MODANE
431
PARIS. In front of the departure side of the Chemins de Fer de
Lyon Station is the Grand Hôtel de l’Univers, and under it a Café
Restaurant. A little farther off is Hôtel Jules César. Good
restaurant also in the station. For the first 274 m. between Paris
and Macon, see pages 1 to 26. At Morel junction the Vichy line separates
from this one. At Montereau, 49½ m. from Paris
(p. 10), the Express halts 4 min.; but not the Rapide. At La Roche (p. 14) both
the Rapide and the Express halt 5 min. At Tonnerre (p. 17) they halt again 5 min.
At Les Laumes
(p. 19) the Express halts 5 min. At Dijon (p. 20) both halt 6 min. At Macon (p. 26) they halt 5
min. At Macon the Turin line separates from the Marseilles line, and
goes 23 m. E. to Bourg, 297 m. from Paris. At Bourg, in the
church of Brou, are sumptuous mausoleums. From Bourg a loop-line
traverses a picturesque country by Nantua to Geneva, 97 m. W. (See
map, p. 27; and
for description, Black’s _France_, North half.) 5½ m. S.E. from Bourg the
line crosses the Ain at the village of Pont-Ain, and afterwards arrives
at Ambérieu,
316¼ m. S.E. from Paris, and 114¾ m. N.W. from Modane. At
Ambérieu the Rapide halts 10 min., and the Express 15 min. Ambérieu,
pop. 4000, is a pleasant town on the Albarine at the base of the Jura
mountains, and connected by rail with Lyon, 32½ m. west. From
Ambérieu another loop-line extends 11 m. S. through a mountainous
country to Montallieu, pop. 2000, with important quarries, on the Fouron
near its junction with the Rhône. Between Ambérieu and Culoz the rail
passes through the last ramifications of the Jura
282
mountains. In approaching Culoz it winds round the S. base of Mt.
Colombier, 4733 ft., ascended in 4 hrs. either from Culoz or Artemart.
The view is admirable—on one side the Savoy Alps, with the lakes
of Bourget, Annecy, and Geneva; while on the side of France it extends
to Lyons and the mountains of Ardêche.
Lagnieu. Virieu le Grand. Culoz.
8 m. S. from Ambérieu and 3 m. N. from Montallieu is Lagnieu, pop. 3500, station for
La Balme, pop. 1000,
3 m. S.W., on south side of Rhône. There is a cave here with great
galleries and stalactites, and a lake 130 yards long, 8 yards wide, and
13 ft. deep. It is easily approached from Aix-les-Bains by the Lyons
steamboats. Alight at the Salette station, 20 min. walk from the
entrance into the grotto.
From Ambérieu the train ascends the valley of the Albarine, which,
after St. Rambert-de-Joux, 7 m. S.E. from Ambérieu, becomes wild
and imposing. At Tenay, _Inn:_ Pittion, 4¼ m. farther, the
train quits the Albarine and traverses a sequestered valley to
Virieu le
Grand, 340 m. S.E. from Paris, pop. 1100. Junction with
loop-line to Belley, 9½ m. S., pop. 5000; _Inns:_ Rey; Camus,
with important quarries of lithographic stones. 442½ m. from Paris
and 19¼ m. N. from Aix-les-Bains is Artemart, with the falls of
Cerveyrieu.
347½ m. S.E. from Paris, 14½ m. N. from Aix-les-Bains, and 83½ m. N.
from Modane, is Culoz, on the
Rhône, about ¾ m. E. from the station, 771 ft. above the sea, pop.
1200. Near the station are the inns *H. Folliet; H. Mémon.
A great deal of carriage-changing takes place here. 41 m. N.E.
is Geneva; see Black’s _North France_, and map p. 26. 4½ m. S. from Culoz and
10 m. N. from Aix-les-Bains is Châtillon, 700 ft. above the sea, on
the N.E. extremity of Lake Bourget, 2 hrs. distant by row-boat from Aix.
In the castle, 13th cent., commanding a charming view of the lake, Pope
Celestin was born.
