CHARABANCING IN UNKNOWN FRANCE.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3128, 31 July 1922, Page 8

CHARABANCING IN UNKNOWN FRANCE.

(By A.A.A.) A good many people appear to find a charabanc holiday in Franco very expensive; not only because of the motoring; but because of the hotels at which the charabancs drop the passengers for lunch, or for dinner and bed; and certainly the prices charged for “eat and go” clients at famous view points and in popular mouutawis are exorbitant. There is one part of France where charabancs run, however, where the hotels are good, clean and cheap, and that is the [Tranche Comte, that lovely unknown part of France, running from liesancon to Switzerland on the east, and up by Belfort on the north. Besancon is a pleasant little university town on the banks of tho Doubos, and it is from there that various charabanc excursions start. The cars run from tho middle of Juno to September 15, and are owned by the P.L.M. railway. The drivers and guides have al seen war service, ami are reliable, pleasant men. There was no crowd when we were there last autumn : the French, like 1 tho English, appear to prefer the Pyrenees and the Alps, and remain indifferent to the claims of tho Juras. Tho hotels do not appear to grasp the fact that they are set in entrancing scenery, and therefore do' not charge beauty-spot prices. A big bedroom with a balcony, on the first floor, cost us from eight to ton francs, and lunch and dinner were invariably eight francs. Good local wine cost- two francs and a half the bottle, but was often included, and that meal that changes its price more startlingly than any other, petit dejeuner, was usually a franc and a half. One enchanting excursion starts from Bean neon, and goes that day to a lading little place called Les Pargots, on alake over 2000 ft up. Next day the return journey is made through a bit of Switzerland (no Swiss passport is required). The round trip costs 100 francs each, and the distance is just over 200 miles. The trip to Geneva and back is sheer jov and beauty all the time. The return fare is 140 francs, the distance covered is 215 miles. Belfort is 120 miles off, and from there cars go to the Ballon d’A Is ace and on Mu I house, from where one can find one’s way. still by car, to Colmar, Seleslat, and Strasbourg. And there arc endless little excursions that tourists may take, at cheaper rates, in the loss luxurious cars that ply between Bcsoncou and outlying, villages, which are run to suit the pockets of the peasants. There is no need to finish any excursion in two days. A talk with the kmdlv and well-informed' lay at the Symucat d’lnitiative at Besancoii. where places are hooked and Iroin where the cars start, will bring any number ot new suggestions into being. y ' A good many of the French now poor are taking paying guests in their country houses; addresses, terms, photographs, sample menus, references, are there for the asking, and the cars pass close to many of these chateaux. Naturallv the ears go to villages iemote from railways, and there tin hotels are incredibly cheap. Me toum a little inn, sot by a nine i overhanging a stream full of eiathsli, where hoard and lodging tor two people sharing one room cost 26 francs d.ul> for the two.