From France to England. Twice daily. For a letter not weighing more than 7 grammes, 30 cents. To Switzerland from England. Mails made up in London morning and evening daily (Sunday excepted). RATES. Via Belgium, oz. 3d.; oz. to 1 oz. 6d. ; 1 oz. to 1 oz. 9d. Every additional Via France, Is. 3d. oz. 3d. oz. 5d.; oz. to 1⁄2 oz. 10d.; † oz. to 1 oz. Every additional oz. 5d. Newspapers by either route not exceeding 4 oz. 2d.; 4 oz. to 8 oz. 4d. Every additional 4 oz. 2d. VI. TIME (VARIATION OF). Paris-9 minutes earlier than Greenwich time. VII. HOTELS. The young enthusiast may think this is an unimportant matter, and that in the midst of glorious scenery and romantic associations it matters little where the shake-down is made at night. But such is by no means the feeling of those who have travelled much; and it adds very materially to the enjoyment of the day to know that there are a good dinner. and comfortable quarters awaiting the weary tourist when the day's work is done. Others may think "Hotels are thick as mulberries in all continental towns and cities; we will take our chance, and turn in at the first place that strikes our fancy." But this is unwise and expensive. Unwise, because it involves a great waste of time, a considerable amount of annoyance, and frequent dissatisfaction; and expensive, because, unless a great deal of bartering is done, charges are often exorbitant; because with any luggage, it has to be left at the station, or a fly must be hired while the search is being made, and if the house selected has not been recommended beforehand, it may necessitate speedy removal, and so entail fresh expense. Moreover, it is a great drawback to pleasure to arrive at a place entirely novel, a perfect stranger, and without any definite idea where to go to. I therefore recommend you to provide yourself with Cook's Hotel Coupons, which are issued at a uniform rate of 8s. per day, to include everything requisite and necessary. Full particulars as to these arrangements will be found in the Appendix at the end of the book. (See p. 204). It may be stated here, however, generally, that a set of these coupons can be taken, but they by no means compel you to use them if you find any other hotels which may take your fancy in preference, allowance being made upon all unused coupons, if not detached from the book. The advantages to be derived from the use of the coupons may be briefly summed up as follows :— 1. They are for first-class hotels only, all of which are well recommended. 2. The charges are all fixed, thus obviating the chance of imposition, and the disagreeable task of having to "drive a bargain" at each stopping place. 3. The charges are fixed at the lowest rate to ensure first class accommodation, and, being fixed at one uniform rate, the tourist is enabled to count the cost of his tour before starting. 4. The comfort of having a place to go to, without fuss or delay, immediately upon your arrival in a town, is an inestimable boon. 5. Letters from home or telegrams may be found awaiting your arrival at the hotel, thus saving the trouble and expense of sending for them to the post offices. Assuming, therefore, that you intend to avail yourself of these advantages, I shall only refer in these pages to the hotels where Cook's coupons are accepted. And now let me call your attention to a very important subject, which might have come first and foremost in these introductory hints, namely,— IX. THE TRAVELLING COUPONS. If there are advantages in knowing of cheap, comfortable, and well-recommended Hotels wherein to rest, there are also innumerable advantages in having a route marked out before starting, and then to obtain a Book of Coupons which shall pass you from place to place without any further trouble or annoyance. It is a great drawback to the pleasure of travel in having to struggle at every station for a ticket; to get into a flurry and fuss about change which you cannot well count, handed to you in the midst of a crowd; to be driven about undetermined which route to take; and, after all this unnecessary trouble, to find in the end that it has cost you considerably more than if you had taken your tickets in London for the complete tour. Many years ago I found out the immense advantage of having a Cook's ticket with me, that should need only to be stamped at the booking-office on leaving London, and was then a talisman in my hands by which I could pass from country to country, by rail, by steamer, in the diligence, on the mule; yea, it ensued the services of a guide also, and wherever I went and wanted to go, it was as a magic thing that realised to me all my wishes. It introduced me to a new phase of travel, and I hesitate not to affirm that every fresh tour I have made since then has confirmed me in the opinion that the easiest, pleasantest, and cheapest way of doing a tour is to get over all the bother about routes and tickets at the outset, once for all, by taking Cook's Travelling Coupons. A full account of these Travelling Coupons will be found in the Appendix (p. 204). X. ROUTES. I shall suppose that you have cast about in your mind as to how you will travel, and have determined to supply yourself with the tickets above referred to; I shall therefore endeavour to arrange the description of the different routes in such a manner that, at a glance, you will be able to make a selection, and then find as you go on all requisite information as to the places to be visited. Should you decide to travel to Switzerland through Holland, Belgium, and Germany, all information will be found as to the places of interest to be visited en route, in the "Handbook" to these countries, which has been published in a separate form, so that the volumes of the series of "Cook's Tourist Guides" may be in small and convenient compass. In the present volume the routes via Paris only will be described, viz. :— To Paris via Newhaven and Dieppe, the cheapest as well as the most beautiful route, but the longest sea passage. To Paris via Folkestone and Boulogne, the shortest route, and the next in order as regards cost. To Paris via Dover and Calais, the most costly route, but with the shortest sea-passage. From Paris to Switzerland,-via Troyes, Belfort, Mulhouse, and Basle, returning by Maçon, Dijon, &c.,—for which round, the most agreeable that can be taken, cheap tickets are issued all through the summer season. Basle will be taken as the starting-point for the regular Swiss round, but all other popular routes will be clearly indicated. |