, you pass the Tour de Fare belonging to General Meynadier, and part of Puech-deCendras abbey, burnt by the Camisards, who were hunted down in the religious wars of 1704. Some mineral springs here are useful as tonics and in skin diseases. Revs. MM. Gaillard, Dubois, E. Dhombres, are protestant pastors here. Hotels-Du Luxembourg; du Commerce; du Louvre. A railway of 10 miles (17 hours, thrice a day) goes on past Les Tamaris to La Lavade and La Pise, in La Grand Combe, the centre of this coal and iron district, the mines of which are in the hands of a company. Coal (houille) is plentiful both anthracite and inflammable, and is worked by means of galleries; the steam-engines were made in England, and brought here by way of Cette; several english workmen are employed in the mines and iron-foundries. The coalfield reaches to St. Ambroix (20 kil. north-east of Alais) on the Cèze, a fine spot among the rocks, with many silk mills. The road hence to Privas and Valence, is described in Route 41. [At 10 kil. south-west of Alais is Anduze, the roman Andusia, a picturesque town near the fine château of Tornac (a key to Route 41] CEVENNES MOUNTAINS LE VIGAN-FLORAC. the Cevennes), where the Camisards began to rise against their oppressors in the time of Louis XIV., and where also Marshal Villars made proposals of peace to their chief leader, Jean Cavalier. They were eventually subdued by the Duke of Berwick, 1705. On the west is the fine valley of St. Jean de Gardonnenque. The rugged rocks of granite, grau-wacke, limestone, gypsum, &c., are worth notice; quercus coceifera, an oak yielding a beautiful dye, abounds here. To the south-west is the castle where Florian the French novelist was born; also Sauve, on the Vidourle, where fourches or wooden pitchforks are made, and lead mines worked; La Salle (population 2,120) which has silk mills on the Gardon, and gypsum quarries; St. Hippolyte (population 5,200) near the head of the Vidourle, with a protestant temple, built out of the fort erected to overawe that faith, which fort was formerly the château of the seigneurs; and Le Vigan (see below). Revs. MM. Boissière and Dussaut, are protestant pastors at St. Hippolyte.] MIALET, 10 kil. west of Alais, is noted for its mountain caves, in which bones bave been found; and was the birth-place of Roland, the Camisard leader in the religious wars, who used to hide here, and who, being captured by Villars, was burnt alive at Nismes. At 5 kil. further is ST. JEAN DU GARD, on the coach road to Nismes, in a fine part of the Gardon d'Anduze, where silk goods, millinery, &c. are made. [Le Vigan (25 kil. to the south-west) is another charming place (and sous-préfecture, of 5,200 souls) on the Arre, near Mont l'Eperon in the Cevennes, surrounded by country houses of the Nismes and Montpellier gentry. A gothic bridge crosses the river; there are catholic and protestant churches, cotton and silk thread mills; and, on the principal place, a bronze of d'Assas, a young captain of an Auvergne regiment, who fell at Clos'tcreamp in Flanders, 1760. Making a reconmissance at night, he suddenly came upon the enemy who were advancing to surprise the French, and threatened to shoot him if he spoke. Without hesitation he rushed on them shouting A moi Auvergne, cessont les ennemis (after me soldiers, these are the enemy!) and fell, pierced by scores of balls. 127 His last words are cut on the statue. Revs. A hill near château Marave offers a fine point The road from Le Vigan to Montpellier, is LE POMPIDOU (30 kil.) on the Gardon, under the ridge of the Cevennes, which divides the departments of Lozère and Gard. [Cassagnas, about 10 kil. north-cast, with its caves was one of the head quarters of the Camisard leaders.] FLORAC (23 kil.), a sous-préfecture in department Lozère, of 2,300 souls, in the valley of the Tarn, where the Tarnon and Minente join it, among the Hautes Cevennes. It began in a castle of which a part of two low battlemented towers are left; and has but one main street, with a church, a protestant chapel (Rev. Mr. Alberic, pastor), palais de justice, &c. The sides of the rock are covered with vines, chesnuts, and oaks. About 12 kil. up the Tarn is Pont Montvert, under Mont Lozère, where the Camisards murdered the priest Chayla, 1702, a cruel persecutor of the protestants, for which their leader was burnt alive. Pope Urban V. was born at Grizac near this. ISPAGNAC or Hispagnac (9 kil.) on the Tarn, in a pretty valley, near the high, cold, and dreary plain, called the Causse de Sauveterre, 2,870 feet above the sea. [Quezac, nearly opposite it, is noted for its mineral water, and a gothic bridge and chapel, built by Pope Urban.