'twixt France and Spain

CHAPTER I.. Pau.

PAU.

Trains and steamers--Bordeaux and its hotels--Lamothe --Morcenx--Dax--Puyoo--Orthez--First impressions of Pau--The hotels and pensions--Amusements--Pension Colbert--Making up parties for the Pyrenees--The Place Royale and the view--The castle of Pau and its approaches--Origin of name--Historical notes--The towers--Visiting hours--The tapestries--The wonderful bedstead--The delusive tortoiseshell cradle--The "Tour de la Monnaie"--The park--The Billères plains--Tennis and golf--The Route de Billères and the Billères woods--French sportsmen--Hunting--Racing--Lescar and its old cathedral--Fontaine de Marnières--The bands--The Parc Beaumont --Ballooning--The Casino--Polo--The cemetery--The churches of St. Martin and St. Jacques--The "old world and the new"--Rides and drives--to Bétharram--The start--Peasants and their ways--Vines trained by the roadside--Sour grapes--The "March of the Men of Garlic" --Coarraze--Henry IV.'s Castle--Bétharram--The ivied bridge--The inn--The "Via Crucis"--Assat and Gélos--The Coteaux--Perpignaa --Sketching with a donkey-cart--Over the Coteaux to Gan--The drive to Piétat--Picnicking and rejected attentions--The church--Feather moss--Bizanos--Carnival time--"Poor Pillicoddy" --"Idyllic Colbert."

CHAPTER II.. Bagnères De Bigorre.

BAGNÈRES DE BIGORRE.

Backward spring--Hôtel Beau Séjour--Effect of the war of '70 on the English colony--The "Coustous"--The Church of St. Vincent--Géruzet's marble works--Donkeys--Up the Monné--Bains de Santé--Bains de Grand Pré--Salut Avenue and baths--"Ai-ue, Ai-ue"--Luncheon--Daffodils--The summit and the view--The "Castel-Mouly"--The Tapére--Mde. Cottin--Mont Bédat--Gentians--The Croix de Manse--"The Lady's Farewell to her Asinine Steed"--Market-day--The old iron and shoe dealers--Sunday--A cat fight--The English Church--To the Col d'Aspin--"The Abbé's Song"--Baudéan--Campan, its people and church--Wayside chapels--Ste. Marie--The route to Gripp, &c.--Payole--The pine forest--The Col d'Aspin--The view from the Monné Rouge--"The Plaint of the Weather-beaten Pine"--The Menu at Payole--Hurrah for the milk!--Departures--Divine music--Asté--Gabrielle d'Estrelle--The ivied ruins--The church-- Pitton de Tournefort--Gerde--The pigeon traps--The cattle market --The Jacobin tower--Theatre--Grand Etablissement des Thermes --Hospice Civil--Eglise des Carmes--Mount Olivet--Madame Cheval, her cakes and tea--Bigorre in tears

CHAPTER III.. Lourdes.

LOURDES.

The journey to Tarbes--The Buffet and the Nigger--Lourdes station in the wet--Importunate "Cochers"--Hôtel des Pyrénées--"Red tape" and Porters--Lourdes in sunshine--Sightseeing--The "Rue de la Grotte"-- "The Cry of the Lourdes Shopkeepers"--Candle-sellers--The Grotto--Abject reverence--The Church--Saint Bernard--Interior of church--The panorama--Admirable effect--Rue du Fort--The castle--The view from the Tower--Pie de Mars, or Ringed Ousels

CHAPTER IV.. Argelès.

ARGELÈS.

Road v. rail--Scenes, sublime and ridiculous--Hôtel d'Angleterre--Questions and "The Argelès Shepherd's Reply"--A forbidden path--The ride to Ges, Serres, Salluz, and Ourous--Argelès church--Route Thermale--Ges--The tree in the path--"A regular fix"--Serres--"It's a stupid foal that doesn't know its own mother" --A frothing stream--A fine view--Pigs in clover--Salluz --Ourous--Contented villagers--The high road--The bridge on the Pierrefitte road--Advice to sketchers--"Spring's Bitters and Sweets"--The "witch of the hills"--Large green lizards--"Jeannette's Lamb"--Round the Argelès valley--Château de Beaucens--Villelongue-- Soulom--The old church--Hôtel de la Poste, Pierrefitte--St. Savin--The verger and the ancient church--Cagots--"The Organ's Tale"--St. Savin's tomb--The Château de Miramont--Jugged Izard--Market-day--Sour bread and the remedy--Arrival of the first parcel.

