Thiers is 72¼ m. N. from Darsac by coach, passing Olliergues, Vertolaye, Ambert, Marsac, Arlanc, and [Chaise-Dieu] (see p. 89).
Thiers makes a pleasant railway excursion either from Vichy or Clermont-Ferrand.
1¼ m. W. from Thiers and 23 m. E. from Clermont-Ferrand is
[Courty.] Junction with line to St. Germain des Fossés, 27½ m. W., passing Vichy, 21½ m. N.
13 m. W. from Courty and 10 m. E. from Clermont is [Vertaizon], pop. 2200, situated 1¼ m. S. from the station. Junction with branch line to [Billom], 5½ m. S., pop. 4300. Inns: Voyageurs; Commerce. A prettily situated town among hills crowned with ruins of castles from 12th to 16th cents. Church St. Cerneuf, 11th to 13th cents.
The train from Vertaizon takes 30 minutes to reach [Clermont-Ferrand] (see p. 369).
[ Paris to Marseilles by Clermont and Nîmes.]
This Route conducts to the volcanic region of Central France; to the famous Spas of Vichy, Royat, Mont-Dore, Bourboule, and St. Nectaire; and to the best towns for studying the architecture of Auvergne. (See Maps, [pp. 1] and [27].)
MARSEILLES 530 PARIS. Start from the station of the Chemins de Fer de Paris à Lyon, and request a ticket for Nîmes by Clermont-Ferrand. The first stations passed are [Brunoy] (p. 2), [Melun] (p. 2), and [Fontainebleau] (p. 3). At Moret, 42 m. S.E. from Paris, the rail to Marseilles by Nevers and Nîmes separates from the rail to Marseilles by Dijon and Lyon. (For [Moret], see p. 10.)
PARIS
MARSEILLES 73 457 [MONTARGIS], pop. 10,000, on the Loing and the canal Briare. Inns: Poste; France. The principal street leads directly from the station to the Hôtel de la Poste at the opposite end of the town. The streets about the old castle are narrow and dirty, and some of them steep. This castle, rebuilt by Charles V., called formerly the “berceau des enfants de France,” became private property in 1809. A house has been built within the circle of the crumbling walls, of which a 14th cent, gateway still stands.