Automobile travel; France -- Description and travel
The people are streaming in for High Mass and it would be more
respectful to get our car away from the sacred edifice, and so we move
off down the streets of the little city and on into the fair land about
it.
As we leave Sens her beautiful bells shower a benediction upon all
mankind. Their tone is wonderfully soft and mellow and follows us far
out over the misty meadows and by the placid river. A light rain sets
in and the skies give no hope of a pleasant day, but an hour later the
blue patch appears, and when we stop for luncheon, the sun is shining.
This is the main route to Geneva, the highways are superb, and great
machines are rushing past us to and from Paris. Later on, speeding
moderately, we are approaching a bridge where some boys are standing,
when, as we move by, one of them casts a handful of small stones
straight in our faces. Fortunately they did not strike our eyes, or
there would have been a catastrophe more or less serious. Quickly
stopping the car, George rushes after the fleeing culprits, but without
success, those remaining on the bridge calmly tell us that we have no
right to go so fast, and we reply that another time we shall answer by
shooting. We were not going faster than fifteen miles an hour and the
bridge was not in town, making the act one of pure deviltry. It was
the first of its kind which we have encountered since starting from
Nice. These towns nearly all have signs by the highway regulating speed
within their limits and we have always obeyed the notice.
Later we entered a very beautiful avenue of trees leading into
Tonnerre, a melancholy old place with little of interest, save the
Great Hall of a hospital founded by Marguerite de Bourgogne, seven
hundred years ago,--a vast chapel resembling St. Stephen's hall in
Westminster and quite as large.
CHAPTER XXVIII
DIJON--THE FRENCH AND FRESH WATER--THE ANTIQUITIES OF DIJON--RIDE
THROUGH THE CÔTE D'OR--ARRIVAL AT BESANÇON.
As we roll onward, Dijon comes into view, picturesquely placed at the
foot of the vine-clad hills of the Côte d'Or, backed in turn by the
Jura Mountains.
The sun shines brightly as we roll into this ancient capital of Charles
of Burgundy. It is only since motor cars have commenced to fly over
this land that any one has thought of stopping at Dijon. Its glory has
long since departed. It was absorbed into that of France under Louis
XI. after the death of Charles, when ceasing of importance as a capital
it has remained merely a prosperous provincial town, associated in
one's mind, together with its province, with much that is rich and red
and good in the shape of wine. Judging by the fat bottles all down the
dinner table of this hotel, that reviver of mankind is cheaper here
than water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account