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����THE VICHY GUIDE
1
�CUSSU ARL01NG li: IlOUCIiET . PRINT.
�POCKET-GUIDE
TO
AND ITS ENVIRONS
WITH A PLAN OF THE CITY
-1878
PRIeE . 2 FR . 50
�GrRDd hôtel Mombrun et du Casino. Publicité publiée dans
(fJ.
l'on voit bien que l 'église Saint-Louis est isolée du parc des
sources par 1'hôtel Mombrun.
« TIle Vichy guide », 1878
�'"TEJ:N.ACc>~?-Y
OF
V I C HY
CASINO, BATHS
AND
MANUFAOTORY OF LOZENGES
�PROPERTY OF THE FRE CH GOVER ME T·
Leas ed by "the
COMPANY FERMIÈRE
OF TUB
THEmlAL ESTABLISHMENT OF VICHY
(Liroited)
~
a:n.on.:y :I::O.Ou..s Soc:l.e1;y
Administralion : 22, BOULEVARD MONTMARTRE, Paris
"ICU y
"'ATEftS
DANGER OF ARTIFICIAL WATERS
• Go to tho l1alural prings, says Dr Bourdon, naturo ia
II far belter than the laboratory.
» 1 cannot bIome in too stron Lerms tho uso of artiII flclnl mineraI wate.rs. Thoy novor roplace those of the
II natural
prlngs: to glvo tho namo or Vichy walor to a
Il moro solution of bicarbonato or soda Is as great an
• abusa of lonllllogo os to glvo the IIRmo or win lo a
• mi ture of cruam of tnrtaT, nlcollol and mineraI salts,
II whlch wi no furn lshos whon IIllnlysod .•
D'
BARTHE?.
EXPORTATION AND PRESERVATION
Tho Vichy waters nre remnrkoble ror Iholr ko ping
qualilf si and ovon nfter a gr nt Inpso of lImo, tho alLorllllon tlat takoM plo 0 18 Inconsldorahl . Tho boll/es
shouttl bo kopt tylng down in n dry Jllace. Th 80 pow rs
of pr BorvntlOIl aro ns mucb duo to tho noturol quality ot
the wnt r os to the extrome cnre lak n ln hOllllllg them.
MANNER OF EMPLOYMENT
The hest monner or uslng Iho Vichy wnt r8 la to Lake
tho doso proscrlhod hoir ln tll morulng beroro breakfost
und the rost with tho mals; ln tho mOrrllll!! puro, at
monl~
mlxod wlth wille. Tito onlinory dose or Vichy Is ana
or t\\O I,otl~
por day. 1'ho roglmoll should ho suhordlna to
lo tho phosos of tho dlsoaso nnd to tho roquiromonta of
tho orgonlzotlolf..
1
�APPLICATION IN MEDECINE
OF THB
DIFFERENT SPRINGS
GRANDE-GRILLE
Lymphatic affections, maladies of the digestive organs,
enlargement of tho Iiver, visceral obstructions and bilious
calculi.
HOPITAL
Uas much analogy wilh the Grande·Grille, but ls less
exclling, and adaplcd for the use of delicalo invalids,
nervous or disposed lo congostiOIl or hemorrhage. This
waler acts oqually III affoctlons of lhe stomach, digestive
orgalls, lIoavlnoss of tho slomacll, dill1cull digestion, wanl
of appetlte, gastralgia or dyspepsla.
CELESTINS
Aifections Of the splne, kidneys, bladder, gravel, urlnary
calculi, gout, dlaboles, albumen.
HAUTERIVE
ls, like the Ce/utins, proscribod for affoctions of the
splno, kldnoY8, bladdor gravel, urinary calculi, gout,
diabolos, album on, olc. its ex coss of eorbonie Reid ronders
Il very l1t for exportation and mo ~ t adaptod lo roplace
the water takon frosh from tho spr Ing. Ils g0800US qunlllios and the facllily with whlch il i9 supporled by the
slomach recommend Il no less thau !ts excellont the rapouUc resu1ts.
l 'hcle watan are lont out in case! o( 50 quart. (Ut<l'61)
or pintl (demi-litres).
To avold Counlerfell8 and Imitations
REQUIRE
The following capsule
SEALIN
RAon BOTTLE
OF TUF:
- -SPRINGS
- - - -_____________________________________
-4
OF THE STATE
�NATURAL MINERAL SALTS
P OR
VICHY BATHS AT HOME
Tho natural Salts of Vichy are extracted from the mi·
neral wa tors by a special pl'ocess. This operation i8 carried
on un der the Surveillanco of the Company agen ts and the
products aro marked with a distinctivo seal bem log tbe
Ooxnpan y staJl'l.p .
These Salts added to water, ln preference to tho hicarbonate of soda of commerce, conslitut!) the arliOclal
VIC HY BATII whlch should be taken white the watpT Is
belng drunk, wilh the sanction of tho medlenl attendant,
whon thoy are Iikely to ha ve a vory bonr·f]clal eO·t' et. 1'110
treatmont at homo can 1J0 we il followed up by those
wbose occupations, infirmillos, dista nces, otc., provent
from visillug Vichy.
The ail do es .not inj ure tho cnamol of tho Ball t ond Is
sold ln rou leaux weighlng about mille ounces.
VICHY DIGESTIVE LOZENGES
rollM
AND JNSCUJI'T JO N a
ON T II F. ).OhlèNGt;
! •
•
OF THE THERMAL
ESTABLIS MENT
.
,
'J'ho L01.ollltos of tho Establishment IlIul'OIol of Vi hy
aro proparcd from tho n at ul"u l .. lin l'ulo tt'aot
f r o Tn th So o..
. Thuy form an u r 'uubl hOllboll
and asslst th octi on of tho minura l walors ond havo n
vory docidNI oll'ecl in ùifUcu lt digoslÎon. Th y 600tlIO tho
slomllch and satura to the acids of tho digostivo orga ll R.
Th080 Loz
lI gc~
aro I1nvourod will! P pp6rmln t, CltrOJl!
Vanill o, Hose, TOlu, Oru II80 fl lowor, and AIIlsoed, afin
aro olso wltllout lasto.
T hey mu.t bo kept in a warm and dry plaos.
away (rom damlJ .
1
1
�BATH SEASON AT VICHY
The Establishment of Vichy is one or the largcst in
Europe at the disposai or invalicls, Iwving :150 bnths, and,
tltanks to 1I1O IJerfocl organizotion or the service, is capablo
or giving 3,000 lJatlls pel' day.
Thore we Ond Douches and Baths or ail kinds; v~pOl\r,
carbonic acirl gas ond olher baths; tho menus of inh, ling
corbonic ocid, oxygen and olltar gases. th e pulvorization
or minerai wnter~,
etc., otc.; 31111 in rnct ail the JJathing
and othor arrangements are mosl completo.
Tho rO~lIa
oason commenc s tho [5'b nf Mav and
Onishe Ihu I,,'b or oplembor, but tho EstnhlishmÎlnl is
open ail the yoar und many invalids prorur follo\\ Ing their
lrc<ltment arter tho seasOIl Is ovor, the twnqllillily alld
huanurul \1 athor gonerally pruvailiug at Virhy in .tho
months Or Octol! rand 'ovombor contrihlltin!.( no hllie
to tlloir .:uro, nor is the Umu loss rllvourabla betwllclI
FclJl'uary 15'1' and Glay 15'10.
Bali-l'noms, Concort-room, LoC't uro-room, rooms l'or
ConvOI sation, Cards, Billiards, ~moJ.ing,
sa loolls for Lnllies,
u( tc - Thoatro cOlltnlning 900 porsonN. --- M(lgnlOcont
:1Iru ln the Park, ote.
Ever c1ny, l'rom !5'h Mny to 15'1, Suplombcr, Drnmntic
",nll Lyricnl cnlcrlalnnlcnts, Comolly, Dllduvillc,OpOl'ottON,
COl'rt~,
le., h tho nrst nrtisl.s ur Paris.
The Promenade! in Ille environs of J'ichy are many
and full of inlcrest.
AH tb
Rall,vay
oonclu t to Vi by.
AIl j')artlculnrs allout the jOUTney lo Vichy h!lurs of
Ilntlilng, cosl. or Honrd. Ilotels, A1Jartmonls, Ole'. , aro son t
gratllitollsly on r coipl. of n propald oppllcatlon.
-~
Wrlte free to Paris, 22] boulcvaN Montmartre,
or to Vichy, the Establishment thermal.
�GRAND HOTEL
JIOIIBRUN
&DU CASINO
FIRST CLASS HOUSE
WITH VIEW ON THE PARK, THE MUSIC KIOSK
AND THE CASINO
CLO E TO THE BATll ESTABLISHMENT
AND THE SPRINGS
Private and comfortable attendance
SPACIOIJS & RICIILY FURNISll8D AI'AIlTIlENTS
AN
MNIBU
PAVILI
SERVICE TO THE STATION
BNGLlSlI SI'OKBN
JAOMBRUN
J'ROP.
00
th
Pluu.
��GRAND HOTEL
DE S
AMBASSADEURS
F:J.rst c1ass
~o-u
se
Most fr 'quen ted b y the EI;glish and
AmefÏcan gentry vi 'itjn g Vichy .
SITUATEO IN T HE VERY BEST PART
Facing both the Park and tbe Concert
square, close to the Baths and Springs,
at a few yards from the Post and
Telegraph office.
SPLENDID REPUTATION FOR WINR AND COOKERY
2 00 rooms. - 20 Ïamily saloons.
Reading-Room.
Large saloon for
soirees. containing 600 persons.
Billiard-room. - Smoking-room .
J>rUV
A T~
ATT E DA
'E
OMNIBUS SERVICE TO THE STATION
ENGLISIT
R ouboau , p r ot>.
PO l EN
1900 tho Plan .
��~B
GRAND HOT EL DE
CHERBOURG
18 HIGH LY RE COMM ENDE D
T
the Englis h and Am riean so iety
visiLin g Vi eh ,
1
3S
one of the best situated ond 1no.t r.om(orlable
IN THE PLAC E
It comm ande a splend id view
of the Park, the Conce r t-Squa re and the
Casino ,
and stand s in close proxi mity
to the Estab lishm ent and the Sprin gs.
FAIlLY APARTIIRNTS A 0 PIIIVATB ATT BNDA NCB
COACH SERVICE TO THE STATIO N
ENGL ISII SPOKE N
M il. Vufl'c-o
• p r Ol> o
o
th
Plon.
�Q
::c
z>tJ
.,oPl
trl
tt
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t'1 " ...",-"'"
(")
~
ttJ
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td
oq
!XI
Q
1~ ,
1IW!lJ
�11
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or
SPLENDlD SITUATION
TIIE PAn liS > D.\TU3> SPRI:\"GS AXD CHI.\l>
St, the Plan
z
t'1
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0
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Ul
Ul
8
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~
:::
I:\" FROXT
Z
t<
....
G)
t'1
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~
G-ra.:n.d ::E-:I:01;e1 d-u.. :J?aJt"c
Renow-ned as one of the best at Vichy
�Rendez-vous of the first foreign Gentry,
First class house looking into the Park,
in the close vicinity
of the Establishment, Springs and Casino.
.
1/}
al
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1
AMILY SALOONS AND PRIVATE ATTENDANCE
OI!lNIIlU
SllnVICll '1'0 TUIl STAT ION
Hugli h pokeo
�GR AN D
HO TEL DES BA INS
FACING THE FIRST CLASS ESTABLISHMENT
AND TIlE GRANDE GRILLE,
AND LOO KING INTO THE PARK ,
IN THE VERY CENTRE OF VICHY
Recommendable hou e, kcpt by Jury.
Priva te A ttend ance,
Fami ly Apart ments , Dinin g-Roo ms
anù Saloo ns
GAIII)EN -
UA! lU ' SEHVICg TO THE STATION _
ENGLI 'Il
POl EN
St.,: 'TlIt: l'I.A .
NICE - Sum housc - NICE
GRA ND
H01'EL DE PAItI
�CRAND HOTEL VELAY
~
~s
AH@r~S
KEPT BY MERY GEORGES
Much rccommcnd d Lo the English and
American cntry visiting Vichy, for
its situaLion and comfort.
PRIVA1'E A'l''J'EN DANCE AN D
ALOONS
OMNIBUS SERVICE TO ALL TRAINS
N
LlfSH
SPOI EN
SEF. nIE PLAN.
SAME H OUSE AT CAN N E S
HOTEL
DES
PRINCES &DES ANGLAIS
�TITE
SOURCE LARBAUD
18 one of the coldest springs at Vichy,
Th '
wn l
' l'
SC IB r i Fle
A ' AL)' 1
. how Ihll t Ihi i IIH'
I('os l ulfl' clet! by TUA SJ'OItTAl' J ; in il 0/1
OIlS lilu li Vll elemt' nls 0(' tlll' Vi 'hy wo t e r ~
Ih e
l'etuin Ih ei l' ol'iSi ll ul 'OIHlili (11l
've n unP l' the lo uge t voyng' ,
11 11
1 pl'
O p O l'i
o l ~,
Il is qlli \(' imil ol' 10 Ih (' Il ncieul CBLE T Il ~ S
i SUC" ~f u"
Il t'ù lI~n
in ~1
Liver and Spleen diseascs, Bladder
cotarrh, Cblorosis, Grav el, Calculi, Diabetes, Dyspepsia, GQstro-Enteritie, obstinote Fevors, Gout Stomach heavines8, etc,
. 1· JlI NG, o lld
.t\ pply, l'or 1h
al fS f (hi spring,
aL Lond D,
Aallais and
., 27 Mal'ooal' t LI'
t.
�SOURCE' LARBAUD
ROUTE DE NIMES
At a short distanoe from the Celestins
TU E
GRANDE
IACHINE CARRÉ
For the cold concentration of the
V ich y -w-alers.
MI'. LAR BAUD gel , b mean OflhisE nginc.
A CONCENTRATED MINERAL WATER
on taining the !:)L! h Lane of th Vi hy
wal l'S and advanlageou ly, 'upplyin O'
('h pla of the salt!:) ,
This concentrated water can be transported, under a
small volume and very cheaply,
T
l ' TA NT
U TRI E
Mix 20 bottles of oommon water
With 1 bottle of the concentrated liquid
And ou will have a minerai watel' Il good
a if Luken fl'om lhe spring, a il gu Itcs up.
APPLY. FOR TilH CONCBNTRlTBD
A1.
Ut
orno
of
'tb
WATRR
I~BRU
our
0
Larbaud
DO ULE VAR DE CÉLESTIN S
R 2 , R UE M N 'r A RET, V I J Y
Priee of one bottle : 3 irancs.
1
�-
-
E. GALLAIS and Co.,
-~
VICHY WATERS DEPOT
27 Margaret Street Regent Street
:L.C>~N"
Importors of ail kinds or waters
UYDROTHERAPIe ESTABLISHMENT
of Doctor VHRSl!PUY,
JARDE'X"S SUOOES
OR.
Ex-Assistant physician and coadjutor
to ilolttor' Cluis
INVENTOR
orr TnE
$leut'!1
RATIONAL AND SCIENTIFIC
HYDROTnERAPY
Excellent situation al the cItremity of Ihe rue de Ballore,
ON THE BANKS OF THE SICHON,
Short distance from the Springs.
TUE DOCT R III 1 LU' ATTEND
TO THE DOUCHING SERVICE
MEDICAL WORKS
of D r SOULIGOUX.
Du Ramotli8~
nt dei 01 01 du moyen d'y romédier,
PaTis, 18GB; 1 vol. In-12.
Du Diauno.lio méllioat cl ohirur(Jical lllL1' 1
1Jhy.igucs, l'nrIS! 18li8; 1 vol. 111-8 av c 30
D
Intorcat .os
dOflS
luxto.
la durée df11railomcnt thormed à ViO/IV, Vichy, 1870 ;
hro huro In-B-.
l}t, Dlagno.lto dOl maladio trailéu par 181 caux 'liermale do Viohy, l'oris, 1872; 1 vol. i ~ -8, 320 poges.
A.loalins. 1)6 leflT action pilysioloUÎI[U8 lur
Etude ur l~.
les ph6llOmèn08 Ile 1lulrit(on 01 lio ICf,r application
théralJoutiquc, ParIs; 1818 t vol. in-8, 400 pogos.
�BANK
BANQUE
DE VICHY
H. COLOMB 1ER & PÉTILLIAT
Change of Moncy. Bnnknotes, elc.
Discount of Circular Notes and Lelters of Credit
Proceeding from forcign Banks
PLACE ROSALIE, CLOSE!TO THE HOSPITAL UTHS
Office open from 9 ta 11 A. M.
And from 1 ta 5 P. M.
ENGLISH SPQKEN
V~A
DES CYGNES
llO LEVAI\T NATlONAL ( EW PARK)
COMFORTABLY
FOR ONB
~n
; teX'"
-
on
G-a
FU R.,N ISH ED
TW() FUIILIBS
-
..A..::lX'". S1:ove
STABLE AND COACH-HOUSE
•
WRITE TO THE KEEPRR
--------------------------------_.
�Rue de NIMES & facing the PARK
TRADESMAN
or IL M. LEOPOLD, king of BeJ~ilm
.
Il . 1. r.llARLE XV, king of wcden & NOl\va
Il . R. II. l 1 IL-PAf-:I1 , viccroy of Egypt;
II. R. TL the Duche s f RY of Rus in .
ALL
~ l
GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC
1I0nUEA \.: Château-Lofll , Chûlonu- 1:lrgaux, Gruaod-
I.nro , le.
n IIG IJ U": Ilomani!e-Conll, Clos-Vougeot, Chambertin ,
Corlon, nits Il aune, ole.
CIIMIJl 1(; : • Cliequot Ponsurtlln de Werl6, Loui
~
l\wtl ror, 10 - t de Chandon, bevau, le.
l'orto, Inrl ira, lalogn, Zueeo, Cypru8, olc.
ENGLISH AND FRENCH SPIRITS
lurloll 's Go/(nnc.
I n8~
de Co's Ind ln Polo Alo - Gill. Irish Whisky. - . COlch Whisky. - Punch,olc.
E
:El.
ARISIENNE
C:~
ENGLISH GROCERY AND PROVISION WAREHOU SE
ALI, l IND
Jo' EN LI 11 ARTl 'LE
IlIscuits.
Pickles.
l'ott (1 lIlouts. - Jollios. Muslnrrl.
Chou o.
Marmelades, ole.
CONFECTIONAR
l'ros rvod fruit from Auvorgn
Sirups, ct .
�PREFACE
1
During a resid nce of i hL yeal's at
Vichy as Professor of lhe French language and lileralure, l have a h a, on
had c n iderable int l'cour c with the
FOl'ei/1'n D'cnlry visiLinO' lh pla , of
whom many have xprcs. ed lhe opinion
lhal an 1 n 'lish Vi 'hy Guid would he
a wo!'l f mu ·h uLilily. 'L'hero ~ r ) il is
leu , Fr n 'h guid s for Vi 'hy and il
Environs; but, be id s th lifliculty f
p l'f Uy undor luncling bIs in a for ig'n lanO'uag } an En li Il read n uld
Hnet in non of Ih m many indi pen abl
pat'licularH; u h aB l' fel' nee on Chur h,
l :,ülway, P , l and T 1 tapit l'vi e!:l,
le. 1n or'cl r L suppl Y l.hi wan t, l h av
Und l'lé k n lh publi alion f [his 1 01.
l ha end av ur ct l in lue! 0.11 1nfo1'-
1
1
�mation Lhat an possibly b servi able
to trav llers, and l have done m be t
to e ' press such informati n as briefly
and learly as po sibl .
To favililaLe r fer nee, l have divided
my hand-bool inlo lhr parI, Lh [ir L
of v hich conlains m ro informalion oncerning the Y ater ) Bath, Ph. 'i ian )
eLe; 0 a t par lh rcader th trouble
of l'LLnninO' ov l' Lh \ hol
f Lb b 01
for pi 'kinO' up u 'h parli 'ulal" a h
m b in want f. Th
'ond part ionly d l'ipli (' nd lh lhird e ncerns
Ihe Environs.
:luth
l'.
�GENERAL INFORMATION
THE HOTELS
Among the fir t cJa s hotels of Vichy, wc
should particulnrly mention III following, fi
mOsl frequentcd hy Englih and Amcrican lruvrllel's, und al ' 0 us lIighly J'ccomm -nduble in u]]
respects :
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Hotel
Hotel
Hotel
Hotel
Hotel
Hôtel
Hotel
des Ambassadeurs,
de Cherbourg,
de )a Paix,
du Parc,
Mombrun et du Casino,
Velay et des Anglais,
des Bains,
Ali thrsc hOllse 1001 into the Pol'! ond stond
in the close vi 'inily or lh BOlhs, the Spl'ing llnd
the Cn Îuo, ()winS 10 Ih cir C:xlclHlrd rp}lllll1lioll
Qnd lh' numerou visilors Lo Vichy, il is . omc-
--
�-4times necessary, especially in the heiglJl of the
season, to write in advance to the proprietors of
any house where il is desired to obtain comfortable
apartments.
Il is impossible to quote the priee here, as
charges depend upon the situation of the rooms.
Generally both lodging and bOllrding al table
d'hote mny be had at from 1!) 10 20 francs per-da .
Be ides the above mentioned, there are several
olhe[' first clas houses chirfly f/'equented by
French society; for in lance :
Grand
Grand
Grand
Grand
Hotel
Hotel
Hotel
Hotel
des Therme s,
des Princes,
Guilliermen,
de Paris, etc. ,
looking al 0 upon tire Pari , and londing in the
vicinity of the Wells ond Bath .
The s cond cla
hOlels, Ihough not ommonding a view upon the PlIrk, are gencrnlly situated
al Il /tOI't distance l'rom the DOlhing E tablL hment
and are by no mean 10 be di regurded fol' tlrcir
nltondanc .
�,-------
-5-
We may remal'k that every inhabilant of Vichy
is, more or less, fi land lord. There are but few
who have Ilot sorne fUl'nished apartrnents 10 let in
the balhing eason. Owing 10 thi circurnstnnce,
lodgings are cXlrernely nl>undont, and also, extremcly cheap at Vichy. But il would not perhops he
prudent, fol' pecuniary consideralion , to venture
into sorne lhird l'onk houses, guided by the representation of Clgents sent 10 Ihe Saint-Germain
slotion for pUl'pO e of recornrnending Ihem. In
good holel the chal'ges are olwoys high enough 10
ecure 0 good und comforloble attendance.
To Forl'igner who 'hould huppen flot to like
l'esiding in hotol , private cholet ' Clnd villa, comforlol>1 fllJ'llishcd. can be Ilil'ed cither for Ihe
whole ca on, or for the ordinal' COUI' c of lwent
da . hould thcy necd eith r men or moid serVont, sucil arc cosil found ot Viclly ; the Iluml> l'
of fllnlilies hil'ing privote hou c and living in lheil'
Own usual , lly beins con ' iderllbl ,many pel' on
in the n ighbollrhood 01' IICCU tOrned 10 se k
engog meut of lhis Ol't dUl'ing Ih
0 011 .
�-6-
LIST OF THE VICHY DOCTORS
Aurillac (* l flrst class physician of Ihe Marine and Colonies, bouleval'l de l'IIolel-de-Ville,
oppo ile Ihe Post and Telegraph Office. (Consultation in Ihe English language).
Barudel (O. ~d Chief- phy icion of the MiIitary Hospital, rue de Pal'i .
Biernawski, l'ue Montaret.
Bin tot (O. '*) fil' 1 cla ph sician of the
AI'ITI , boulcvort Victoria.
Carol us de la Salzède, villa iuria, boulevart de Celes lins.
Champagnat, Chief-pIt y icion of the Civil
Hospital, pince de l'U olel- dc-Villc.
Charnaux ruc Luca, cio c 10 IItC sccond
cio BUllt E l;lJlishmcnl (Con ullulion in the
Engli h language).
Chopart ( ~) 40, rue dc ime (Con ultntion,
in th Engli h Ilin g ua ~ r.) .
Collongues, 1 & 'Z , ru' Alquié, lui on ~
Angilli 'cs (COllultuliolls il! lite Engli ·1t langllagr).
Cornil ,l'ue Luca. ,cio (' 10 tlte Milillll'y 1I0' pilal
Cornillon, nvrl1u ' dc la GUI'C, cio c 10 Lite
Cltul'ch ofSainl.Loui .
Daumas (* l l'UC Pl'un ,Il' (Consullntion iu
the Engli h Jungullgr).
�-7De Lalaubie ct) rue de Nimes, nearly opposite the Church of Saint-Louis.
Dubois ("* ) Inspectol'-physician, rue Lucas,
facing lhe firsl class Establi bment.
Durand-Fardel (*) Inspector-physician
of the Hauterive spring, rue du Parc (Consultations
in the Engli h language).
Durosée, villa des Marronniers, rue de Nimes,
place du Chaleau d'Eau.
Fournier, 7 rue Alquié.
Gaudin h~)
18 rue de Nîmes.
Grellety, chalet Paturle, rue Prunelle.
Lugagne, place de la Marine.
Nicolas, Assistant-physician of the Civil Hospital, rue ùe Nîmes.
Pupier, villa ll'a uss, facing Ihe Park.
Regnier, pince Ro alie.
Senac, rue du Porc, in fl'ont of Ihe Mu ic
quarc (Con ultation in th e English lan~uogc
).
Souligoux (*) boul'v/ud National, villa
Thel'opia.
Versepuy, Hydroth l'a pic E Inbli lunent,
at Ihe 'xlremily of the rue ùe l3allol'c, cio c to the
icholl.
Villemin( .*)A i lantin peclol'-ph y ician
ullachcù to Ill c nolh , in Ihe Emperor's anei nt
cholcl, boulevtlrt alional (Consultations in the
Bngli h language).
�-8-
DO TOR COLLONGUES' MEDICAL WORKS
1° Des Merveilleux effets de la Grande-Gr ille dans
la guérison des maladies de {oie (in the pre ),
1 78,
2° Des Jferveilleux enets do la Gr'ande-Grille dans
le rétablissement de l'équilibre normal, 1 78,
3° Le livre des malades à Vichy, 1868,
4° Notice ur la quantité d'Eau, minérale qu'il
convient de boire pendant et après la saison
de Vichy .. leur meilleur mode d'administration et le régime alimentaire à sui re, 1 71,
5°
Le Climat de Vichy, 1871 ,
6° P'r emier Mémoire tLr la découverte dlb Diascope
ou 11ygrornUre meSlt7'ant la sécheresse et l' humidité des mains, 1 7!J..
70 Deuxième AJémoire sur le IJio 'COplJ et las loi' dtL
mOlUJement de la vie dans la paalL, 1 7',
8° 11roisième Mémoire sur le Bwscopa indiquant
la richesse OlL la ]Jan reté du, sana par la
richesse OIL la palLv7'ett! de la SuelL?' des
mains, 1 76.
1
�-9-
CHEMISTS
Tabardin, English and Thermal Pharmacy,
rue de Îme, close to the Quatre-Chemin.
F. Desbrest, Pharmacie Centrale, place de
la roix de la Mi ion.
C. Desbrest, l'ue tic l'Hopital.
Durin, rue Luca & unin-Gridaille, in
front of the Grande-Grille.
Larbaud, rue 10nlaret.