Lake Bourget is 700 ft. above the sea, 10 m. long, from 2 to
3 m. wide, and from 200 to 300 ft. deep. The W. side is bounded by
the steep ridge of Mont Chat. Opposite to Aix is a depression, the
Col du Mont Chat, 2070 ft., and
immediately to the S. a bold craggy peak, La Dent du Chat, 5302
ft., ascended from the little village of Bordeaux in about 4 hrs., after
a very fatiguing climb. One of the best points for a view over the lake
and the surrounding country is the Revard, 5112 ft., one of the summits
of the ridge Mont d’Azy, which bounds the E. side of the plain of Aix
(see page 285). It is ascended from the
village of Mouxy in about 4 hrs.
The best of the fish caught in the lake is the ombre-chevalier. The
lavaret is peculiar to it. There are also trout, perch, pike, shad,
carp, gudgeon, tench, and barbel.
283
Aix-les-Bains. Hotels.
PARIS
MODANE
362
69
AIX-LES-BAINS,
850 ft. above the sea, 1½ m. from Lake Bourget, pop. 6000. The
Casino is a handsome building, with park of its own extending to the
railway station. First-class hotels—their pension is from 12 to 20
frs., but it is necessary to arrange the price at the commencement. On
each side of the Casino are the *H. Aix, with garden, and the
Univers. Opposite are the H. de la Galerie and the Nord. Then
follow the _Hotels_: *Europe; *Venat, with large
garden; and opposite, at the end of R. du Casino, the H. Genève.
Second-class houses: in the parallel street, the R. Genève, behind
the R. du Casino, are the H. Durand; *Gaillard; in the Place
Centrale the H. Poste. Opposite the H. Poste is the office
whence the omnibuses start for the lake and the Lyons steamboats, and
for Marlioz. Up by the side of the Bath-house is the H. de
l’Etablissement. In front, the H. de l’Arc Romain. To the left, in
the Rue des Écoles, is a small clean family house, the H. Germain.
A little beyond is the H. Châteaux-Durrieux. Below the last,
the H. Folliet and Italie. The pension price in the above
second-class houses varies from 7 to 11 frs. On road to station, the
H. des Bergues.
On an eminence overlooking the park is the *Splendide Hôtel,
a really splendid first-class house. Below it is the
H. Beau-Site, also a new but a smaller first-class house.
The Port is nearly 2 m. from Aix by the R. de Genève, and then to the
left. At the pier is the inn Beau-Rivage, “Poissons frais.”
Abundance of furnished lodgings. English chapel, Rue du Temple,
behind the H. Venat. Presbyterian chapel in the park.
Aix-les-Bains: Cabs.
_Cabs or
Fiacres._—One-horse cab—3 frs. for the first hour;
every succeeding hour, 2 frs.; per day, 20 frs. Two-horse
cab—for first hour, 4 frs.; every succeeding hour, 3½ frs.;
per day, 20 frs. Riding horses—two hours, 4 frs.
Donkeys—one hour, 1 fr.; half-day, 4 frs.
The bathing establishment is a very large edifice, especially fitted
up for the external application of the water, very little being drunk.
Mineral water flows from the fountain in front of the building. Behind
the establishment are the caverns whence the springs issue. To visit, ½
fr. There are three different springs, their temperatures being 112°,
114°, and 115° Fahrenheit, and their contents carbonates of lime,
magnesia, and iron, sulphate of soda, and some phosphates. Ordinary bath
with linen, 1½ fr. Opposite the establishment is a Roman arch, 3d cent.,
with the inscription “Lucius Pompeius, Campanus, Vius fecit.” Behind the
arch is the chateau of the Marquis of Aix, now occupied by the Hôtel de
Ville and the post and telegraph offices. A handsome
284
stone stair of fifty-eight steps, under a quadripartite roof on round
columns, leads up to the various offices. At the top is the museum. On
the ground-floor, just beyond the foot of the stair, a door opens
into what is called the Temple of Diana, a large rectangular hall
of coarse masonry, recently restored. Adjoining are the Hotel de l’Arc
Romain, 9-12 frs., the parish church, and the park. The waters used for
drinking are the cold sulphur springs, situated a little way out of
town.
