the Leysse, a Roman site, stands the Ch. of Lémene, the oldest in the district. In the crypt is the tomb of an Irish bishop.

About 20 minutes' walk to the south of the town is Les Charmettes, the residence of Rousseau and of his friend Madame de Warens. There is nothing in the place at present worth notice independently of its connection with J. Jacques: the house has the appearance of a poor farm-house, and Rousseau's room was the one over the entrance.

Those who desire a pleasant two hours' walk, may visit the ravine called Le Bout du Monde. The road to it turns out of that to Turin at the end of the Faubourg de Montmélian, follows the left bank of the Leysse by the side of the great dyke, as far as the village of Leysse, where it crosses the stream, and, passing on the right the picturesque castle of Chaffardon, enters the gorge of the Doriat, which is closed in on all sides by high cliffs, forming the base of the Dent de Nivolet, and has no outlet. Behind a paper-mill, built by one of the Montgolfiers, the stream falls in a pretty cascade over the wall of rock here formed of remarkably regular and thin horizontal strata, through some of which the water forcing its way forms supplementary jets at a distance from the main fall.

The Dent de Nivolet, 5102 ft., one of the highest of the Beauges mountains, is best ascended on the E. side from Désert. The top may be reached in 4 hrs. from Chambéry. Another delightful ascent is that of Mont Granier, 6348 ft., with curious chasms on its limestone summit. To the S. of it are the Abimes de Myans, noticed in Rte,

154.

[A pleasant excursion of a day or two may be made to the baths of Aix, and the Lac du Bourget (Rte. 151.)]

The Victor Emanuel Railroad, to Turin by the Mont Cenis (Rte. 154); Railways to Geneva, Lyons, Mâcon, and Paris. Diligences to Grenoble by Montmélian in 6 hrs.

Chambery (Rte. 153). Above it are passed on the left, the castle of La Bâtie, and farther on, close to the road, that of Chignin, links of a line of forts on which fires were lighted to alarm the inhabitants in time of war. For these rude means in the middle ages, telegraphs have been substituted. Up the valleys of the Arc and Isère, the chain of old castles continues almost without an interruption. Rt. is Mont Granier, 6348 ft. The side facing Chambéry is a perpendicular escarpment, produced by the fall of an immense mass of the mountain in 1248: it buried 16 villages. The marks of this catastrophe are still visible in the series of hillocks, now covered with vineyards, called Les Abîmes de Myans, and in the midst of which are a number of small lakes, Granier stands in the angle between the valley of Chambéry and that of Gresivaudan, which leads to Grenoble, and is traversed by the Isère. On the 1. bank of the river, a few miles down, stand the ruins of the

Mont

Château Bayard, the cradle of the illustrious knight" sans peur et sans reproche."

Route de Grenoble Stat., from which the Abîmes may be visited. Branch Rail to Grenoble.

Montmélian Junct. Stat. (Inn: H. des Voyageurs, not good.) This little town stands not far from the rt, bank of the Isère, at the junction of four roads: -from Mont Cenis, issuing out of the valley of the Maurienne; from the Tarentaise and Little St. Bernard; from Grenoble along the beautiful valley of Gresivaudan; from Chambéry. The castle of Montmélian was long a bulwark of Savoy against France. Henry IV., while besieging it in 1600, was nearly killed by a cannon-shot which covered him with dirt, and made the king cross himself devoutly; upon which Sully remarked, that he was happy to see that his Majesty was so good a Catholic. It was bravely and skilfully defended for 13 months against Louis XIII. by Count Geoffrey Benso de Cavour, an ancestor of the great modern statesman of that name. The works were demolished by Louis XIV., who took the place in 1705. A few fragments of wall, crowning the rock above the town, are the only remains of the former bulwark of Savoy and key of its Alps. A good white wine is grown near Montmélian.

