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 The Rough Guide to

France

written and researched by

David Abram, Andrew Benson, Ruth Blackmore,

Brian Catlos, Hugh Cleary, Belinda Dixon,
Jan Dodd, Marc Dubin, Kevin Fitzgerald,
Sarah Gear, Daniel Lund, James McConnachie,
Neville Walker, Greg Ward and Nick Woodford

NEW YORK • LONDON • DELHI

www.roughguides.com

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 Contents

| C O NTENTS |
H Languedoc ........................ 839
Colour section 1–24
I The Massif Central ............ 899
Introduction ............................... 6 J The Alps and Jura ............ 957
Where to go ............................... 8 K The Rhône valley and
When to go .............................. 12 Provence......................... 1023
Things not to miss ................... 14 L The Côte d’Azur .............. 1119
M Corsica ........................... 1201
Basics 25–80
Contexts 1265–1337
Getting there ............................ 27
Getting around ......................... 35 History ................................. 1267
Accommodation....................... 45 Art ..................................... 1291
Food and drink ........................ 50 Architecture ......................... 1305
The media ................................ 55 Cinema ................................ 1313
Sports and outdoor activities... 59 Books and maps.................. 1328
Living in France ....................... 65
Culture and etiquette ............... 67
Language 1339–1355
Shopping ................................. 68
Travelling with children............. 69 Travel store 1357–1360
Travel essentials ...................... 70

Guide 81–1264 Small print & Index 1361–1384

1 Paris and around................. 83 Cafés, bistros and

2 The north .......................... 217 brasseries colour
3 Alsace and Lorraine .......... 293 section following p.168
4 Normandy ......................... 337
5 Brittany ............................. 407
Walking in France
6 The Loire ........................... 489
colour section following
7 Burgundy .......................... 561 p.808
8 Poitou-Charentes and the
Atlantic coast .................... 615
9 The Dordogne, Limousin Festive France
colour section following
and Lot.............................. 679
p.1048
G The Pyrenees .................... 755

 Spectators at the Tour de France  Driving through the dappling, Languedoc

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d 5
Franc
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Introduction to

France
The sheer physical diversity of France would be hard to
exhaust in a lifetime of visits. Landscapes range from
the fretted coasts of Brittany and the limestone hills of
Provence to the canyons of the Pyrenees and the half-
moon bays of Corsica, and from the lushly wooded valleys
of the Dordogne and the gentle meadows of the Loire
valley to the glaciated peaks of the Alps. Each region looks
and feels different, has its own style of architecture, its
own characteristic food and often its own dialect. Though
the French word pays is the term for a whole country,
people frequently refer to their own region as mon pays –
my country – and this strong sense of regional identity has
persisted despite centuries of centralizing governments,
from Louis XIV to de Gaulle.

France, and for all the millions of French

people that live in cities, the idea persists that
theirs is a rural country. The importance of
the land reverberates throughout French cul-
ture, manifesting itself in areas as diverse as
regional pride in local cuisine and the state’s fierce defence of Europe’s
agricultural subsidies. Perhaps the most striking feature of the French
countryside is the sense of space. There are huge tracts of woodland
and undeveloped land without a house in sight, and, away from the main
urban centres, hundreds of towns and villages have changed only slowly
6 and organically over the years, their old houses and streets intact, as much
a part of the natural landscape as the rivers, hills and fields.

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 Despite this image of pastoral tranquillity,
France’s history is notable for its extraordi- Fact file

| INTR O D UCTI ON | W HE RE TO GO | W HE N TO G O
nary vigour. For more than a thousand years • With a land area of
the country has been in the vanguard of 547,000 square kilometres,
European development, and the accumula- France is the second
tion of wealth and experience is evident largest country in Europe;
its population of around
everywhere in the astonishing variety of 60 million is less only than
things to see, from the Dordogne’s prehis- its European neighbours,
toric cave-paintings and the Roman monu- Germany and the UK.
ments of the south, to the Gothic cathedrals • Now in its Fifth
of the north, the châteaux of the Loire, and Republic, France has a
the cutting-edge architecture of the grands long secular republican
tradition dating back to
projets in Paris. This legacy of history and
the Revolution of 1789.
culture – la patrimoine – is so widely dis- Yet the majority of the
persed across the land that even the briefest population is Roman
of stays will leave the visitor with a powerful Catholic – notionally,
sense of France’s past. at least – and there’s
a substantial Muslim
The importance of these traditions is felt
minority of around 5–10
deeply by the French state, which fights to percent.
preserve and develop its national culture • The Government
perhaps harder than any other country in consists of a directly
the world, and private companies, who also elected president and a
strive to maintain French traditions in are- two-house parliament.
As a nuclear power and
nas as diverse as haute couture, pottery and, of
G8-member, and with a
course, food. The fruits of these efforts are permanent seat on the
evident in the subsidized arts, notably the United Nations Security
film industry, and in the lavishly endowed Council, France retains a
and innovative museums and galleries. strong international profile.
• Annual GDP per capita
 Café, St-Germain, Paris

is around US$30,000,
making France one of the
world’s richer countries,
but unemployment is a
persistent problem, at
around 9 percent. Taxes
are high, at around 45
percent of GDP, but so is
social spending, at almost
30 percent.
• France remains by far
the most popular tourist
destination in the world,
with some 75 million 7
visitors each year.

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  St-Cirque-Lapopie
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From colonial history to fishing techniques, aeroplane design to textiles,

and migrant shepherds to manicure, these collections can be found across
the nation, but, inevitably, first place must go to the fabulous displays of fine
art in Paris, a city which has nurtured more than its share of the finest cre-
ative artists of the last century and a half, both French – Monet and Matisse
for example – and foreign, such as Picasso and Van Gogh.
There are all kinds of pegs on which to hang a holiday in France: a city,
a region, a river, a mountain range, gastronomy, cathedrals, châteaux. All
that open space means there’s endless scope for outdoor activities – from
walking, canoeing and cycling to skiing and sailing – but if you need more
urban stimuli – clubs, shops, fashion, movies, music – then the great cities
provide them in abundance.

Where to go
ravelling around France is easy. Restaurants and hotels prolifer-

8 T ate, many of them relatively inexpensive when compared with other

developed Western European countries. Train services are admirably
efficient, as is the road network – especially the (toll-paying) auto-
routes – and cyclists are much admired and encouraged. Information is

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 highly organized and available from tourist offices across the country, as well
as from specialist organizations for walkers, cyclists, campers and so on.

| INTR O D UCTI ON | W HE RE TO GO | W HE N TO G O
As for specific des-
tinations, Paris, of Hundreds of towns and villages have
course, is the outstand- changed only slowly and organically over
ing cultural centre, with the years… as much a part of the natural
its impressive buildings landscape as the rivers, hills and fields.
and atmospheric back-
streets, its art, trendy nightlife and ethnic diversity, though the great pro-
vincial cities – Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille – all now vie with
the capital and each other for prestige in the arts, ascendancy in sport and
innovation in attracting visitors.
For most people, however, it’s the unique characters of the regions – and not
least their cuisines – that will define a trip. Few holiday-makers stay long in the
largely flat, industrial north, but there are some fine cathedrals and energetic
cities to leaven the mix. The picture is similar in Alsace-Lorraine where
Germanic influences are
strong, notably in the food.
On the northern Atlantic
coast, Normandy y has a
rich heritage of cathe-
drals, castles, battlefields
and beaches – and, with
its cream-based sauces, an
equally rich cuisine.To the
west, Brittany y is more
renowned for its Celtic
links, beautiful coastline,
prehistoric sites and sea-
food, while the Loire
valley, extending inland
towards Paris, is famed for
soft, fertile countryside
and a marvellous parade
of châteaux. Further east,
the green valleys of Bur-
gundy y shelter a wealth
of Romanesque churches,
and the wines and food
are among the finest in
France. More Roman- 9

esque churches follow the  Métro sign outside the Pompidou Centre, Paris

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 Food and drink
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The power and influ-

ence of French culture
is evident anywhere
that people read,
wear clothes, vote
or go to the cinema,
but nowhere is the
country’s contribution
greater than in culinary
affairs. In France, a pic-
nic could be a simple
crusty baguette with
cheese, washed down
by an inexpensive red
wine, or a gourmet feast of cold meats and prepared salads, as available
from practically any charcuterie; either way it’s likely to be as good as
you’ll find anywhere in the world. The same is true of eating out, whether
that means a perfect steak-frites at a railway-station brasserie, a lovingly
prepared set menu in a provincial restaurant, featuring the homeliest of
regional specialities, or the most exquisite refinements of a Parisian chef.
There’s an endless variety of cheeses, cakes and pastries to match,
as well as wines – and not just those from the renowned vineyards of
Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Whether choosing a good local
vintage or pondering some obscure regional speciality, never be afraid
to ask advice – most French people are true enthusiasts, ever ready to
convert the uninitiated.

pilgrim routes through rural Poitou-Charentes and down the Atlantic coast
to Bordeaux, where the wines rival those of Burgundy. Inland from Bordeaux,
visitors flock to the gorges, prehistoric sites and picturesque fortified villages
of the Dordogne and neighbouring Limousin, drawn too by the truffles
and duck and goose dishes of Périgord cuisine. To the south, the great moun-
tain chain of the Pyrenees rears up along the Spanish border, running from
 Horses in the Camargue the Basque country on the
Atlantic to the Catalan lands
of Roussillon on the Medi-
terranean; there’s fine walking
and skiing to be had, as well as
beaches at either end. Further
along the Mediterranean coast,
Languedoc offers dramatic
landscapes, medieval towns
10 and Cathar castles, as well
as more beaches, while the

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 Massif Central, in the centre
of the country, is undeveloped The French

| INTR O D UCTI ON | W HE RE TO GO | W HE N TO G O
and little visited, but beautiful According to the clichés, the French are
nonetheless, with its rivers, stylish, romantic and passionate. They
forests and the wild volcanic also have a reputation for rudeness – and
uplands of the Auvergne. yet they are courteous with each other
to the point of formality. It’s common
The Alps, of course, are for someone entering a shop to wish
prime skiing territory, but a customers and shopkeeper alike a general
network of signposted paths “good morning”, and foreigners on
makes walking a great way business quickly learn the importance of
to explore too; to the north, shaking hands, asking the right questions
the wooded mountains of the and maintaining respectful eye contact.
Juraa provide further scope At the same time, if they want something,
many French people can be direct in ways
for outdoor pursuits. Stretch- that are disconcerting for Anglo-Saxons.
ing down from the Alps to To foreigners stumbling over the language,
the Mediterranean is Pro- never mind the cultural gap, this can
vence, which, as generations seem like rudeness; it isn’t. It’s fairer to
of travellers have discovered, say that the French are proud. Opinions
seems to have everything: tend to be held and argued strongly – it’s
Roman ruins, picturesque not for nothing that so many revolutions
have shaken the political landscape.
villages, vineyards and laven-
Culture, too, is a source of great pride,
der fields – and legions of and artists, writers and thinkers are held
visitors. Its cuisine is similarly in high esteem even beyond elite circles.
diverse, encompassing fruit, And French people everywhere are proud
olives, herbs, seafood, lamb of their locality. Whether it’s for a village
and an unusual emphasis on shopfront, a civic floral display or another
vegetables. Along the Proven- landmark building for the French state, no
effort is too great.
çal coast, the beaches, towns
and chic resorts of the Côte
d’Azurr form a giant smile
extending from the down-
at-heel but vibrant city of
Marseille to the super-rich
Riviera hotspots of Nice and
Monaco. For truly fabulous
beaches, however, head for
the rugged island of Cor-
sica, birthplace of Napoleon
and home to an Italian-lean-
ing culture and cuisine and
some fascinating Neolithic 11

sculptures.

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  View over Nice
| INTR O D UCTI ON | W HE RE TO GO | WHE N TO G O

When to go

T
he single most important factor in deciding when to visit France is
tourism itself. As most French people take their holidays in their own
country, it’s as well to consider avoiding the main French holiday
periods – mid-July to the end of August. It’s at this time that almost
the entire country closes down, except for the tourist industry itself.You can
easily walk a kilometre and more in Paris, for example, in search of an open
boulangerie, and the city sometimes seems deserted by all except fellow
tourists. Prices in the resorts rise to take full advantage and often you can’t
find a room for love nor money, and on the Côte d’Azur not even a space
in the campsites. The seaside is the most crowded, but the mountains and
popular regions like the Dordogne are not far behind. Easter, too, is a bad
time for Paris: half of Europe’s schoolchildren seem to descend on the city.
For the same reasons, ski buffs should keep in mind the February school ski
break. And no one who values life, limb, and sanity should ever be caught
on the roads during the last weekend of July or August, and least of all on
the weekend of August 15.
Generally speaking, climate needn’t be a major consideration in plan-
ning when to go. If you’re a skier, of course, you wouldn’t choose the

The great provincial cities – Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille

– all now vie with the capital and each other for prestige in the arts,
12
ascendancy in sport and innovation in attracting visitors.

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mountains between May
and November; and if

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you want a beach holiday,
you wouldn’t head for the
seaside out of summer –
except for the Mediterra-
nean coast, which is at its
most attractive in spring.
Northern France, like
nearby Britain, is wet and
unpredictable. Paris has a
marginally better climate
than New York, rarely
reaching the extremes of
heat and cold of that city,
but only south of the Loire does the weather become significantly warm-
er. West coast weather, even in the south, is tempered by the proximity
of the Atlantic, subject to violent storms and close thundery days even in
summer. The centre and east, as you leave the coasts behind, have a more
continental climate, with colder winters and hotter summers. The most
reliable weather is along and behind the Mediterranean coastline and on
Corsica, where winter is short and summer long and hot.

Average daily maximum temperatures

For a recorded weather forecast you can phone the main forecasting
line on T08.92.68.08.08, or check online at Wwww.meteofrance.com.
Temperatures below are given in degrees Celsius.

Paris 7.5 7 10.2 15.7 16.6 23.4 25 25.6 21 16.5 11.7 7.8

Strasbourg

St-Malo 9 8.6 11 17 16 22.7 25 24 21.2 16.5 12 9.3

Tours

Lyon 7.4 6.7 10.8 15.8 17.3 25.6 27.6 27.6 23.5 16.5 10.4 7.8

Bordeaux

Toulouse 12.4 11.5 12.5 17.6 20 26.5 28.4 28 26 21 15.8 13.5

Avignon

Nice 12 12 14 18.5 20.8 26.6 28 28.4 25.2 22.2 16.8 14

13
Calvi

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 34
| ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |

things not to miss

It’s not possible to see everything that France has to offer in one
trip – and we don’t suggest you try. What follows is a selective
taste of the country’s highlights: natural wonders and outstanding
sights, plus the best activities and experiences. They’re arranged in
five colour-coded categories, so you can browse through to find the
very best things to see and do. All highlights have a page reference
to take you straight into the guide, where you can find out more.

14
Wine Page 52 • French wines are unrivalled in the world for their sophistication,
01 diversity and sheer excellence.

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 Bastille Day Page 56 &
03 Festive France colour section
• July 14 sees national celebrations

| ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |

commemorating the beginning of the
French Revolution, with fireworks and
parties across the whole country.

