The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-07-05

prepared by the National Geographic
Society. Washington. D. ca
TT WAS over some of the most va
ried and picturesque terrain OF
i France. the Valley of the Rhone
and the country lying on each side
of ii, that the Graf Zeppelin fought
her way recently, finally 70 find hav-
en- ar the French naval airport near
TOulOn, on the edge of the Mediter-
ranean.
OF this southeastern region of
France, Lyon is the interior metrOpo-
lis. Lyon might be called the New
York of France, great manufacturing
city, its heart on the tongue of land al
the confluence of two great rivers. the
Rhone and the SaOne. and dominated
at one side by towering palisade. on
whose very summit rises the monstrOus
modern Byzantine Church of Four
Were. The people inevitably suggest
Americans = the beautiful women
gOwned with taste and restraint; the
men brOad-shOuldered. energetic and
alert; the flocks of pretty children well
dressed and with charming manners.
while what one sees Of the life of the
city is as spirited and delightfully."- re-
freshing as the cool foods that sweep
past its long quays.
1t is beautifully arranged city,
which has taken full advantage of its
situation. Its twin rivers. spanned by
% handsome bridges and dotted with
battered public wash-boats. are lined
with superb, tree-shaded duays on all
sides. There are miles of other fine
streets and many parks and squares.
Imposing modern commercial and
public buildings in no way detract
from the interest of the remarkable
Cathedral of st. Jean and its attend
ant. the inerusted and arcaded Elev-
enth century Manecanterie, or Choir
listers house, or from the quaint Ro-
manesque Church of ST. Marrin-d'-
Ainay, with its inlays of cOlored stones
and its tower with acrOteria SUI
perb view from the balconies of the
tower Of the FOurviere church sweeps
a hundred-mile circle of city and plain.
fenced in by snowy peaks, among
which Mt. Blanc is clearly visible in
good weather.
On its southern trip the great dirig-
ible sailed easily over Lyon at great
speed. helped by the southwark flow
of the Mistral, the famous wind of
the Rhone valley. But OF the attempt
ed trip northward, with engines Grip
pied, this same Mistral proved an en-
envy and the ship was sent drifting
southwark long before Lyon was
reached.
Nismes and Avignon.
In its battle TO fly northward the
crippled ship first sailed over the fiat
Camargue country in tie delta of the
Rhone; then over Mines. The latter
city is the most notable of those in
this region-a big, healthy minded.
sprawling city full of dangerous
southern fragrance. rich in splendid
avenues. and park finer than any
other in provincial France. and glory
ing in the finest Roman ruins outside
Italy itself. Right through the smil-
ing, scented heart of the city runs the
little walled stream whose source is
the cool spring at the foot Of Mont
Cavalier, that feeds the ancient Ro-
man baths. Every art that man could
WELD has toiled to make the park and
baths lovely beyond compare-land-
scape architecture. sculpture, hydrau-
lie engineering. horticulture, and all
the rest. With its formal Eighteenth
century urns. balustrades. statuary
and arrangement, it is not Roman now
in anything save memory; but it is
perfect.
The great, shattered amphitheater
tells more truly Of Roman days. with
its terrific masses of masonry and its
suggestion of cruel sports: and where
two busy streets cross, among the
scanty remains of the form. rises the
most brilliant Of all the ruins in
France, the little temple of the for
tunate princes of youth" 1t. is ex-
quisite-a jewel so rare that not even
its brummagem setting can dim the
luster of the Greek spirit that infuses
every detail of ii. Roman though it be.
A little to the northeast lies Avig-
non, city of the popes. Ii juts boldly
up from the plain on 3 great isolated
rock, from which springs the huge
Fourteenth century papal palace. a
wonderful mixture of Prison and for
tress and pontificial residence All
about the town of the sunny. battle
mented walls seem entirely appropri-
ate, and the Gathering trolley cars
that dart through the now always
opened gates an anachr6nism The
town is lively with color, and from
the attractive park atop the rock the