ROUTE 52. YVERDUN, OR LAUSANNE, TO THE LAC DE JOUX. This is an exceedingly pretty excursion of two days, well worth taking by those who wish to see the best Jura scenery. There are diligences to Le Pont, in the Vallée de Joux, from-a, Cossonay; b, Chavornay. a. Cossonay Stat. (Rte. 49). From this a diligence with only two seats starts once a day, on the arrival of the train from Lausanne, and reaches Le Pont in 4 hrs. up (3 hrs. down), passing over a high ridge, whence there is a very fine view of the Alps. Le Pont (see below). to Worms, and there barbarously put to death. The three sons of Lothaire I. met here, in 855, to divide his kingdom. In 1475 the Swiss took Orbe by assault; but the Castle made a lengthened resistance. The garrison, yielding step by step, disputed the possession of each chamber, stair, and passage. The last remnant were pursued into a tower, which the Swiss set fire to, and the few who fell into their hands alive were thrown over the battlements. The site of the castle now forms the public promenade, whence in clear weather there is a fine view over the valleys of the Orbe and Noxon to the Bernese Alps. Two towers of the castle are still standing. An attempt was made in 1639 to connect the lakes of Geneva and Neuchâtel by a canal between the rivers Orbe and Venoge; it was cut as far as Entre Roche, about 12 m., but was never carried further. About 2 m. above Orbe, near Mont Charand, is a cascade of the Orbe. The road to the valley of Joux leaves Orbe by the new bridge spanning the ravine of the Orbe, and soon begins to ascend by a series of zig b. Chavornay Stat. (Rte. 49). From this an omnibus goes, on the arrival of most trains, to Orbe, 2 m.; whence diligence once a day to Le Pont, 13 m. The diligence is very slow, and, stop-zags, commanding very fine views of pages included, not less than 5 hrs. are consumed between Chavornay and Le Pont. After leaving Chavornay Stat. the road crosses numerous branches of the Orbe and Noxon, through a flat valley to Orbe (Inn: Ecu de France, fair and cheap; Maison de Ville; Guillaume Tell), a very picturesque and ancient town of 1927 Inhab., built on a hill nearly insulated by the Orbe, which is crossed by 3 bridges. The lower bridge, on the road to the Vallée de Joux, is of great antiquity; the upper and modern one, of a single arch, 124 ft. span, is in use at present. Orbe was the Roman station Urbigenum, and a place of importance in the middle ages, under the Burgundian Kings, who had a Royal Castle here. The fair but cruel Brunehilde, Queen of the Franks, took refuge here, with her granddaughter, but was carried a prisoner the snowy alps on the one side, and of the Jura range on the other. The country through which the road passes is fertile and pretty, and the road in beautiful order. Romainmotier is a small village, most picturesquely placed in a hollow. The church of its old abbey is one of the oldest and most interesting in Switzerland; the nave remains as it was in 753. The road now follows the green and pleasant valley of the little river Nozon, continually ascending for 1 hr. to Vaulion, a little village in a wider part of the valley, inhabited by shoemakers, and overhung by the Dent de Vaulion. [The diligence stops a long time here, and the pedestrian will do well to ascend the Dent de Vaulion at once, walking about 1 m. along the high road, then turning to the right and ascending the mountain which lies before him, de scending from the summit by another path to Le Pont.] A series of zigzags take the carriage-road to a higher level, where little but short grass, rocks, and firs is to be seen. The road is beautifully kept, and reminds the traveller strongly of a large English park. A short descent through a narrow pass, bordered by limestone cliffs and firs, brings us to Le Pont (Inn: H. de la Truite, tolerable), a little village, named from a bridge across the channel which connects the Lac de Joux with the small Lac des Brenets. It is very prettily situated at the N. end of the Lac de Joux, and looks like an English village, with its neat roads, good houses, and green fields. There are guides, but only one or two horses, and no sidesaddles. Care should be taken in walking amongst these mountains to avoid old wells dug for the flocks, and imperfectly covered. An unfortunate English gentleman, named Herbert, was drowned in one near the châlets of the Mont Tendre in 1837, and is buried at Mont Richer. The valley in which the Lac de Jour is situated contains two other lakes, Le Ter and Brenets, and is entirely shut in by high hills; so that, although these sheets of water are fed by all the streams of the valley, they have no visible outlet above