A Tour Through the Pyrenees

by Hippolyte Taine

CONTENTS.

BOOK I.—THE COAST.
CHAPTER I.—BORDEAUX.—ROY AN...................[003]
“ II.—LES LANDES.—BAYONNE..............[012]
“ III.—BIARRITZ.—SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ.....[035]
BOOK II.—THE VALLEY OF OSSAU.
CHAPTER I. —DAX.—OR THEZ.....................[057]
“ II.—PAU.............................[085]
“ III.—EAUX-BONNES...................[117]
“ IV.—LANDSCAPES.....................[138]
“ V.—EAUX-CHAUDES...................[169]
“ VI.—THE INHABITANTS.................[186]
BOOK III.—THE VALLEY OF LUZ.
CHAPTER I.—ON THE WAY TO LUZ.................[225]
“ II.—LUZ..............................[250]
“ III.—SAINT-SAUVEUR.—BAREGES.........[266]
“ IV.—CAUTERE..........................[290]
“ V.—SAINT-SATIN.......................[315]
“ VI.—GAVARNIE.........................[326]
“ VII.—THE BERGONZ.—THE PIC DU MIDI...[352]
“ VIII.—PLANTS AND ANIMALS.............[367]
BOOK. IV.—BAGNÈRES AND LUCHON.
CHAPTER I.—FROM LUZ TO BAGNÈRES-DE-BIGORRE...[389]
“ II.—BAGNÈRES-DE-BIGORRE..............[412]
“ III.—THE PEOPLE......................[420]
“ IV—THE ROAD TO BAGNÈRES-DE-LUCHON....[468]
“ V—LUCHON.............................[485]
“ VI.—TOULOUSE.........................[509]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
THE PINES.....................................[003]
THE RIVER AFTER A STORM.......................[004]
THE PINES NEAR ROYAN..........................[007]
THE BROAD RIVER...............................[009]
BORDEAUX......................................[010]
TAIL-PIECE....................................[011]
LES LANDES....................................[012]
LES LANDES (SECOND VIEW)......................[014]
TAIL-PIECE....................................[016]
A STREET IN BAYONNE...........................[018]
BAYONNE HARBOR................................[019]
PÉ DE PUYANE..................................[022]
THE BURNING CASTLE............................[025]
HEAD-PIECE....................................[035]
THE PIERCED ROCK..............................[036]
TAIL-PIECE....................................[039]
THE VILLA EUGENIE.............................[040]
CLIFFS NEAR SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ.................[042]
COAST NEAR SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ..................[045]
TAIL-PIECE....................................[046]
LOUIS XIV. AND ANNE OF AUSTRIA................[047]
THE POLITENESS OF TO-DAY......................[048]
THE POLITENESS OF OTHER DAYS..................[049]
“JE VOUS LE RENDS.”...........................[053]
A SPLENDID CREATION...........................[054]
DAX...........................................[057]
CASTLE OF ORTHEZ..............................[061]
FROISSART.....................................[062]
“THAT STOUT CORNIFIC DOCTOR”..................[066]
COUNT DE FOIX AT SUPPER.......................[068]
THE COUNT DE FOIX’S HOSPITALITY...............[071]
A FRENCH “CONDUCTOR”..........................[072]
“FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE DO NOT KILL GASTON”........[074]
GASTON IN THE TOWER OF ORTHEZ.................[076]
COUNT DE FOIX.................................[077]
TAILPIECE.....................................[078]
CHAPTER-HEADING...............................[079]
THE VALLEY OF OSSAU...........................[082]
A DESTRUCTION OF SENTIMENT....................[084]
AVENUE OF THE CHATEAU AT PAU..................[085]
ARMS OF HENRY IV..............................[087]
COURT OF THE CHATEAU AT PAU...................[088]
PAU...........................................[090]
JEANNE D’ALBRET...............................[092]
A MORNING’S SPORT.............................[094]
IN THE STREETS Of EAUSE.......................[097]
SULLY.........................................[100]
MARGUERITE OK NAVARRE.........................[104]
ENTERTAINING THE LADIES.......................[106]
THE PARK AT PAU...............................[108]
PROTRACTING A REVERIE.........................[109]
PIC DU MIDI OSSAU.............................[111]
AN EXHORTATION................................[113]
NEAR GAN......................................[114]
THE VALLEY OK OSSAU...........................[115]
ROAD TO EAUX BONNES...........................[116]
THE PROMENADE.................................[117]
NEAR EAUX BONNES..............................[118]
A RAINY DAY AT EAUX BONNES....................[119]
TAKING THE WATERS.............................[121]
TAKING THE WATERS (SECOND VIEW)...............[122]
“MUSIC HAITI CHARMS”..........................[123]
A NATIVE GENIUS...............................[125]
DOLCE FAR NIENTE.............................[126]
OUR AMATEURS..................................[127]
THE BEECHES...................................[128]
THE SUMMIT OF THE GER.........................[131]
TAIL-PIECE....................................[133]
THE ART OK PLEASURE...........................[134]
THE “JEU DU CANARD”...........................[135]
PLEASURE WITHOUT THE ART......................[137]
“A LANDSCAPE”.................................[138]
EXCELSIOR.....................................[139]
THE VALENTIN FALLS AT DISCOO..................[140]