Forestier, rue de Nîmes, close 10 the
Cele ti.ns.
DRINKING
l'he u e of the Vichy waters, ith 'l'aL th
pl'ing of the E tote 01' ul the private W Il , i
gratuitous.
Full glas " ni' d livel'cd to th' dl'inkcl" b)
fClllllle employcs ngug d fOI' thut plll'pOSC.
ri tal glus e ' lin he had nI the pring : the)
al' kcpt for sale by Lbe woter giv l' .
�-
10-
Though nOlhiog is pa id fol' the watel' dl'unk at
the Wells, the custom is to givc something to the
employés artel' the cour e of tl'eatment, either for
1he bat hs or shower-baths, 01' for the use of the
waters.
Drinking time is usually beforc meals, Il'om ninc
to ten in the morning, and from fouI' to half past
five in the ortcl'l1oon.
A it i sometime nece ary 10 mix the minerai
water with winc to be drunk ot meal , it ma he
bl'oughl grotuitou Iy from the pl'illg in decanter
and u ed when and a olle cl1oo. cs.
Bul it cannot he pul inlO boule, the bottling of
th Vichy walcrs being onl for transportation cithcr
to other parts of Fronce 01' 10 Foreign countrÎes .
•
v y
To procllrc \ Ilter l'or ll'Illl pOl'latlOn, Ihcir li e
al home Il iog fI' 'lu IItly r COInmcnd 'ù by doclors, appl :
1 1 At the Office of the central administration, on the Grst floor of the Grst olass
Bath Establishment, Viohy, or 22, Boulevart Montmartre, Paris,
for wal'\', fl'om th followill l5 sprillg :
Gmnrir-Gl'ille, Ifnpilal,
Celestins, /lrl1!>lerilJe,
�,------------.--------------------- ---Mesdames, Puits Clwmcl, P,LÏts Lucas, Source du
Parc.
The water are sold in cases of 50, 30, 20 and
., 0 bot lIes. A bOille: 60 centimes (six pence) ;
2 nd At the Lardy Office, rue de Nimes,
Vichy,
fol' waters from the Source Lardy: sa me prices
as before;
3 rd At Mr. Gallais' 27 Margaret Street,
London 1
fOI' \ nter from the ource Larbaud and others.
BATHING
'l'he fil' t lhing to be donc by those wishing to
get balh 01' douche at the Th rmal E labli hment
i' 10 present th cm cIves al Il pecial office fol' the
rnSCl'iption of BOlher , nllhe N, eXll'emity of lhe
control gollel' of the building.
'rll('y ore lh 'JI l'anked in one of the serio which
arc fixed in odvonce, uccording to lhe time left al
lhe di 'po ni of lite bothiJlg udmiJlistl'Ution.
Ticket fol' hotlt douch s and bath Ul'C delivel'cd Ilt ilnothcl' , icket of the uIDe ofTice.
�-
12-
We advise those desiro's of taking their baths
nol 10 miss the lime apvoinled for their accommodation. Sbould lhe happen so to do, lheir
place is given to some other persons, and il is
sometimes difficult, especiall) in the height or the
season, to have another time for bathing.
BATHING SERIES
At the Vichy Thermal Establishment,
serie - U; minutes pust 4"
- 15 minules pasl 6.
- 30 minute pa t 7.
3rd
- 4-5 minute pUSl 8.
4th
lh
10 o'clock,
5
Ii~b
- 15 minute po tH.
- H\ minute pn t1.
8~h7'"
- 30 minut pat 2.
- 45 minute pa '13 .
9 lh
i·~
2nd
In the morning
[II
the allcl'noon
 Il
!
of the (' serie 'on he UPllI'CS d, lIccol'dillg
10 Ih n cd of the hathing crvic .
The lim
fOI'
huthing i ·
011
hour and
0
quul'tel',
�-
i3 -
including the dress; beyond this, the priee of
baths is doubled.
*
••
If an bod r uses ehemieal ingredienl which
are not supplied by the admini tl'UliOIl, one fl'une
more is ehal"ged rOI" the detcl"ioratiol\ of tho hathing-tub.
TARIFFS OF THE BATHS
At the Vichy Thermal Establishme nt.
l"CLA
~·
i"rcuçh In . EnUIl.h mon. French
1
ln . ~f\Ulbh
Plon.
lIosorvod Duths wilh a
rstlnghod .......... . 5f. 0.4 .0
Minora i \lulhs .. .. .... . . H. 0.2 .5
2 fr . 0.1.7 t/2
Fr sh wal r Balha ..... 1 f.50 0.1.21 /2 1 fr . 0.0.10
Yopour- llaths ......... 3 r. 0.2.5
lIip-Balhs ...... ....... If. 0.0.10 0 fr . 750.0 .71/ 2
Gas (cn rboulc ocld) Dalhs. 1 r. 0.0 . 10
Fool-Bnths............. 0 f.30 0.0.3
0 fr. aD 0.0.3
NOT • Bath Clin b' hod Al' ItOnltl fl"om live
il\ th 1l10millf) to ix in lit· cvening, 011 condition
of pu illg t, 0 Crolles mOl"e thon lite ubove lIlention d priee
�- 14TARIFFS OF THE BATHS
At the Hospital Establishment.
Same as hcfol'e, exccpl for
-
fr' l O. 3. 2 J/2
Reserved Baths witb a restins bod. . 4
J3albs in pisclna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 fr .
ulphurous Balhs. . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . 3 fr.
O. 1. 7 1/ 2
O. 2. 5
SHOWER- BATHS
'f lte howel'-balh ore nol arl"Uoged in series:
th y co n bc had at any lime of lhe da • fl'olU lhe
openin g lo lhe cIosing of th e Es tubli .liment.
TARIFFS OF THE SHOWER-BATHS
AL the Vic hy Therma l E s tablis hmen t.
J"
IleMorvcd Douches wilh
n restillH 1Iod .......
Porcussion-lJou 'hes ...
Vopour-Ooucltes ......
Cold Douches.........
IlwardJJouch s ......
Vagi nul Douches .... ..
Ii f.
a f.
3
1
0
0
r.
r.
r.
r.
,,
"
"
50
75
CLA SS
0.4 . 0
0,2 .5
0 .2 .5
O. [.2 1/2
0.(). 7 1/2
5IJ 0.0.5
2'
~
CLASS
2 f. " 0.1.7 1/2
1 r. " 0.0. 10
0 r. 500.0. Ii
0 ' .400.0. 1
�-
15-
Balhs and shower-baths ean he had at Il lower
priee, WUBN TAJ(BN TOGBTUBR, 01' AT SOMB PARTlCULAR UOUII
OF TUB DAY ;
1" CLASS
Baths and Douchas si0. 2.5
multaneouslytaken.. 4 f. 500 .3.71 /23 f.
Baths or Douches, at
the s'arics of 10 o'cl. ,
11 1/4 and 1 1/4 ... . 2 f. Il 0. 1. 7 1/2 J f. 250. 1.0
------
INHALATION SITTINGS
Inhalation sitting of Carbonic acid gas..
Inhalation sitting or Oxygc n gas ... . ,..
Inhalation silling of Pulvorlzed minorai
waler .""" .. """" ... "."""
a r. 50
1 f.
Il
0.0. 5
0.0.10
1 f'.
»
0 ,0, 10
A tlle cu tom j ta give som thillg to the emplo yés fol' Ih e bathing allendanee, boxe arc plaeed
close la lh e ofTices of 1he ch icf·balllel· , und Ihe
SUIlI S eollceted ul'e dividcd alllong lite talf of the
E lablihm cnl al lhe end of eaeh '0 on.
AI 0 Il peeial hook i pl'ov id 'd, 10 l' 'ceive the
observations and eomplnint lhul pOlient mey
have to lOok '.
�-
16-
A TRANSLATION OF THE INTERNAL
REGULATIONS OF THE THEATRE & CASINO
Art. PL, - The Ca ino is open [rom 1u 15 L1 ,
10 1st of eptember' bul the Ladies-saloon and
Billial'd-l'oom are open to the Public till October
151h on condition of pa iug u upplementary sum
of 50 centimes (5 pence) per-day, 01' 5 franc
(4. hilling ) for a forlnigh t.
Art. ~n d . - Tbe sub criplion to the Casino 01'
tlle thealr'e la ts for one montlt . To beeome a
sub cl'ibel' il is necc SUI' to be intl'oduced by
orne l'C pcctable person knowll to tlte adlllillistr'olion.
1
1. CAS I NO
Art. ;jrll. - 'lh 'ub cription to the Ca illo
gives right :
10 '1'0 the fr(" ntlmi ion 10 011 l'oom in the
Ca ino, 'ïC ~plhe
Ludie . oloon and Theatrc ;
o To th ndmi i n to hull s one! conc 'l'lof
the co on;
3· To the Sl'atuitou, u (' of chuirs in thc Park,
elcstin 011(1 othel' Pl'olll('nlldt' bclollging 10 tho
.. ompany.
1'1. 4Lh , - Four limes u-weck u ~onc()l't
01' fi
�-
17 -
bail is given in the Coneert-room of the Casino,
from eight to ten in the evening.
Art. 5th . - The Company reserves to itself,
once a-week, the use of the Bali-saloon and its
dependanees . On this clay, whieh must be published Iwo day in advonee, admi ion to the ro om
do cs not bclong to subscriber. The priee of
ad mi ion i Ihen fixed by the administration
whieh communientes it 10 the represenlanl of Ihe
bovernmcnt.
Art. 6th • - '1 he priees arc as follow ' :
1
A su])scription for one person. . . . . . 25 fr
A subscriptloll fo r a cbild, balow 15
y ars of age .. . . . .... . . .. ... , . . .. 10 fr.
One day admission, ovon on da ys of
bail or concort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 fr .
1. O.
°
O. 8. 0
O. 1. 7 J/2
Art. 7th • - 'J'he Rcn din!;, Gnmillg and Billillrd·
sa loons ore 0PCII 10 ub ' c rib er~,
frolll eve n o'cloc]
in 1he morning to leven al nigh l, 01' ornelirnc
eycn lwelve, nccording to lhe drmnnd of Ih e
sea on.
Art. 8th • moking i fOI'bidd n in th e Reading"0010 und ,Olle 'rt- oloon.
Art. 91". - [n Ih Rending- oloûn , li ulTi cicllt
quanlily of polilicollllld Iiterury poper und rel'iews
is fUl'Ili hed fOI' Ill e U c of subscribcr ,
rt. 10 1h • - 'l'he uulhorized game arc those
which 111'1' nllmed society gam
n, Piquel ,
1
�-
'1 8-
Ecarte, Whist, Boston, Besigue, Tricktrack, Dominos, Chess and Billiards.
Art. .11 111 • - The priees for games are as
follows :
Whist. .. . ............. . ........... 5 f. Il
Piquet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3 f. Il
Ecarte. . .. . . ... . .. . .... . .. . . . . .. .. 2 f. Il
Billiard, in the day, an hour .. . . . .. 1 f. 50
Billiard, at l1igbt, an hour.. ........ 2 f. 50
Dominos, Tricklrack, Choss...... ... 1 r. "
0.4.0
0.2.5
0.1.7 1/ 2
O. J.2 1/2
0.2.0
0.0 . 10
Arl. ~ :2 L11 - The chonging of cards is obliglltor
evcry hour.
II. THEATRE
Art. 13111 • - The subscription to tlle Theatre i
di tincl fl'om tlrat to the Ca ino .
Art. U th • - Smoking i forbidd Il att hcTheatre.
1'1. 15 th • - The prie of admis ion, on ordiHary r prc cntation doys, arc ctll d a follows:
Admission (numlJorod slall) .......... . H . 0.3.21/2
dmlsslon to a four places box ....... . lG f. 0.12.10
' ubscriplion to the Thoalro ollly for ono
p rson to numhorcd stail .......... . 45 f. 1. IG . 0
Ono doy admission to both the Casino
allCtlho'l'heatrc ....................
sr.
ubscriplion lo bolh th Thealre nnd tlto
381no, on porson. ................ 00 f.
Fnmlly subscripllOll, includlng clllior
tho huslialld and hia \Vlro, or OliO of
thom wlth a chUd .................. 100
r.
o.~()
2. 8. 0
4,(l,O
�-
19-
Art. 16 Lh • - The extraordinary represenlations,
viz. those in whieh Paris pel'formers are to IDake
their appearance, must br. announced two duys
in advanee. rlaeards and programmes will then
indieate the special priees of both stalls and
boxes.
Tite tenant Company resel'ves 10 itself the use
of the Theatre once n-week. On lho e day , which
mu t be publi lied two day in advonee by placards giving information a to the priee, SUDSCRIDERS' TICKETS CA NOT GENERALLY DB USBD.
SUBSCRIPTION TICKETS
Art. 17 tll • ub cription lick l , cilhel' to thc
Theatre 01' the Co illo. nre pel'sonal /lnd mu "t he
shown , hcn ver a keu fOl' by the olTicers of the
tcnant Compan y.
'l'hey ore nominul, igned b lheil' hold l' , und
can b· ncithcl' lellt nol' old.
In co (' a licket of which lh datc Iwd cxpired
Itould h made LI cor, 01' Ilny pel' on bUl the
l'ightful own '1' houlJ pre enl it, th' benr l' would
he chol'g d fOI' a lib cl'iplion nt the lIbovc menlionNl pl'Ïces, onu th· ticket would be taken from
hirn.
�-
1
20-
Aiso the matler would be the object of an official
report made by one of the sworn agents of the
Company, and the o/Tendel' sued according to the
law.
Ar!. 18U'. - The saloon of both the Casino and
the Theatre must be cio ed ut eleyen o'clock al
night or, al the lutest, at t\Velve, Ilccol'ding to
pecial arrangements on particular occasions.
CHURCH SERVICE
The Englislt service takc plac' every sunday at
half pa t eleyen in the mOl'ning ond at seven in the
ev ning. Thcre is a French pl'ote tanl ervice on
th ame day and in the amr. chUl'ch, al two
o'clock in the ofLCl'Ooon,
These houl's nnd ail Il 'ce ory information conc l'I1ing religiou ervice ore pl ~ t d up in th
principal hotel ot Vichy .
Th Engli il clergyman r sid' at the Ilolel do
herbottrg.
�-
:21 -
CARRIAGES
Job carriages of various kinds can be
had, at any time of the day, at Mr, Bris80n's, rue Belin.
D aily service ta R andan & Maulmont
and ta Busset. through the A rdoisière .
Apply at the hiring kiosk , Place de
l'Hotel- de-Ville, on one side of the Hotei
des Ambassadeurs.
..*
"-
AI 0 co nioge land 1'01' hire l'ue Cunin-Grjdaine, in Ihe Park.
From Ih e Place d s QuaIre-C hemins 0 conlinual
service of omnibu ses Ica ves fOI' Cussel : Ihe chorgé
is onl y 30 cenlim es (Ihree pence) fOI' 0 journey.
Th e cOI'l'ioge charges for Vich) and ils Envil'ons
Ol'e fi xed a 1'011 0' S :
TARIFFS OF JOB CARRIAGES
1. VICHY
In te rior of the ci ty
From 6 o'clock in Ihe mornin g to 12 al night.
f. 25 0. 1.0
250.1 .10
corring aml pair, Q coursa ...... . ... 2 f.
0. 1.7 1/2
0.2.6
an hour ........... 3 C.
On
h Ol'80
cn rriogo, a 'ours ... .... .. .
1
an bour . ... . . . .... 2
--
r.
�From ~2
morning,
22-
o'clock al night 10 6 o'clock in the
One horse carriage, a course . . ...... .. 2 f. » O. 1.7 1/ 2
an hour .......... . a f. ) 0.2. 5
A carriage and pair, a cOllrso .. ........ 2 f. 50 0.2.
an bour ........... 3 f. 500.2.10
°
Going from the station, with orwithout Iuggage,
to hOlels, or from holels to the st:Hion,
From 6 o'clock in th e morning lo 12 lit night.
One horse carriage, a course .......... 1 r. 50/0.1.2 1/2
»
•.•••.•• 2 f. 500.2. 0
A carriage and pair
FI'om 12 o'clock III night to 6 in the morning.
One horse carrla ge, a cours .......... 2 f. "/0.1.7 1/2
A carrlage and pair
')
........ 3 f. » 0.2.5
For lhe above charge , traveller orl'Ïving by
lrllin ore conveycd from place to pInce unlil t hcy
find lodging .
II. CU SSE T
Ono horse carrlage, a cours .......... ( f. 50 0.1.2 1/'2
nu bOul' ........... 2 f. lin 0.2.
°
A carriogo and pair, a course ... ....... '2 f. 500.2. 0
an heur ........... ;j f. 500.2.10
Th COur e fOI' Vieh und u set i from lh
llll'ling point lo th pOL of an'ival, IlOt including
lhe l'eturn.
�-
23-
III. EXCURSIONS OUT OF VICHY
There and back, including the time for rest.
-----
ONE IlORSE CARRIAGES
Time for re.t
Charmoil .................. 1 hour.
Côte Saint-Amand ......... .
Hauterive ................. .
J\lalavaux ................. .
Montagne-Verte ............ .
Ardoisière ................ .
2
Bourbon-Busset .......... :.
l\andan . . ................. .
1IIoulmont ........... .. .... .
Chateldon ................. .
Gannat ................... .
7fr.0.5.7 1/2
7 fr. 0.5.71/2
7 ft. 0.5.71/2
7 fI'. 0.5.71/2
7 fI'. 0.5.71/2
8 [r. 0.G.5
15 fr. 0.12.0
15 fr. 0.12.0
15 fr. 0.12.0
15 fr. 0.12.0
15 fr. 0.12.0
CAIUUAGES AND PAIR
Time for rut.
Charmeil. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 1 hour.
Côle alnt-Amand ......... .
Hallterivo ................. .
Mala vaux ................. .
l\tontasnc-Verlo ..........•.
Ardoisière ....... .. ......•.
Bourbon-Buss t ...........•
nandau ................... .
Maulmont ................ .
Chatold Il ......•......•••.
Gannat ................... .
FOI'
Ih
olhcr' prolO node
2
10 fr.
10 fI'.
10 f,·.
10 fr.
10 fr.
12 fI'.
20 fr.
20 fr.
20 fr.
20 fr.
20 fI'.
0.8.0
0.8.0
0.8.0
0.8.0
0.8.0
0.0.71/2
O.IG.O
O. tG.O
0.10.0
0.10.0
O.JG.O
mcnlioncd in I!lis
o~k,b
Billy, Thiers, Ihe JlJontagne-lJottrbonnatsc, th e Environs o{ Gannat, ogl'ce with the
'-
cOUchmoll.
�-24-
JV. INDEFINITE EXCURSIONS
Out of Vichy
-
One borse carriage, first hOUT .......... 3 r.
following hours, oocb. 2 r.
Ono horse carriage, halr a day .......... 9 f.
0.7.2 t/2
a day ............... t 8 f.
A carriage and pair, firsl hour ......... 4 f.
Collo\\'inghours,each. 3 f.
A carriage and pair, Juif a day ......... 12f.50
a day ............ 2[, r.
0.14.5
0.3.2 1/2
0.2.5
0.10.0
1.0.0
0.2.5
0.1.7 J/2
NOTA. - The priee fol' the first houl' i alwoys
eharged, 'ven if Ihe eOflchrnan has nul been emplo ed the whole lime.
The succeeding houl's moy be divided ioto quarter , and pa id for pro l'ota.
Tite 1 ngth of tire dny j fix 'd lit 12 houl' , including'2 Irours fOI' l' sling, and thot of the IIlllf a
ùa ,lit 6 hOUI'S, including 1 hour for tll l'C l.
The conchlll Il lire oblig<'ù lO n k those hiring
tlreir carrillg 'S whelhrl' tlrey in!elld to Il ire by lire
cOurS, hy Ih(' hour, Ilnd b the dlly orb . thc hoIr
a day.
�-
25-
None of them are allowed to charge more than
the above mentioned prices; yet these rates are
ofLen exceeded. and we should advise those de,il'oUS of driving, as a maller of prudence, 10 agree
in advance, for the rare, Willl the coach man,
POST AND TELEGRAPH OFFICE
Place de l'Hotel-de-Ville,
TELEGRAPH
The oflicc i- open rroln 7 in the Illorning to 9
al nighl.
The cha l'ses for di patches ore fixed al one sou
(0 hulfpcnny) by word whatevel' he the place in
Franoe to which lhey arc sent. on condition Ihat
lh y hould not include le'8 llian len wo1'{1 .
A t legram Henllo London (20 \Yords).
4 fc. - 0.3.2 ' /2
1 A. tel gram Benl to ony Olhor place ln
Rngtand (samenumboc of words). , . G fi',
-
0.4.10
POST
'l'he ollicc is op n 10 the Public cv'ry doy,
rrom 7 o'clock in the morning 10 7 in Ihe cvening.
On sllndnys and holidays, it is sllut at 1) in
the aflel'Ooon.
J
�-
26-
Tbere are fouI' distl'ibutions of letlers per-day
during Ihc balhing scason :
18t FI'om '1 to 8 in 1he morning,
5!nù From 12 to 1,
3rd From 4 to 0, in thc afternoon,
4tb From 8 1/2 to 9.
LeUer-boxes are 10 be found at the Post-Oince,
in the N. gallcry of the fil' t clnss E Inhlishment,
place des QUlltrc-Chcmins, place de la Croix de la
Mi sion, at Ihe Station, etc., and al 0 in the Casino
antl ail the fil' t cla s holcls at Vich). The last
po t-train leaving thi placc at five minute to ten
at night, the box of Ihe Ca.ino i collected at nine,
and thot of the stalion, tcn minutes berore Ih
tarUng of the train.
L lier only sllould be thl'own into the postho e ; a for pl'inted l'apers, uch os Notice,
Cil'culal's, Pl'int r's Pl'oO~,
amples, etc., they
ought to h prc cntcd nt tir 'wickct of the offiecs,
and scat d in uch a 11I011I1CI'!\ 10 let thern b
ea il) in pcctcd, to ee liraI nothing i corrtnined
wlri'h rnny Il con idcl'cd os Iraving a chal'uclel' of
1 cOITe pondcncc.
.
Pnpcl's and printed article of val'jou kind al'
Irargcd Ics ' thonlcll '1' ; hutllrcy ntuy 1101 cxcccd
3 kilogl'. (6 pounds) in wrighl, nnd 45 c 'ntirn. in
lcngth.
�-
27-
There are lwo methods of sending money :
18t An international post-order can be had al
the offices, by paying in the sum intended to be
sent and a slight charge for the ordel'. 'l'hi mandate is enclo ed in the leller in the usunl \Vay
and without an special information wrillen on
the cnvelope.
The person receiving the order ha onl 10
pl'esent it at the Po ,t-office of hi di trict (lnd the
pecified sum is delivcred to him in exchange for
hi' signature.
1
2" 1 A ~um
in banknote or lump can be sent
in a cul 'd letter without the ender's declaring
the qunntity of moncy enclo cd; but the letteJ'
ought 10 be delivcJ'cd ut the o/Tiec und J'cgistered
O' contoining mOlley. A special chaJ'ge of 50 centime (G pence) i made fol' J'egistl'l1lion, and the
po tage must be paid us u ual.
A
Cf JI
ne idcs ll'tter' , 011 pl'inted pOfleJ's con oc l'cgis·
tel'cd, for mOJ'e seclll'it , undcr the inscl'iption:
1lecornmandé, at a fixed dut Y of :.5 'clliime
(G sou) udded to the llsual postlJgl' .
�-
'28 -
NOTICE
Persans toishing ta profit by thei1' residence
at Vichy to take French lessons or to have their
children taught, rnay apply to Mr. vros, Pro{essor o[ the French language and tite7'ature, rue
de Paris, close la the statwn.
COMMERCE
We think il useful to Foreigner to give a list
of the mo t important hou e ofbusine s at Vichy,
pnrticularly choo ing such a keep article which
are of a commoo and duily ulility.
BOOKSELLERS
Madame 'esar's Book- 'hop, b 'tween the
Co ino [lnd tll Hospital pring. - English
Stationery. Papers.
English and French
ladame f)erne, rue Cunin-' ridnine, in tl'out
of the Park. - Ilil·jng of book b Ihe week or
for the sen on.
1J0u(JareL, l'U Luca.
PRINTERS
Wallon, way to Cu Hel, Il Ill' Ihe tation.
IJou[Jarel, ru tuca.
Arloing & Bot~che,
ussel.
�,-
-
'29 -
STATIONER
Ma:::et, between the Casino and the Hospital
Spl'Ïng. - English articles.
MUSIC-BOOKS
Gille, rue ùe Nîmes, close to the Chul'dl of
Saint-Louis.
BANKS
Hanque de Vichy, place Ro alie. -
English
Spoken.
ociélé Générale, J'ue Luca , in fronl of the
first cla s Ballting E labli hment.
CAFES
La lleslawralion, in the Park.
Gare de la 1/Yrrasse, rue de imes, close lo the
Qualre-Chemin , - Bass and Co's India
Pale Ale, - Allsopp's IndiaPale Ale,
Irish Whisky. - Martell's Cognac.
- Ice. - Ice-cream, etc.
Gare de la Perle , l'ue de îmes uud l'ue Bul'Uol.
TOBACCONISTS
JI la Civette, l'ue de Nîmes und in fronl of
the Pal'k.
D!Lboi~,
pInce de la lul'iue.
Thorro, pInce d· Quulre- hcmin .
.
*;.
�-
~
30-
RESTAURANT
1 . . Res~aurnt
des Négociants, place des Quatre-
English breakfasts. Sandwiches to order. - Tea 3.t any
hour. - Strawberries and cream. English lemonade, elc.
Chemins.
-
ENGLISH GROCERY AND PROVISION WAREHOUSE
amp, rue de
îme and in l','ont of the Park.
WI NE AND ENGLISH AND FRENCH SP IRITS
Camp, rue de Nlmes and in front of tlte Parle
. facade of lhe Ca ino.
'ooi', in front of th
PASTRY
lIlaniatLloux, ru de Nîmes.
Giraud, place des Quatl' -Cil 'mins.
GL UTEN BREAD (FOR DI ABETlCS)
Foucm't, rue de Pori, close to th' lotion.
CON FECTION ERS
Jl1crcicr-Lm'batul, 2, rue Montl1l'cl.
Hochl', ,'ur 'unin-Gridoine IIl1d ul the
Ga!lot, "lle Lllcn '.
JlW'OlLX, ,'li' C:unill-G,'idnillc.
PORK-BUTCHERS
1
1
1
L
~J
Place, ruc du 1ol'ch'"
V~c t,
l'U
de l'ITo pit:1.
.(
Ccl(~
,tins,
�-
31-
LINEN-DRAPER
A la Ville de Vwhy, Bal'be, J'ue Burnol.
TAILOR
Au P'rophète, rues Cunin-Gridaine & Durllol.
MERCERY AND GLOVE-TRADE
llé1'itier, in front of th e Militury Hospitol.
SHOEMAKERS
A l'Ogre, l'Lie ùe Nlme ,
A la Botte-Rouge, in th e Market.
CORN-CUTTER
lIi7'schler, J'ue Burnol and in the J3at h E tablishment.
SHIRT-MAKER
Madame Caze, rue Burnol.
HOSIER
Hallntaud
1
J'ue de NÎme '.
