Complex sentence: At the start of December 1874 Josephine left for Paris at the start of a tour that covered France, Italy and Switzerland, where she met with local pressure groups and civic authorities; she encountered strong support from feminist groups, but hostility from the authorities.
Split into simpler sentences: At the start of December 1874 Josephine left for Paris at the start of a tour that covered France, Italy and Switzerland, where she met with local pressure groups and civic authorities. She encountered strong support from feminist groups, but hostility from the authorities.