Route 55.-Lake of Genera. ROUTE 55. THE LAKE OF GENEVA. Lake Leman, in a Storm. "Thy sky is changed! -and such a change! Oh night, And storm, and darkness, ye are wondrous strong, Yet lovely in your strength, as is the light Of a dark eye in woman! Far along, From peak to peak, the rattling crags among Leaps the live thunder! Not from one lone cloud, But every mountain now hath found a tongue, And Jura answers, through her misty shroud, Back to the joyous Alps, who call to her aloud! 141 Now, where the swift Rhone cleaves his way between Heights which appear as lovers who have parted In hate, whose mining depths so inter vene, That they can meet no more, though broken hearted! Though in their souls, which thus each other thwarted, Love was the very root of the fond rage Which blighted their life's bloom, and then departed: Itself expired, but leaving them an age Of years all winters, - -war within themselves to wage. Now, where the quick Rhone thus hath cleft his way, The mightiest of the storms hath ta'en his stand: For here, not one, but many, make their play, And fling their thunder-bolts from hand to hand, Flashing and cast around: of all the band, The brightest through these parted hills hath fork'd His lightnings,-as if he did understand, That in such gaps as desolation work'd, There the hot shaft should blast whatever therein lurk'd. And this is in the night:-Most glorious night! Thou wert not sent for slumber! let me A sharer in thy fierce and far delight,- And now again 'tis black,-and now, the Of the loud hills shakes with its moun 142 Route 55.-Lake of Geneva-Seiches. the shape of a half-moon, its horns being turned towards the S. It is the largest lake in Switzerland, being 55 miles long, measured close to its N. shore, and about 40 miles along its S. bank; it is 6 miles wide at the broadest part (between Rolle and Thonon), and its greatest depth (between Evian and Ouchy) is 900 ft. Its waters often vary in one year more than 50 inches, being usually lowest in the winter, between January and April, and highest in August and part of July and September, owing to the supplies then derived from the melting snows and glaciers. Besides these periodical variations, the lake is subject to other more arbitrary changes of level, called seiches. This phenomenon consists of a sudden rise and fall of the water in particular parts of the lake, independently of the agency of the wind or of any other apparent cause. It is most common in the vicinity of Geneva. During these oscillations the waters sometimes rise 5 ft., though the usual increase is not more than 2; it never lasts longer than 25 minutes, but is generally less. The cause of these seiches has not been explained with certainty, but it is believed to depend upon the unequal pressure of the atmosphere upon different parts of the surface of the lake; and they are observed to occur most commonly when the clouds are heavy and low. The lake never freezes entirely, owing to its great depth; but in severe winters the lower extremity is covered with ice. The sand and mud brought down by the Rhone and deposited around its mouth have caused considerable encroachments upon its upper extremity: even within the records of history Porte Vallais stood on its margin, and its basin is reported to have originally extended upwards as far as Bex. "Mon lac est le premier" are the words in which Voltaire has vaunted the beauties of the Lake of Geneva ; and it must be confessed that, though it wants the gloomy sublimity of the Bay of Uri and the sunny softness of the Italian lakes, with their olive and citron groves, it has high claims to admiration. It also possesses great variety of scenery. The vinecovered slopes of Vaud contrast well with the abrupt, rocky precipices of Savoy. Near Geneva the hills subside, admitting an exquisite view of Mont Blanc, whose snowy summit, though 60 miles distant, is often reflected in its waters. "Lake Leman woos me with its crystal face, The mirror where the stars and mountains view The stillness of their aspect in each trace Its clear depth yields of their far height and hue." At its eastern or upper extremity it extends to the very base of the high Alps, which by their close vicinity give its scenery a character of increased magnificence. The boats on the lake are very picturesque, having latine sails like the craft of the Mediterranean. Steam-boats, 1838.-There are 4 steamers on the Lake of Geneva. The best and swiftest of these, the Aigle and Vaudoise, run from Geneva to Villeneuve and back [in 8 hours, almost as quickly as the other two perform the voyage from one end to the other. The Leman and Winhelried (the first is the best) set out from either end of the lake daily, and reach the opposite extremity in 7 or 8 hours. The fare is 50 batz. They stop to land and receive passengers at Coppet, Nyon, Rolle, Morges, Ouchy (the port of Lausanne), Vevay, and Villeneuve-all situated on the N. shore of the lake, and described in the next route. The S. or Savoyard shore is described in Route 57. Route 56.