Mont St-Michel Page 389

02 • Second only to the Eiffel Tower as
France’s best-loved landmark, the merveille of
Mont St-Michel is a splendid union of nature and
architecture.

Canal du Midi Page 874 • A calm, watery avenue, stretching from beyond 15
04 Toulouse to the Mediterranean. Cycling, walking or drifting along its tree-shaded course
is the most atmospheric way of savouring France’s southwest.

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 Amiens cathedral Page
07 242 • The largest Gothic building in
all France, this lofty cathedral has a clever
| ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |

evening light show that gives a vivid idea of

how the west front would have looked when
it rejoiced in coloured paint.

Avignon Page 1060 • Great city of

05 the popes, and once one of France’s
artistic centres, picturesque Avignon offers
spectacular monuments and museums,
countless places to eat and drink, and a
superb annual summer festival.

Carnac Page 472 •

06 Archeologically, Brittany is one of
the richest regions in the world and the
alignments at Carnac rival Stonehenge.

Tour de France Page 59 • One of the world’s greatest sporting events, this
16
08 gruelling, three-week bike race follows a different route around the country every year,
always ending on the Champs-Élysées.

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M
 Beaches
09 Page 1220
• France’s coasts

| ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |

have many beautiful
beaches with some
of the best being
found on Corsica,
including the plage
de Saleccia, with its
soft white shell sand,
turquoise water and
not a building or
road in sight.

Les Gorges du
11 Verdon Page 1104 • The
mighty gorges are Europe’s answer to the
Grand Canyon, and offer stunning views,
a range of hikes, and colours and scents
that are uniquely, gorgeously Provençal.

The Issenheim altarpiece

10 Page 317 • The village of Colmar might
be excessively twee, but it’s still worth a visit for
Grünewald’s amazing altarpiece, one of the most
extraordinary works of art in the country.

Cheese
12 Page 52
• For serious
cheese-lovers,
France is
paradise. Not so
for politicans: as
an exasperated
de Gaulle once
commented, “How
can you govern
a country that
17
has 245 kinds of
cheese?”

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Châteaux of the Loire Page 500 • The River Loire is lined with gracious
13 châteaux, of which Chambord is surely the most staggeringly impressive, both for its
size and the double-spiral staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci.

The GR20 Page 1226 &

15 Walking in France colour section
• Arguably France’s most dramatic
– and most demanding – long-distance
footpath climbs through and over
Corsica’s precipitous mountains for some
170km.

Bordeaux Page 657 •Stylish and

18
14 lively Bordeaux became the principal
English stronghold in France for three hundred
years, and is still known for the refined red wines
– claret – which the English popularized.

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 Cafés See Cafés, bistros and
17 brasseries colour section • Taking
your time over a glass of wine or cup of

| ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |

coffee in a café is a quintessentially French
experience.

War memorials Page 263 & 375

18 • World Wars I and II left permanent
scars on the French countryside – and on its
psyche. The dead are remembered in solemn,
sometimes overwhelming cemeteries, such as
the one at Ryes in Normandy.

Les Calanques Page 1136

16 • The limestone cliffs on the stretch
of coast between Marseille and Cassis offer
excellent hiking, and you can scramble
down to isolated coves that are perfect for
swimming.

Fontenay
19 Abbey
Page 576 • One of
the most complete
monastic complexes
anywhere, this
Burgundian
monastery has a
serene setting in a
stream-filled valley.

19

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 Outdoor activities Page 61
21 • From surfing off Biarritz and skiing
in Val d’Isère to climbing in the Pyrenees and
| ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |

canoeing on the Loire, France has energetic

pursuits to suit everyone.

Bayeux Tapestry Page 379

20 • This 70-metre-long tapestry is an
astonishingly detailed depiction of the 1066
Norman invasion of England, and one of the
finest artistic works of the early medieval era.

Medieval Provençal villages Page 1090 • Provence’s hilltop villages

20
22 attract visitors by the score. Though Gordes is one of the most famous, there are others
less well known but equally beautiful.

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Bastide towns Page 694 • Monpazier is one of the best preserved of the fortified
23 towns – bastides – built in the Dordogne region during the turbulent medieval period
when there was almost constant conflict between the French and English.

21
Jardin du Luxembourg Page 141 • Paris’s most beautiful park, in the heart
24 of the laid-back Left Bank, is the ideal spot for relaxing.

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 Strasbourg cathedral
27 Page 302 • Visible throughout
Strasbourg is the magnificent filigree spire of
| ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |

the pink sandstone cathedral, dominating not

just the city but much of Alsace.

Aix-en-Provence Page 1094

25 • Marseille may be the biggest city in
Provence, but aristocratic Aix is the region’s
capital, and it’s a wonderful place to shop,
eat and linger under the plane trees with a
pastis.

Champagne tasting
26 at Épernay Page 279 • Dom
Pérignon might be the most famous, but
there are plenty of other bubblies to try in the
atmospheric cellars of Épernay’s maisons.

22 Cathar castles Page 821 • Languedoc’s mountains are dotted with these gaunt
28 fortresses, grim but fascinating relics of the brutal crusade launched by the Catholic
church and northern French nobility against the heretic Cathars.

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 | ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |
The Louvre Page 115 • The palace of the Louvre cuts a grand Classical swathe
29 through the centre of Paris and houses what is nothing less than the gold standard of
France’s artistic tradition.

Winter sports in the Alps Page 981 • The French Alps are home to some
30 of the world’s most prestigious ski resorts, offering a wide range of winter sports.

Gorges
31 de
l’Ardèche
Page 947 • The
fantastic gorges
begin at the Pont
d’Arc and cut
their way through
limestone cliffs
before emptying
into the Rhône 23
valley.

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 Annecy
32 Page 988
• One of the
| ACTIVITIE S | C ONS UM E | E V E NTS | NATURE | S I G H T S |

prettiest towns in
the Alps, Annecy
has a picture-
postcard quality
which even the
crowds can’t mar.

Prehistoric
33 cave art
Page 704 • Prehistoric
art can be seen in
several places around
France, but perhaps
the most impressive
paintings are those
at Lascaux in the
Dordogne.

24
Carcassonne Page 872 • So atmospheric is this medieval fortress town, that it
34 manages to resist even relentless commercialization and summer’s throng of visitors.

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 Basics

25

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 Basics

Getting there ................................................................................... 27

Getting around ................................................................................ 35

Accommodation.............................................................................. 45

Food and drink................................................................................ 50

The media ....................................................................................... 55

Sports and outdoor activities.......................................................... 59

Living in France............................................................................... 65

Culture and etiquette ...................................................................... 67

Shopping......................................................................................... 68

Travelling with children.................................................................... 69

Travel essentials.............................................................................. 70

26

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 Getting there

B A S ICS
The quickest way of reaching France from most parts of the United Kingdom and

| Getting there
Ireland is by air. The budget airlines offer a vast array of flights to destinations
all over the country, whilst the more traditional carriers such as British Airways
and Air France also cover much of the country between them. From southeast
England, however, the Channel Tunnel rail link provides a viable alternative,
making the journey from London to Paris in just three hours. The Tunnel is the
most flexible option if you want to take your car to France, though cross-Channel
ferries are often cheaper. It’s also worth bearing in mind that if you live west of
London, or are heading to Brittany or to southwest France, the ferry services to
Roscoff, St-Malo, Cherbourg, Caen and Le Havre can save a lot of driving time.
From the US and Canada a number of airlines fly direct to Paris, from where you
can pick up onward connections. You can also fly direct to Paris from South
Africa, whilst the best fares from Australia and New Zealand are to be found if
you fly via Asia.
Whether you are travelling by air, sea or rail, France, flying is becoming an ever cheaper
prices generally depend on the season, and and more attractive option, particularly if
are at their highest from around early June you’re leaving from or heading to one of the
to the end of August, when the weather regional airports. The largest of the budget
is best; fares drop during the “shoulder” airlines are bmibaby, easyJet, flyBE and
seasons – roughly September to October Ryanair, which between them cover a total
and April to May – and are at their cheap- of thirty airports across France, including
est during the low season, November to Avignon, Bergerac, Chambery, La Rochelle,
March (excluding Christmas and New Year Nantes, Pau, Rennes, Toulon and Tours, as
when prices are hiked up and seats are at well as more established hubs such as Paris,
a premium) and if you book well in advance. Lyon and Nice. Bear in mind though that
Note also that flying at weekends can be routes and destinations change regularly,
more expensive; price ranges quoted below so it’s wise to keep an eye on the airlines’
assume midweek travel. websites (see p.32). It’s also worth double-
If you prefer to have everything organized checking exactly where the airport is in rela-
for you, and especially if your visit is going to tion to where you want to be; Ryanair claim
be geared around special interests, such as to fly to Paris, for example, but in reality fly
walking, cycling, art or wine, you may want to the airport in Beauvais, a ninety-minute
to consider a package tourr (see “Agents coach drive from the city centre. Tickets
and operators” p.33). They may organ- work on a quota system, and it’s wise to
ize your entire trip for you or amount to no book as early as possible for the really
more than a flight plus car or train pass and cheap seats, which can if you’re lucky work
accommodation. Taking a tour may work out out as little as a penny, with airport taxes
cheaper than organizing the same arrange- and surcharges on top often coming to only
ments on arrival in France and can help you £16–20/E25–30 each way. To keep costs
make the most of your time if you’re on a down, be as flexible as possible – flying
tight schedule. midweek at an ungodly hour will probably
secure the cheapest tickets.
Flights from the UK and It’s worth checking out the traditional
Ireland carriers, such as Air France, British Airways, 27
With the rapid increase in the number of bmi and Aer Lingus, who have lowered their
budget airlines between the UK, Ireland and prices in recent years in the face of stiff

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 competition from the budget airlines. The Airlines from New York, Boston, Chicago,
further ahead you book the better, but low- Dallas and Miami; Continental from Newark
season return fares to Paris (including tax) and Houston; Delta from Atlanta, Boston,
start at around £70 from London, £110 from Cincinnati, Miami and New York; Northwest
B A S ICS

Edinburgh and E200 from Dublin; to Nice from Detroit; and United from Chicago,
you’ll pay upwards of £110, £160 and E300 Boston, Philadelphia, New York and Wash-
respectively. ington DC. Air Canada offers nonstop
| Getting there

Air France, along with its partners, offers services to Paris from Montréal and Toronto,
the widest regional coverage. It flies to Paris while Air Transat offers good-value charter
Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) several times daily flights from a number of bases. Another
from London Heathrow, Dublin and regional option is to take one of the other European
airports such as Birmingham, Manchester, carriers, such as British Airways, bmi, Iberia,
Southampton and Glasgow. It also oper- or Lufthansa, from the US or Canada to
ates flights from Heathrow and other UK their home base and then continue on to
airports direct to French regional airports Paris or a regional French airport. If you
such as Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes, Nice and have a specific French destination in mind
Strasbourg. Flights to Corsica – into Ajaccio, outside Paris and you’re in a hurry – and
Bastia or Calvi – involve a change in Paris. are prepared to pay extra – it’s possible to
British Airways has several flights a day to be ticketed straight through to any of more
Paris CDG from London Gatwick and Heath- than a dozen regional airports. Most of
row and at least one daily from Birmingham, these entail changing planes in Paris, and
Manchester, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glas- check to make sure there’s no inconvenient
gow. BA also operates flights from London transfer between the city’s two main airports,
to Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly.
Nantes, Nice, Toulon and Toulouse. In North- Thanks to intense competition, transat-
ern Ireland, BA flies directly from Belfast City lantic fares to France are very reasonable.
Airport to Paris CDG on weekdays. Bmi flies A typical return fare for a midweek flight to
from Heathrow to Paris CDG at least three Paris is around US$650 from New York
times daily and to Nice twice daily; it also (7hr), US$750 from Los Angeles (13hr) and
flies to Paris CDG at least once daily from US$850 from Houston (8hr). From Canada,
Leeds-Bradford, and daily from Manchester prices to Paris are in the region of CAN$850
to Toulouse. In Ireland, Aer Lingus offers from Montréal and Toronto (14hr), and
direct flights from Dublin and Cork to Paris CAN$1100 from Vancouver (16hr).
CDG, and from Dublin to Lyon, Nice and
Toulouse. Flights from Australia,
In the summer months, charter flights New Zealand and South
represent the best value for getting to Ajac- Africa
cio or Bastia in Corsica, with prices from Most travellers from Australia and New
£30 including tax one way. They are also Zealand choose to fly to France via London,
worth bearing in mind during the ski season although the majority of airlines can add
to hubs such as Grenoble, Geneva and a Paris leg (or a flight to any other major
Toulouse; one-way prices start at around French city) to an Australia/New Zealand–
£50 including tax. Europe ticket. Flights via Asia or the Middle
East, with a transfer or overnight stop at the
Flights from the US and airline’s home port, are generally the cheap-
Canada est option; those routed through the US
Most major airlines operate scheduled flights tend to be slightly pricier. Return fares start
to Paris from the US and Canada. Air France at around AUS$1500 from Sydney (30hr),
has the most frequent service, with good AUS$1600 from Perth (25hr), AUS$1700
onward regional connections, but their fares from Darwin (25hr) and NZ$1800 from Auck-
28 tend to be on the expensive side. Other land (30hr).
airlines offering nonstop services to Paris From South Africa, Johannesburg is the
from a variety of US cities include: American best place to start, with Air France flying

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 Fly less – stay longer! Travel and climate change
Climate change is a serious threat to the ecosystems that humans rely upon, and
air travel is among the fastest-growing contributors to the problem. Rough Guides

B A S ICS
regard travel, overall, as a global benefit, and feel strongly that the advantages to
developing economies are important, as is the opportunity of greater contact and
awareness among peoples. But we all have a responsibility to limit our personal
impact on global warming, and that means giving thought to how often we fly, and

| Getting there
what we can do to redress the harm that our trips create.

Flying and climate change

Pretty much every form of motorized travel generates CO2 – the main cause of
human-induced climate change – but planes also generate climate-warming
contrails and cirrus clouds and emit oxides of nitrogen, which create ozone (another
greenhouse gas) at flight levels. Furthermore, flying simply allows us to travel much
further than we otherwise would do. The figures are frightening: one person taking
a return flight between Europe and California produces the equivalent impact of 2.5
tonnes of CO2 – similar to the yearly output of the average British car.
Fuel-cell and other less harmful types of plane may emerge eventually. But until
then, there are really just two options for concerned travellers: to reduce the amount
we spend travelling by air (take fewer trips – stay for longer!), and to make the trips
we do take “climate neutral” via a carbon offset scheme.

Carbon offset schemes

Offset schemes run by  climatecare.org, carbonneutral.com and others allow
you to make up for some or all of the greenhouse gases that you are responsible for
releasing. To do this, they provide “carbon calculators” for working out the global-
warming contribution of a specific flight (or even your entire existence), and then
let you contribute an appropriate amount of money to fund offsetting measures.
These include rainforest reforestation and initiatives to reduce future energy demand
– often run in conjunction with sustainable development schemes.
Rough Guides, together with Lonely Planet and other concerned partners in the
travel industry, are supporting the carbon offset scheme run by climatecare.org.
Please take the time to view our website and see how you can help to make your
trip climate neutral.

