rose window, carved porch, stalls, &c., and tombs of Conan Méridec, or Meriadoc (brother to St. Patrick and king of South Wales), Bishop Visdelou, and of the patron saint, deserve notice.] Saint Thégonnec (9 miles), not far from LANDIVIZIAN, which has a good Church, and a population of 3,300. Landerneau (17 miles), where the line from Vannes and L'Orient joins. It stands on the Elorn, which falls into the east end of Brest harbour, and is a place of 5,200 population, to which vessels of 300 tons come, having large barracks for sailors, long quays, a church of the 16th century, and the Plaudiry fountain, in the shape of an obelisk. On the road to Lesneven (to the west), in a wild heath, are the beautiful ruins of Notre Dame du Fol-Goet, a church built, 1423, by the dukes of Brittany; it abounds with delicate carving and tracery. At 11 miles further is BREST, 245 kil., or 127 miles from Rennes. HOTELS.-Hotel des Voyageurs; La Marque, 21, Rue d'Aguillon; Grand Monarque; De Provence; De la Tour d'Argent; De Nantes. Resident English Consul, French Protestant Service, twice on Sundays. Bankers, H. Guilhem, Sh. Boëlle. Population, 66,272. A naval Dock Yard and Arsenal, seat of a maratime préfecture, first class military station, &c., on the fine harbour, or Road, of Brest. It had a castle of the dukes of Brittany, which Robert Knolles held for Richard II. of England, against Duguesclin, in 1373, and which was given up to the French, 1395. Louis the XIV. made it a naval station, 1631, by the advice of Richelieu and Duquesne, and built the arsenal, after Vauban's plan, round the old tower of the Castle of the dukes of Brittany, which is 100 feet high, standing at the mouth of a creek of the Penfeld (on the north side of the harbour), along which the Town and Dock Yard lie. The town is divided into Haute and Basse, or upper and lower, so steep as to be joined by steps in several places; some of the newest houses are The in the suburb of Recouvrance on the west. Cours d'Ajot has a good view of the harbour; and there are promenades at Champ de Bataille, Place de la Liberté, &c. A narrow passage, called Le Goulet (the gullet), about one mile wide, leads in from the Bay of Biscay, on the west, to the noble land-locked Rade or Harbour, which is about nine leagues in circuit, would hold about 500 ships of the line, and, towards the east, divides off into two channels, to Lander -neau and Châteaulin. It is strongly defended by batteries on every point, numbering about 1,000 pieces of cannon; a telegraph communicates with Paris. Outside the Goulet, about 10 miles off, is Ouessant or Ushant light, at the mouth of the Channel, where Keppel fought an action with the French, 1778. The Dock Yard includes 10 building slips, largo dry docks, rope works (corderies) of great length, shears (machines à mâter), sail lofts (voileries), cannon foundry, and general magazine, forges, &c.; besides the "Cayenne," or Sailors' Barracks for 4,000, victualling office (parc aux vivres), museum of models (salle des modèles), the Clermont-Tonnerre hospital (a large building with 1,340 beds in it), a marine library of 15,000 volumes, an observatory, &c. The Bretagne, a four-deck screw ship, was launched here, 1858. She was visited by the Queen, at Cherbourg. The new workshops for Steam Engines, stand on a scarped rock, the Plateau des Capucins. At the Bagne, an immense building, about 850 feet long, on a hill, there is room for about 3,000 forçats or convicts. In the town are, a naval school, called the Collége Joinville, the Hôtel de Ville, St. Louis's church, salle de spectacle (theatre) with a good front, bibliothèque of 8,000 volumes, museum, botanic garden, medical school with a library of 8,000 volumes. Howe fought the battle of the 1st June, 1794, off Brest; where the fleet continued to watch all through the war. One of the boats of the unfortunate Amazon escaped in here, 1852. The climate is moist and cloudy. Trade in wine, eaux-de-vie, sail-cloth, rope, &c. Conveyances: By rail, to Rennes, Nantes, Lorient, &c.; by steam to