[Illustration:  “THE ‘PEARL’ IN THE PEERLESS VALLEY.”]

The Allee d’Etigny—­the principal street—­and all the other allees, notably the Allee des Bains, make most delightful promenades, even in the heat of the day, so delightful is the shade afforded by the trees that line the way on either side.  To walk from the “Thermes” along the Allee des Bains, turning into the Casino gardens, or continuing further—­leaving the “Chute de la Pique” on the right—­along the riverside till the road to Montauban cuts it at right angles, is a most delicious evening stroll.  We prolonged this, by taking the road in question between the poplars up to the village of Montauban itself; but found more interest in the beautiful new church than in the waterfall at the back of the village, which is gained by passing through the good cure’s garden, and for which privilege half a franc is charged.  The church, of white stone, very symmetrically built and of quite a different architecture from the usual French types, stands out imposingly at the entrance to the village, backed up by the tree-clad hills and the cottages beyond.  The interior is most chaste and tasteful, as different from the usual Roman Catholic interior as is the outside from the general exterior, the texts on the pillars near the entrance being quite an unusual feature.  Whether the decoration was not yet finished, and the tinsel therefore not yet arrived, we could not learn; but are afraid it is only too probable, as the church, as it stood, might have been one of our own; for even the gilt pulpit harmonised so well with the rest, that it did not detract from the religious and solemn effect, while the light through the finely-coloured windows threw a softening glimmer over all.

[Illustration:  THE CHURCH OF MONTAUBAN.]

We returned by a short cut through the fields on the left and the garden of the Villa Russe, whose owner, “charmant et gentil,” not only showed us all over, but very kindly invited us to a strawberry feast a month hence—­which sorrowfully we had to decline—­as well as making us free of his garden and fields, the latter being filled with the sweet-scented narcissus.

The Hotel Canton, in which we were staying, was very conveniently situated and comfortable.  While standing in a quiet part of the Rue d’Espagne it was close to the post-office and casino on the one hand, and the bathing establishment and the Jardin des Quinconces on the other.  Moreover, the stables of Jean Sanson—­a most excellent guide for all excursions—­were close at hand, and his horses would be difficult to beat; while his son Luis is experienced in all trips and ascents, not only in the vicinity, but over a large part of the Pyrenees.

The new casino, barely three years old, is situated in as charming a quarter as could well be imagined, for besides possessing a finely laid-out garden with many fine shrubs and trees, it is bounded by three beautiful allees as well.  As previously mentioned, it can be gained by the Allee des Bains, but the most direct way to the building itself, from our hotel, was by keeping to the right along the Rue d’Espagne and the narrow street beyond (the post-office being to the left), opposite which a side entrance leads to the imposing edifice.