CASCADE OF THE VALENTIN.......................[142]
PATH TO THE GORGE OF THE SERPENT..............[144]
THE GAVE......................................[146]
A DISTANT TALE................................[148]
SOLITUDE......................................[150]
A WATER POWER.................................[152]
THE MIGHTY STREAM.............................[155]
'PAPI’........................................[157]
A TOO DISTANT LANDSCAPE.......................[159]
A VANTAGE-POINT...............................[161]
THE PEAKS.....................................[163]
ABOVE GABAS...................................[166]
“TO HIM WHO, IN LOVE OF NATURE”...............[168]
AMONG THE CLOUDS..............................[169]
ROUTE TO EAUX CHAUDES.........................[170]
ON THE ROAD TO EAUX CHAUDES...................[171]
“A WILD AND SUNNY NEST”.......................[174]
“COLD AND SAD”................................[175]
NEAR EAUX CHAUDES.............................[177]
“EGYPT BEFORE THE COMING OF WARRIORS”.........[182]
SOMEBODY’S JOVE...............................[185]
THE INHABITANTS...............................[186]
FIDDLERS THREE................................[187]
“A SORT OF ROUNDELAY”.........................[189]
“THEY CLUMSILY BENT THE KNEE”.................[192]
“FIVE OR SIX OLD WOMEN”.......................[194]
THE PEAK OF THE GER...........................[196]
MEETING A LADY................................[200]
A STOCK-DEALER................................[200]
YOUR OBEDIENT SERVANT.........................[201]
DISINTERESTED HOSPITALITY.....................[201]
AN AMATEUR SKETCH.............................[203]
THE DEATH OF ROLAND...........................[206]
“A WELL-TO-DO PEASANT”........................[207]
CHIVALRIC WAR.................................[209]
SCIENTIFIC WAR................................[209]
THE BATTLE OF RONCEVAUX.......................[212]
“WHEN FIGHTING IS TO BE DONE”.................[214]
HENRY OF BEARN................................[215]
“AT THE HEAD OF THE ARMY”.....................[217]
“VERY DARING”.................................[219]
MLLE. DE SÉGUR................................[220]
GASSION’S BOB-TAIL............................[222]
ON THE WAY TO LUZ.............................[225]
A SMILING COUNTRY.............................[226]
“WHAT WE ALL HEARD THIS NIGHT”.-..............[228]
ORTHON’S TRANSFORMATION.......................[234]
LETTING THE DOGS LOOSE........................[235]
“THE RACE OF FAMILIARS AND FAIRIES”...........[237]
A BROODING SUPERSTITION,......................[238]
CHAPEL OF LESTELLE............................[240]
NEAR LOURDES..................................[242]
GORGE OF PIERREFITTE..........................[243]
“HEAVY CLOUDS ROSE IN THE SKY”................[248]
OLD HOUSE OF THE TEMPLARS AT LUZ..............[250]
RUIN OF A CHATEAU NEAR LUZ....................[253]
MAX GETS FROM THE DESERT AS MUCH AS HE CAN....[257]
THE VALLEY OF LUZ.............................[259]
PROGRESS......................................[261]
SAINT-PIERRE..................................[263]
“THIS HEIGHT IS A DESERT”.....................[264]
“NO ONE COMES”................................[265]
SAINT-SAUVEUR.................................[267]
THE GAVE AT SUNSET............................[272]
RUNNING WATERS................................[274]
“THE POPLARS RISE ONE ABOVE ANOTHER”..........[275]
BAREGES.......................................[277]
THE MILITARY HOSPITAL.........................[278]
TAIL-PIECE....................................[279]
THE FIRS......................................[283]
“OUT FROM THE CIVIL WARS”.....................[287]
“THESE OLD WASTED MOUNTAINS”..................[288]
MADAME DE MAINTENON...........................[289]
A FEW BLANDISHMENTS...........................[290]
THE PATIENTS OF THE OLDEN TIME................[291]
THE LAKE OF GAUBE.............................[293]
DIANA.........................................[295]
NEAR PONT D’ESPAGNE...........................[299]
STORM AT CAUTERETS............................[302]
VALLEY OF THE GAVE IN A STORM.................[304]
NEAR THE LAKE OF GAUISE.......................[307]
CAUTERET’S....................................[311]
THE FOAMING GAVE..............................[313]
HENRY IV AND FRANCIS I........................[314]
A FRESHETT IN THE MOUNTAINS..................[315]
“A HORRIBLE WORLD”............................[316]
ABBEY OF SAINT-SAVIN..........................[318]
CASCADE OF CERLSEY, NEAR PONT D’ESPAGNE.......[320]
PRAYER........................................[325]
ENJOYING HIE SCENERY..........................[326]
A MOUNTAIN FUNERAL............................[328]
BRIDGE AT SCIA................................[330]
VILLAGE OF GEDRES.............................[333]
CHAOS.........................................[337]
“THE TUMBLED ROCKS”...........................[339]
SIECHEUR......................................[342]
THE MOUNTAIN SIDE.............................[343]
THE FRECHE DE ROLAND..........................[344]
THE AMPHITHEATRE NEAR GAVARNIE................[346]
“THE THIRTEENTH CASCADE ON THE LEFT”..........[347]
THE CASCADE AS SEEN FROM THE INN..............[349]