—Geneva to Martigny-Coppet-Nyon. being the same as in France, viz. 1 fr. 50 c. for each horse per post, and 75 c. to the postilion, except that for every person in the carriage above the number of horses 1 fr. 50 c. is charged instead of 1 fr. (as in France). The postboys expect 40 sous a post. Diligences go twice a-day to Lausanne, and four times a-week to Martigny. A voiturier will take about 6 hours to Lausanne, exclusive of stoppages. The tolls at each post are heavy. N.B. The road by the S. shore of the lake (Route 57) to St. Maurice is 2 posts shorter than this by Lau sanne. The greater part of the first stage out of Geneva lies among villas and pleasure-grounds not unlike English country-seats. Few spots in Europe present so many admirable sites for a dwelling as the shores of Lake Leman in full view of Mont Blanc. About a mile from Geneva the Hotel of Sécheron is passed. After a mile or two Mont Blanc is hid behind the intervening mountains of Voirons, and does not reappear until near Nyon. The parish of Versoix, through which the road passes, formerly belonged to France. The Duke de Choiseul, minister of Louis XV., irritated with some proceedings of the inhabitants of Geneva, proposed to raise a rival city at Versoix which should deprive Geneva of its trade. A pier was projected into the lake, to form a port, a grand place was laid down, and streets running at right angles were marked out; but beyond this the plan was never carried into execution. Hence the verses of Voltaire: "A Versoix nous avons des rues, Mais nous n'avons point de maisons." A little beyond Versoix (now an inconsiderable village) we pass out of the Canton of Geneva into that of Vaud. 13 Coppet, a small village of 600 inhabitants, only remarkable for the 143 Château, which belonged to Madame de Staël, immediately behind it. It is now the property of the Duc de Broglie, her son-in-law. It is a plain edifice, forming three sides of a square, the front towards the lake being flanked with a tower at each end. It was the residence of Madame de Staël as well as of her father, the French minister Necker. There is a portrait of her by David, and a bust of Necker. One room is pointed out as the study in which the author of Corinne composed many of her works. Her inkstand and desk are still preserved. The grounds are traversed by shady walks; and a clump of trees surrounded by a wall, in a field a little to the W. of the house, shrouds from view a sort of chapel in which Necker and his daughter are buried. 1 Nyon-(Inn: Soleil)—a town of 2682 inhabitants, stands on a height; but its suburb, through which the high road runs, extends down to the lake. It was the Roman Novidunum. An excellent carriage-road ascends the Jura from this in zigzags to St. Cergues (Route 53). From the top of the Dôle, on the left of this road, and 15 miles from Nyon, there is an exquisite view (see p. 130). 1 Rolle. (Inn: Tête Noir, small and not first rate.) The hills around this village are covered with vineyards, producing a tolerable wine. One of the best Vaudois wines is grown on the slope between Rolle and Aubonne, called La Cote. On the opposite shore of the lake is dis cerned the Gulf of Thonon, and the snowy head of Mont Blanc peering over the mountains of the Chablais. A little further on the rocks of MeilAlerie and the entrance of the Valais appear. 1 Morges. (Inn: La Couronne.) Behind this little town of 2800 inhabitants rises the old castle of Wufflens, distinguished by its tall square donjon and group of minor turrets, built of brick, with deep machicola 144 Route 56.-Ouchy-Lausanne-Cathedral. tions. It is said to have been built by Queen Bertha in the tenth century. It is well preserved and highly picturesque. On the next stage the river Venoge is crossed. The distant view of Lausanne, seated on sloping hills and surmounted by its cathedral and castle, is pleasing. Between it and the lake, at the distance of of a mile, stands the suburb or village of Ouchy (Inn : Ancre, at the water-side), which may be termed the port of Lausanne. Lord Byron wrote the Prisoner of Chillon in this little inn, in the short space of two days, during which he was detained here by bad weather, June, 1816: " thus adding one more deathless association to the already immortalised localities of the lake." Traversing the shady promenade of Montbenon we enter The 1 LAUSANNE. (Inns : Faucon, excellent, but rather expensive; -a new house, to be called Hotel de Gibbon, is in progress (1838); Lion d'Or, a comfortable and not expensive house.) Lausanne, capital of the Canton Vaud, contains 14,120 inhabitants. The Pays de Vaud (Germ. Waadtland), was originally subject to the Dukes of Savoy, but having been conquered by the Bernese, remained tributary to the republic for 2 centuries, until 1798, when it purchased its own independence. town stands on the lower slope of the Mont Jorat, which sinks gradually down to the lake, but is intersected by several ravines, giving it the form of distinct eminences. From this cause the streets ranging over broken ground are a series of ups and downs; many are very steep, and run in a direction parallel to the lake, so as to exclude all view of it. They are mostly narrow and not very clean, and few of the houses stand on the same level. If the stranger would emerge from this labyrinth of dusky buildings to look about him, he must climb up the steep ascent behind. A very good point of view is the Terrace of the Cathedral. At the foot of the flight of steps leading to it from the market-place ask for the keys of the door, kept at the sexton's house, No. 6. The Cathedral, a very extensive building, and internally the finest Gothic church