[Public conveyances to the Baths of Allevard, a much-frequented watering place, 1550 ft. above the sea, in the beautiful valley of the Bréda (Inns: H. des Bains; H. Planta; H. de la Terrasse; H. du Louvre; and numerous pensions). About 15 m. by a road turning 1. from the valley of Gresivaudan at Pontcharra (61 m.). Walks or rides-to the gorge called Bout du Monde; the Tour du Treuil; the Brame Farine (about 4000 ft.), between the Bréda and the Isère; Les Cinq Pointes (4232 ft.), farther S., with a finer view; the Chartreuse de St. Hugon, 23 hrs. E.

From the valley of the Bréda there

are several passes; the Col de Valloire and Col de la Croix to La Chambre on the Mt. Cenis road; the Col du Merduret to Grenoble; and at the head of the valley the Col de l'Homme (7144 ft.) to Bourg d'Oisans. This track passes the Sept Laux, one of the curiosities of Dauphiné, a string of lakes, of which seven are of some size. Close to the largest, the Lac du Col, is a fisherman's châlet where the night can be passed. The track on the S. side of the pass descends exceedingly steep rocks to Rivier in the Combe d'Olle, and joins the road of the Col du Lautaret, 5 m. from Bourg. The inn (chez Jourdan) at La Ferrière, 24 hrs. above the baths, is a good starting-point for these expeditions.]

The railroad above Montmélian commands, in clear weather, a view of Mont Blanc. The post-road follows the rt. bank of the Isère; the rly. the 1. on an embankment of several miles, having crossed the river on a long lattice bridge near Montmélian. On the 1. bank is the village of Coise, with a mineral spring containing iodine, and reputed to be a specific for goître. Beyond it, on the rt. bank, is

St. Pierre d'Albigny Stat., 25 min. by omnibus, a neat little town with a good inn. The slopes here are celebrated for wine. A little beyond St. Pierre is a fine feature of the valley, the

Château de Miolans, on a rock jutting out from the mountain side 800 or 900 ft. above the Isère. It commands extensive views up and down the valley, and across into that of the Arc; for it is nearly opposite the confluence of the rivers. This château belonged to one of the most ancient Savoyard families, distinguished as early as the 9th centy.; but the male line becoming extinct in 1523, the château was bought by Charles III., duke of Savoy, and made a state prison, which continued to be its use until the events of the French revolution united Savoy to France, when it was dismantled. 3 m. farther on the 1. bank is

Chamousset Stat. Diligences daily to Albertville, Moutiers, and Bourg St. Maurice. Here the rly. and high road leave the valley of the Isère for that of the Arc or Maurienne.

Aiguebelle Stat. (Inns: Poste, Parfaite Union), in a tolerably wide triangular plain, on which may be traced remains of a great berg-fall of 1760, which almost entirely destroyed the village. The country hereabouts is unhealthy from marshes. The Castle, called La Charbonnière, was the birthplace of several counts of Savoy.

St. Jean de Maurienne Stat., the town about 11⁄2 m. on right (Inns: Europe, Poste, Voyageurs, all indifferent), capital of the province of Maurienne (3000 Inhab.), 1906 ft. above the sea, and original seat of the Dukes or Counts of Savoy. The cathedral is of the 15th cent., and contains some good wood-carving and a stone reliquary. The vineyards grow a fair wine. [From hence to Moutiers (Rte. 156) by the Col de la Platière in 10 hrs. A mule may be taken to the top. The path is steep to the village of Hermillon, and then nearly E. under precipices, to the little chapel of N. D. de Mondandrey. From this point it bears N. and N.E. to a hollow girt by cliffs, which are climbed in zigzags through a couloir to the pastures of Planey and châlets of Plan Monsieur. Here a rock, called the Bonnet du Prêtre, is seen in the depression which forms the col (about 6800 ft.). The valley of Nant Brun, on the other side, is wild and stony. The path descends by a ridge, and on the W. side of ravines below it to Deux Nants, and thence to St. Jean de Belleville, about 2 hrs. from Moutiers. For the passes into Dauphiné, see Rte. 158.]

St. Michel Stat. (Inns: Poste, high charges; Maison Blanche; l'Union; Vigne. Buffet.

