It is a splendid ascent, although a somewhat arduous one, and affords a lovely series of views; but it may be questioned whether one is sufficiently rewarded by the specimens of architecture which he finds in Gourdon. It is now a melancholy and deserted village, occupied apparently only by a few women and children. Some of the houses are picturesque in their grouping, like those in Fig. 202, but there is nothing fine about the place except the magnificent view to the south, east, and west from the terrace in front of the old church. One very large building seems to swamp all the rest of the little town. This is a great château (Fig. 203), built by the family of Lombard in the style of the seventeenth century, and which, we believe, is still occupied in summer, when the cool breezes of this elevated pinnacle form a grateful change from the heat of the plains. [Illustration: FIG. 202. HOUSES IN GOURDON.] From the point where the main road crosses the Loup, a delightful excursion may be made up the gorge amongst the mountains, as far as a famous waterfall called the “Saut du Loup.” [Illustration: FIG. 203. CHÂTEAU, GOURDON.] The road now gradually ascends the northern side of the valley of the Loup, which is seen flowing at some distance below on the right through a richly cultivated plain. In some of the cuttings by which the road is carried round the rocks, numerous oyster and other fossil shells may be observed, characteristic of the tertiary limestone which here occurs of great thickness, and forms the immense cliffs which at some parts of the coast overhang the Mediterranean. On approaching TOURETTES the road sweeps round the abrupt side of a gorge where the rock is hollowed out into caverns, some of which are occupied as houses and stores. From this point a fine view is obtained of the grey old town of Tourettes, with its crumbling walls and houses rising from the margin of precipitous rocks of the same sad dusty colour. There seems to be nothing of special interest in the town, but outside the walls on the north side there is a wide open “place,” on which stand the Hôtel de Ville and the church of the fourteenth century. The latter is a specimen built on the plan of the simple hall without aisles. In this instance it is vaulted with groined arches (Fig. 204), the ribs having the unusual form of a plain bead, and springing from small primitive looking corbels, such as are common in Provençal churches. [Illustration: FIG. 204. CHURCH, TOURETTES.] The font (Fig. 205) in this church is of a rather remarkable design. A few miles’ further drive through fine mountain scenery brings us to the ancient city of Vence (described further on), whence the railway station of Vence-Cagnes is about six miles distant. [Illustration: FIG. 205. FONT, TOURETTES.]