The South of France—East Half

by C. B. Black

The chimney-piece in this hall is 30 feet high and 20 wide. Two statues of mail-clad knights stand on it, apparently a yard high each, but in reality 6 feet 2 inches. The picture-gallery contains a few choice paintings, and some good statuary. No. 402, St. Jerome, is considered one of the best. Down stairs is the Musée Archéologique, and the kitchen, nearly 50 feet square, and provided with 6 chimneys. Fronting the Palais is the Place d’Armes, with its shops and houses arranged in a kind of horse-shoe curve. Behind the palace runs the Rue des Forges. Nos. 34 and 36 is the Maison Richard, formerly the residence of the British Embassy to the Court of Burgundy. At the top of the spiral staircase is the “Homme au panier,” a statue 4 feet 6 inches in height, on a pedestal at the topmost step, representing a manciple or serving-man bearing a basket on his right shoulder, out of which spring, like so many stems of wheat, nearly a score of vaulting ribs for the roof that closes in the staircase. No. 38, the Maison Milsand has a fine Renaissance façade, also some sculpture in the court. On No. 52 and 54 of this same street is exhibited a reproduction of that kind of double arch seen in the Hotel de Ville. [ Dijon: Notre Dame.
St. Benigne.] Close to the Rue des Forges is Notre Dame, consecrated in 1331, a very beautiful and interesting specimen of Burgundian architecture. At the east end is the house Vogue, in the Renaissance style, and farther east, in the Rue Chaudronnière, the Maison des Cariatides. A short distance from the front of the Hotel de Ville is the Palais de Justice, formerly the palace of the Parliament of Burgundy. The ceiling of the Cour d’Assises is of massive carved chestnut, 17th cent. The crucifixion in the same room is by Belle. At the end of the Salle des Pas Perdus is the pretty little chapel which belonged to the parliament house. Near the theatre is St. Etienne, founded in the 10th cent., and partly rebuilt in the 18th, but now the corn-market. At the end of this same street, R. Vaillan, is St. Michel, rebuilt in the 16th cent., with a few curious frescoes. Standing at the Arc de Triomphe, looking down the Rue Guillaume, we have, towards the left, the chateau built by Louis XI. in 1478, or rather what remains of it, converted into the Gendarmerie; and a little to the N.E. by a wide Boulevard, the Place and statue of St. Bernard, who was born (1091) at Fontaine Lez-Dijon, in the chateau beside the curious little church, 2 miles N.W. by the road of that name. Towards the right is [St. Benigne], easily recognised by its slightly twisted needle spire, built in 1742, 300 feet high, and a little inclined by the tempest of 1805. The crypt and the porch belong to the 11th cent., the remainder to the 13th. In the south aisle is the