Aix-les-Bains: Springs.
Excursions.
The most powerful and peculiar is the spring at Challes, 900 ft. above the sea, and 45 min.
distant by omnibus from Chambery. _Hotels:_ Château de Challes;
Terrason; Ferret. It, like the others, is used for indigestion and liver
complaints, but especially for laryngeal affections.
Nearly a mile from Aix by the Chambery road is the Marlioz mineral
water establishment, with hotel, furnished apartments, and villas, all
within a large park. The water is cold, sulphurous, and alkaline, with
bromine and iodine, and costs 10 c. the glass. About 20 min. walk from
the town by the Geneva road, near the village of St. Simon, is the Raphy
spring, frequently taken at meal-time and prescribed in certain gastric
diseases, dyspepsia, and nervous disorders of the stomach.
Excursions from
Aix-les-Bains.—The steamer on certain days makes the tour
of the lake, stopping at the principal places, of which the chief is the
Abbey of Hautecombe; fare there and back, with small boat and two men,
9 frs. To Bordeaux and back, 5 frs.; Bonport, 4 frs.;
Châtillon, 14 frs. Arrange price beforehand. No boat permitted to carry
more than six passengers. An hour on shore allowed. Drive round the
lake—one horse, 11 frs.; two horses, 15 frs.
The Abbey of Hautecombe was founded in the 12th cent., but rebuilt in
1745. The church, containing 300 statues and many frescoes, is 215 ft.
long, the transept 85 ft., and the height of the roof 34 ft. The
interior, as well as most of the mausoleums, is of a soft white
fine-grained magnesian limestone, from the quarries of Seyssel, near
Culoz. The best of the statues are those of Charles Felix, King of
Sardinia (died 1821), and of Marie Christine, his spouse (died 1849), on
the right and left hands of the nave at the entrance. They are of
Carrara marble. In the chapel of Notre Dame de Compassion, in the
right-hand transept, is another beautiful group in Carrara marble; in
the left transept is a wood figure of St. Joseph, well executed.
About half a mile from the convent by a road following the shore of
the lake is an intermittent fountain, very irregular in its action. To
reach it continue the road till arriving at a clump of chestnut and
horse-chestnut trees, some having stone seats round the trunks. The
285
fountain is in the corner under the fourth tree. Near Hautecombe are the
village and castle of Bordeaux, founded in the 9th cent., over which
rises the Dent du Mont Chat (see
p. 282).
_Other
Excursions._—To the S.W. the Colline de Tresserve, 1109
ft., good views, chestnut trees, and the castle of Bonport. To the S.E.
the Roche du Roi, with quarries, which were worked by the Romans. The
Rocher de St. Victor, by the chestnut forest of Mouxy; there and back, 5
hours. The mountains of the Grand-Revard and the Cluse, 5154 ft., by
mule-path; there and back, 6 hours. To the N. the cascade of Gresy, 45
minutes, 3 m. Gresy, with its keep, 12th cent. 5 m., the
defile of the Combes and the Prime rocks. To the N.N.W. the Montagne de
Gigot, 2680 and 2762 ft.
Grotto of Banges. Le Châtelard.
Aix to the Grotto of
Banges, _by Gresy and Cusy._— Seat in car there and
back, 5 frs. About 3 m. from Aix is Gresy, with its pretty
waterfall. Beyond the village the road ascends by the stream Sierroz to
an undulating plain, on which is Cusy, 3½ hours from Aix. To the N., on
a rock rising from the Chéran, are the extensive ruins of a castle. On
the opposite bank are seen the hamlet of Aiguebellette and the castle of
St. Jacques, and, rising abruptly from the valley, three singular
obelisks of rock. 2 hours from Cusy the Chéran is crossed by the Pont de
Banges, and not far from this bridge, where the road is hemmed in
between the rocks and the stream, is the entrance to the Grotte de
Banges, containing a lake, 216 ft. below the level of the entrance,
approached by a gallery 270 yards long, hung with stalactites.
