THE CASANOVA TOUR
by Pablo Günther

( Contents ) Part X:
POST ROADS - 2. London-Naples  -    (Part XI )

2. LONDON - NAPLES
Via Calais, Paris, Lyon, Mont Cenis Pass, Torino, Bologna, Firenze / Ancona and Roma.
2,170 km.
And: NAPLES - MARTIRANO / CALABRIA
Via Salerno, Eboli and Cosenza.
350 km.
The Main Route of the Grand Tour.

London - Dover - Calais - Boulogne-s-mer - Amiens - Paris.
----------------------------------------------------
Excursions:
London - St. Albans
L 6308 L 6308^ H 6401 H 6401^
   LONDON
 5 A1200 Holloway
 5 A1 Highgate
 5  Whetston
 5  BARNET
L 6308 L 6308^
   BARNET
 5  Mimms
 5  Colney
 5  ST. ALBANS
London - Richmond
H 6401 H 6401^
   LONDON
  A4 Bromton
   BARNES
 15  RICHMOND
----------------------------------------------------
From London to Calais
170 km Hired carriage; stage wagon; English Coupé (of Pauline); by packet-boat.
Hired carriage (Post-Chaise) Dover - London: 18 hours.
L 6306^+ Aranda K 6308+ Pauline P 6308^ P 6403+ Daturi
   LONDON
  A2 Deptford
  ? (Welling)
  ? (Crayford)
  A2 Dartford
  ? Northfleet
  ? Chaulk Street
  A2 ROCHESTER
  ? Raynham
  A2 Newington Street
  " SITTINGBOURNE
  A2 Faversham
  B2061 Boughton Street // Bocton Street
  ? (Justice)
  A2 CANTERBURY
  " Bishopsbourne
  B2061 Lydden
  ? (Rivertown)
  B2061 Buckland
 120 " DOVER
S 6306^+ Aranda S 6308+ Pauline S 6308^ S 6403+ Daturi
  English Channel DOVER
 50 CALAIS [Kingdom of France]
From Amiens to Calais
160 km Solitaire / Chaise de Poste.
C3 5708 C9 6306+ Aranda
   AMIENS
  N 235 Picquigny
  N 1 Flixecourt
  " Ailly
 45 " ABBÉVILLE
C9 6306+ Aranda
   ABBÉVILLE
  N 1 Nouvion
  " Bernay "Relais de Poste" on town sign (photo: PG)
  " Nampont

Almost in an original state is the "Hotel de France" and "Relais de Roy" in Montreuil. Of special interest might be the typical inner courtyard. There is a huge fresco, which recalls the stay of Lawrence Sterne during his "sentimental journey" in 1765. - Photo: PG.
 45 " Montreuil post: Hotel de France (photo)
  'N 1 Cormont
  N 1 Samer
  " Boulogne-s-mer
  " Marquise
  " Hauteville / Hautbuisson?
 70 " CALAIS
This was the usual road from Calais in the direction of Paris. Casanova, when driving from Paris to Dunkirk, used two parallel routes from Abbéville onwards and on the way back to Amiens. But, firstly, a section which completes the route from Calais to Dunkirk:
C9 6403+ Daturi
   CALAIS
 25 N 1 GRAVELINES
Paris - Dunkirk in 3 days.
Abbéville - Dunkerque (via St.Omer and Gravelines):
185 km Chaise de Poste; Solitaire.
C3 5708
   ABBÉVILLE
  D 928 le Boisle
  " Hesdin
 55 " Fruges
  " Avroult
  " ST.OMER
  N 43 la Recousse
 65 D 218 GRAVELINES
C3 5708 C9 6403+ Daturi
   GRAVELINES
 20 N 1 DUNKERQUE
Dunkerque - Amiens (via Aire):
140 km Chaise de Poste; Solitaire.
C3 5709 C9 6403
   DUNKERQUE
 10 D 916 Bergues
C3 5709
   Bergues
  D 916 Cassel
  D 238 AIRE
  N 43 (?) Lillers (?)
 60 D 91 Pernes
  D 916 St.Pol
  " Frévent
  " Doullens
  N 25 Talmas
 70 " AMIENS
Back to the direct road from Paris to Calais:
From Paris to Amiens
125 km Chaise de Poste; Solitaire.
C3 5708 C3 5709^ C9 6306+ Aranda/Giuseppe Pompeati
   PARIS
  N 1 St.Denis
  N 16 Ecouen
  " Luzarches
  " Chantilly
 50 D 916A Laigneville
  N 16 Clermont
  D 916 St.Just-en-Chaussée
  D 916 Wavigny
  " Breteuil
  N 1 Flers-s-Noye
  " Hébécourt
 75 " AMIENS

