New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-08


travel as they have more conventional methoas
And vet there is probably Of these numerous
parties OF American women who are gayiy crossing
and recrosslng the face Of old Europe who would
not look upon an autonlonile 'ouf As ''e ofo"NA''s
experience of trip abroad
The lure OF popular automobile fiction has pro-
vided the necessary stimulus but II is common
deluson that the foreign automobile tour Is an I'M
attainable luxury for most ihis iGea should DC
exploded. Automobile travel Is Just as cheap as. and
a good deal more heathst and amusing than drift
ing around Europe as many women do from
pension 10 pension. assuming that one does take sx-
cursions out into the country once In a while, and
the away about with an automobile Is a. simple
and easy OF accomplishment for woman as for =
The ideal way TO make automobile tour Is with
a husband OF a mechanical turn, without chauf-
feur and in small low powered but efficient car
which IFS easy handle and not too expensive TO
However the ideal way is seldom The practf-
cal way for the majority. There may be no hus-
band. ne may be too busy Fathers are not al
ways easy TO from home. while brothers may
be considered strictly negligible quantities.
How. then the lone woman get her automo-
bile tour abroad? First, her begin In France
France is the land par excellence for the motor's
More motorists France than In all the other
countries of Europe combined Three things make
toward this end good roads. good hotels and a
variety Of scenery and climate be found else
where In Europe. France made the automobile. and
the automobile has in turn made the French coun-
tryside a touring ground unrivaled By any other.
II may be patriotic to bring ones own automobile
and chauffeur, but it is necessary, and II gives
no end Of trouble that might often otherwise be
avoided. An American chauffeur. who most likely
speaks only English and who is invariably ignorant
of the country and it's ways. is serious handicap
And besides this those picturesque little dollar
a day hotels at which one wants to stop might.
likely enough. not be good enough for him.
French chauffeur. who can speak your language
but who does not know your car and who has the
usual Frenchmap's contempt for foreign made
article will be Marty bad II saves both ex-
pense and trouble TO hire an automobile and It's
French chauffeur from some Paris garage, or, bet
ter yet. in some provincial capital like Rouen or
Orleans.
Through the American Automobile Association or
the Automobile Club of America information can
he had OF many Paris garages which make a busi-
ness of hiring out automobiles; but II is TO she
Touring Club de France that one must turn for
the most comprehensive help in touring france
To be a member Of the Touring club de france
is sine qua for the woman traveAer IA
France whether by road or rail. The value OF ies
services Is above those of many Baedekers or per-
sonally conducted caravans. 1t is the greatest and
most efficient travellers club In all the world ana
women may share it's privileges equally with men
For the insignificant sum of six francs one may
become a member. One may learn the procedure
by addressing the secretary. No 70 Avenue Do "a
Grand Armee. Paris. He may be written 20 IN
English
ss q r,ar,hsr NJ the club one receives a monthly
copy Of the Revue" a magazine, with illustra-
tons devoted touring in France and many o,he'
helps TO French travel. AT the handsome eiuo-
house not far from the Arc de Tr!omphe, members
NAV consult it's most complete library or modern
guidebooks and maps. perhaps the finest and GER
tainly the most accessible collection OF its class
extant The club publishes route books and hote1
lists which are supplied TO members AZ 4 i!inihk
figure These latter quite Indispensable 10 she
traveller in France. They contain about the only
Trustworthy information concerning the aecoinino-
dations and prices at French hotels that ono can
get and certain OF them are atnlatec WIKI 'he cruz
and grant discount OF from to 10 per cent Oh
the amount of ones reckoning, not an inconsdef-
oha itar, nj itself In addition these most useful
hooks plainly note those little rnodernitiss which
mean so much TO the woman traveller ana which
have been, until the Touring Club took hod OK
things so wofuly lacking in the small country
hotels of France. The fact that the President OF
the French Republic is the honorary head OF the
club makes it's influence throughout France wide
spread and effective.
The route books and guides published by the
great tire companies. offered gratis to motorists
supply information similar to that OF the touring
club and are even more satisfactory as TO details
of roads and routes.
After having laid in supply OF. the proper
guides and maps, carefully plan out your itinerary
Above all things learn read map intellisently.
It is astonishing how many people look upon
map as a species of cryptogram and lack OF
ability to decipher its hidden meaning is not al
ways confined the weaker sex. The woman
motorist who has road map at her fingers ends
can verify her progress with a glance OF the eye
and will save herself and party no end of time
and worry.
Most French garages that rent automobiles will
arrange tours at a prix a forfait-that is. every
thing included even the travelling expenses of the
chauffeur. This If one is bringing ones
car. is by far the simplest and most nearly care
free method of making motor tour. You should
be able to average things a basis of from 100
TO $50 francs a day. and this for three four
works out at a reasonable figure indeed. Most per-
sons will spend $40 a day travelling around by rail.
stopping palatal joint stock hotels and taking
expensive carriage rides. and think they get
ting good value for their money. In automo-
bile you may stop where you will at ap-
pealng little country inn. beneath the shadow OF
some frowning castle historic shrine and the
viii be more. and most likely less The
country fare which gets In France is often
a pleasant surprise, don't be afraid OF that
You may perhaps pheasant or grouse and
truffies and asparagus and all the exotcs OF the
Paris markets at repasts which will often cost
not more than % For three times the price
at some resort hotel you would be put of with the
eternal omelette iambon an imitation ''bif-
teck just because the proprietor knew yo, were
strangers and thought that your daily fare
when at home. The Touring Club de France helps
you To avoid the latter kind of hotel if you want
10. by pointing the other kind
Three or four women we'll tour alone with
an automobile and it's hired chauffeur under con-
ditions similar to those outlined above and hav.
the time of their lives from % 10 80 p.r cent
less than il would cost to cover the same ground
by other means
IL you decide To fit out in some provincial CANT /
tai. go 10 Rouen for Normandy and Brittany or
perhaps Eyreux for the latter; Orleans or Tours
for the chateau country Gas 1t popularity known,
If TOnra ina ROvf7 eHa