This road may be continued to Le Châtelard, 1¾ hour from the bridge, 2500
ft. above the sea; _Inns:_ Des Beauges; De la Poste; pop. 950. This
is the capital of the “Pays des Beauges,” occupying a plateau 13 m.
long and 8 m. wide, traversed from S.E. to N.W. by the Chéran, and
surrounded by steep rocks. Cheese-making, the rearing of cattle, and the
manufacture of articles in wood form the industries of the inhabitants,
of whom there are 10,000. Châtelard, in its social and geographical
position, resembles Le
Beage (p. 84).
The road from Aix to Chambery is through the broad valley which
separates the mountains of the Grande Chartreuse from those of the
Beauges. Belonging to the former are Mont Grelle, 4649 ft., to the S.W.,
and Mont Granier, 6348 ft, due S.; while to the N.E. is the Dent de
Nivolet, 4597 ft, an advanced bastion of the Beauges.
At Aix-les-Bains, junction with branch to Annecy, 26 m. N.,
whence a diligence starts daily for Geneva, 27½ m. farther N. by
Brogny, Cruseilles, and St. Julien (see map, p. 27).
286
Aix-les-Bains to Geneva by Annecy and Annemasse, by rail.
21½ m. by rail N. from Aix-les-Bains, and 3½ m. from Annecy, is
Lovagny, the station to
alight at to visit the “Galeries des Gorges” of the torrent Fier, about
10 minutes distant. From the station take the road to the left, cross a
bridge, and walk on to the châlet, where refreshments are sold, and
tickets, 1 fr. each, to visit the gorge, which is of the same
nature, though much superior, to the galleries of Pfäffers. The gallery,
or rather balcony, is 1162 ft. long, and on an average 72 ft. above the
torrent. It rests on iron brackets driven into the face of vertical
cliffs 310 ft. high, and on an average 8 ft. apart.
3½ m. farther by rail is
Annecy, pop. 11,000.
_Hotels:_ Angleterre, opposite the post office; Verdun, at the head
of the town, near the public gardens and the lake, and not far from the
steamboat-pier; Aigle; Savoie.
The steamboat sails from the side of the public gardens opposite the
Convent of St. Joseph. It makes the tour of the lake three times daily.
Diligence daily to Bonneville, 23 m. N., passing the villages of
Plot and La Roche; also to Albertville,
28 m. N., on the road to Italy by the Little St. Bernard (see page
320).
This ancient town, with narrow arcaded streets, is situated on the
north-west end of Lake Annecy. The two most prominent buildings in
Annecy, as seen from the lake, are the Barracks, and the Castle of
Tresun, in which St. François de Sales, the founder of the Order of the
Visitation, was born August 21, 1567. Opposite the steamboat-pier is
another prominent edifice, the Church and Convent of St. Joseph, both
modern, but containing, in the garden behind, the first chapel erected
by St. Francis, dating from 1610. The house Madame Chantale, his friend,
inhabited adjoins this chapel.
The mortal remains of St. Francis are in a shrine above the high altar
in the Church of the Visitation, at the western side of the Rue Royale.
The house in which he resided is in No. 18 Rue St. Claire, entrance at
the left-hand corner within the court. The house in which Madame de
Warrens first received Rousseau stood in the parallel street, behind the
Rue de l’Évêché, on the site of that house next the Episcopal palace,
with railings in front. The best promenade is the garden around the
Hôtel de Ville at the head of the lake. It contains a statue by
Marochetti of the great French chemist, Claude Louis Berthollet, born at
Talloires in 1748.
The Lake of Annecy is 9 m. long, 2 broad, and 1455 ft. above the
sea-level. It is surrounded by vine-clad and wooded mountains, of which
the highest is La Tournette, on the eastern shore, 6260 ft. above the
lake. To ascend it land at the village of Talloires, where there are a
comfortable inn, the Hôtel de l’Abbaye, and guides.