 Paris - Fontainebleau - Nevers or Auxerre - Lyon.
 From Paris to Fontainebleau
     [cf the website: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/nationale7/sommaire.html]
60 km Stage coach "Diligence de Lyon"; English Coupé; Solitaire.
P 5006^+ A.Balletti C6 6106^ C9 6306^+ Adèle 8310 8310^
   PARIS
  N 7 Villejuif
  " Paraye-Vieille-Poste
  ? Fromenteau
  N 7 Essonnes
  " Ponthierry
  " Chailly-en-Bière
 60 " FONTAINEBLEAU
 From Fontainebleau to Lyon (via Nevers) "La Route Bourbonnaise"
385 km English Coupé; Solitaire.
C6: Lyon - Paris in 2,5 days
C6 6106^ C9 6306^+ Adèle
   FONTAINEBLEAU
  N 7 Bourron
  &c Nemours
   Glandelles
   la Croisière
   Fontenay
   Puy-la-Laude
   Montargis
   la Commodité
   Nogent
   les Bézards
   la Bussière
   Bel Air
 90  BRIARE
   Ousson
   Bonny
   Neuvy
   la Celle
   COSNE
   Maltaverne
   Pouilly
   Mesves
   la Charité
   Pougues
 80  NEVERS
   Magny
   Villars
   ST.PIERRE-LE-MOUTIER
   Chantenay
   Villeneuve
   la Vieille Poste
 50  MOULINS
   Bessay
  N 7 la Vieille Poste
   VARENNES
   St.Géraud
   Lapalisse
   Droiturier
  D 570 St.Martin d'Estreaux
  N 7 Pacaudière
  &c St.Germain l'Espinasse
 90  ROANNE
   l'Hopital-s-Rhins
   ST.SYMPHORIEN
   la Fontaine
   Tarare
  D 67 Les Arnas / la Croisette
  N 7 L'ARBRESLE / LA BRESLE *
  " La Tour-de-Salvagny
 75 " LYON
[* Wrong writing by Casanova: "La Bresse".]
From Lyon to Fontainebleau (via Chalons-s-Saone) "La Route Bourgognaise"
400 km Stage coach "Diligence de Lyon"  In 5 days to Paris
P 5006+ A.Balletti
   LYON
  ? le Puits d'Or / D 42 Limonest
  ? les Echelles / N 6 Anse
 30 N 6 Villefranche
  &c St. Georges
   La Maison Blanche
   Macon
   St. Albain
   Tournus
 80  Sennecey
   Chalons-s-Saone
   Chagny
 40  la Rochepot
   Ivry
   Arney
   le Maupas
 50  Saulieu
   la Roche
   Rouvray
   Cussy-les-Forges
  D 944 Lucy-le-Bois
  D 332 la Poste-aux-Alouettes
  N 6 Vermenton
  via Irancy St. Bris-le-Vineux
 90 D 956 Auxerre
  N 6 Bassou
  &c Joigny
   Villevallier
   Villeneuve-s-Yonne
   Sens
   Pont-s-Yonne
   Villeneuve-la-Guyard
   Fossard
   Moret
 110  FONTAINEBLEAU