RECIPROCITY...................................[351]
THE APPRECIATIVE..............................[352]
ASCENT OF THE BERGONZ.........................[354]
THE EAGLES....................................[355]
MONT PERDU....................................[359]
AN EARLY INHABITANT...........................[362]
SCENERY DURING AN ASCENT......................[365]
“ALLEZ DOUCEMENT; ALLEZ TOUJOURS”.............[366]
A STIMULATING DREAM...........................[367]
THE PINES.....................................[369]
A SHOWER IN A FOREST OF BRUSH-FIRS............[373]
CONTEMPLATION.................................[376]
A POOR DANCER.................................[377]
“THE ISARD DWELLS ABOVE THE BEAR”.............[378]
AN ARGUMENT...................................[379]
A HERD OF GOATS...............................[381]
“THE HAPPIEST ANIMAL IN CREATION”.............[383]
DISTINGUISHED NATIVES.........................[386]
IN MOUNT CAMPANA..............................[389]
DE BÉNAC IN EGYPT.............................[390]
“THEY TRAVERSED A WALL OF CLOUDS”.............[395]
“MORNING DAWNED”..............................[396]
“THE HALL WAS FULL”...........................[398]
“STRANGE IMAGES ROSE IN HIS BRAIN”............[399]
BÉNAC A HERMIT................................[403]
BEYOND LOURDES................................[404]
CITY OF TORBES................................[406]
MEPHISTOPHELES................................[411]
BAGNÈRES DE-BIGORRE...........................[412]
ONE OF THE FIRST PATRONS......................[419]
SOCIETY.......................................[420]
AN OLD CAMPAIGNER.............................[422]
A YOUNG CAMPAIGNER............................[422]
A MAN OF PEACE................................[422]
A MODEL MAN...................................[423]
IN DANGER.............................:.......[424]
VARIOUS TOURISTS..............................[428]
THE LAC D’OO..................................[431]
TOURISTS COMME IL FAUT........................[434]
FAMILY TOURISTS...............................[435]
DINING TOURISTS...............................[436]
LEARNED TOURISTS..............................[438]
A MAN OF ESPRIT...............................[444]
CONNOISSEURS..................................[446]
BEETHOVEN.....................................[447]
A SERENADER...................................[454]
A HISTORIAN...................................[456]
A PROFESSIONAL CHARACTER......................[458]
THE PLEASURES OF WINTER.......................[461]
A DISCUSSION WITHIN BOUNDS....................[463]
HEAVEN........................................[464]
THE SOURCE OF THINGS..........................[466]
GRACE AT MEAT.................................[467]
THE REST OF THE WEARY.........................[468]
AT THE HOTEL OF THE GREAT SUN.................[470]
NEAR LUCHON...................................[473]
CHAPELLE AND LACHAUMONT.......................[476]
VALLEY OF LUCHON..............................[481]
URBS IN REVRE.................................[484]
HEAD-PIECE....................................[485]
A TALENTED FAMILY.............................[487]
LUCHON........................................[491]
BAGNERES......................................[493]
“ALL WAS IN HARMONY”..........................[495]
NEAR CASTEL-VIEIL.............................[497]
RUINS OF CASTEL-VIEIL.........................[499]
THE MALADETTA.................................[503]
“THESE MOUNTAIN SKELETONS”....................[505]
“A CLEFT IN THE ETERNAL ROCK”.................[507]
TAIL-PIECE....................................[508]
HEAD-PIECE....................................[509]
ST. BERTRAND DE COMINGES......................[510]
TOULOUSE......................................[512]
SAINT SERININE AT TOULOUSE....................[515]
CHURCH OF ST. ETIENNE, TOULOUSE...............[519]
THE MUSEUM AT TOULOUSE........................[521]

TO MARCELIN.

(EMILE PLANAT.)

This, my dear Marcelin, is a trip to the Pyrenees; I have been there, and that is a praiseworthy circumstance; many writers, including some of the longest-winded, have described these scenes without leaving home.

And yet I have serious shortcomings to confess, and am deeply humbled thereat. I have not been the first to scale any inaccessible mountain; I have broken neither leg nor arm; I have not been eaten by the bears; I have neither saved any English heiress from being swept away by the Gave, nor yet have I married one; I have not been present at a single duel; my experiences include no tragic encounter with brigands or smugglers. I have walked much, and talked a little, and now I recount the pleasures of my eyes and ears. What sort of a man can he be who comes home from a long absence bringing all his limbs with him, is not the least in the world a hero, and yet does not blush to confess it? In this book I have talked as if with thee. There is a Marcelin whom the public knows, a shrewd critic, a caustic wit, the lover and delineator of every worldly elegance; there is another Marcelin, known to but three or four, a learned and thoughtful man. If there are any good ideas in this work, half of them belong to him; to him, then, I restore them.