slab tomb of Ladislaus Czartoryski (1388), and adjoining the beautiful mausoleum of Joannes Berbisey. In the N. aisle, in the baptistery chapel, are deposited the remains of Jean sans Peur. Near St. Benigne is St. Philibert, 12th cent., with a narthex and a beautiful crocketed spire. It is now used as an artillery store. [ Dijon: St. Jean. Bossuet.
Asile des Aliénés.] From this the narrow street, Rue des Novices, leads to St. Jean, founded, as the tablet in the church states, in the 2d cent., rebuilt in 1458, and restored in 1866. The vault of the roof is bold, the tracery of the windows nearly rectilinear, and the mural paintings not without merit. [Bossuet] was baptised in this church, and born in No. 10 of this “Place,” 27th September 1627. Among the writings of this eloquent and illustrious prelate the finest is the funeral oration on the death of Henrietta Anne, the daughter of our Charles I., and wife of the Duke of Orleans. Southwards is St. Anne, 1690. At the Octroi gate, beside the railway, is the entrance into the [Asile des Aliénés], formerly the Chartreuse, founded by Philippe le Hardi in 1379. Fee, 1 fr. On the portal (14th cent.) of the chapel are the kneeling effigies of Philippe and his spouse Marguerite, accompanied by Sts. Antoine and Catherine, whose figures are portrayed in the beautiful glass (15th cent.) of the chancel windows. The visitor is next taken to the well called Le Puits de Moise, 22½ feet in diameter, consisting of a hexagonal pedestal, having on each side a statue of one of the prophets, by Claux Sluter in the 14th cent., the sculptor of the ducal monuments in the Palais des Etats. The statue of Moses is the least successful, and that of Zachariah the most expressive. The house contains on an average 500 patients. Dijon is not a town for sightseers, but an admirable town for resting during a long journey. The Cloche and Jura are comfortable houses, and although La Galêre is less so, its charges are more moderate, while its fare is better. There are a number of pleasant walks. Just beyond the arch is the Promenade du Chateau d’eau, and at the foot of the railway station the Botanic Gardens. Towards the extremity of the gardens is a black poplar 490 years old. The southern continuation of the Place de St. Etienne leads by the Rue Chabot Charny, the Place St. Pierre, and the Cours du Pari (1465 yards long), to the public park. From Dijon the rail runs southwards parallel to the slopes of the famous wine producing hills of the Côte d’Or, extending from N.E. to S.W., and attaining an elevation of 324 feet. Behind them rises another range, reaching the height of 1315 feet, and sheltering the lower range from the cold winds. Between Dijon and Meursault grow the first-class Burgundy wines; while south from Meursault follow the

Macon wines. First-class Burgundy is at its best after having been ten years in bottle. The inferior classes can hardly stand three years.

Gevrey-Chambertin.

PARIS
MARSEILLES 203 334 [GEVREY-CHAMBERTIN], 1¼ mile from station, pop. 2000. Famous for their first-class growths, of which the best are the red and white Chambertin. Bèze, St. Jacques, Mazy, and Vèroilles, in the commune of Gevrey, produce also first-class Burgundies.

PARIS
MARSEILLES 206¼ 330¾ [VOUGEOT], on the Vouge, pop. 500, ¾-mile from station. Inn: Groffier. Here there are above 125 acres of vineyards producing first-class Burgundies. Among the most distinguished are the Romanée St. Vivant, Romanée Conti, Richebourg, and La Tache.

PARIS
MARSEILLES 209½ 327½ [NUITS], pop. 4000. Inn: Trois Maures. Omnibus awaits passengers. The best vineyard here is the St. George, which produces a wine of an exquisite flavour and a delicate and delicious bouquet. The church, St. Symphorien, belongs to the 13th cent., and St. Denis to the 14th. 8 miles from Nuits is the abbey of Citeaux, now used as a house of detention for youthful criminals, who are trained here to be agricultural labourers. This abbey, founded by Robert de Molesme in 1098, had at one time 3600 dependent convents of the Cistercian order, and from it went forth four of its abbots, to assume the keys of St. Peter. The greater part of the buildings was rebuilt in 1798.

Beaune.

PARIS
MARSEILLES 219 318 [BEAUNE], pop. 12,000. Hotels: Chevreuil; France. On the stream Buzoise. This town is the headquarters of the merchants who deal in Burgundy wines, as Bordeaux is that of the claret merchants. Around it are the first-class vineyards of Beaune Pommard, Volnay, and Romanée. Of these the Volnay vineyards, extending over 532 acres, produce the most valuable wine, under the names of Bouche d’Or and Caillerets, and the Pommard under that of Commarine. The town is of poor appearance. The principal church, Notre Dame, founded in the 12th cent., contains semicircular and equilateral-triangled arches and cusped and Corinthian capitals.

In the Place Monge, off the street de l’Ile, is a bronze statue to Gaspard Monge, the inventor of descriptive geometry, born at Beaune in 1746. To him France is indebted for the establishment of the Polytechnic School. Contiguous to the Chevreuil Inn is the hospital, built in the 15th cent.—a curious and interesting building. The Salle de Conseil upstairs is hung with Aubusson tapestry, and contains also a painting of the Last Judgment by Roger van der Weyden.