Lyon - Chambéry - Mont Cenis Pass - Torino - Tortona - Piacenza - Bologna
From Lyon to Chambéry
110 km Stage wagon; English Coupé; on horseback.
P 5006^+ Balletti C6 6106^ C8 6209 C8 6305+ Marcolina H 6305^
   LYON
  N 6 Bron
  &c St. Laurent
   Verpillière
   BOURGOIN-Jallieu
   Vachère
   TOUR-DU-PIN
   Gaz
 70  PONT-DE-BEAUVOISIN [bridge over the river Guiers: boundary crossing France / Kingdom of Sardinia]
P 5006^+ Balletti C6 6106^ C8 6209
   PONT-DE-BEAUVOISIN
  N 6 Echelles
  " St. Thibaud
 40 " CHAMBÉRY
 From Chambéry to Torino over the Mont Cenis
210 km English Coupé; stage wagon; sledge; carried chair; mules.
C1 4912^+ Henriette P 5005^+ Balletti C6 6105^ C8 6209 C8 6211^ C8 6301
   CHAMBÉRY
  N6 Montmélian
  D 204 Maltaverne (y)
  " Aiguebelle
  N 6 Epierre
  &c la Chambre
   ST.-JEAN-DE-MAURIENNE
   St.-Michel-de-Maurienne
   St. André
   Villarodin-Bourget
   Bramans
 125  Lanslebourg
. . 
B 4912^ M 5005^ M 6105^ M 6209 B 6211^ M 6301
Except 1750, with the dismantled English Coupés.
Road constructed 1803-1810.
   Lanslebourg (photo: Chambéry, Musée Savoisien)
  mule- & sledge track (La Ramasse), in front of the:
 5 - Col du MONT CENIS; 2083 mh (photo: the author and his 2CV  in 1996)
High valley with the Lac du Mont Cenis, today a much enlarged reservoir.
  mule-track La (Poste de) Tavernette; Hospice disappeared in the reservoir.
 10 " (Grand - Croix) Frontier Savoy / Piedmont. Chapel (1626) well restored; guest and farm houses falling down.
Z 4912^ Z 5005^ Z 6105^ Z 6209 Z 6211^ Z 6301
No possibility for using sledges. Carriages transported by pack-horses or mules.
   (Grand - Croix)
  mule-track (Ferrera Cenisio)
 10 " NOVALESA (y) (photo: PG)
 C1 4912^+ Henriette P 5005^+ Balletti C6 6105^ C8 6209 C8 6211^ C8 6301
   NOVALESA
 10 L Susa
  N 25 S. Giorio
  " S. Antonio
  " S. Ambrogio
  " RIVOLI
 50 " TORINO
 From Torino to Bologna
330 km English Coupé; stage wagon.
C1 4912^+ Henriette C2 5001 P 5005^+ Balletti C6 6103^ P 7003
   TORINO
  N 20 Trofarello
  N 29 Poirino
  N 29r Dusino/S.Michele
  ? La Gambetta
  N 10 Asti
  &c Castello di Annone
   Felizzano
   ALESSANDRIA
   Lungafame
 110  TORTONA
C1 4912^+ Henriette C2 5001 P 5005^+ Balletti C6 6103^ C8 6303^ P 7003
   TORTONA
 15 N 10 Voghera
C1 4912^+ Henriette C2 5001 P 5005^+ Balletti C6 6103^ P 7003
   Voghera
  N 10 Broni
  " Castel S. Giovanni [Duchy of Parma]
 55 " PIACENZA
C1 4911^, C1 4911, C1 4912^+ Henriette C2 5001 P 5005^+ Balletti
C6 6103^ P 7003
   PIACENZA
  N 9 Via Aemilia Fiorenzuola
  " Fidenza / Borgo S. Donnino
  " Castelguelfo
 60 " PARMA
Excursion:
C1 4908, C1 4908^+ Henriette
   PARMA
 15 N 343 COLORNO
C1 4907^+ Henriette C2 5002 P 5005^+ Balletti(from Reggio) C6 6103^ P 7003
   PARMA
  N 9 Via Aemilia Sant' Ilario d' Enza [Duchy of Modena]
  " REGGIO
  " Rubiera
 50 " MODENA
C1 4907^+ Henriette C2 5002 P 5005^+ Balletti C6 6103^ P 7003 P 7209^ P 7209
  N 9 Via Aemilia MODENA
  " Ponte Samoggia [Ecclesiastical State]
 40 " BOLOGNA

