book iv
. lines 131-159, it possesses that charming loveliness which inspired the divine poet with the ideas conveyed in these lines. The steep acclivity is clothed with a “woody theatre” of stateliest chestnuts, oaks, firs, and beeches, which in ranks ascend, waving one above the other, shade above shade; or hang from the very brows of precipices, whose verdant sides are with thicket overgrown, grotesque, and wild. “Higher than their tops” an occasional glade breaks the uniformity of the sylvan scene, while on the summit expands a wide grassy down with enamelled colours mixed, from which there is a “prospect large” over foliaged hills, and the wild, bleak, sterile mountains of Camaldoli and Alvernia. The church and convent were erected in 1637. The latter is now occupied
## partly by a forestry school and partly by an inn. Nearly 300 feet
higher, by a winding path, is Il Paradisino, a little hermitage romantically situated on a projecting rock commanding a grand view. The scagliola decorations in the chapel were by an Englishman, Father Hugford, who excelled in various branches of natural philosophy, and in the art of imitating marble by that composition called scagliola. He died in the last century. The ascent to the summit of the Protomagno occupies 1 hour; guide 2 fr. The road to Camaldoli winds round the mountain that shelters Vallombrosa on the north side, and then descends into the Val d’Arno Inferiore. On a knoll, encircled with trees in the middle of the plain, is the noble now ruined castle of Romena, and behind it the villages of Poppi and Bibbiena.
Camaldoli. Sacro Eremo. Alvernia.
The abbey of _Camaldoli_, founded by S. Romualdo, a Calabrian anchorite, in 1046, is situated on the torrent Giogana, in a valley surrounded by high mountains. About 2 miles above the monastery, on a hill to the north, by a zig-zag path through the forest, is Il Sacro Eremo, the hermitage of the convent. The church is neat, and possesses an Annunciation in relief by Robbia. From the culminating point of the ridge, the Prato al Soglio, is one of the finest views in this part of Italy. 279
About 14 miles from Camaldoli, on Mons Alvernus, a lofty rock towering above the neighbouring eminences, and split into numberless pinnacles of fantastic forms, full of grottoes and galleries hollowed out by nature, is situated the convent of _Alvernia_, founded by St. Francis in 1213, and inhabited by about 110 monks. From the church a covered gallery leads to the cave with the chapel of the Stemmate, in which St. Francis is said to have received, imprinted on his body, marks similar to those produced on Jesus Christ by the crucifixion. From Camaldoli and from Alvernia return to Bibbiena, where the diligence may be taken to Arezzo, pop. 12,000, whence rail either to Rome, 141 miles south, or to Florence, 54 miles north-west. The drive from Pontassieve to Florence, by the Arno, is very beautiful.
Florence is 291 m. S.E. from Turin by Pistoja, Bologna, Modena, Parma, Piacenza, and Alessandria. Time by quick trains, 13 hrs. 1st class, 52 frs. 95 c.; 2d class, 37 frs. 5 c. See Black’s _South France_, East half, page 233.
(Paragraph shown as printed.)
Florence is 196½ m. N. from Rome by Arezzo, Terontola, Chiusi, Orvieto, and Orte. 8 hrs. by quick train. 1st class, 34 frs. 30 c.; 2d class, 23 frs. 55 c. Florence is 60¼ m. E. from Leghorn by Empoli, Pontedera, and Pisa. 2 hrs. 20 min. by quick train. 1st class, 10 frs. 45 c.; 2d class, 7 frs. 15 c. See the “Indicatore Ufficiale.” To the price given in the Indicatore the amount of the tax has to be added.
Busalla. Novi.
Genoa to Turin by Alessandria and Asti.
Distance, 103½ m. N.W. Time by quick trains, 4¼ hrs. Map, page 199.