English
Spoken.
HAIR-DRESSERS
Mottrlon, j)/(fchin's SlLcccssor, - English
house, in front of the S. facade of the
Casino. - Hair-dressing for ladies
and Gentlemen. - Ladies hair made
to order.
[
Lanultt1'oIl:C, rues Cun in-G ridni lle & Bumol.
Caltthier, ru' Lu cu .
--
--
1
�OENTISTS
(' r(. nit' U('
'c /1
,.,
ill1(' .
plu(" Ho .dit,.
OPTICIA
/I"rt
PHOTO GRAPHERS
('hl/rd /111 lt pl . Ho l lil'.
(' ulo, • 1U Pr'U II Il .
B ZA
AORICULTU
P l I . JlI
1 r
AS
�EMBROIDERY
I>ir/rl/l.pa,,·a
nglish pok n.
")\\'1.-
LACE
Il h '1 ru .
ngl' h
1[ar/j"
p.l'
1(
d" P Ir',
pO' n.
TAPESTRY AND LADIES WORK
/1 b rt, in th
f 011 'r -
ANTIQUARY
P r
P
1
1~rc
.
�-
34-
PRieES OF THE JOURNEY
From Vichy to sorne of the French
and Foreign places.
---
SECOND CLASS
FIRST CLASS
Aix-Jo '-Uains .. . .. 35 fr. 50 1.8.5
Bordoaux ...... . ..
Boulogne-sur-lIle r.
Bourges ....... . ..
Calais ......... . ..
Cann s . ....... . ..
Celte ......... . ..
Chambéry ...... . ·
Chartres .. .... . ..
Chorbourg ...... . ·
Di ppo ......... . ·
Dijon .......... . ·
Du nkorque ..... . ·
Genova ........ . .
Grenoblo ....... . ·
La l'Iocholle .... . ·
Le lI avro ....... . ·
Lili .......... .. ·
Lyolls .......... . ·
hîcolI .......... . ·
Mursclllu9 ....... . ·
nlonton ......... . ·
Monaco ........ . ·
58
76
t9
81
87
55
37
ft3
90
G5
al
82
Hl
a6
5\
73
75
20
25
fla
01
oa
90 2.7.1 1/'1.
303.1. 1/2
850.15.11
603.5.3 1/2
30 ~. 9 . 10 1/2
90 2.4.9
'1.0 1.9.0 t/2
lU 1.I4.ù
153. t2. 71/2
102.12.7
Il 1.4.10
GO a.6.1
70 1. J2. 7
" 1.8 .0
4f) 2.:J.7
15 2.18.61/2
B5 :1.0.8 1/2
15 0.Hi.11/2
10 1.0.1
40 2.10.0
Il 3.JEi.21/2
Il
a.11.5
26 fr.
11
57
J4
61
65
12
28
a2
G8
49
18
47
65 1.1.1
25 1.15.5
25 '1..5.10
900.11.11 J/2
20 '1..8.1'1.
502. 12.5
Il 1.13.1 1/2
Il 1.2.5
35 1.5 . 11
Ob 2.1'1.51/2
30 1.10.51 /2
30 0·11:1.8
Il 2.0.71/2
50 1. 1, .5
30 1.1. 1/2
" J. 12. 10
8& 2.3. tt
!J(j 2,f,.(J 1/2
Ir, 0. 12.11/2
8& (j.IS.1
(J5 I.IR.II /2
70
flO
00 2. HI.(J
?r, 2.15.1()
.n
(J2
ao
26
'JI
5\
[,fi
t.
�r-
- 3nFIRST CLASS
~
SECOND CLASS
~2
l l\[ontPellier .....
Nancy ........ ... 65 . » 2.12.0
48
Nantes ........ ... 58
" 2.6.5
\3
evers ........ ... 13 900.11. 11/210
ice ........ ..... 91
imes ........ .... &4
Orléans ........ ... ~3
Paris ........ ..... \5
Pau . ........ . ....
Reims ........ ....
Rouen ........ ...
uint-Etie nno .....
ainl- azalro . ....
TouloIl ........ ...
Toulouse ........ .
Tours ........ ....
Trouville ........ .
88
66
61
19
G3
71
56
37
72
JO 3.12.11
(l8
11
6b 1.6.111/ 2 25
05 LlG. J/ 2 33
80 3.1 J. J/2 GG
1,9
20 2.12.12
80 2.9.:' 1/2 1G
Il
G5 0.J5.0
75 2.11.0
18
G& 2.17.4
53
80 2.5.5 J/2 42
28
60 1. 10.1
54
15 2.17.9
55 2.3.8
75 \.19.0
551.14.1 01/2
400.8.4
402.14. 9
"1.12.1 0
25 [,0.21 /2
80 1.7.1/2
G5 2.13.4
G5 1.19.0
30 [,17.1/2
75 0.11. JO
10 1.18.G
75 2.3.0
G5 \. J 4.1 1/2
25 1.2.7 1/2
J5 2.3.4
Th hout' of Ilrrivlll and departure of trains
mo nol be fixed in advnnce; thr)' IIrc round in
thc fnclicatenr rl/Ji; chemins de (cr .
--
�-
36 -
[.
�DESCRIPTIVE PART
VICHY
Vichy i cCl'lainly the most important waleringplllc in Fl'once, The number of ils vi ilors, , hich
WIl in 1860 about 20000. gradually incrcased
10 more thon ~80
a-yeu)', and has lalely reached
30000, Il i to be 1l0liced lhat these laller year
haVI:: been deeply ogÎlated, and lhal th con equ nces of lhe public disosters which France hus
undersone wcre prejudicial to commerce, Y t
Vichy did nol suifer from any neslect.
Vichy owes it xtonded repulolion to its cclebroted mineraI woler and pleasing ituation. Of
lhe Vichy, ater we simply indicolc the compoilion and localities, their p 'culiar uses beins
lreuled of in pnmphlel which huve becn publi lIed
by emin nI pit Y icinns in evernl Iangung s. Th
~hy
walel" arc now known, nol only in France
J
�-
38-
and Europe, but we dare say throughout the
world. This celebrity is due to their ascerlained
efficacy in curing many painful diseases, such as
Gout, Diabetes, etc. We need not however dwell
on this subjecl.
Vichy is situated in the very centre of France,
in connection, by the Saint-Germain tation,
with the most important railways and largest
towns of our counll'y. H belong to the Bourbonnais, but sland on the limit of Auvergne,
on the banks of the Allier, at about equal distances from Jloulins and Clermont. IIills belonging to the Forez chain heller Vichy from the
northern wind , and the wioters ure generally
vcry mild; but the summcr UI'e exceedingly hot,
especially during July and th e first doys of Augu l.
Th refore we hould ndvi. e per on who di like
an extl' me t mpernture not 10 venture to Vichy
nt this pel"iod of the year : the climate i particulady agI' eublc here in May, 1un<.', Septcmbcr and
clober; th condition of thermal lif ure then
much morc comfol'lable th an at olhcl' tim s.
'rhe 11 ight of the scn on la t for about Iwo
months: , hen nll thal is brillinnt in Fr n 'h society mokcs this ploc it resorl, Vichy is thcn
100. t varied and attroctive. Thc ccntl'al allcyof
th Park is oftcn cornporcd 10 th' promcnnd of
�the Champs-Elysées, at Paris. Cerlainly here are
more ext!'Uvagant toilets than can be met wilh
anywhere ellie. This dis play is particularly remarkable al the Music Square, during the afterooon concert, in the Park and at the Celestins;
but, as we purpose giving a particular description of each of those places, we would only notice
that the pre ence of the hautton, and perhaps also
of what we cali le demi-monde communicate
to Vichy a character of elegance and fashion which
nothing con surpass.
There are Iwo very di tincl and difTerenl cilie
al Vichy, lh ne' town and lhe old one. Old
Vichy needs no de criplion; it i whol remains of
lhe ancienl villllge which Madame de évigné
knew, and lh donces of which amu ed her 0
lTIuch lhal she couic! not re i 1 the lemplalion of
giving sorne accounl of lhem in hel' lellers. IL i a
dark, narrow, slronge-Iooking old borouglt, ond
yet/ln /ll'chtcologist would find nOlbing worth l'CmtH'king th l'e but lhe l'awcr, lhal land as in
cxpeclalion of /ln invi ibl' encmy whose /lpproflch
it e m to gu s .
Id Vichy, os may be imogined, ho bul very
vi itOI' . Howcver Il ce ily obi igcs ornc
halilcr to l'C id(' Ih l'e, who could hOl'dly Cind
lodging cl e\ here in the ca on, or who /ll'C nol
Cc,
�-
40-
in a position to make bette\' provision for their
comfort. This old city bas witnessed several
events of our national History, as we shaU sec.
Turninf; to Ihe new town, ils developmenl has
rollowed the nece sities of thermal life. Wc are
stl'uck by an appearance of eleanness and gaiely;
the treels are wide, Iraigbt and sunny, adol'ned
with newly built monuments and eomforlablelooking bOlels ; Ihe inhabitants appear hcolthy and
cheerful. Nea1'ly ail Ihe public buildings are
grouped in Ihe neighboul'hood of the Casino; 011
the fir t cio s houses look inlo the Park. Thi
mod rn city has surl'ounùed lhe old one, and
a<1orned it wilh a wrealh of green anù flower .
The ancienl cily i concealed in the centre of lite
olher, 0 Ihal visitol' of many yeol's honJly uspcct tire exi tence of the 01<1 borough.
The fi/' 1 a pect of Vichy is rel1lol'kably pleuing, on account of the quoJ/tity of tl'ce which
und
O/'e' 10 he sc Il in 011 di!' clion. Many villa
chul 1 al' po ilivdy 10. t in Ih gJ'e' n. Ali principal street and ollcys or dg d by blo omil1"
lI' ·CS, lhol pl a ol1tly shode Ihe woy. Both the
allcicnt and J/cw Park. by th· vol'Ïely of th il'
plant and f10\ cr , odd complelcllcss to the beuuly
of the scene.
J
The imm dial ncighboul'llOod is d void of rug-
�4~
-
ged picturesqueness, and visitors vainly look fol'
the snow-crowned mountains and noisy waterfalls that are admircd in Switzerland. Yet picturesque views are extremely abundant in Auvergne
which, as we mentioned, slands on the bordcrs
of the Vichy territory. We knew sorne balhers
who gave up, fOI' a fortnight, the lhermal trealment
at Vichy, 10 go on an excursion lhrough Auvergne,
and who, aftel' a very pleasant tOUI', came back
to the Grande-Grille or the CeLestins. This country is perhaps the richest in natural curiosities of
any in France, and the celebrated Alpine londscopes do not excellhe environs of Royat, La BourbOt~le,
le Mont-Dore, etc.
But the countl'y about Vichy hos a remorkable
chamcler of serene beauty. The soil, which i
eXlI'emely fel'tile, produces an nbundaoce of fl'uit
of all kinds which appear, p rhaps with Borne
llOnoul', on the tables of the ho tels during the
Bathing- eason. Geologisls explain this exll'aol'dillury fel'tility by Ihe v.olcunic con titulion of the
gl'ound. Il is nOI for u to pronounce any judgemenlon the matter. Whlll vel' may he the cau e,
it b,'caks out inlo 1.1 blossorning vrgetulion t hUI
give the country the nppunrance of a gardcn.
Whcn, fl'om Ihe ul'rounding hills, u tOUl'i t
asls n .glance on Ihe peucorul city Ihat lies in Ihe
�4~-
valley, its white bouses, coquette villas and picturesque chalets embowered in green, be Ullderstands lhat, while Vichy muy be sometimes
the most useful, il Is always the mos! delightful
of summer abodes.
l ,
(J1
VICHY IN HISTORY
'l'hel'e is n controversy on the ol'Îgin of Vichy;
there is also a di pUle on the very name it hears.
Sorne give as a fact lltal il is drawn ("rom the
Roman WOI"(! Vieu Calidus, hOI borough; bUl
one wl'Îtcr filled a lurge volume in order lo esLabli h on inefulable arguments anolltor opinion;
and, ilS it is always dangerous to have Il controvel·sy with a pel' on who cun write books on such
a lrift , l must leave lite maller unsettled. What v r be the 1'001 of lhe mune, the origin of Vichy
muy be ll'aced 10 the mosl r mole alltiquity. UJlfortunalely il i dillicult, if not itnpo ible, lO
cilie a dut , as lhe feut l·eluling Vichy arc inscribed n ithol' in th' pag of ITistory, nor on
monuments of uny kind. Ils oncient glOl'y is not
�-
43-
even testified to by l'Uins, 3S in many other places,
for its l'uins have been buried under the soi\.
The railway works, undel'taken of late, brought
to light sorne very interesting remains. Many
objects were found that prove t he existence of
Vichy, a a watering-place, in old Roman times.
Strange to say, a workman discovel'ed some Arvernian coins with Vercingetorix'elûgy, according to which Vichy appears to have been inhabited
before the Roman conquest, and the old Gallian
had some appreciation of it mineraI waters. At
ail events there ha been, in the very place occupied by the modern city, a GaIlo- oman town
which now lies under grass, and the existence of
, hich was sC8l'cely guessed until la t centul'y.
Among the object lately found, we may notice
a lurge quantity of Roman coin, belonging to ail
epochs of the Empire; several small statues of
ods anù MotlDrchs , some burying plu ces , graves
'ith bone in th m (many of the dcad bodies
huving an obol in their mouth ), rnosaïes, bl'oken
eolumn , 1he rcmain of an aqueduct, a pi cina
und fi Roman way. The e remnins are now car fully coll 'cted, but, , Iten Ihe works comm -nced,
how Hlllny of lhem , ere di dained by ignoronce
01' ev li de ll'oyed by lupidily 1
If lho e object constilute a proof of lh exis-
�-44tence of a cily, tlley are perhap insufficient to
enlighlen us on the histol'y of I!lis city Ihl'ougll
the course of ages. From whal we know of the
laste of the Romans for medical waters, il may
be conjectured that Vicus Cali dus has been a
1l0urishing town. A large Bathing-establi hmenl
was probably built at a small distance from the
spot where Ihe prr.senl one slands. Most of the
ruins have been found in Ihe N. anù E. paris of
Vichy, 50 Ihallhe Gallo-Roman cily see ms 10 have
exlenùed lowards Cusset, to a place named Ville
aux ltLifi'. Judging from tho.e data, il embraced a
larger space than Vich doe now.
ft was at ol1e time p..oposed to collect the e
objecls, which have some hislorieul illlcl'esl, in a
locul Musœum, to aiel Ihe ludy 01' the ol'Îgill und
Ilistory of Vieu Calidus, bUl this eh me was not
ca .... i don, owing to pecullia .. y consid ..ation ,
lllough tbe principal collectol' p..ol'o 'd 10 give
up hi obj ct fol' a pultry um, and tlte olh r
would certainly havc followed his example; a
ditTiculty a..os' from the xl' n e of building n
Mu ' um. We l'Cgl' '1 il e 'lrellll'Iy, anù have hea .. d
ilia Il Y FOI' i~nel
's c'<pre s Iheif' ùisa ppoilltm nl.
Al'chwologisls ind 'ed a..e oblig d, . houlù th y \ i h
to vis il Ih sn di covel'i s, to I1pply 10 privat collectors who arc in pos cs iOIl of thern, W have
�-
45-
seen, al the house of a collector, a very fine statue
of Pomona, severnl anlique vases and Roman
wcapons, and, what was particularly remarkable,
an ivory chair, exquisitely carved, whieh must
bavc belonged to one of the Romall govel'Oors in
Gaul. The ownet' of lhose objects oŒ l'ed several
suggestions concerning their ol'igin. the l'cpctilioll
ofwhieh would howevel' oceupy too much of our
prcsent space.
What bccame of Vichy during lhe BllI'barian
invasion, nobody know ; but very probable il i
that the pros perity of Vicus Calidu wa the cause
of il ruin, as il offereù a l'Ïch prey to the invaders. 'J'he tOl'm whieh bol' 1 OVCI' the country
swert away VictLS Calid1tS, ond l'a eù il 10 tllc
ground. Nothing l' Olaincù standing; ail Romon
traec W l'e lost; the very name of the place
peri hed in the ruin . According to a leg nù the
auth ntlcity of \\ hieh it woulù perhaps be difficult
to di COy l', Attiln's hor e dronk at the GrandeGrille. ine' gra
gre' no mol' unuer this
hor 0' CUl' de t, il is u toni hin rr en ugh thal
th ploc wa not imUlediately truck with aridity.
nfol'lunalely for thi legcnd, IIi 10l'y ÙO Ilot
agI' e with it, ilS Iho Barb[\l'ian king oms 10 have
nover l' och d thi part of Oaul, anù 10 havo procecded no fa1'ther thon the Loire. AUila was Ilot
----- .------------------------
�-
46-
the oui y pillaget' of that period, but, as there is
ome connection between the idea of a swceping
devastation and this terrible conquerol"s na me,
the destruction of Viens Calidus may have given
birllt to the Attila legend .
Whatever we may think of Attiln's horse and lhe
Grande-Grille, Vichy slept in the dust of obli-
vion for centuries. It sJowly l'ose from its' grave;
but how diITerent was now ils fate from what il
had been in the Gallo - Roman times 1 The
Middle-Age, said a wriler, drew il from ils grave
10 cover it wilh iron. The fact is lllUt lhe prosperily of old times was over now, and that Vichy
had 10 force ils way, like many otller cilies,
tl1l'0ugh the di a tcrs brought on by lhe event
that look place in Franc. Wc hardly know allylbillg of tlle fil' L phase of ils l'Csul'I'cction. It
reappears fol' the firsl lime in IIistory about the
ycal' ,1' 00 ; bul iL is already in the pOwer of 0
buron and, some lime aftel', it is grospcd by a
king of IIJ'a ncc. The il'on life had bcgun for the
unfortunat· lillie city.
A historiuIl, icoloï, gives us an abundant
d sCl'iplioll of th· warlike opparotu of Vichy in
lhe V'b cClItul'y. Il wos composcd of sevel'lll
lowers and walls that perhaps mode Vichy IlOt an
easy prey for ambition, buL excited rivolry ornong
�-
47-
the neighbouring barons, ho fougbt for its possession. The proximity of Auvergne and the bridgc
that Vichy possessed o"el' the Allier rendered lItc
place more particularly desirable : it was called
the key of Auvergne. This situation was the cause
of the numerous misfortunes it had to undergo.
Il would be perfectly tire orne to give Il lon~
Ilccount of these miseries. Nicolaï wrote on thi ~
subject several books wbich it is nol my intention to tran lute. An Engli h l'6ader would not
be intercsted in the tyrants who sucees ively
besieg'd und pillag d Vichy. But there is one his ·
torica! act of sorne importance in which our city
was involved, thal muy pl'ove of intel'est. Vichy
hud a hal'e in the Praguerie wal', bctwcen th l~
king Chudes VII and his son Louis. It oppeurs
thulthe wadike town aided with the l'ebellioll.
and fougltl ogainst the monurch. Dut, in spite or
the tOWCl' und walls so much praised by Nicolaï,
the town, be iegcd bya Fl'cnclt army, wa 0011
reduccd to submi sion. The 1 ing proved indul/; nt enough to give a olemn pl'omi e of neither
pilluging n l' murdering the inhabitonl .
ome lime ofter, a recollcilil.llion took plo Cl'
betweclI the futhcr and the son: fi neighboul'ing
burgh, CltssCt, was the place chosen 10 settie the
conditions of the trcaty.
�-
48-
Religious wars found the city hardly recovering from civil di sensions. DOl'ing the Ligue, it
was several limes taken and retaken both by the
Lutherians and the Catholics. It would have nol
resi ted so many blows but fOI' ilS advantageous
situation on a wide river, in a fertile country that
poinled it ouI as a place to })e inhabited. Il was
perhaps also saved from destruction by the presence of a monaslery, belonging 10 the Cele tins
FI'iars, which gave ils name to one of the mo t
celebrated springs al Vichy.
This convent, as many monasterie at that lime,
grew exeeedingly riclI, and yet ils fortune wa
tied to Ihat of Vichy: it /Jad, like the town itself,
many trials to undergo and was twic' ]llulIdered by the IIuguenol . But il rapidly 1'0 e from
il ruin : under the l' ign of Hem y IV, il wu
mol' opulent lhan over.
Among many other privileg s, it had acquired
the saCr d right of asylum, which confelTed to th
abbé the licence of aving a culpril \ ho Itould
take refuge in th 'lturch of th mona t'l', hy Ihe
impie fact of eov 'ring him with hi prot ction.
1'0wal'd th' IId of the r igu of Loui ' V, u
Il'aitor ought a ('('l'lige in the Ccl' tins'chul'ch .
Dut th ollie l'S of ju ti 'C pur u '(1 )dm lh 'l'und
look hold of him, notwith standing the indignant
�-
49-
protestations of the monks. The king, then, suppressed the asylum l"ight and the convent which
enjoyed il. This royal order had more effect than
the various trials it had sufTered before; il never
recovered fl'om so heavy a blow.
One monastery \Vas a quite insufficient thing
for Il city at that time: tlterefol'e Vich numbel'ed
two of them, tlte Celestins con vent and anothel'
for Ihe sick Friar of the Capucins'congregalion.
Of thc former nOlhing remains but an old housc
built on the rock of the Celestins, which is the
dwelling of a gardener. The latter no longer
exists ; yel ils cha pel i said 10 have been an oralory 10 Mesdames Victoire and Adélaïde de Fl'once,
during th eit' tay at Vich .
It may b> imagined that tbe Vichy waters Wel'e
completely forgotlen 01' di dained by the conquerOl' of nul. As far as the XVIIII• cenlury,
there i no notice of thern in books: the inhabitanls of the town and neighboul'hOod used thcm
and perhaps kn w somelhing of theil' salutary
fl'ect , but ver far was this incomplete knowledge fl'om IDedical tl'ulh. Besides, men who
bonsted theil' inabilit y 10 l'end 0('\ l'ile \Vere hartlly
lik 'Iy to stud chemi Il'y. 'l'he pl'oblem of the
composition of the Vicll watel's was to be re olvcd
by modern science.
�-50Vichy would bave been most pl'obably ignored
fOI' orne time longer but for a forluitous cÏl'cumstance, tadarnc de Sévigné happened to be
su[ering f['om rheumati ms, She exqui itely describc her pain in several of her letters to hel'
daughter, Physicians at the king's court were, il
appeal's. very Jong uncertain whethcl' to senel th e
patient to Vichy or BourDon, At last Vichypl'evailed,
but for con ideJ'ations of a quite wordly chamcter.
Madame de Sévigné went there, and was ve[)
plea ed to find Ihal chickens could be oblained
at two pcncc caeh, and that thc inhabitanls of Ih('
countl' ùanccJ nimbl the BOlV,.rée. She cou Id not
help cxpressing h l'admiration of a brook which
ha sinee lost mu ch of it pictul'esque beauty, th c
ichon. he cxprc sed al! I!lis in /tcr leUcr . A
would havc rounù no
J urncd book on Vieh
l'cadel'; Madame d évigné's Icttcr diJ. P ople
at court wcr extremel amused b h l' rurul dc cJ'iplions, and Vi ch wa drnwn l'rom il ob cul'il . uch Wa tho origin of il modcm rcpUlulion.
,t it doc lI t> t nppenr th t Madame dc évigné
brought III fil' t many visitor 10 Vich . Tite courti r ' luugheJ ut Il l' Wil and nùmil'cd e ceeùillgly
th nnlurul bcautic Il d cribcJ, but did nOI
husten to follow Il r examplo by g tling and th 'II
curing l'llCumuti lUS. ourt ""US a more plcosunl
�*
-
1>1 -
~ 0. - .
"/iJ.- ~
,J
..';J• •
<?t '7.,
'f'1
·t
.
~
< Gf.l f
l/l('lNS
abode than Vichy; the writer hersclf did nOl
turo a rus tic as far as 10 forgct fcasts at Versailles. 1
Sile pleasantly mingled world and nature in ber descriptions. Hel' letters on Vichy are ver intcresting and wc shoulù insist upon their being read in
French by such FOI'eigners as can do il: the)
would lose much of their vivacity by translation.
Scientific men completed the worldly woman's
work. Vichy had been pointed out as a delightful
['es ting-place ; doctors directed tlteir inquil'Ïe to
anothcl' maLlcI', Scveral of the most ilIuslrious
Wrole lenl'Ued pamphlet Oll the waters and highl)
recommended them 10 their invalids, We should
particularly mention Doctol' Fouet and Doctol'
Lucas who, on account of Ilis fri ndly intercourse
with 0. royal family, was able to do gr'eat servic'
to our place; but let us resume our account.
Loui XIV conceded 10 the inhabitants the gratuitous use of the waters and baths; Il is uccessor' only action in l' 'gll'd to Viclly wa to mole t
the Celc tins Fl'Ïa\' and suppre their eOIlV nt;
hut Mesdam Victoire Ilnd Adélaïde de l'rance
w re amiable and powerful benetacIl'c ses. Th ')
tl'ae d A1csdames Alloy and buiIt the galler) whe\"
tlt v/'andc,G1'illc prings: this was lite beginning
of Ihe fiath Establishment.
Silentl Vich cros ed the l'evolutionary periou,
---
..
�-
52-
but Napoleon, busy as he was about his military
plans, did not forget our town. He round time,
durillg Ihe Russian campaign, in 1812, to give
ol'dcrs to lay out a Park, and Vichy was thus endowcd with one of the most magnificcnt promenadcs in the province.
Napoleon had come 10 Vichy, when a young
officer of the French army: local documents
show his ignature. This circum lance explain
his intercst in tbe prospel'ity of a lown thal would
have found him indifferenl, had he beell a perfect
trange!' to it; hc nevel' came 10 Vichy during the
pcriod of his gIOI'y,
oon after, the duchess of Angoul6me, daughtcr
of Loui VI, was induced to visit our cily, wbich
was yet but a borough, by Doctor Lucas, who
ohtoined J'rom hel' the sum nece sal'y for the
con truction of a Balh eslabli h ment. So was
luid Ih tir t tone of the monument de cribcd a
few pag s Carlh \' on .
The con ll'uction of Illc Dalhs wa certainly a
mORt im pOI'tant fllct witl! regard to thc local pro Il l'ity. Y t il \Vos Ilot enough to mokc Vichy whot
il is 1l0W, ulld model'l1 Vichy bcp;in truly Wilh 1hc
s cond El/lpir '.
DUl'ing sevcl'8l ummcr sca on Nopol n ur
camc her and he did much to embelli Il the town.
�-
53-
The river had no quays. On lhe days of swelling, flood were furiously hrought up to the Celestins, and mixed inlo the mineraI pl'ings. When
the Allier \'ctirecl, il left behind il elf ponds of
stagnalillg waler, which exhaled pestilence in the
whole neighbourhood ; the S. parl of Vichy was
perpeluallyexpo ed 10 danger from those emanntion . Nopoleon resolved to take olf the poisonous
ponds b raising a stone embankment. Enormous
work we\'e carl'Îed oul.1'he riv r was dl'iven olf to
il own hed, and the grounds which it had coverccl
with its flood WeI'e changed into a luxuriant garden. The creation of new Park \Vil in lrllth a
conque t ovel' the Allier.
