or St. Die will not be tempted to continue their journey, at least as far
as the beautiful valleys of Munster and St. Marie-aux-Mines, both
peopled by French people under German domination. Arrived at either of
these places, the tourist will be at a loss which route to take of the
many open to him. On the one hand are the austere sites of the Vosges,
impenetrable forests darkening the rounded mountain tops, granite
precipices silvered with perpetual cascades, awful ravines hardly less
gloomy in the noonday sun than in wintry storms, and as a relief to these
sombre features, the sunniest little homesteads perched on airy terraces
of gold-green; crystal streams making vocal the flowery meadow and the
mossy dell, and lovely little lakes shut in by rounded hills, made double
in their mirror. In Alsace-Lorraine we find a wholly different landscape,
and are at once reminded that we are in one of the fairest and most
productive districts of Europe. All the vast Alsatian plain in September
is a-bloom with fruit garden and orchard, vineyard and cornfield, whilst
as a gracious framework, a romantic background to the picture, are the
vineclad heights crested with ruined castles and fortresses worthy to be
compared to Heidelberg and Ehrenbreitstein. We had made a leisurely
journey from Gerardmer to St. Die, bishopric and _chef-lieu_ of the
department of the Vosges, without feeling sure of our next move.
Fortunately a French acquaintance advised us to drive to
St. Marie-aux-Mines, one of the most wonderful little spots in these
regions, of which we had never before heard. A word or two, however,
concerning St. Die itself, one of the most ancient monastic foundations
in France. The town is pleasant enough, and the big hotel not bad, as
French hotels go. But in the Vosges, the tourist gets somewhat spoiled
in the matter of hotels. Wherever we go our hosts are so much interested
in us, and make so much of us, that we feel aggrieved at sinking into
mere numbers three or four. Many of these little inns offer homely
accommodation, but the landlord and landlady themselves wait upon the