Wwww.roughguides.com/climatechange

direct to Paris from around R6140 return; not all services stop at Ashford in Kent
from Cape Town, they fly via Amsterdam and (40min from London). Services depart
are more expensive at around R7600. BA, roughly every hour (from around 6am
flying via London, are pricier still, with fares to 7.30pm) for Paris Gare du Nord (2hr
at around R10,000 from Cape Town and 40min), a few of which stop at Calais (1hr
R8600 from Johannesburg. Other, though 20min) and Lille (1hr 40min), where you
pricier options, are to fly via Frankfurt with can connect with TGV trains heading south
Lufthansa, or via Dubai with Emirates. Flight to Bordeaux, Lyon and Nice. In addition,
times are around ten hours from Johannes- Eurostar runs direct trains from London
burg to Paris, and 14 hours from Cape Town to Disneyland Paris (daily; 2hr 40min), to
including a stopover in Amsterdam. Avignon (mid-July to mid-Sept daily Mon–
Sat; mid-Sept to mid-July daily Mon–Fri;
Trains 6hr), and a special twice-weekly ski service
Eurostarr operates high-speed passenger to Moutiers, Aime-la-Plagne and Bourg-St- 29
trains daily from Waterloo International to Maurice in the French Alps (Dec–March;
France via the Channel Tunnel; most but around 8hr); skis are carried free.

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 Standard “Leisure” fares from London to stay, how long in advance you book and how
Paris start at £59 (£55 to Lille and £99 to flexible you need your ticket to be. Standard
Avignon) for a non-refundable, non-exchange- single, non-flexible fares start at £49, though
able return purchased up to fourteen days to get the cheapest price, you have to travel
B A S ICS

before departure and including a Saturday early morning or late at night, and book well
night away. The next option is the changeable in advance. Alternatively, if you want to be
“Semi-flexible” ticket (from £125/£120/£189 fully flexible and refundable, a “standard” fare
| Getting there

respectively), which again must include a purchased on the spot can be as much as
Saturday night. All these deals have limited £330. There’s a specially adapted carriage
availability, so it pays to plan ahead; tickets go for bicycles that makes the crossing twice a
on sale three months before the date of travel. day – it costs £32 return for a bike plus rider
Otherwise, you’re looking at £298/£250/£250 if you are staying more than five days, or £16
for a fully refundable “Business” ticket with no for a shorter stay.
restrictions. Return “Leisure” fares to Disney-
land Paris start at £59 for adults (£44 for chil- Rail passes
dren aged 4–11) and those on the Eurostar
ski train at £179 (£130 for children). Under-4s There are a number of international rail
travel for free. passes useful for travel within France, many
There is plentiful parking at Ashford of which need to be bought in your home
station, just off the M20, at £9.50 per day; at country (for details of railcards that you
Waterloo, Eurostar passengers pay £17 for can buy in France, see “Discounts”, p.38).
24 hours’ parking. You can get through-tick- Rail Europe, the umbrella company for all
eting from stations around Britain – including national and international rail purchases,
the tube journey across London to Water- is the most useful source of information on
loo – from Eurostar, many travel agents and which rail passes are available, and have all
mainline stations. InterRail and Eurail rail the current prices. For information on where
passes (see below for more) give discounts to buy InterRail, Eurail, and France Rail
on Eurostar trains. For information about passes, see p.34.
taking your bike on Eurostar, see p.43. For
rail contacts, see p.34. InterRail Pass
InterRail Passes are only available to
By car via the Channel Tunnel European residents, and you will be asked
to provide proof of residency before being
The simplest way of taking your car across
allowed to purchase one. They come in
to France from the UK is to load it on one of
over-26 and (cheaper) under-26 versions,
the drive-on drive-off shuttle trains operated
and cover 29 European countries, grouped
by Eurotunnel through the Channel Tunnel.
together in zones, of which France is in zone
The service runs continuously between
E along with Belgium, Luxembourg and the
Folkestone and Coquelles, near Calais, with
up to four departures per hour (only 1 per Netherlands.
hour midnight–6am) and takes 35 minutes The passes are available for 16 days (one
(45 minutes for some night departures). It zone only; £145 for under-26s/£215 for
is possible to turn up and buy your ticket at over-26s), 22 days (two zones; £205/295)
the toll booths (exit the M20 at junction 11a), or one month (£285/405) for all zones. Inter-
though at busy times booking is advisable; Rail Passes do not include travel within your
if you have a booking, you must arrive at country of residence, though pass holders
least thirty minutes before departure. Inside are eligible for discounts on rail fares to and
the carriages, you can get out of your car from the border of the relevant zone as well
to stretch your legs; there are toilets but no as reductions on Eurostar and cross-Chan-
shops or refreshments. Note that Eurotunnel nel ferries.
is not allowed to transport cars fitted with
Eurail Pass
30 LPG or CNG tanks.
In general, the amount you pay depends A Eurail Pass, which is not available to
on the time of year, time of day, length of European residents and must be purchased

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 before arrival in Europe, is not likely to pay respectively. Heading to southwest France,
for itself if you’re planning to stick to France there’s also the option of taking a ferry to
alone. The pass allows unlimited free first- Santander (with Brittany Ferries; 20hr) or
class train travel in France and seventeen Bilbao (P&O Ferries; 11hr) in northern Spain.

B A S ICS
other countries, and is available in incre- From Ireland, putting the car on the ferry
ments of fifteen days, 21 days, one month, from Cork or Rosslare (near Wexford) to
two months and three months. The pass Cherbourg or Roscoff (13hr) in Brittany cuts

| Getting there
comes in different forms, but the most useful out the drive across Britain to the Channel.
is likely to be the Eurailpass Youth, which Ferry prices are seasonal and, for motor-
is valid for second-class travel for under-26s, ists, depend on the size of your vehicle. In
and costs US$394 for 15 days, and up to general the further you book ahead, the
US$1108 for three months. cheaper the fare and it’s well worth playing
around with dates and times to find the best
France Rail Pass deals: midweek, midday sailings are usually
Non-Europeans can buy the France cheapest. Return fares are now available for
Rail Pass before arriving in France. This as little as £60 (if you book online) for a car
entitles the holder to three days’ unlim- and five passengers with SpeedFerries on
ited train travel over a one-month period the Dover–Boulogne route, while companies
for US$238/AUS$300/NZ$350/R1670 (first offering the Dover–Calais route charge in the
class) or US$202/AUS$260/NZ$290/R1415 region of £100. Return fares from Ireland
(second class), with the option of buying up (Cork–Roscoff) start at around E450.
to six additional days’ travel at US$36/31, Most ferry companies also offer fares
AUS$46/40, NZ$52/45 or R250/217 per for foot passengers, from £15 one way;
day. There are discounts for travellers under accompanying bicycles can usually be
26, those over 60 and for two or more carried free in low season, though there may
people travelling together. be a small charge during peak periods.

Ferries Buses
Though slower than travelling by plane or via Eurolines, a network of European bus
the Channel Tunnel, the ferries and catama- companies, offers services from London
rans plying between Dover and Calais offer Victoria to most major French cities, crossing
the most frequent services to France from the Channel by ferry or Eurotunnel depend-
the UK K and are particularly convenient if ing on the time of day. Prices are lower than
you live in southeast England. Even if your for the same journey by train, with standard
starting point is west of London, it may still adult return fares starting at around £44 to
be worth heading to one of the south-coast Paris, £52 to Lille and £66 each to Lyon,
ports and catching a ferry to Brittany or Bordeaux and Toulouse; there are discounts
Normandy, though some routes have been for return journeys booked a month in
cut following stiff competition from the Chan- advance. Regional return fares from the rest
nel Tunnel. If you’re coming from the north of England and from Wales are available, as
of England or Scotland, you could consider are student and youth discounts. Eurolines
the overnight crossings from Hull (14hr) and also offers a pass for Europe-wide travel, for
Rosyth (18hr) to Zeebrugge in Belgium oper- fifteen or thirty days. Prices range from £135
ated by P&O Ferries and Superfast Ferries for an adult fifteen-day pass in low season

Travelling with pets from the UK

If you wish to take your dog (or cat) to France, the Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)
enables you to avoid putting it in quarantine when re-entering the UK as long as
certain conditions are met. Current regulations are available on the Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website W www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/ 31
quarantine/index.htm or through the PETS Helpline (T0870 241 1710).

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 (£115 for under-26s and over-60s) to £299
Airlines
for a peak-season thirty-day pass (£245 for
under-26s and over-60s). Aer Lingus UK T0870 876 5000, Republic of
Also worth investigating is Busabout, a Ireland T0818/365 000, US and Canada
B A S ICS

hop-on, hop-off bus network which runs T1-800-IRISH-AIR; Wwww.aerlingus.com.

on three cross-continental circuits (“loops”) Regular flights from Dublin and Cork to eight French
between May and October. Loops depart destinations, plus direct flights to Dublin from
Chicago, LA, New York and Boston.
| Getting there

from Paris every two to three days, heading

north, south or west. The western loop covers Air Canada T1-888-247-2262, Wwww
Paris, Nice, Avignon, Bordeaux and Tours, .aircanada.com. Direct flights to Paris from Toronto
and Montréal.
taking in some of Switzerland and passing
Air France UK T0870 142 4343, US T 1-800-
through Spain on its way. If you want to start
237-2747, Canada T1-800-667-2747, Australia
in London, you can also add on a London–
T1300 390 190, South Africa T 0861 340 340;
Paris link for £25 single, £39 return. Passes
Wwww.airfrance.com. Flights from the UK, US,
are valid for the entire season, and cost £275 Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa to
for one loop, £450 for two, and £575 for all airports across France.
three. Alternatively, you can buy a flexipass Air Tahiti Nui US T1-877-824-4846, Australia
which allows you to choose six stops for T02/9244 2799, New Zealand T09/308 3360;
£225. See p.34 for contact details. Wwww.airtahitinui-usa.com. Direct flights to
Paris from New York and LA, and from Sydney and
Airlines, agents and Auckland via the US.
operators Air Transat Canada T1-877-872-6728, Wwww
.airtransat.com. Charter flights from Montréal,
There are a vast number of travel agents and
Ottowa, Québec and Toronto to Paris, and from
tour operators offering holidays in France,
Montréal to six other French cities.
with options varying from luxury, château-
American Airlines US T1-800-433-7300,
based breaks to adventure trips involving
Australia T1300 650 7347, New Zealand T0800
skiing and hiking. The following pages list 887 997; Wwww.aa.com. Flights from the US and
the most useful contacts. Australasia to Paris.
Austrian Airlines US T1-800-843-0002,
Online booking Australia T1800 642 438; Wwww.aua.com.
Many airlines and discount travel websites From New York, Washington, Toronto, Melbourne and
Sydney to Paris via Vienna.
offer you the opportunity to book your tick-
bmi UK T0870 607 0555, Republic of Ireland
ets, hotels and holiday packages online,
T01/407 3036, US T 1-800-788-0555;
cutting out the costs of agents and middle-
Wwww.flybmi.com. Direct to Paris, Nice and
men. These are worth investigating, as long
Toulouse from the UK and Ireland, and from across
as you don’t mind the inflexibility of non- the US via the UK.
refundable, non-changeable deals. There are bmibaby UK T0870 264 2229, Republic of Ireland
some bargains to be had on auction sites T1890 340 122; Wwww.bmibaby.com. Budget
too, if you’re prepared to bid keenly. Also, flights from UK and Ireland to Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux,
almost all airlines have their own websites Toulouse, Nice and Perpignan.
(see below), offering tickets that can be just British Airways UK T0870 850 9850, Republic of
as cheap and which may be more flexible. Ireland T1890 626 747, US and Canada T 1-800-
W www.expedia.co.uk (in UK), Wwww.expedia. AIRWAYS, Australia T1300 767 177, New Zealand
com (in US), Wwww.expedia.ca (in Canada) T09/966 9777, South Africa T 011/441 8600;
W www.lastminute.com (in UK), W www Wwww.ba.com. Direct flights from UK to France,
.lastminute.com.au (in Australia) with connections via London from the US, Canada,
W www.opodo.co.uk (in UK) Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Wwww.orbitz.com (in US) Cathay Pacific Australia T13 1747, New Zealand
Wwww.travelocity.co.uk (in UK), Wwww T09/379 0861; Wwww.cathaypacific.com. From
.travelocity.com (in US), Wwww.travelocity Australia and New Zealand via Hong Kong to Paris.
32 .ca (in Canada) Continental Airlines T1-800-231-0856,
W www.zuji.com.au (in Australia), Wwww.continental.com. Direct flights from New
W www.zuji.co.nz (in New Zealand) York JFK to Paris.