Near the shore of the lake, on the side of a hill about 2 m. east
from Annecy, is the house in which Eugene Sué spent the last years of
his life. It is one-storied, with garret-windows, and behind a small
square tower. On the morning of August 1, 1857, he took his
287
last walk on the hill, returning from which fatigued he went to bed, and
died two days afterwards. The remains of Rousseau’s house are seen a
little farther south, above the village of Veyrier.
Leschaux. Cruseilles
South from Veyrier, also on the lake, is the village of Menthon, the
birthplace of St. Bernard, the founder, in the 10th cent., of the
hospices of the Great and the Little St. Bernard. He is buried on the
right-hand side of the choir in the cathedral of Lausanne. At the south
extremity of the lake is the village of Doussard, at the entrance into
the dark gorge of the Combe Noire. Here a coach awaits passengers for
Faverges and Albertville, 18 miles south from Doussard. In this
neighbourhood the best mountain to ascend for the view is Semnoz, 4148
ft. above the lake. The ascent is made from the straggling village of
Leschaux, 1590 ft. above the lake, 10 m. S. from Annecy, and
14 m. N.E. from Aix-les-Bains. Donkeys can be hired at the village.
The ascent takes about 2 hrs. On the top is a comfortable inn. Duingt,
at the S.W. end, is the most picturesquely situated village on the lake.
(See map of Mt. Cenis, p. 291.)
3 m. N. from Annecy and 24 m. S. from Geneva is the village of Brogny,
where, in 1342, Jean Allarmet the swineherd was born, who became
successively Bishop of Geneva, Viviers, and Ostia, Archbishop of Arles,
and then a Cardinal. From Brogny the road passes the Pont de la Caille,
18 m. from Geneva, a small village near the suspension bridge,
212 yds. long, across Les Usses, and 665 ft. above the bed of the
torrent. Higher up, in a ravine, are the baths of Caille.
16½ m. from Geneva is Cruseilles, pop. 2000, and 2576 ft. above the
sea. The road from Cruseilles passes over the top of Mont Zion, 2586
ft., and then descends to Chable. 10 m. farther is St. Julien, 1535
ft., pop. 2500. French custom-house station, 6½ m. from Geneva.
Chambery.
PARIS
MODANE
370¾
60¼
CHAMBERY, pop. 20,000,
and 815 ft. above the sea. Passengers arriving late should spend the
night at Chambery, and next morning proceed to Turin.
_Hotels._—Princes, in the Rue de Boigne, near the fountain.
France, on the Quai Nezin. In the Rue d’Italie, the Poste and Europe,
near the theatre. In the Rue de la Banque is the Banque; and opposite it
is the Temple Protestant.
Chambery is situated in a plain surrounded by high mountains.
The first object that strikes the stranger on arriving from the station
is the monumental fountain to General Boigne in the Boulevard du
Theatre, opposite the termination of the principal street, the Rue de
Boigne. It consists of four bronze elephants supporting a column crowned
with a statue of the General. At the other extremity of the Rue de
Boigne is the Château, formerly the residence of the Dukes of
Savoy, built in 1230. The entrance is either by the stair in front or by
the road round from behind, which leads also to the Botanic Gardens.
Within the precincts of the château is the Préfecture, having
288
attached to it one of the old massive round towers, ascended by a most
handsome staircase of 160 low broad steps to within a short distance of
the top, attained by 36 more steps in two short flights. In the stair is
the entrance to the Museum, chiefly archæological. The Natural History
Museum is in the Botanic Garden. The view from the top of the tower is
very pleasing, and overlooks the whole of the town. Fee, ½ fr. Opposite
the tower is the Chapel of the Dukes of Savoy, 14th cent. Fee, ½ fr. The
three tall windows are filled with beautiful old glass. The roof is
covered with stone groining, with cleverly-executed arabesque painting
between the nervures. The roof of the cathedral is similarly painted,
but on a blue ground. It is situated near the Rue de Boigne, and was
built in the 14th, 15th, and 16th cents.
