10 M. Guyotville (82 ft.; Hôt. des Touristes, humble), a village of 3500 inhab., with a colony of Italian peasants, who cultivate early vegetables and grapes on the sandy soil, protected from the sea-winds by plantations of Spanish reeds (Arundo donax) and in spring by narrow fields of rye. On the plateau to the S. of the village, in the territory of the tribe of Beni-Messous, a number of dolmens (see pp. [324], 229) still exist.
From Guyotville to the Forêt de Baïnem, see p. [235].
Near the low headland of Râs Acrata the road reaches the broad *Bay of Castiglione, much exposed to N.W. gales, which extends in a slight curve to Jebel Chenoua (p. [242]), a hill we sighted soon after leaving Guyotville. We have a view also of the pretty adjoining bay of Sidi-Ferruch. To the right, near (12½ M.) Les Dunes, part of the sand-hills is cultivated.
13 M. La Trappe and (14½ M.) Staouéli (Hôt. Malakoff, quite good) are stations for Staouéli-Trappe (p. [234]).
From Staouéli and from the (15½ M.) Station Sidi-Ferruch roads lead to the N.W. (one 2¼, the other 2 M.) to the small sea-bathing village of Sidi-Ferruch (49 ft.; Hôt. de la Plage, plain), at the end of a sandy tongue of land formed by the surf and by the deposits of the Oued Mazafran (p. [238]). It attracts also jackal-hunters and anglers from Algiers in winter. An inscription at the entrance to the Fort recalls the landing of French troops here in 1830 (comp. p. [234]). A little to the N.W. are the scanty remains of an Early Christian Church, with baptistery, etc.
As we proceed, the Atlas of Blida (p. [169]) is visible for a time. 18 M. Zéralda (62 ft.; Hôt. de Zéralda), an agricultural village, lies in a broad coast-plain, the lowest of four old beach-terraces which mount to the N.E. in gigantic steps to Staouéli-Trappe.
The road now leads between low sand-hills, with pines and underwood, to the Oued Mazafran (called in its upper course Oued Chiffa, p. [213]), through whose valley, deeply furrowing the Sahel, we have another glimpse of the Atlas of Blida.
22 M. Mazafran, on the left bank of the stream, is the junction of a branch-line to (6¼ M.) the little town of Koléa (460 ft.; Hôt. de France; Hôt. du Commerce), founded by Andalusian Moors in 1550, finely situated on the S. slope of the Sahel, and noted for its fruit-culture. The Jardin des Zouaves deserves a visit.
The next stations are for the use of villages situated above the line, on the N. margin of the Sahel plateau. 23½ M. Douaouda-les-Bains, 25½ M. Fouka-Marine, two small sea-bathing places. In the distance, on the crest of the Sahel, appears the Tombeau de la Chrétienne, resembling a haystack.
28½ M. Castiglione (128 ft.; Hôt. du Tapis-Vert, good; Hôt. de Paris; Hôt. de l’Oasis, humble) is a large village of 2000 inhab., on the vine-clad slope of the Sahel. Below are the unpretending sea-baths, where lodgings may be procured.