THE LOIRE, THE ISERE, AND THE GARONNE,

THROUGH THE GREATER PART OF THEIR COURSE.

MADE BY PERMISSION OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PINKNEY,

OF THE NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE RANGERS.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR T. PURDAY AND SON, NO. 1, PATERNOSTER-ROW,
AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS:
BY B. M^cMILLAN, BOW STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
1809.

CONTENTS.

[CHAP. I].
Anxiety to see France—Departure from Baltimore—Singular
Adventures of the Captain—Character—Employment during
the Voyage—Arrival at Liverpool—Stay—Departure for Calais
[CHAP. II].
Morning View of Port—Arrival and landing—A Day at Calais—French
Market, and Prices of Provisions
[CHAP. III].
Purchase of a Norman Horse—Visit in the Country—Family of
a French Gentleman—Elegance of French domestic Economy—Dance
on the Green—Return to Calais
[CHAP. IV].
French Cottages—Ludicrous Exhibition—French Travellers—Chaise
de Poste—Posting in France—Departure from Calais—Beautiful
Vicinity of Boulogne
[CHAP. V].
Boulogne—Dress of the Inhabitants—The Pier—Theatre—Caution
in the Exchange of Money—Beautiful Landscape, and
Conversation with a French Veteran—Character of Mr.
Parker's Hotel—Departure, and romantic Road—Fête Champetre
in a Village on a Hill at Montreuil—Ruined Church and
Convent
[CHAP. VI].
Departure from Montreuil—French Conscripts—Extreme Youth—Excellent
Roads—Country Labourers—Court for the Claims
of Emigrants—Abbeville—Companion on the Road—Amiens
[CHAP. VII].
General Character of the Town—Public Walk—Gardens—Half-yearly
Fair—Gaining Houses—Table d'Hôtes—English at
Amiens—Expence of Living
[CHAP. VIII].
French and English Roads compared—Gaiety of French Labourers—Breteuil—Apple-trees
in the midst of Corn-fields—Beautiful
Scenery—Cheap Price of Land in France—Clermont—Bad
Management of the French Farmers—Chantilly-Arrival
at Paris
[CHAP. IX].
A Week in Paris—Objects and Occurrences—National Library—A
French Rout—Fashionable French Supper—Conceits—Presentation
at Court—Audience
[CHAP. X].
Departure from Paris for the Loire—Breakfast at Palaiseau—A
Peasant's Wife—Rambouillet—Magnificent Chateau—French
Curé—Chartres—Difference of Old French and English
Towns—Subterraneous Church—Curious Preservation of
the Dead—Angers—Arrival at Nantes
[CHAP. XI].
Nantes—Beautiful Situation—Analogy of Architecture with the
Character of its Age—Singular Vow of Francis the Second—Departure
from Nantes—Country between Nantes and Angers—Angers
[CHAP. XII].
Angers—Situation—Antiquity and Face of the Town—Grand
Cathedral—Markets—Prices of Provisions—Public Walks—Manners
and Diversions of the Inhabitants—Departure from
Angers—Country between Angers and Saumur—Saumur
[CHAP. XIII]
Tours—Situation and general Appearance of it—Origin of the
Name of Huguenots—Cathedral Church of St. Martin—The
Quay—Markets—Public Walk—Classes of Inhabitants—Environs—Expences
of Living—Departure from Tours—Country
between Tours and Amboise
[CHAP. XIV].
Lovely Country between Amboise and Blois—Ecures—Beautiful
Village—French Harvesters—Chousi—Village Inn—Blois—Situation—Church—Market—Price
of Provisions
[CHAP. XV].
Houses in Chalk Hills—Magnificent Castle at Chambord—Return
from Chambord by Moon-light—St. Laurence on the
Waters
[CHAP. XVI].
Comparative Estimate of French and English Country Inns—Tremendous
Hail Storm—Country Masquerade—La Charité—Beauty
and Luxuriance of its Environs—Nevers—Fille-de-Chambre—Lovely
Country between Nevers and Moulins-Treading
Corn—Moulins—Price of Provisions
[CHAP. XVII].
Country between Moulins and Rouane—Bresle—Account of the
Provinces of the Nivernois and Bourbonnois—Climate—Face
of the Country—Soil—Natural Produce—Agricultural Produce—Kitchen
Garden—French Yeomen—Landlords—Price
of Land—Leases—General Character of the French Provincial
Farmers
[CHAP. XVIII].
Lyons—Town-Hall—Hotel de Dieu—Manufactories—Price of
Provisions—State of Society—Hospitality to Strangers—Manners—Mode
of Living—Departure—Vienne—French Lovers
[CHAP. XIX].
Avignon—Situation—Climate—Streets and Houses—Public
Buildings—Palace—Cathedral—Petrarch and Laura—Society
at Avignon—Ladies—Public Walks-—Prices of Provisions—Markets
[CHAP. XX].
Departure from Avignon—Olive and Mulberry Fields—Orgon—St.
Canat—French Divorces—Inn at St. Canat—Aix—Situation—Cathedral—Society—Provisions—Price
of Land—Marseilles—Conclusion