exhibit his obstinacy or his courage, to turn upon this narrow way; but there not being sufficient room, his tail overhung the water, whilst his fore-feet were resting in a nearly erect posture against the rocks which bordered the lake: a blow from Michael' was the only applause that he received for his feat, and he then wisely and safely resumed his route. After passing the lake at the lower extremity across an embankment of great thickness and strength, the path descends on the left side of the torrent, which struggles with horrid violence in continued cataracts down the ravine for several miles, particularly where, in passing by the glacier of Miage, our route lay amidst rocks, and stones, the débris of the mountain, brought down by the glacier, of which it concealed the base and sides. The ice being covered by the stones and soil, the path was so dangerous that we followed the advice of our guide, and descended from our mules. We were occupied nearly two hours in passing this moraine, as the guides here call these terminations of the glaciers. Sometimes we were at the water's edge, at others on a pathless ridge, some hundreds of feet above the Doire, walking over loose stones, and these rendered less secure by the numerous streams which, falling from the heights above us, crossed our path to increase the torrent foaming beneath. At length we escaped from this fatiguing part of our route, and entered the beautiful meadows of the Val Veni, which are separated from the Val d'Entrèves by a high ridge that skirts the forest of St. Nicolas. There are no châlets in the Val Veni, but several granges, in which the great quantities of hay made in the meadows and slopes of this valley are stored.

"The forest of Saint Nicolas, which we traversed on our way to Cormayeur, is opposite to some extensive buildings at the foot of the Glacier de Brenva: these were for

merly occupied by miners, who prepared the lead and copper ores raised near this place: but the expenses having exceeded the profits, these buildings are now falling to decay. Across the valley we saw the beautiful glacier of Brenva appearing through the enormous larches and pines of the forest, presenting to us a scene deservedly esteemed one of the finest in the Alps. We now rapidly descended by a narrow road which fearfully overhangs the lower range of the glacier of the Brenva, whose sides were covered with masses of granite and rocks of great magnitude. The torrent which we had seen rushing through the valley passed beneath the glacier, and reappeared increased by a stream, which issued from an arch at the termination of the glacier, like that of the Arveron in the vale of Chamouny.

In the valley below us lay the vil lage of Entrèves; and towering high above it, on our left, were the Géant and its pass. The road improved as we approached Cormayeur; and we soon got into quarters at the Albergo dell' Angela. (Route 107.) The time required from Nant Bourant to Cormayeur by the shortest course, that over the Col de Fours to Motet, is 12 hours; and from Nant Bourant to Bourg St. Maurice by Chapiu, 7 hours; these journeys by the Bonhomme, Fours, and Seigne, may all be accomplished on mules; but this mode of travelling merely saves fatigue without gaining time, for as the guides walk, the traveller only advances at the guides' pace.

ROUTE 119.

SALLENCHES TO L'HÔPITAL CONFLANS.

From Sallenches (Route 115.), a new route is being constructed, which if it proceed with spirit, will one day open a char or carriage communication between the valley of the Arve

and that of the Isère, in the Tarentaise.

The road which has been made for improved to Megève rises directly up the steep side of one of the slopes o Mont Foron, to the village of Comblou, about an hour's ascent. Its gay spire is seen from the road to Chamouny, near Passy, and also from the valley of Maglans in approaching to it. From Comblou there is a most beautiful prospect, well worthy the traveller's walk from Sallenches or St. Martin's. It commands the valley of Maglans on one side, and the Varens, and the upper valley of the Arve on the other. The Aiguilles de Varens rise in great grandeur directly en face of the spectator, and on the right of the upper Arve, all the peaks and glaciers of Mont Blanc, and its extreme summit, are as distinctly seen as in a model. Few spots for such prospects can vie with the village of Comblou.

A little beyond Comblou the highest part of the road to Megève is passed: thence to the latter bourg, the distance is a league, over a road nearly level. Here are two miserable inns. From Megève a road leads to the Pas Sion, a col which divides the valley of Haute Luce from the valley of the Arly, and leads by the shortest course to Beaufort.

From Megève, the road descends the valley of the Arly in two hours to Flumet, a little town of Upper Faucigny, containing about 1000 inhabitants. Here, on a rock, are the ruins of a château, in which the first baron of Faucigny resided.

Flumet is seated near the confluence of the Flon and the Arly: the former river descends from the hamlet of Gietta, by which a path traverses the Col des Aravis and the Grand Borand to Bonneville.

Below Flumet the road is only practicable for mules; it is excessively hilly and wild. The valley of the Arly is a gorge, deeply seated; and bears the name of the Combe of

Savoie.

335

In two hours from Flumet, it leads to Heri, a village situated in a most agreeable spot, surrounded by high mountains covered with pine forests.

Below Heri, the path, in many places cut out in the mountain side, overhangs the deep bed of the Arly, and alternate spots of savageness and beauty are found throughout this valley. Its richness in walnut trees is celebrated, and the oil which the nuts furnish is an important article of commerce.