ground. There are, however, large cavities and orifices in the beds of these lakes, called entonnoirs, through which the waters escape. These fissures are sometimes incapable of carrying off the waters, and thus inundations are caused in the valley. A tunnel, of no very great extent, might drain the lake entirely. The Lac de Joux is 3210 ft. above the level of the sea. Its quiet aspect, surrounded by grassy mountains, limestone cliffs, and woods of beech and fir, would, if it were more in the highway, make the valley a popular resort. Several pleasant excursions may be made. a. To ascend the Dent de Vaulion, the summit of which is not visible from Le Pont, go along the high road to Vallorbe for about a mile, until the road opens into a little valley. Cross the little meadow or marsh, and begin to ascend through the woods in a Ñ.E. direction. After a short walk through the wood the path follows a little valley or depression of green sward, between fir-trees and beeches. Beyond this there is no regular path, but you should continue to ascend, and the top (4930 ft.) will be reached in an hour's good walking from Le Pont. A guide is not absolutely necessary, but without one you will probably lose some time. The N.W. side of the summit is a sheer limestone precipice of some 1500 ft., looking down into the green valley of the Orbe. N. is seen the range of the Jura, E. the Bernese Alps, S. the chain of the Pennine Alps to Mont Blanc; the rest is concealed by the Mont Tendre. S.W. the lake and valley of Joux. b. About 10 min. from the village of Abbaye, which is 2 m. from Le Pont, by climbing up a steep and picturesque ravine, out of which a fine stream issues, a cavern, called Chaudière d'Enfer, will be found, into which, by crawling and using a rope, you can penetrate about 200 yds. to a little lake or pool. There are other unexplored recesses in the cavern. Guide at the inn, 2 fr. c. Another ascent is to the Mont Tendre (5510 ft.). The path to it goes up on the 1. bank of the ravine, behind Abbaye; and the ascent occupies 3 hrs. from Le Pont. The view from its summit, extending to Mont Blanc on the one side, and to Soleure on the other, will repay the trouble of the ascent. There is a path down the opposite side of the mountain, leading, in 2 hrs., to the village of Mont Richer. d. Instead of returning direct to Chavornay, the pedestrian who has ascended the Dent de Vaulion may either take a path on the N. shore of the Lac de Brenets, or follow the high road to Vallorbe, and visit the source of the Orbe, which rises at once a copious spring, fed no doubt by subterraneous conduits from the Lac de Joux. Near the source is an extensive cavern, called Grotte des Fées. The source is about 6 m. from Le Pont, round the L. Brenet. By starting in the morning the pedestrian may catch the diligence from Salins to Chavornay, and so return by the pretty vale of the Orbe. e. Or the excursion may be prolonged by either shore of the Lac de Joux to Le Brassus, a thriving town of watchmakers, and thence to Les Rousses, on the old post-road to Geneva, descending from which place there is a very fine view of the Alps. f. Another route is to cross from Le Brassus to the village of St. Georges, by the Asile de Marcheiruz, 3 hrs. walk; from thence 3 leagues by a good road to Rolle, on the Lake of Geneva (Rte. 55). ROUTE 53. LYONS, OR MACON, TO GENEVA From Macon to Geneva, 114 m.; from Lyons, 100 m.; 3 trains daily in about 6 and 7 hrs. The rly. from Lyons and that from Paris (passing through Macon) join at the Ambérieu Junc. Stat., distance 28 m. from Lyons, 42 m. from Macon. There is but one express train each way daily. From Ambérieu the rly. ascends the rocky valley of the little river Serrant, making considerable curves, to Tenay Stat., beautifully situated at the junction of three valleys. Soon after this the road passes between lofty cliffs not unlike those of Clifton, and by a series of little lakes, which occasioned great difficulties to the engineers. A tunnel is passed to Rossillon Stat. Here the summit level is reached, and the road emerges on the Swiss side of the Jura. Limestone mountains seem to close round the line, and there is a magnificent view of distant mountains. The road passes under the Grand Colombier, which overhangs Culoz Junc. Stat. (Inns: Croix Blanche; Union). Here the line to Chambéry and Turin (Rte. 153) branches off. The rly. to Geneva henceforward keeps close to the Rhône, only leaving at one point in order to cut off an angle. Here Seyssel Stat., on the Rhône. are quarries which furnish asphalte. Billiat Stat. 1 m. hence is the Malpertuis ("pertuis" means a gorge), an abyss even more imposing than the Perte du Rhône (see further on). The river quietly flows at a depth of 600 ft. between walls of rock, sometimes not more than 14 ft. apart. Bellegarde Stat. The last town in France, and French custom-house. 