34. From Paris to Fontainebleau.

37 M. Chemin de Fer de Lyon. The journey occupies l - l 3/4 hr. (fares
6 fr. 60, 4 fr. 45, 2 fr. 90 c.; return-tickets 9 fr. 90, 7 fr. 16, 4 fr. 65 c). —
Those who visit Fontainebleau should devote a whole day to the excursion,
leaving Paris by an early train.

At (l 1/4 M.) Bercy-Ceinture, a station within Paris, we cross the
Ligne de Ceinture. — Beyond (3 M.) Charenton (p. 252) we cross
the Marne, near its continence with the Seine. To the left is the
Asylum of St. Maurice 1 p. 252). On the left bank of the Marne lies
Alfortville (p 252 '. — 41/2 M. Maisons-Alfort, a place with 10.547
inhab.. well known for its veterinary college, founded in 1766 by
Bourgelat. The Chateau de Charentonneau and the Villa Lesieur are
also noteworthy. Farther on we cross the Ligne de Grande-Ceinture.

91/2 M. Villeneuve-St-Georges (Cafes at the station), with 8178
inhab. and a suspension-bridge over the Seine, is picturesquely
situated on the slope of a wooded hill to the left, at the confluence
of the Yeres and the Seine. The Chateau de Beaureoard. where
Balzac's widow resided, has been acquired by the municipality. The
Lyons railway has large works here. Villeneuve is also a station on
the Ligne de Grande-Ceinture. A monument, by A. Lenoir, in the
Square de la Mairie, commemorates Victor Duruy (1811-94), states-
man and historian. Steamboat to Paris, see p. 404.

From Villeneuve-St-Geobges to Melun via Corbeil, 26 1/2 M., railway
in about l 1/2 hr. (fares 4 fr. 95, 3 fr. 35. 2 fr. 15 c). — Beyond (1 3/4 M.)
Draveil-Vigneux it crosses the Seine. — 4 1/2 M. Juvisy (p. 405). — 7 M. Ris-
Orangit. — 9 1/2 M. Evry-Petit-Bourg.

11 1/4 M. Corbeil (Hotel de la Belle-Image, to the left, before the mills;
Bellevue, on the right bank, by the bridge), with 9632 inhab., is situated
at the confluence of the Seine and the Essonne. It owes its origin to a
stronjhbld built in the 11th cent, to repel the incursions of the Normans,
and became the capital of a county which Louis le Gros annexed to the
crown. St. Louis signed a treaty here with Jaime I. of Aragon (1258). The
Moulins de Corbeil are perhaps the largest flour-mills in France. A little
beyond them are the Hotel de Ville and the handsome Galignani Monument,
by Chapu, commemorating the well-known Paris publishers (d. 1S73 and
1SS2), who were substantial benefactors of Corbeil. The Rue St. Spire
leads to the church of St. Spire, founded by Haymon I., Count of Corbeil
(d. 957), and reconstructed in the 12th century. In the first chapel to the
right are the tombs of Haymon and of Jacques de Bourgoin de Corbeil
(d. 1661). To the N.W. of Corbeil are the Etablissements Decauville, iron-works
employing 950 hands, whose speciality is narrow-guage railways, and to the
S.W. the village of Essonnes, with a large paper-mill (3000 workmen). —

Beyond (13 M.) Villabé the Melun line diverges to the right from the
Montargis line, then passes under it, and crosses the Essonne. — 15 1/2 M,
Coudray-Montceaux; 18 M. St. Fargeau-Seine-Port. Seine-Port is on the right
bank. — 20 1/2 M. Ponthierry-Pringy, with a bridge over the Seine. — Beyond
(23 1/2 M.) Vosves we skirt the park of the Chateau de Belombre.

26 1/2 M. Melun, see p. 409. — The line crosses the Seine and proceed-
along the right bank to (22 1/2 M.) Montereau.

Beyond Champagne, the 6th station on this extension, we see the Forest
of Fontainebleau on the left bank, while (10 1/2 M.) Vulaines, the 5th station,
is only l 3/4 M. from the station of Fontainebleau and 1 1/4 M. from the
Tour Denecourt (p. 415).