VALESCURE. 1^3 



of the Riviera. The Estercl owes its picturesque charm 

 to the porpl^yr^• which crops up in bare, rock\' masses. 

 Round these porph\Titic and other igneous rocks there 

 IS shale. The Esterel range is isolated from the Alps, 

 and b\- tlie valle^■ of the Argens also from tlie Mon- 

 tagues des Alaures. As late as the begiiuiing of last 

 century it was hardh' safe to venture into the Esterel: 

 now one may roam about there in greater safet\- than 

 in the outskirts of man\- large towns. Our first visit 

 \\-as to the highest point in tire range, the Mt. \'inaigrc, 

 whose summit rises 2,00(» feet above sea level. \\'e hoped 

 from this heio-ht to o\'erlook the wliolc Esterel rancre 

 and intended to form our plans there for further e.xcur- 

 sions, A\'e lelt St. Raphael as morning dawned. The 

 road led northwards and shorth' reached \'alescure. Tliere, 

 in the cool woods on the slopes, Roman families used to 

 spend the summer when tire heat of the da\- in Eorum 

 Julii became intolerable. 'A'allis curans", tliat vale which 

 brings health, must, as its name implies, have enjo^'ed the 

 reputation of a particularl\- salubrious resort. This old 

 repute might still be taken advantage of toda\- and new 

 inhabitants l:ie attracted liither b\ a name so lull ol promise. 

 In \^alescure we have roads read^• laid out, "(Trand Boule- 

 vards" with high-sounding names : ^voods changed into 

 parks: large Hotels awaiting guests; music pavilions reach' 

 for musicians. Still \'isitors do not appear. And where are 

 the millionaires to come from \vho are to cover the whole 

 Riviera from Toulon to A'entimiglia \\-ith A'illas for the 

 achantage and profit of all those speculators in land"' 

 Direclh the construction of tlie Sud de la France railway- 