Chambery: Church of Lemenc. J. J. Rousseau.
The Rue de Bourgogne, the second street to the right up the Rue de
Boigne, leads past the Hôtel de Ville and the post office to the Palais
de Justice, with the Jardin Public behind. In front of the Palais is a
bronze statue of the jurist, Antoine Favre, who died 1624. On a hill on
the other or eastern side of the railway are the Convent de la
Visitation and the Church of Lemenc. The upper church
of Lemenc is of the 13th or 14th cent., but the under church or crypt is
of the 7th cent. In the centre of the crypt is a curious baptistery, six
feet in diameter, under a peristyle. Beside it is an Entombment. In the
upper Church are the mausoleum of General Boigne and the relics of Saint
Concors, an Irish archbishop from Armagh, who died here 600 years ago.
His relics are said to have the power of working miracles on children.
In the adjoining cemetery, close to a small chapel, is the grave of
Madame de Warrens.
Excursions.—The house which Jean
Jacques Rousseau inhabited is on the height called the Charmettes, 395
ft. above and 2 m. from Chambery by a pleasant road shaded with
walnut and plane trees. It is a mere cottage. The room to the right on
entering was the dining-room. It contains in a drawer his watch,
opposite the window his bookcase, and hanging on the walls, facing each
other, the portraits of himself and of Madame de Warrens. The next room
was their sitting-room; here are his card-table and mirror. The room
above was madame’s bedroom, and the one over the dining-room Rousseau’s.
From the garden the view extends to the Dent de Nivolet, 4597 ft.,
ascended from Chambery in between 5 and 6 hrs.; guide advisable. View
not equal to that from the Dent du Chat
(p. 282). The pretty walk to the Bout du Monde, at the foot of the
Dent de Nivolet, by the bank of the Laisse and the gorge of the Doria
may be made in little more than an hour. Omnibus in 45 min. to the cold
sulphurous iodo-bromuride springs of Challes
(p. 284).
289
PARIS
MODANE
376
55
LES MARCHES, a
straggling village at the foot of a hill crowned by the chapel and image
of Notre Dame de Myans. To the S.W., 4 hrs. there and back, are the
Abimes de Myans, lakes between conical hillocks, formed by a partial
landslip of Mt. Granier.
PARIS
MODANE
378
53
MONTMÉLIAN,
pop. 1200. _Inn:_ Voyageurs. Junction with line to Grenoble, for
which change carriages (p. 338).
St. Pierre d’Albigny. Aiguebelle.
PARIS
MODANE
358¼
45¾
ST. PIERRE
D’ALBIGNY, 971 ft. (map, p. 291),
pop. 3300, 1½ m. from its station. _Inns:_ At station:
H. des Voyageurs. In town: Croix-Blanche; Soleil. Junction with
line to Albertville, 14 m. N.E., whence diligences to Annecy,
28 m. N., passing close by Ugine, 1755 ft., and through Faverges;
_Inn:_ Poste. Diligence also to Moutiers and Bourg St. Maurice on
the road to the Little St. Bernard, one of the easiest of the Alpine
passes (see p. 321). From St.
Pierre take the N. window of the carriage to have a proper view of the
immense cones and pinnacles of calcareous rocks, which tower in many
places almost vertically above each other. These lofty walls afford
protection from the chilling blasts to the pretty villages, vineyards,
orchards, and maize fields; which places only at a little distance from
these mountains do not enjoy. Vineyards cease a little above St. Michel,
2400 ft., but patches with vines may be seen within 3 m. of La
Praz. Up to La Praz the mountains are cultivated more or less in
terraces. Higher up the valley of the Arc they are too steep and
arid.
PARIS
MODANE
332
39
AIGUEBELLE, pop.
1100. H. de la Poste. Village close to station. Arch to Charles
Felix. The valley now begins to widen.
PARIS
MODANE
409
22
LA CHAMBRE, pop.
