Sunday, July 14

Sunday, July 14
    Many passing cavalry-men were holding our attention in front of the Hotel, when a trumpet blast announced our coach. Four bays made up the chevaux, the two wheelers being fine big mares. We followed the course of the Seine for about 7 m., running below low hills bordering the river. Then a long hill carried us across a wide bend in the Seine, which is full of broad sweeping turns, to a broad flat; then across a long (50) bridge to an ancient town, part of it still possessed of old walls and towers, called Pont de L'Arche. There we lunched, while our coats dried out after a sharp shower that had come upon us, breaking up the overcast sky.

"heavy uphill going"

    The afternoon was hotter, with some heavy uphill going. The scenery was varied, with many sweeping views of the broad Seine valley, low hills rising on both sides. Crossing these hills to avoid the numerous turns of the river, we were rewarded with magnificent panoramas of woods and evenly laid out plots of all manner of grain and potatoes. But no fences.

    The towns, i.e. villages, were bare, glary, dilapidated or squalid, with houses flat on the streets, no porticoes, etc., and generally unadorned. Only occasionally we came upon small hamlets really pleasing, vine covered and neat. Also, one well kept estate bordered the highway.

"vine covered and neat"

    The roads were splendid.  We trotted] (51) through two avenues of locust, maple, and elm,- each perhaps 3 miles long, perfectly straight, with but gentle grades.

"avenues of locust, maple, and elm"

    Many people were quietly celebrating the 14th of July, - and to get somewhere along the public roadway seemed a large part of such celebration. Accordingly we were gazed at by clearly admiring throngs- we and our brilliant coach.
    In the public square before our hotel in Nernun, a fete began at about 9:15 P.M. - Sunday night, to be sure,-and many couples danced on the gravel to the music of a band. Others kept to the little tables at the hotel fronts, to sip their drinks. All these folks were of the laboring classes, presumably.
    Bicycles, motorcycles, autos, - crosses and poppies were numerous.
    Day's distance-34 3\4 m.(52).

Nernun (look at building on left "Nernun Lion") "Bicycles"