Wilhill the course of nboul t n enl'S, the new
city wu built, wide stl'cels w re open, dork- hadow d 011
were ll'oced. Vicll wo endow('(\
with a Station, a Po 1 ond Telegrnph ollic', 0
hUl'ch, n Town-ITolI and ail il {il' t clas hou s.
Building
med to rise from gl'ound: thi wu
li period of C vCl'ish oelivil . Th
priee of Il1nd
Wu mi cd loIn timc il rcal valu ; evel' one
be um a landlol'd or wi hcd to he; chalel und
villas nppeared as in 0 fuirylnnd. LndUSll'ÎOus pcrsons discov('rcd ond manuged new pring . 'l'h'
Vichy t nanl Company, thcn h adcd Ily 0 bold und
activ S 'ntlcmun, created the ccond cluss Rath
�o~-
E lablishment and the Casino. Many sovereigns
visited the city, which was since called the Queen
of the French watering-places.
Whalcvel' the Emperor's fault moy have been,
it cannot be denied thal Vichy owes him much 01
ilS present prosperiLy. We shall nOI judge him as
a Frenchman; a a Vichy man, we are indebted 10
him: gralitude is for us ail a ùuty, and we hould
be conlemplible to disavow il, under prelence thal
the object of il hus been culpuble and unforlunate.
If the Gallo-Romon period left nothing at
Vichy but under-gl'uss J'uins, the Middle-Age wos
scurcely more fOI'tunute. The mo 1 ancient bou es
in old Vichy do not date earli r thon the XVIII!!
c nLury. Of Nicolaï's wolls nothing is left londing. P ople formel'ly showed uo antique gule,
num d Porte de France; ome local necessitie
caused it to be r moved.
In shorl very few pUl'ticulol' of the Vichy exi tcnce urc engravcd in monum nt ; \ e hould
however xcept two building thot r coll the po t,
viz: Ihe 'l'owet', Ihot, m ntioned hefore, and
fudom(' d' évigné's (h cHing, which bl'illgs to
memol'y Usw('et image anù po ticuc 'nls. Mndamc
d
6vigné i 10 Vichy lik u gcnll' goùdclI ,
, ho" smiling focc b 'ums OV'I' ils birth, a un
ullgclic figure ov ra chilù's bowcr.
�- 55-
THE BATH ESTABLISHMENTS
1
As it is said above. the [i,rst class Bath Establishment was founded, in 1820, by Doctol' Lucas,
under the auspices of the duchess of Angoulême.
Art had but liule part in construction; it is only
a wide parallelogram, without statues or architectural ornaments of any kind.
It tands in the N. part of the P/lI'k, opposite
the Ca ino, to which it is joined by a bitumen
alley. Fl'om N. to S., it i crossed by a walking
gl1l1ery, that gives Ilccess to corridors leading to
the Balh l'oom . At the N. exlremity of the gal1,1' i the lnscription OflLce, at which balhers
al' invited to pl'esent them elves in ord l' to delivel' th il' name and gel ticket. The Pl~its
Chomel face lhe In cl'Ïption office, The S. part of the
Establi hm ni contain thc Carùonic acid Inhalation. rooln.
Anothcr galler cros cs tlle ,front of the
bUilding ; 1\ ooflh mo t imporlanl Vich springs,
Mesdarne and th Vrande-Grille, l'i e und r il.
Both gallel'ics are always, hui pal'liculllrly al
�-Mdrinking-time, erowded \Vith people. There is a
miscelloneous, picturesque sight. The GrundeGrille especioU is surrounded by drinkers of ail
age and description, and orten one waler giver
proves insufficient to supply full-glasses: a supplemenlary femole employé is needed in Ihe
task.
The fi" 1class Thel'mal Establishment includes,
besides Ihe ul'bonic acid Inhalation room above
mentioned, 100 Bathing cabins and 16 cabinets
for Douche. The W. side belongs to men, and
the E, to ladies. The Balhing el'vice is usually
impartial: wc say usuall ,becau e irregularilie') spmetimes creep into the di tribulion of the b:lths.
We owe t,'ulll to ail, but especially to Foreigner ,
and wc connot deny lhal mislI cs huve bcen, and
orc dail committed 10 lh' prrj udice of persons
wllo Ill' not l'ich cuough 10 pay fOI' a series
lhat would uil lhem. Uofol'lunulely the difficulty
of geuing botll5, in lh Il ighl of the seo on, mokes
iuju lice po ible, for the lenunl omJluny of Ihe
Violl woters ha hilllel'to round no compelitor ;
at leusI, if it ho found ony, il wa powcrful
cnough to driv Ihcm olf; 0 Lltui alllhcrmai
labli IImenl at Vieil b 'Ioug 10 il.
Th ' fil' t 1\001' uparlmcllls of the House we/'e
fonn rly uscd of for the S '/lson eonc l't, bul, from
�- 57the construction of the Casino, their use as suen
was given up. In '1870, was tl'Ïed there a piclure
exhibition, but proved unsuccessful. Many
rooms remain idle now, the othel's are occupied by
the olIiees of the administration.
II
The second and thi?'d class Bath Establishment
stands at a few yards from the firsl. IL is a quite
modern building, us il was con tructed, in 1860,
by the Vichy tenont Compan . A smoll square
with green shrub and seats fOI' bathers shndes
the E. fronl of the house.
The second cla s Bath l'ooms, whicll 61'e 180 in
l1umbcr, besides the cabins for Douche 01' Corbonic acid IlIhalation ,al'e very clean and comfortable; lhey ore chicIly frequented by pel' on
of the middle la s. POOl' people only apply
at the thint l'ole omc . Bat hs con be had gruluitously b the inhllbitonts of Vichy who pl'ove
ick, and by sorne of the religiou order who
ore suppo ed not to be dclt enough 10 pay for
lh m.
TIl
The Ilospital J/nth ' al'
ilualcd Rosoli
quaI',
�-
58-
by lhe side of thc Hospital Spring, at a few YaI'ds S.
fJ'om the Casino.
This establisbment was founded, in 1820,
as an annex to the Balhs, under the auspices
of Doctor Lucas; il was complelcly re tOl'ed
in 1875.
The Balh l'ooms in Ihe Hospital Eslabli hmenl
ore obout 30 in OIlmber, besides 0 piscina and
evel'al cabins fOl' Douches .
IV
The Lardy Bath Establishment has bcen bought
of Iole b Ihe tenant Compouy fl'om a priva le
o'Woel'. Being silualed atlhe S. cXlrcmily of Vichy,
in a delighlful BOl'deo, it aJTords Il prccious reourcc 10 the balhcl's living al some distance from
lhe olhel' stablishmenls.
Th principal nnn x lO lhe Balh E lCabli hm 'nt
of Vieil foc' Ih fil' land cond clas Hou ' C :
il in ludes hall fOI' the fabrication of the Vicll
lozcng' and burlcy- ugar, ont! olher fol' lincn
bl Ilching, dl' ing, etc. Anolh l' plllce fol' lhc
Iran porlation of lh waters muy b', pcrhaps wilh
ome inl'I'csl, visil d n lU' the lOtion, on the
\Vil lO 'u
t.
�-
59-
THE SPR ING S
The springs of the Vichy bosin 31'e 19 in number, of which 12 belong to the Vichy tenant
Compagny,5 to private owners, and 2 to a neighbouring burgh, Cusset.
1.
COMPANY'S SPRINGS
Grande-Grille! R"
. 1 N
Puits Chomel
Ismg 10
t le . ga Il ery 0 f
U
d
the first class Establish ment.
lI:Les ames
Pttits Carré, gushing up in the subsoils of the
same Establishment, usee! of for bath onl ;
Plbits Lucas, at a small dislance E. fl'om the
BOlhs, rue Luclls, facing the Mililal'y Hospital;
Source du Pa?'!;, in tlle Park, at lIbout cqulll
di tances frOID lhe Bat/ls and the Cnsino ;
ource de l'JJ6pital, Rosalie square, cio e to
th Civil Hospital nnd tlle Butll Etabli liment of
am n!lme;
Célcstins, neul' III' blllllt of tlle river, al
about lIolf a mile fJ'om th principal!!: tahlishl11 nt.
'l'Ile C 'le tins spl'ing ore IlIree in number: the
owrce de la Gt'otte, the Vieille SoIL?'Ce, !Ind the
Nowelle olbrcc;.
Pltits Lardy, at lh . xtremityof Vich ,about
qunlly di tant from lhe Estoblishm nt 0 th '
�-
60-
Celestins. Il has been bought, as tbe Lardy Botbs,
by the tenant Company, but has, however, kept up
to this day a special office at which people must
apply to get waters.
Sowrce d' {[a~teriv,
springing at about four
mile. from Vichy, in a small village embellished
with a Park and frequt'ntly visited hy Foreigners.
II. PnlvATB
1
I
1
SPRINGS
SOUTee Larbaud, not rjsing within tlte town,
but on its territory, at some distance from the
Ccle tin and the Puits Lard .
Wc think il a dut to mention the Larbaud
concentl'oted woter, as it can be easily tran pOI'ted
und r a mali volume to distont countl'ies. When at
lrome one will mix. one boule of th cOllcentl'Oted
1iquid wit Ir twC'nt boUle of cornmOn wat r, and
will obtoin the vel' watcr of tire Source LO"bnud,
fi
if tuken from tire Spring, 0 it gusltes out.
OlTice 0 l Vieil ,avenue des Céle tins, und 2,
rue MontaI' t.
M. Larbaud intend to ho v hi pring cUlTied to
tire fOl'l11er pl ne , Ilnd to huild lhcl'e 0 pl'ivote Dnth
e tnhli ' hm Ilt, wllich wiIJ Il upplied with watel'
f,'om LIli sourec.
l
Ollll'CC
Pmncllc, reccntl
baud junior;
discovel'cd by Lar-
�-
61 -
Source Saint- Yorre, situated al a distance 01
almost six miles from Vichy, in a small village
which joins tlte very fl'ontier of tlte deparlment.
S01/h'Ces Elisabeth and Sainte-Marie, Cussct, Iwo
miles E. from Vichy; issuillg before a priva te
Bath e tablishmenl, which they supply with
woter, in the mid l of a luxurinnt gorden. The
description of thi!> establishment will llod its 03tural place in the hislory of Cusset.
III.
SOURCB
DELONGING TO TUB CITY O~
'
CUSSET
are Saint-Jean and l'Abattoir and are scarcely
WOl't h Il mention hel'e : lhough their medicol properlies do not render them far' below their fel/owsprings al Cu seL 01' Vichy, tltey have hitherto
remaillcd idle, and many bat hers orc ignorant of
their exi l nce. They are the property of the city
its If which hus neglected up to this da , tl) muke
the most of them.
Mter this nomenclature of the Vichy mincl'8l
11ring , it would he only l'ight 10 conlinue with
u classificulion . Of the sources, lhos i suing of
them -Ive on the SUl'fuce of the gr'ound Oro ealJod
Natural prmgs, fol' example, the Gl'8nde-Gl'ille,
th lIopilOI, le.; the olllers, on the eontl'ury, likc
�-
62-
the Puits Chomel, have been imprisoned in pipes
from the very bollom of the earth and forced up,
like Artesian Wells. But this difference does not
prove any superiority in the properties of the
former, as various impurities might become mixed
wilh thoir waters; whilst the lalter being protecled ft'om ambiant Iiquids or particles, are preserved from the danger of getting impurities into
their composition. Therefore the classification of
the Vichy watefs into natural springs and al'tesian
wells has no object.
Another lask consisls in classing them into hot
or cold spl"ing , accol'ding to lIleit' temperatul'e : the
hot waters are gcnerall recommended, when
taken ut the ource, and the cold waters urc best
for exportlltion . The nature of their composition,
indeed, preserve them fJ'om the danger of losing
anything of theil' properties b transportation;
but the hol waters, b tho met'c fact of tuming
colù, do not remain such as Illey wel'e, whon
springing from the eartll, and an important quaiiI of theirs is 10 t doing 50. The clifT renc' of
temp 'l'ature betw en the hot anù the cold spl'Ïugs
i op n to di pute. '1'0 avoid il, wc give the lisl of
th most important spl'Ïngs of Vichy with their
p"."",,,
l tem
1° Puits Curré, .....
.}oo
centigr.
--------------------.-----------,
�-
63-
2° Puits Chomel." .• , 44° centigr.
3° Grande·Grille . .... . 42°
4,0 Sourcc de l'Hôpital. 31°
5° Puits Lucas ..... ,' 29°
6° Source du Parc .. " 22 0
70 Puits Lardy ... , , ' . ·t8°
8° Mesdames ..... , .. , ,16°
9° Source Larbaud., .. 15°
~ ùo Hauterive, ..... , .. H°
11 ° Celestins ....... ,., H°
In fact, the Grande- Grille and the IIopital are
gencrally drunk by the invalids at Vichy, wltil 1
Hauterive and thc Celestins are ehielly expol'ted.
Tite mo t abundant springs ore:
10
2°
:30
4°
0°
60
Puits Carré ... 252,000 honles per-da
Grande-Grille. 98,000
fl<ipitaJ.". , , 60,000
Cclc tins ..... 24,000
Mc damcs., ., 20,000
Larbaud ..... 20,000
As fOI' thc chcmicnl compo ilion of thc Vich
wnters, iL is cvid nt enough Ihat Ih 'i,' common
origin does not ndmit grent diffel'cnce in their
proJl('I'tic . Y't, Ihough iL, ould be deceitfulto nttl'ibut to each of them in pal'licular Il special
�-
64 -
curative iVirtue, il would be wrong to leave Iheil'
choice to Ihe patient. Though lhe differences
of Ihe composition in the Vichy spdngs al'e perhops bul a higher or lower degree in Icmperuture,
Ihey ought not to be made a Wl'O)1g u 'e of. We
duil)' behold Ihe tQrrible consequences that atlend
sucll mistokes. Il is easy lo conceive Ihat, out of
the properlies of a spring, many considerations al'e
necesslll'y for n successful Il'eatment, concerning
oge, sex, temperament, etc. A source may be
l'ecommended 10 a porson in poJ'tioulol', whose
constilution con SUppOl't il eosily, and the same
water, drunk by nootheJ' person, may have quite a
conlrary effect. It is as dangerous to go beyond
the aim as to not reach il.
Physicians are lile only judges of wllal must
b done. Il would be imprudent to undel'toke oue's
own ('ure without Iheir advice ; whcn commenced,
Ihe cure should b eontinued under tlleil' direction, and the choice of suilable springs, Jixed by
Ih m. Theil' medical kno, ledg is aided by large
practice and experience.
Anolhel' fl'oquent OCOUI'l'onoo in thermal liCe is
that of patienls who come here ,ith the pUl'pO e
of dl'inking as rnuch watel' aS po sible . Tltey IlI'e
pel' uaded that the large)' Iluantity of Iiquid Ih y
nbsol'b, the more l'apid and cOlnplele the l'ecovQry
�-
65-
is. It is tlle contrary, as it has been proved that
in many cases two or three glasses a-day (mol'~
or less, accol'ding to the Doctor's directions) are
sufficient to relieve the patient, and sometimes to
cure him entirely. Drinking at home tran ported
waters may pl'esent no dangel', IJecause they are
not 50 strong as wh en ta ken at Ihe spring; but the
use of them at Vichy is never to be regarded as a
trifle.
Also, many persons entertuin the idea 1hat
the ordinary course of twenty days is an exact
meu ure of the thermal (J'catm 'nt for ail invalid '
llnd diseases. This numbel' was fixed on liS an
average fol' 100st patients coming to Vichy,
because it ha been observed that il was usuall
sufficient, if not to produce a complete l'ecovel'y,
at Jea t to proçure a ensible relief fl'om pain.
But it would be l'idiculous to set this lenglh of
time a an absolu te rule to evel' individual case.
[t is ovid nt, indeed, that ail invalid ore not
in the sa me loge of disease, and thot uch
l' medies a prove perfcctly sufficienl 10 choc"- the
maInt! al its b 'ginning, would have but Jittle
'fl'cct upou il, when il has ocquired a gl'avel' fOI'm.
A lw'nl day Irculment i cOllsid 'l'cd to be
al ways noc ssal , but not alwa
uffici 'nt. A doctor's advice ls, in this cil'cUmSlance also, the
�-
66-
sures! guide to bathers. As he is the best judge
of the quantity of water thal must be drunk, he
is also the person best qualified to fix upon the
number of buths or douches which are to be
taken.
Generally the best method for Foreigners who
are unable to come to Vichy every year is to go
on with the lreatment as long as possible, so as
to rendel' it unnecessary to recommence il. Muny
Engli hmen ure now in the habit of having two
seasons a-yeur, one in Ma and the other in eptember, and of spending the inlerval in Switzerland or in such other country as suils them. This
method is, it appear , successfully practi ed.
THE CASINO
The Casino stands in the
• exlremil
of thl'
PUI'k, facing th fil' t cla s Establi hment. It wa
built, in 1 60, aCter MI'. Dudgcr's plans and, on
July 2lb of the same yea!', inaugurated with much
ceremony.
\h have liule to su of its structure; il is /Hl
u(laptatioll of the Reuaissance t 1·, und pl'csellts
fi heuvy and ma siv
cllUracl l' which hus bul
Iittlc counection with arl. lIow differ nt it is fl'om
�- 61the elegant buildings which are to be seen in
many other French watering-places 1
The Casino outside has nothing wort h remarking.
except Canier Belleuse's statue and the N. fronl
of the edifice. Belleuse's statue represents Il
N mph with an urn upon hm· shoulder and two
babies at her feet; one of them holds out a hell
to catch the falling waler, whilstthe other i
1 ing amidst reeds.
The front of the monument is of a very remarkable appearance, and has a veranda h overlooking a fine garden, enclosed b an elegant iron
pali ade and embelli hed wilh forcign plant and
flowers. Night concerts are given several Limes
a-week, under the vemndah, by the orchestrll
belonging to the theatrc.
Both sides of the N. front of the Casino are decorated with large statues representing the Seasons
of the Year, dressed in thoir allegorical attributes.
The building is ~ivdc
iuto IWO part by /1
ccntrol corridor running from E. to W. and giving
admission to the rooms. The N. part include ;
The Ladies-saloon,
The Concert-room,
The Reading-room.
Th
. part contains :
'fh Dilliard-room,
�-
68-
The Theatre,
The Gaming-room.
We sholl give a short description of each.
The Ladies·saloon (salon des Dames) is a conversation l'oom in which [a dies meet and .follow
their usual pustimes. There ure in this suloon u
IUI'ge globe and an excellent piano-forte with a
good collection of music books,
The Concert-J'oom (sa[on des Fêtes) is the most
splendid hall in the building. lt opens both on
the central gallery und the verandah . which is
properly a part of the room, Being as spacious us
it is beautifully decorated, il is the place ussigned
to n'ghl concerts and season balls; but it must
be remarked thut, wbilsl around the vCl'andah
lllere is alwoys 0 cl'owd, the balls never succeed
in enguging people in vcry anilOoteù sport. 'fhey
urc cxcceclingly cold, becouso the public i Înccssontly moving, ond liule time is left at Vichy to
got acquointed with eoeh otller.
Th Reoding-room (solon de Lecture) would be
l'ighlly nomed the libral' of th Co ino, 0 popm's
of 011 nation and in nll longuages (French, English, llolian, Rus jun, pallislt, Clc,) ol'e put at
the disposilion of the l'ollders ; also man y iIluslI'oted publication anù revicws. Any one muy
~e
find 011 possibl mCl\US pC inf~H'mato.
�-
69-
l'he Reading-l'Oom is furnished with writingmalerials, so thal those desirous of writing can do
so, and have their letters carried 10 the Post
office by a boy who is employe,d fol' Ihal purpose.
In the early hours of 1he day, when papers are just
and
received, this fOOn;! presents a most ani(Il~e9.
picturesque sjghl.
The Billiard-room (salle de Billat'd) is frequented, of course, by billiard plu ers. An cxcollent masler atlends 10 inslruct those wi hing to
take lessons. Thc numbet' of tables dispo ed
in the room i sufficient fol' the numerous amateurs who, at evcl' hour of the da ,ure flocking
al'ound them.
Thc Ga01ing-saloon is the placc for pla ing.
Important bet arc sometimes made thet·c by the
by-standcrs; yet, as gamcs of mcrc chance :lre
prohibitcd, Vic/ly not being a gamins city, likc Monaco and olhers, thi is ou/yan amusement and
cunnot b otlendcù with disastrous con equences.
l'ruth compel us to sa thut lb Gamingl'oom in the Cu ino , os formel'! froqucnted by
Il l'ons of suspccted probit wltom we na me in
11(' nch u Grec », und who e principal inclusIf
is to cheat thcir . ~ 1J0w·gumers b vnriou melhod
which ,cre ,ittily cnllcd « modcm Gr 'ck »
(1 8r<:c modernc). Bul pl'eCLlUlioUs were lllk 'II (0
--
---------
1
�-70 prevent their admission to the Casino; most of
them were banished from the room and even
expelled from Vic.hy. Strict observance is now
canied on. Yet it would be pel'haps imprudent to
as sert that, owing 10 the measures adopted, no
raseal has an OPPol'tunity of creeping into the
Casino and mixing with honest society ; they
may be scarce, bul their presence is not impossible.
The Theatre (salle de Théâtre) is spacious
enough to contain more than 1,000 pel' on . A
view of the entire stage can be had from every
pal't of the hou e, and people can distinclly hear
performers. So nicely it is decorated that il
ranks among the firsl class provincial thealres.
However it i5 now quite insuffici 'nt fol' the
accommodation of the great Ilumbel' of Vichy
vi itors in the full season, as ub cl'iptions are
daily refused for wanl of vncant placc . The cnIal'gem nI of the theatre of the Casino brcomes a
pl'oblem th olution of which is eve\' day mOI'c
ul'gent. Unfol'tunately it is nol 'osily gues ed how
lite question ma be resolved.
'fllere
position
formers
prcvcnt
is another Iheatl'e at Vi ch ; bUl tho
of the l'oom, the choic' of hoth pel'and pla s, and 1ho clnss of pntl'ons
p l'sons of good IH'ceding fl'om going
�-
71 -
there ; or, if they once venture into this second
l'ate place of amusement, such are theit' impressions th al lhey nevel' patronize it a second time.
A municipal theatre has been talked of, but
thel'e is, as the English say, many a slip betwixt
the cup and the lip.
There is but one director for both orchestl'8 and
theatre at the Casino. The reputation of this gentleman as a musician is highly desel'ved, and the choice
of the persons compo ing the orchestra proves
alwa s sucees fuI. We need not dwell on this
ubj ct, fOI' the reputation of the Vichy concerts
extend far be ond the Iimit of our little town.
W have !lad frequent opportunities of discussing
lhis topic with FOl'eigners, and ail of them agree
in pa ing full ju lice to the manager's meril and his
excellent nrrangemenls.
1\vo public concerts arc given evel'y day, in the
music squares, by the orchestl'8 : the one, in the
morning, from half past eight to halr past nine,
and Ille olher, in the aflernoon, [rom halr past
two to half past three. A thil'd concert takes place,
threc times a-, cek, at eight o'clock in the evening, under the verandah; and sometimes, in the
h 'igllt of th, eason, and particularly nt the period
�-7'1. -
of fhe horse-races, evening concerts lire ananged
by the tenant Company who secme lire aid of both
the orchestra and the singers engaged at the theatre.
The plays generalJ performed al the thealre
are popular ones. Ali actual thing l'eccntl acted
at Paris and having oblained some success, are,
during the following summer season, hrough t
lo the Vichy stage. Wc have the usual performers
acting every da ; and slfll'-aclors, belonging lo
the 6rsl Pari hou ses, are engaged now and then,
in Ihe hcight of Ihe eason, 10 giV'c spccial pcrformances. Among the many cel brated persons
we have had an opportunit of seeing al Vichy,
we should m nllon la Patti, ?th Rou seil ,
Mrs Favarl, Mndeleine Bl'ohan, olholie, Marie
Cabel, Coquelin, Febvre, Dclannoy, elc., etc.; in
sllort, nearl) almost 011 Ihe étoiles of Ihe Opera
and Ihe Coméclic-Fn'llltai c.
As for the ordinnry perfol'lncrs, 1Iiere ore,
alTlong som per on of m rit, quite incapable
olles. The dir Clol' of 1he concel'Is docs not appear
lo b a p l'fect judge of Iheolrical ncces itics: he i
somctim
forlunnt
nough 10 piek up remarkabl ployer (lI's E, Droizat played al Vich
beror bcing ngoged nt lhe Odeon, and Ih n, at
the COJU "di -Frun 'ui ) but most of his actol' do
nol prove equal to Ihcir parts, , hen clas ic pla
�-73 are presenled. Molière's Tartufe ltas heen several
limes acted at Vichy, and the representations
would not have heen unsuccessful bul fol' lhe
perrecl incapabilily of sorne of perforrncrs.
Besides Ihc classical plays, Ihc Opera reappears
cvcl'y yenr on Ihe slage of the Ca ino. We have
Opera singel's, jusl a Comedy ployel's, with chorus
and cenel'y. The stoge is spaciou enough to
admil a full di play of such opera as the IIngnenots, tlte Trotlvère, Lucie de Lamermoor, elc.
But cornic operas, likc the Dame Blanche, Mignon,
etc., urc mo '1 gcnerally l'eprcscIIled.
[[ is p 'rhnp Ihe place now lo aod a few word
on lite choroclcl' of Ihe Frcnch pla ys witll rcgord
lo mOI'ols. We cnnnol deny lhat moralily in pluys
i orten disrcgordctl. Tlrercfore it is not an
ca y mult l' to decidc whelher young ladics
Il1lly be conducled to the pl/ly by lh 'il' porents,
und ev Il wh 'Lher ludics 01' gentlem'II clin he
pre cnl Ilt c('l'loin l'cprcscntolion without the
Jo of clf-I'e peel. \VI: I1l'e glnd 10 he I1blc 10
Slul' tlrut in Ihe pre 'l'nt t'lise the cltul'aClcr of
bolll pcclalor und munagers arc u guurllnt 'c tlrul
the play '!ro en al" of li tolcl'Ubly deeent compositioll iU1I11 re peel '.
'l'Ire Co illo i op 'Il fl'om lire 4HL of May to tlle
I1liddl' of Octob l' : Ih lhcotricnll'cpl'Cscnlations
-----
J
�-76 Il includes a large building, scvcl'al halls, a
clwpeJ looking inlo the square, and a gl'3tuilous
school for girls which i , like lhe ho pital ilself,
placcd undc\' lhe direction of nun . Ali this makes
a vcry largc cnsemble; Ihc Vichy hospilal is an
important charitable cslabli hmcnl. Ils cnjoys
sevel'al pl'ivilcge at the cxpense of the administration of the' alel's, which i a pel'petual sourcc
of hostilily with tlle Company. The chicf of the
admini tration of Ihc civil hospital i thc lOayol' of
Vichy, and the c lnblishmcnt il 'clf i pluced under
thc to, n-council' protection fol' the pl'cservation
of its l'ighl . Onc of the best doclOl' al Vichy
attends to the invalids.