10 min. walk from stat., behind the H. de la Poste, is the Perte du Rhône. The gorge of the Valscrene is crossed on a viaduct; far below is the old road and bridge. Through the Credo Tunnel (Rte. 53 e). The extensive fortifications of the Fort de l'Ecluse, are passed near Collonges Stat., in a narrow defile; rt. rises the Vuache, 1. the Jura chain. This pass was fortified by Julius Cæsar. The Swiss territory is entered at Challex, 7 m. from Geneva Terminus, at end of Rue de Mt. Blanc, leading to the lake and bridge. GENEVA. (Germ. Genf; Ital. Ginevra.) Inns ; *H. de la Métropole, an immense establishment opposite the Jardin Anglais, a first-rate hotel. H. de la Paix, Quai de Mt. Blanc, kept by the former landlord of the Ecu, excellent, a much finer house, and equally well managed; Hôtel des Bergues; Couronne, well managed, moderate, civil landlord--all these are excellent inns, facing the lake. Hotel Victoria, near the rly. stat., 1st class; H. Schweitzerhof; H. Beaurivage and d'Angleterre ; H. l'Ecu de Genève; H. du Rhône (bad smells), reasonable, 2nd class; La Balance most comfortable as a 2nd class inn. Restaurant, Richter (Lion d'Or), good. Cafés, Du Nord (also restaurant), facing the lake, one of the best in Switzerland; La Poste.. Passports are never required at Geneva, Aral through Geneva from the Rly. Stat. to the Bridge of Mt. Blanc. View of the mountain from Quai du Mt. Blane; Jardin Anglais; Relief of Mt. Blanc; Pierre de Niton; Public Library in Rue Verdaine; Cathedral; House of Calvin, 11, Rue des Chanoines; House of J. J. Rousseau, 40, Grande Rue; Musée de l' Académie; H. de Viile; Arsenal opposite Atheum; along the promenade of La Treille to the Botanic Garden, by the Theatre to Musée Rath; Place Neuve; Fountain of the Escalade (see History) at end of Rue des Allemands; by the Quais to Rue Mt. Blanc. Humphry Davy attributed it to the presence of iodine. The extreme purity lasts but for a short space, since a mile below the town it is polluted by the admixture of the waters of the turbid Arve. Geneva, when seen from the lake, presents a very imposing appearance, in consequence of improvements, made since 1830, for which it is indebted, in no slight degree, to the circulation of the gold of English travellers among its inhabitants. Several new quarters have started up on the banks of the Rhone and the margin of the lake, displaying handsome fronts of tall houses, lined with broad quays towards the lake. The Quai de Mont Blanc is a continuation of Quai des Bergues, and forms a row of magnificent houses. On the S. bank of the Rhone the unsightly houses which lined the margin of the lake have been refaced and beautified, while a broad belt of land has been gained from the water, and converted into a line of Quais. The Quais on both sides are connected by three handsome Bridges, thrown across the lake. The longest of these, completed 1863, leads from the Rlwy. and Quai du Mont Blanc to the Grand Quai and English Garden on S. side of the Lake. Another bridge is united with a small island, formerly a part of the fortifications, now occupied by a very inferior statue of Rousseau, by Pradier. Since 1848 the fortifications have been razed, those near the Porte de Rive partly thrown into the lake, so as to form another new Quai, occupied by streets and houses. Geneva is divided into the upper and lower town; and this distinction, arising from the uneven nature of the ground, is perpetuated in the rank and condition of the inhabitants of the two divisions. The upper Geneva, though the capital of the smallest of the Swiss cantons, except Zug, is the most populous town in the Confederation, since it contains 41,756 Inhab. (9322 Rom. Catholics, and 14,795 foreigners). It is well situated, at the W. extremity of the lake of Geneva, at the point where the blue waters of the arrowy Rhone" issue out of it. The river divides the town into two parts; the smaller on the rt. bank being called town Quartier St. Gervais. The intensely blue colour of the waters of the Rhone, alluded to by Byron, is certainly very remarkable, and resembles nothing so much as the discharge of indigo from dyer's vat. The cause of it has not been satisfactorily explained. Sir consists almost entirely of the large and handsome mansions of the burgher aristocracy, heretofore the senators and magistrates of the republic, between whom and the inhabitants of the lower town, consisting of shopkeepers, a strong social line is drawn. The Quartier de St. Ger |