PARIS
MARSEILLES 287¾ 242¼ [LE BREUIL], 1287 ft., pop. 1000. Opposite station, Inn: H. Beranger. Coaches await passengers for St. Germain-Lembron, an agricultural town, 2 m. W., and Ardes. The road to Ardes from St. Germain ascends through a hilly and well-cultivated country, passing, at 4¼ m. from St. Germain, a bathing establishment, possessing a copious spring containing the carbonate of iron and a large quantity of free carbonic acid gas. 2½ m. farther is [Ardes]; Inns: Paillardin; Barreyre; on an eminence rising from the Couze. In the low part of the village is the church, 11th cent., but restored and repaired. In the cemetery is a stone cross (1519) with Mary and Child against it, resting on a demure-looking figure holding an open book. The valley of the Couze, between high wooded mountains and great basaltic cliffs, offers an excellent field for geological and botanical rambles, while the river itself, which runs in a narrow bed at the foot of the mountains, through little meadows by the side of the road, contains excellent trout. High up are firs and forest trees, but below are apricot, apple, pear, quince, cherry, and walnut trees interspersed among small vineyards and meadows. The best display of the basaltic formation is between the first bridge and the village of Rentière, perched on a basalt cliff rising from the road. A little way beyond, on the right or opposite bank of the river, is an isolated cliff resembling a statue of Mary with the back towards the spectator. About 4½ m. up the valley are the ruins of a mill, La Gravière, destroyed by lightning in 1881. This is considered the commencement of the widest and most imposing part of the valley, which extends to the Cantal. About 5 m. up, on the top of a hill on the right bank, is the chapel of St. Pesade.
2½ m. S. from Le Breuil is Le Saut du Loup, a village with mineral waters, picturesquely situated on the Allier, 1277 ft. above the sea. Between Brassal, Inn: Chevalier, 3¾ m. farther S., 1322 ft. above the sea, and Arvant are valuable coal-fields and a bed of kaolin clay.
Arvant. Brioude.
PARIS
MARSEILLES 298 232 [ARVANT], 1400 ft., a dirty hamlet on the Vergonghéon, an affluent of the Allier. The best of the inns is the H. Voyageurs.
Junction here with the line to Capdenac, 110 m. S.W., traversing the whole of the interesting geological region of the Cantal. (See Black’s South France, West Half.)
From the hamlet of Neussargues, 30½ m. S.W. from Arvant, commences the loop-line of the Chemins de Fer du Midi, which traverses the lofty woodless highlands of Lozère, the coal-region of Aveyron, and the wine and olive department of Herault to Beziers on the Mediterranean line, between Cette and Narbonne. On this line, 11¾ m. S. from Neussargues, 7 m. S. from St. Flour, and 37½ m. N. from Marvejols, is the highest bridge in the world, the Pont de Garabit, which crosses the ravine of the Truyère 400 ft. above the river. The span of the great arch is 541½ ft., and the length of the viaduct 1851 ft.
PARIS
MARSEILLES 304 226 [BRIOUDE], 1430 ft. above the sea, pop. 5000. Inns: *Nord; Commerce. A dirty town on a tableland, 1¼ m. from the Allier. The parish church St. Julien (restored) dates from the 11th and 12th cents. The W. façade, of red sandstone, is flat, with round-headed windows over the three portals. The largest, the centre one, is between two thick plain buttresses, over which rises a low square tower. On the S. side of the church is another portal, preceded by a massive portico on three large semicircular arches, resting on short square piers with attached columns bearing large foliaged capitals. On the N. side is a similar entrance, but plainer. From the choir rises a square tower, becoming octagonal in the two upper stages. From the apse, which is semicircular, radiate at a lower level five semicircular chapels, their roofs terminating in a cornice of tiny stone interlaced arches. The wall of the apse above the chapels is ornamented with a mosaic, chiefly stars, in black and white stones.
The interior of the church is surrounded by great, tall, square piers with attached columns and vaulting shafts bearing grotesque foliaged capitals. Over the arches, which are early pointed, run a built-up triforium and circular clerestory windows. The five chapels have a profusion of colonnettes, three round-headed windows each, and some beautiful sculpture in relief. Under the chancel is a crypt.
Behind the church is the covered market, and a little farther the Hôtel de Ville, with the town promenade on a terrace overlooking the plain.
St. Georges-d’Aurac. Langeac.