Béarn and the Pyrenees : $b A legendary tour to the country of Henri QuatreCostello, Louisa Stuart
History
Béarn and the Pyrenees : $b A legendary tour to the country of Henri Quatre
Costello, Louisa Stuart
Béarn (France) -- Description and travel; Pyrenees -- Description and travel
Barsac is not far off, well known for its fine white wines; and beyond,
is Sainte Croix de Mont, a village placed on rather a bold eminence. At
Preignac the little river Ciron runs into the Garonne, and brings on its
current wood from the Landes. Sometimes this small stream becomes so
swollen, that it overflows, and renders the road in its neighbourhood
dangerous. After the battle of Orthez, the mutilated remains of the
French army crossed the valley, which this river had rendered a perfect
marsh, at the peril of their lives, in order to pursue their melancholy
journey, flying from the British arms.
Close by is Garonnelle, a port of the _Verdelais_, where, situated a
little way up the country, is a famous chapel, dedicated to Notre Dame
du Luc, to which pilgrims resort, on the 8th of September, from all
parts of France--so great is her renown. The chapel was founded in the
twelfth century, by a Countess of Foix, and re-edified by another, or,
as some say, built first in 1407, under the following circumstances:--
One day, as Isabella de Foix, wife of Archambaud de Grailli, Count of
Bénauge, was visiting her domains, she had occasion to pass through a
wood, when suddenly the mule on which she was riding, stopped, and would
not stir from the spot either one way or the other. It was found that
his foot had sunk into a _very hard_ stone, to the depth of four or five
inches, his iron-shod hoof imprinting a mark on the substance. The lady,
much _surprised_ at such a circumstance, which could be no other than a
prodigy, descended from the animal, had the stone raised, and beheld, as
well as all those who accompanied her, and as all may see who visit the
holy chapel raised in the wood, a perfect portrait of the blessed
Virgin, where the hoof of the mule had been!
This sanctuary was given in charge to the monks of the order of Grand
Mont. The Huguenots pillaged and burnt the chapel, in 1562. It was again
constructed, and given to the Father Celestins, in the seventeenth
century; but in all its perils and dangers the miraculous stone has
remained uninjured, and attracts the same veneration as ever. Perhaps it
is its vicinity which has imparted such virtues to a vineyard near,
which produces the far-famed "Sauterne" known throughout Europe.
We came to a great many suspension-bridges on our way: the French seem
to have a perfect passion for throwing them across their rivers in this
region; and, it is said, not all of them are safe; as, for instance, the
admired and vaunted Cubzac, which, it is now generally feared, will give
way. One of these bridges is at Langon; once a very important town, and
one of late much improved in commerce, in consequence of the traffic
caused by the steam-boats from Bordeaux to Agen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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