Areas+of+Interest

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Certain places in the novel that need a bit of an explanation

__Seine__
A 486 mile long river that runs through central France. The water quality is rather low, and Atlantic salmon have only just returned to it's waters. It has a popular spot in French culture, as well as in crime. Over 306 bodies have been found in the Seine. George Seurat's //Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte// is set on the Seine.

The name Seine is derived from the Latin word //Sequana//, which funnily enough means 'weird cat'. The name has been around long before America was even thought of, and the Seine has had varying names through the years of the Romans, Gauls, Celts, and Norsemen. The portion of the Seine that stretches all the way to Normandy was called Rodo (or Roto) in Celtic. That name still exists in the Rhone River, miles from the Seine.

Celtic habitation of France is evident in the many burial mounds occupying spots in the countryside.The Romans did not live in France for very long, and nor did the Norse, so French names are usually descended from Celtic and Gallic influences.

Commonly referred to as Digne-les-Bains (Deenya-lay-bahns), this town in southeastern france is the head of the lavender trade and labeled the sportiest town in France. Residents of Digne are called //Dignois// (Deen-wah). The city is renowned for it's beautiful cathedral, which can be seen in the picture to the right.

The best time of year to visit Digne is the first weekend of August, when the annual Lavender Parade is held.

Digne also has some of France's best examples of classic marble sculpture, and the surrounding gardens are a nonstop tourist must-see. The mountain in the background of aforementioned photo is called Cousson, and because the town is so near the mountain, it has a certain climate that provides pure air and many sunny days.

__Bagne of Toulon__
The port prison of Toulon, created by Louis XV to house the convicts sentenced to manual labor by rowing in the French navy. The name 'bagne' (pronounced bah-nee-ah) is derived from the italian word 'bagno' for bath, because the prison is based on an old prison in a roman bathhouse.

The most famous prisoner ever held there was in fact Jean Valjean from Les Miserables, although he doesn't actually exist. Another famous prisoner from literature held in Toulon was Gaspard Caderousse from Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo.

The convicts arrived chained by the neck, in groups of 24. Upon their arrival, they were shorn, clad in a gown and vest of red wool, a [|s] hirt of white linen, trousers of yellow cloth and a pair of shoes. They also wore a woolen cap, the color indicating the length of the sentence: the red cap for those sentenced to time and the green cap for those sentenced to life in prison. A tin plate, worn on the jacket, vest and cap, indicated the [|r] egistration number of the condemned. Those who worked outside also received a gray woolen jacket. The food consisted of beans, meat, wine, and black bread. The punishments for escape or attempt and murdering a fellow convict were death. Insulting a higher authority was a five-franc fine. Swearing, singing, and refusal to work merited a longer sentence by three years or physical punishment. The most-loved punishments at Toulon were caning or shooting them in the foot.

The prison closed in 1873, when galleys were rendered obsolete by changes in naval warfare.The old building is in ruins today, just an empty shell and a wall from an Allied bombing in World War II.

**__Paris__**

Paris is most widely known for the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe. However, there are many more reasons to go to Paris than to just see three buildings. It didn't become the most densely populated city in France and a tourist hotspot for nothing. The Louvre museum is a must-see in itself. The art museum houses both the Mona Lisa painting and the Venus de Milo statue. The Stade de France (stadium) housed both the 1938 and 1998 FIFA world cups. Football is the national pastime.

Not as open to tourists are the lesser known catacombs under Paris, in mockery of Rome. Bones of all sorts line the walls and warnings are etched into stone. Another morbid topic, the three largest cemeteries in France are the Pere Lachaise (as mentioned in the novel), Montmartre, and Montparnasse.

The Opera Garnier, a theater in Paris which performs classic opera and theatre pieces is a beautiful classical rendition of French-Parisian culture. If you're more inclined towards modern theatre and opera, the Opera Bastille is the theater for you.

__Luxembourg__
The Jardin du Luxembourg, where Cosette and Marius first meet, is as romantic a place in fact as well as in fiction.

Vast greenery accentuated with an arrangement of famous sculptures makes this one of the highlights of Paris. The original model of the statue of liberty, several hundred feet shorter, resides nestled away in the gardens. Statues of almost every queen and king are in the garden, as well as statues of other French celebrities.

Apple and pear orchards are there too, with several child friendly fountains that they can play in or sail toy boats.

The French senate is housed in the Luxembourg Palace, which is in the center of the gardens. Luxembourg is the second largest public park in France, despite being on the doorstep of a government.

After the French Revolution, when the Directory was in power, the garden was expanded by forty hectares due to the confiscation of the Carthusian monks' nearby land.