Itinerary of Provence and the Rhone: Made During the Year 1819Hughes, John
History
Itinerary of Provence and the Rhone: Made During the Year 1819
Hughes, John
Provence (France) -- Description and travel; Rhône River (Switzerland and France)
as Colman pleasantly saith. There is a better and more satisfactory
reason for this practice, which is, that it affords the best opportunity
of ascertaining those points of local knowledge, which at once give an
interest to the district through which you are travelling, and instruct
you in the best methods of doing and seeing every thing. A Frenchman's
manners and acquirements ought never to be judged of by his travelling
suit, which is always avowedly the refuse of his wardrobe; and the
importance which he is apt to attach to everything connected with his
own town or district, if it leads to ridiculous minuteness, at least
insures the accuracy of his details. The marked civility and attention
of the French to strangers is too well known to be commented on,
particularly to those who pay them the compliment of acquiescing in
their national customs. I think I never saw the temper of French
travellers thoroughly ruffled but on one occasion, when a shabby-looking
Englishman and his gawky son, who had arrived in a cabriolet, made a
fruitless attempt to exclude a large diligence party from any share in
the table and fire of a country inn. Had they been contented to make
their bread-and-butter arrangements in concert with the party, which
included a member of the chamber of deputies, and a young officer, their
company would have been considered as a pleasure.
May 3.--We embarked at five o'clock in the morning, in the face of a
very strong gale, which rendered six horses necessary, and tempted us to
wish for warmer clothing. The morning, however, was beautifully clear
and bright; and Mont Blanc, which is perceptible even from the low level
of the river, was without a cloud. To the right, the Beaujolois hills,
at the foot of which Macon stands, accompanied us as far as Trevoux,
presenting an outline not unlike that of our own Malverns; but more
varied and rich, as well as occasionally more lofty, and sprinkled with
thousands of white farm-houses and villas: many of the parts are
similar, and almost equal, to the hills which front Florence on the
Fiesole side.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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