Show FRENCH DWELLERS IN CAVES two mill 04 modern troglodytes most ly peasants in the there are no fewer than 2 cave dwellers in france writes a traveler chethel you travel north east w w est you will find these curious imitations of the homes ot man they stretch tor fully tulles along th valley of the loire froal blois to saumur and as the train proceeds you can catch a glimpse from time to tlene of their picturesque entrances surrounded by flowers and verdure As likely as not you will see the inhabitants standing or sitting in front of their mysterious looking caverns and unless you have learned the contrary you will be inclined to imagine that they possess some of the characteristics of the troglodytes of old and that their homes are mere dens not so as you will find on vis biting them they are nearly all well to do peas an s owners perhaps of some of the vineyards that deck the slopes on all sides and their habitations are as a rule both healthy and comfortably furnished these singular houses are remarkably cool in summer without being in the least damp while in win ter they can be warmed much more easily and better than ordinary apart ments the health of the modern troglodyte is as a rule excellent and it Is not uncommon to find centenarians among them this however is by no means surprising when we consider that their homes are not only health ful to live in but are also comfortably k furnished and fitted up id the majority of cases these roch houses were not excavated for the special purpose of being inhabited but with the object of obtaining stone for the building of bouses at roche cordon there is a rock dwelling carved out of a single bleci of stone and the ingenious owner in addition to i making a two story villa has provided himself with a root gar den from which a fine view ot the val ley can be obtained A similar house exists at bourre in which locality the disused quarries are said to date from the days of the romans |