The ho pitol i opcn dUJ'illg th' wholc cor to
thc indigcnt pcoplc 01' 16 pori Il l'ouud about
Vichy. B sidcs invnlids, il affol'ds a sh It l' to 26
old pCI' ons uJld 56 ehildl'cn bclonging to the
same pari IIcs; also, durillg Ihc bUlhing scu on, il
pul 90 b 'd al lh' di position of pOOl' illvalids
'omillg l'rom vat'ious d portlllent . PI' viou ' inforllIation is obtaincd to pl' vcnt admi sion to the
hopital of uell a UI'C c pable of poying l'or III cil'
[r 'Ulm '11 t, allel Ihu
tuking tll ' place ' ln onl fol'
thc pOOl'.
Thc q uar" bcrorc the ho pitul 1111 rcccnll
he 'n re-ol'l'ung d and hos goined in convcnience
-- ---- .----------
�-
74,
b ,.,in on the 15lh of May and continue until the
15lb of l'ptcmbcr. The 0pc'ru do not commence
befoJ'(> thr 1,1 of June, and do not continue heyolld
the 31. 1 of August. The prl'iod for e"traordinllr
rcprescntations "ith Pari ' performers is from the
middle of .June to the rnicldlc' of August, ahout
onCr a-wcrk, more or Ics ,acconling to tltl' (jllllnlily of vi itol' /lnd thc opportllnitic5 of rngll"ing
celehratcd actor . The rnorning and aftC'J'ooon concel't· io the opcn air 1(I~t
frolll thc 1'L of .Tuile
to the 1!SIh of cptemhel',
THE T W -HALL
\Vos huilt in 1 6;) hy the Empc'rol"s OJ'('hilN'I, MI'. Leftllll'(', Oll OIlC siclt' of un open fJlIllrC,
und look . both into lllt' 11('\\ Park nnd n nicc'
garcll'Jl, (>rnhc'lIi~d
,\ith Il foulltain, rine 110\\el'
!lllci III urÎtlllt tl'C>I'S, Il - situntion is chnrll1illg nt
Il fp\\
IInl on1 fm/ll tll(' rnsillo und thc: 1~ic
"(j Il Il 1'(' , in the mostlinillW\c'd part of Ihc' tO\\1I
Jt Ira. Il 'itllC'I' th(' SI} Ic: nol' th' pl'oportions of
a puhlie 1II0nllllll'II', rlllcl i eOUlplc·tpl wllllting in
nrchit('cturul ()J'IIiIlIIl'nl of IIl1y SO"\. Ils fa~ ' ntl<',
,nid Il \\ il. 1 nakc:cI nncl cnlcl likp nll ol1icilll
puhlicnlioll . III frwt, it looks likc' Il rOIllIllO/1
�-
7;)-
countr~-h
e and gives no indication nt all of
its objecl. The French flng, Ihat i u uully scen
\\ a\ing over uch edifice ' in othel' cite~,
nevcr
appeM at the top of the Vich To" n-IIall but on
solemn occasion , as on the dedicalion duy.
Be ide tlte rooms used as olIiccs, a voting-hall
anù a council ehambc!', it contains a public libm!')
and thc police ofJice. The chief of the policc al
Vichy is cspcciull) inlru teu \\ ith the uJ'vcill::mce
of Ihe (;oming-room in the CIll'ino; . ubaltel'll
a rnl" . rI.' 10 the 'xeclltion of III(' locnl policr rules.
It must })(' saül Ihot Vichy is on (' 'Irelllely !Juiet
tOWIl ond nI'ver portoo!- of civil di sensions or
rc'volutionar rever.
Tm: llOSPITALS
Thrrp arc 1\\0 hospitals lit Vich\ ' one i" dt'votccl
tht' civil involids, ond the olh('r, 10 the ofli rl's
und . oldiprs of tht' Fl'cnch nrlJ~,
\\ ho 1}(,l'd II",
ichy \ aler ond WhOIll, III1c1cr th('lIlilitl1l' pit) 'icinn " clin'ction, thl' Il nr-oOiet' SI'IHI ln take a
COUI"C of hnth lrl'Olmcn!.
10
1. Th
civil Hospital
ls .. ilIHIlt'd Ho Illk '1"111'1.', h) th -idc' of the
spring, 1I1'UI' 1he Pnr" Ilnd the' Cn. illO, frolll 1\ hirh
it i.('PUlïllt'd hut h 1\ 1\1111.
1
�-77 what it has lost in picturesqueness. Formel'ly
dealers of ail kinds filled the square wilh various
arlicles and mnde il a competitor of lire Marltetplace. Now ail lilesc open air tl'Udesmcn galher
10 one central point for business, t!trir Iransactions Illking place orollnd the fil' t class Establishment.
II. The Military Hospital
1 ulso a large e tablishment of public utility,
including a principal building witll l'ooms for
officer and men, several hall fol' the needs of
the service, a priva te bath and showel'·bath e 'tabli hment, a garden and a barrocl. Il faces the
springs Lucas and Prunelle, and i onlya few yard
distant from tlle {irst cla s Balhs.
Tllis hospitl.ll l'eceives no patients but military
men: 120 "oom arc fOI' the u e of ollic l'and 60
common room 01' dormitorie or fol' thol of ergeont. cOl'pol'ols and oldiel's. The bath , ca on
10 Ih hospital be;;in <\"L of Moy and la t until
30 Lh of Sept mb r, und uch is th organizntion of
lhe service that, in 1hi~ COUI' of lime, 600 01Ticers and 300 men al' aùmillec! ver year to
Ircalm nI.
A chi ,f·olTiccr i.' intl'lI Icd with the uperint ndonce of thr wlrole rSlahli, hm(llll, and , evel'al
�-
78-
military doctors attend to both officel's and men,
Thc Vichy militaI' hospital is renowned as one
of th c larges t and fine t in France.
THE CHURCHES
Vichy is in posse sion of two calholic chul'chcs
and one pl'ot es tant , nol in cluding the cha pel of
Ihc ho pilOI and a lilli e O['[ltOl'y belonging 10 the
Fl'unci caines nun s, l'U C de ln Chaume ,
aint- Lanis ChttTch sland ruc de Nimcs, at a
mali di tancc from lh e POl'k, lt i a girl of Napo1 on Ill. on tl'uctcd in 18 6 ~ , it is mini tCl'eci 10
by prie t from th c L Izari t ' congrega tion .
or ils nrchil cctul'lIl cllal'Il ctCI' we 11I1VCVCl' littlc
10 oy, h co u e it ho , a wc lhink, no chsl'O cler
ol ail. om crilic lIIu inloin Ihol th c ol'chileel,
, hrn he cJl'('w th e plon or Iid church, wos vi d ntl lhinking of a lh ca t.rc. W find ueh 0 judge m(' nt l'olh el' cv \' , hut Il ot quil und e (' l'V d.
Th' IIPlwll l'nn Ce of Ih e chul'ch, ind 'cd, is a l'Ill'
li S pos ' ibl ' l'rom th e l't'Iigious t 'pc pl' cnl d by
monum enl of lhi ' Ol't in mon Frcnch fl lld Cc \'ml\n iti" . It i su id 10 belong 10 th e Rom an
t 1 ; 0 il mu h, but , wh ol ver il sen l'al
1'0 1'111 ond di pos ition 01'(', nOlllÎng CO ll exe u
th
c1 0ub wilh whi ch il in id e w<l ll 01' COVCl'cd,
�-
79-
SUell ornaments would perhaps be nice enough in
a quite worldly ediflce ; while in a ehurch, lItey
are perrectl ridiculous.
The exterior aspect of the monum ent has nothing l'emarkable exce pt two fellow -towers, objects
of mark La Lhose who climb the hills nbout Vichy.
No ornnmental work bUl some sculptured figure s
of a rath er artle s execution ; no valuable painting
in ide. It is a complelely modem temple, 100 modern, os agt' has of ilself an imposing and religiou s characler which the mind cannot se parale
from tlt e idealit of a tl'uly beautiful chul'ch.
the only c:llholic chul'ch at
Vich berol'e the building of Saint-Louis. It belong , of course, to th e ancient town . If Sointtoui church wanls lIntiquity, aint-Bloi e i
perllops 100 old or, al Ica t, ha ' bec" too rnl'ely
l'cpaired. With rcgn l'd to ul'chite lUl'e, it is nol
up rior 10 mosl of th e churche of OUI' humbl esl
villages. wing 10 thi and al 0 to its ituation
in lh e cen tl' of old Vichy, few ll'angel's trouble
to vi il th e pOOl' abandoned chul'ch : it is certainly
not worth an excu" iOIl th,'o ugh a dlill qU:\l'tel' of
th e cit y.
aint-Blaise
WllS
An E.Ig1l8h chul'cb had bec lI l'cndered noce SUI' ome tim e ago by the lal'S llll mb l' or Engli h visito," thal Vichy receivcs evcry car. Jt
�-
80-
was conslructed on one side of the Market-place,
not far l'rom th e Balhs, 1he Cas ino and lhe most
imporlant houses in Ihe town (Sec lhe Vichy-Plnn
to fix upon lhe SiLullion of lite Engli ' h chureh).
II has no prelence to architectural plendot1r,
ralher small, :lDd il fa çade i5 simple and
naked. A it has been buill nol for purpose5 of
adornmenl, bul in order 10 be u cru 110 Foreign l'S,
wc shaH not be crilical.
We publish al the beginning of Ihis book, in
lhe special pInce for tablllaled informations, the
usual hours of chul'ch service .
A Synagogne is open, for pel' on of lh e J ewish
religion, in 011 onci nt hotel, bout varl de l'nOlel·
de-Ville, belwecn lhe Town-Uall und the Marine
quare. The hours of S l'vice Ill" puuli hed in Ih o
lo cal paper Ilnd po led up !llrough th o ci ly.
TllE VILLA
TRAUS
rs 0 hou e cclebral d 0 1 Vi hy fOI' th l'cmemhl'unc s il l' calls : for il wa former! oceu pi 'cl
by the ma '; 11'0 IrOll , and Ih n, hy opol 'on
ant! hi followcrs, during Ih e {il' 1 en r of thi
monn l'ch' 8 pl'\' nc nl Vich . Be ond th is il
on"rs nothill g 1'(' l11lll'kllhl' ft Il monUlTl ent ont! i.
IIOW t hp rc'si!!/'II('/' of 1\ Viril . dodol' who piollsh
�-81prescrves its fOI'mer namc, Villa Strauss, ns n
Icstimony of nd111 il'nlion of its firsl owncr.
The Villa Strauss is siluated on the W. sille of
the Pnrk, and faces thc Music squol'e.
THE CHALETS
Arc pCl'lHlpS Lhe most artistic cdifices at Vichy
nol for the grnnd 'ur of thcir pl'Jporlion (in thi
respecL they cannol be compul'cd to tlle Illonu1\1 nts above menLioned ) buL fol' l!teü' elegance
und picluresqu situai ion ulldcr the shude of the
Il'''' Pnrlc They He called, ullet wc tlrillk noL
wl'ongl , ol'chitectural geins. GClns indectI they
ure of gl'occful shape, with pl'Clly woodcII tl'cllis
WOI'l<. l'unllillg round thcil' bulconies. Theil' gene1'01 fOl'm l'emilld OIlC of the wi s cholet, with
olllethillg 1I10l'C adol'Iled and cornfortublc udd cl.
'l'Ilc gracefully comll1llnù the ncw Park and look
inlo thc boulevol't Nutiollol.
'J'Ile Cllulcts al' six in nUl11ucr, tlrn'c of whicll
hovc alwo s U Cil privnte; tlle oth l'S 'l'Cie Nopol on' propel'l . Mtcl' lhe full of th ,lt 1I101l0rcll,
the Impel'illl cholet WCI' cOlin cut 'd and declarcd
IIIlLiollUI goods. They wcre tlren sol el to pl'ivote
Il l'' ons who dw Il th('I" in the buthillB senson
with their fllll1ili 's .
�-
82-
Such is the nomenclalure of the monuments of
Vichy. They lire neither very numerous nor extremcly remarkable ; bul people do not come hcre
11 Ihey go to Rome, for inSL&IICe, 10 see impo iog
ruin or tll'li Lie plcndour. 'l'he irnporlance of
Vichy lies in il spring : Illey can be c1eslroyed
neither b human revolulions nor even by lbe
powerrul hand of'l'ime.
A gcologicnl calncl m only could cause theil'
di · upearln~.
A long Il mon live onù sulrcrs,
Vichy will have a pago in mankinrl' hi lory. Whcn
Il ciry Iras receivcd l'rom Gotl'
hand
uch a
Irea ure a waler which conqucr Ih e world by
rnokin g il tlr cil' ll'iblllln , il nced no olher' girl
/'l'om th c hnntl or men.
THE VICHY PROMENADES
J. The Park.
W' will II' 10 give a d criplion of th ' Park ul
Ih'dil1"rcnthoul' 01'111 do.
ln Ih' mOl'lling (from fiv' lo s ven) il is cro ' cd,
now und tir 'Il, hy P r so n ~ ill moming loilet, 11'0\lingfrom tlrcir hOlc
~ 10 lhe Bath ,or frolO the Balh
10 Ih 'il' Irol 1 . Il i lltebnth tilll', indCl'd, /'01' tlto e
uurorllJ nale p 'o pIl' who coulcl 1I0L gel ins 'ribed in
�-
83-
more suitable series. GeUing up al five may be
not vel" pleasing fOI' persons unaccu lomed 10
Spartan lire, but titi must be numbel'ed among
lhe lillle inconvenieTlees of lhe wuler cure.
Il
Al seven, the Park begins to be Il little more
animated. Enrly walkers and papel' readers al'e
to he seen in the alleys. By degrees, drinkers,
witlJ U cl'ital glass in their hand , make their
appear'ance and, with the gravit y pro pel' to the
high dut Y lhey are cullcd on 10 fulfill, commence
besieging the Grande-Grille. It is evident to peron who uaily witness the ullentive care which
evel' dl'inkel' pays to his glu s of Wu 1er, that Ull
other pl'epos cs ions ure of Iiltle consequence in
eompuri on with the attainment of health. There
up the glasses
i' sOlfie solcmnit in the net of filn~
and uruilling them, a iflIealth, Youth and Beauty
wel'e in the bollom of each.
Aller drinkins, people slowl pl'occed townl'ds
the Mu ie square, fol' the morning concert i
about 10 begin . The aspect of tItis pInce during
the concert i n peeuliar one. 0 toil tare yet
xhibiled, as th 'Y do not agl'ee with the bu Y
hustle of morning lire. Ladies al' sc n in 1'1I1hel'
negligent co turnes. Fewof lhem sit to listcn lo
the music, fùr the whol attention of the crowd
i · Ilot given up to il: the pl'escribed glas e of
------ ---------------------------------,
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water oogbt noL to be forgolten, and sometimes,
when the concert proves too long, it becomes
necessary to desert tbe music for the Grande- Grille.
Drinking·bostle begins again immediately oÎtel'
th e concert. Most of th e company hast en 10 the
Weil, in order to be right wilh lheil' doelors
before breokfast, which genero lly takes pince at
ten. From ten to eleven the Park, 0 very animaled a few moments bcfol'e, look like a de elt:
eal'cely a vi ilor i to be seen, perhops IWO or
1I1I'ee boys are playing on Iheil' , oy from school.
Al eleven lab les al'e Cl before the hou e fol'
coffee, and conches come 10 take lheir l'onk close
10 th e hotel , 10 be engnged by pel' ons desirous
of driving.
Th Park gl'Odua ll become more bt'illionl
until Iwo o'c1ock in th e aftcl'Ooon. At lallf past
two exactly, lit strai ll of Ih e eOllcerl arc hennJ
in tl lC lusic kiosque, nnd the crowd, n mos! elegOltt one, is nlrendy f10ckillg into the qllare. Th
pince th 'II tlll'llS inl:> lislS ,her ladies of high
taste stl'uggle fol' the palm of ('1 gOllce and heauty.
Titi exhibition (fOl' an exhibiliolt il i ) take pince
very ùa , nt the omo timc, 011 the same (lot.
Tho laù who cOl'I'i 111c do bceomes immedialel c lebl'oted among lh Vichy visitor' ; but
hol'ù i Ihe hallle, und difTicult is Ih viCIOl'y 1
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Men and women, in fl'iendly groups, lalking 01'
working nllupeslry, forffi a VeI'y picluresque l'ing
al'ound lhe kiosque; some courle~
are seen walking amidsllhc groups and orten slopping, eithcr
10 snlute n fl'iend 01' listen 10 Ihe music, 01' some- .
limes lO enjoy the anirnoled scene hefol'e Ih 'ir
c 'cs.
1
The afternoon conccl'l is nl ao end towol'ds
IInlr pa 1 lhree. Il is asain dl'inkg~me,
and
evel'y onc procced lowal'd Ihc Weil. In lhe intcrval of slasses, t1riukers Lake a walk under lhe
gallcl'ies of tlle Duth", if il happcns lo rain, 01' b
the HOll e nud in Ihc cClllral aile , whcn il is
fine, iau pcople aVilit lhcm cIves of the chail'
cio e 10 Ihe façadc of Ihe Casino, 01' of lhc sClIl
on both ides of lhe a1l' , to rcvicw Ihe loilels.
'J'hc ll'adesmen arollnd lhe E lllbli h ment al'c
alwa) , at 1III1l lime of thc clay, sUITountied by
crowds of pel' ons moking lhcir litllc pUl'chases.
Al half post rive, bells arc hcanl l'inging in the
Ilcighboul'ing holel , nnd imm 'dialcly a gencral
mov ment of l'clrenl ma bc ob 'cl'ved on ail id s.
Ln Ics Ihnn a quol't '1' of ail hout, Ille pla cc i
clcul'cd and so t'l'Illoins lill hoir pUSl six, when
bu Ilc bcgins ogoin, 10 increusc up lo play limc,
vi~:
cight o'c1ock in lhe cvcning,
Th
Il
comlOcnc s vcning
(!J'C' .• .
Thl'
fl~ti
of
�-
Hf;-
�- In 11. Th
ow-Park.
�-
88-
aspect, and in the meadow the use of an ingeniou watel'ing-cngine pl'omotes a perpetuaI bloom
and fl'cshne s.
The N. part of the gal'den is embellished with
gl'cen-hou 'cs and a pond with a ru tic bridge.
The swans and ducks in it ol'e a source of' omusem nt for children, whilst pal'ents sil undcl' a
lorge poplal' (one of the most cxtrnol'dinal'y tt'ces
in the Pllrk) cIo e at hUlld. A sumJner house was
l'ccently buill, in case of l'uin, to ofl'ol'd shelter
from 1h' passing shower.
WIH'u Nopoleon III was l'esidillg at Vichy, 0
pal'I of the Park wa his private pl'Opel't ont!
people, crc nol odl1lilt 'd lltrr ; but now, though
Illis pince i' till urroUllllcd b iron poli 'ade ,
the whole of the gOl'den i thl'own open to thc
Public. A pcciul hep ris oppoilllecl to toke cal"
of il.
'J'he watel' Compan of Vich pny cvel'
or
to tlte public lr'u Ill' a oll&id ' l'a bl' SUIll of
IllOlIe)' fol' l'cpllil'ing tll' PUl'k, und Illc sup 'l'int('lIduncc of th e \York accompli h li thel'Il is
clllrust'd tO an olTic 'l'of thc E tote, tht' ov .. CCI'
of bl'idg' and road s (conducteui' dcs Ponl -01Chau é') l' siding nt Vichy. 'l'Itcl'c is (lI 0 a
chief-guru '11er \ itll . 'vellii Hl 'II UIIUIlI' hi dil' 'ction 10 ntl('lIrI 10 th(' ('xoti (low!','" olld wOI'kn1l'n
�-
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are frequcnlly engaged 10 help Ihcm in Ihcir task
of digging and mowing during Ihe SlImmel' season.
A dam is scl in Ihc Allier to kecp Ihe walers in
fl'onL of Ihc Park: Ihus nfTording 10 P 'ople walking Ou Ihc banks of Ihe river Ihe pica urc of
looking upon splcndid senner , it also gives those
who happcn 10 be fond of rowing an opporlunily
of 50 doing. Pic-nic partie arc somclimes dcsirous
of availing tltemselves of il. Thercfore boat of
val'Ïous kind are 10 be had at Ihe riv l'. But Ihis
50 rI of amu ement do es not reccire much patronage at Vichy: ver few 0111' mcn hire the
boats, in cons qucncc of wh ich the harks, being
poody kept ond rarcly repaircd, prescnl bUI
lillle comfort 01' sccuril .
The supprc sion of lhe dAm ha hccn talkcd of
On accoullt of Ihc dongcr thot i olnl,time incuncd from th flooels. The ligh le 1 incompe1 nc of the ov l' crI' of bridge and rond s migh 1
he ottended willl dc a trou con cqncnccs, and
Wc have seen Ihe flood
ru sllÎlIg over Ihe dam,
befol'e il conld b unblockcrl fOI' Ih eir pns Ilg .
Vieil is, b il s dikc, ecurc fl'om tllcir fllr}, bul
On cllorrnou
quonlil of walcr i sO ITIelim(\
IllI'(nvn bock 10 Ih ,othcrshore, whieh lh n pre ' ent~
1\ Iliclurc of deva IIlLion. Thc village th l", Vni 'c,
hn s mn~
(
limeR hnn hOll seR oWel'{(nwNI.
EV('11
nI
�-
90-
Vichy, everal ho tels in the lower parI of the town
have had their cellars or gl'ound-lloors inundated
by the waler.
Ali Ihese inconveniences deserve, no doubt, to
be set in comparisoll with the plcasul'c of a few
fre h· waler sailors; but this bcing a local queslion i of liltlc inlerest 10 slrangl't's .
III. The Celestins and the Lardy
Park.
The walcl' admini tralion has pcrfectly undcl' looel Ihal, a Ille C le tin spring wcre al ome
di lancc fl'om thc cp.ntl'e of lhe cil , il wa u ,fuI
and pCl'hap Il ce al' 10 ol'ganiz 'a pl asant proni nad uncl ure ling-place th '1' • Fol' Ihis pu/'pose il had covel'cd gl1l1el'Ïe CI' 'clet! and halls
nued wilh s nt · whcre visitors ma. re 1 comforlubly sh \tered l'rom cilh '1' l'ain 01' hea!. One of
Ihe sourc"
pl'ing in an urtificial gl'ollo of a
mosl imposing OppCOI'lIllCC, uud both the olh('J"
ri . e und '1' il'on COli tl'uclion ' l' CCliII huil!. 'fhe
'pucc bcror' Ihc )lring aI11[' aiting-rooms i '
haded by grove of tree and embelli heu Wilh
f1owcl" .
'rhe thr' c CCleti lillS springs i u fl'om 0110 rock
wlrich nppol'Is whol r mains of lh, nncienl mo-
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nastery, a half-ruined, miserable-Iooking old
housc, by thc side of which several foot-paths,
lost in the grcen, lead Ihrough \i1acs, pine-trees,
cedars, ctc., 10 tlle orchal'd and Park. The upp er
part of Ihe ga rden looks by no means inferior in
frcshne s 10 eilher the old 01' new Park. Picturesqu e alleys l'un through green c1umps of tl'ee , and
seals are placed in the l'cee scs at lhe disposition
of the promenadel'. who wish to enjoy the cool ail'
and peaceful Il'anquillity of Ihe spot. Al the ame
time Ihey can admire th e splendid OOWCI'S of Ihc
garden.
A ma be imagined. lhc Celc-Lins pl'Omenade
is fl'cC]uent cd by mllny vi sitol's at cvcl'y hou l' of
the da ,but cspecially al drinl ing-timc, aft cl' th e
conccrt, fl'om fOllr to Gve in th c urtcrnoon. SlIeh i .
then Ih e pl'C SUI'Cof (h'iokcrs that lhey land in a
fil c, in cxpcclation of thcir s la es. ACt r lak.ing
thcm, th ey it und l' thc tl'ce 01' stl'oll to th c Ccleslin PUl'k to Il ave [\ , ail<. bcfol'e dinnel', wh ilst
Otl(~I'
, in th eir tUI'II, hll ten lO the Weil . From
thc 'l'cl'l'ace, th e sighl of th ose hu tling pCI' 'on
i mo t oninwt d, and lhi ' animation eu n he
lraccd fl'om th Park LO th e Cele lins, for th c
wholc way is hOl'tl el'cd \ ilh sirop of the Sil es t
II peel, , hiel, cxpo e fol' sille 1:\ l'CO 1 quanlili{'s of
articl' of smal! vnlue, li 'h a. poncif , 1'(' li es,
l
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cris laIs, etc.; whilst open ail' dealers in old
staries del iver a speech to people flocking around
(hem. Pl'omcnadel's are secn bent in admiration
over an olcl gothic Bible, or in pect ing the rusty
anns of a middle-age knight, or chcapening sorne
fi ' Ii ing tackle. Il is a scene worth y the peneil of a
humouri 1..
No t very difIerent is the oppearance of the
Lardy Park, which is a few yards distant from
the Celestins. Hut the lime of gl'eatest animation
th el'e is in the evening, after the repa~t,
from balf
pa t ix to eight, as the Lardy water is digestive
and c pecially used after meals. Il is also the
pot fol' a delightful eveninrt promenade, in alJeys
peJ'fumed by honey- uckle, 01' fo/' a peacefltl l'est
under the tlwt ched roof of th e spl'ing.
'l'he C 'Iestins and Lardy Porks open ou th e
boulevul't des Célestins and the rue tic Ni mes.
Botll of th em are cquall blooming and ottractive.
'fIl' lIOH E-HACE
Bcfol'c cIo illg this l'cvi w of tllC mOfltlmcnls
nnd in litutions of ViclIY, il is pCl'hop cl· il'obk
10 giv' Il few pOl'liculal' obollt the l'OC'
Julely
inll'odncl'(/ i1l Ihil\ \ IItf'l'in" plnnc' lir(·, ilS nn 1'11'-
�- 93 ment of attraction to both foreign and native
gentl'Y·
Towards the end of the Empire, it had been
proposed to e tablish races, as highl y conduciye
to the pro pel'ity of Vichy. The malter had been
the object of a sedous examination and was about
10 be calTied into eiTect, when the war with Gel'many broke out: in consequence of national disasters and the unccrtainty lhat was hanging oycr
Ihe future, Ihis design was momentarily given up
or, alleast, dcfer'red 10 belter da s. As lh e public
misforlune did nol affect the pro perit y of Vichy
as was apprchended, Ihe idea wa promplly revived and, lhis lime, calTicd into exeeution.
FOI' this pur'pose the Vich y Company hired
So rne ground Iyiug, be yo nr[ tlle All iel', at n S lll:lli
di lance l'rom the town (ubout one mile, as Il crow
[lie, and less thlln two miles by Ih e bridge), 'l'hi
place suit th e pu l'pose admirobl y: il is vel'y flnl
ind cd, and th e ,:arlh is scarcely /t urd. The Co urse
i an xlen ive one. From th e tl'j bullC the scel1ery i trul y plcndid, as il clIlbru ces uol ouly lh
whole co urse, but al 0 th e chain of green hill '
ruunin g pal'allell y lO th c river.
No puins \Vcrc spal'cd 10 cl'ccl building wOI'lhy
of the bl'illiant socict y Ihat was to mccL Ihcrc.