CHAPTER V.. Cauterets.

CAUTERETS.

Hôtel de la Poste, Pierrefitte--The Gorge--Its majestic beauty--The resemblance to the Llanberis Pass--Mrs. Blunt becomes poetical--Zinc mines--Le Pont de Médiabat--Entering the town--The Rue Richelieu and Hôtel du Parc--Winter's seal upon them still--Thermes des Oeufs--Thermes de César--The Casino and Esplanade des Oeufs--A good dinner and the menu--The start for the Col de Riou--The Grange de la Reine Hortense--The pines--Miss Blunt's "Exhortation to the First Snow"--The dogs and their gambols--Defeated, but not discouraged--To the Cérizey Cascade--The baths of La Raillère, Petit St. Sauveur, and Le Pré--Cascade de Lutour--The Marcadau Gorge--Scenery--Pic de Gaube--At the Cérizey Cascade--The Pont d'Espagne and Lac de Gaube--Pont de Benqués--Lutour valley--Various excursions up same--The "Parc"--Allées de Cambasque--The Peguère--The "Pagoda" villa-- Promenade du Mamelon Vert--The road's up again--Blows and blasts--The bishop's arrival--Enthusiasm, pomposity, and benedictions--The pilgrims at large--They start on an excursion--The market and Hôtel de Ville--The grocer's opinion--Pyrenean dogs and their treatment--The dog-fancier--Smiles and temper--Bargaining displaced--No dog after all!

CHAPTER VI.. Luz and Barèges.

LUZ AND BARÈGES.

Rain at starting--A blighted view, yet lovely still--Pont d'Enfer--Nature's voice--Sère and Esquiez--Luz--Its situation and status--An old house--The ancient church of the Templars--La Chapelle de St. Roch--Pyrenean museum--Hôtel de l'Univers--Château de Ste. Marie--"The Jackdaw's Causerie"--A new "diet of worms"--The new bathing establishment--To Barèges--Pic d'Ayré--Esterre--Viella --Betpouey--Mill conduits--Cercle des Etrangers--Opinion of the town--Grand Etablissement--Promenade Horizontale--Hospice de Ste. Eugénie--"The Jay of Barèges"--Wood anemones--Hepaticas--Valley of Lienz--Pic de Lienz--Pic d'Ayré's summit--Pic de Néouville--Mountain rhododendrons--Anemone vernalis

CHAPTER VII.. St. Sauveur.

ST. SAUVEUR.

Pont de Pescadère--Sassis--Gave de Gavarnie--St. Sauveur--Hôtel de France--Pont Napoléon--Napoleon's pillar--Bee orchids--Chapel of Solferino--The view from thence--Ne'er a hermit but for gold--Luz cemetery--Luz post-office--Short cuts--Pharmacie Claverie--Jardin à l'Anglaise--Ascent of Pic de Bergons--Villenave--The shepherds' huts--Lunch--Snow, its use and abuse--On foot--"Excelsior"--Dangerous footing--The last crest but one--The view--Gavarnie and Argelès in sight--A lazy guide--A "fast" bit--Mountain flowers--Mr. Sydney to the fore--A short walk and a good view--To Sazos and Grust--The bathing establishments--Sazos: the old church--The belfry--Chiming extraordinary--Various promenades--Gems of hill and vale

CHAPTER VIII.. Gavarnie.

GAVARNIE.

