[Val Louise], about 6½ m. W. by the Col de la Batie, 3445 ft. (see [p. 333]). 10½ m. N. from La Bessée is [Briançon] (see p. 333). “Nearly opposite La Bessée to the N.W. opens out the Val Louise, which terminates in the glaciers and peaks of the [Mont Pelvoux], whose top, rising 12,973 ft. above the sea-level, is visible from the road in clear weather. The Val Louise branches into two; that on the right leads to Mt. Pelvoux. Its summit, or Pic des Arcines, is a mass of ice. By the other branch there is a difficult pass, called Col de Celar, into the Val Godemar. Within the Val Louise was a cavern called Baume des Vaudois, from a number of these people having concealed themselves within it in 1488, carrying with them their children and as much food as they could collect, relying on its inaccessible position and the snows around for their defence. When the officer despatched by Charles VIII. arrived with his soldiers in the valley, none of its inhabitants could be found; but at length tracing out their hiding-place, he commanded a quantity of wood to be set fire to at the mouth of the cave to burn or smoke them out. Some were slain in attempting to escape, others threw themselves headlong on the rocks below, others were smothered; there were afterwards found within the caverns 400 infants stifled in the arms of their dead mothers. It is believed that 3000 [French Vaudois] perished on that occasion in this valley. The cavern has fallen, and is nearly buried in the débris. The present inhabitants are all Roman Catholics, and a miserable goitred race.” —Murray, p. 218.
MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE 126 64 [ASPRES], pop. 2000, 2493 ft. above the sea. Inn: Ferdinand. Junction with road to [Livron], 68 m. W., on E. side of Rhône (see p. 46). The road after leaving Aspres crosses the Col de Cabres, and then proceeds westwards by the valley of the Drôme (see [p. 47]).
154½ 35½ [CLELLES], 2400 ft., pop. 1000. Inn: Lion d’Or. Station to alight at to make the ascent of Mont Aiguille, a limestone rock 6880 ft. high, near Chichiliane, about 7 m. distant towards Die.
163 27 [MONESTIER DE CLERMONT], pop. 1000. Inns: Europe; France. Cold acidulous spring for diseases of the kidneys and stomach.
Vif. Vizille.
MARSEILLES
GRENOBLE 177 13 [VIF], pop. 3000. At the foot of a calcareous ridge, which connects Mt. Moucherotte, 7454 ft., with Mt. Moucherolle, 7509 ft.
181 9 [VIZILLE], pop. 4000. Inns: Terrat; Europe; Parc. Vizille, the Vigillia of the Romans, is an ill-built manufacturing town on the right bank of the Romanche, with a castle built by Lesdiguières, now restored and used as a manufactory (see [p. 333]).
185 5 [PONT DE CLAIX], pop. 2500, at the foot of mountains from 5000 to 6000 ft. high (see [p. 328]).
190 GRENOBLE. (See [p. 324].)