Be ide the tribunes for the spectoLors, thcre are
�-
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l'ooms fol' weighing and l'eCI'l'shment soloons. We
dare say Ihat boules of Cltampaign are emptied
evel' year UpOIl lhis occasion 10 a con iderable
quanlily. A milital'y detuchmenl keeps the course
ond ils oppl'oache , to prevenl occidents.
Usunlly a foot-bridge is cOnsll'ucled over the
river for su ch persons a di like to go a long \ fi
round. Bouls nre nlso placcd at the ervice of the
Public; buI, though no accident ha happened
up lo thi da, the boatmen who are inll'u lcd
with the cnl'e of ferr ing people OVCI', do not inspire
confidence in the perCecl ,<,curily of theil' management. Cal'l'iage of all kind rcuch the glound by
the bridge and the villagc of Vai e,
Imporlflnt pl'ize weI' uh cl'ihed by 1hc deporlmentnl council, th' lenonl Company, the
ndmini trillion of the l'ililway, lhe cil, of Vichy,
the principal commercial hou cs in Ihe town, etc,
'l'he ver fil' 1 day, Ihe Jocke ·Club ol Pari took
the Vi hy J'aces undel' il di lingui ch d pntl'onoge,
and il \\0 undcr it au. pice lhal Ihey w r inaugUl'111rd in the 'car 1 75. A c ,1 brole(1 pOl'lSmon
in th, depol'lmenl, hllron de Vauce, pre id d
thnt doy, and continu s 10 do 0 vel'y '01'. 'l'he
l'ace duy al' fixed by th' COIl1JlIlIlY IhallTlud 'lltc
mc
it 0\ n Il culatioll. It j , tl'ue lhot th,
leading g ntl'y 01, Vichy, who hall uh cl'Îbcd
�-
95-
during the fil' t ear considcrablc sums of monc) ,
finding that they did not profit h the multitude ot
pcoplc cl'owding lhcl'c on the appointcd day ,
have l'ctired, like Achilles, unde.. theil' tent ,
leaving thc cnlel'pri e to be continued by tho e
who dcrive advantage l'rom il.
The Compan took upon itsclC lO give night
entertainments upon thcse oc ca ions, anô it mtlst
be aid thal the race recreations are the chief
aUI'action al thc heighl of the eason. The pl'O''l'amme of both night and day festivilies i publi hcd in the Vichy papers and postcd up in the
place.
The early prcscnce of one or morc mcmbcl'!l
of the Jockey-Club enhancc thc voluc of tlte
Vichy J'accs, the re51111 of whicll ure immedinlcly
ent b Tcl graph to several of the Paris sportiJl~.
pOpCt's.
�-9G-
THE ENVIRONS
THE VAISSE INTERMITTENT SPRING
l s not c10ssed amon!) th e medical springs,
beco use ils chemical propel'lies have not heen,
to titis day, the subj ecl of analysis and expel'iment. Therefore il waters arc not presaibed fol'
use; et th e visitors that dail y go th er';! nre in lhe
habit of tasling th em fl'om mere cU I'ios ily. The
Vais e ource is strongly ulphul'ou , and does
not appea t' to have , in ils genel'nl propel'lie,
mu ch similanly with th e other Vichy spring ,
whi ch al'c rolh er alka lin e. Pel'h nps lhe dilrercnce
be lweC'n th em tnkes ilS origin in their' being sepuralcd by lh e Ali iCI', and Lhi supp os ition \ ould
ex pill in whel' .fore C 'rtoin s pring. , whi ch arc much
mo re di tant l'rom tlt e We il at Vichy th on lhe
Vui sc ource, do not look so difTerent in th eir
composition us th e laller i . lIowevCl' we do nOI
give il as [1 l'o ct: il i a mere hypotll e is, and
p 'l'il ap a \ l'o ng on .
Al nll evenls the Vais e spl'ing hos onl y becn,
lill 1I 0 W , a \ aIle Il i one mil e di slll lll fl'om lhe
Bulh s unù a fe\ yllre! fl'om th e briJg ', Ma ny
p l'sons go III l" 10 wilness th e ph cnomenon
-------------------------------------'
�- 91which takes place twice a-day and is Ihe bUI'sling forth of the water from its oullet. The houl's
for Ü are calculated in advance and posted, evel'y
day, in the S. exll'emily of Ihe cenlrol gallery or the
first class Establishment. People may there see the
claily placards, but we advise them to go to the
spriog a liule befol'e the waters burst out, to be
present wh eu the phenomenon commences.
A few moments before ils apparition. a kincl of
distant roaring in heard in the earth. The noise
becomes more and mOl'e distinct till the hot watel'
hursts out foa~ing,
10 a height of about 10 01' 12
yards. The strcam is immediotely surrounded
\Vith white vapour which spl'eod a strong sulphul'OUS slUel!. Bllt the fil' t jet is the highest; then
the spring dccreoses slowly, \Vilh tal'ls ood Il
kind of convulsions; just the sorne Geyscrs of
[sland have berD observed to uct and descl'ibcd
by trovcllers. The Vuis e spring is indeed Q liltle
Geyser, but wc do not know if Ihe flow ean be
exciled by Ihl'o\ ing lumps ofearth 01' slone into
1he ap 'l'turc, os 5uch expcriments al'e by no mean
ollowed by th kcepcr.
'J'hi el'uplion lu t about a hall' an hour, dul'iog which lime it Dppeul's fOl'ccd out by an inlCl'miLt 'nl po, cr, l'U hillg ut intcrvul as if in Il
pas ion and stal'ting like a sick porson. Dut its
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l'age oboles by degl'ees and, al last, il scol'cely
exceeds the level of the stone basin into whieh
the str'eam passes, The noise of rushing watel' is
occompanied by a rumbling mUI'lTIur that comes
from the depths of the earth, The woter it'elf is
limpid enollgh \Vith a lightl milky oppearance.
It is not very palalable, as il has a strong sul phurous sovour.
The soit in th is place, ns formerly covered
with the water from the spring thnt had no l'cservoir and form('d, in several places, dull-Iooking
ponds. Nobody eould venture thore without being
xposed to the danger of sinking into the muddy
gl'ound up to their knee , But the pince has becn
completel clcared: walls wcre con tructed :lIld
a col\a"e built on the SJl0t. Young trce \Vere
plant'd [ll'ound the spl'ing and scats put under
theil' pleasant hade, 0 ilS to aITonl vi itor a cool
l'CS ting-place, while the treom 1'001' , A 501'\ of
il'on kiosque JI It l' the ba in and Serves to
url' 'st the pring in purting ur' ard ,
'l'here is scarccly a spot, in th Envil'ons of
Vichy, ithel' oIT l'ing a notural phenol1l non, a
tllc Vais e spring, 01' commonding an xtcn. iv
vi \ ,a the Monta{Jne Ve>"te, th Ardoi it)re, th'
Alalavaux, ct " thol docs not impose u tax upon
vi itol'. , 'l'hc tal iff or usuall gracluated from
�-
99-
50 cent. to 1 fI'anc. The admission to the Inter mittent source is 50 cent. In th e lodge, which is
both an inn and the keeper's dwellins, beer and
olher rcfreshments can be had al moderale priees.
CUSSET
There is an old antagonism belween Vich and
Cusset: fol' the formel' wondel's how the latter
sLiIl enjoy the tille of clJief·lown in lhe dislrict,
whil t lhe cily of Vichy, celebraled lhroughoul
the world, i only considered Ildminisll'a tively os
a mi el'Oble hamlcl. To lhis Cus ct replies lhol it
is, like Vieh itself, in po sess ion of Wells which,
if not perhap so farnotl s, arc mu ch heller" itlJ
re peetlO th eil' medi ca l virlues, llill n th e spl'ing
of ils rival. And it in i 1- upon il by saying lhat
the Cus ct \ oter ure tlt e town ' own propcl't ,
whil t lhose of Vichy belong to lh e E ·lnte. But
Vi ch rejoins litaI tlt e tenllnt mnd Ihe b st 0('
tlJcir farmillS, , Itilsl Ih e 0\ ners kepl lh eil' pl'OpCl'ty U -1 sa nd ohscuro. This lasl 3J'SU lII ent i
logico l: Ih e inh nb itanls of Cu cl, ind ecd, did
nOI profit h llt eil' minera i S pi ings fi lh -il' Il -ighhours cl id ond cl, b('illg Pt'O IB'ielors, wCl'e nble
to do with them ju st wllal Lhey cho o. On the
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other hand, Cusset alludes to the power and
wealth of tbe Vichy Compan y, and th us entails a
controvers which it would be useless alld uninteresting to follow.
There are also other causes of rivalry, as the
maintenance at Cusset of the tribunal of the dislrict, notwithslanding the attcmpts made by the
illhabitanls of Vicll to have it moved to their cily.
Of course, Cus et opposes whut il calls a spoliation. and replie that su ch an alTongemenl
woulù pl'ove the ruin of a place whieh has but
few othel' l'esouree .
But lhi kind of rivalr and onlagonism ral'cly
s ho\ it elr in fuets; it i rat her internaI und latenl. A proof of Lhi i tllnt no olh r t\ 0 places
have Il more active ond, in appeal'Ql1ce, more
fl'Ïendl intcrcourse. Al ail times of the do
coach s flre to be 5 en on the l'oad going from
one place to the other. There is on omllibu office
al th Quatre Chemin " cio e to the militaI' hopital,ond, a if thi m an of inlel'cour e was
in ufficient, it has lat 1)' be n propo cd to lu)' a
trnmwll y to (aci!itaLe Ihe tl'allic. Differ nI project
weI" UpOI1 thi · occa ion laid befol'e the p l'sons
\ ho WCl'e cl putetl to COll id el' the mallel', but
nonc were ndoplcd, and wc lhink lhal thi
sch Ille ho s b en givcn up .
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Persons who are not afraid of walking lwo miles
may easily go as far as Cusset on foot. Besides
Ihe high l'oad Ihere i5 a nice green lane, full of
Ihe noise of mills and of tlle murmUl'ing of a brook,
the Sichon (an old favourite of Madame de Sévigné) that leads direcIly 10 Cusset. We know nothing more poetical thon this way, though the
praltling waters of the Sichon may perhaps not
he 0 limpid os the were in old times. On the
righl is the high l'oad with the smacking of whips
and rumhling of carrÏages; on the left l'uns the
brook; and he ond, Ihrough cl usIers of old willows, the eye perccives a sort of silver ribbon
glislening in Ihe green; il is another brancll of
the Sichon that capriciously winds along the bosoms of Ihe meadow ,
'L'wo princes cs arc said to have planted with
their royal hand lite firsl trees of the alley; a
circumslancc which gav birth lo its graceful
na me ; Allée de Mesdames (Ladies Ailey).
Wc purlicularly in ist upon the ben ut y of the
Allé de Mc dames because it is pel'haps the only
suitable place fOl' a foot cxcur ion in close l'I'oximit y to Vichy, wilh tlte exception of the Vaisse
spl'ing. The July sun is li dl'eudful lyrant who
mukes it very desirable to know wh rc to find a
sccluded ond shnd ' walk.
�~ù
'2
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Cusset (about Iwo miles from Vich ) enjoys a
pleasant situation at the foot of three hills and
upon t, 0 pl'auling brooks wlli ch meet there and
unite th eü' waters. Ils envil'ons are green and
picturesqu e; il appea l' pl ainl to de erve ilS
name (hidden cit , in the eltic language). Hidden
it i , indeed, as if in a nest, b surl'ounding luxuriant hills.
However, on entel'ing Ih e town, th e fil's t impression is fOI' fl'om beillg favoUI'abl e to il. The
fi rst objr.ct one behold i un old, round towel'
whicb has becn IUl'lled into u prison for lhe di trict; and then, Il trange, picturcsqu e building
the de cription of which will be the ubj ect of
onother chaptel' : it is the Cu set private Bath
Establishment.
Wh ot stl'ikcs ou mo t, 0 yo u ' nI er lhe nnl'l'OW,
dirty, mudd tl'cct' of th e hurgh i Ih e ancient
opp al'once of th e hou e . Th o e whi ch date fl'om
th e .J Vu. & VIlh centu!' ore num e!'ou . ome of
them hould stl'ongl inlel'e 1 bOlh hi slorion and
ol'ch roo logi 1 ; fOI' orne venl whi ch ha ve 0 pin ' •
in our llnlional ann al hOppCll cl al Cu t, as th e
reconciliali on b t\ en Chari
l[ and hi
A hou s overlooldng th e Murl 1 i oid 10 hov
hee n th e place whcre th e tl'ea l was igned.
veral olh l' hou e ho\ cvidcnl mark ' of lh oir
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,1 03-
great age, as old Lalin inscriptions, sculptural
ol'namenls of a gothic characler, ogive windows,
elc. There is, in Ihe pl'omenade of the Plane-trees,
a very slrange construction which is 1l0W the rcidence of a law el': lhis caused a wil to sa that
« il smelt of dust and parchment. »
Cussct has, indeed, a double character, pl'O cecding from its unliquil and ilS situation us a lown
of justice. Il positively lives upon qual'l'els and
disputes betwcen fellow-citizens, anù this circumstrlOce communicate to Ihe whole burgh 8
peculiol' Ilppeamncc which answel's to the principal occupation of ils inhabilol1ts.
one of Ihe Cusset monuments are l'cmarkablc
excepl an ohl convent which was spaciou enough
to includc the modem Town-Hull, the Court and
church looks to us much upcriol'
a school. ~ L'he
to tho e of Vich , though it i not \ orlh a pur ticulul' d sCl'ipl ion.
Cusset i th' mo t important commcrcial place
in the neighbourhood, Be ide 1he marl<ct-du
\ hich wc cl 1 lokc placc on satul'(lay , thel'c urc
wcll ultendcd l'ail" about cvel' month, onù th'
numbcr or trllll action the give l'isc to cxceeu
bclier. Pellsonts 01" lO be seen, procceding l'I'om
011 directions tO\ IIrds thi common bu incss
centre, Articles of ail l<inds ure cxhihitetl on sale.
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The sighl of a commercial dispute between two
Freneh peasants is oneof the mo 1 amusing lhings
that ean be l'eeommended to fOl'eign eul'iosity.
We hall now give a few parliculal's aboul the
history of Cusset. Arter a description [rom Nicolaï,
who lias been a histol'ian to both Cusset and
Vichy, the burgh was in posses ion, low~rds
lhe
end of the XVLI. centur , of an enclo Ul'e of strong
walls, which l'endered il one of the most important cilie in the Bourbonnais. We have relllted
the share of Cu set in the bloody wal' of the Pragucl'ie, and how the stl'uggle ended thel'e. The
king Loui l deelared that the wall of Cusset
1 werc the highe 1 and stl'ongest in his kiugdom.»
And, to be ure, he , as too cunning a fcllow Lo
speuk inconsideratcly of allything in the world
Il nd pUl'ticulnrly of things concel'Cling his power.
Il appeurs lhot, dul'ing hi stay there, he /rad
not onl conceived a strous admil'Ution of lire
1r ngth of 1he city, but al 0 pieked up, a a componion, a f,lIo\ named Doyat, who pla cd, in
th' intillloc of thc king, about Ille aille purt us
lIivicl'-le-Daim or the bulehel' Cnbochc. Pl'operly
pen king, 110body know ' 'xoctl wlral wel'e
Doynt's occupations al court; but il is beyond
doubl lhal he had gr 'al inilu 'nc over the Idng's
mind, und wos olle of the mosl pow l'fuI p 'l'sons
�~05-
at that period. Louis died berare his favourite and,
under Anne de Beaujeu, pOOl' Doyat experienced
what ha been 50 many times sa id 01' writlen in
ail languages about Fortune's wheel. He fell into
disgrace and was condcmned to death , aCter bis
tongue hod bcon perforated with a sleel needle,
which mokes it supposed that his tonguc had not
bcen a slrangel' to the crime he had commiUed.
Doyat's punishmenl took place at Cusset, his
native cit , or al Clcrmont-Ferrand.
The king Loui" favourite was, if not the best,
al least the mosl famous and powerful man Cusset
bOllts to have given birth to; never since has the
city itself cnjoyed 50 gl'eat a rcpulation as then.
Artel' Do at's dealh, it sank ioto an obscurity from
which it never rose aga in, and fcll, like Vichy
and othel' ploces in the oeighbourhood, into the
hands of powcloful religious ordel's who disappeal'ed in the swceping whirlwind of 1789. From
that pcriod, Cus et became the quiet, laborious,
commercial Iittle town we now see.
'1:'11
Oua ot prlvate Dath Illstabllsbmon't.
Dc idcs the "wo minerai spl'ings b longing 10
tltc town of (;u t, therc al'C, in Ihis place, two
pl'ivatc Weil which became as famous os th"
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'1 06-
others l'emained obscure, viz : the springs Elisabeth and Sainte-lI'Im'ie, supplying the Cusset Bath
Establishment. Of the (' sources we said a few
words when speaking of the Vichy watel's, as
science, from tbeir chemical propel'ties and curative virlues, classes them among the Vichy Wells.
It is now necessar 10 complete lhe notice by
giving a short description of the Balhs and the
lar'ge hotel annexed to them.
The Bath E tablisllment slands at lhe very
entrance to Cu et, on the left hie or the Vichy
road. An il'on gate give admi ion to a nice liule
garden in which 1'Îse in l'rollt of the Establi hment
the Iwo prings lhot uppl. il with wotCI'. In cl'iplions will infol'm vi 'ilol's of the virlue of those
spring mucl) beller than we cun do.
Th building, being sll'onge und il'l'egul!1l', docs
not come wilhin any ol'dinary al'chil clural classili atioll : it lia a peculia!' chamcle!' which give
il a l'onk a ide, A ligh 1 IU!Tet ri e ' on each side
of th principal dool', op ning on a waiting-room
[rom which corridors 1 ad 10 th bath and
how l'-balh rooln . Th' C J'001O ure 40 in numbCI', The bath givcII in th Cu t 'J'hCl'mlll E tahli 'liment 'olllain a lal'ge quantily of minerai wotel';
a fol' th hower-balh" they urc ext!"lncly cold,
(Incl tlt(')'crore, lIighly rc(~om
IIded b the
�1
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Facull.y. The hydrolhel'opic Establishment, recently
buill, has been provided with improved patent
engines which moke it one of 1he most remarkoble
in the country.
The Bath of Cusset are chieOy fl'equented by
people lodged at Vichy. Omnibuses belon"ing to the
administralion of the Cusset wale,'s perJ'orm the
journey between this pInce and Vicll at appointed
limes, and, as the voyage is short, the facility of
getting baths at suitoble hours indllces number
to go and tllke tickets Ihere. So the Cussel Eslabli liment become a kind of bronch of the Vich
Blllhs; olso the careful allelltion of the employôs,
being set in compal'i on with thc rude Inonncl'S
of the Vichy balhing men and women, is not without a shore in this prefel'ence.
1
At Il mail di tance fl'om tllc Baths is a fil' 1
rate hotel for uch person as do not curc to live
ut Vich und prefel' folio, ing, on th e very SpOl,
Il trca tmcnt by the woter ' of Cu set. [t
tund in
one of the mo t splclldid privllte park we have
eve,' en. (1' the (.U et life lin none of the relaxations "hich obûund at Vicll " in l' 'luI'[) it i.
qlli et, wholesome and p 1'11Ilp more uilabl 10 a
CUI'C, in lite co
of a dangerous illlle s.
In hort Cusset o/Te,'s to the cUl'io ily of leal'ned
people sorne archœologic attraction; to ordinory
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�~08-
visitors il presents the relaxation of a joul'IIey to
a .f1ourishing Bath Establishment, ovel' a pleasant
road with a choice of styles of locomotion. IL owes
to these various circumstances the visits which
are daily paid by Straogers to Doyat's country.
THE MALAVAUX
Malavauœ means, in the Latin language, cursed
valley (maledicta vallis). The fact is that imagination cannot easily conceive a mOl'e ùesolate place.
The marks of a geological cataclysrn ore cvident
there, and the general aspect of the spot is not
un uitable 10 the tale which goes al'Ound in the
ncighbouring villages. But let us trace the way to
thc CUl'sed Valley.
The l'oad, on lcaving Cussct, bl'caks iuto a
luxul'iant, gl'e n-Iool<iug plain, which cxtclltls fol'
about one mile. It l'coches a bl'idgc over n brook,
the Jolan, and sudd 'nly, bcaring 10 the right,
pcnetrates into a nanow valley ulong the streom,
the prattling of which is almo t the only noise to
bc heord in Lhi de crt. As you go on, the sccnCI' y gets mOre and morc wild. IJI the botlom is
u meadow, througll \ hich the hrook ha tcn , a
if il longcd to quit titis d uU place, On both ides
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of the meatlow, dry, l'ocky, l'ugged mountaÎns
rise. They get nearel' and nearel', a you proceed,
and at la st lhey change the valley into a sorl of
ravine, which looks as if about to close up abl'uplly
before you. In tbis spot, it is not much more than
Gve yal'ds wide. Fortunately the waters al'e rarely
swollen in the summel'; othel'Wise il would be
Sometimes difficult to get ove\' the stream, the
hed of which is obslI'ucted with roeks. There the
way crosses the brook; you walk a few steps
farthel' and l'eaclt Ibe Malavaux.
There is not much difference belween this place
and the valley you have just walked through. Il is
the sa me sterile. roeky land: it 1001 s like a desert, and orten the eehoes reluru no other sound
bUlthe noise of the brook l'uslling thl'ough the
l'avine. The mounlain of the Malavaux is said 10
he haunled. A weil al ils top is named the WeIl
of the Devi!. l'he keepel' shows visitors som!'
l'uins which his toIe chnnges inlo the remains of
n ca tic of the knigllts Templars. To complete the
ilu~on,
he points out, at the top of the moulltuin faeing the Malavaux, a particular l'ocl< Wllich
has som likene s to a monk ; a 100 • Y beard is
hanging upon the Friar's bl'east, and makes it
look likc a living m:m on hi knces. The stl'an gene s of the place and ils name comuniat~
I}
1
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the mind a peculiar disposition to superstition
and prepare il fOI' stories of sorcerers and necroroancy.
According to the legend, the eastle of the
knights Templar , the ruins of which are so very
userol to the keeper's industry, was fOJ'meJ'ly
inhabited by a powerful community lhnt filled
tbe whole neighbourhood with terror. Numerous
were the causes of the CeOl' they spread. They
had razed to the ground manya cnstle, set tire
to many a town, and commilled man a crime.
But whot especially struck the country wit h ten'or
wos the disappearonce of everal lodie renowned
for their beauty. Public suspicions occused the
knights of taking them away; hut su picion i no
proof, and had evidence heen strong agoinst them,
great was their force, high their tower anù difficult the attack. 0, fOI' feor of hoving on account
Lo settle with 8uch powcrful euemies, people in
the vicinity held their tongues, and di appearonces grew more frequent and myslerious .
1
1
Atlast, a oung lad , the daughlcl' of a ncighboul'Îng baron, di appear d on th very day b for'c
Il l' nuptials . Th suspicion of her fOLher and
briclegroom cl id not wand r very long: th y fell
immediately upon th e monks of the mountain, and
the young g I1llemnn resolv cl to discovel' the
1-
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lruth and revenge the insult. But how to creep
into the den? He disguised himself as a servant
and knocked at the gate of the ca tle. The monks,
pel' chance, happened to be th en in the want of
a !Cl'ving man, and he was engaged.
He playcd his part so skilfully Ihat the Friars
SOon 10 t ail caulion bcfol'e him. He lhenacquired
the certitude that not only his own bride, but
many othel' beauliful oung ladics werc shut up
in that costle and foreed into nightly orgies of the
most abominable charaeter. Ile swol'e vengeance
against the wretches and, e caping from thc
housc, went direclly 10 the judge, at Cu set, to
wltom he l'elated the wltolc alfair. Hc olI'ered to
hc at oncc 1he guide and chief of the expeditioll
whieh wos to he dil'ected against thc ra~els.
Eight hundred oldiers were ent to hc iege thc
costle. The guilty knight , sUl'roundcd in Iheil'
den, rcsisted dUl'ing scvcral do with thc fury
of dc poil'. cverol assault from the oldicl's were
l' pul cd; hut such wo the ol'dour of the besi gr' chicf thot nothing eould di coul'agc him
and hi hOII'cd wa hared by lIis men. At la t,
the doors w r' brokell open, aud the tO\ crs
senled. ueh monks as had nol perislted in th'
tlefcnee were immedint Iy mUl'ùcl·ed. B aulifuJ
Mal'garet and her unfol'tunnlc consort were l'CS1
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1112 -
tOI'ed 10 liberty, but, alas 1 she soon died, pOOl'
thing! wilh shame and sorrow.
The officers of justice Scl lirc to thc castle and
of this building nothing remains but the few
ton es that are yet lo he seen al the top of the
i\1alavaux.
This pince hns, of course, ils admission office
(one franc for the entrance) and ils restauranl, fi
little l'US tic house leaning a~in
1 a rock. The distance from Vichy i about five miles. An excursion
lhere requires three hours, or pel'haps four,
when Cu sel is vi ited on the way.
THE ARDOISItRE
None orthe promenades in the Environs cnjo)'
great fi l'eputatioil as the Ardoisière, and, in
fnct, this ite i on of the mo t picturesque in
th Forez mountoin.
On lenving Cu ct, thc rond entc!' into fi vall '~
"hich i roth r pacioll nt firsl and the a peel 01'
which g t wildcr and wildel', 0 on go es 011 .
'l'he fil' t hOll e of fi littlc villngc, colled the
Gri (~t , ç ure soon pu cd. Th, nomc of lhis
horollgh j cell'brntcd Ilot onl in Ih ncighhoul'hood, bUl wc darc ay lhroughout France, for il
50
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is the proper namc of the Vichy linens (toiles de
Vichy) which are 50 univel'sally wom, during the
summcr season, both at Vichy and at ail the
French watering-places. Tbe Grivats have been
fOI' several years the principal centre of the manufacture of lhese cloths, an important house
giving occupation to great quantities of workmen.
But, in the yCUl' 1868, a conflagration deslroyed
iL. The manufactory has never been built again,
People can see its blackened, half-ruined walls
upon the Sichon. Il is a loss for the working
population around, and also fOI' the manufacture
it ('If of the toiles de Viehy, which are 1l0W
mlde everywhere, excepL at Vichy and the SUl'l'ounding country.
Al omc cI istance from the Grivats the valley
suddenl widen illto a splendid nntUl'al hyppo(homc ; thcn il cio c ogain and thc road entr~
a
dark, cool, woody dcfile which end in fi bridge
ovc .. L1lc brook. Artel' cros ing it and walking a
Iittle rUI'ther, you rcach Ihc Ardoisière.
'fhi nome corncs from 0 laIe qualTy for'mcl'ly
op 'ncd in thi plllcr, and then abnndollcd, 011
account of thc fri ubility of its products.
A chorge is madc. nt the admi sion office, of
olle l'l'une fol' cnch Il l'on; but tho sc who brcllk-
�-
114-
fast or dine at the restaurant have gratuitous
admission.
A female guide accompanie vi ilors wishing to
see the cudo Hies of the place.
The th' 1 thing to vi il is the quarry. Il is a
dark hole opening into the bottom of the mountain. We ndvi e people not to venture there, when
\Val'm \Vith walking, on account of the wet cold
Jll'oduced b the ohscurity. Il chili the body a
one enter the ca vern . At the extremity of tbe
dlll'k galler , one hear of kind of sini tel' chopping: il i the noise of th watel' falling fl'om
the wall in a \Vide, round, deep weil from which
lote were formerl r.xtracted.
