DOWN THE DORDOGNE

Duffield & Greene, New York. By Lawrence Adler '08.

Mention of chateaux invariably calls to mind memories of "la langue francaise" perfectly spoken at Tours, and bus loads of tired tourists trying to absorb all of a nation's history while gazing at a portcullis or moat along the Loire valley. Lawrence Adler has discovered other chateaux, equally moated and possibly more romantic in his weeks of wandering by the Dordogne, a little-known river whose source is in "le massif central," and whose waters mingle with those of the Gironde not far from Bordeaux.

Sightseeing in the ideal manner, from the seat of a small car, the author has made his way leisurely from near "le Mont Dore," through the region of the secluded chateaux, and has refused to spoil the effect by telling you of the dirt of Bordeaux or the best route to take in returning to Paris. Personal acquaintance with several of the chatelaines and letters to others opened doors which would be locked to us as ordinary travellers.

The chapter describing the Abbaye of Rocamadour held the greatest interest for the reviewer as it was familiar through other books of travel. This "inland Mont Saint Michel" with its approach of two hundred and sixteen steps, and the sword of Roland, an exact duplicate of Durandal dating from Charlemagne's time, must be counted among the great sights of France.

Any travel book should include a map of the region under observation, pictures of the most interesting places visited, and above all, it should read easily for us of today who take our journeys without once quitting our arm chairs. "Down the Dordogne" has these features. Possibly a little too much history and not enough conversation with the natives along the route, but still it makes a pleasing excursion for an afternoon of reading.