Evening star., 1925-08-16

PARIS, August b.
/THE President of the repub-
lie ought to have a Sum-
mer white house, say
l. the French people. Plain
citizens desire to see their
chosen chief magistrate in a residence
of honor and beauty all the year
round. Let the French President
pass his vacations in one of the royal
chateaux of the old kings!'
AS a fact, the French people have
given their Presidents two of the
beautiful historic chateaux-Fontaine-
bleau and Rambouillet. Both have
been fitted up in modern manner for
the Presidents, apart from the grand
old showrooms full of gilded furni-
ture.
President Carnot used Fontaine
bleau as real Summer residence
Felix Fauro entertained there, almost
royalty. Loubet spent two Summers
at Fontainebleau. then switched to
Rambouillet.
Up to Loubet, Rambouillet had been
used only for the presidential hunts,
when thousands of pheasants, etc,
are shot by guests of mark. But for
Loubet Rambouillet was entirely reno
waited. AS Autumn residence" ire
visited for the shooting), Fallieres,
Poincare and Millerand preferred
ftdInDOullleL TO FOI1tdlIleDIedu, as less
spectacular. less royal"
And now comes a French President
who wants no royal surroundings at
all for his Summer white house.
President Doumergue has picked his
SwampScott.
But before he picked it the French
people gave the new place to him.
From this year on the French Re
public has three vacation residences
for its Presidents to choose among.
The third Summer white house,
the newly acquired one, is Willie
grand old republican chateau on the
highroad of the Alps, from Grenoble
up to the Meige Glacier and Briancon,
beyond.
While is surrounded by snow.tipped
peaks. 1t is the very type of health
place. 1t has its own farm, in a val.
| ley noted for vegetables and dairy
products. It's mountain air is ozone
charged, free from microbes. from
the third greatest glacier of Europe
Vizelle Is accessible, quickly and
easily, although so close to romantic
peaks and precipices. The highest
national road of France runs past
1t, so close that 1t touches-a road in
itself, wonder of engineering. 1t
is protected throughout by massive
masonry parapets and is everywhere
wide enough for three cars to pass
abreast
HERE is the greatest stretch of the
famous route of the Alps. Every
season 1t becomes more famous, more
frequented by tourists and trippers.
And While, being situated directly
plumply, squarely on this most pop
ular of all the Alpine roads-"a road
more frequented in July and August
than the high road to st. Germain"-
by crowds of touring cars, whose con-
tinual passage raises a continual dust
cloud
Trippers by the trolley from Gren-
oble overrun the little square Of
While town, on which the great main
doors of the chateau open.
Traffic stops for refreshment.
1t is the mild publicity of Swamp
scott raised to the nth" power.
Dust, honk and clang of trolley
The square is sprinkled during the
Presidents residence. but every troll
ley dumps down trippers. Tourists
motor cars are brought from America
to honk beneath the Presidents bed
room windows.
President Doumergue knew 1t all
before he picked While for August.
To his mind the mountain air, the
valley food products and the glorious
Alpine scene, all easily accessible.
counterbalance the annoyance of the
public's noisy enjoyment.
IF you want selfish peace" says
the mild President, the price is sol
itude. prefer accessibility. Let the
tourists honk past vizelle and get
] the good Of it!'