But as autumn advances our thoughts are naturally turned more towards
'le sport;' and if we are fortunate enough to be on visiting terms with
the owners of the neighbouring chateaux, we may be present at some
interesting scenes that will remind us of pictures in the galleries at
Versailles.
'With good books, a good rod, and a double gun, one could never weary
of a residence at Avranches,' says an enthusiastic settler who has found
out the right corners in the trout-streams, and, possibly, the denizens
of the neighbouring woods. The truth, however, is that in spite of the
beautifully wooded country round, and the rivers that wind so
picturesquely beneath us; in spite of its unexampled situation and its
glorious view, Avranches is scarcely the spot for a sportsman to select
for a residence.
In the season there are numerous sportsmen, both English and French, and
occasionally a very fair bag may be made; but game not being preserved
systematically, the supply is variable, and accounts of sport naturally
differ very widely. We can only say that it is poor work after our
English covers, and that we know some residents at Avranches who prefer
making excursions into Brittany for a week's shooting. Trout may be
caught in tolerable abundance, and salmon of good weight are still to
be found in the rivers, but they are diminishing fast, being, as we
said, netted at night for the Paris market.
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