�-
HI)-
Ihundering, and filling the ravine with a sort of
damp vopour. The noise of the walerfall is then
loud enough to he hem'd at Cusset, viz; al ix miles
di tance, and the scenel'y, commanding cnough 10
he et in comparison with the Swiss siles.
At ail event , as there are no other cascades in
the neighbourhood of Vichy, lhe Gou l'l'e-Saillant
may lJe jusLly con idered as the Niagara of the
Envil'Ons. Be ides the walerfall ilself, Nalure is
beautiful enough in the Ardoisière valle to deserve the special favour it enjoys among the balhing communil at Vichy.
Out, lO njoy a panorama of the whole place,
it i neces ary 10 climh Ihe woody mountain and
rcach lhe l'uins of a castle of the knight Templul' , ut t he top. Titi a cen ion is ralher !lard,
in pite of the foot palh Ihrough the wood, and
would 1101 require le thon three quarler of an
hour. The ruin are by no mean remarkable, and
th caslle il elf belong mnch mol' to legend
thon lo I.i tory. On the malter in hand, one writer
l'ighllyob l'ved lhal the knight Templurs were
th, bugbclll' of lite neighboul'llOod, and lilat popular imagination placecl the mono ICl'Ïes of lltese
m 'n wh l'cve!' olcl l'uins arc to he cen. Out, if
broken Ilnd liUle authenLie rcmain are not wOl'th
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446 -
ascension, the sceneJ'y is; therc are but few panol'amas comparable to il in the Environs.
Gamcs of various sorts are> improvised in the
vallcy, bencath the tl'Ccs. Joyful parties come
thcre every day to sport 01' dinc. It is weil to add
thut table huyc been vcr} comfortably set in the
SI'een, on thc shorc of thc bl'ook, the scntle murmur of which associa te Wilh the worbling of
birds. Familics may dine thcrc in the open air
and in the enjoyment of solitude. Should it happen to rain, a billiard-room and saloons are put
at the service of the vi itol' .
Old people of the countr rcmembcl' !raving
seen a gl'otto in the mountain, shcltering a vencl'able-Iooking Illon, in fl'iar"s cloths who, a
peo anIs oid, spenl hi doy:) in pro crs. 'l'he
monk's au leril} soon causcd him to pa for a
soint. lIe 'lept upon fagot and scourgcd Irimself
everel) ; but lhe privatioll uf his olitory life did
not kill tlte temptalion ' of the fIc h. ITe , as
occused of cnlicing the ;ngcnuous girl of tire
mounlai 1\ to hi grotto for illlll1ol'nl purpo e .
Thi accusation proved l'ight und Fril1r JOIrIl WIl '
sUllllUOllecl to givc up his grotto to <1 Pileur before
tllc Court, nt Cusset. Il \\ <lS thcn di covercd thot
tir holy lUan \~IlS
U ulwgCI'OU ' convict who had
t'rcenl! csc1'lwd l'mm trllllSpol'lntion anel trice! ln
1
�II
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deceive meu by the pl'etence of an ardent devolion 10 God. IL is scarcel necessal'y to add that
he was recondemned to the galleys.
The Ardoisière is said to have been the favourite walk of the Emperor, dudng llis sta at
Vieil .
1 he distance is about ni ne miles, and the time
to go there and relul"D, four hours.
BOURBON-BUSSET
lan an excul'sionist kills Iwo birds with one
tone and from lhe Ardoisière reaches Bow'bonnWisct. PCI'son who would like (0 vi il lhe
ca tle of Boul'bon-Bussel and Ihe Ardoisière on
the ame da hod bctter bcgin by the laller ; fOI'
fJ'om thi place 10 Busset, the roarl, though
pica onl enougll, ha nOlhing l'emorkable, , hil t,
on the eonll'Ury, il eommand on admirable vi 'W
from Bu sel 10 Vich : Ihercforc it would he a
\ ('ons to have one' back IUl'ned, in dl'iving, 10
ucll cCllcry.
Th dis(oncc frolll thc Ardoi ièrc 10 Bu ct i
abou 1 lhl'ce mile . On l'eaching the villagc, one is
1 slr~ck
Wilh Ihe humble appcarance of th pcat~
'~lagcs
cl in compal'i on \\ il h t Il' l'l1or-
�-
118-
mous warlike building of the Squire. AlI of them
are flocking al'ound the supel'b walls of the caslle,
as if preserving a relic of feudal custom. As fol'
the ca tle itscl~
il looks likc a scout, postcd on
the very 10p of the mountain, to overlook the surrounding country.
Busset castlc is a quite [cudal oue, and therefore has an architecturol characLer which is rare
cnough now. The Lower arc adorned with baille·
ments, and lhe gale, pl'otected by a draw-bridgc,
exactly as il sucb tlting could be of use at present. Wh en you gel neu!' thc wall, ou instinctively rai e your eyes to sec if no hel'old is walking
in arm on the towel's. Il seem that thc year
, hich lie hetween u and the Middle-Age slip out
of m mory, and that wc ink agaio ioto the il'on
time , the apparatus of which is pres nt befol'e
oUI'e c .
Thc gllte of th co tic i ul'lnollnlcd by on
normou towcr covercd with iv . Th first yard
ÎlltO' Ilich peopl peuctl"llte by thc dl'Ilw-bridg
uhove mClltiOIl d. j <,pnrtlt·d fl'om th,
cond
b Il long iroll grnt giving odllli ion 10 lhc court
of honoul'.
011 th Il l> hold n model'll Gothic foçnd , curios'I imitnt 'd from the old 1 Ic. Al tIte fil' t
flo!)l' i u. plcudid bolcon ; 011 th Icft, 0 huil-
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ding ended by a private cha pel ; and then, three
high, menacing towers, the most celebl'ated of
which, named Tour de Rwm, commands an
extensive and magnificcnt view.
The in ide of the ca tle ma justly be comparcd to a mu roum. On vi iting the apartmenls,
on intel'l'oguting thc old family remembrances includcd thcl'e, you are truly journeying lhrough
elupscd age . Il would be too long, and perhaps
!itlle interc ting, to givc a discl'iption of evcry room
in particular'; the only thing is to see them and
thereforc to olicit admi sion, which is always
gl'acefully granted. Now let us turn · over the history of the fumily.
In the XV li. century, the e lates of the lords of
Bu set enlered the farnily of Bourbon hy the marriage of Marguerite d'Allègre, Ihe haire s of the
man ion, with Picrrc de Bourbon; whence, Ihe
numc of Bourbon-Bus ct given to the new fumily.
Dul, u Loui PicrTc' flltlicr, hud got marricd
in crlllun, without the COli ent of the king und
1hut of the duke of Bourbon, hi eldcst brothel',
the children boJ'll fl'om thi mUl'J'iage wcrc con sidel'cd us illcgitimate, and u murk of ba tardy wus
udd d 10 the fUJ11i1y escutcheon. lt is thi vcry
murk which CI'O c thc blazon of the OWIlCI' of
1
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the Busset castle and which may be l'emal'ked on
portions of his furniture.
Pierre, the foundel' of this family, Ided in vain
to have il taken off and the legitimacy of his own
birlh, recognized.
Philippe de Bourbon, carl of Bussel, his son,
was a cup-beal'er 10 Louise de Savoie, the king
Françoi 'molher. Ile th en went 011 \Vilh the
action bl'oughl by his father againsl Ihe Bourbon
bouse, and, in the yem' 'I IH 8, the king consentcd
to admit his daims to legitimacy, without allowing him to partake of the family e tates. Fl'om
that period, the kings of France gave the title of
cousins to the cie cendanls of Philippe de Bùurbon, and a palenl, conceded in 1661 by
Louis IV, granled them a reguln)' permission of
ta king il.
Among tlle mosl celebraled pers ons of this famil , it is hut juSlto mention r.laude de Boul'bon,
who was a govel'llol' to the Limousin, Loui de
Bourbon, u majol'-general in lhe ul'lillel'y, who
wu killed in be ieging l?l'iburg, in 1677, and
general Ifrançoi de Bourbon-Busset, father of
Chal'le de Bourbon-Bu t, the present ownel' of
the caslle, und heil' of the furnily cstu(es,
Thc rude, fiel'cc asp cl of tlte lllountain, thc
top of which i ' cl'owned b the ca Il', pcrfcctl
�-121 agrres with tbe characler of this building. As you
go down, you are struck by the sterility of the
land; in sorne placcs the .ground has a bloodyl'ed colour, as if crimes had becn committed tbere
in eadier ages, and their traces remaincd engl'uved
in the ver granite of the rnountain. The contrast
of Ihis banen land sets forth the splendour of the
scenel'y pread befol'o the cyes. Furlh 'l' than the
sight can reach, the valley of the Allier and tlle
hills of thc Limogne extend, whilst the Puy de
Dôme, like a dark-blue giant, makes the back
ground of this grand, admirable pictul'e.
From Saint· Yorre, the village at 1hc foot of the
Bu set mountain, the road to Vichy l'un through
a green, luxuriant countl'y. About ho If way, it
cros sc anotller place, naml!d Abrest, which has
Ilothing l'cm:lI'kable but its pictul'e que situation
on the bonk of the river, and an old, dark,
half-ruined hou e, pompou Iy entitlcd a ca tle by
the peasonts ol tltc villagc. At last ou behold,
On the left side of the way, a Iittlc befol'c reenteLarbaud, the propert
ring the tOWIl, the sm~rce
of Larhnud senior, which, rising within the tel'l'itory of Vichy, ought nollO be cOllfoundod with tlle
source Saint- Yon'e, bdonging to Larbaud junior.
This confusion, indeed, is the cause of many mi tukes omong tlte foreign vi itOI' at Vichy. Wc
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sbould ad vi e passing people 10 alight at the source
Larbaud, and spend a few moments in visiting tlle
cngine for the cold concentration of the Vichy
water and tasting that of the spr'ing.
Bourbon - Bus et stands at about 12 miles
fl'om Vichy. An excursion thel'e takcs four hours,
or pel'hop , in )lcrfoJ'ming the walk uch os it is
tt'accd herc, viz . In vi iting the Mdoi ire, Abrest,
the ource Larbaud, ix hout' , thut i , the whole
oftCl'lloon, from clcven to five.
THE MONTAGNE SAINT-AMAND
'fhi is an
cur'sion thot con be pcrfol'med in
n cOlTiagc, Oll a donkey, or cven, by good wal-
1
ker' , on foot, fol' the place i not more than four
lIlile · oIT. Donkcy al' chieny u cd to rcach the
Montagne aint-Amand and the Montagne- Verte,
two placr which may hc con ider li a IIcrcul, 'eolumn to many excur ioni t .
To t' ach the Montagne Saint-Amand, ou procc cd by the l'OU le dc im' , fi fur a th Villa
Bulot, 011 -( gont 'Ollotl' -hou c, wllÏch slanù
011 th 1 ft of the l'olld ; und theu you hcgill c1irn
~
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bing the hills. By the side of the Villa Bulot is
the reservoir fol' the water pumped from the Allier
by an engine lhal can be seen on the shore of the
,'iver, and then cal'l'ied by pipes into the Vichy
public fountains. There arc no villages or hamlets
that can be pointed oulon the way, as IUlldmarks,to the per ons reaching the Montagne SaintAmand; but posts, placed al iUlervals, with in criptions ou them, plaiuly indicate the direction.
The way goes througlt vineyards, orchards
and fields of the mo t various aspect. When ou
arrive before the establi liment, the panorama is
already splendid, and el it is by no means comparable to thot you enjo , from the top of the
tower built tbere, with the aid of 0 telescope di posed for (1 cio e in pection of the environs. The
valley of the Allier, Abrest, Vichy look to touch
the extremity of tltt' lelescope, and iL is cusy to
cc the timc III the public clocks of t!lis losl place.
'fh co LIe of Bourbon-Dus ct cun be cxamined
in 011 iL pOI'Liculol' : pt'opl arc seen walking in
the gordeu. But the vicw cxtend much fanller,
as il emhl'ace th Rock oint-Vincellt, the MOlltonccllc, Ihe ,hol' Lilllogn., Randon, lermont, elc., elc.
'l'he charge fol' the odmi ' ion to the Côte SoilllAmand i oue fruuc; dinner and ref'res!lment
�-
'1 24-
can be had al lhe iDn at moderate prices. An
eXCUl' ion there does not take much more than
lwO hours and a halL
At a sffiall distance fl'om the Montagne SaintAmand stands the village of Vern et, celebrated
in the wltole neighbourhood for lite primilive simplicity of ils inhabilants and Ihe lail of a pal'liculaI' hOl'se wltich is 10 be een in lite chul'ch.
Titi Itorse is that of Saint-George, llle patl'on of
the village. It appear thal th e lail of the hol •
animal i endowcd wilh the privilege or cau ing
the prompt marriagc of the girl fortunate enough
to skim il over with 11er hand on the dedieationday. Theil, lTlany a girl IUl'ks in its vicinity, but
i oft n preventcù [rom touching the tail b the
pl' 'sence of lrouhi csolllc spcclntors. IIowever the
talisman is fl'cquently cUl'cssed anù every ycnl'
sc manya gil'l Inarricd al Vel'n '1.
THE
MONTAGE~R
Thlll is Il pl'cll nome (grecll Inollntnln) and,
, hat i hrttrl', n plninly de s('l'vcd on('. The Montaone Verle ran hc' SC'(' 11 frolll Vichy, CI'O' Jljng
with il c (lloralion tOWCl' Il IIlXUl'iullt hill lhe
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decJivity of which is covered with trees and vine'ards. There is perhaps no other promenade more
frequented in the Environs of Vichy; fOl-, cxccpt
Cu set, there is none, in the ci rel!.' of the neighbouring pleasant placcs, cio cr to the town.
[ndecd it is Ilot much more than three miles olf,
and a walk thcrc can be performed within two
hour ,for instance between dinner and play-lime.
You follow the rue de Ballore as far as a small
stone bridge over the Sichon, b the sidc of the
Vichy hydrothCl'upic cstablishment. You pas
over anothcl' bridge on a second bl-anch of the
amI' 1 ivel', and break into a light decJivity
which gradually turn inlo a hill, until ou
l'each a little village on a high rond, nnmed
Pinasson. Then, crossillg Ihe road, you follow 0
l'U lic woy, abundnnlly hoded by nul-!rcc , and
oon di 'ov,'r nnolher hurnlet which you nlso
pa through. AbouL halr a mile farlher on, ou
lul'rl 10 thc rig"L nnd follow a green lane thot
Irad ou 10 the enll'ance of thc cstablishment.
l'lJi stabli hmenL is composed b an inn, a
kind of lowcr ovcl'lookilll) Ihe sUl'l'ounding COunlry
and a garden "hl~rc
gomes of dill'erent orIS, such
as quoits, billiards, elc. arc' lO !Je Îound fol' the Clllerlaintnent of visilOl'S. The hclvcdcl'e is sair\ to
hr ronslrllcll'r1 on Ihe spot oncl wilh the ruin of
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buildings that legend traces up to Julius Cœsar.
It is furnished with telescopes of an ext/'8ordinary
strenglh, with the aid of whieh you ean see ;
The great chain of the Forez, the Puy de Dome
and the giants of Auvergne, the mountains of the
Creuse, Saint-Leon and Saint-Martin d'Estreaux;
a great quantity of casties, sueh as BourbonBusset, Randon, Veauce, la Fauconnière, Chantelle; the hl'idge of Moulins; and even, when
wealher is very elear, the cathedral of Bourges.
It is perhap the mosl extensive panorama in
the Environs of Vichy.
Numerous parties make an excursion 10 the
Montagne-Vert to breakfa t or dine; a lolerable
repast ean he had tllere at any time of Ihe du ,
anr! tables, placed under the trees in the gardon,
in tlle open air, are prettily covered with fruit
gathered in the orehard.
RANDAN & MAULMONT
'(' he Ralldan etaI s belong 10 the fumily of 01'lenn . Whil 1 th Bu el castle revives lhe oppenl'once oC pasl Gothie in titutiol1 , thnl of Rnndnn
seems les Il ca tic than a pacious and comfor-
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table mode!'O bouse. Busset is a high feudal fancy;
Randan is Iike Ihe usual abode of a pl'ivate individua!. Therefore Ihe former is more pietul'esque
in it style, Ihe laller is plainer, and better agrees
with the characler of OUI' limes. A recent writer
says Ihat the eastle of Randan has a smell
of happy und flourishing bourgeoisie which
makes you look in the corners for Ihe family
umbrella.
Il slands at about 12 mile from Vichy. The
road which leads there CI'O ses over the bridge,
pa ses Ihrough a village, named Bois-Randcnez,
and Ihen enlers wood
A long green aile open on 10 the palisade
thot gives admi sion to the court of honour. On
entering, you perceive Ihe building which impresses ou with thi cha l'acter of commodity and
implicit Ihot we have olluded to. The ioterior
is full of historical curio ities. You visit a picture
gullery which i adorned with everal dmwings
due 10 Ihe youllg prince Mal'Îe d'Odeon ; and
then, the MusœulI1, Madame Adelaïde' room and
oralo/"y, Ihe aloon of honour which unite Ih
billiard-J'oom to the library; Ihe bed-room of the
king Loui -Philippe; lh - chapel, with iLs puinled
glass-windows und Slucco wr.ll ; the diningroom, nlso covel'ed wilh tucco, udoJ'O -d with
�-
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ambesques and oJfering, in ils floor, a very remarkable mo aïe work ; al last, the kilchens the
pl'oportions and arrangement orwhich al'e worlhy
the enOl'mous appetÏle of Homel"s heroes.
The Park of Randan is by no means inlerior lo
lhe castle itself; il is exll'emel pacious and
every thing in it proves suitable to tlte grandeur
and magnificence of the view.
The Tenace behind the costle commands one
of the mosl plendid panoramas in lhe neighbourhooù, a the sighl embraces lhe whole Limagne,
a rich valley which the Allier l'uns thl'ough before
ils entl'ance 10 the Bourbonnai . This terra cc
overlook flowel' beds and garùens of the gaye!'t
aspect.
Ir the Handan casllc is of a quile modem chul'actel', the Randanois itself, that is, the Randan e tate
tmcc ' ilS origin up to a l'emot anLÏquil.y. A convenl of llenedictill i' aid lO have given hirlh
to titis place, which oon UftCl' became the chieftown of an imporluut chatellcnie in Auvergne.
Tlten it fortune sunk into thc obscurit of U
rumity whose last membcr wa ' a we have
round ill old chrolliclcs, Guillnume de Bandan.
Jeun cie Polignnc, his succe 01' und heir or lite
Rnnduil 'tule Itut! II Iluughtt'1' IUtll'l'ied to the
dukc of allccrrc, who pcl'i~td
uL ~nrigl.
Thi
1
1
�1~9-
noble lad wedded, in second marriage, Frunçoi
de Larochefoucauh, prince of Marcillac, whose
descendants gained Randan much noloriely and
glory. This place was even made a dukedom by
the favour of Catherine de Larochefoucault, first
ma id of honour to Anne d'Autriche and govel'ness
to Loui XIV. IL then passel! into the house of
Lorge and, at last, into th al of Choi~eul,
whose
heir old, in 18'21, a part of the estnte 10 Madamc
Adeloïde, who bef"Juealhed it to the duke of Montpensier. From this lime the Randon e tate remained in the possession of Ihe princes of 11Iis
family, who often visil Ihe place in Ihe summer
season.
Il i evidenl enough, that, during this long pcriod
of history, the Randan castle wa several times
rCJlaircd. Of the ancient building nothing is left,
and thr. Jlresent con Irt/ction bclong by no mean
to past ages as can he judged by ilS style ond appearancc.
On Ir(lving nundlln, visitors list/ully l'cadI Mmûmont (Mnledictus Ion s) which i Iwo miles oIf.
In thi nom (C Ul' ed mountain) lies Il myst 'l'y
concerning which lIeithel' histor nor ven Icglmels cnlighlen us. The place is now a pretty
�-
,1 30-
llUnting rendez·vous which, giving up, as has
been wittily said, the constitutional style of the
castre, traced its way up to the times of nbsolute
power and took a sort of feudal character by the
admission of battlements and turrets. In truth,
the Maulmont hunling rendez·vous seems to us to
be an adaptation of mooresque architecture.
Il is pictul'esquely situated in the midst of
woods and commands an extensive vicw over the
valley of the Allier.
The cu tom is to vi iL, on the way to Vichy, a
goy and heallhy village, renowned for a mineraI
spl'ing whicb, being hired by the tenant Company
of the Vichy waters, i u ed for exportation, IIa7bteri'Ve, nt fouI' miles from the town. The spring
l'i e in a Iuxul'Îant park wh ich i open to visitors.
Dut mony an excur ioni t pl'oceed as fOI' as
th Bridge of Rys, ,hich is thl'own over tlle
Allier al a hort di tance fl'om the pot, here
thi riv l' r cives t1le D07'e. This bridge, indecd,
i of {\ light and elegant st 1 , and the vulle of
the Alliel' has ther a peculinr chnrncler of fertilily. A liUle furlh l'i the l'oule de Nim s which
pus es through oinl-Yorre ond Ahl'est, and was
mentioncd whcn speaking of Bourbon-Du set.
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131 -
A walk to Randan requil'es the whole afternoon.
The permission of visitiog the apartmellts of the
castle is granted on particular days which it is
impo sible Lo fix in odvance, but which il is cosy
10 know at Vichy.
CHARMEIL
Charmeil evidenlly mean charmant. Th is
co tIe stands in the midst of a bcautiful park
which forms a mognificent green sheltel'.
Before the perron of lhe c1stle is Il grass-plot
from which very pleasing seenery is to he cnjoyed.
One s es the vineyards and ga houses of Crel~
zjer, prenel ovel' the hills in the sunshinc; 0150
tlte olel church of the village and the holf-I'uined
Lower, which eems to l'efer the bowcr of reuzicr
to a remote antiquily.
The ca tic of Charmeil i less modern thon has
bcen said. Within these lost twenty-five years
it olel wolls have reccived a cool of modcl'll varni h. Il ha been repaired so as to entil'ely 10 e
il previou antique appcorance. 11 ha certainl
not gaincd in piclurcsqucness, though increa cd
conv nicncc repays whal il has lost in tylc.
IIOWCVCI', one sccs antique remains wbich
�~32-
the masons did not oblitera te, as the old foundations of the cast)e, the allcient chapel which, up
to late)y, was used as a pari h-church fol' Ihe
inhobitants of the village, somes piece of wall
blackeneù by ages and cov~red
with ivy. And
even, when e)o ely examined, the façade of the
castle hardly eoncea)s, under il modern vomish,
the wrinkles of Time, Ihe crevices and scars.
IIowever the easlle has not lhe grandeur and
the olemn appearanee of a MiJdle-Age man or,
but the proportions of a modern abode in good
taste ; and it is owing to this eireumstance lhol
the work. of reslol'ation has not given it lhe appearanee of an anachronism 01' on architectural
mistoke.
The intel'Îor of the casl)e anSWers to the exle·
rior, where al! i. in tlle moderll ta te: hangings,
lap str , elc., except the ver form of apartments.
The pieces of fumiture and Ihe objects of urt Ill"
1 gnnt and weil chosen. There i not in the
l'oom lhat prodigolil of)u ur orten 0 tentatiou 1 displayed by vulgat' pllrvenus. Ali is of
an rXfJui ile, ori ·tocl'otic implicity. We may l' mark in the smnll n)oon t\ Il fumily pOl'roit
~
ond a clock of tronge style. UpOIl Il nr/y 011
th chimney pic ces th cre ure specimens of unLiqu('
china.
l
-~
,
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,1 33-
The l'oad to Charmeil is plain and ca ily followed: it l'uns through a valley of gl'cen and
val'ied aspect. On the Jeft, several country-houses
al'e seen on the deelivity of hills; on the l'ight,
the Allier winds in its sandy course. The pince i
about four miles oIT : an excursion lhere can be
made artel' dinncr without missing play-lime, at
eight; but it is most fl'equently mode in the arternom.
BILLY
Billy is one of the most anlique chatellenies
in the Bourbonnais. Formidllble mu t hllve been
the ca Ile, a il is Ilid to have exlended ils power
ovel' 1\ enly-five neighbouring lown ,bllrgh or
villages. Bu! how chnnged are the times !
From flll', )OU pel'ceive lhe co tl , commonding
the countl'y, ont! overlooking tlle sI cIel ons of
'1l01'mOU nut- trecs killed by the cold during lhe
drcodful winler of 1870. Buta. you oppl'oach, titis
gignlllic l'uin pre nI n mol'(' and more devn taled
n pect, still tanding, but in superh impOl('lIce.
You oon di tillclly behold the bl'caches of 'rime,
the pieces of wall overlhl'own, the towel' fallen,
1
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134-
the batllements ruined, ail this vast building dismantled by age, creviced, ravaged, wasted, In several places walls three yards thick are perforated ;
olhers have only lost their fir t coat of stones
and plaster, leaving theil' cores vi ible, Elsewhere
you sec constructions of a rather solid appearance
posted on falling wall, and overlooking the village, as if these remains were yet inhabited and
would keep the relies of a broken power over the
surrounding country,
If ou look into the interior of the ca tle
thl'ough tlle brencltes and holes, you perceive,
among remains and heap of fallen stones and
broken beams, rank herbs and uncullivated
bushe ' Rose-trees are een blooming on the
very wolls whcre form 'l'iy sentinel walked in
arm,
Tho e remaios nr'e divided into two parts: tlle
Costle it clf, everal inclo ures of whiclt are et
vi ible, capable of mbracing a wltole village, a
whole burgh, and including nOw a garden in mod 'l'Il style; and the Donjon, yCI 0 tl'ong mClluciog forlre s, a kind of sentinel posted UpOIl the
top of the hill.
The ke of the Donjon can be hod ul the (urmer' ,you a cend the bl'oken steps of u slone
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135-
slairease and open a heavy, narrow wooden door
whieh gives admission 10 Ihe interior of the forlress.
On lhe l'ighl, you immedialely see fi l'oom
hollowed in Ihe wall and which eerlain peculiarilies seem 10 indicale as the old chapel of Ihe
cas lie. But the at'rangemenl of Ih is hall was since
chnnged, as there are traces of smoke in il : very
likely it is Ihat, as this place was close 10 the
door, a post of soldiers was established there to
prevent surpri e from an enemy. Al almost equal
intervals, several casemales ean he seen ail around
Ihe inlel'ior of lhe forlress. Ali of them are cut
in the 1hickness of walls, and ean ea ily contain
len men; 0/1 of tltem arc also perforaled with hoopholes, from which enemies around lite easlle eould
be fired upon. Anolhcr holc in the wall is said
10 have been one olLblictte of the easlle. IL is
hui by a Ihick heavy dool' eovel'cd wilh il'on
lock . Thi dal'k, du/l l'oom i not more than üvc
yard wide, and ils centre i pel'foraled for a
kind of round, dccp weil Ihe bollom of wh ieh
ean he lighlen cl b ome illflamed lraw; but
nothing i pCt'ceived there exccpt a henp of stone
and Lick thl'own iuto lhe hole by vi itors. Il is
said tltol human sI cletons wCl'e dl'own from il
with fellcrs ut thcir hands one! fc L Tt is relllted
too (but we do Ilot know if ll'uth ogrce with
1
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legend) that considerable sums of mone. were
found in Ihi weIl. A subtenanean gallery seems
to end there, and several other ways uncler the
ca lIe are said lo lead to the river or the country.
