TRAVELS

THROUGH

THE SOUTH OF FRANCE,

AND

IN THE INTERIOR OF THE PROVINCES

OF

PROVENCE AND LANGUEDOC,

IN THE YEARS 1807 AND 1808,

BY A ROUTE NEVER BEFORE PERFORMED,

BEING ALONG THE BANKS OF

THE LOIRE, THE ISERE, AND THE GARONNE,

THROUGH THE GREATER PART OF THEIR COURSE.

MADE BY PERMISSION OF THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.

BY LIEUTENANT-COLONEL PINKNEY,

OF THE NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE RANGERS.

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR T. PURDAY AND SON, NO. 1, PATERNOSTER-ROW,
AND TO BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS:
BY B. M^cMILLAN, BOW STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
1809.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. I.

Anxiety to see France—Departure from Baltimore—Singular
Adventures of the Captain—Character—Employment during
the Voyage—Arrival at Liverpool—Stay—Departure for Calais

CHAP. II.

Morning View of Port—Arrival and landing—A Day at Calais—French
Market, and Prices of Provisions

CHAP. III.

Purchase of a Norman Horse—Visit in the Country—Family of
a French Gentleman—Elegance of French domestic Economy—Dance
on the Green—Return to Calais

CHAP. IV.

French Cottages—Ludicrous Exhibition—French Travellers—Chaise
de Poste—Posting in France—Departure from Calais—Beautiful
Vicinity of Boulogne

CHAP. V.

Boulogne—Dress of the Inhabitants—The Pier—Theatre—Caution
in the Exchange of Money—Beautiful Landscape, and
Conversation with a French Veteran—Character of Mr.
Parker's Hotel—Departure, and romantic Road—Fête Champetre
in a Village on a Hill at Montreuil—Ruined Church and
Convent

CHAP. VI.

Departure from Montreuil—French Conscripts—Extreme Youth—Excellent
Roads—Country Labourers—Court for the Claims
of Emigrants—Abbeville—Companion on the Road—Amiens


CHAP. VII.

General Character of the Town—Public Walk—Gardens—Half-yearly
Fair—Gaining Houses—Table d'Hôtes—English at
Amiens—Expence of Living

CHAP. VIII.

French and English Roads compared—Gaiety of French Labourers—Breteuil—Apple-trees
in the midst of Corn-fields—Beautiful
Scenery—Cheap Price of Land in France—Clermont—Bad
Management of the French Farmers—Chantilly-Arrival
at Paris

CHAP. IX.

A Week in Paris—Objects and Occurrences—National Library—A
French Rout—Fashionable French Supper—Conceits—Presentation
at Court—Audience

CHAP. X.

Departure from Paris for the Loire—Breakfast at Palaiseau—A
Peasant's Wife—Rambouillet—Magnificent Chateau—French
Curé—Chartres—Difference of Old French and English
Towns—Subterraneous Church—Curious Preservation of
the Dead—Angers—Arrival at Nantes

CHAP. XI.

Nantes—Beautiful Situation—Analogy of Architecture with the
Character of its Age—Singular Vow of Francis the Second—Departure
from Nantes—Country between Nantes and Angers—Angers

CHAP. XII.

Angers—Situation—Antiquity and Face of the Town—Grand
Cathedral—Markets—Prices of Provisions—Public Walks—Manners
and Diversions of the Inhabitants—Departure from
Angers—Country between Angers and Saumur—Saumur

CHAP. XIII

Tours—Situation and general Appearance of it—Origin of the
Name of Huguenots—Cathedral Church of St. Martin—The
Quay—Markets—Public Walk—Classes of Inhabitants—Environs—Expences
of Living—Departure from Tours—Country
between Tours and Amboise

CHAP. XIV.

Lovely Country between Amboise and Blois—Ecures—Beautiful
Village—French Harvesters—Chousi—Village Inn—Blois—Situation—Church—Market—Price
of Provisions

CHAP. XV.

Houses in Chalk Hills—Magnificent Castle at Chambord—Return
from Chambord by Moon-light—St. Laurence on the
Waters

CHAP. XVI.

Comparative Estimate of French and English Country Inns—Tremendous
Hail Storm—Country Masquerade—La Charité—Beauty
and Luxuriance of its Environs—Nevers—Fille-de-Chambre—Lovely
Country between Nevers and Moulins-Treading
Corn—Moulins—Price of Provisions