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 Delta US and Canada T 1-800-221-1212, W www Ryanair UK T0871 246 0000, Republic of Ireland
.delta.com. Direct flights to Paris from New York, LA, T 0818 303 030; Wwww.ryanair.com. Budget
Boston and Chicago. flights to 18 French destinations from the UK and
easyJet UK W www.easyjet.com. Budget Ireland, including Biarritz, Carcassonne, Limoges,

B A S ICS
flights to Bordeaux, Geneva, Grenoble, La Rochelle, Lyon, Nantes, Paris and Rodez.
Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris and Toulouse from across Singapore Airlines Australia T13 1011, New
the UK. Zealand T 0800 808 909; W www.singaporeair
Emirates Australia T02/9290 9700, New .com. From Australia and New Zealand to Paris via

| Getting there
Zealand T 09/968 2200, South Africa T0861/364 Singapore.
728; Wwww.emirates.com. From Johannesburg, South African Airways South Africa T 0861 359
Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Auckland and 722, Wwww.flysaa.com. Flights from South
Christchurch to Paris via Dubai. Africa to Paris, Lyon and Nice. Code shares with
flyBE UK T 0870 889 0908, Republic of Ireland Lufthansa.
T1890/925 532; Wwww.flybe.com. Budget flights Thai Airways Australia T 1300 651 960, New
from across the UK to Angers, Avignon, Bergerac, Zealand T 09/377 3886; Wwww.thaiair.com. Paris
Bordeaux, Brest, Chambéry, Geneva, Limoges, Nice, via Bangkok from Australia and New Zealand.
Paris, Perpignan, Rennes and Toulouse. Thomsonfly.com UK T0870 1900 737, Republic
Gulf Air Australia T1300 366 337, South Africa of Ireland T01247 77723; Wwww.thomsonfly.
T011/202 7626; Wwww.gulfairco.com. Sydney com. Budget flights from Doncaster and Coventry to
and Johannesburg to Paris via Bahrain or Muscat. Paris, and Coventry and Bournemouth to Grenoble.
Iberia US T1-800-772-4642, Wwww.iberia.com. United Airlines US T1-800-241-6522, Wwww
Flights from the US and Canada to airports across .united.com. Nonstop to Paris from Chicago, Boston,
France via Madrid, Spain. Philadelphia, New York and Washington DC.
JAL (Japan Airlines) Australia T02/9272 1111, US Airways US and Canada T 1-800-428-4322,
New Zealand T 09/379 9906; Wwww.jal.com. Wwww.usair.com. Direct from Philadelphia to Paris.
From Australia and New Zealand to Paris via Japan.
Jet2 UK T 0871 226 1737, W www.jet2.com. Agents and operators
Budget flights to Paris, Nice and Chambéry from the
north of England. Belle France UK T0870 405 4056, Wwww
KLM Australia T 1300 303 747, New Zealand .bellefrance.co.uk. Walking, cycling and boating
T 09/309 1782, South Africa T082/2345 747; holidays throughout France.
Wwww.klm.com. Flights from Australia, New Zealand Bonnes Vacances Direct UK T 0870 7607 071,
and South Africa via Amsterdam. Wwww.bvdirect.co.uk. Agent for property owners in
Korean Air Australia T02/9262 6000, New France for self-catering and B&B accommodation.
Zealand T 09/914 2000; W www.koreanair.com. To Canvas Holidays UK T0870 192 1154, W www
Paris via Korea from Australia and New Zealand. .canvas.co.uk. Tailor-made caravan and camping
Lufthansa US T1-800-645-3880, Canada holidays.
T 1-800-563-5954, Australia T1300 655 727, Château to Château France
New Zealand T 09/303 1529, South Africa T+33 (0)6.19.75.30.23, Wwww.chateautochateau
T 0861/842538; Wwww.lufthansa.com. From .com. Upmarket wine and perfume tours, cycling
major cities in the US, plus Australia, New Zealand holidays and spa and golfing breaks.
and South Africa, to airports across France, all via Chez Nous UK T0870 197 1000, Wwww
Frankfurt. .cheznous.com. Search over 4000 self-catering and
Malaysia Airlines Australia T03/2979 9997, B&B properties online.
New Zealand T 0800 777 747; W www.malaysia Corsican Places UK T0845 330 2059, Wwww
-airlines.com. From Australia and New Zealand to .corsica.co.uk. Corsica specialists.
Paris via Kuala Lumpur. Crown Blue Line UK T0870 160 5634, W www
MyTravelLite UK T0870 241 5333, Wwww .crownblueline.com. Good-value self-drive canal
.mytravellite.com. From across the UK to Grenoble holidays all over France.
for the ski season. Cycling for Softies UK T0161/2488 282,
Northwest Airlines US T1-800-225-2525, Wwww.cycling-for-softies.co.uk. Easy-going cycle
W www.nwa.com. Flights from across the US to holiday operator to rural France.
France via Amsterdam. ebookers UK T0800/082 3000, Republic of
Qantas Australia T13 13 13, New Zealand Ireland T01/488 3507; W www.ebookers.com. Low 33
T0800 808 767; Wwww.qantas.com. Airports fares on an extensive selection of scheduled flights
across Australia to Paris via Singapore. and package deals.

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 Euro-Bike & Walking Tours US & Canada Wwww.trailfinders.com. One of the best-informed
T1-800-321-6060, Wwww.eurobike.com. Good and most efficient agents for independent travellers.
range of bike and walking tours all over France for Winetrails UK T 01306/712 111, W www
family groups or solo travellers. .winetrails.co.uk. Walking, cycling and gourmet
B A S ICS

Eurocamp UK T0870 901 9410, W www holidays in the main French wine regions.
.eurocamp.co.uk. Camping holidays with kids’
activities and single-parent deals. Rail, Channel Tunnel and bus contacts
Fields Fairway France T+33 (0)3.21.33.65.64,
| Getting there

Busabout UK T020/7950 1661, Wwww

Wwww.fieldsfairway.co.uk. British-run, France-
.busabout.com. In the US, Busabout passes are
based company offering all-inclusive golfing holidays.
available from STA Travel (see above).
France Afloat UK T 0870 011 0538, W www
Eurolines UK T 0870 580 8080, Republic of
.franceafloat.com. Canal and river cruises across
Ireland T01/836 6111; Wwww.nationalexpress
France.
.com/eurolines. For all Eurolines tickets and passes.
France Holiday Store Wwww.fr-holidaystore
European Rail UK T020/7387 0444, Wwww
.co.uk. Wide range of holidays.
.europeanrail.com. Provides itineraries and booking
French Life Ski UK T0870 336 2886, Wwww
for a £5 fee which you can redeem against any tickets
.frenchlifeski.co.uk. Skiing package deals and
you buy.
accommodation across France.
Eurostar UK T 0870 160 6600, W www
French Travel Connection Australia T02/9966
.eurostar.com.
1177, Wwww.frenchtravel.com.au. Offers large
Eurotunnel UK T0870 535 3535, Wwww
range of holidays to France.
.eurotunnel.com.
Headwater UK T 01606/720033, USA & Canada
International Rail UK T 0870 751 5000, Wwww
through Breakaway Adventures T1-800-567-
.international-rail.com. Sell InterRail and France
6286, Australia & New Zealand through Adventure
Rail Pass.
World, Australia T 02/8913 0700, New Zealand
Rail Europe (SNCF French Railways) UK
T 09/524 5118; W www.headwater.com. UK-based
T0870 584 8848, Wwww.raileurope.co.uk; US
operator offering walking, cycling and canoeing tours
T1-877-257-2887, Canada T 1-800-361-RAIL,
throughout France.
Wwww.raileurope.com. Discounted rail fares for
Holiday France Wwww.holidayfrance.org.uk.
under-26s; also agents for Eurostar, and sell InterRail
Website that allows you to search for French tour
(UK only), Eurail and France Rail Pass.
operators by holiday type and location.
Rail Plus Australia T1300 555 003 or 03/9642
Keycamp Holidays UK T0870 700 0740,
8644, W www.railplus.com.au. Sells Eurail passes
Wwww.keycamp.com. Caravan and camping
and tickets.
holidays, including transport to France.
Trainseurope UK T0900 195 0101, Wwww
Locaboat France T +33 (0)3.86.91.72.72,
.trainseurope.co.uk. InterRail passes, as well as other
Wwww.locaboat.com. France-based company
train tickets.
specializing in holidays on pénichettess (scaled-down
replicas of commercial barges).
Ferry contacts
North South Travel UK T01245/608 291,
W www.northsouthtravel.co.uk. Friendly, competitive Brittany Ferries UK T0870 366 5333,
travel agency, offering discounted fares worldwide. W www.brittanyferries.co.uk; Republic of Ireland
Profits are used to support projects in the developing T021/4277 801, Wwww.brittanyferries.ie.
world, especially the promotion of sustainable tourism. Plymouth to Roscoff, Cherbourg and St-Malo and
Rascals in Paradise US T415/921-7000, Santander (March–Nov/Dec only); Poole to Cherbourg;
Wwww.rascalsinparadise.com. Customized Portsmouth to Caen, Cherbourg and St-Malo; and
itineraries built around activities for kids. Cork to Roscoff (March–Oct only).
STA Travel UK T 0870 1630 026, US T1-800- Condor Ferries UK T0870 243 5140, Wwww
781-4040, Canada T1-888-427-5639, Australia .condorferries.co.uk. Poole to Cherbourg and St-Malo
T 1300 733 035, New Zealand T0508/782 872, (both May–Sept); Portsmouth to Cherbourg (May–Sept);
South Africa T 0861/781 781; W www.statravel and Weymouth to St-Malo via the Channel Islands.
.com. Worldwide specialists in independent travel; EuroDrive UK T0870 423 5540, Wwww
also student IDs, travel insurance, car rental, rail .eurodrive.co.uk. Cut-price fares for people taking
passes, and more. Good discounts for students and their cars across the Channel.
34 under-26s. Ferry Savers UK T0870 990 8492, Wwww
Trailfinders UK T 0845 058 5858, Republic of .ferrysavers.com. Useful for price comparisons
Ireland T 01/677 7888, Australia T 1300 780 212; between operators.

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 Irish Ferries UK T 0870 517 1717, Republic Sea France UK T0870 443 1653, W www
of Ireland T 0818/300 400; W www.irishferries. .seafrance.com. Dover to Calais.
com. Rosslare to Cherbourg and Roscoff SpeedFerries UK T 0870 220 0570, W www
(March–Sept). .speedferries.com. Dover to Boulogne.

B A S ICS
Norfolkline UK T 0870 870 1020, W www Superfast Ferries UK T0870 234 0870, W www
.norfolkline.com. Dover to Dunkerque. .superfast.com. Rosyth to Zeebrugge (Belgium).
P&O Ferries UK T 0870 598 0333, W www Transmanche Ferries UK T0800 917 1201,
.poferries.com. Dover to Calais and Portsmouth to W www.transmancheferries.com. Newhaven to

| Getting around
Bilbao. Dieppe.

Getting around
With the most extensive train network in Western Europe, France is a great coun-
try in which to travel by rail. The nationally owned French train company, SNCF
(Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer), runs fast, efficient trains between the
main towns. Buses cover the rural areas, but services can be rather sporadic, with
departures often at awkward times. If you really want to get off the beaten track,
by far the best option is to have your own transport.

Flying within France has the obvious advan- systems in the world. Its staff are generally
tage of speed, but is only recommended for courteous and helpful, and its trains – for the
those with deep pockets who are short on most part, fast, clean and reliable – continue,
time. Aside from Corsica, which can also be in spite of the closure of some rural lines, to
reached by air, France’s islands are serviced serve the vast part of the country.
only by ferries, some of which are seasonal
and not all of which are equipped to carry Trains
vehicles.
Pride and joy of the French rail system is the
For independent transport, by car, motor-r
high-speed TGV V (train à grande vitesse),
bike or bicycle, you’ll need to be aware of
capable of speeds of over 300kph, and its
a number of French road rules and pecu-
offspring Eurostar. The continually expanding
liarities. The extensive network of inland
TGV network has its main hub at Paris, from
waterways in France makes boating a very where a main line heads north to Lille, and
pleasant way of exploring the country. Long- two other trunk routes head south: one down
distance walking is also extremely popular; the east side of the country to Marseille and
for information on walking, canoeing and the Mediterranean, the other west to Tours,
other similar activities, see “Sports and Bordeaux and the Spanish frontier. Spur lines
outdoor activities”. service Brittany and Normandy, the Alps,
Approximate journey times and frequen- Pyrenees and Jura, while from June 2007 a
cies of the main train, bus, plane and ferry brand new line should be up and running east
services can be found in the “Travel details” from Paris to Reims, Nancy and Strasbourg.
at the end of each chapter. As well as the traditional TGV, a new style
high-speed train, the iDTGV (Wwww.idtgv
By train .com) was introduced in 2004 in order to
SNCF (T08.92.35.35.35, Wwww.voyages compete with the budget airlines. The trains 35
-sncf.com) has pioneered one of the most come with all mod cons, such as facililties
efficient, comfortable and user-friendly railway to watch DVDs and play computer games

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| B A S ICS

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 | B A S ICS

37

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 onboard. Currently available on routes from tion charge is included in the ticket price (seat
Paris to Marseille, Montpellier, Nice and reservations are obligatory) and you have
Bordeaux, tickets are sold online only and to pay a supplement on certain peak-hour
non-refundable. SNCF’s Corail Téoz trains trains ((période de pointe), generally on Friday
B A S ICS

run from Paris to Strasbourg, Bordeaux and and Sunday evenings, Monday mornings and
Nice and, although not as fast as the TGV, public holidays. On night trains an extra E15
have good facilities such as child-friendly or so will buy you a couchette – well worth it if
| Getting around

carriages with extra space, roomy chang- you’re making a long haul and don’t want to
ing areas, and bottle warmers. Meanwhile, if waste a day recovering from a sleepless night.
you’re travelling overnight, the Corail Lunéa
are comfortable sleeper trains. The lowest Discounts and rail passes
class train running in France is the TER, or
There are plenty of discounts available on rail
regional express train, which you’ll find away
travel, with a certain number of discounted
from all the major routes.
fares allocated to each service. The Décou-
Aside from the regular lines there are a
verte fares offer 25 percent discounts to a
number of special tourist trains, usually not
whole range of people: couples travelling on
part of the SNCF system or covered by normal
return tickets; adults travelling with children
rail passes, though some offer a discount to
under the age of 12; 12 to 25-year-olds; and
rail pass holders. One of the most popular is
over-60s. There is also a Découverte Séjour
the spectacular Train Jaune which winds its
discount available on return tickets for jour-
way up through the Pyrenees (see p.836).
neys over 200km which include a Saturday
night away. As well as the Découverte fares,
Tickets and fares
there are usually a limited number of tickets
Tickets for all SNCF trains can be bought on each service available at up to 50 per
online (see p.35) or at any train station ((gare cent less if you book at least two weeks in
SNCF).F It’s easiest to use the counter serv- advance. Check online for details.
ice, though if there are language problems SNCF also offers a range of travel cards,
or long queues, there is a touch-screen which are valid for one year, and can be
computerized system which gives instruc- purchased from a number of sources: on their
tions in English available in most stations. All website; through Rail Europe; through most
tickets – but not passes – must be validated travel agents in France and from main gares
in the orange machines located beside the SNCF. These cost from E50 and apply to the
entrance to the platforms, and it’s an offence same groups as the Découverte fares listed
not to follow the instruction, Compostez above, but guarantee the reduction (useful in
votre billett (“validate your ticket”). case all the cheaper fares have already been
Regional timetables and leaflets covering sold). In addition, those aged between 26 and
particular lines are available free at stations. 59 can purchase a Carte Escapades (E85),
The word Autocarr (often abbreviated to which entitles the holder up to a 40 percent
car)
r at the top of a column signifies that the reduction on normal, white-period fares.
route is covered by an SNCF bus service, Non-Europeans also have the option of
on which rail tickets and passes are valid. picking up the France Rail Pass before
Timetables are divided into période blanche arriving in France. For information on this
(normal or white period), and période bleue and other passes available outside the coun-
(off-peak or blue period), the latter being the try, see “Getting there” (p.30).
cheapest times to travel.
Prices are reasonable, at least compared By bus
with the UK, with sample one-way fares The most convenient bus services are those
from Paris to Toulouse by TGV coming in at run by SNCF, which join train stations and
around E80/£55/$102, and from Paris to Nice serve areas not accessible by rail. In addi-
E100/£69/$127, though cheaper fares are tion to SNCF buses, private, municipal and
38 available on some routes with the new iDTGV departmental buses can be useful for local
(see p.35). The only differences between and some cross-country journeys, though
TGV and other train fares are that a reserva- if you want to see much outside the main

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 towns be prepared for early starts and careful which provide huge, sweeping views of
planning – the timetable is often constructed the countryside. Happily, because of the
to suit working, market and school hours. As size and shape of the country, congestion
a rule, all buses are cheaper and slower than is rarely a problem. This is equally true of