Ugine is a large ill-built town, containing 3000 inhabitants, famous for its fairs of cattle and mules. To the north of the town, on a steep limestone rock, there are the remains of a lofty square tower, flanked by other towers, which defended a château attacked in the 9th century by the Saracens. The château was destroyed in the 13th century by Humbert, first dauphin of Vienne. It is situated on the right bank of the Arly, and lies in the road now opened between Faverges and Annecy, -a road which will be noticed under Route 120.

From Ugine an excellent carriage road continues down the Arly to l'Hôpital Conflans, through a deep and rich valley. Before arriving at l'Hôpital, one sees on the other side of the Arly the valley of Beaufort, where the Doron, which flows through it, falls into the Arly. The valley of the Doron leads by a mountainous mule road, in about 4 hours, to Maxime de Beaufort, a town famous also for its cattle fairs. The inhabitants are rich and independent, from their commerce in cheese, butter, and cattle their pasturages are the most valuable in Upper Savoy. Beaufort communicates with Megève by the valley of Haute Luce and the pass Sion, by the head of its valley with the Col de Bon-Homme, and by the valley of Roselen and the Col d'Allée with the valley of Bonnaval (Route 113.) in the Tarentaise.

Beaufort is one of those retired

336

Route 120.

spots in the Alps, whence the inhabitants issue in the winter to seek employment in foreign countries. Some, periodically return, content with their gains; others realise great wealth, and remain to die where they obtained it. Among these are remembered M. Viallet, a great planter in St. Domingo, whose fortune before the revolution was valued at a million and half francs; M. Cornu, a rich banker of Paris; Bouchage, a banker of Toulouse; Favre, a celebrated silk merchant of Lyons; and Jean Mollie, who died about 1780, and left to his descendants the enormous sum of, it is said, 400 millions of francs.

At present Beaufort is one of the most independent communities in Savoy. They were permitted by Charles Emmanuel, duke of Savoy, to free themselves from feudal rents by purchase; and in 1772 they paid to M. Villecardel de Fleury, marquis of Beaufort, 100,000 francs for their emancipation. The old families of Beaufort in England and France had their origin here.

Near Beaufort, on a hill at the entrance to the valley of Haute Luce, are the finely situated ruins of the château de la Salle. This château received Henry IV. and his courtiers in October 1600: the pranks played there by them furnished some scandalous traditions.

L'Hôpital and Conflans are divided only by the Arly; the former being situated on its right bank, the latter on the rocky slopes above it on the other side.

Conflans is an ancient little town, with about 1300 inhabitants. It was formerly surrounded by strong walls and defended by two very strong forts. It resisted the troops of Francis I. in the war of 1536, when it was partly burnt, and its two forts demolished. A little below Conflans, near the banks of the river, there is a royal smelting-house and foundry, where the silver from the ore raised in some mines in the neighbourhood is re

duced: it is seldom worked, and the Fonderie Royale is a worthless appendage to Conflans.

L'Hôpital, with its wide streets and clean appearance, is one of the nicest little towns in Savoy; it has about 1500 inhabitants, and lying in the high road, by which communication is held with Ugine, Annecy, and Sallenches, with Chamberry, and with Moutiers Tarentaise, it has, since the establishment of good roads, been daily increasing in importance. A diligence by Faverges to Annecy, and another between Moutiers and Chamberry, which passes through l'Hôpital, have been established. The little town contains excellent inns, and that held by the frères Geny is not surpassed in comfort by the inns at Chamouny. It is absurdly enough attempted to change the name of this little town to Albert Ville, in compliment to the reigning sovereign.

ROUTE 120.

GENEVA TO CHAMBERRY BY ANNECY 10 FOSTES.

A diligence goes every day from Geneva to Chamberry, but on alternate days by two different routes—one by Annecy, the other by Rumilly.

On leaving Geneva, the road, common to both as far as

13 St. Julien, passes through the Plain Palais, crosses the Arve, and continues through Carouge and the richly cultivated plain of the Arve, until it rises to the village of St. Julien, on the frontier of Savoy, where the baggage and the passports of travellers are examined.

Here the road continues to ascend a long hill to the Mont Sion, a ridge which runs nearly at right angles with the Mont Saleve. From its height, about 3300 feet above the level of the sea, the views of the Lake of Geneva, the Jura, and the deep valley of the Rhone flowing into France, form a fine panorama.

It is a pleasing drive, but there is nothing remarkable in the scenery. Its course is generally high, though it undulates until it rises to

2 Cruseilles, a little town possessing 1300 inhabitants, the ruins of an old castle, and a dirty inn; opposite to which one of those crosses is placed, so common within the archbishopric of Chamberry, which invites every body, under a promise of 40 days' indulgence, to say an ave and a pater and make a genuflexion, as a set-off against crime! The inscription on this, in bad French, is as follows:-"Monsenior Irene Yves de Solle, avaque de Chambery et da Geneve, accorde 40 jours indulgences a tous gens qui feront un acte de contritions et disont un pater et une ave davant cette croix crussoles, le 23 Aout, 1810."

