There is no doubt that a landau is the most comfortable vehicle for a drive of any length, although some very comfortable little T-carts, with good ponies between the shafts, can be hired too.  We often used the latter for drives to Assat and over the suspension-bridge—­so old and shaky—­and home by Gelos and Jurancon; while at other times, taking the necessaries for afternoon tea, we drove as far as Nay, crossing the river to enter its ancient square—­in which stand the Townhall and the Maison Carree, of historical fame —­and then leaving the tanneries and houses behind, sought some quiet spot down by the water, for sketching and enjoying our tea.

Rides or drives on the coteaux (hills) in the vicinity are very pleasant, as the views from certain points are particularly fine.  Of these the most popular is to Perpignaa, two hours being sufficient for the drive there and back.  It is a nice walk for an average pedestrian, and the road is easy to find.  We generally started in the afternoon, passing across the bridge and through Jurancon, and where the road forks, bearing along the Gan road to the right.  Then, taking the first turning to the right, leading between fields, we reached an avenue of trees, with a village beyond.  We then followed the road across the bridge to the left, and kept bearing in that direction till we reached the foot of the coteau, where there is only one route, and consequently no chance of taking any but the right one!  We heard of a case of two young ladies going off in a donkey cart, intending to sketch the view above Perpignaa, who, when they reached the avenue, turned down to the right and wandered along the bank of the Gave as far as the donkey would go, and then sketched a church steeple in despair.  But such a mistake is quite unnecessary; and they would doubtless have remedied theirs, if they had not found it obligatory at last to push behind in order to make the donkey move homewards.  Although very hoarse and tired when they arrived, they had voice enough left to say they “wouldn’t go sketching in a donkey cart again!”

From the foot of the hill the road zigzags, making a fairly easy gradient to the summit, on which stands a house whose owner kindly allows visitors to walk about his grounds and participate in the view.  When riding, we followed the road that continues on the right for several miles, in order to prolong the pleasure produced by the exercise and the view.

Another pleasant ride is by way of the coteaux to Gan, and back by the road, or vice versa; but we always preferred the former, as the horses had the hill work while fresh, and then the level home.  In the first instance we found this track by accident.  We had passed through Jurancon, and at the spot where the road forks debated which to take, finally deciding on the left one, but this we only followed for a few yards, taking again the first turning to the right, which brought us over the railway line direct to the