



Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed
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Aside from the correction of obvious typographical errors, the text has
not been modernized; the original (some archaic) spellings have been
retained (Maderia for Madiera; marjorem for marjoram; Marsilles for
Marsailles; horison for horizon). [Note of etext transcriber.]




MEMORANDA

ON

TOURS, TOURAINE

AND

CENTRAL FRANCE.

Tours.--Printed by A. MAME and Co.




MEMORANDA

ON

TOURS AND TOURAINE

INCLUDING

REMARKS ON THE CLIMATE

with a sketch

OF THE

BOTANY AND GEOLOGY OF THE PROVINCE

ALSO ON THE

WINES

AND

MINERAL WATERS

OF

FRANCE

The maladies to which they are applicable, and their effects upon the
constitution. To which is added an appendix containing a variety of
useful information to

THE TOURIST

BY

J. H. HOLDSWORTH, M. D.

TOURS,

A. AIGRE, rue Royale.

Messrs. CALIGNANIS, No 18, rue Vivienne, PARIS;
HENRY RENSHAW, No 356, Strand, LONDON;
And all other Booksellers.

1842

"Thou, nature, art my Goddess; to thy law my services are bound."

SHAKSPEARE.




TO

LAWSON CAPE, M. D.

Lecturer at Saint-Thomas's Hospital

THIS SMALL VOLUME

IS INSCRIBED

As a slight testimony of friendship and esteem

BY THE

AUTHOR.




PREFACE.


The author of the present little volume in offering it to the public is
sensible how crude and imperfect is its form. The haste with which from
unavoidable circumstances, it has been composed and the difficulties he
has had to contend with in printing it in a foreign country will, he
trusts, be considered an excuse, however insufficient, for errors which
would otherwise be unpardonable.

His object has been to convey information on subjects new to the
generality of those who resort to France for the restoration of their
health. In England, independent of the valetudinarian, not only the man
of wealth and fashion, but the economist of time and means,--in these
days of locomotive mania,--deem a visit to the continent almost
indispensable; and in the majority of cases, after the resolution to
take a trip abroad is formed the resolvent with a perfect indifference
as to _route_ or _locality_, becomes anxious to obtain information
concerning such places as may in reality be most calculated to conduce
to his health, pleasure, instruction or amusement,--either _en route_,
or as a temporary place of residence.

Under a due consideration of these circumstances the author trusts
having endeavoured to blend information with utility and amusement in
so unpretending and general a form; he may be deemed to have
accomplished the ends to which he has humbly aspired. And should his
professional occupations at some future period, permit him to revise his
work, he will render its style more worthy of the reader.

Tours, september 1842.




CONTENTS.


                                                                 Page

Description of the scenery of Touraine                              1

Remarks on the climate of Touraine                                  8

Beneficial effects of the climate considered                       13

Directions for invalid travellers                                  25

Hydropathic treatment                                              32

Wines of France                                                    34

Description of various routes to Tours                             42

Notices respecting Tours and its neighbourhood                     49

Sporting                                                           54

Ancient Chateaux of Touraine                                       55

Mettray Colony                                                     73

Remarks on society at Tours                                        81

Botany of Touraine                                                 88

Information respecting the growth and varieties
of the vine                                                        97

Geology of Touraine                                               105

Spas of France                                                    123

Spas of central France, their respective localities,
medicinal virtues, diseases to which
they are applicable, etc.                                         139

Classification of French wines, places where
grown, character, comparative qualities,
etc., etc.                                                        186

Alcoholic strength of various wines and liquors                   192

Meteorological Register for Tours                                 194

Reaumur's Thermometric scale turned into
Fahrenheit's                                                      208

Appendix.--Passports, Cash, Coinage                               209

Useful information for travellers, etc., etc.                     217

Expense of living in France, etc.                                 230

[Illustration: VUE DE TOURS

Lith. CLAREY-MARTINEAU. r de la harpe 16, TOURS.]




MEMORANDA

OF

TOURS, TOURAINE,

AND

CENTRAL FRANCE.




CHARACTER OF THE SCENERY OF TOURAINE.


Although there is little that can be denominated bold, or strikingly
romantic, in the general aspect of the country around Tours, it
nevertheless, possesses charms of a peculiar and novel nature, alike
calculated to gratify a lover of the picturesque, tranquillize the
mind, and renovate the enfeebled energies of the valetudinarian.

Hence it has long been famed as a favourite resort, more especially, of
these classes of British Tourists, etc.; many adopting it as a temporary
place of residence, whilst others have permanently established
themselves in some of the beautiful sylvan retreats which characterize
the more immediate vicinity of the city.

Throughout a vast area, the surface of the surrounding country is
pleasingly diversified by gentle undulations, considerable tracts of
which are adorned by dense masses of foliage, occasionally presenting
deeply indented vistas, embosoming some modern country house or ancient
Chateau, with its spacious, but somewhat formal pleasure grounds. Many
picturesque vales with their meandering streams, verdant meadows, and
towering poplars, also present themselves to the eye of the traveller,
but the characteristic rural features of this portion of France are its
wide spread _vineyards_, which may almost be said to occupy every <DW72>,