A "falling glass"--The wonderful echo--Cascade Lassariou--Sia and its bridge--Pont de Desdouroucat--"Changing scenes"--Bugaret torrent--The Piméné--Bué--Gèdre--Brêche de Roland in the distance--The "Grotto"--Scenery at fivepence per head--Daffodils--Lofty summits--Cascade d'Arroudet--Chaos--Valley of the "Ten Thousand Rocks," Amoy--A dirty avalanche--The Sugar-loaf--Travellers' troubles --Importunate females--Hotel des Voyageurs--Poc--Guide or no guide--Chute de Lapaca--The guardian summits of the Cirque--Cascade du Marboré--Chandelles du Marboré--The Cirque--Its marvellous beauty--Reluctantly returning--"The Guide's Auction"--"Two women enough for a market, and three for a fair"--A Yankee tale--Sketching and flowers--Tempers and appetites

CHAPTER IX.. From Luz and St. Sauveur to Bagnères De Luchon.

FROM LUZ AND ST. SAUVEUR TO BAGNÈRES DE LUCHON.

A smiling valley--Lourdes again--The chapel in the crypt--St. Peter's statue--Burnished toes--Solemn quietude--Preparing for the great pilgrimage--"Ornamented" crosses--Mr. Sydney's new vocation, "Guide, Philosopher, and Friend"--Bigorre again--An open-air concert --Harmonious echoes--Paying through the nose--The fête at Payole--Sport à la française--Costumes--The view from the Col d'Aspin--Arreau--Quaint houses--La Chapelle de St. Exupère--A whining "gardien"--Eglise de Notre Dame--The river Neste--Hôtel de France--Bordères--Avajan--Louderville--Oxslips and cowslips--Wild narcissus--Col de Peyresourde--The view--Garin--Cazaux--St. Aventin--Lovely avenues--Our destination

CHAPTER X.. Bagnères De Luchon.

BAGNÈRES DE LUCHON.

The bathing establishment and its surroundings--The lovely Allées--Montauban church and cascade--The Villa Russe and its genial host--Various excursions--Orphanage of Notre Dame de Rocher--The Vallée du Lys--The Rue d'Enfer and cascades--A lively scene--The view from Superbagnères--Loading wood--"The Oxen's Appeal"--Visit to the Orphanage--A "holy" relic--To Bosost--St. Mamet--"A stumbling-block"--Cascade of Sidonie--Horse tricks and jockey dodges--Lizards in flight--Fashion on a donkey--On the Portillon 'twixt France and Spain--The valley of Aran--Snug Bosost--A curious inn--Children with artistic bent--A bright pathway--Missing much, but thankful still

CHAPTER XI.. St. Bertrand De Comminges.

ST. BERTRAND DE COMMINGES.

Keeping to old friends--Valley history--Entering the Garonne valley--The picturesque St. Béat--St. Béat to Viella--Memories of the lovely Thames--Baths of Ste. Marie--Loures--The cross-roads--Weak walls--Entering St. Bertrand--An ancient house--The inn--A charming garden--The cathedral--A national disgrace--"The Crocodile of St. Bertrand"--The tomb of Hugues de Chatillon--Travelling desecraters--St. Bertrand's rod--The ruined cloisters--Desolation--Swine feeding--Montrejeau--The buffet--No milk!--French railway officials--Trying experiences

CHAPTER XII.. Eaux Bonnes and Eaux Chaudes.

EAUX BONNES AND EAUX CHAUDES.

Carriage v. diligence--Early birds--Height of absurdity --Diminutive donkeys--A whitened region--"Crystal clear"--Washerwomen and their gamps--A useful townhall--A half-way house--Moralising--A much-loved pipe--An historic ruin--A noteworthy strong box--"Ici on rase"--Where are the bears?--Women in gaiters--Picturesque costumes--A lovely road--A "perfect" cure--A spring scene--A billiard-playing priest--A well-placed pavilion--The Valentin and its cascades-- Through solid rock--Gaps in the road--A grand scene--Wanted, an artist--A fine torrent--Professional fishers--Lucky guests --Musings--Poor Mr. Tubbins--Bonnes v. Chaudes--Over the Col de Gourzy--Peculiar teams--Guelder roses--Spinning

CHAPTER XIII.. Biarritz.

BIARRITZ.

