tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">305

Notre Dame de Bayeux 310 Notre Dame de St. Lo 315 Notre Dame de Coutances 319 St. Pierre d'Avranches 326 Column of St. Pierre d'Avranches 328 St. Samson, Dol-de-Bretagne 329 St. Malo and St. Servan.—Tréguier 333 St. Brieuc 342 St. Corentin de Quimper 348 Notre Dame d'Amiens (diagram) 366 Map of Angers 367 St. Etienne de Bourges (diagram) 370 Notre Dame de Laon (diagram) 372 St. Julien, le Mans (diagram) 373 Map of Nantes 374 Notre Dame de Noyon (diagram) 375 Notre Dame de Paris (diagram) 376 Notre Dame de Reims (diagram) 377 Flying Buttresses, Reims 377 Notre Dame de Rouen (diagram) 378 Basilique de St. Denis (diagrams) 380 Map of Tours 381 Charles VII. 383 Ground Plan 386 Cross Section 387 Interior 388 Cross Section 389

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The Cathedrals
of Northern France

INTRODUCTION

An attempt to enumerate the architectural monuments of France is not possible without due consideration being given to the topographical divisions of the country, which, so far as the early population and the expression of their arts and customs is concerned, naturally divides itself into two grand divisions of influences, widely dissimilar.

Historians, generally, agree that the country which embraces the Frankish influences in the north, as distinct from that where are spoken the romance languages, finds its partition somewhere about a line drawn from the mouth of the Loire to the Swiss lakes. Territorially, this approaches an equal division, with the characteristics of architectural forms well nigh as equally divided. Indeed, Fergusson, who in his general estimates and valuations is seldom at fault, thus divides it:—"on a line which follows the valley of the Loire to a point between Tours and Orleans, then southwesterly to Lyons, and thence along the valley of the Rhône to Geneva."

With such a justification, then, it is natural that some arbitrary division should be made in arranging the subject matter of a volume which treats, in part only, of a country or its memorials; even though the influences of one section may not only have lapped over into the other, but, as in certain instances, extended far beyond. As the peoples were divided in speech, so were they in their manner of building, and the most thoroughly consistent and individual types were in the main confined to the environment of their birth. A notable exception is found in Brittany, where is apparent a generous admixture of style which does not occur in the churches of the first rank; referring to the imposing structures of the Isle de France and its immediate vicinity. The "Grand Cathedrals" of this region are, perhaps, most strongly impressed upon the