-St. Enimie, 11 kil. further down the Tarn, in the midst of wild and rugged peaks, grew out of a monastery to St. Bennet founded in the seventh century, by a daughter of Clotaire II.-St. Prejet, 20 kil. still further down the Tarn, at the bottom of a defile, 1,900 feet deep at the Pas de Souci, where it is so narrow that a bridge might be almost run across.-Megruies, 20 kil. south-east of this is noted for three large caves.] At 28 kil. further, passing Molines, is Mende, (see Route 40); beyond that is St. Chaley (48 kil.) 1.6 By rail from Nismes ki in 1 hours; twice a several rocky trenches, a (one 1,300 feet long), and bridges and vinduets. It NISMES, as in Route 43 [At 20 kal. north-north north-west of Pont du of 6,200 souls, on th above the Auzon. which had a temple a bishop to the counci: 1560 the bishop and reformed faith, for w soned it and razed the a duchy in the Cruss France), whose old c high walls and corner at Paris; the chapel and tombs of the d Therri's cathedral the fine circular ro stages (once, eight, modern church is of Cardinal Pacca Jesuits' church. Ar part, has an ill-made with the stigmata. is now the préfect behind. A little pls of the Certive nga mar the geld te caled the Geant, hit bumpet, they to the giant Gallone, who fought wit In one part is a primitive suspenis the indian style, running from cliff (ka small village arkable for a suon turrets, &c, min Albeernses, when the towns I hammeral spring, and the Jern Cardinal Fleury and wwwbot here Hotels-De la Wa Crue du Cheval Vert ( De Stuk 15 kil. south-east, Truss an industrious tow 4. men who make cloth, cotton a o case, and a gothic cir wellha. dine ruse window. ! Pass e-Fat) La Cama 3 a plateau above source of the Leperce, has remains of old w A charming path, called the Escalette ro leads to several fine points of view, near source of the Ergue. LA CABALERIC (22 kil.) MILNAV (17 kil.), already described (see Rou , where the roads to Mende and Albi divi About 25 kil. south of Milhau, is Nant in th botul valley of the Dourbie, wherei was the farm, in spot remarkable for the Poga and other grottoes] IL PORECASTERS-PLY-LAURENS-CARCASSONNE to the south-west is finerne, an ce on the Bean and Cusse, in a / spot, where the bloody Simon de and his emunders burnt about the Albigenses. On the CasseE ANTE e grottoes of Bame de la Coquille, 1 because of an enormous shuil-like te in it, full of water-As Bure, it ver down the Cesse, in the valley of many bones have been found in ste ROUTE 47. Narbonne to Carcassons Distance, 163 kil, or 101 miles. Moex (15 kil), to the north og BARREIRA (13 kil.) At 15 kl. further, is CARCASSONE. Hotels-Bonnet de l'Ange Angel,; St. Pierre; tiste. Population, 15,000, many (S-DE-THOMIERES (23 kil ), a sous-préof 6,270 people, in a pretty valley of the long the mountains, has a fine old church, marble; and, at the head of the river falls into a natural basin), another old employed in the manufacture of A very old place, chief town of dưng of Charlemagne's time; a gothic tower ock, and two great elms, making a very esque group. AMANS-LA-BASTIDE (25 kil), on the Thore. t 25 kil. south is Caunes, in department Aude, with good marble quarries, and re and seat of a diocess, college, tr_ mains of a hermitage in the rocks near them.] Cæsar's time, and came to the JASTRES (27 kil.), a sous-préfecture in depart Saracens, and the counts ent Tarn, on the river Agout, which divides it figure of Dame Carcas, who they alled Lices (lists, where tournaments were held), the public library of 7,000 vols. is placed), bar- horses, is in Grande Place. The racks for cavalry, public gardens, and the church of St. Benoit (formerly the cathedral), which are various (on the quay, &c.), and sta contains paintings by Ridals, Lesueur, and buildings worth notice are the He Coypel. Among the natives was Rapin, who wrote the History of England. A logan stone the préfecture and