CONTENTS.

Page CHAPTER I. The Diligence—French Country Places—The English in Guienne—Bordeaux—Old Bordeaux—A Bordeaux Landlord—A Suburban Vintaging—The Vintage Dinner 1-20 CHAPTER II. Claret v. Port—The Claret Soil—The Claret Vine—Popular Appetite for Grapes—Variable qualities of the Claret Soil—French Veterans—The "Authorities" in France 21-38 CHAPTER III. The Claret Vintage—The Treading of the Grape—The Last Drops of the Grape—Wanderings amongst the Vineyards—Wandering Vintagers—The Vintage Dinner—The Vintagers' Bedroom—The Claret Chateaux—The Chateau Margaux 39-57 CHAPTER IV. The Landes—The Bordeaux and Teste Railway—M. Tetard and his Imitator—Start for the Landes—The Language of the Landes—A Railway Station in the Landes—The Scenery of the Landes—The Stilt-walkers of the Landes—A Glimpse of Green 58-76 CHAPTER V. The Clear Water of Arcachon—Legend of the Baron of Chatel-morant—The Resin Harvest—The Witches of the Landes—The Surf of the Bay of Biscay—French Priests—Do the Landes Cows give Milk?—The Amour Patriæ of the Landes 77-101 CHAPTER VI. Dawn on the Garonne—The Landscape of the Garonne—The Freaks of the Old Wars in Guienne—Agen—Jasmin, the Last of the Troubadours—Southern Cookery and Garlic—The Black Prince in a New Light—Cross-country Travelling in France 102-126 CHAPTER VII. Pau—The English in Pau—English and Russians—The View of the Pyrenees—The Castle—The Statue of Henri Quatre—His Birth—A Vision of his Life—Rochelle—St. Bartholomew—Ivry—Henri and Sully—Henri and Gabrielle—Henri and Henriette d'Entragues—Ravaillac 127-136 CHAPTER VIII. The Val d'Ossau—The Vin de Jurancon—Pyrenean Cottages—The Bernais Peasants—The Devil learning Basque—The Wolves of the Pyrenees—The Bears of the Pyrenees—The Dogs of the Pyrenees—An Auberge in the Pyrenees—Omens and Superstitions in the Pyrenees—The Songs of the Pyrenees 137-155 CHAPTER IX. Wet Weather in the Pyrenees—Eaux Chaudes out of Season, and in the Rain—Plucking the Indian Corn at the Auberge at Laruns—The Legend of the Wehrwolf, and the Baron who was changed into a Bear 156-166 CHAPTER X. The Solitary Big Hotel—The Knitters of the Pyrenees—The Weavers of the Pyrenees—Pigeon-catching in the Pyrenees—The Giant of the Pyrenean Dogs—Murray and Commis Voyageurs—The Eastern Pyrenees—The Legend of Orthon 167-186 CHAPTER XI. Languedoc—The "Austere South"—Beziers and the Albigenses—The Fountain of the Greve—The Bishop and his Flock—The Canal du Midi—The Mistral—Rural Billiard-playing 187-199 CHAPTER XII. Travelling by the Canal du Midi—Travelling French People—The Salt Harvest—Equestrian Thrashing Machines—Cette—The Mediterranean—The "Made" Wines—The Priest on Wines—La Cuisine Française 200-218 CHAPTER XIII. The Olive-gathering—A Night with the Mosquitoes—Aigues-Mortes—The Fever in Aigues-Mortes—My Cicerone in Aigues-Mortes—The Pickled Burgundians—Reboul's Poetry—The Lighthouse of Aigues-Mortes 219-235 CHAPTER XIV. Fen Landscape—Tavern Allegories—Roman Remains—Roman Architecture—Roman Theatricals—The Maison Carrée—Greek Architecture—Catholic and Protestant—The Weaver's Cabane—Protestant and Catholic 236-255 CHAPTER THE LAST. Backward French Agriculture—French Rural Society—The Small Property System—French "Encumbered Estates" 256-264

CLARET AND OLIVES.