Châteaulin, up the Aulne. Across the harbour, and thence to Camaret, brings you to a Druid circle called Foull-Inguet, of about 60 stones, some 18 feet high. Near it is a view of the Bec du Raz, at the mouth of Douarnenez Bay (see Route 42). (a) From Brest, along the coast towards the west, you pass Conquet (20 kil.), at the mouth of the Roads, near St. Mathieu's old abbey, and the light on St. Matthew's Point, and overlooking the Bay of Brest, where the French were so carefully watched by the English fleet in the war; also the Passage du Four, which lies inside the Ushant, and the other wild rocky islands, in the Atlantic. Further on (to the north), you come to the Menhir of Plouarzel, a Druid rock 30 feet high, near St. Renan. Beyond this, are the Porçal rocks, Abervrach haven, &c. ROUTE 15-A. Paris to Versailles, Dreux, Laigle, Argentan, Flers, Vire, and Granville. Versailles, as in Route 15. Hence to St. Cyr; in the same Route. L'Ouest line to Turn off the main Plaisir Grignon (7 miles), and Montfort-la-Maury (71⁄2 miles), under the remains of a castle built by Amalric or Amaury de Montfort, and enlarged, with more modern additions, by the Duc de Luyne. It has also a fine old church, with stained windows. Near Auffargis are remains of the abbey of Vaux de Cernay. Then Houdan (11 miles), on the river Vésgres, where the Opton joins, having a fine Gothic Church, built by Robert le Pieux, and an old tower, with some remains of its ancient fortifications. Population, 2,500. Dreux (12 miles), in a fertile part of the Blaise, near the Eure, is a well-built sous-préfecture of 6,950 population, who make cloth, hats, linens, &c.; and stands under a hill covered by the remains of its old castle. It was the capital of the Durocasses in Cæsar's time; Louis le Gros gave it to his son Robert; it was burnt by the English (being on the border of Normandy) 1188, and taken by Henry IV., 1593, after repeated assaults. The Church is early and later Gothic. The square Hotel de Ville a mixture of Gothic and Re naissance, has a curious chimney and a carved clock-tower. There are also a college, good hospital, and several timbered houses. Of the old Château, which Catherine de Medicis gave to her son, the Duc de Alençon, 1559, you see an enormous brick donjon (now used as a telegraph), a ruined chapel, with sculptures as old as 1142, and a highly-finished modern Chapel in the Greek style, built by Louis Philippe. Here his family are buried, including his mother (who began the chapel), his aunt the Duchesse de CondéBourbon (the poor Duc d'Enghien's mother), his sister, Madame Adelaide (died 1847), his son, the Duc d'Orléans (killed 1842), his daughter, Marie of Würtemburg, &c. A high tower close to it leads by a subterranean way to the chapel. On the plain close by, in the battle of 1562, the Calvinists, under the Prince of Condé and Coligny, were defeated by the Royalists, under Montmorency, after a severe action, Condé being taken prisoner. Rotrou, a dramatic writer; Philidor, the chessplayer; and General Sénarmont, were born here. Hotels.-Du Paradis; Du Lion d'Or (Golden Lion) Du Saumon (Salmon). The rail, now open from Evreux and Rouen to Dreux, and carried hence to Chartres and Orleans, forms part of the Great Outer Circle round Paris. About 15 or 20 kil. north-east, down the Eure, are Anet and Ivry (see Route 8). Up the Blaise (10 kil. south-west), are remains of Crécy château, built by Louis XIV., for Madame de Pompadour. Here the line to Conches parts off via Bueil. Nonancourt (9 miles), on the Avre. Here is the house in which Henry IV. slept the night before the battle of Ivry. Tillières (7 miles), on the Avre, is near Mesmilsur-l'Estrées, the paper factory of Firmin Didot Frères, the first printers in France. They employ above 400 hands, and make about five leagues, or twelve miles, of paper daily, in strips four feet broad. A willow in the garden was produced from that which overhung Napoléon's grave at St. Helena. Verneuil (6 miles) on the Avre; and L'Aigle, or Laigle (see Route 11.) Here the line to