Front matter
Reading edition
Every attempt has been made to replicate the original book as printed. Some typographical errors have been corrected. A list follows the etext. No attempt has been made to correct or normalize the French orthography of the printed book. The images have been moved from the middle of paragraphs to the closest paragraph break for ease of reading. (etext transcriber’s note)
RAMBLES IN NORMANDY
WORKS OF FRANCIS MILTOUN
The following, each 1 vol., library 12mo, cloth, gilt top, profusely illustrated. Net, $2.00; postpaid, $2.16
Rambles in Normandy
Rambles in Brittany
The Cathedrals and Churches of the Rhine
The following, each 1 vol., library 12mo, cloth, gilt top, profusely illustrated. Postpaid, $2.50
The Cathedrals of Northern France
The Cathedrals of Southern France
L. C. PAGE & COMPANY New England Building, Boston, Mass.
Mont St. Michel
(See page 385)
R a m b l e s in N O R M A N D Y
B y F r a n c i s M i l t o u n With Many Illustrations B y B l a n c h e M c M a n u s
Boston L. C. PAGE & COMPANY 1906
Copyright, 1905 By L. C. Page & Company (INCORPORATED) —— All rights reserved Published October, 1905 COLONIAL PRESS Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. Boston, U. S. A.
APOLOGIA
THE following pages are not intended to be a record of all the historic and picturesque features of the ancient province of Normandy. The most that is claimed is that they are the record of a series of ramblings in and off the beaten tourist track, with the addition of a few facts of history and romance, which could not well be ignored.
The scheme of the book as set forth in the table of contents will explain this plan far better than any author’s apology; and will also explain why a more ample guide-book treatment is not given to the cities and large towns such as Rouen, the ancient Norman capital; Caen, the capital of Lower Normandy; and Dieppe, and Evreux. All this, and more, with much information of a varying nature from that set forth herein, is given by Joanne, Baedeker, and the local guide-books, which in France are unusually numerous and trustworthy.
These rambles, of the author and artist, extending over some years of wanderings and residence within the province, are, then, merely the record of personal experiences, of no very venturesome or exciting nature, combined with those half-hidden facts which only come to one through an intimate acquaintance.
To this has been added a certain amount of practical travel-talk, which, for some inexplicable reason, seems to have been omitted from the guide-books; and a series of appendices, maps, and plans, which should furnish the stay-at-home and the traveller alike with those facts of relative importance in connection with a favoured land often not at hand or readily accessible. Nor is there any attempt at exhaustiveness. On the contrary, the matter has been condensed as much as possible.
The illustrations are not so much a complete pictorial survey of this delightful part of old France, as an effort to depict the varying moods and characteristics which will best show its contrast to the other provinces; always with an eye to the picturesque and pleasing aspect of a landscape, a detail of architecture, or the quaint dress and customs of the people.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
PART I.
I. Introductory3
II. The Roads of France20
III. The Forests of France38
IV. A Travel Chapter49
PART II.
I. The Province and Its People73
II. Norman Industries101
III. Manners and Customs of the Country-side113
IV. The Châteaux of Other Days136
V. Some Types of Norman Architecture150
PART III.
I. The Seine Valley—Preamble157
II. The Seine below Rouen171
III. The Seine from Rouen to Pont de l’Arche203
IV. The Seine from Pont de l’Arche to La Roche-Guyon229
V. In the Valley of the Eure262
VI. The Pays de Caux286
VII. The Coast Westward of the Seine314
VIII. The Cotentin361
IX. The Norman Country-side393
Appendices427
Index of Places: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, Y443
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
Mont St. Michel (See page 385) Frontispiece
A Diligence21
Road Placques, Touring Club de France28
Road Signs in France30
A Berline de Poste33
Explanation of the Maps of the Etat Major36
Lyons-le-Forêt facing 44
Chapelle Ste. Catherine47
Map of Normandyfacing 48
A Woman of Normandyfacing 84
Harvest-time in Normandyfacing 104
Norman Horsesfacing 106
Raising the Sugar-beet111
A Norman Farmhousefacing 128
A Peasant’s Cart134
Donjon of Arques (Diagram)138
Château Gaillard, Les Andelysfacing 138
Ancient Manor d’Argouges146
An Inn by the Seinefacing 158
Cape de la Hève173
Towboats on the Seine181
Quay of Caudebec-en-Cauxfacing 184
Jumiègesfacing 188
The Arms of Agnes Sorel189
A Rouen Café199
Rouen from Bon Secoursfacing 210
Some Seine Sketches214
Pont de l’Archefacing 222
Ancient Plan of Château Gaillard239
The Seine at Petit Andelysfacing 240
Collegiate Church, Ecouisfacing 244
Gisorsfacing 246
A Seine Hamlet249
The Two Châteaux of La Roche-Guyonfacing 260
Hôtel Du Grand Cerf, Louviersfacing 264
Garennesfacing 272
Song of the Pays de Caux (Music)287
A Pigeon-house289
The Harbour of Fécampfacing 294
The Cliffs of Yportfacing 296
Tréportfacing 304
A Cauchoise of Yvetôt312
Honfleurfacing 318
In the Cider-apple Country323
A Norman Cider-pressfacing 326
Dives-sur-Merfacing 334
Tower of Gens d’Armes338
Cloister of the Capucin Convent, Caenfacing 340
Tinchebray343
Walled Farm346
Port-en-Bessin348
Old Wooden Houses, Lisieuxfacing 350
Château of Falaise (Plan)351
Donjon of Falaisefacing 352
Street Under the Church of the Trinity, Falaise356
A Cotentinefacing 360
Millet’s Home, Gruchy365
The Rock of Granvillefacing 380
Bay of Mont St. Michel (Map)384
Mont St. Michel in 1657385
Porte du Roi, Mont St. Michelfacing 386
Clock Tower, Vire392
In the Church of Ste. Foy, Conchesfacing 400
Rugles403
The Apiary of La Trappefacing 408
Château d’Alençon413
Argentan416
Market-place, Neubourg417
Abbey of Bec-Hellouin420
Interior of Abbey of Bernay424
The Provinces of France (Map)427
Itinerary of Normandy, I. (Map)433
Itinerary of Normandy, II. (Map)434
Profile Map of Normandy435
The Coast of Normandy (Map)436
Natural Curiosities of Normandy (Map)437
Architectural Curiosities of Normandy (Map)438
Road Map, Normandy Coast439
Road Map, the Seine Valley440
Road Map, Across Normandy441