B A S ICS
trains. the older main roads, or routes nationales
Larger towns usually have a gare routière (marked RN116 or just N116, for example,
(bus station), often next to the gare SNCF. on signs and maps), and the minor routes

| Getting around
However, the private bus companies don’t départementales or itinéraire bis (marked
always work together and you’ll frequently with a D). Do not shun these latter: you can
find them leaving from an array of different often travel for kilometres across country,
points (the local tourist office should be able seeing few other cars, on a road as broad
to help locate them). and well maintained as a major road. These
In addition to the SNCF, Eurolines (see alternative routes are usually signposted with
p.31) runs a number of routes through the special green “Bison Futé” road signs.
country with prices starting at around e30. Of course, there are times when it’s wiser
not to drive: most obviously in big urban
By ferry agglomerations; around major seaside
resorts in high season; and at peak holiday
The majority of France’s coastal islands,
migrations such as the beginning and end
which are concentrated around Brittany and
of the month-long August holiday, and the
the Côte d’Azur, can only be reached by
notoriously congested weekends nearest
ferry. Small local companies run services,
July 14 and August 15.
with timetables and prices varying accord-
ing to season. Some routes have a reduced Practicalities
schedule or cease to operate completely in
winter months, while in high season book- US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand,
ing ahead is recommended on all but the South African and all EU driving licences
most frequent services. Information on these are valid in France, though an International
local companies is listed in the Brittany and Driver’s Licence makes life easier. The mini-
Normandy and Côte d’Azur chapters in the mum driving age is 18 and you must hold
Guide. For details of ferry services from the a full (not a provisional) licence. Drivers are
mainland to Corsica, see p.1206. required to carry their licence with them
when driving, and you should also have the
By air insurance papers with you in the car. If the
vehicle is rented, its registration document
Unless you’re travelling from the mainland to
(carte grise) must also be carried.
Corsica, you’re unlikely to need to use any
All the major car manufacturers have
of France’s domestic air services, though if
garages and service stations in France,
you’ve come from outside Europe you may
which can help if you run into mechani-
be able to get a good deal on add-on flights
cal difficulties. You can find them listed in
(see p.28). Air France operates the most
the Yellow Pages of the phone book under
routes within the country, although competi-
“Garages d’automobiles”; for breakdowns,
tion is hotting up, with the likes of easyJet
look under “Dépannages”. If you have an
running internal cut-price flights from Paris
accident or break-in, you should contact
to Toulouse, Nice and Geneva. You may also
the local police – keeping a copy of their
be able to pick up an internal flight on some report – in order to make an insurance claim.
of the foreign airlines (such as Lufthansa) Within Europe, most car insurance policies
whose routes include intermediate stops cover taking your own car to France; check
within France. For details of airlines operat- with your insurer while planning your trip.
ing within France, see “Getting there” p.32. However, you’re advised to take out extra
cover for motoring assistance in case your
By car car breaks down. 39
Driving in France can be a real pleasure, Note that petrol stations in rural areas
with a magnificent network of autoroutes tend to be few and far between, and those

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 Driving distances (in km)
Avignon Biarritz Bordeaux Calais Dijon Grenoble La Rochelle Le Havre Lyon
Avignon 630 576 990 424 220 751 889 235
B A S ICS

Biarritz 630 203 174 851 830 387 887 846

Bordeaux 576 203 871 641 679 184 686 593
| Getting around

Calais 990 174 871 569 867 702 272 751

Dijon 424 851 641 569 274 568 504 187
Grenoble 220 830 679 867 274 658 742 108
La Rochelle 751 387 184 702 568 658 464 552
Le Havre 889 887 686 272 504 742 464 643
Lyon 235 846 593 751 187 108 552 643
Marseille 118 702 645 1062 507 268 771 948 313
Montpellier 101 550 486 993 492 293 617 872 301
Nice 265 874 818 1144 598 322 934 1049 426
Paris 693 787 582 268 311 547 453 197 452
Perpignan 253 510 443 1098 635 431 610 964 448
Reims 715 938 730 262 274 554 597 327 461
St Malo 1034 730 539 506 633 807 321 240 695
Strasbourg 734 1146 948 591 310 514 843 637 441
Toulouse 334 312 253 937 617 521 409 768 471
Tours 713 551 344 476 394 530 232 285 427

that do exist usually open only during normal their headlights to dip to the right. This is
shop hours – don’t count on being able most easily done by sticking on black glare
to buy petrol at night and on Sunday. An deflectors, which can be bought at most
increasing number of stations are equipped motor accessory shops, and at the Channel
with automated 24-hour pumps, but many ferry ports or the Eurostar terminal. It is more
of these only work with French bank cards. complicated if your car is fitted with modern
Petrol prices have risen steadily in recent High-Intensity Discharge (HID) or halogen-
years and at the time of writing were around type lights; check with your dealer about
E1.29 a litre for unleaded (sans plomb), how to adjust these well in advance.
E1.25 a litre for four-star (super)
r and E1 a It is a legal requirement that cars not fitted
litre for diesel (gazole
( or gasoil);
l you’ll find with flashing warning lights must carry a red
prices lowest at out-of-town hypermarkets. warning triangle (and it’s highly recom-
Most autoroutes have tolls: rates vary, mended to carry one in any case, since lights
but to give you an idea, travelling only can fail or you might break down on a blind
by motorway from Calais to Montpellier corner). You are also strongly advised to
would cost you roughly E64; pay in cash carry a spare set of bulbs, a fire extinguisher
or by credit card at the frequent tollgates and a first-aid kit. Seat belts are compulsory
(
(péages ). You can work out routes and and children under 10 years are not allowed
costs of both petrol and tolls online at the to sit in the front of the car. It is illegal to use
useful W www.viamichelin.com. a hand-held mobile phone while driving.
The law of priorité à droite – giving way to
Rules of the road traffic coming from your right, even when it is
40
coming from a minor road – is being slowly
Since the French drive on the right, drivers
phased out as it’s a major cause of acci-
of right-hand-drive British cars must adjust

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 Marseille Montpellier Nice Paris Perpignan Reims St Malo Strasbourg Toulouse Tours
118 101 265 693 253 715 1034 734 334 713

B A S ICS
702 550 874 787 510 938 730 1146 312 551
645 486 818 582 443 730 539 948 253 344

| Getting around
1062 993 1144 268 1098 262 506 591 937 476
507 492 598 311 635 274 633 310 617 394
268 293 322 547 431 554 807 514 521 530
771 617 934 453 610 597 321 843 409 232
948 872 1049 197 964 327 240 637 768 285
313 301 426 452 448 461 695 441 471 427
162 190 769 308 775 982 758 388 704
162 326 724 148 761 882 743 231 627
190 326 872 471 874 1131 740 558 857
769 724 872 823 147 370 441 660 228
308 148 471 823 883 931 890 197 682
775 761 874 147 883 501 327 789 367
982 882 1131 370 931 501 808 728 280
758 743 740 441 890 327 808 912 637
388 231 558 660 197 789 728 912 491
704 627 857 228 682 367 280 637 491

dents. However, it still applies on some roads with the car’s insurance documents. For
in built-up areas and the occasional rounda- minor driving offences such as speeding,
bout, so it pays to be vigilant at junctions. A the police can impose on-the-spot fines. For
sign showing a yellow diamond on a white anything more serious, you could lose your
background indicates that you have right of licence.
way, while the same sign with a diagonal Unless otherwise indicated speed limits
black slash across it warns you that vehi- are: 130kph (80mph) on autoroutes; 110kph
cles emerging from the right have priority. (68mph) on dual carriageways; 90kph
Stop signs mean you must stop completely; (55mph) on other roads; and 50kph (31mph)
Cédez le passage means “Give way”. in towns. In wet weather, and for drivers with
If you have an accident while driving, you less than two years’ experience, these limits
must fill in and sign a constat d’accident are 110kph (68mph), 100kph (62mph) and
(declaration form) or, if another car is also
80kph (50mph) respectively; the town limit is
involved, a constat aimable (jointly agreed
the same. The police are cracking down hard
declaration); these forms should be provided
on speeding in a bid to reduce the shock-

Road information
For up-to-the-minute information regarding traffic jams and road works on auto-
routes throughout France, ring T 08.92.68.10.77 (E0.34/min; French only) or consult
the bilingual website W www.autoroutes.fr. Traffic information for other roads can
be obtained from the Bison Futé recorded information service (T08.26.02.20.22; 41
E0.15/min; French only) or their website W www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr.

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 ingly high accident rate in France. Radars people over 25 unless an extra insurance
are being installed along main roads and premium, typically around E20–23 per
there are stiff penalties for driving violations, day, is paid (and you still must be over 21
which can mean fines of up to E9000 and and have driven for at least one year). OTU
B A S ICS

a suspended licence. The standard fine for Voyages (T 01.55.82.32.32, W www.otu.fr),

exceeding the speed limit by 20kph (12mph), the student travel agency, can arrange car
for example, is E90; above 40kph (25mph) rental for drivers under 25, with prices begin-
ning at E110 for a weekend.
| Getting around

you will not only be fined but will also have to

go to court. The alcohol limit is 0.05 percent
(50 mg per litre of blood) and random breath Car rental agencies
tests are increasingly common. Alamo US T1-800-462-5266, Wwww.alamo.com.
Apex New Zealand T 0800 939597 Wwww
Car rental .apexrentals.co.nz.
Auto Europe US and Canada T1-888-223-5555,
Car rental in France costs upwards of E70
Wwww.autoeurope.com.
a day and E250 for a week, but can be
Avis UK T 08706 060100, Republic of Ireland
cheaper if arranged before you leave home or T021/428 1111, US T1-800-230-4898, Canada
online. You’ll find the big firms represented at T1-800-272-5871, Australia T13 63 33 or
airports and in most major towns and cities; 02/9353 9000, New Zealand T09/526 2847 or
addresses are detailed throughout the Guide. 0800 655111, South Africa T0861 113 748;
Renting from airports normally includes a Wwww.avis.com.
surcharge. Local firms can be cheaper but Budget UK T08701 565656, Republic of Ireland
most don’t offer one-way rentals and you T09/0662 7711, US T1-800-527-0700, Canada
need to check the small print carefully. T1-800-268-8900, Australia T1300 362 848,
The cost of car rental includes car insur- r New Zealand T 0800 283438; Wwww.budget.com.
ance, though this will only cover the basic Dollar US T 1-866-434-2226, W www.dollar.com.
legal requirement. Under the standard Enterprise Rent-a-Car US T 1-800-261-7331,
contract you are liable for an excess (fran- Wwww.enterprise.com.
chise) of around E500 (for the smallest car) Europcar UK T08706 075000, Republic of Ireland
for any damage to the vehicle – most firms T01/614 2888, US & Canada T 1-877-940 6900,
Australia T 1300 131 390; Wwww.europcar.com.
accept a valid credit card rather than cash.
Europe by Car US T 1-800-223-1516, Wwww
You should return the car with a full tank of
.europebycar.com.
fuel to avoid paying an exorbitant fuel charge.
Hertz UK T 020/7026 0077, Republic of Ireland
North Americans and Australians in particu-
T01/870 5777, US T1-800-654-3131, Canada
lar should be forewarned that it’s difficult to T1-800-263-0600, Australia T08/9921 4052,
arrange the rental of a car with automatic New Zealand T 0800 654321, South Africa T 021
transmission; if you can’t drive a manual 935 4800; W www.hertz.com.
you should try to book an automatic well in Holiday Autos UK T0871 222 3200, Republic of
advance, possibly before you leave home, and Ireland T01/872 9366, Australia T1300 554 432,
be prepared to pay a much higher price for it. New Zealand T0800 144040; Wwww.holidayautos
Most rental companies will only deal with .co.uk.

Buy-back leasing schemes

If you are not resident in an EU country and will be touring France for between
17 days and six months, it’s worth investigating the special buy-back leasing
schemes operated by Peugeot (“Peugeot Open Europe”) and Renault (“Renault
Eurodrive”). Under these deals, you purchase a new car tax-free and the manu-
facturer guarantees to buy it back from you for an agreed price at the end of the
period. In general, the difference between the purchase and repurchase price works
out considerably less per day than the equivalent cost of car hire. Further details
42 are available from Peugeot and Renault dealers and online at Wwww.peugeot
-openeurope.com and W www.eurodrive.renault.com.

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 Canal and river trips
With over 7000km of navigable rivers and canals, boating can be one of the best
and most relaxed ways of exploring France. Except on parts of the Moselle, there’s

B A S ICS
no charge for use of the waterways, and you can travel without a permit for up to six
months in a year. For information on maximum dimensions, documentation, regula-
tions and so forth, contact Voies Navigables de France (VNF) (T03.21.63.24.24,
Wwww.vnf.fr), which has information (in French) on boating throughout France, and

| Getting around
details of firms that rent out boats. Expect to pay between E800 and E2000 per
week, depending on the season and level of comfort, for a four- to six-person boat.
Details of firms offering canal and river holidays can be found on p.33. For a full list
of rental firms operating in France contact the Fédération des Industries Nautiques
(T01.44.37.04.00, Wwww.france-nautic.com).
The principal areas for boating are Brittany, Burgundy, Picardy-Flanders, Alsace
and Champagne. Brittany’s canals join up with the Loire, but this is only navigable
as far as Angers. Other waterways permit numerous permutations, including
joining up via the Rhône and Saône with the Canal du Midi in Languedoc and then
northwestwards to Bordeaux and the Atlantic. The eighteenth-century Canal de
Bourgogne and 300-year-old Canal du Midi are fascinating examples of early canal
engineering. The latter, together with its continuation the Canal du Sète à Rhône,
passes within easy reach of several interesting areas.
The through-journey from the Channel to the Mediterranean requires some
planning. The Canal de Bourgogne has an inordinate number of locks, while other
waterways demand considerable skill and experience – the Rhône and Saône
rivers, for example, have tricky currents. The most direct route is from Le Havre to
just beyond Paris, then south along either Canal du Loing et de Briare or Canal du
Nivernais to the Canal Latéral à la Loire, which you follow as far as Digoin in south-
ern Burgundy, where it crosses the River Loire and meets the Canal du Centre. You
follow the latter as far as Châlon, from where you continue south on the Saône and
Rhône until you reach the Mediterranean at Port St-Louis in the Camargue.

