PARIS
MODANE 426 50 [LES MARCHES], a straggling village overlooked by a hill, on which stands the church of Notre Dame de Myans, with a colossal statue of the Virgin. Beyond are some small lakes and mounds formed by landslips from Mt. Granier, 6520 ft. 2½ m. from Les Marches is Montmélian, where passengers by this route for Modane and Turin change carriages and join the direct line. For the rest of the journey to Modane (53 miles), see from [Montmélian], p. 289.
[ Marseilles to Grenoble,]
190 m. N., by Gardanne, Aix, Pertuis, St. Auban, Veynes, and Clelles. Fare—first class, 36 frs. 70 c.; second, 27 frs. 55 c. Grenoble is 394 m. S.E. from Paris by Lyons (see [p. 324]).
GRENOBLE 190 MARSEILLES. There are two ways from Marseilles to Aix, either by Rognac 33 m., or by Gardanne 16¾ m. The Rognac route must be chosen by those who desire to visit the aqueduct of [Roquefavour] (see p. 77).
Gardanne. Pertuis.
MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE 11 179 [GARDANNE], pop. 3500, on the stream Jaret. Both here and at Septêmes are important coal-fields. Southwards, towards the Bouches du Rhône, are seen the chimneys of numerous tile, brick, and pottery works. From Gardanne a branch line extends to Carnoules, 52 m. S.E., on the line between Marseilles and Cannes ([p. 142]), on which the only towns of interest are Brignoles and St. Maximin.
MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE 18½ 171½ AIX-en-provence (see [p. 78]). At Aix change carriages for Rognac. 5 m. N. from Aix is La Calade station, where a coach awaits passengers for [St. Cannat], 5 m. N.W. (p. 80); and [Lambesc], 3½ m. farther (p. 80). 5 m. S.W. from Lambesc is Pelissanne. 16 m. N. from Aix, or 34½ m. N. from Marseilles, is [Meyrargues] (see p. 79).
MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE 38 152 [PERTUIS], pop. 5800. Hotels: Reynaud; Thomas; both near each other. Their omnibuses await passengers at the station. Situated 2 m. from the Durance, at the junction of the branch line from Avignon, 48 m. W., passing [Cavaillon], the station for Apt, and [L’Isle], the station for Vaucluse (see pp. 64 and 66). The Marseilles canal from the Durance commences near [Pertuis] (p. 77). In the centre of Pertuis is the Tour d’Aigues, which was part of the old fortifications. From Pertuis the country becomes picturesque. 10 m. N. is the station of Mirabeau, pop. 800, with the castle in which Mirabeau spent his boyhood, and in which his father was born.
60 m. N. from Marseilles, and 130 m. S. from Grenoble, is Manosque, pop. 6200 (see pp. [166] and [168]). 4½ m. N. from Manosque is Volx village and station, with beds of lignite. 69½ m. N. from Marseilles is La Brillanne, pop. 400, on the Oraison. 3½ m. N. from Brillanne is the station and village of [Lurs], pop. 1000, on a hill overlooking the Durance. It contains the convent of Alaun, visited by pilgrims, and a Roman road called the Chemin-Seinet.
Peyruis.