RIVERS BETWEEN THE LOIRE AND GARONNE. 241 



on the waters. Minnow or red- worm in this river, are 

 decidedly the best baits. 



Following the line of the coast, the next river which 

 comes across the route of the angler, is La Vie, which 

 discharges itself into the sea, near the small town of 

 St. Gilles-sur-Vie. This stream enjoys a high reputation 

 amongst French anglers, on account of the magnitude 

 and quality of its trout. It rises only about twenty 

 miles from the sea; and as its waters are sluggish in 

 their course, they are rather unfavourable for good fly- 

 fishing; they are, however, well adapted for the minnow 

 and red- worm, and will yield good sport with these 

 baits. 



The river Lay is the next which presents itself along 

 this portion of the French coast. It traverses a distance 

 of nearly fifty miles from its source, and passes through a 

 very pretty and interesting country. About ten miles from 

 its mouth, the small river Yoa, extending about fifteen 

 miles from its source, helps to swell the volume of the 

 Lay. Both these streams contain a considerable number 

 of trout, good in quality and respectable in size. The 

 Lay has its source near a village called St. Pierre. 



The river Vendee takes its rise a considerable distance 

 from the sea, and flows through a very charming and 

 picturesque country. It abounds with rippling and fine 

 flowing streams; and is, therefore, in many parts of its 

 course, well adapted for the fly. Its source is contiguous 

 to that of the Lay. 



About twenty miles from the sea the Vendee flows 

 through the town of Fontenay-le-Compte, which is 

 pleasantly situated on its left bank. The churches in this 

 town contain two or three good pictures by the older 

 Italian masters. 



R 