National UK T 08704 004581, US T1-800- in Britain or the US. However, if you’re using
CAR-RENT, Australia T 02/131045, New Zealand a foreign-made bike with non-standard metric
T 03/366 5574; W www.nationalcar.com. wheels, it’s a good idea to carry spare tyres.
SIXT Republic of Ireland T 1850 206088, Wwww. The train network k runs various schemes
irishcarrentals.ie. for cyclists, all of them covered by the free
Suncars UK T08705 005566, Republic of Ireland leaflet, Train et Vélo, available from most
T1850/201416; Wwww.suncars.com. stations. A number of TGVs and other trains
Thrifty UK T 01494/751600, Republic of Ireland (marked with a bicycle in the timetable) allow
T0800 2728728, US & Canada T1-800-847- you to take a bike free either in the dedi-
4389, Australia T 1300 367 227, New Zealand cated bike racks or in the luggage van as
T0800 737070; Wwww.thrifty.com.
long as there’s space; in the latter case, it’s
a good idea to reserve a slot several days
By bicycle
in advance during busy periods, though this
Bicycles (vélos) have high status in France, will cost you E10. Otherwise, you can take
where cyclists are given respect both on the your dismantled bike, packed in a carrier, on
roads and as customers at restaurants and TGVs and other trains with sufficiently large
hotels. In addition, local authorities are actively luggage racks. Another option is to send
promoting cycling, not only with city cycle your bike parcelled up as registered luggage
lanes, but comprehensive networks linking for a fee of E39; delivery should take two
rural areas (frequently utilizing disused rail- days (though the service doesn’t operate 43
ways). Most towns have well-stocked repair at weekends). Eurostar allows you to take
shops, where parts are normally cheaper than your bicycle as part of your baggage allow-

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 ance provided it’s dismantled and packed in uk), can suggest routes and supply advice
a bag no more than 120cm by 90cm (phone for members (£33 a year or £53 for a family
T 08702 649899 for further details). If you’re of four, and £12 for under 26 years). They
already travelling with more than two pieces run a particularly good insurance scheme.
B A S ICS

of luggage, however, they encourage you to Companies offering specialist bike touring
send your bike unaccompanied with their holidays are listed on p.33.
registered baggage service, Esprit Europe
(T08705 850850, W www.espriteurope. By scooter and
| Getting around

co.uk), which costs £20 one way and has a motorbike

guaranteed arrival time of 24 hours; you can Scooters are relatively easy to find and,
register up to 24 hours before departure. though they’re not built for long-distance
Ferries usually take bikes free (though you travel, are ideal for pottering around local
may need to register first), as do airlines such areas. Places that rent out bicycles often
as British Airways and Air France, though also rent out scooters; expect to pay in the
some no-frills airlines charge – remember to region of E40 a day for a 50cc machine, less
check when making your booking. for longer periods. No licence is needed for
Bikes – usually mountain bikes (vélos tout bikes of 50cc and under, but for you’ll need
terrain or VTT) – are often available to rent a valid motorbike licence for anything larger.
from campsites and hostels, as well as from Rental prices for a motorbike are around
specialist cycle shops and some tourist E55 a day for a 125cc bike; expect to
offices; they usually cost around E15 per day. leave a hefty deposit by cash or credit card
The bikes are often not insured, however, too – over E1000 is the norm – which you
and you will be presented with the bill for a may lose in the event of damage or theft.
replacement if it’s stolen or damaged; check Remember to take along your passport or
your travel insurance policy for cover. some other form of photographic identity.
As for maps, a minimum requirement is Crash helmets are compulsory on all bikes,
the IGN 1:100,000 series (see p.75) – the whatever the size, and the headlight must
smallest scale that carries contours. The be switched on at all times. You are recom-
UK’s national cyclists’ association, the mended to carry a first-aid kit and a set of
CTC (T 08708 730060, Wwww.ctc.org. spare bulbs.

French addresses
Addresses in France are pretty straightforward, beginning with the house name or
number, street name and town, followed by region and postal code. Occasionally
you‘ll come across the name of a town followed by the word cedex; this means
simply that the recipient collects their mail from the post office rather than having it
delivered. The terms bis and terr following a house number indicate a subdivision of
the building, equivalent to A or B in the UK or the US.

44

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 Accommodation

B A S ICS
At most times of the year, you can turn up in any French town and find a room or

| Accommodation
a place in a campsite. Booking a couple of nights in advance can be reassuring,
however, as it saves you the effort of trudging round and ensures that you know
what you’ll be paying; many hoteliers, campsite managers and hostel managers
speak at least a little English. In most places, you’ll be able to get a simple double
for E30 or so, though expect to pay around E45 for a reasonable level of comfort.
Paris is more expensive, however, with equivalent rates of roughly E40 and E80.
We’ve detailed a selection of hotels throughout the Guide, and given a price range
for each (see box below); as a general rule the areas around train stations have
the highest density of cheap hotels.

Problems may arise between mid-July and possibilities, and some offer a booking serv-
the end of August, when the French take ice, though they can’t guarantee rooms at
their own vacations en masse. During this a particular price. With campsites, you can
period, hotel and hostel accommodation be more relaxed about finding an empty
can be hard to come by, particularly in the space, unless you’re touring with a caravan
coastal resorts, and you may find yourself or camper van or looking for a place on the
falling back on local tourist offices for help. Côte d’Azur.
In addition, big cities can be difficult through-
out the year: we’ve given a greater range of Hotels
possibilities for them in the Guide and very Most French hotels are graded from zero
detailed accommodation listings for Paris, to five stars. The price more or less corre-
the worst case of all. sponds to the number of stars, though the
All tourist offices can provide lists of hotels, system is a little haphazard, having more to
hostels, campsites and bed-and-breakfast do with ratios of bathrooms per guest and

Accommodation price categories

All the hotels and guesthouses listed in this book have been price coded accord-
ing to the scale below. The prices quoted are for the cheapest available double
room in high season, including tax (7 percent), and without breakfast, although
remember that many of the cheap places will also have more expensive rooms
with en-suite facilities. For accommodation in the 1 bracket, expect simple
rooms, with communal (dans le palier) r showers (douches) and toilets (WC or
toilettes); there may also be a charge to use them. At 2 , rooms tend to come with
their own bath or shower, though not necessarily a toilet, whilst 3 will probably
guarantee you a separate bathroom (salle
( de bain) and TV. At around 4 , accom-
modation will be comfortable and en suite, if not state-of-the-art; anything from
5 upwards tends towards luxury, with all the mod cons you would expect, except
in the larger cities, where luxury rooms tend to start at around 6 . Rooms from 7
upwards will be increasingly plush, and there will be decent breakfast buffets. By
the time they get to a 9 , sumptuous rooms will often be accompanied by a sauna,
gym, swimming pool and many other services.

1 Under E30 4 E55–70 7 E100–125

2 E30–40 5 E70–85 8 E125–150 45
3 E40–55 6 E85–100 9 Over E150

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 handpicked
hotels...
B A S ICS

perfect prices!
|

...in France

2 star
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inc. breakfast
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2 star to deluxe, hotels and apartments

handpicked, vetted and honestly reviewed
city info, map and hotel brochure provided
award winning service from our knowledgeable staff

book now on:

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0845 230 8888
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*prices are per person per night
based on a twin/double room,
subject to availability

00 France Basics 25-80.indd

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 so forth than genuine quality, and some a three-person room with communal toilets
unclassified and single-star hotels can actu- and showers) and biggest is the one-star
ally be very good. What you get for your Formule 1 chain (T 08.92.68.56.85, W www
money varies enormously between estab- .hotelformule1.com). Other budget chains

B A S ICS
lishments; for a general guide see the box include B&B (T 08.92.78.29.29, W www
on p.45. Single rooms – if the hotel has any .hotel-bb.com), the slightly more comfort-
– are only marginally cheaper than doubles, able Première Classe (T 08.25.00.30.03,
Wwww.premiereclasse.fr) and Etap Hôtel

| Accommodation
so sharing always slashes costs, especially
since most hotels willingly provide rooms (T08.92.68.89.00, W www.etaphotel.com).
with extra beds for three or more people at More upmarket but still affordable chains
good discounts. are Ibis (T 08.92.68.66.86, Wwww.ibishotel
Big cities tend to have a good variety of .com) and Campanile (T 01.64.62.46.00,
cheap establishments; in small towns or Wwww.campanile.fr), where en-suite rooms
villages, you may not be so lucky. Swanky with satellite TV and direct-dial phones cost
resorts, particularly those on the Côte from around E40–50.
d’Azur, have very high prices in July and There are a number of well-respected
August, but even these are still cheaper than hotel federations in France. The biggest
Paris, which is far more expensive than the and most useful of these is Logis de France
rest of the country. If you’re staying for more (T 01.45.84.83.84, Wwww.logis-de-france
than three nights in a hotel it’s often possible .fr), an association of over 3500 hotels
to negotiate a lower price, particularly out of nationwide. They produce a free annual
season. guide, available in French tourist offices (see
Breakfast, which is not normally included p.79), from Logis de France itself and from
in the quoted price, will add between E5 member hotels. Two other, more upmarket
and E15 per person to a bill, sometimes federations worth mentioning are Châteaux
more – though there is no obligation to take & Hôtels de France (T 01.72.72.92.02,
it. The cost of eating dinnerr in a hotel’s W www.chateauxhotels.com) and the Relais
restaurant can be a more important factor to du Silence (T 01.44.49.90.00, W www
bear in mind when deciding where to stay. .silencehotel.com), both of which offer
It’s actually illegal for hotels to insist on your high-class accommodation in beautiful
taking half board (demi-pension), though older properties, often in rural locations.
you’ll come across some that do, especially Over thirty cities in France participate in
during the summer peak. This is not always the “Bon Weekend en Villes” programme,
such a bad thing, however, since the food whereby you get two nights for the price of
may be excellent and you can sometimes one at participating hotels. In most cases
get a real bargain. the offer is restricted to the winter period
Note that many family-run hotels close (Nov–March). Further details are avail-
for two or three weeks a year in low season. able from tourist offices or online at W www
In smaller towns and villages they may also .bon-week-end-en-villes.com.
close for one or two nights a week, usually
Sunday or Monday. Details are given where Bed and breakfast and
relevant in the Guide, but dates change from self-catering
year to year and some places may decide In country areas, in addition to standard
to close for a few days in low season if they hotels, you will come across chambres
have no bookings. The best precaution is to d’hôtes – bed-and-breakfast accommoda-
phone ahead to be sure. tion in someone’s house, château or farm.
A very useful option, especially if you’re Though the quality varies widely, on the
driving and are looking for somewhere late whole standards have improved dramati-
at night, are the chain hotels located at cally in recent years and the best can offer
motorway exits and on the outskirts of major more character and greater value for money
towns. They may be soulless, but you can than an equivalently priced hotel. If you’re 47
count on a decent and reliable standard. lucky, the owners may also provide tradi-
Among the cheapest (from around E26 for tional home-cooking and a great insight into

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 Chambres d’Hôtes de Charme, all of which
cost around E20, and more comprehensive
Aupres De L’eglise departmental guides which include photos
(around E10–20). All these guides are avail-
B A S ICS

able online or from departmental offices of

Gîtes de France, as well as from bookstores
and tourist offices. Tourist offices will also
| Accommodation

have lists of places in their area which are not

affiliated to Gîtes de France.

Hostels and student

accommodation
At between E10 and E15 per night for a
dormitory bed, sometimes with breakfast
thrown in, youth hostels – auberges de
jeunesse – are invaluable for single travellers
of any age on a budget. Some now offer
rooms, occasionally en suite, but they don’t
necessarily work out cheaper than hotels
– particularly if you’ve had to pay a taxi fare
For further information regarding this property to reach them. However, many allow you
www.champagnevilla.com to cut costs by eating in the hostels’ cheap
canteens, while in a few you can prepare
For reservation please contact Glenis Foster
[email protected] your own meals in the communal kitchens.
In the Guide we have given exact prices for
the cost of a dormitory bed.
French life. In general, prices range between In addition to those belonging to the two
E30 and E70 for two people including break- French hostelling associations listed below,
fast; payment is almost always expected in there are now also several independent
cash. Some offer meals on request (tables hostels, particularly in Paris. At these, dorm
d’hôtes), usually evenings only. beds cost E15–20 with breakfast included,
If you’re planning to stay a week or more in though these tend to be party places with an
any one place it might be worth considering emphasis on good times rather than a good
renting self-catering accommodation. This night’s sleep.
will generally consist of self-contained coun- A few large towns provide hostel accom-
try cottages known as gîtes. Many gîtes modation in Foyers des Jeunes Travailleurs,
are in converted barns or farm outbuildings, residential hostels for young workers and
though some can be quite grand. “Gîtes students, where you can usually get a private
Panda” are gîtes located in a national park or room for upwards of E10. On the whole they
other protected area and are run on environ- are more luxurious than youth hostels and
mentally friendly lines. normally have a good cafeteria or canteen.
You can get lists of both gîtes and cham- These are listed in the Guide, or ask at local
bres d’hôtes from the government-funded tourist offices. During July & August, there’s
agency Gîtes de France (T01.49.70.75.75, also the possibility of staying in student
Wwww.gites-de-france.fr); on the website accommodation in university towns and
you can search for accommodation by type cities at prices similar to hostels. Contact
CROUS (T01.40.51.55.55, W www.crous
or theme as well as by area (for example, you
-paris.fr) for further information.
could select a gîte near fishing or riding oppor-
r
tunities). In addition, every year the organiza-
Youth hostel associations
48 tion publishes a number of national guides,
such as Nouveaux Gîtes Rurauxx (listing new Slightly confusingly, there are two rival
addresses), Chambres et Tables d’Hôtes and French hostelling associations – the

00 France Basics 25-80.indd

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Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Heleen
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with
this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located
in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the
country where you are located before using this eBook.

Title: Heleen
"een vroege winter"

Author: Carry van Bruggen

Release date: July 21, 2024 [eBook #74089]

Language: Dutch

Original publication: Amsterdam: De maatschappij voor goede en

goedkoope lectuur, 1913

Credits: Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed

Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net/ for Project
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HELEEN ***

[Inhoud]

[Inhoud]

HELEEN

[Inhoud]
 WILM KLIJN.

NEDERLANDSCHE BIBLIOTHEEK

Onder leiding van L. Simons.

 UITGEGEVEN DOOR:
DE MAATSCHAPPIJ VOOR GOEDE EN
GOEDKOOPE LECTUUR · AMSTERDAM

[4]

[Inhoud]
CARRY VAN BRUGGEN

HELEEN

„EEN VROEGE WINTER”

[Inhoud]

VOOR FRANS COENEN [7]

[Inhoud]
 I.

et huis, waarin Heleen was geboren en

waarin ze den geheelen duur van haar jeugd
verbleef, stond afgezonderd aan de bocht
van een breede rivier, waarvan het water
traag tusschen vlakke oevers voortstroomde.
Rietland en bosch lagen tusschen plassen
aan de overzijde verderop, en daarachter de
bleeke, vochtige weien.

Wanneer Heleen in later jaren haar huis herdacht, de blanke

plassen, het riet en de weien, dan scheen het aan de beelden van
haar verbeelding, alsof het daar altijd late herfst en komende winter
was geweest. Op het koude water van de rivier dekten de bonte
bladeren het diep en wazig beeld van een hooge, bonte lucht, bleeke
nevels zweefden zwak en onvast tusschen wolken en water, in het
vochtig bosch beefde damp om elken stam, daar lag de zomerpracht
vergaan en de bedroefde roep der late [8]vogels klonk hol als in
koude zalen. In de druipende takken wiegden nesten verlaten, het
grauwe huis schreide ziltig vocht, bleek onkruid wies uit de spleten
en het vervallen hek voelde van groenen uitslag glibberig en kil.
Voor-langs het huis, in de bocht van den weg, waar regen het grint
gestadig vochtig en donker hield, zuchtten smartelijk de oude,
scheeve boomen—, hun duistere kruinen drukten zwaar de
knoestige, korte stammen, en beneden dien weg lagen achter berm
en sloot de wijde, grijze akkers tusschen smalle greppels; kraaien
pikten het winterzaad uit de verwoelde klei, schichtige spreeuwen
hipten over de kluiten, schreeuwden met gerekten hals en repten
zich weg. Een kruiwagen, omgestort bij verlaten gereedschap, leek
aan de aarde vastgekorst, huisjes en boompjes verderop stonden in
ijle, blauwe wazen gevat.