Conches and Serquigny turns off. Almenèches (11 miles), and Argentan (7 miles). Here the line falls in with the Le Mans and Mezidon line. (See Route 16.) At Briouze (18 miles), a short branch turns off to La Ferté-Macé, 9 miles long. Messel (8 miles.) Flers (3 miles.) [Here is a branch via Berjou-Pont d'Ouilly, to Condé-sur-Noireau, 8 miles down the river, where the Druane falls in, and once held by the Huguenots, who met in synod here, 1674. Population, 6,400, who manufacture linens, nails, cotton, thread, &c. St. Martin, one of its two old churches, is decorated with stained windows, and has a statue of Admiral D'Urville, burnt to death, 1842, on the Versailles railway. There are remains of a château which the English took, 1418. Hence to Caen.] Vire (17 miles), on the Paris and Granville line, an old place and sous-préfecture, in department Calvados, with 7,650 inhabitants, noted for its good-looking, sprightly women. It is well placed on a rock, where the Vire and the Viraine join; and the environs, being hilly, are very pleasing. Among the best buildings are the Foundling Hospital; a general hospital founded by the Norman Dukes, Nôtre Dame Gothic church, and a public library of 7,000 volumes. Cards, linens of the best quality, and paper (by machinery) are made here. Hotel.-Du Cheval Blanc (White Horse). Several grottoes and Druid stones are near; and at Brimbal Hill, the highest in this quarter, the Vire, the Vey, the Seez, the Noireau, and the Grenne, all take their rise. Villedieux-les-Poeles (9 kil.), where the roads to Vire (see Route 17) and Granville part off, has been noted for its manufactures of copper goods from a very ancient date. Granville (37 miles from Vire), at the terminus, on the cliffs, in sight of the Channel Islands, with a good sized, but shallow, harbour,jinside a fine mole, well fortified. The Venédans tried to take it, 1793. Its old Gothic Church has carvings in granite. and a spire, 312 feet above the sea. The people (17,200) are pilots, fishermen, boat-builders, and carry on a trade in grain, cider, salt, &c. There is a light on Cape Lihou, 154 feet above the sea. Hotels.-Du Nord; Des Trois Couronnes. Resident English Vice-Consul. High water at full and change, 6h. 30m., the tide setting in with dangerous swiftness. A steamer comes from Jersey every Monday morning (on the arrival of that from Southampton), and returns on Tuesday, in turn with that to St. Malo. It passes the Chausée Minquières, and other shoals, which abound here. ROUTE 16. Le Mans to Alençon, Argentan, and Mezidon. By rail, 83 miles. Le Mans (as in Route 15), 130 miles from Paris. Descending the Sarthe, our line crosses it once or twice, and reaches Neuville (6 miles). Then La Guierche-sur-Sarthe (3 miles). Montbizot (2 miles), on the Orne-Sonnoise, near Ballon (6 kil.) and its old castle on a hill. Vivoin-Beaumont (64 miles). Vivoin, to the east, has remains (at a farm) of a priory church. To the west, 2 kil. is Beaumont-sur-Sarthe, or B.-le-Vicomte, in a beautiful amphitheatre above the Sarthe, here crossed by two bridges. It is a small bustling place, of 2,400 population. The old Castle of its viscounts and dukes serves for a prison; and a well-preserved tumulus near it, is called Motte à Madame. Fresnay (4 miles), from which it is 5 kil to Fresnay-le-Vicomte, on the Sarthe, in a very pretty spot, containing several linen factories (population about 3,000), a Norman Church, two round towers of an old château, with parts of ancient walls, perched on the limestone rocks, in some parts, 90 to 100 feet above the river. The vertical strata of the transition limestone, are here crossed by horizontal beds of Jura rock. La Hutte (2 miles.) Bourg-le-Roi (1 mile), on the confines of Normandy, was fortified by Henry II. of England, with towers and walls, now a ruin. From this, it is 8 miles to ALENÇON. 165 miles from Paris. HOTELS.