Genoa.—The train after traversing the first tunnel emerges at the busy populous suburb of Sampierdarena, 1¼ m. W. from Genoa and 2½ m. E. from Sestri-Ponente. The rail now turns northward and ascends the valley of the impetuous torrent of the Polcevera, traversing six tunnels. Having passed Rivarolo, Bolzaneto, and Pontedecimo, the train arrives at Busalla, 14¼ m. N. from Genoa and 89¼ m. S. from Turin. Busalla is situated on the culminating part of the line (1192 ft.), on the crest which divides the basin of the Adriatic from the Gulf of Genoa. Here also the gradients of the line are highest, being about 1 in 28½ or 35 in 1000. The longest tunnel on the line, the Galleria dei Giovi, 3390 yards, is just before arriving at Busalla. It perforates calcareous schists, and is ventilated by 14 shafts. The scenery, which has been hitherto very picturesque, becomes tame after traversing the last tunnel at Arquata, 26 m. N. from Genoa, in the narrow valley of the Scrivia. 33½ m. N. from Genoa, and 70 m. S. from Turin, is Novi, H. La Sirena, a town of 11,000 inhabitants, situated among hills; where, in August 15, 1799, a great battle took 280
place between the French under Joubert and the Austrians and Russians under Suwarrow, when the former were defeated and their general killed. Novi is 60 m. S.W. from Milan by Tortana, Voghera, and Pavia.
Alessandria.
47¼ m. N. from Genoa and 56¼ m. S.E. from Turin is Alessandria, pop. 30,000, 234¼ m. N.W. from Florence by Piacenza, Parma, Modena, Bologna, and Pistoja. See Black’s _South France_, East half. See map, page 199.
At the Alessandria station hot coffee and chocolate are always ready. _Hotels:_ L’Universo; Italia; Europa. Alessandria received its name in compliment to Pope Alexander III. The citadel, capable of holding 50,000 men, was built in 1728. The cathedral has a façade in the modern taste, with granite columns; in the interior is a colossal statue of St. Joseph by Parodi. The other churches are the Madonna di Loreto and S. Lorenzo. The Ghilino palace, now belonging to the crown, was designed by the elder Alfieri. Two great fairs are held annually at Alessandria—one in April, the other in October. In the neighbourhood is the village of Marengo, near which took place (June 1800) the battle between the French and the Austrians that was first lost by Bonaparte and afterwards won by Desaix and Kellermann. From Alessandria the train ascends the valley of the Tanaro, passing the minor stations of Solero, Felizzano, Cerro, and Annone; then at 34¾ m. E. from Turin, and 68¾ m. N.W. from Genoa, arrives at
Asti.
Asti (the _Hasta Pampeia_, or Pompey’s Market, of the Latins), a place of 18,000 inhabitants. H. Leone d’Oro. Celebrated for its sparking wines, both red and white. The cathedral is a large and fine Gothic structure (1348). The adjacent church of S. Giovanni is built upon a basilica, of which the existing part is borne by monolithic columns with capitals bearing Christian symbols, 6th cent. Near Porta Alessandria is the small Baptistery of San Pietro, 11th cent., resting on short columns with square capitals. Alfieri, the poet, was born here, in a palace built by his uncle, who was a count and an architect. He died in 1803. The tertiary strata of the neighbourhood are very rich in fossils. Loop-line from Asti to Milan in 3½ hrs.
From Asti the train descends by Villafranca, where there is a viaduct over the Standvasso, about 100 ft. above the stream. Farther W., at Trofarello, is the junction with the loop-lines to Savona, 82½ m. S. (page 183), and to Cuneo, 46½ m. S.W. (page 183).
Five miles S. from Turin is Moncalieri. On the hill-side, overlooking the town, is the large royal palace in which Victor Emmanuel I. died in 1823.
For Turin, see Black’s _South France_, East half. Loop-line to Pinerolo, 23½ m. S.W., and to Torre-Pellice, 10½ m. farther west, in the Waldensian valleys. See Black’s _South France_, East half.
Paragraph shown as printed.
