i I
for a road, or even a landing-place, except
in one or two points. At the part opposite
Aix, this mountain is too steep and bare
to support vegetation, except a few scattered
pines; but near Haute Combe its
lower flanks are richly covered with wood.
The almost unbroken line of the Montagne
du Chat, takes away from the beauty of the
lake in the morning, but in the afternoon
the whole western side is thrown into a
deep shade of neutral tint, which gives relief
to the rich scenery on the opposite
shore, and to the distant Cottian Alps,
with their numerous snowy pinnacles on the
south. Here, as well as at the lake of
Annecy, the strata of the mountains on the
west, dip to the water, and those on the
east present their escarpments to it, but
on the lake of Annecy, the mountains
that present their escarpments are brought
close to the lake, and those which present
their backs on the western side, range at
some distance from it. On the lake of
Bourget it is just the reverse. No person
can form an adequate idea of the great
beauty of this lake by seeing it from the
shore, near Aix, with the bare back of the
Montagne du Chat in front. It is only
from near the middle of the lake, or at
its southern end, that the variety and magnificence
of the scenery present themselves
to the eye of the observer with
their full effect. The lake of Bourget is
about ten miles in length from north to
south, or rather from N.N.W. to S.S.E ; its
breadth varies from two to three miles. At
the northern end the waters ofthe lake flow
into the river Bhone, by a passage about
six miles in length, called La Saviere.
As the Bhone is here navigable, the lake
of Bourget has a direct communication with
Lyons and the Mediterranean ; and thus a
channel for commerce is opened with all
the southern and midland parts of France,
which might be of incalculable advantage,
were the trade between France and Savoy
left free. At present the navigation of the
Bhone is of little use to the Savoyards ;
coal is, however, brought from Lyons by this
conveyance for the use of the blacksmiths,
and landed on the east bank of the lake. It
would be extremely easy to carry a canal from
the lake of Bourget to Chamberry, along
the valley, near the bed of the river Leysse,
which flows from Chamberry, and is the
principal feeder of the lake. When the
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