800, on the confluence of the Bugion and the Arc. Afterwards, to the
right, is the valley of the Glandon.
PARIS
MODANE
414½
16½
SAINT-JEAN DE MAURIENNE, pop. 3200.
_Inns:_ Europe; Cheval Blanc; Voyageurs. The cathedral, founded in
the 15th cent., contains the mausoleum of Count Humbert, and some
beautifully carved stalls. The arcades of the cloister are of alabaster,
and were constructed in 1452. In the neighbourhood are the argentiferous
mines of Rocheray and the saline thermal springs of Echaillon.
PARIS
MODANE
421
10
ST. MICHEL, pop. 3000.
A village on the Arc, 2323 ft. above the sea-level, in a hollow at the
foot of high mountains. _Inn:_ Poste, near the post office. From
St. Michel the Alpine region commences. The next station is La Praz,
6 m. from St. Michel, 3140 ft. above the sea.
290
Modane.
PARIS
431
MODANE STATION, 3445 ft.
above the sea, and 727 m. from London, is really part of the
village of Fourneaux. Modane is a little farther up, and the train
passes through it on the way to the tunnel. Large refreshment-room at
station. Opposite station—_Inn:_ Hôtel International, where
comfortable lodgings can be had, as well as carriages to visit the
neighbourhood. The river Arc runs by the back of the house. There are
also several restaurants. Luggage from France and Italy is examined
here. In Italy every pound of registered luggage is charged. The scenery
on both the French and Italian sides is beautiful, and the traveller
ought to endeavour to pass through it during the day.
The passage through the tunnel is done in 30 minutes. The air is at no
part disagreeable. The entrance is 492 ft. above the station, and is
reached by a winding railroad of 3-1/10 m., with a gradient of 2½
per cent. The highest part of the tunnel is 4380 ft. above the sea, and
5250 ft. below the summit of the ridge perforated.
From Modane the ascent is made of Mont Thabor, 7100 ft. higher than
Modane, in 7½ hrs., by the Col de la Saume. Descent in 6 hrs., or a
little over 5, by Bardonnecchia.
Lans-le-Bourg. Les Tavernettes.
Modane to Susa by Mont Cenis.
From Modane a carriage-road leads over the Pass of Mont Cenis to Susa, 40 m. distant
by Villarodin, pop. 220. On the right bank of the Arc up the valley is
Avrieux, where Charles the Bold was poisoned by his doctor. Near this
are passed the forts Esseillon or Bramans, connected with the road by a
steep winding path. 8¾ m. from Modane is Le Verney, where the road
crosses the Arc; 10¾ m. Solliers; to the left, the valley of the
Laisse or Doron; 16¾, Termignon, pop. 1080, and 4251 ft. above the sea,
at the confluence of the Laisse with the Arc, church with frescoes and a
curious belfry; 18 m. Lans-le-Bourg, pop. 1500, consisting
principally of inns, situated on the Arc, 4560 ft. above the sea, at the
base of Mont Cenis. After crossing the Arc the ascent of the Pass is
commenced. From Lans-le-Bourg to Susa are twenty-three houses of refuge.
At the culminating point, 6882 ft. above the sea, is the inn Ramasse.
The road now descends. 13 m. from Susa and 27 from Modane is
Les
Tavernettes, on a terrace 200 ft. above the lake, which is
1¼ m. long and 6234 ft. high, and contains good trout. This is one
of the best headquarters in the Alps for a naturalist. 10 m. from
Susa and 29½ m. from Modane is the Hospice of Mont Cenis, on the
great plateau. 2 m. farther is the hamlet of La Grande Croix, 6069
ft., on the edge of the plateau, and whence the descent becomes more
rapid. 4½ m. from Susa is the post-house of Molaret, and about
3 m. more, or 1¼ from Susa, the hamlet of Giaglione, with splendid
views and rich vegetation (Susa, see page
291).
MONT CENIS RAILWAY
St. Pierre to Courmayeur by the Little St. Bernard.
modane to susa by langlebourg
opp. 291
see caption
291