LA MAURE. 219 



mountains reach the coast. But what induces invaUds to 

 frequent the roads or live near them ! I myself detest 

 dust, even though my lungs are sound. T am a good 

 walker and prefer being on foot to driving. So the Hotel 

 was ver)' conveniently situated for me. From it there 

 are foot-paths that lead very soon to wood and Maquis. 

 From the pine- clad summits of La Maure, about 820 feet 

 above sea level, the most glorious and surprising views 

 are obtainable of luxuriantl)"" green valle3's, of the snow)' 

 Alps and the blue coast. This spring the Maritime 

 Alps were particularly grand as the snow lay low down 

 on them. They reminded one of scenes in the Bernese 

 Oberland, but were far brighter, being bathed in the 

 glory of the Italian sun. I was quite content to linger 

 on the heights of La Maure under the Aleppo Pines, but 

 I avoided the "Observatoire" on principle, it being the 

 recognised point of view to which carriages were driven 

 up siowl}', in the afternoon, by tired horses, along the 

 dusty road. A tower has been erected there, from which, 

 on payment of a fixed fee, }'0u may. admire the beauties 

 of Nature. There is generally a crowd, and the music 

 from a neighbouring inn does not help to improve one's 

 frame of mind. 



CHAPTER III. 



The road up to the "Observatoire" crosses a canal 

 which supplies Cannes, Golfe Jouan and Antibes with 

 water. It conducts the same water which the Romans 

 drank in Forum Julii. They enclosed one of the springs 

 of the Siagne, above Grasse, and conve\'ed the water to 



