a work of art or utility. The work rooms are not shown, except to those who are furnished with a special permission from the Administrateur, which is rarely granted. The show rooms are open every day, except Sundays and holidays, from 11 to 4. The attendant expects a small fee. The Museum is open on Monday, without the production of a ticket; on other days a ticket must be procured from M. l'Administrateur de la Manufacture de Sèvres.

MALMAISON

Is about 10 miles from Paris, and is most conveniently reached by the Western Railway (St. Lazare Station), alighting at the Rueil Station (8 miles from Paris). Malmaison is distant about two miles from the station. Carriages are always to be found there. It was the favourite residence of Napoleon I. and the Empress Josephine. The latter died here on the 29th of May, 1814. It was purchased by the Empress while she was the Countess Beauharnais. After her marriage she frequently resided here during the absence of Napoleon. It afterwards passed into the hands of Prince Eugene, and subsequently came into the possession of Marie Christine, Queen Dowager of Spain, from whom it was purchased a few years since by the present Emperor. Various articles of furniture, and other relics of the Empress Josephine, have been collected from the several places inhabited by her, and may be seen in the apartments at Malmaison.

Josephine and Queen Hortense are both buried in the church at Rueil. The monument to the

latter was erected by her son, Napoleon III., by whom also the church has been restored.

ST. DENIS.

Tus town, about 4 miles from the Northern Railway Station, may be reached from it many times a-day. Population, 9,000. It is situated on a fertile plain, near the right bank of the Seine. It is well built, and has handsome barracks, an asylum for the houseless poor, a theatre, a public library, &c., but is chiefly noted for its ABBEY CHURCH, a fine specimen of Gothic architecture, rebuilt by St. Louis in 1231. It was originally founded in the seventh century, by Dagobert, in connection with the celebrated Benedictine Abbey of St. Denis, and formed the ordinary place of sepulture of the Royal Family of France, and of other illustrious personages. By decree of the Convention in 1793, the Royal tombs were destroyed, and the valuable relics and other treasures of the abbey, including the crown and sword of Charlemagne, the sword of Joan of Arc, the great cross, &c., carried away. building, stripped of its lead to furnish bullets for the revolutionists, remained roofless, and was used as a cattle-market until the time of the empire, when Napoleon commenced its restoration

The

a work which was completed by succeeding sovereigns in a style surpassing even its former splendour. The crypt of the abbey church contains statues of the French kings and princes from Clovis to Louis XVI.

In the chapels are now arranged the monuments which were formerly in the vaults, except those

of Louis XVI. and Marie Antoinette, the Duc de Berri and his children, the Prince de Condé and the Duc de Bourbon, Louis VII. and Louis XVIII.

To the right of the entrance to the choir, under a Gothic canopy, is the tomb of Dagobert and his Queen, recently restored, with interesting sculptures and basreliefs. The monument to the first Napoleon will stand opposite this. The hearts of Louis XIII. and XIV. are preserved in the church in silver caskets. Vaults are now being constructed for the remains of the Emperors of the French.

ROUTE 53.

BREST TO PARIS.

387 miles; 1st class, 69.80 francs; 2nd, 52.35 francs; 3rd, 38-40 francs.

REST (Hotels: des Voyageurs, Lamarque), population 68,000, is situated on the west coast of Brittany. It is a principal station of the French navy, and possesses one of the best harbours in the world. The town stands partly on a hill, and the streets are steep and i.regular, but in the suburb of Récouvrance the houses are well built, and the streets spacious. The principal public buildings and objects of curiosity are the barracks, the immense naval arsenal and dockyard, the iron swing-bridge, a prison, called Le Bagne, and capable of accommodating 4,000 convicts, house of correction, hospital, theatre, two marine academies, the cloth manufacto

ries, the foundries, and the fine walk called Le Cours, planted with trees, and overlooking the bay.

sexes.