in Switzerland, was founded A.D. 1000, and some traces of the original edifice may perhaps be traced in the round arches behind the high altar. With this exception the existing building dates from the 13th century, 1275. Some of the pillars supporting the nave are detached. The circular window in the N. transept, 30 ft. in diameter, is remarkable. Among the monuments within the church are a mailed effigy of Otho of Gransom, whose ancestor, Otto de Grandeson, held several important offices in England, uuder Henry III. and Edward I.; the monument of Victor Amadeus VIII. (Voltaire's "Bizarre Amadée"), who was duke of Savoy, Bishop of Geneva, and pope under the title of Felix V., but resigned in succession all these dignities, preferring to end his days as a monk in the convent of Ripaille, on the opposite shore of the lake. His tomb is much mutilated. The monument of Mrs. Stratford Canning, a vase with a bas-relief, by Bartolini (not by Canova, as most guide-books have it), is not very remarkable. Here also is interred the venerated Bernard de Menthon, founder of the Hospice of the Great St. Bernard, which is named after him. On another platform, a little way behind the Terrace of the Cathedral, stands the Castle, a picturesque, massive square tower with four turrets at the angles. It was originally the residence of the Bishops of Lausanne, but is now the council-house of the canton. Lausanne possesses a College, founded 1587, and a Cantonal Museum, in which are some objects of interest-such as a collection of minerals from Bex and a model of the salt-mines there. It is not defi Route 56.-Lausanne-House of Gibbon. cient in the other branches of natural history. A specimen of the silurus glanis, one of the largest fresh-water fishes, came from the Lake of Morat. Many antiquities discovered within the canton, at Aventicum and on the borders of the Lake Leman, are preserved here. The house of Gibbon the historian is in the lower part of the town, behind the church of St. Francis, and on the right of the road leading down to Ouchy. It is said not to be changed. It has a garden, a terrace overlooking the lake, a summerhouse, and a few acacias; but another summer-house, in which he is said to have finished his history, and his berceau-walk, have been removed. He alludes to them in the following remarkable passage: "It was on the day or rather the night of the 27th of June, 1787, between the hours of eleven and twelve, that I wrote the last line of the last page in a summer-house in my garden. After laying down my pen I took several turns in a berceau, or covered walk of acacias, which commands a prospect of the country, the lake, and the mountains. The air was temperate, the sky was serene, the silver orb of the moon was reflected from the waves, and all nature was silent." "Much has been done of late years by the Canton of Vaud to improve the institutions of this little state. The Penitentiary, Prison, and Normal School, may interest some travellers, and may bear witness to all of the munificent and enlightened spirit of the councils of one of the smallest and most democratic communities in Europe."-H. R. There is an excellent reading-room here (? Cassino), to which strangers are admitted by a member's introduction. The English church service is performed every Sunday in the Chapelle du Culte. The Lutheran service is also performed in the same building in the course of the day. 145 The Post and Diligence-office is in the Place St. François, near the church. The office for post-horses is in the Rue Martheray, No. 57. Steam-boats touch at Ouchy, the suburb of Lausanne, at the waterside, twice a-day, on their way to either extremity of the lake. The neighbourhood of Lausanne is unrivalled for the number and beauty of the walks which it presents. Partial and pleasing glimpses of the lake are obtained from the ter races within the town, and from that of Montbenon, just outside the walls, on the way to Geneva; but far more extensive and beautiful prospects are presented from the heights above it. The best spot for an extensive survey is the elevated platform called the Signal, but the ascent to it is very fatiguing. Near it is the extensive forest of Sauvabellin (Silva Belini), in which it is said the Druids once worshipped the god Bel, and thence its name. There are a great number of country-seats in the vicinity; that of Vernens is highly praised; its grounds have the character of an English park, with the Alps and the lake in addition. Cooper, the American novelist, thus describes the view from the heights above Lausanne :— "The form of the lake prevents an entire view of it from any single spot. One is as well placed at Lausanne as at any other spot perhaps for such a purpose; but even there the W. end of the sheet is quite concealed by the curvature. If the foot of the lake is hid from the eye, its head, on the contrary, lies open before the spectator, and it offers one of the grandest landscapes of this the noblest of all earthly regions. In that direction the mountains of Savoy rise like ramparts, and the valley of the Rhone retires in the distance, until it is lost in the sublimity of mystery (?). Whichever way the eye wanders over the wide range of hill-sides, villages, vineyards, mountains, and blue water, it never fails to return to this one spot, which on the whole offers one H |