The distance from L’Hopital to Montmellian
is about eighteen miles. After
passing through St. Gilly, Greisj, Fretterive,
and other small towns, we arrived
at two o’clock at St. Pierre, where we rested
our horses and took some refreshment.
About twelve miles from L ’Hopital, we
passed the castle of Miolans, placed on a
lofty escarpement of rock under the mountains
on our right. It was formerly an
ancient baronial castle, but was purchased
in 1523, by one o fth e Dukes of Savoy, and
made the state prison of the duchy. It
has formerly been an extensive edifice,
though now much in ruins, and is surrounded
by strong round towers, that seem
to frown over the vale, as monuments of
the oppression of past ages.
On approaching St. Pierre, we left the
slate rocks, with their serrated summits,
and the mountains on oiir right began to
assume the same forms as those near the
by tbe bigbest Alps in Switzerland ; tbe streams from tbe
Pay de Vaud, and tbe southern declivities of tbe Jura;
and tbe waters of tbe Arve from Mont Blanc and tbe
nortb of Savoy, yet tbese united currents scarcely form
a river wider tban tbe Severn at Worcester.
It
Lake of Annecy, presenting walls and turrets
of limestone, resembling castles lifted
into the sky, placed on steep verdant
slopes. They are, in fact, a continuation
of the same calcarious mountains,^ ranmO not5-
from the head of the Lake of Annecy, to
the south-west through the district called
the Bauges, and terminating on the north
side of the lower valley of the Isere. Their
height above the valley is from 3000 to
4000 feet. They effectually screen it from
the north and north-easterly winds, giving
to this part of Savoy the climate and productions
of more southern latitudes. We passed
many respectable-looking country-houses
and the remains of ancient castles. The
abundant crops of wheat, barley, and maize,
indicate the fertility of the soil. The hay-
harvest was getting in, and reminded us of
the hay-fields in Fngland, and the barley
was already cut, (June 26th,) though the
spring of 1821 was unusually cold. The
wheat also appeared nearly ripe. The slopes
of the mountains on our left were covered
with vines, which produce the finest wines
of Savoy, particularly those of St. George
and St. Jean de la Porte. The white wine
of Montmellian is also much esteemed, but
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