Binnen in het hol en donker najaarshuis bewoonden Heleen en de

haren maar enkele kamers, de andere stonden leeg, bij gebrek aan
meubels. Boven, onder het dak, lagen bloote, grauwe vloeren
tusschen koude wanden, leege kasten kierden en klemden en het
rook er kil naar rag en vochtig stof. De wind joeg door de scheuren
van het dak regen als het herfst en sneeuw als het winter was, het
ijzig stuifsel sloeg in ijle plakken tegen balk en bint—, dan drong ook
een starre klaarte naar binnen, die den schemer verjoeg en de
geheimenissen openbaarde der [9]zwammen, die teer en bleek daar
groeiden uit vocht en donkerte van den nazomer af tot in de Mei.
Beneden aan de voorzijde was hun woonkamer, ruim maar laag,
stoffig en bedompt. Het ruige en halfvergane kleed scheen met den
vloer, de meubels met het vloerkleed saamgegroeid. Alles in die
kamer was duister en zwaar, er waren geen bloemen en geen lichte
gordijnen, geen spiegelend meubel en geen luchtige snuisterij.
Portretten van grootouders hingen aan de wanden en schenen als de
klok daarmede één geworden.

Wat haar vader buitenshuis deed en waarvan ze leefden wist Heleen

niet, er werd daarover nooit gesproken, zij vroeg er niet naar. Uit
haar moeders verhalen, waarvan ze in later jaren wel geloofde, dat
zij ze maar gedroomd of gelezen had, wist ze dat haar moeders
familie rijk en aanzienlijk was geweest en daarna door onverstand
tot armoe vervallen, en dat er vele kleine broertjes en zusjes waren
gekomen en weer gegaan, zoodat zij nu nog maar met drie anderen
over was, de kleine broertjes en de oudere zuster. Zij drieën waren
slank en bleek met blonde haren, maar de zuster kort en plomp, ze
ging niet naar school en bij dag het huis niet uit, tegen den avond
nam vader haar mee en wandelde met haar langs de rivier. Soms zat
ze een volslagen dag in een hoek van den zolder op den grond,
knaagde aan haar handen en bewoog grommend het lijf in bochten.
Al haar [10]vingers waren van het knagen geschonden;—somwijlen
vertelde ze Heleen lange vertelsels zonder zin of samenhang,
waarnaar Heleen peinzend luisterde, pogend te begrijpen; doch ze
had ook haar booze dagen, dan was haar heele gezicht geslonken
van nijd, beet ze zichzelf fel tot bloedens toe in den duim en kneep
Heleen en de beide broertjes met klein-genepen oogen. Heleen
dacht aanvankelijk over die vreemde gewoonten van haar zuster
weinig na, ze wist niet beter of het behoorde zoo als een deel van
huis en leven, en ze vermoedde niet voor veel later uit wat anderen
in schimp en giftige scherts haar toebeten, dat die zuster krankzinnig
was.

Heleen’s moeder was tenger, druk en bleek, ze zong met een schrille
stem treurige Fransche liedjes, die ze als klein kind van haar
grootmoeder had geleerd, doch waarvan ze den zin vergeten of
nimmer geweten had, ook Heleen begreep ze dus niet, maar het
deerde haar weinig; met het gelaat naar grootmoeders portret,
luisterde ze peinzend en indachtig, onthield ze op den klank en
neuriede ze bij zichzelf, zoo vaak ze alleen was, net zoo lang tot ze
een weekheid in zich voelde als gegraven en schreien moest. De
ontroering en het schreien wilden niet altijd komen. Toen ze later de
beteekenis van die liedjes wist, stelden ze haar teleur en kon ze er
niet meer om schreien, het was of een diepte in haar voorgoed
geëffend was—, ze had ze zich donker [11]en woest als rotsen en
ravijnen gedacht.

Heleen’s vader was forsch en stil, zijn handen alleen waren smal en
zacht, hij lachte zelden, maar als hij lachte, deed die lach Heleen
goed tot in haar hart en ze lachte mee, met vochtige oogen, doch ze
hield niet van haar moeders drukke vroolijkheid, die maakte haar
schichtig en stil en doofde gemeenlijk in dagenlange
neerslachtigheid uit.
Over dingen als braaf oppassen, plicht-doen en vooruitkomen werd
in huis nagenoeg niet gesproken, Heleen dacht er uit zichzelf
nimmer over na. Ze was van aard meegaande, fel en onverzettelijk
alleen tegen geringschatting en dwang, van aanleg bevattelijk; het
schoolleven deerde haar dus niet, straf was iets dat daarbij
uitteraard behoorde en geen indruk op haar maakte, evenmin als het
preeken en praten vooraf en daarna. Wanneer ze haar vader haar
rapporten van de school toonde, lette hij weinig op de
waardeeringen voor vlijt en goed gedrag en Heleen nam gauw
genoeg die geringschatting voor het een en het ander over, zonder
dat dit evenwel van invloed op haar doen en laten werd. Belooning
of bijzondere lof voor hooge cijfers kwam niet voor, zoodat Heleen-
zelf ook daaraan weinig waarde hechtte.

In de klas had ze geen vriendinnetje, doch speelde met elkeen die

haar vroeg zonder bijzondere voorkeur, ze plaagde niemand en deed
in wreedheid jegens dieren en gebrekkigen niet mee, doch
[12]verzette zich evenmin tegen het doen der anderen. Ze hield van
de menschen in haar huis, niet omdat ze vader, moeder en broertjes
waren, maar omdat ze bij haar in het huis behoorden. Van het huis-
zelf en de oude meubels hield ze bijkans evenzeer. Ze hield van wat
bij haar-zelf hoorde en verlangde geen nieuws. Ze hechtte zich snel
en sterk aan wie op haar vertrouwd of haar deernis ingeroepen
hadden, die waren dan ook niet langer vreemd maar eigen, ze leed
weken om het hondje, dat in den regen met haar mee naar huis
geloopen was, dat ze weenend van deernis gevoed en getroost had,
en dat haar vader had voortgejaagd in donkeren avond omdat het
ziek was en vuil; ze schreide in de nachten daarna, zich radeloos
afvragend waar het wel dolen zou, en in de avonden, dat het
stormde, dacht ze aan de arme zeelui met rillingen van smart.
Deernis, angst en pijn was in al haar genegenheid, voor het
levenloos huisraad bijkans evenzeer als voor mensch en dier, om den
ouden stoel die jaren lang naast den warmen haard had gestaan en
gebroken naar den zolder werd verbannen, deernis, die vaak zonder
dat ze wist waardoor of waarvoor, als een benauwdheid in haar
aanzwol, deernis als bloedende pijn, die gejaagd en radeloos maakte
en elk goed ding verbitterde, zoodat ze veel en vaak schreide—,
doch ze verborg dit alles voor haar omgeving. Elkeen zag haar als
een willig, gehard en goedlachsch kind, sterk opgaand in spel,
afkeerig van twist, de [13]waarheid sprekend van nature, maar
liegend zonder blozen als de nood het gebood. In school bezon ze
zich nooit opzettelijk op kwaad, maar deed grif mee in rumoer of
plagerij, want nooit kwam het in haar op, dat dit den meester deren
of verdrieten kon. Hij bulderde en strafte en bleef daarbij de baas,
de strijd tusschen kind en meester lag in de natuurlijke orde der
dingen, Heleen had het nooit anders gezien. [14]
[Inhoud]
 II.

eleen ging op school in een kleine, oude

stad, een half uur gaans ver van haar huis.
Ze kwam er langs den grintweg met de
boomen, die liep van den rivierkant af, met
holle bochten, de laagte in en tusschen de
akkers door. Ze ging graag alleen en
verveelde zich nimmer, maar keek neuriënd
om zich heen en peinsde over de dingen, die
ze zag. Ze keek naar het zwoegen der
boeren tusschen koren en koolzaad in de trillende hitte van den
zomer en benijdde hun ruime en onbetwiste vrijheid, ze ademde in
de vochtige winden van lente en herfst met open mond en
halfgesloten oogen en begreep niet recht wat haar daaruit aanwoei
en beving met zoete benauwdheid, ze staarde naar de gouden
misten in September en October in eenzelfde heerlijke
zwaarmoedigheid,—die ze niet begreep, doch waaraan ze zich
gelukzalig overgaf,—doch ook de winter bekoorde haar nog met zijn
[15]zachte, onvaste dagen, de neveldagen vóór de Kerstvacantie, als
er damp welt uit het warme land en bevend opstaat om de boomen.
Het eenige, dat ze niet verdroeg, was het wreede, harde vorstgetij,
het klare, koude winterweer, het open verschiet, het verstarde
akkerland—, en op haar weg naar school schreide ze als verscheurd
van koude en van rampzaligheid.

In het stadje ging ze altijd denzelfden weg naar school. Ze wist en

zocht er geen anderen; stond ze bij toeval in een vreemde straat
dan voelde ze zich verdwaald en verloren, het aangezicht der huizen
vijandig. Haar weg leidde dwars over een smal grachtje, waarvan
het water roerloos en met troebele glanzen als van bezonken
zeepsop tusschen de vooze schoeiingen der oude achterhuizen lag.
Op het platte bruggetje bleef Heleen vaak staan, hing over de
leuning en staarde zacht-ademend tegen die huizen aan. Daar was
ook een koffiebranderij met deur en schutting tegen den walkant
aan. Stond de deur open, dan rook Heleen den scherpen geur van
het branden en in het witte licht tusschen schutting en muur stond
op de binnenplaats een kleine man in ’t bruin gekleed en draaide
gestadig aan een groot rad. Heleen noemde hem in haar gedachten
„De Slaaf” en behield haar leven lang uit dat woord niet zoozeer de
voorstelling van een klein, krom mannetje op een binnenplaats, als
wel den reuk van koffie en het licht van een regendag. Zoo dikwijls
Heleen hem [16]daar mocht zien, nooit vroeg ze anderen, waarom hij
er stond en wat hij er deed. Ze vroeg weinig naar de dingen, die ze
zag, schoon ze veel opmerkte en nimmer iets vergat van wat ze
eenmaal had gezien. Doch ze had voor zichzelf volkomen genoeg
aan wat haar uit aanschouwing, klank en geur aanwoei en beving,
hervoelde dat in eenzaamheid, klonk aan elk ding een vreemd en
vluchtig beeld uit haar fantasie vast en bewaarde ding en beeld
gezamenlijk in één enkele voorstelling, die dan eigenlijk een
aandoening en geheel en al haar eigendom was.

Was Heleen het bruggetje over, dan moest ze een smal ingekneld
huisje voorbij, waar een oud, halfblind dametje een leesbibliotheekje
hield. In een engen uitbouw lagen op een hellende plank de
opengeslagen boeken ten toon gespreid. Bijkans elken dag stond
Heleen daar en zag er dezelfde boeken. Van sommige kende ze
alleen het vergeelde titelblad, volbedrukt met ijle trekletters en het
zwarte prentje er tegenover, van andere twee bladzijden ergens
middenin. Weken aaneen lag dat alles daar onveranderd, dan las
Heleen op een dag plotseling nìeuwe dingen, zag onbekende
prentjes, maar verheugde zich niet. Ze had zich aan de bekende
prentjes gehecht en voelde zich vervreemd en tekort gedaan.
Maanden achter elkaar zag Heleen in den benedenhoek van de
toonplank, vlak tegen het raam, het prentje en den titel van een
boek, dat „De Fonkelende Sterren” [17]heette. Een heer in een
ouderwetsche jas, een bedroefde dame met sluier en sleep stonden
daar hand aan hand onder den nachtelijken hemel; de heer hief de
vrije hand naar de sterren omhoog. In den bleeken achtergrond van
streepjes en veegjes meende Heleen tengere boomen, van
nachtwind bewogen en verder daarachter nog donkere heuvelen te
zien. Als Heleen daarnaar keek, beving haar een vreemd gevoel, van
niet weg te kunnen, maar ook niet weg te willen, omdat het blijven
en peinzen zoo zoet was. Ze stond zacht ademend vlak tegen het
raam en gevoelde zich ver weg, maar als het lachen en joelen der
voorbijtrekkende kinderen achter haar, haar beduidde, dat het
schooltijd werd, maakte zij zich los en ging gewillig naar school.
Nimmer kwam het in haar op, zich ook maar voor éénen dag aan de
strenge wet van het schoolgaan te onttrekken. Heleen was in geen
enkel ding lichtvaardig.

Eens op een dag waren de heer en de dame van „De Fonkelende

Sterren” verdwenen, en lag een ander boek in hun plaats. Heleen
schrok van haar eigen bedroefdheid, het scheen haar, als was haar
een stuk van haar leven ontscheurd, ze kon dien dag op school niet
leeren en zag de maten en gewichten op de kast voor het eerst in
hun hatelijkheid. Schemer en stoflucht thuis leken haar ondraaglijk,
en toen ze dien avond bezwaard en traag naar haar bed ging, bezon
ze zich plotseling op een nieuw begrip en zei tot zichzelf: [18]nu weet
ik precies wat de menschen bedoelen als ze zeggen, dat iemand iets
op het hart heeft. Ik heb iets op het hart.

Een paar jaren later kreeg Heleen wel eens wat geld van haar vader
en besteedde dat om boeken te leenen uit het oude winkeltje. Ze
was klein en bloode en reikte maar even boven de toonbank uit,
waarachter het tengere dametje zich in de nauwte tusschen de
boekenplanken keerde en wendde. Dat dametje was vriendelijk en
fijn; als ze zich over de toonbank heenboog en Heleen toesprak,
trilde er iets in het kind en dreef als verteedering naar haar oogen.
Eens vroeg ze haar in de woonkamer te komen en Heleen
beschouwde dat als een uitgezochte eer. De trijpen meubeltjes en
het glimmende koperen stoofje vond ze prachtig en deftig, ze mocht
bij de tafel zitten en prentjes zien. Aan den eenen wand hingen
tusschen de oude groote schilderijen witte strookjes papier, met
zwarte silhouetjes. Op elk stond een kruisje geteekend. Het oude
dametje wees Heleen hoe ze veertig tellen lang zonder met haar
oogen te knippen naar dat kruisje staren en dan de oogen sluiten
moest—, dan zou ze iets aardigs zien. Heleen vond het gewichtig en
geheimzinnig, vatte er een in het oog, telde met kloppend hart haar
veertig tellen en hield de oogen opengesperd, als gold het een
bezwering, die door het geringste lijden kan. Toen sloot ze de oogen
en zag plotseling het poppetje, doch nu groot, week en blinkend
[19]wit in de donkerte voor zich uit zweven. Ze schrok heftig en werd
bang, liep weg en hield wijd de oogen open, om niet te zien, doch
kon het toch niet nalaten ze telkens weer te sluiten, ten einde te
weten of het er nog zou zijn. Het verscheen telkenmale trager en
flauwer en bleef ten leste weg, doch Heleen wilde daarna niet meer
bij het oude dametje in de kamer met de poppetjes komen.

