THE BYWAYS OF FRANCE

Evening Star, Issue 14117, 21 July 1909, Page 8

THE BYWAYS OF FRANCE

rHROUGH THE WINE COUNTRY. . A HORIZoiToF VINES. [By H. T. B. Drew, formorly of tho , Dunedin ' StaT.'l * J Almost 36 decisive as the lines which them on the map are the agricultural divisions of France. In my last article I described the nature of the industry followed by the peasants? as far southward and eastw.ird of Pnr'6 as Sombernon. At Sombernon wo came to what seemed a dividing range, and immediately the cropBclds gave place to vineyards. Tho soil had changed from a daTk, rich black to a reddish, porous, dry earth. As wo look forward over the other side "* the hill, or mountain, up which wo tavo just laboriously ascended, there is ,r»'*t before us a most magnificent .ipectaci*. wenching down the valley and up into the hills on either side is a great expanse of viticulture. The ground has the appearance of a tessolated floor.

Tho peasants are among their vines—father, mother, and family—weeding, cultivating, and pruning, or placing in position thousands of supporting sticks. Sometimes thin wires aw passed "along tho rows of sticks, to which the tendrils will cling as they shoot up. The cultivation of the grape here is as intense ns was tho cultivation, of crops through the country just passed. . '

With the change in industry the character of tho people 6cems also to have gndergone some indescribable alteration. There is still tho ancient and prominent Village church, but the houses are kept in better external repair. About here. also. we pass another canal, running this time in a. south-westerly direction, and connecting eventually with the Saone, which empties into the Rhone. Thus, .bv means of two canals, is the interior of France connected with the sea, and numerous villages and towns aro linked up with a cheap waterway.

—Dijon and Mrs Dombcy.— Dijon is not far from hero. It is the first large town met with since Paris was left behind. As we proceed wc observe ahead a prominent object, not unlike a rhurch. on the most commanding pinnacle for miles around AVe approach another fiw miles, and discover it to be a statue erected many years ago to some barbarian who had made Ixis last great stand at this point against the armies of Rome. Of Dijon little can be said. It is an up-to-date city of considerable proportions, and contains an ancient chnrch and other renerable rnd beautiful edifices and musees. as do ail other cities of France. But Dijon has this further distinction: it was here that Dickens made Mis Dombev and Carker to i.ieet—and part! —A riain of Small Squares.— South of Dijon we enter some of the most celebrated vintage grounds of France. A great plain opens out, a plain sloping gently from the higldands on our right to the distant horizon on our left. Ab far as the eye can see extend the patches of squares, each square a separate draughtboard, until distance obliterates the distinctions. For fifty miles we ride through such scenery. It is impressive in its immensity. . Each plat of squares, in most eases, denotes separate ownership. Only here and there are there large holderspeople who live in big, picturesque houses, and not in villages. Not a single green grass paddock is passed. Every square yard of earth grows four stout vine roots, and produces—how many pounds of grapes and litres of wine? (Consult Whitaker.) The winter has been prolonged, and great haste is evident on all 6ides in the preparation for the spring. Bundles of last year's vines are going up in smoke all over the country. —Miles of Cellars.— What a chango another few months will witneee! Miles and miles upon miles of ripening grapes! And yot this is'but a portion of the total wine industry of France. From tho presses of the peasants the wine goes away to the cellars of the merchants, receptacles that burrow halfway under the cities. The extent of these cellars and their contents would come as a _chock to the uninitiated. Barrels of wine are treated here like so many bottles in New -Zealand, and even that seems understating the comparison. The trains have special trucks, which contain huge iron casks, and every cafe and grocer's shop has its barrels on Up. And yet in these wine-producing districts one observes very little drunkenness, and one is told that what excess there ie can generally be attributed to absinthe. For tho lower class there is no distinction in the brand af thewine; "blanc" (white) or "rouge" (mi) ifi what is served, the white being tho stronger of the two, and the dearer. You can buy it at any of tho villages; a litre (1J pints) of rougo of excellent quality for lid, 2d, or 3d. —A Fortress Church.— I hurry on over the route 6011 th to BouTg at Tournas, a township on the Saonc River, a deviation as mado to investigate a rumor that here is to be found a really magnificent church. So many fine ancient churches has France that when one is specially singled out a side trip of inspection is generally worth while. It is wonderful how enthusiastic one is at first over old places of worship and ramparts and ruins, and how quickly a 6urfeit announces itself. In this case the deviation was a profitable one. Tho chnrch is undoubtedly a fine relic, dating back as far as the tenth century, and being dedicated to " St. Philiber." Since its first erection, however, it has been variously destroyed and variously renewed, though portions of it remain that were originally erected. The tower is a citadel of the middle ages. The horizontal slit-like openings which alone penetrate the stone toll their-own tale, and inside the tower and the portion of the floor immediately around it are evidences of strength that wcto not required for spiritual wrestlings alone. Perhaps a brief description of the remaining portion will fit—in a lessor degree, sometimes—the many other chuTches that one hae seen as sees in France.