[Over the mountains N. is the pass of the Col des Encombres to Moutiers in the valley of the Isère.]

Beyond St. Michel the rly. ascends a beautiful gorge, and in about 4 m. commands to the rt. the mouth of the great tunnel, 300 ft. above the Mont Cenis road. On that road between St. Michel and Modane is laid the last scene of Sterne's 'Sentimental Journey.'

The Rly. crosses the Arc on the Iron Bridge of La Denise, and has risen 1128 ft., or on an average 110 ft. per mile, from St. Michel when it reaches

Modane Stat. (Inns: Lion d'Or, comfortable; Croix Blanche), terminus of the Italian Rly., with the Custom House, 1128 ft. above St. Michel. The rly. time from Modane is the heure de Rome, 47 min. faster than the heure de Paris. The town, surrounded by rich pastures, 3494 ft. above the sea, has a pop, of 1500. Near it is the Waterfall of Avrieux.

[Three passes lead from Modane across the chain separating Savoy from Piedmont. The shortest and most direct, but rough track, fit only for pedestrians, is by the Col de Fréjus, leading in about 5 hrs. to Bardonnèche. This passes very nearly over the part of the chain which is traversed by the tunnel. Somewhat farther W. is the much easier pass of the Col de la Roue, frequently traversed with mules by the country people, and leading in 6 hrs. to Bardonnèche. Farther still towards the W. is a rather higher and rougher path, but practicable for mules, by the Col de la Saume. For travellers going direct to Bardonnèche this has no advantage, but it leads by a very easy pass-the Echelles de Planpinet (5876 ft.) — to Briançon in Dauphiné. From the summit of the Col de la Saume a mountaineer will easily reach in 3 hrs. the summit of the Mont Tabor, 10,436 ft. in height, commanding a magnificent panoramic view of the western Alps. On the top is a stone pyramid marking one of the stations used 40 years ago in the measurement of an arc of parallel by the Sardinian engineers. The descent

may be made to Modane, to St. Michel by Valmeinier, or to Bardonnèche. N. of Modane are the Col de Chavière and Col d'Aussois (Rte. 157) to Pralognan in the valley of the Doron, passing to the W. of the Dent Parassée (12,137 ft.).]

From Modane the rly. follows the 1. bank of the Arc, passes the gallery of S. Antonio, and then sweeps to the rt. to double back. It enters the lateral valley of Rieux Roux, dives through the Replat tunnel, and returns westward, skirting the hills, to the entrance of the great

Tunnel through the Alps, first mooted in 1832, begun 1857 by the Government of Turin, pierced on the 25th of Dec. 1870, and opened on the 17th of Sept. 1871. This great work is nearly 8 m. in length (12,233.50 mètres), without a vertical shaft for ventilation. From its entrance on the N., 3904 ft. above the sea it rises by a gradient of 2 in 91 to its highest point, 4377 ft. or 3480 ft. below the range of alps overhead. It then descends by a slope of 1 in 2000 to its S. opening near Bardonnèche on the Italian side, 4344 ft. above the sea. The rock was cut by machines worked by compressed air, an improvement by MM. Grattoni, Grandis and Sommeiller upon others patented by Belgian, Piedmontese, and English engineers; M. Colladon, a Genevese professor, having been the first to suggest the substitution of air for steam. These machines, first used in Jan. 1861, were each of 250-horse power, and acted simultaneously on both sides of the mountain. The air was compressed by the water-power of a cascade; and the works above Modane, with the tubes conveying the air, were on an immense scale. The machines easily penetrated the rock, not by drilling, but by the blows of a chisel which turned slightly on its axis between every blow. After many holes had thus been bored simultaneously, the machine was withdrawn, and they were charged with powder and blasted. By these means the cavity

was enlarged, and it was then walled and arched in the usual way. The same compressed air which worked the machines most effectually ventilated the tunnel. It also cooled it by absorbing heat during its escape from a compression of 6 atmospheres. This work is commonly spoken of as a Tunnel under the Mont Cenis, but improperly so, as it lies about 16 m. from that pass.

