St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-02-16
Correspondence.
MONT VALERIEN.
A historic nm and It's Vicinity inter
esfingIy described.
fcnrrrsnondenee of the cALRpoNIAN.l


edge of the Bots dc Boulogne, it
turns at the city Of St. Denis, and
flowing toward the southwest, is
again warped to the northeast by
the hills of Marty, and the plateau
of the Forest OF St. German. Be
tween St. Cloud and Cormelles, a
distance Of over twenty miles, the
river comedies on the map, almost
exactly with the curves ofthe letters
Due west OF the heart OF Paris on
the first of the two penlnsulas en-
closed in the great loops Oh the Seine
as above described, rises an abrupt
elevation crowned by the impregna-
bic stronghold known as the For
teresse du Mont Valerien. This for
tress has the position Of most STRAIT
epic importance in the middle line OF
defensive works surrounding Paris.
1t commands the channel OF the
river for many miles, the great plains
to the north and west, the plateau
of Montretout III the south, and the
upland crossing the foot of the PEN
insula toward St. German. 1t
PLAYED foremost part in the great
war of 1901. In ancient days the
Druids built an altar on the crest of
this hill, and later on some OF the
first Christians in France assembled
here for worship. Hermits added
sanctity to the place and molly pill.
grimages to its summit were estab-
lshed and maintained down to
1889. We are not permitted to en-
ter the fortress, but can walk I'M
molested entirely around it, at the
foot Of its eScarpment, and on
pleasant afternoon this promenade
ranks among the finest in the world.
From the station at Suresne a few
minutes by carriage or on foot
brings the sight-seer to the highest
accessible point, whence a panora-
ma of great historic and picturesque
interest will speedily unfold. There
in the northeast, looking along the
course of the river, have stood since
the year 1144, the two towers of the
basilca of Saint Denis. The edihce,
exclusive Of these towers, was begun
by that monarch of extreme piety,
who took part in two crusades,
whose reputation for integrity is
unquestioned, and who is known in
history as ST. Louis. About nine
hundred years earlier, a chapel had
been erected on this site and conse-
Grated to the memory of st. Denis,
first bishop of Paris and first martyr
to the Christian faith in this locality.
The kings and princes of France
were buried in the crypt of these
structures from $50 down to the
Revolution of 1889. Here at this
cathedral OF ST. Denis, Joan of Arc,
after her wound before the walls of
Paris, laid upon the altar her sword
and armour Hard by in the abbey
was kept for long ages the orr
iiamme OF war last time brought out
tor Agincourt. There in the plain
toward Paris fell Anne de Mont.
morency, the hero of a race of heroes
after career rivaling that of Bav.
ard. North of us, on the fartbe,
bank OF the river, is Argenteuil where
was once an abbey, and for time
ITS abbess was Theodrada, dauphte,
of Charemagne.
In Colonies, on the peninsular in
direct line to Argenteui, Rollir
wrote his Ancient History, and Bos
Suet pronounced, on the death Of
Henrietta Maria, widow of Charles
LIST OF England, that magnificent
Grafton which will endure Will,
time lasts, as model of impassion
ed eloquence.
Across the river west Of Colonies
is LeMarals the home of Mirabeau
and beyond is Cormeilles the birth
place OF Daguerre. AT the edge {
the Forest of st. Germain is Mai
Sons-Latiitte where there is palac
which Napoleon LIST gave the Duk
OF Monticello the hero Of Marengo
II we now pass to the open spac
near the loot OF the extreme wester,
bastion OF the fort, we may loo,
down, perhaps mile away, to Mar
terre, the birthplace in APP of tn
NhepherdeSs child Genevieve, the Ioa
OF Arc OF the fifth century; she VIII
saved Paris by her prayers, fror
Attia and his hordes v,oe ~
with pomp in SIP on the mount ,
Genevleye and became the patro
saint OF the city. West of rs IN,