We enter tho building boldly, for though a few worshippers are silently kneeling abouto-it is Holy Week, and the peculiar aroma of incense betokens that mace has recently been held—the churches are always open to visitors. We enter through "a heavy outer door, in which are two unmistakable bullet marks. Facing tm at the_ eastern end aTe the beautiful chancel windows, chaste in their coloring and design—indeed, in these old churches one Toahses the true purpose of the colored window in the li-eht effects it has on the interior. Very little ornamentation 36 observed about tho altar, except beautiful back-hangings and large candles. The pulpit is picturesquely situated in the body of the chnrrh. The seats are rushibottomed, and have in front similar chairs, though smaller, for prayer desks. Some of these chairs are being carried round and knelt upon at the different altare by devout women. Tho smaller altars, along the sides of the building, each with _ a representation of the saint to whom it is dedicated, are numerous. In one place also is a very beautiful Tepreeentation of the Garden'of Gethsemane

containing a figure of Christ. Around tbe walla of the church are very old colored engravingu, framed, of the eight Stations of the Cross. The church organ —a comparatively small pipe instrument—occupies a gallery immediately over the principal entrance. Near the door as we leave we observe a notice indicating the fees that are expected to be paid for the occupancy of the various pews. Outside the church, in the porch, an old dame offers us post cards of the building at 5 cents each. —ln the Markets.— We have entered Touraas on Saturday, and thus have to pass through the market in full operation. Every town and city of trance seems to have its public marketplaces m open squares, where goods are sold without the additional cost that rent of premises entails. With difficulty we wheel our bicycles through tho throngs of people who are passing along the streets of the small town.- They are mostly in from the country, but their attire is that of the towns, except that wooden clogs are in universal use, and the women, instead of unsightly bonnets and hats, wear white and black shawls over tlieir heads. -We reach the market-square, a large area in the centre of the town, and hero the dealers stand over their wares. Spread Out on canvases o n the ground, on rough benches, on hand-barrows are wares of all kinds. It is quite a gaudy display, though a very useful one. Bargaining is the characteristic. '1 he quotations aro alwavs in " sous " (halfpennies). You can got anything here, from a suit of clothes or a set of harness to a packet of lollies or a thimble, and if you can't get it hero the shops are still "pen in the background. In the eveninir tho goods will all he packed up. and tho 1 ext market day is Tuesday or Wednesday. —L'Eglise de Brou.— Bourg, I said, was the immediate destination of- 1 his days ride. At Bourg is a magnificent church of the sixteenth century. Long before reaching as far south as Bourg one has become bored with the number and sameness of the numerous ancient churches. But " L'Eglise de Brou " surpasses anything so far seen. It is under the charge of tho Minister for Beaux Arts. the monks having been expelled in 1901 Their place adjoining is now a barracks for soldiers. Tho church was built in 1511 by tho great. Savoy family, but its chief delight is the carving and marble decorations in tho choir. It would require the pen and knowledge of a Ruskin to „ cr [*' e these carvings and sculpture, and tell their significance, history, and connections with contemporary art. Matthew Arnold has made the church celebrated in a poem. But the ordinary individual can only wonJ-r at the spirit which imbued the artist, and the profligacy of their art and imagination. One naturally wonders also, if the voice of the preacher will a-'ain go iorth from the quaint four-foot read in" desk, which still stands in its place in the church. Humor says in France that the Church party are gradually again cumin" back to their own. —To Switzerland.—

From Bourg it is an intereslimc afternoon's train journey to Geneva. Switzerland. The cost of travelling in Fi.-.nei-is about the same as in Xew Zeabii-.d. though third claw is cheaper than New Zealand's second class (4-fid per mile), and as comfortable. Cycles are carried free. Belgarde 's the frontier town. 'Hie whole whole French frontier is verv carefully watched, particularly in the vicinity of the rivers. Iu some of the rivers drasj-hooks are lowered each ni.sht after dark to catch goods that may be sent down. The story runs that often profitable hauls are made, and that once a man was caught in the act of swimming past with a cask of goods. But everything is done on both sides of the frontier to facilitate the passage of travellers' goods once bona fides are established.