The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-22
FRENCH SUMMER RESORTS.
A Series of Norman Watering Place
Letters by E. G. Grenville
Murray---No. ..
TRouvnLE AND HoNFLEuR.
Henry v. Of England Worshipping Bare
footed After the Capture ofHonheur.
GAMBLING AND DONKEY RIDING.

GAMBLING ANU UUNkEY RlDlNG.
TRoUvrILE AND HoNFLRUR, July q. 1879.
Trouville Ia planet surrounded by number Of
maritime satellites-villers Houlgate Benzeval
and CahOurg to west and H0nneur to the east
This last is a deceptive place, to which you hurry
respectfully because Of It's 10000 inhabitants, and
desert with aacrty because OF the dulness Of these
10000. There are several ways OF getting there:
first by train which is the slowest route, by reason
of the V which the line of rail describes, going
from Trouville to Pont pEveque twenty miles
SOUTH and from Pont pEveque upwards with
stoppage at every station; next by diligence,
which takes two hours; then by donkey, which Is
faster than diligence, II you can only procure
donkey who loves exercise; then, again, by boat,
which offers good practice to people who want
to get used to sea sickness and, lastly,
by foot, which Is said to be the quickest
route Of all. though I have not tried 1t.
went by diligence, and was hOnored by the COM
pany OF French poodle, who climbed up to the
Imperale with his master, a sportsman on the look
out for seagus and howled at objects OF in terest
along the road. The sportsman wore suit OF vel
veteens leather CATERS up his hips, and white
jockey cap like an apple pudding. He told me he
had commanded corps Of sharpshootens during
the war and had been taken prisoner; but when
the rerdnche came it would be a different story,
for he and many other patriots were schooling
themselves to be unerring marksmen-saying
which he suddenly raised his d0ublc-barrel and, in
his sitting posture, covered two passing sparrows
with cool and deadly aim, fred and missed them
both. The driver, who had been pensively chew
ing quid in front of u.s. gave start which almost
shot him on to the lean backs Of his team, and he
remonstrated; but the sportsman affirmed
that going OF rolling coach was excel
lent practice, and then gave us story
about the last train which entered Paris before
the siege. He was on that train, and passing
company OF Prussians ten miles outside Paris,
thrust his head out Of the window and discharged
six shots into their midst with his revolver. But
he mad scarcely achieved this valiant exploit when
to the horror of himself and his fellow passengers
battery Of artilerymen were discried bringing
q field piece to bear curve in the line which
the train would have to pass. It was min
ute full OF emotion as the train neared the curve
but the Prussans aimed too high, so That the sports
man lived to narrate his lucky escape thank
fully wagging his apple-pudding cap in acknowl-
edgment.
Honneur, like Dieppe and La souques, is
town that mas seen better days; but is
now so outpaced by Havre the one side
and Trouvie on the other that there are no very
satisfactory reasons why it should exist at all.
Looked at from the sea it promises well, for its
houses nestle together in tiers and reflect the
SUMS rays bravcy from their pink roofs; but
poetry vanishes when you find yourself In a maze
of crooked streets perfumed with red herring, and
paved, as though for the sins OF its inhabitants,
with gritty stones in shape like cones There are
a good many English residents here come as
usual, presume for the especially healthy climate
OF Honneur" and not at all for the cheapness.
One portion OF them may be seen on the Cours
d'Orleans, the pretty avenue on the route 10 Caen
sporting the year before lasts Capham fashions
and well freighted with old sensation novels from
the local circulating library. AS to the other por
ton can scarcely imagine how they manage to
fill up their time; but, Judging from the supremacy
naughty countenance OF shabby Briton I saw
emerging from small cafe, | shodld say this one
at least, passed his days in rejecting the amaz-
ing honor he was doing these miserable French
men in locating himself among them. There is
nothing like holding good opinion Of oneself; it
makes bread taste sweeter.
ROBERT THE DEVILS CHAPEL.
Passing the port, with it's stacks of Norwegian
timber and its fleet OF fat briggs laden with pOta-
toes for the English market. l made my way to.
ward the hill OF N0tre Dame de Grace which shelters
the town to the west, and wherein STANDS votive
chapel. 1t was once the custom for the crews OF
vessels which had escaped dangers at sea to make
pilgrimage hither In their shirts, barefOOted and
beheaded; but police regulations have run athwart
this laudabe practice, and pious Sailors must
now be content to climb the hill on their knees.
] regret to hear that they mostly delegate this
duty to their wives, for women climbers are IN a
majority OF nine to one over the men; but let us
hope tnere Is nothing true in the rumor which
ascribes this TO the circumstance that ladies' can
,cvtv mad thpt N 10 rfad nm
the other sex. the chapel iull OF little er-potO
ships hung from the ceiling, and the verger
winch Se nsd originally BEEN Of 9f pure god Sns
changed unaccountably to brass at q date di1icult
to specify. This was altogether grievous bust
ness, though the explanation deerentiay sug-
gested was that some pilgrim had admired the
gold ship unduly and acted on the precept that ex
change was no robbery. The verger preferred the
idea OF diabocal interference, and reminded me
that the chapel was built by Robert the Devil
Father to William the Conqucror), which sufiiced
to account for any number or sorts OF unpleasant
''HAvE you MANY PILGRIMS 2r
incurred ''Yes, O vast NUMBER said he, "and II
you go into the Hotel de Ia Renaissance, opposite,
you may see young lady who came up on her
knees but an hour ago; she was ninety minutes
did not see the young lady. for they
the rooms set apart for pilgrims who do not trine
with penance. Some Of these arrive at the hilltop
in psbs plight t. and ISam seems the young lady in
much OF the charlatanry of religion in my own
country not to feel something deeper than com.
mon admiration Tor piety which is sincere, and
would gladly have met tins young pilgrim on my way,
so as to lit my hat to her and do homage to that
faith which, however quaint In its manifestations
is none the less touching and worth worlds OF
scepticism.
CLASSIC GROUND.
The piece OF table land on which the chapel
and hotel stands offers fine landscape, which
enjoyed In silence while an artist was sketching it
in a high wind and shouting to his easel to stand
steady. Down the hill, which is steep and stony,
though bordered with trees, passed Norman
isher-girl, tripping barei0oted with hamper
OF mussels on her head, and SO into the town
again lay my route. Probably few Englishmen
country for miles around Is classic ground, which
their ancestors trod and spoiled, and which good
Shakespeare has made famous. Henry V. mot the
sedate and corpulent old gentleman who may soon
be King OF France) pitched his tent on this very
pilgrims hill, with Warwick, Talbot, Shrewsbury,
gloucester and hundreds OF those sturdy yeomen