The first station after leaving Brest is Landerneau (11 miles), (Hotels: de l'Univers, des Voyageurs); population, 6,934. It contains some curious old houses and gateways, one of which latter is the solitary remnant of the once famous Castle. MORLAIX (37 miles) (Hotels: de Provence, de l'Europe), population 14,008, is situated on a tidal river or creek, and has a convenient harbour. The manufacture of tobacco employs many hundreds of both The town is quaint and picturesque, bearing witness, in its streets and houses, to its great antiquity. Near the Fontaine des Anglais (so called on account of the slaughter near it of part of the invading force sent by Henry VIII. in 1522) is the agreeable promenade along the bank of the river, called Cours Beaumont. Beyond Morlaix we traverse a long viaduct across the valley of Douron, and, passing several unimportant stations, reach Guingamp (65 miles), pleasantly situated near the river Trieux. It contains a handsome church, and a beautiful fountain in the marketplace. Near ST. BRIEUC (92 miles) is the ancient Tour de Cesson, erected in 1395 to guard the entrance of the Gouet, and partially destroyed after the war of the League, in 1598. At Lamballe (105 miles) we see, above the town, the fine Gothic church of Notre Dame. The interior contains some richly-carved woodwork. Broons (121 miles) was the birthplace of the celebrated Bertrand Duguesclin, Constable of France. A monument in his honour stands on the site of the

Castle of La Motte Broons (in which he was born), about 1 miles from the town. RENNES (1543 miles). (Hotels: de France, Julien); population, 49,321, the ancient capital of Brittany. Here is the junction of the lines from Brest, Redon, Nantes, and St. Malo. The town is situated near the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. It contains some fine buildings; amongst them are the Cathedral, the Palais de Justice, the Lyceum (in which is a good collection of pictures), the Hotel de Ville, the Jardin des Plantes, and the public walks, which are extensive, and well planted with trees. One of the old gates, called la Porte Mordelaise, still exists. It bears a Roman inscription, not now legible. Vitré (1783 miles) affords a favourable specimen of a medieval town. The fortifications are, for the most part, in good preservation. The Castle is now a prison. LAVAL (201 miles), on the Mayenne, presents much the same characteristics as Vitré. Its Cathedral is very handsome. The industry of the town consists principally in the manufacture of linen and cotton goods, and thread. Laval was conspicuous in the Vendean insurrection of 1792. The next place of interest is LE MANS (256 miles). (Hotels: de la Boule d'Or, de France); population, 45,230. (About twenty minutes allowed here for refreshment.) Henry II. of England, the first of the Plantagenets, was born here. The Cathedral is a noble building, and its internal decorations are magnificent. The southern transept contains a monument to Berengaria, wife of Richard Cœur de Lion. There are some Roman remains in various parts of the town, and a

large stone, supposed to be Druidic, is imbedded in one of the walls of the cathedral. Passing through a beautiful expanse of country watered by the Huisne, we reach LA FERTE-BERNARD (282 miles), a town of about 2,615 inhabitants, with a beautiful church, and a fine Hótel-de-Ville. The next stoppage is at NOGENT-LE-ROTROU (2954 miles). (Hotels: du Dauphin, de la Gare); population, 7,105. The town occupies an attractive situation on the Huisne. It contains three handsome churches; the church of Notre Dame is distinguished by its fine façade, of the thirteenth century; the church of St. Laurent contains a picture of the martyrdom of that saint; in the church of St. Hilaire are some beautiful carvings, pictures, and stainedglass windows. The Chateau St. Jean, formerly the residence of Sully, stands on the side of a steep hill, and is approached by a flight of 150 steps. It is in tolerably good preservation, and has a picture-gallery, in which are paintings by Van Dyck, Ruysdael, and other celebrated artists. CHARTRES (333 miles), (Hotels: de France, du Duc de Chartres); population, 19,531; is an ancient town, built on the slope of a hill overlooking the river Eure. The Cathedral, one of the largest and most imposing ecclesiastical structures in Europe, with its lofty spires one of them rising to a height of more than 400 ft.-stands on the summit of the hill. It contains 130 stained-glass windows of great beauty both of colouring and design. The church of St. Pierre, and the obelisk to the memory of General Marceau, are also deserving of notice. Chartres has a large weekly corn-market, which is under the control of a corpora

tion of women. There is, moreover, a tribunal of commerce, a botanic garden, and a public library of 30,000 volumes. Leaving Chartres, we cross the Faubourg St. Jean over a viaduct of eighteen arches, and afterwards the Voise, and the valley through which it runs, on a viaduct of thirty-two arches, and presently reach MAINTENON (3443 miles), situated at the confluence of the Eure and the Voise. We see the Castle, with its demesne, given by Louis XIV. to his favourite, Madame de Maintenon, widow of the celebrated Scarron. Here are also the ruins of an aqueduct, and some Roman and Druidical remains. Near Epernon (349 miles) are the ruins of a castle, and of the ancient Priory of St. Thomas. RAMBOUILLET (3574 miles) is situated near a forest of the same name. The Château was, for a long time, the residence of the French kings, until the abdication of Charles X. in 1830. Shortly before reaching VERSAILLES (376 miles) we see, on the left, the military college of St. Cyr. Passing Versailles, with its palaces and beautiful grounds, we arrive, in about twenty-five minutes, at Paris (Mont Parnasse Terminus).

