Wanderings In Spain

Théophile Gautier's Wanderings in Spain begins as a half-joking promise that turns into a real departure, sending the narrator from Paris across provincial France and into the Spanish frontier. What starts in wit and irony soon becomes a richly observed travel narrative, alive with roads, rivers, hill towns, strange dwellings, feudal bridges, and the sharp comedy of travel itself, including empty larders, rough inns, and dark jokes along the way. From Bordeaux's noisy hotels, grand cathedral, museum, port, and theater to the macabre vault of St. Michael's Tower, Gautier mixes architectural admiration with theatrical, often satirical description. The route then passes through the bleak Landes, rain-soaked roads, pine forests, Bayonne, and the first signs of the Pyrenees and the sea. Once in Spain, the pace shifts to the rhythms of heat, siesta, and patio life, while rose-bays, olive trees, Baylen, and Jaen unfold in vivid color. Throughout, the book offers a lively portrait of Spain in motion, balancing romance, beauty, history, and everyday life. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.