Along France's river of romance: . Du Bellay died in 1560, at the age of thirty-six. Aliterary pilgrimage which I regret not having undertakenis to the site of his house at Lir6. Below Ancenis the Loire splits itself among a newgroup of islands ending in a long green strip called IlleNeuve. Then, where Champtoceaux on the left banklooks across at Oudon, the river is crossed by a greatsteel bridge. At the southern end of it, after passingthe ruins of a feudal mill, the road rises en corniche^up the rocky hillside splendidly covered with chestnuttrees, walnuts, firs, and cedars. The views of the
Along France's river of romance: . Du Bellay died in 1560, at the age of thirty-six. Aliterary pilgrimage which I regret not having undertakenis to the site of his house at Lir6. Below Ancenis the Loire splits itself among a newgroup of islands ending in a long green strip called IlleNeuve. Then, where Champtoceaux on the left banklooks across at Oudon, the river is crossed by a greatsteel bridge. At the southern end of it, after passingthe ruins of a feudal mill, the road rises en corniche^up the rocky hillside splendidly covered with chestnuttrees, walnuts, firs, and cedars. The views of the rivervalley from here are exceptionally fine. The village ofChamptoceaux spreads itself along the top of this hill. 292 THE LOIRE The church is modern, but at the foot of the hill andactually in the stream itself, are some curious ruins ofan old castle, consisting of the remains of towers, andtwo pointed archways. On the other side of the river is Oudon, with its fineoctagonal tower, five stories high. I say fine ; but its M^^ .^. At Ancenis restoration really deprives it of all interest except asa point in the landscape, when seen from a cliffs which border the river below Oudon arecovered with firs and pine trees ; and in this sombreand majestic setting is a very good mock castle whichmakes quite a picturesque addition to the goes by the name of the Folic - Siffait, and wasput up by a public - spirited merchant of Nantes to THE VALLEE DANJOU 293 give employment to poor workpeople during a time offamine. The gorge through which the river runs betweenOudon and Champtoceaux, and below these twoplaces, is extraordinarily fine and at the same timelittle known—towering rocks on the right bank, woodedhills on the left, and both sides rich in finely placedcastles. Among those on the right bank is the chateau ofClermont, built of brick faced with stone, and oppositeit, its white turrets detaching themselves clearlyagainst a background of j:he most vivid gree
Size: 1928px × 1296px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidalongfrances, bookyear1913