ROUTE 54.

CHERBOURG TO PARIS.

229 miles; 1st class, 41.55 francs; 2nd, 31-15 francs; 3rd, 22.85 francs.

HERBOURG. (Hotels: de l'Univers, de France, des Bains de Mer), population, 30,000, is a fortified seaport town and arsenal, situated at the head of a deep bay on the northern extremity of the peninsula of the Cotentin, on the English channel, and opposite the Isle of Wight.

Cherbourg has long been one of the principal stations of the French navy, and its improvement has, for many years, occupied the attention of the French government. It has numerous docks and basins, and a spacious harbour. It is protected against hostile attempts by its powerful fortifications, and against the encroachments of the sea by a digue, or breakwater, 4,120 yards in length. It has also a commercial port situated on the south-east, but it displays little activity. The town itself is insignificant, and there are no public buildings worthy of mention. There are some manufactures of hosiery, chemicals, lace leather, as well as sugar and salt refineries. In 1758, Cherbourg was taken by the English, who destroyed the naval and military works, and levied a contribution on the town. The place has no antiquities of interest.

and

BAYEUX (63 miles) (Hotel: du Luxembourg), an episcopal see, with a population of about 9,500, is the first place of any note after we leave Cherbourg. The Cathedral, with its ancient crypt, is well

worth inspection; but the principal object of interest is the celebrated Bayeux Tapestry, said to have been worked by Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror. It consists of fifty-eight compartments, representing incidents connected with the Norman invasion and conquest of England. It is preserved in a room in the Public Library, which, amongst other curiosities, contains the seal of Lothaire and that of William the Conqueror. From Bayeux we proceed to

CAEN (82 miles). (Hotels: d'Angleterre, Humby's). Population 44,000, comprising a considerable number of English residents. (A delay of twenty minutes for refreshment.) The Church of St. Etienne, erected by William the Conqueror, and in which his remains were buried, is a fine specimen of Norman architecture. A grey marble slab, in front of the high altar, marks his grave, but it was ransacked successively by the Huguenots and the revolutionary mobs of 1793, and the bones disinterred and scattered. There are several other churches, and some noteworthy public buildings; amongst others, the Hotelde-Ville, which contains a good picture gallery; the Antiquarian Museum, that of the Société Française d'Archéologie, the Cabinet d'Histoire Naturelle, &c. The quarries supplied_the_celebrated stone of which old London Bridge, the White Tower, Henry VII.'s Chapel, the cathedrals of Winchester and Canterbury, and many other churches throughout England are constructed. Lisieur (112 miles) has a plainly-built cathedral of the thirteenth century, and a Hospice, in the chapel of which are preserved the vestments of Thomas à Becket. The Gardens and Boulevards are well

laid out. At BERNAY (131 miles) (Hotels du Cheval Blanc), a small manufacturing town, the train stops about twenty minutes. The ancient abbey, founded A.D. 1000 by Judith, the wife of Richard II., Duke of Normandy, and partially rebuilt in the seventeenth century, now serves as the town-hall. The public gardens are among the most beautiful in France. Passing Serquigny (135) miles), where we see the remains of a Roman camp called Fort St. Mark, and Beaumont-le-Roger, a few miles further on, containing a fine church, and the ruins of an abbey, we reach Conches (151 miles), pleasantly situated on the summit of a hill, near an extensive forest. Here are the ruins of the ancient Donjon or Keep, and those of a Benedictine Priory. next stop at Evreux (162 miles). (Hotels: du Grand Carf, du Dauphin), where there is a noble cathedral, with the Episcopal Palace adjoining it, and, at some distance, the church of St. Taurin, surmounted by a handsome belfry, and containing very rich internal decorations. The Museum possesses a choice collection of medals, statues, ancient pottery, &c.; and there are numerous rare and valu

We

able manuscripts preserved among the municipal archives. After passing Evreux we go through a long tunnel, and reach Bueil (179 miles), and MANTES (194 miles). From hence to Paris thirty-five miles, see Route 52.