-Du Grand Cerf (Stag), good; De la Normandie; De la Poste; De la Gare. Population, 16,110. This old seat of the Ducs d'Alençon, is a pleasant, well-built town, the capital of department Orne, in a wide, fertile plain, covered with forests, where the Sarthe and Briante join. It belonged to the county of Perche, once part of Normandy. Marguerite, Francis I.'s sister, duchess of Alençon, by her first husband, resided here, and gave an asylum to many persecuted Protestants and others, who, in return, styled her the "tenth Muse." Some remains of the ancient walls exist in Rue du Cours. The Préfecture is a brick building of the 17th century. The Hôtel de Ville on the site of the old Castle (of which two or three round machicolated towers are left at the prison opposite it), has a fine promenade. Nôtre Dame Cathedral, built between 1353 and 1617, is a small Latin cross, 107 feet by 32. The beautiful triple portal, with its centre arch in advance of the other two, is richly carved, and set off with statues; the nave has some good carvings and stained windows; and the altar is decorated with the Assumption, and black marble, and a copper canopy. A spire, 156 feet high, was struck down by lightning, 1744. Montsort church, in the suburbs, across one of the two bridges, is of the 8th century. There are also a palais de justice; public library of 12,000 volumes in the Jesuits' church; theatre, &c. Hébert, an infamous revolutionary hero, who edited the Père Duchesne paper, was a native. A trade in grain, cider, coarse li ns (toiles d'Alençon), bread, goose feathers, &c., and horses of a good breed. Its manufacture of delicate lace, called point d'Alençon, first introduced from Venice by Colbert, has died out, but may possibly revive with a turn of fashion. It is rich in a geological point of view, as the neighbourhood produces kaolin, grey granite, &c. In 1873, a short rail was opened to Condé-sur-Huisne, via Mortagne, (see p. 57). It will form part of the Great Outer Circle round Paris, going on to Chartres, Orleans, &c. The old castle and church of St. Cenery le Géréy (12 kil.), stormed by the Earl of Arundel, 1484, the du Gaz glass works in Ecouve forest (8 kil.), and remains of a monastery in Persaigne forest, may be visited from here. Leaving Alençon, the next station is Vingthanaps (6 miles). Sees (6 miles) or Seez, on the Orne, the old Civitas Sagiorum, and a bishop's see, with an elegant Gothic cathedral of the 12th century, remarkable for a fine porch, between two beautiful spires, a lofty nave, carved altar-piece, &c. At the new episcopal palace are portraits of all the prelates. Priests' seminary in the large old abbey of St. Martin. Population, 5,050: linen weavers, &c. The bronze statue of Conte, is by Droz. Hotels.-Du Cheval Blanc; Du Dauphin. [To the east (5 kil.) is the old moated château d'O, or Mortrée, built, they say, by Isabelle de Bavière, but now restored.] Almenèches (7 miles). Argentan (7 miles). Here a line is carried on to Vire and Granville (see Route 15A.) It is a souspréfecture of 5,700 inhabitants, on a hill by the Orne, in a fertile plain, near the forest of Gouffern. Here Henry II. received the papal legates, who came to mediate on behalf of Becket. The ditch of the old Castle of the Comtes d'Argentan makes a beautiful promenade; and the portico of St. Germain's church is worth notice. Manufactures of gloves and linens; and a trade in grain, leather, fruit, cattle, poultry, and good cheese. Hotels.-Dévary; Des Trois Maures (Three Moors); Du Pont de France. A Roman camp and some Druid stones are near. At Pin (12 kil.) are large disused stables. Fresnay-la-Mère (13 miles.) Coulibœuf (2 miles) is the junction for Falaise, to which a branch Rail of 4 miles is made. [Falaise, a sous-préfecture in department Cal vados, in Normandy, is a curious old Norman town, and noted as the birth-place of William the Conqueror, whose statue on horseback, by Roujet, was set up 1851; statues of six dukes were added 1875. Perched on the highest rocks, is the once impreg nable Norman Castle, where the Conqueror first drew breath, including the walls, 16 to 42 feet high, with the keep and Tower (100 feet), built by the great Talbot, who took the castle in the time of Henry V. It was again re-taken by Henri Quartre, 1589; and is now partly used as the communal College. The old town adjoining is hemmed in by remains of fortifications. East of it, is the faubourg of Guibray, where a celebrated fair, of very ancient date, for horses, &c., is held 15th to 25th August; and at the bottom stand the picturesque quarters of Vallée d'Ante and St. Laurent, watered by the small river Ante. Pop., 8,600. Manufactures of cotton caps, bone-lace, and a trade in cotton thread, etc. Hotels.