part of tlie barrier, which separates the
Baiiges from the rest of Savoy. The
Bauges, formerly Bovilis, or the country
of cattle, is a district, containing thirteen
communes or parishes, and more than ten
thousand inhabitants; it is surrounded by
a wall of calcareous mountains, and is only
accessible through certain cols or passages,
and is therefore seldom if ever visited
by strangers. The mountains which
we saw on the south-west of the lake of
Annecy, were in the Bauges, or formed
part of its eastern boundary; and the mountains
on the -north, in the lower valley of
the Isere, from near L ’Hopital to Mont-
milian, and from thence to Chamberry and
Aix, form the southern and western boundary
of this district. The impossibility of
procuring a horse or mule when I was at
Chateau Duing, prevented me from visiting
the Bauges, from which I was distant
not more than eight miles in a direct line.
The inhabitants of the Bauges are principally
engaged in a pastoral life, and export
a considerable quantity of butter and
cheese; the latter is said to be of an excellent
quality. There are some iron
forges and nail manufactories here. The
iron is procured from the Maitrienne. The
Bauges is one of those remarkable districts,
of which there are several in Savoy; they
contain numerous parishes and villages,
nearly isolated from the world by impassable
mountains. It is in fact more completely
shut in than the valley of Thones,
described in the second chapter. There
are five principal mountain-passes or cols
in the Bauges, which, in certain seasons,
are entirely closed. But little wheat is
grown th e re ; oats, barley, rye, and potatoes
are plentiful, and these with cheese and
milk, form the chief food of the inhabitants.
There are wolves and bears, with the
roebuck and the chamois in the mountains
; and they abound in red partridges,
pheasants, and grouse. I did not enquire
whether the peasants in this district, speak
French, or only the patois. In the frequented
parts of Savoy they speak both.
On returning from Le Bout du Monde,
we ordered our voiturier to drive us to Les
Charmettes, once the residence of Madame
de Warrens and of J. J. Bousseau. We
had visited the place when we passed
through Chamberry to A ix ; but I wished
to see the house again, as the upper
kK--
I
ifr 1
y-
-E. "i
AI i']f
r “