Bologna - Firenze or Ancona - Roma
From Bologna to Roma (via Firenze)
380 km English Coupé; stage wagon; Vetturino; hired carriage (carozzino).
(4405) (4501^) C6 6102^/L 6102^+ Corticelli P 7003 C14 7112^
   BOLOGNA
  N 65 Pianoro
 30 &c Loiano
   (Monghidoro) = (SCARICALASINO)
   La Posta Filigare [Duchy of Tuscany]
   (Passo della Raticosa, 968 mh)
   (Pietramala)
 20  Covigliaio (1742) // N 503 Firenzuola (1705)
   (Passo della Futa, 903 mh) // (Rifredo)
   Montecarelli (1742) // N 503 Giogo [pass] (1705)
 25  Cafaggiolo (1742) // N 503 S. Piero (1705)
   Fontebuona (1742) // ? UCCELLATOIO* (1705)
 25  FIRENZE
[* This older stage (listed e.g. in a post-map of 1705) was situated near the new one Fontebuona (for the first time mentioned in the Thurn and Taxis - guide of 1742). Presumably Casanova mentioned it, because he used an out-of-date guide while writing in Dux.]
(4405) (4501^) C6 6012 C6 6102^ C14 7107^
   FIRENZE
  N 2 Via Cassia S. Casciano ("Antica Posta". Photo: PG)
   " Tavarnelle
 50 " Poggibonsi
(4405) (4501^) C6 6012 C6 6102^ P 7005 C14 7107^
  N 2 Via Cassia Poggibonsi
   " Castellina Scalo
 25 " SIENA (Via Cassia and Porta di Roma. Photo: PG)
(4405) (4501^) C6 6012 C6 6102^ V 7006+ Betty C14 7107^
  N 2 SIENA Via Cassia
   " Monteroni d`Arbia
 25 " BUONCONVENTO
  " Torrenieri
  " (S. QUIRICO)
  " LA SCALA (photo: PG)
  ? Riccorsi
 40 N2 + L RADICOFANI

Radicofani: Villa Medicea della Posta. Photo taken in June 1994 by PG.
(4405) (4501^) C6 6012 C6 6102^ V 7006, V 7006^, L 7006+ Betty C14 7107^
   RADICOFANI
  L + N 2 CENTENO [Ecclesiastical State]
 25 Via Cassia ACQUAPENDENTE
  " S. Lorenzo Nuovo
  " Bolsena
  " MONTEFIASCONE
 45 " VITERBO
  ? Posta Montagna di Viterbo (north of Lago di Vico)
  L Ronciglione
 35 L + N 2 MONTEROSI
(4405) (4501^) C6 6012 C6 6102^+ Poinsinet (up to Firenze) L 7006+ Betty
C14 7107^
   MONTEROSI
  N 2 Via Cassia Baccano
   " POSTA DELLA STORTA
 35 " ROMA
From Bologna to Roma (via Ancona)
500 km
Ancona - Bologna:
210 km Hired carriage; on horseback; mule; stage wagon; English Coupé;
    Vetturino.
L 4403+ Bellino V 7210^
   ANCONA [Ecclesiastical State]
  ? Case Bruciate
 25 N 16 SENIGALLIA
  " Marotta
  " Fano
 35 " PESARO
H 4403 the first time on horseback. V 7210^
  N 16 (SANTA MARIA; fortress in PESARO)
  " Cattolica
 35 " RIMINI
M 4403 V 7210^
   RIMINI
 15 N 9 Via Aemilia SAVIGNANO
P 4403 V 7210^
   SAVIGNANO
 15 N 9 Via Aemilia CESENA
    Posting inn: Piazza del Popolo / Via Zeffirino (photo: PG)
P 4403 P 4906^ C1 4907+ Henriette V 7210^ K 7906^, K 7907+ Del Bene
   CESENA
  N 9 Via Aemilia FORLI
  " Faenza
  " Imola
  " S. Nicolo
 85 " BOLOGNA
Ancona - Roma:
290 km On foot and hitch-hiking; stage wagon.
F 4311 P 4402^
   ANCONA
  L Camerano
 40 L LORETO
T 4311 P 4402^
  N 77 (Sambucheto)
  " MACERATA
 30 " TOLENTINO
F 4311 P 4402^
  N 77 VALCIMARRA
  " (MUCCIA)
 40 " SERRAVALLE
T 4312 P 4402^
  N 77 (COLFIORITO)
  " Casenove
  " FOLIGNO
 40 N 3 (PISSIGNANO)
F 4312 P 4402^
  N 3  Via Flaminia SPOLETO
  " (VALICO DI SOMMA)
  " Strettura
  " TERNI
  " NARNI
 70 " OTRICOLI
T 4312 P 4402^
  N 3 Via Flaminia Borghetto
  " Civita Castellana
  " Rignano Flaminio
 40 " CASTELNUOVO DI PORTO
F 4312 P 4402^
  N 3 Via Flaminia Prima Porta
 30 " ROMA Porta del Popolo
Excursion:
L 4401 L 4401^ C14 7104 C14 7104^
   ROMA
 20 N 215 (FRASCATI)
Excursion:
L 4401 L 4401^
   ROMA
 30 N 5 (TIVOLI)