its large garde Iman inscription to Numerian; li the Pyrenees; the barracks, theatre, is to be seen in the neighbourhood. Population vols. and museum; the bridge, whence Rev. MM. Dejean and Dombre are protestant | &c. St. Vincent's church contains 2 16,418. In the old Cité, higher up, are the pastors here. Thriving manufactures of cloth, glass. linens, flannels, soap, leather, &c.; and a trade in these articles, paper, liqueurs, confectionery. and battlements of the castle, pazes Hotels Du Grand Soleil (Sun); du Nord; tried to take, 1356. St. Nazaire's Albi is 39 kil. north of Castres (see Route 52). PUY:LAURENS, 20 kil. west of Castres, on the Toulouse road, belonged to the counts of Toulouse, and was made a duchy in favour of Richelieu's niece. It stands on the top of a rock, and was fortified by the protestants, whose academy of sciences here was suppressed by Louis XIV. TOULOUSE is 50 kill. further (see Route 50), style, wi who ge e presen tre.] eft), ha is, an he ti Da ior 1 128 MONTFERRIER-ST. BAUZILLE-LODEVE-LE CAYLAR. and St Flour (30 kil.) on the Clermont road, as in Route 52. ROUTE 45. [Sec. 4 tower, and the chapel of Nôtre Dame on the heights, thought to have been a temple of Vesta. A little higher up the river is Aniane, where St. Bennet was born; the old abbey, founded 782 Montpellier, up the Herault, to Mende. by a count of Maguelonne, is here. Distance to Le Vigan, about 51 kil. or 32 mls. MONTFERRIER (6 kil.) a little to the east of the road, makes a pleasing appearance, being on a volcanic peak about 140 feet above sea, on or round which are grouped an old château of its marquises, a park stretching to the Luz, mills, &c. Another lava peak, Valmahargues, is to the west. ST. GELY (5 kil.) LODEVE (24 kil.), a sous-préfecture, with 10,800 population, on the Ergue (a branch of the Hérault), in a pretty valley at the foot of the Cevennes mountains, which are cultivated to the top. The old church of St. Fulcran (a cathedral till the revolution), which was part of St. Sauveur's abbey, has a great square machicolated tower, with turrets, &c., and was fortified against the Albigenses, when the town was walled round. It has a mineral spring, and the Juifs' [At 5 kil. to the east is Prades, at the head of! (Jews') grotto. Cardinal Fleury and General the Lez, which has its source in a ravine | (something like Vaucluse), behind the castle of Restinclières.] ST. MARTIN (12 kil.) ST. GUILHEM-LE-DESERT (7 kil.), in a deep gorge of the Hérault, among the rugged limestone peaks of the Cevennes range, is under the large old castle called the Géant, which belonged, they say, to the giant Gallone, who fought with St. Guilhem. In one part is a primitive suspension bridge, in the indian style, running from cliff to cliff, about 127 feet long. ST. BAUZILLE-DU-PUTOIS (6 kil.), a small village on the Hérault, is remarkable for a succession of caves in the limestone, called (in the patois of this part) Baouma de las Doumaïselas, or the ladies' cavern (another name is the grotto of the Ganges), full of stalactites and stalagmites of all shapes. GANGES (5 kil.), further up the Hérault. LE VIGAN, on the Arre, is about 10 kil. northwest of this (see Route 44). St. Hippolyte about 15 kil. east; and St. Jean du Gard about 20 kil. north of St. Hippolyte. From St. Jean the road to Mende is as in Route 44, where these places are described. ROUTE 45a. Montpellier to Lodeve, Milhau, and Distance (to Milhau) 121 kil. or 75 miles. LA BARAQUE-DE-BEL-AIR (12 kil.) Lagarde were born here. Hotels-De la Croix [Clermont-Hérault, 15 kil. south-east, near ST. PIERRE-DE-FAGE (15 kil.) LE CAYLAR (13 kil.), on a plateau above the source of the Legerce, has remains of old wails. A charming path, called the Escalette road, leads to several fine points of view, near the source of the Ergue. LA CABALERIC (22 kil.) MILHAU (17 kil.), already described (see Route 40), where the roads to Mende and Albi divide off. [About 23 kil. south of Milhau, is Nant in the BOIS DU FOUR (21 kil.) RODEZ is 25 kil. further, as in Route 52. ROUTE 46. Beziers to St. Pons, Castres, (ALBI,) Distance, 172 kil. or 107 miles. ST. CHINIAN (27 kil.), a small place of about 3,400 souls, where cloth and eaux-de-vie are made. Large stalactite caves are in the limestone hills near it. |