27 JULY 1929, Page 28

Now that Grenoble is a popular centre for English students

and their families, there should be a good many readers for Miss Caroline Walker's attractive and intelligent book on The Dauphiny (Oxford : Blackwell, 7s. 6d.). She sketches the long history of the old province which was not annexed to France till 1349. She describes Grenoble, Vienne, Gap, Briancon and many lesser places, and gives two chapters to the Grande Chartreuse. She gives biographies of celebrated Dauphinois like Bayart and the Huguenot soldier Lesdi- guihres, and Stendhal, and recalls Napoleon's famous encounter with the royalist troops on his return from Elba. If the book had an index and a map it would be better still.