A warm ride--Bayonne--A "Noah's ark" landscape-- Amusements--Bathing--Shells--Cavillers--A canine feat--The pier and rocks--A restless sea--"The Three Cormorants"--Dragon's-mouth Rock--To the lighthouse--Maiden-hair ferns--Mrs. Blunt's adventure--The drive round the lakes--Osmunda regalis ferns--The pine-woods near the bar--St. Etienne and the Guards' cemetery--Croix de Mouguère--Cambo and the Pas de Roland--Anemones--A fat couple--A French scholar--Hendaye-- Fuenterabia--A quaint old-world town--The Bidassoa--Pasages--San Sebastien--The Citadol and graves--The "Silent Sisters"--Raised prices--Parasols and spectacles

CHAPTER XIV.. Conclusion.

CONCLUSION.

"Where duty leads"--Resorts in the Eastern Pyrenees--Caen--"Riou"--Our paths diverge--"The Lesson of the Mountains"--Farewell

* * * * *

APPENDIX A

APPENDIX B

Appendix C

APPENDIX D

INDEX

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

MAP OF THE PYRENEES

DAX

THE TOWER OF MONCADE, ORTHEZ

PAU (FROM THE JURANÇON SIDE OF THE GAVE)

THE CASTLE COURTYARD

IN THE CASTLE PARK

THE PINE FOREST NEAR THE COL D'ASPIN

THE "PALOMIÈRES DE GERDE"

LOURDES (A SMALL GENERAL VIEW)

THE "OLD FORT" AT LOURDES

ON THE ROAD TO ARGELÈS

A "REGULAR Fix" (by Miss BLUNT)

A PRETTY BIT AT ARGELÈS

CAUTERETS

THE ASCENT OF THE COL DE Riou (by Miss BLUNT)

THE LAC DE GAUBE

THE GORGE NEAR PIERREFITTE

THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE TEMPLARS AT LUZ

THE CASTLE OF STE. MARIE

BARÈGES

ST. SAUVEUR

PONT NAPOLÉON, ST. SAUVEUR (by Miss BLUNT)

THE VILLAGE OF GÈDRE

THE CHAOS NEAR GAVARNIE

THE CIRQUE OF GAVARNIE (IN SUMMER)

"ON THE TAREES ROAD"

THE PEARL IN THE PEERLESS VALLEY

THE CHURCH OF MONTAUBAN (by Miss BLUNT)

THE RUE D'ENFER AND THE CASCADES

ON THE ROAD TO SUPERBAGNÈRES

ST. BERTRAND DE COMMINGES

THE CROCODILE OF ST. BERTRAND (by Miss BLUNT)

IN THE OLD CHURCH AT LARUNS

CASCADE DU VALENTIN

CRABE BRIDGE, IN THE EAUX CHAUDES GORGE

THE BIOUS-ARTIGUES

THE PIC DE GER

THE ROCKS OF BIARRITZ

THE VILLA EUGÉNIE

MRS. BLUNT'S ADVENTURE (by Miss BLUNT):--

SCENE I.--BEFORE THE START SCENE II.--THE ANCIENT STEED GREW YOUNG ONCE MORE SCENE III.--WHO'S MY DRIVER?

"MY PAW IS ON MY NATIVE HEATH, AND MY NAME IS 'Riou'" (by Miss BLUNT)

"SEE MORNING'S GOLDEN RAYS," &c.

"TOWERING ABOVE THE PLAIN"

PANORAMA OF THE CIRQUE OF THE VALLÉE DU LYS

PANORAMA OF THE PIC DU MIDI DE BIGORRE

PREFACE.

It has been my endeavour in this volume to provide an illustrated gossiping Guide to the Spas of the Pyrenees. Unlike previous books on the same region, it deals with the resorts in spring, when they are most charming. A certain amount of detail--which is unavoidable in all guide-books--has been unavoidable here, and the rhymes have been introduced in the hope of lightening the reading. These rhymes, as a rule, have a distinct bearing on the subject under discussion; but they are inserted in such a manner that the reader can omit to read them--if he objects to such frivolities--without losing the sense of the prose.

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