Italy and the Alps: Itineraries Italy and the Alps: Maps Italy and the Alps: Text
General Index
ITINERARY (pages 281–end)
PARIS to TURIN 281
PARIS to MODANE 281
Aix-les-Bains to Geneva by Annecy 286
Modane to Turin 291
Bussoleno to Susa 291
Turin to Torre-Pellice by Pinerolo 305
Torre-Pellice to Mont-Dauphin by the Col de la Croix 306
Perosa to Mont-Dauphin by the Col d’Abriés 307
Perosa to Cesanne by the Col de Sestrières 307
Saluzzo to Mont Dauphin by the Col de la Traversette 308
Cuneo to Barcelonnette (_see_ Barcelonnette to Cuneo) 341
TURIN to FLORENCE by Piacenza, Parma, Modena and Bologna 309
St. Pierre d’Albigny to Courmayeur by the Little Saint Bernard 320
PARIS to MODANE by Lyons, Voiron and Grenoble. This is the route to take to visit the Grande Chartreuse and the picturesque valleys about the formidable group of the Ecrin mountains 322
Grenoble to Sassenage 327
Grenoble to Briançon by Bourg d’Oisans and the Col de Lautaret. A grand mountain road 328
Bourg d’Oisans to La Berarde, at the base of the Ecrin group, by Vosc and St. Christophe 329
Briançon to Mt. Pelvoux by La Bessée and the Val Louise 333, 345
Briançon to Oulx by Mt. Genèvre and Cesanne 333
Grenoble to Corps by La Mure (map, p. 27). From Corps another diligence proceeds to Gap (p. 340). From Corps the pilgrimage is made to N. D. de la Salette 333
Goncelin to Allevard-les-Bains 336
MARSEILLES to GRENOBLE by Gardanne, Aix, St. Auban, Sisteron, Serres, Veynes, Aspres, Clelles and Claix (map, p. 27) 338
St. Auban to Digne 339
Digne to Barcelonnette by La Javie and Seyne (map, p. 304) 339
Digne to Barcelonnette by Draix, Colmars and Allos 339
VEYNES to MONT DAUPHIN-GUILLESTRE station, 51 miles N.E. by rail. Both of these towns are at the French end of several of the important passes between France and Italy 340
Gap to Barcelonnette 341
Barcelonnette to Cuneo (map, p. 27) 341
Gap to Grenoble by Corps (map, p. 304) 342
Mont-Dauphin to Saluzzo (map, p. 304) 344
Paris to Lyons by Saint Etienne (map, p. 27) 346
Paris to Lyons by Tarare (map, p. 27) 348
Lyons to Clermont-Ferrand by Montbrison (map, p. 27) 349
Paris to Marseilles by Clermont-Ferrand and Nîmes (see map on fly-leaf) 351
Moulins to the Baths of Bourbon-l’Archambault by Souvigny and Saint Menoux (map, p. 1) 356
Moulins to the Baths of Bourbon-Lancy by Dompierre and Gilly. Beyond Gilly is Paray-le-Monial (p. 27, map p. 1) 357
St. Germain-des-Fossés to Vichy 359
Clermont-Ferrand to Brive by Laqueuille 376
Laqueuille to the Baths of Mont-Dore and Bourboule 377
Mont-Dore to Issoire by the Baths of St. Nectaire 385
A diligence runs between St. Nectaire and the Coude railway station.
MAPS AND PLANS (pages 281–end)
page
Bologna, Plan of 316
Mont Cenis railway, Plan of 291
This plan shows the railway from St. Pierre-d’Albigny to Turin by Modane and Susa. Rail from St. Pierre to Albertville; whence coach-road to Courmayeur by Moutiers, Bourg-St. Maurice, Seez and the Little St. Bernard. Coach road from Albertville to Annecy on Lake Annecy.
Mont-Dore and Bourboule, Map of environs 378
The French and Italian Waldensian valleys, with the mountain-passes between them 304
Turin, Plan of 293
Vichy, Plan of 359
281
Paris to Turin and the Italian Riviera.
By Fontainebleau, Joigny, Dijon, Macon, Bourg, Ambérieux, Culoz, Aix-les-Bains, Chambery, Modane, and Mont Cenis. The continuation of this line southwards from Turin extends to Genoa by Alessandria (page 279).
Part First.—Paris to Modane, 431 miles. Time by the Rapide, 13 hrs. 36 min. Part Second.—Modane to Turin, 58½ miles. Time by Express, 3 hrs. 27 min.
_Time-tables._—In England, see under “London to Turin” in the Continental Time-tables of the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, which Company give through tickets. In Paris, start from the station of the Chemins de Fer de Paris à Lyon. At the bookstall buy one of their Time-tables, 40 c. The best resting-places are Dijon, Macon, and Chambery. For the whole route consult the Sketch Map on the fly-leaf. For the northern part, between Paris and Macon, see map, page 1; and from Macon to Turin, map, page 26.
##