From Cruseilles the road to Annecy rapidly descends to cross the stream of the Usses in a deep defile, which can only be traversed by a considerable détour up the deep valley to rise on the other side to a level with the road from Cruseilles. A lofty bridge, built of brick, once crossed this ravine, about half-way down the valley. This has long been impassable, except to the fool-hardy pedestrian it was too narrow even to have been safely passed in a char. The Sardinian government, however, lately decided upon throwing an iron wire suspension bridge over this ravine, to carry the road directly across, and continue the route by the shortest connexion: this has just been accomplished. The length and height of the road on the bridge are each about 500 feet. It is called the Pont de la Caille, and was opened in Sept. 1839.

and the fine mountain scenery which surrounds it. There is a singular beauty in the views thus presented, and a charm in the approach to Annecy which is likely to be long remembered. At the Pont de Brogny the river Fier, which falls into the Rhone at Siessel, is crossed, and in half an hour the traveller finds himself at

21 Annecy. Inhabitants about 6000. Inns tolerable; the best is the Hôtel de Genève. This city is in a beautiful situation at the extremity of a great plain, and on the borders of a lake, which is discharged by canals, that cross its streets, and which is led by the canal of Thiou, to fall into the Fier at Cran.

Annecy is a curious old town, the shops in many of its streets are under arcades, and there is an air of respectable antiquity about it-though this, the ancient capital of the duchy of Geneva, is only the modern town. In the 12th century it was known as Anneciacum novum, to distinguish it from Anneciacum vetus, which formerly existed on the slopes of the beautiful hill of Annecy-le-vieux. Numerous medals of the Roman emperors of the two first centuries of the Christian era have been found here, and inscriptions, sepulchres, urns, and fragments of statues, and of a temple attest the presence of this people. It rests upon little more than conjecture, that it was known to them as Civitas Bovis, or according to some bewildered antiquarians, as Dinia or Dignitia; no monument, or MS., authorises one or the other.

The earliest mention of Annecy is by the emperor Lothaire, who gave it, under the name of Annesiacum, to his wife, Tietberge, as proved by a document, bearing date January 11.

867.

In the 12th century, the present Annecy was distinguished from Annecy-le-vieux, by William I. Comte of the Genevais. When the house of Geneva became extinct, Annecy

Q

passed into that of Savoy. In 1412 it was totally burnt. To assist in restoring the inhabitants to their town, Amadeus VIII. duke of Savoy, gave them many privileges, and enabled them to establish flax-spinning works, which have continued to be its principal manufacture. In 1630, the plague almost depopulated the town, and destroyed or dispersed the workmen. Victor Amadeus I., afterwards established here four silk mills; these were destroyed by fire during the war of 1691.

In 1724, during violent disputes among the different manufactures o Annecy, a large establishment for the manufacture of hats, which had existed for a century and a half, was destroyed, as well as others for the production of worsted stockings. At the same time were destroyed the manufactory of the fire arms of Collin, famous in its day, and extensive works for scythes, reaping hooks, and cutlery; perhaps there is no town in Europe whose history has been so long associated with manufactures as Annecy. The linen bleacheries established in 1650, which have always sustained a high reputation, are still flourishing. Encouraged by Napoleon, when Savoy was under the French government, M. Duport, now the Baron Duport of Turin, established here the first cotton works; these still flourish. He subsequently established those at Pont in Val d'Orea. (Route 111.)

Even now the manufactures of Annecy are not all enumerated; there are others of black glass of sulphuric acid, of printed cottons, &c., and in the neighbourhood, a fine vein of coal is worked, at Entreverne, and at the village of Crans there are oil, corn, and fulling mills on the Fier, and mills for the manufacture of paper.

The active inhabitants of Annecy have always sought new channels for their industry they found this tó be necessary in order to procure sub

There are many objects of interest among the public buildings of Annecy the ancient château, the residence of Genevois- Nemours - the old Bishop's palace- the Cathedral, with its sanctuary, where are deposited the relics of Saint Francis de Sales, and the Mere (Sainte) Chaptal: scandal has been busy with their names. The translation of the relics of the former was made on the 28th of May 1806, with great ceremony; the following day those of Sainte Jeanne-Françoise Frémiot de Chantal were transferred with equal solemnity.

"The tender friendship that long subsisted between St. Francis de Sales and La Mere Chantal, has given to their memory, and relics, with pious Catholics, a degree of interest similar to that excited by the remains of Abelard and Eloise.

"St. Francis de Sales was descended from the noble family of de Sales in Savoy; he was born in 1567, having devoted himself to the church, and evinced great zeal and eloquence in its defence. He was ordained prince and bishop of Geneva, by Pope Clement VIII., for the popes assumed the right to confer these titles long after the Reformed religion had been established at Geneva. Annecy being made the bishop's seat when the Genevese expelled the chapter from their city, St. Francis de Sales died at Lyons in 1622, and was buried at Annecy. His canonisation took place in 1665; but before that event his remains were so highly valued by the inhabitants, that when the city was taken by the French in 1630, one of the six articles of capitulation stipulated that the body of the venerable Francis de Sales should never be removed from the city."- Bakewell's Tour in the Tarentaise.

A the lower extremity of the lake