In the Jura [pp. 765-776]

IN THE JURA.
great mark of distinction; and the "Faubourg St. Germain," so to
speak, is directly around the base of the cliff. The more remote
inhabitants, however, have the advantage of a better view of the
sanctuary. The parish church is on another height, with equally picturesque effect, and is quaintly spoken of as "going backwards," because its altar is at the western end.
Following the delightful road from Arinthod to Thoirette, you
come to a pretty valley that opens to give passage to the Balme.
One side of this valley is bounded by a steep mountain, on the
summit of which rise the battlemented towers of Vallefin with
true baronial pride. Here you come once more into the realm
of fairy-land, if indeed you are ever out of it in the Jura, a land
which no cold and doubting reasoner should attempt to enter.
At one extremity are two gigantic menhirs, called "the Stone
Mlan and Woman of Soussonne," which look like queer Egyptian
statues; and not far off is the source of the Balme, a sacred
spring in Celtic times, where the people went to purify themselves before ascending the height of Pyramont, on which stood
the ancient temple of Fire, sacred to Bel, or Belinus, the great
divinity of the Druids. Here, also, are traces of the old Romans, in the Vie Armee, or Via Armata-the path of Venus,
which led up to her embowered altar. And crossing to the other
side of Vallefin you come to Montgifond, where springs a plenteous fountain, once sacred to Cybele, mother of the gods, the
waters of which were, no doubt, used in purifying her altar after
the annual custom of the Romans.
Returning to the Valouse, on its banks is the village of St.
Hymetiere, which grew up around the cell of a hermit of that
name who withdrew from the world early in the sixth century.
In the course of time the oratory in which he was buried expanded into a large church, and his cell into a priory. The latter was destroyed by the Calvinists of the sixteenth century, but
the church, one of the most ancient in Franche.Comte, is still in
good preservation and greatly frequented on account of the body
of St. Hymetiere, which is kept in a beautiful shrine of carved
oak, executed by the mountaineers themselves, who excel in such
work. This shrine is annually opened for several days at Whitsuntide, drawing an immense crowd to venerate the sacred relics,
and on Whitmonday is borne in solemn procession throughout
the valley, affording an admirable spectacle of Catholic devotion.
This saint is in great repute, not only in the Jura, but as far off
as Mgtcon, where he is honored under the name of St. Ythaire.
I 886.]
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