Roma - Terracina or Monte Cassino - Napoli - Cosenza - Martirano
From Roma to Napoli (via Terracina)
240 km Vetturino; English Coupé; private carriage.
V 4405 V 4406^+ Lucrezia C6 6012, C6 6101^+ Abate Alfani K 7006
  ROMA
  N 7 Via Appia TORRE DI MEZZAVIA d`Albano
  N 7 + N 217 MARINO
  L + N 7 La Faiola (between Genzano and Velletri)
  N 7 VELLETRI
  " Cisterna

The Via Appia, 5 km south-east of Cisterna. Here the post road turns to the mountains in the east to avoid the malaria-infected Pontinian Marshes. - Photo: PG.
  N 7 + L SERMONETA
  ? Casenove
  N 156 + L PRIVERNO / PIPERNO
  ? Li Marutti
 110 L TERRACINA
  N 7 Fondi [Kingdom of Naples]
  Via Appia Itri
  " Formia / Mola di Gaeta
.
J. Smith: "Il traghetto del Garigliano". The building contained the post station. About 1780. From: Brilli, Il Viaggio in Italia. - The same place in 1994. Photo: PG.
  " ferry GARIGLIANO (photos)
  " S. AGATA (near Sessa Aurunca)
1761^: overturned coupé; attempted robbery.
  " FRANCOLISE
100 N 7 CAPUA
V 4405 V 4406^+ Lucrezia C6 6012, C6 6101^+ Abate Alfani K 7006 C14 7009^
  N 7 CAPUA
  N 7 bis AVERSA
 30 " NAPOLI
 From Napoli to Roma (via Cassino)
230 km Coupé, drawn by mules of a vetturino.
C14 7009
Napoli - Capua: see above.
   CAPUA
  25  N 7 + N 6 Via Casilina Vairano Scalo
From here to Rome there were no post stations. However, the following places were mentioned by Nugent, Grand Tour IV, p. 315: "Journey from Naples to Rome, by Vettura."
  ? (S.Germano)
 35 N 6 Via Casilina (MONTE CASSINO)
     (Ceprano)
  " (Frosinone)
  " (Ferentino)
  " (Valmontone)
  ? (Cava Nova)
 130 N 6 ROMA
Excursions:
K 6101 K 6101^
   NAPOLI
 30 N 87 (CASERTA)
R 7007 R 7007^
   NAPOLI
 25  (SORRENTO)
L 7007 L 7007^
   NAPOLI
 45 N 18, N 145 (SORRENTO)
From Napoli to Martirano
350 km On foot; vetturino; stage wagon; hired carriage; English Coupé.
F 4405 V 4406^ P 7009 C14 7009^
   NAPOLI
 10 N 18 (PORTICI) excursion: up to the Monte Vesuvio.
V 4405 V 4406^ P 7009 C14 7009^
  N 18 TORRE DEL GRECO
  " Pagini // Nocera
 50 " SALERNO
P 4405 V 4406^
   SALERNO
  N 19: ? Taverna Pinta
  N 19 Eboli
  " Scorzo
 60 " Auletta
  " Atena Scalo, Atena Lucana (?) / Alla Scala
  " Casalbuono (?) / Casal novo
 60 " Lagonegro
  " Lauria
  " Castelluccio
  L Rotonda
 70 L + N 19 Castrovillari
  N 19 Spezzano (?) / Esaro
  " Regina (3 km west of the N 19) / La Regina
 70 " COSENZA
L 4405 L 4406^
   COSENZA
  N 19 + L Belsito
 30 N 19 + L MARTIRANO [episcopal see]*
[* Near Martirano, King Henry, son of the Staufer-Emperor Frederic II., perished in 1242. Cf. Waldburg-Wolfegg, p.97: "Nowadays, Martirano still is a picture of misery. In 1905, the little town was destroyed by an earth-quake so completely, that the inhabitants gave up and settled in a different locality. Nevertheless particular houses are still inhabited, though the citadel, the churches, and the streets are totally destroyed."]

Continuation: Part XI

Copyright by Pablo Günther, Hergensweiler 2001

up


Impressum