About 20 min. carry the traveller through the tunnel and the Alps, from which he emerges within a quarter of a mile of

Bardonnèche Stat. The village lies under Mt. Fréjus, in a fertile valley at the junction of 4 mountain torrents. Above it are the ruins of a castle. The rail passes 2 tunnels and leaves the valley of Bardounèche at

Dora Riparia. Oulx village, deeply Oulx Stat., entering that of the bedded among mountains, is on the bank of the Dora di Cesanne. A viaduct on 15 arches is passed to

Salabertrand Stat. Near it is seen the waterfall of the Clairée, and the line passes through a gorge to the iron bridge of Combascura. 9 tunnels are traversed to

Chaumont Stat. Beyond Meana Stat. there is a fine view of the valley of the Dora, of the Roche Melon, and other mountains, with the road of the Mt. Cenis descending upon Susa. A noble bridge carries the line across the Dora Riparia to

Bussoleno Junct. Stat., where the Susa line falls in. 5 of the 24 miles from the Alps to this point are in tunnels. Hence the ride to Turin is through a beautiful country, the lower hills crowned by castles, the rich valley alive with water-mills, silk factories, and forges; to the rt. are the rocks of Mte. Viso, to the 1. the Levanna, Paradiso, and distant snows of Mte. Rosa; in front the Superga. The line joining that from Genoa, enters

Turin terminus at the Porta Nuova (Inns: H. de l'Europe; H. Trombetta; both excellent; H. de la Ligurie, near the Rly. Stat., good).

Pass of Mont Cenis.

Diligences from St. Michel to Susa in 8 hrs. (coupé 20 fr.; int. 18; banquette 16). They are usually so arranged as to cross the pass during the night. Voitures extra-poste, 125 fr. for 1 to 3 persons; 160 fr. 4 to 5; 200 fr. 5 to 7. The Inns on the road are dear, bad, and dirty; St. Michel's are the best.

The Mont Cenis road may be considered as beginning at Chambéry and ending at Susa. The carriage-road was constructed by the Chevalier Fabbroni, under the orders of Napoleon, at a cost of 300,000l., and was commenced in 1803 and finished in 1810. It is one of the safest and most practicable over the Alps during the winter. The valley of the Arc above St. Jean de Maurienne is on a grand scale, with wild and romantic scenery at Fort l'Esseillon on the ascent from Modane. On the pass there is a fine view from the 17th Refuge, and beautiful prospects on the descent into Italy.

The Mont Cenis, or Fell Railway, opened 1868, was an experimental line, constructed (at a cost of 80007. per mile) by Mr. Fell on a principle patented some 40 years ago by Mr. Vignolles and Mr. Ericsson, and first tried on the Cromford and High Peak line in England. The chief features of this plan are horizontal wheels which, when the break is applied, grasp a central rail, and thus enable trains to traverse curves of 135 feet radius, and to ascend and descend with safety gradients of 1 in 15, and even 1 in 12. This could not be done by an ordinary locomotive, and the attempt proved successful, except in a pecuniary point of view.

From Lanslebourg, where the pass properly begins, the line climbed on the outer edge of Napoleon's road in 6 sweeping zigzags, with a gradient of 1 in 15 to 1 in 124, to the top, a dis[Switz.]

tance of 61 m. and a height of 2240 ft. (or 4460 ft. above St. Michel). On the side of Italy it descended 5211 ft. to Susa, curling in its course like a serpent. The maximum speed here allowed was 15 m. per hr., but with the central-rail breaks moderately applied, the train ran easily down the steep and circuitous incline. The carriages were on the American model, with entrance behind and seats arranged in the omnibus fashion, and each had a guard and two breaks. The Fell railway was constructed entirely by English engineers and with English capital. For 30 m. it had the central rail, and the gauge was narrower than on the ordinary narrow-gauge lines in England and France. The drivers were English.