Thuis las ze met haar moeder de gehuurde boeken en te zamen

bespraken ze de karakters, lotgevallen en wederwaardigheden der
personen als betrof het werkelijke menschen. De meeste van die
boeken waren vertaalde Engelsche romans, die van het leven op
kasteelen verhaalden, van graven en gravinnen, jachtpartijen en
liefdezaken, die Heleen half begreep, half uit haar verbeelding
aanvulde en voltooide, tot haar geheele bevrediging. Zoodoende
werd dat leven in die boeken voor haar de echte werkelijkheid,
waartegen het weinige, dat ze thuis en op school vernam, in
belangrijkheid niet opwegen kon en dat zich naar zijn aard zuiverder
aansloot bij haar vluchtige ontroeringen uit kleur, geur en geluid dan
de kleine gebeurtenissen van het dagelijksche leven. De beelden, die
lezend in haar verbeelding waren gerezen, bleven daar voor immer
behouden en met hen bevolkte ze de ledigheid van wat haar op
school werd medegedeeld. Ze ging eenmaal voorbij het winkeltje en
las op de smalle strook van een boek, dat onder [20]een ander
uitstak, niet meer dan deze enkele regels:

„De storm loeide, de golven sloegen tegen de rotsen met een ijselijk
geweld, de ramen van de onbeschutte herberg trilden, doch de
zeeman vernam het niet. Hij sliep en droomde. Maar plotseling zag
hij in zijn droom een bleeke hand, die met opgeheven vinger naar
een witte grafzerk wees. Hij las: „Gedenk Valentin Jernam, oud 31
jaar.” Met een schreeuw werd de zeeman wakker. Hij had zijn eigen
graf gezien.”

Er was geen prentje bij, en Heleen had bij haar weten nimmer een
zoodanige voorstelling aanschouwd. Doch toen ze, wit en tot in haar
hart ontsteld, opkeek uit het boek, zag ze die kust en die rollende
golven, de hooge herberg tusschen gespleten, woeste boomen, ze
hoorde des zeemans schreeuw en zag hem opgericht in zijn bed, zijn
oogen verknijpend tegen den gruwel, dien hij in den droom had
gezien.

Over die dingen sprak ze met niemand, doch ze bleven dagenlang

haar nabij en gingen nooit geheel uit haar weg.

Toen ze grooter werd, moest ze op school van vreemde landen

leeren en van die landen kaarten teekenen. Ze kreeg dan evenals de
andere kinderen een groot vel papier op haar lessenaar geprikt en
trok met weifelend potlood de omtrekken na. Tot Engeland voelde ze
zich meest aangetrokken, de plaatsnamen hadden uit haar boeken
een bekenden [21]klank, het was alsof ze er meermalen was
geweest. Ze trok de blauwe lijntjes der rivieren, schetste de bergen
bruin, zette zwarte stippen voor de steden, en zag de bonte
bewegelijkheid der jachtstoeten onder herfstloof in een gouden mist,
rook den fijnen geur van welkend loof en hoorde het diepe ruischen
van den wind uit de holten van het bosch, waar klank van hoef en
voet teloorging in de dichte massa’s van week blad.… tusschen de
stammen blonk het blank kasteel in een bonten band van
laatbloeiende perken en bedauwde vijvers. Hier was het Schotsche
Hoogland en mannen op steigerende paarden en met zwarte,
wapperende mantels joegen over toppen en kloven voort in den
nacht—, wolken stormden, spelonken gaapten, waar Rob Roy in
school met de zijnen, edele Rob Roy, uit de wereld verstooten en
met zijn groot hart tot rooverij gedoemd.… naar het Zuiden toe
vloeide milde zonnigheid over heuvelland en wei, de horizon was
wazig en wijd, en gefladder in zoete lucht van goud-blond haar en
speelschen lach der jonge edelvrouwen en haar kinderen, doch heel
onderaan op de kaart hing een zware nachtlucht, lagen de kleiën
wolken gelegerd, van donder gebeukt, van bliksem stil en spits
gespleten, over een donkere, booze zee woei opgejaagd schuim als
een bleeke sluier. Daar sliep de zeeman alleen in een herberg op
rotsen en droomde van zijn eigen graf. [22]

Werd Heleen wakker uit deze zoet-bedroefde droomerijen, dan

vernam ze tot haar verbazing en pijnlijke schaamte, dat er niets
deugde aan haar kaart. Die werd voor haar schande te pronk naast
het bord geprikt en ieder kind lachte haar uit. [23]
[Inhoud]
 III.

es Zondags mocht Heleen graag naar het

stadje dwalen en onopgelet zwerven
tusschen de menschen, die te kerk gingen,
in een weelderigen geur van stervend loof,
terwijl het zonlicht, uit de spleten der
wolken gebroken, langs het loof van de
bruine beukenboomen stoof en
daartusschen zwervend roodgouden lichtjes
ontstak. Ze was graag bij de Luthersche
kerk, een sterk en blank gebouw met een slanke spits en een
gouden zwaan boven in den hoogen gevel. Binnen het hek was een
ruim plein met een heldergeel plaveisel, daar stonden
kastanjeboomen in plekken schaduw en strooiden rozerood neer in
de vroege lente. Heleen bleef voor het hek tot de kerk was
begonnen, drentelde dan het plein op, liep er neuriënd heen en weer
met de handen op den rug en wachtte op het orgelspel. Zoodra dat
aanving, zocht ze haar plekje achter een nis, drukte zich met den
rug [24]ertegenaan en sloot de oogen. Dan vloeide een zoete
droefgeestigheid uit de kern van haar hart vandaan en trilde in
kringen door haar leden heen, zooals water, wegtrillend in het
midden van een meer, zich wijder en wijder breidt en ten leste ook
het oevergroen vangt en meevoert in zijn golving; haar dwalend
gepeins stond stil, ze leek in eigen roerloosheid kwijnend op te gaan
en te verdwijnen. Ze dacht nog aan het meisje met den mooien
naam, dat den verloofde van haar gebrekkige zuster zoozeer liefhad,
dat ze zonder hem niet verder wilde leven, doch evenmin wilde ze
haar zusters weelde stelen tot haar eigen geluk. Dus ging ze, in ’t
wit gekleed, tegen den avond met haar rank roeibootje tot midden
in het blauwe, koele meer, waar haar schoon, blank woonhuis stond,
liet zich over den rand naar buiten glijden en verzonk. Het laatste
dat ze zag, was een kerk met slanke spits boven het verduisterd
groen van popels en cypressen en hoe de laatste kleuren van de
dalende zon vervloeiden over het blauwe, blankwazige meer. Op den
dag, dat Heleen dat zeldzaam ontroerende verhaal, ’t welk in Italië
voorviel, ten einde toe gelezen had, was ze zwaar van peinzen langs
de kerk gekomen en had het orgelspel gehoord. En van nu af aan
was die witte kerk met slanke spits en gouden zwaan en het gele
plein met de goudloof strooiende kastanjes een plek van een vreemd
land, van het land van Italië. Des Zondags was het, alsof ze daar
naar [25]toe afgereisd was, ze schreide om het meisje en om veel
andere dingen, die ze gevoelen, maar niet benoemen kon, doch
sprak er met niemand over.

Toen het in school tijd werd, een kaart van Italië te teekenen,
kleurde Heleen, terwijl van teedere deernis haar vingers beefden, de
plekken der meren zacht en wazig blauw—, ze boog het hoofd vlak
op het papier en waagde het, het orgelspel uit de Luthersche kerk
stil en zacht na te neuriën, toen zwol haar hart van zalig-smartelijk
medeleed, haar stem brak, en in haar oogen rezen tranen, zoo
verblindend en heet, dat ze zich niet verroeren dorst. Want ze was
bang haar kaart te bevlekken.

Mooie namen bekoorden haar zeer en wekten gedachten aan ruimte

en schittering in haar op. Eens was ze op een winternamiddag, dat
het vroor, naar den strengen meester van een hoogere klas
gezonden, waar ze met het gelaat tegen den muur in een hoek bij
de kachel moest staan. De kinderen van die klas leerden in donker
aardrijkskunde en plotseling hoorde Heleen den naam Rio de la Plata
noemen. Daar ving voor haar oogen een dobberen van blankgezeilde
scheepjes aan op een ruime, diep blauwe, koele zee. Groene kusten
breidden naar alle zijden open, schuim vlijde zich in roomige zoomen
erlangs, zijdezachte schapen graasden en blaatten. Het duurde maar
even, toen verzonk het weer. Heleen staarde opnieuw tegen den
grauwen muur, doch nu niet meer [26]rampzalig, maar stil-verrukt,
alsof het zomer was. Ze trok krasjes in de verf met den nagel van
haar pink en had gedurig nog een kleine rilling van geheime
behagelijkheid.

Dicht bij de school stond de bouwval van een oud, kerksch

weeshuis, een ingezakt grauw brok muur met hoopen puin en stof
achter de gapende ramen. Twee fijne berkjes met bast als zilveren
tijgerhuid aan weerszijden van de toegespijkerde deur. Dagelijks
ging Heleen langs dien muur zonder er acht op te slaan of er iets bij
te gevoelen. Ze zou de kleur van de steenen en het aantal ramen
niet hebben kunnen zeggen. Maar eens in een avond van April, de
lucht was porceleinig bleek en blauw met koele, strak gepenseelde
vegen, de verre sterren blonken nog maar flauw, ze was met haar
moeder uit geweest en keerde zwijgend aan haar hand naar huis
terug, zag Heleen het woeste kartelen van dien muur, en in de witte
wijdte van de lucht de zilverbleeke teederheid der trillende berkjes.
Het bang en zoet bevangende, dat ze kende, maar niet verstond,
woei haar plotseling hevig en vol uit dit alles aan. Ze had jaren
geleden in een reisverhaal over den grooten Muur van China
gelezen, doch er nimmer een voorstelling van gezien. Dit was de
groote muur van China en uit de porceleinen wazigheid der lucht en
het parelmoer van de kimmen vormden zich beelden en gestalten,
vluchtig doch tegelijkertijd sterk, zooals geur vluchtig en sterk is, en
bevolkten [27]de ruimte achter den muur, die zich wijkend
verbreedde en eindeloos werd. Sedert dien bleef dat zoo, doch niet
anders dan wanneer de lucht porceleinig bleek en blauw was en de
berkjes trilden in het zilverig licht van de vroege schemering.

Vaak in die jaren had Heleen het gevoel, als vloog haar op het
onverwachtst een vogel voorbij, dien ze grijpen wou, maar niet
grijpen kon en die in het voorbijwieken een spoor van benauwdheid
en bedroefdheid achterliet, hetwelk geest en leden gelijkelijk met
machteloosheid sloeg, een gevoel, als vernam ze, temidden van spel
en werk, een klank van ver, dien ze kende of herkende, doch wilde
ze luisteren dan was het weer stil.

Het was eenmaal geweest op den landweg onder de boomen, in de

schemering van een vroeg-winterschen dag, toen het grommen van
den wind naar donder klonk. Heleen speelde met haar broertjes en
wat vreemde kinderen, hier en daar uit een boerderij voor den dag
gekomen, versteken tusschen de boomen en op haar beurt moest ze
de oogen sluiten en wachten op hun roep. Ze stond onder een
boom, drukte de vingers in de oogen, ademde zacht lachend in de
palmen van haar handen, geest en leden op vangen en grijpen
gespitst en vaardig, maar niemand riep en niemand kwam. Toen ze
de handen liet vallen en verwezen om zich keek, zag ze den weg
verlaten en vernam geen gerucht dan den wind in de boomen boven
[28]haar hoofd. Daarheen was in willooze bevangenheid haar blik
gerezen, ze had de wolken zien trekken op de lokfluit van den wind,
het was geweest, als werden haar voeten zacht aan de plek waar ze
stond, in de aarde vastgeklonken, zooals wanneer ze voor het
boekenhuisje stond, ze ademde stil en snel, haar gedachten
verstoven in ijl en zoet-vreemd gepeins, de vogel wiekte aan, en ze
wilde hem grijpen en meende dat ze het ditmaal kon; daar sprongen
de kinderen achter de stammen vandaan, haar geduldigheid moede,
en stieten haar speelsch weg van de plek, waar ze zich meende
vastgeklonken. En een woeste drift was als wervelwind in haar
opgestoken, ze wilde beuken, ze wilde bijten, ze zette wit en
snikkend de lachende kinders na, totdat plotseling haar woede brak
en ze ook lachen moest en trillend stilstaand, zich de ijle tranen van
de wangen wischte. Wel had ze daarna weer meegedaan in het spel,
maar dien ganschen avond bleef het gevoel, als was haar iets van
bijzondere waarde juist voor ze ’t grijpen wou, ontrukt. Bij poozen
huiverde ze van onbehagen en onverklaarbaren tegenzin, haar kaken
verkrompen, alsof ze onpasselijk worden zou.

Het was een andere dag geweest, dat Heleen in den stillen
namiddag in het bosch was gedrongen en met de kin op de
opgetrokken knieën tusschen de boomen zat en zonder dat ze wist
hoe ze aan die gedachte kwam, starende overdenken ging, wat er
nog zou bestaan, als er niets bestond van alles [29]dat ze tastte en
zag. Toen was het geweest, alsof binnen in haar en buiten om haar
muren weken en geruischloos ineenvallend tot niets, een zwarte
ruimte lieten aan allen kant, alsof zijzelf zonder geluid en zonder
pijn, maar vredig en zacht van alles dat was werd losgetrokken en in
roerloosheid opging en verdween; vormen versmolten, kleuren
vervlogen, licht verging, doch er kwam geen duister, de grond
verzonk, een dak trok omhoog en liet eindelooze ruimten onder zich.
Eén seconde duurde het, dat Heleen wist, dat ze nu voor zichzelf
niet bestond, en dat de wereld voor haar niet bestond,—toen knapte
een tak en er ruischte een boom, een verschrokken vogel riep en
een blad viel neer aan haar voeten. Heleen ontwaakte en haar hart
klopte vreemd en vol om wat ze had ervaren. Vaak sloop ze naar
dienzelfden boom terug, duwde haar kin tusschen haar knieën en
staarde en spande zich in, de keel als gesnoerd van spanning en
benauwdheid,—nimmermeer kwam die seconde terug, ze worstelde
om los te komen, doch vermocht het niet. Wilde ze of wilde ze niet,
haar aandacht hechtte zich aan de boomen, de lucht, stemmen van
ver of het schuifelen van haar eigen adem.

Het eerste boek, dat Heleen beetgreep met een heet verlangen naar
redden en helpen, zoodat ze haar onmacht leed als een marteling,
was het boek „Alleen op de wereld.” Weken achteren leefde ze
bevende mede met den zachtaardigen, ouden [30]man en den
bleeken, teederen knaap. Ze zag ze met hun wezenloos en
trouwhartig dierengebroedje over de barre bergen trekken en