-De France; Du Grand Cerf (Stag.) The rail is continued, 18 miles, to Berjou-Pont d'Ouilly (page 68.)] Vandœuvres (4 miles). Mezidon (2 miles), on the Cherbourg line, as in Route 11. It is 13 miles from Caen. ROUTE 17. Alengon to Bagnoles, Mortain, Vire, and Distance, 146 kil., or 91 miles. PREZ-EN-PAIL (24 kil.), noted for its cider, where the road turns off to COUTERNE (18 kil.), to the right of which (5 kil.) is the SPA OF BAGNOLES, or BAGNOLES DE L'ORNE, in a quiet, pretty valley, surrounded by good promenades. The establishment is well managed, lodgings are good, and the season for taking the waters is between May and September. They are tonic and purgative; and are useful in cutaneous complaints, chronic rheumatism, gout, ulcers, and diseases of the joints. Temperature, 22° Reaumur, or 81° Fahrenheit. Several objects of notice are near, as the châteaux of Bermondiére and Couterne, St. Orler chapel, Bonvouloir watch tower, in Audienne Forest, the iron works of Varennes and Cossé. DOMFRONT (19 kil. from Couterne), on a rock over the Varennes, is now a small sous-préfecture, in department Orne (population 2,900), but was once an important walled town defended by a strong Castle, built by Guillaume de Bellesme, now a picturesque ruin. It is near Mont Halouze, one of the highest points in this quarter of France. William the Conqueror and his sons, Henry I. and II., made it their residence; Eleanor of Guienne, wife of the last gave birth to a daughter here; Charles VIII. stopped here on his way to Mont St. Michel; and Charles IX. also, about the time that Montgomerie, the Protestant leader, was imprisoned in it, 1694. He had the misfortune to kill Henry II. in a tournay, for which his Italian Queen never forgave him. It stood several sieges, the last of which was when Henry IV. took it, 1589. Nôtre Dame church, one of the oldest about here, is a ruin. There is a prison built, they say, by the English. The houses are old-fashioned, and the streets crooked and steep; the water is bad, but the air is pure, though sharp. "Domfront, ville de malheur; arrivè à midi; pendu a une heure; pas seulement le temps de diner!" (Domfront, a bad place for me! Came at twelve, hung at one! Not even time for dinner!) This curious speech, which has become current here, is attributed to an unlucky Calvinist officer in the religious wars, who, having fallen into the enemy's hands, was forthwith led to execution by his inhospitable captors. Iron, glass, and paper works are near. MORTAIN (23 kil.), a small town and sous-préfecture (population, 4,950), in department Manche, on the Cance. The fine remains of its Castle are close to a pyramid-shaped rock, near a Waterfall of 115 feet, among some picturesque cliffs covered with shrubs and lichens. The old and curious halt Norman church was founded 1082. A road to Avranches here. [At 20 kil. north-east is Tinchebray (department Calvados), on the Noireau, which had a castle where Robert Curthose, Duke of Normandy, was finally defeated and taken prisoner by his brother, Henry I. of England, 1106.] SOURDEVAL (10 kil.), on the little river Sèe, which works many paper factories in the neighbourhood, at Beaufigel, Brouhains, &c. Population, 4,330. THORIGNY (25 kil.) has, at the Hôtel de Ville, part of a noble Château (which was mostly destroyed, 1789) with some pictures, and a piece of Gobelins tapestry. It is further known for the marbre de Thorigny, a Roman-Gallic relic of the third century, now in the town-house of Caen, St. Lo is 14 kil, further (see Route 14), |