In some spots the walls are weil pl'eserved from
the injuries of Time; at otllers, Lhey are almost
completely destroyed ; now and then, one stone,
c1elached from its place, folIs heavil into the
ruins anrl crushe the buslles al it foot. A high
towel' surmounted the Donjon, nllcl some remnins
of il are yet visible. A thunderbolt ruined the
lone stuirca "e and dismnlltled the tower. u few
stcps con be een in il. It wouJd be vcry easy to
!"rpHir thc tower', anù wc know that this scheme
has latel) been the object of an exnmination, not
for the pUl'pose of embelli hing n fall n manOI',
bUI il) order 10 Illake t!lis point an extensive
ob ervlltor . From the top of this tower, indeed,
a pl 'ndid pro pect mu ·t be spread brfore the
e •
NOlhing can urpa s thc dnllnc s mlll damp of
t h(' interior of the Donjon: high n ltlcs al'c een
growing nt thc foot of Ihe wnlls, alld thill, tunted
tl'ces se III to langui Il ill expcctlllion of nil' and
SlInshin(' ; whil t climbing plont., havillg l'enchcd
Ihe top, hronk into a full blo somillg.
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Strange to say, this enormous ruin has no history. IIow long ago the Billy castle has been
abandoned and ruined, nobody knows in the
neighboUl'hood. The old chronicles on Vichy and
Cusset do not give any informatil)n on the matter.
The revolution, in 1789, found it wasted. Il is
probable that the last Squire of Billy \Vas a victim
of Richelieu's sevel'ity ; but this supposilion can
be stl'englhened by no documents. At ail cvents
the inhabitants of the surrounding country do not
relain the tradition of a tyrannical power having
hovcred over them, as would probllbly hllppen,
had the dominion of the IDasters of the cllstle
Illsted tilllately. Now the whole pl'Opel'ly belongs
to a neighbouring squire, who leaves il unheeded.
Besicles the castle itself, the burgh of Billy
proves of sorne interesl. n was of sorne imporlance during the pa t lwo or three centurics, and
olTel's to the cUI'iosity of the Public houses whose
Ol'igin con be traced to the XVP" and XVIIu, centUI'y. SOlDe of these buildings beal' inscriptions in
Latin 01' in old 11rench. Othel's Ilave window
and ornllmerlts in the Gothic style. But the place
looks, like the castle, crusllcd down by thi fal1 n gioot. It is, for a grellt part, construcled, with
it ruins or formet! with its dcpcndcnees, Ail th
hou es flock around the eastle, depending on il
�-
/1 38-
for protection, according to the cuslom of the
Middle-Age,
Billy is about 12 miles distanl from Vichy ,
The railway carl'Îcs visitors as far as lite SaintGcrmain station; from Ihis place a gooel walker
can ea ily l'each Bill , which is only 2 miles oIT,
on fool. But Ihis Slyic of going is nol suilable
mosl visitors, as il does nol agrec with the IIsual
hours of rcpllsls, It is better lo hirc a cal'rioge;
an excursion lo Billy nsuall require the whole
aflernoon,
CHATELDON
Chateldon i but rarcly yisilcd by thc Vich y
halhcrs, bccau c il is 100 fuI' for mo 1 of Iltem
who arc ticd 10 lhe spl'ing by lite percmplor
ordcl's of thcir Doclor ,A it i not Ic s lhan
'15 mile oIT, IItere nI' bul fcw who loke uron
lhcm cives to mi ' Illeil' Wcll fol' Ihc cntcrtoinIlIl'1I1 of &0 long on cxcur iOll, Wc l'egl' t il exll'Cmcly fol' the oke IJotll of th 'pluc onel the lourisl ', becau ' C1lulcldoll i a liule town of a tl'uly
piclul'csqu ' charnel l',
You follow lhe l'oute dc Nirnc menliolled
aIJoye, and pa S lhrough Ahrcst, oint-YolTe, th
�-
139 -
Maison-Blanche; lhen, bearing to the left, you
leave the Allier, and enler a flat country, till you
reach CJlateldon, that stands al the entl'anee of
the defiles formed by the voleanic soil of the Auvergne rnountains. The uurgh is as cast into a sort
of funnel, almosl hermetically closed.
On entering the tOWII, you arc suddenly slruck
b the sigltt of a heavy, dal'k diddle-Age eastle
which seems weighing, with the whole of its
rnass, over this sLrange old city.
There i in il a rich mine for archœologic investigations. There arc olso views fit fOI' pointers .
of tue l'eolist school. Living l'emnonts of the
Middle·Age are, 50 to sreok, attached 10 evel'y
house, These building of ancient architecture 01',
to speok more pl'opel'ly, of ancient maso nI' are
vel'y stl'ollge: instelld of windows, you behold
ogive hole with glo sc caled in Jead frames;
insteoù of walls, heap of beams as embled in
for1l1 of cro ses, squar s, Jozeuge , by sorne coo ts
of plo ter, and ornctime Pl'ojccting over the
treet ; in teoù of l'oof , high und declillillg pigcon-housc$. Dool's of (t II1111gc uppeornnce, disjoin d fuçude ,wol'm-caten and l'ain-worn wood
bolconies. PJ'ojecting stories arc J'eached by the
uid of stuil'clIsc iu the st lc of Judde)' ; und lilesc
stail'ca cs, storie ' oud balcolli , <Iuoke uuder
�-
140-
fool enough to make a miller tum pale, The inhabitants themselves appear quile unused 10 the
presence of strangers, and 1he very moment a
carriage rumbles over Ihe stones of Ihe streets,
young and old hcads con be seen st,'etched from
doors, windows, evcry hole in the hou ses, The
boys galher into groups and stnre wilh wide opcn
cyes and mouth , This pictllre of astonished faces
t'ully agrers wilh ils frame ,
The lanes (for Ihere are, propel'ly speaking, no
streels ot Choleldon) are dark, nuI'l'OW, muddy,
ill paved , ill levclled, At aIl lime of the ycur, a
brook, the Vattziron, l'uns down the lones and
keeps sorne of thcm in a perpelual tate of dampIICS ,
Hesides Ihc general appeorance of thc place,
thcre are four lhings worth ccing ot Chatcldon :
Thc Chul'ch, on intcl'c tillg building of thc
' VIth ccntur , wilh pl'oper ornamenl ;
The Belf,' ,a ort of gl'c , squllre tower, nll'rcd b a cmi-circular doo!', and COYcI'cd by fi
pyromidal roof with li wood en companillo ;
1
The enstlc which is snid to trace il origin up
Loui VI' rcigll : on enormous mass, with cyC1lOPCllll wall'. t hick, sixt fccl high. wrapp d in
ort of iv CIOllk, In the 01'{1 , a ,'uin, whal
1 10
ll
--
---
�-
141 -
1 remains of a tower, sbelters one of those abysses
where so many mysteries of violence and tyranny
were burièd ;
And at la t the Spring, l'ising al the extremity
of the burgh. The waters of the Chateldon spl'Îng
arc most renowned in the neighbourhood fOI' their
gozcous composition: they truly rival the SainlGalmier waters, though theit' l'cputalion is not
nea1'ly so cxtended. It is perhaps the vicinity of
the Vichy springs which prevents lheir being
used, as thcy dc erve to be. The tcnant company
of Viel! , that i the owner of the Chateldon
Wcll , have had works buill on the SPOl fOI' the
expcdition of these waters to the Vich y depot and
lhe exportation to fOI'cign counlries.
Evcl'y lhing proves lhat Chateldon (ChatelOndon, liUle lown and great renown, after tlte
old eill'onicles) !tas formerly eontaincd a numcrous and active population. It is probabl that it
hod got emancipaled soon aftcl· the reigu of
Loui V[ who i known to have aided thc movcm nt of tlte Common to libcrty. '1 hc p"cscnee of
thc bclfry wc have m ntion cl abovc, and tltat of
a huilding whieh is yCI IcnowlI as the 8her'ifT.~·
hou e secrns to provc, indeed, that Chateldon has
bccn a l'l'PC city. Il cOlltained olso tuncl'ics and
cutlcl'i s of sornc importancc: wc ilnd in it the
�-
14·'2
trace of those Middle-Age corporations which are
mentioned in ail the histol'Ïcs of old French towns.
Unfortun!ltely it had to undergo sevcral successive plagues : the overIlowing of the Vauziron and
then the pe tilence engendered by il. The presence
of riec-field in its cn virons is aid also to have
been a cause of iufection. Il would pel'llops he
right to nol omit vexations Crom sorne squires in
the neighbourhood ; fOI' the frcedom of the MiddlcAge town was onl relative and did not always,
e pecially in cities of Jiulc importance, prevent
their br.ing molestcd by the barons of the SUI'rounding country. An emigration was the conscquence of tho c mi fortune . Mo t of the population of Chateldon SCI olT 10 Thicrs ; whencc the
slate of abandon and decay that we now behoJd.
THIERS
What
holdnc
upon on
Il shokc
DI~rolc
trikc
ou, on l'caching l "hie?'s, in the
,ilh, hich the liule lown ha got (t ll'id
of tho c vol conie Auv rgne mounlains
of \ hich woule! Ihl'ow il down in lh
.
The
II'C
Ilrc ver sloping; thc hou
C
(old
�-
143-
houses from the XVlb 01' XVI'h century) climb
ovel' Ihe heads of each othel', as if to ove l'look the
valle . One [ears lest one of these hou ses should
get detached and draw with il ail those which
are situated higher. One wonders how the town
can main tain its position uron this sharpridge.
There are in tbis place ol'chard which look like
the suspended gardens of Semiramis.
Besides, you would not think you are in Ihe
midst of a town. Houses are not gathel'ed into
blocks; but many of them are sheltered by trees
and lost in the green, as if quite in the country. It
is the picturesque disorder of a village. At Ihe
corner of each street, instead of a public building, you get fi sudden, light glimpse ovel' Ihe
valley full of sunshine and animnted by the musical rushing of the Durolle. You cannot help
admil'ing il.
From the Chateau des Ores especially, which
commanns the Thiers mountain, you enjoy a panOl'ama which cannol be matched. Undel' your
feet, you sec the blaekcned houses, irr -gulul'
buildings, bold l'oof' of the Jittle town wl'apped in
the green; a liUle below, the DUI'olle, that lhun<ICI' in il l'avine ont! gel ioto a rage at being 50
oftell requil'cd fol' the sCl'vice of mills and lI1onufaelories; the Limagne, the admirable Limogne,
�h~-
softl undulating like a waving sea suddenly
frozen; and then, in the distance, the violet
heads of the Auver~n
mountains.
Let u mention also the Terrasse du, Rampart
and the Pont du Séchal, as commanding extensive
and splendid views.
At the foot of a hill, close to a cascade, there is
the drying-room of a papcr-mil! entirely built on a
rock. A bold bridge ove,' the Durolle bears the
name of the Devil's Bridge, becausc, according
10 a lcgend, as soon as tlle last slone of il was
laid, the Devil look il olT.
Nenrly ail the churches at Thiers, but especially
aint-Gencz, are remarkable for
theit' architectural charactel' and rich ol'llementation.
The cily it elr i nnimated and nois . Tt is the
peculiar uppearunce of n labol'iou • \ ol'king
town. In fact ail the Thier population works
liard, brelltll fi,'e in the forge, file, hallllners,
moves in the wOl'kshops. Evcl'ywllcl'e i' hcurd
the rillging hl'iek of iron, th groans of thc anvil,
th noise of mil!- lones and fllllers ..... The ('migration from Chat Idon, ilS it i uid bcfol'r, commene cl the fortune of Thier. Ali those Middl·Ag corporations, driv'n from the unlic burgh by
plagues, broughl lher their t nts, furnitur
ainfrJean and
�-
145 -
and stock of tools. But the principal industry of
Thiers is cutlery, not so much fOI' the excellence
of its products as the abundance and cheapness
of the knives with which il furnishes the market.
The Durolle is the very soul of this extensive
local manufacture, its waters supplying the motive
force.
At present, excursions 101'hiel's are infrcquent
on accounl of the distance (25 miles from Vichy)
There is a daily omnibus service Ilatel de la
Poste, rue de Paris; but as titis conveyance requires sorne twelve hours for ils journey, part of
which is accomplished du ring the night, thi style
of going is liule u ed b the Vichy bathers. Mo 1
of thcm prefel' cngoging a caniagc to drive therc.
Thc opproaching inauguration of the roilwa
belween Vichy anr! Thicrs will be to bolh towns a
source of bencfit and will olfcl' to Foreigncrs on
opportunity of vi iting the lollcr.
THE MONTAGNE BOURBONNAISE
We shall not close tJlis rapid dcseriplion of the
promcnade of the Environs of Vichy without
ad ding n few particulal's concerning Jocnlitie
which, owing to their distance and thc timc an
xcur ion therc would require, orc rarely visit 'd,
�-
146-
but which, however, by their situation or the
artistic qualities they present, would perhaps prove
of some inters~
to Strangers. We will mention,
among the former, the !t[ontagne Bowrbonnaise
and, among the latter, two or three casties of the
Environs of Gannat.
An excursion to the Montagne Bourbonnaise,
to be complete and interesling, would take two
days. Il would be then necessal'y to spend a night
eilher at Chatel-lJfontagne or al 1I1ayet: both
places are not furnished, of course, with first class
hotels, and comfort has perhaps little to dQ with
the lodgings they can offer. A walk through
the Montagne Bourbonnaise is only a tourises
excursion.
You begin following the valley of the Sichon.
On leaving the Ardoisière, you pass, as you go
OD, a more solitary district which grows rich in
mysterious and picturesque views . Legend
endows the whole country with a peeuliar
character of primitive naïve! which completely
agI' cs with the general appearance of the ground.
Ferrtèrcs wilh its grottoes, the rock Saint- Vincent,
Laprugne, etc., arc so many places created for
marvcllous talcs, fairy storics, wanton accounts,
etc. These stronge thing seem to be cchoed in
th brook and the thousand mysterious murmurs
of the woods .
�-
U7-
At Ferrières, there are grottoes which legends
have turned into the palaces of sorne fairies
protecting the country. Such is what Ihe haH-pagan
superstition of neighbouring peasants sees in the
strange-Iooking stalactites which nature has fOl'med there. A little farther is another GouTTe, that
is, a cascade formed by a rockywall which extends
from the slopes of two opposite mountains. This
looks to have been eut by the hand of man.
Rere we find otller fairies, but malevolent ones,
who, to revenge sorne olfence received from the
inhabilants of Ferrières, look t]le resolution of
drowning the burgh with the mass of water which
the above mentioned rocky wall, named Pierre
Ancise, kept captive. To get a sluice 10 this gigantic
bank, they tried 10 uoroot the rock Sainl-Vincent.
They were about to succeed in this tl'ial and
Ferrières was to perish in the inundation, when
one of Ihe fairies ultered an oalh which was imme·
diately attended with a severe punishment to Ihe
blasphemer, and Ihus saved the in habitants of the
village.
On the ruins of Montgilbert hovers also Ihe
gllost of one of those maJevolent beings who were
a Curse to the counlries where popular imagination
put them, and whose malice caused, in Ihis place,
the ru in of a magnificent castle.
The rock Saint-Vincent has been, according 10
�148 -
the legend, the abode of the evil spirit who destl'oyed the Montgilbert mansion; and, in foct, ils
gigantic mass (33 yard in height) covered with
ruin ; ha a particulal'ly sini leI' appearonce. This
vel'y likely was the place where the bod fairies of
Ihe lIl'I'ounding country agreecl to meet for their
diol)olicnl !lances or noctur'nnl enterlainmenl .
AL la t the jJ[ontoncelle, crowned with darkgreen tl'l'es, black rock ond cloud , l'ecall olso
l'llmembl'ances of witchcl'Ilft anu nccromancy.
An a ren ion there is sometime difficult, e peciall on l'oiny day 01' in the bau eason. But
it is h igh cnough to ove l'sec , a fOI' as sight con
l'each, the countl'y fainll cxtending to the horizon,
Nothing, indced, stop th e per' peclivr, and il
i irnpos ible to have undcl' the eyes a more comman!ling and varied nOLuJ'ul ·cenery. The Ilsemhle
orthe l?ol'ez mouotain , iLh their compact villages
and of' tl\e thrce valle of' lhe Sichon, lhe Bèbr'e
and the oJ'dogne, surpo e in grondcur lilc 010 ' 1'
splcndiu ponornmos of 1he Environs.
From the l\1ontOllcelle 0 woy diverge to the
1'ft and leod to Mayet-dc-Montagne, the chicftOWII of lho, e wild countri ·s. 11 is a whole om'
burg" whl're mlly be fl'eely bl'eotllcd the pure ail'
of the moulltoin . It oppeors in it rude ond
rollu t beauty, likc a girl of the country und r het
�-
HO-
drugget gown, and is renowned in the neighbourhood for its fairs.
The church of Mayet is not so remal'kable
as that of the neighboul'ing village, Chatelllfontagne. Il is a heavy Middle-Age building the hells
orwhich strangely ring the air or the" Roi Dagobcrt. " Sonle stones in the SUIToulHJing COUlIlt'y
ore soid ta have been Cellic dolmen •.
IL nppcars thnt, at the period of Mandrin's exploit , Mn ct·de-Montagne wa flivoul'ed with n
visit b the celcbrated chief of l'ob ber and bis
band. A chl'onicle rclates that he once came thcl'e
and began, of cour e, by a king for the kcy of t!te
public tl'ca ury fJ'om the clcrk.
The friglttened Illon dal'ed not re i t the terrible
bandit and his men; ltowevcl' he ultel'ed a pl'otestation and alJirmcd that he sltould be the only
victim of the all'air:
Not at ail" cxelaim cl Mondl'Ïn ; " Ihut
woulcl be WI'Ollg ; come wit!t me. "
lIe tlten conductcd the pOOl' cl l'k ta Ihe nolar 's
olnee, to wltom !tc dietnled the following reecipl :
-
Il
" l und l' igncd, l\Iandl'in, 'hief of Ill'nYe IIlen,
os oeiutccl to !tav • justice dOllc in the kin ,dom hy
Ih' ollieul' of LIte ll"o 'ury, SiYC l'CC 'ipl to lite
above menlioned.
" MANDRIN. "
�-
150-
The distance from Mayet to Chatel-Montagne is
but \iule. With its old church at the top of the
monntain, Chatel, reclining in the valley and overlooked by a cluster of pine-trees which might be
taken for the columns of a half-ruined temple, has,
a remarkably wild character, as il has the appearance of one of those fantastic casties which
Gustave Doré hangs over the borders oC abysses.
You perceive it a long while before you can reach
il; and, like these fantastic casties alluded to, il
seems to flee before you.
At last, you reach the first houses. Sorne of
them recall the strange buildings of Chateldon.
The church offers a remarkable specimen of the
Roman art, as it is quile in the style of the XIIb
century, and it presents sculptural and ol'nomentol
detoils which are worth seeing.
The eastle is almost completely ruined: there
are but two towers remoining. wilh a few pieces
of wall buried in the grass. An old woman's cottage leans upon one of those towers ... Of course.
sorne traces of the oubliettes are ycl visible, and
no peasant misses showing them to vi Hors.
�THE ENVIRONS OF GANNAT
We have liule to say of Gannat Ïlself. Il is a
small cpicurean town which lies in the midsl of a
. rich and green-Iooking plain. Il has aJways provcd
wise and prudent, even at lhose agitated periods
when ail the surrounding cilies were engaged into
sorne war between neighbouring barons. The
history of Gannat is nearly always associ3ted with
thal of the strongest or least quarrclsome.
This city is as litlle interesting for ils monuments
as for its history. Il has no walls. Ils steeple
is a high tower; but the church , though
remal'kable enough in sorne of ils pal'ts, wanls
unit y and harmony in its proportions, 3I,1d
cannot be ranked among the beautiful churches of
the Bourbonnais. Yet there are in it lwo vcry fine
pictures : one Adoration des Berg~s
and one !tIort
de ainte-Elisabeth.
Il would cCl'lainly nOI be worth driving 15 miles
mcrely to visit Gannat; but there are, in its close
vicinity, several casties the most intcresting of
which is now thal of Veauce, the castle of Nades,
a magnific nl country residence built by the duke
of Morny, having been latoly desh'oyed by u cqnflngrntion .
�-
-1 52-
The Veauce castle looks like a Jlawk's nesl
upon a rock. It stands, wilh its three towers
(what remains of its past glory) and ils antique
fl'udal appearance, upon a kind of nalural wa ll,
rising pel'pelllliculari . from thc de,!p valley of Vicq.
Ils origin can be Iraced to the mosl remole time .
Richelicu judged it formidable enough to have il
di manlled. Allowing Ihe chnnge of OUI' dome lic
in titulions, Ihe owners of Ihe mansion Cndiel' de
Veauce have attempted 10 unite modern comforl
wilh the feudal st Ip of architecture of the ca tle.
The prc ent proprietol', MI'. le Baron de Veauce,
nfter Iloving been 0 dl'p~te
under the Empire, now
rrpresent Ihe depal'lment of the Alliel' in the Senale. lIe prove olsofl vCl'y distinguL hed portsmon
anù has been uIl to lhe pre l'nt th president of
the Vichy hOl' e-l'llct' .
This gentlemon i l'arely pre enl al hi Veauce
pl'opel'ly, and permis ion to vi it Ihe apol'lnJ!'nts
of Ihe Il 'Ue cun !Je obtnined on pres nling one'
cOI'd. Dul the situation and m!'r eXlerior of Ihis
dwelling wou ld he "orlh on excul' ion which,
be ide , can be p l'formeù in th cour e of Ih e
do .
We nced 01 0 mention in lhe nviron of Gunllol
the co Ile of Chantelle, which \vos the bowel' of
one 01'1 Il(' most nmiable ladie in Louis XIV' court.
�-
153 -
HCJ' name is often l'elated in the scandalous chroni cles of that period. Be Ihis as il may, the siluation of the cnslle is delighlful. At last, we cannot
miss Efliat, though il does nol slond in Ihe close
neighboudlOOd of Gannat But Effiat proves more
illlcresling by its hislory than by the style of il
castle, which is dul! and heavy. The only thing
l'rmal'kable in it i Il lnpeslry musœum, co\leeted
lhcl'e by one of the fonnel' owncl'S of the eslate.
The glory of Effiot ol'Îginated with Antoine
Coiffiel'Ruré, marquisd'Effial, maréchnl de France,
gove rnol' of the Bourbonnni under Louis XUL
This pCl'so n is oid to have enlertaincd Ihe idea of
making Ihis place one of Ihe mo t magnifieent
l'l' idences in the kinrtdorn, He had begun colIrcling Ihl'I'e the rare ond splendid Inpe tries above
rnenlion('d. Bul, sUI'pl'i cd b deolh 0 lillJe sooner
thon he hot! Ihought, he bequeolhed 10 his heirs his
glory Ilnd dream : alos ! of the three so n he left the
l'ldest wa Ihis celcbl'oled Cinq-Mors who look Il
hure in Ih l'ebcllion ogoi", t Bichelieu and WIlR
so pitrou.ly beheudcd; Ihe second is occused in
ainl·Simon's menloil'sofh ving poi oned Madame,
Loui X[V's 'i t r-irr ·low, jointl with thcChevolier
de LOI'l'oinc; Ihe third was on Ilbhr, but diù nol
mnintoin Ille chal'uctel' of hi s pl'ofes ion, lIe i
often rnt'nlioned in th olcove tal e of the VW"
c('n t11l' .
�-
154-
From the noble Effiat family, this property fell
gradually into the hands of the vulgar who
destroyed the garden and dismantled Ihe caslle.
It would take too long and perhaps be of !iltle
interest to relate the various transformations il
underwent and 1he succession of families that
made it their abode. Il now belongs to MI'. Moroge
de Bonneval who bas undertaken 10 restore il, if
not to its former condition, at least to a slale that
should prove more wOl'thy of ils ancient glory.
TH E EN
--1
l)
�TABLE OF CONTENTS
1" PART
G-e:n.era1 I:n.for:D1a;t1.o:n.
Balhing..........................................
Bathing series. ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Carriages.............. ........ .. .... ....... .....
Chomisls........................................
Church service.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commerce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Drinking ........... ........ ................... _.
1I0tals .... ........... .. ......... . ... ........... .
Iuhalation slttlngs .......... ........... ...........
InternaI regulations of the Casino. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
List of the Vichy doctors .. . .. .. .. .. . .. .. .. . . . . .. .
Post &: Telegraph office.. . .. . • .. .. .. . .. .. .. . . .. .. .
PreCace .......................................•.
RaUway.........................................
Shower-baths........ ...... . ....... .... .... . . . .. .
TariITs oC tho Batha ....................... , . .. . .. .
TariJTs or Joh carriagos .......... , ...... .. . .. . . . . .
TarlITs of tho Shower-baths.. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. . .
Il
12
21
9
20
28
9
3
15
SO
G
25
f
34
14
1a
21
14
2 0 0 PART
""'U' :1. c h. y
Bath Establishments....................... .......
Casino...........................................
Celestins and Lardy Parks... . . . . . . . ... .. . . .... .. .
Chalots..........................................
55
GO
00
81
�~
:_~
.________~
. ~H
~.
.~-
d~SE."·<'
Cburcbes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
lIorse-races.... . .. .. . . . .. .. . .. ....... . . ... ... . .. .
IJospitals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . .
New-Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. ........•....... .. ...
Park. ........................... ... .............
Springs .. . .... . . .... .. . .................... . ...
Town-Ilail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • .
Vicby ............ · ·· .·· · ·····...... .. ... ... .....
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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Le Thermalisme
Relation
A related resource
https://bibliotheque-virtuelle.bu.uca.fr/files/vignettes
/BCU_Vichy_album_de_photographies_247365.jpg
Description
An account of the resource
<p>La médiathèque Valery Larbaud de Vichy conserve plusieurs centaines d'ouvrages consacrés au thermalisme.<br />En partenariat avec l'Université Clermont Auvergne, est ici mise en ligne une sélection...<br /><a href="https://bibliotheque-virtuelle.bu.uca.fr/exhibits/show/lethermalisme">En savoir plus sur le Thermalisme</a></p>
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Coverage
The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant
Vichy
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Gros, François
Title
A name given to the resource
Pocket-guide to Vichy and its environs with a plan of city
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Arloing et Bouchet
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
1878
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Médiathèque Valery Larbaud (Vichy) S.H. V 10 910.2 VIC
Bibliothèque Université Clermont Auvergne
Subject
The topic of the resource
Vichy (Allier) -- Plans
Vichy (Allier) -- Guides touristiques et de visite
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
154 p.
application/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
text
Language
A language of the resource
eng
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Domaine publique
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
BCU_The_Vichy_guide_115545
Relation
A related resource
vignette : https://bibliotheque-virtuelle.bu.uca.fr/files/thumbnails/22/26587/BCU_The_Vichy_guide_115545.jpg
Vichy (Allier) -- Guides touristiques et de visite
Vichy (Allier) -- Plans