The Vicissitudes of Travel
Antibes with the 16th-century Fort Carré. Antipolis, founded in 5th century BC by Greeks.
Ah, vacations. Relaxation. But where?
Antibes and the Mediterranean coast? Istanbul? Or something closer to home?
A hint of stress might set in as today’s travelers look for the best flight in terms of price and convenience. Longer connection intervals to allow for security checks and flight delays. Passports and currency and chargers. Quaint but isolated village or a seaside town with rail and bus connections. TripAdvisor and other sites for recommendations. Oh, but what about that road trip, which offers flexibility in terms of itinerary and schedules. Secondary routes to break the monotony of the interstate. An opportunity to catch up with family and friends or visit cultural sights and experience different cuisines. A cruise? Well, now. . . .
A flight leaving from the Nice airport heads over Villefranche. Nikaia, founded in 350 BC by Greeks.
These days, tourists have numerous options for weekend get-aways or longer treks for every budget and destination. But what about early travelers? Those 17th-century individuals, their interest piqued by access to more books following the advent of the printing press with movable type (ca. 1450), voyages of discovery (15th-16th centuries), recovery of ancient manuscripts and the rise of a new science of observation and inquiry.
By the late 16th and early 17th centuries, gentlemen sought to complete their education with a voyage to the Levant and Holy Land to visit religious sites as well as those important in Antiquity. Not only did they seek connections with compatriots abroad and cultural understanding, but they sought to return with vestiges from these ancient cultures (manuscripts, mummies, pottery) as well as specimens of flora and fauna. Some even participated in scientific expeditions to make astronomical observations for work in terrestrial longitude.
They traveled by ship and overland with horse and carriage, or horse and camels. In France, they traveled in small boats along canals with locks, or rented horse and carriage at the Relais de la Poste (Bouchard 129, Craddock 182). Abroad, they often hired guides and interpreters. They encountered tolls and fees to enter and leave countries and towns.
Although travels at this time might be fraught with danger, they offered an opportunity for personal gain and prestige—trophies from abroad, which could be displayed in cabinets of curiosities, precursors to later museums, as well as the opportunity to publish a travel account and dedicate it to a an esteemed person, who might offer patronage.
Bouchard's travel account is accessible on Gallica.
Such a trip required money and numerous preparations—not only the choice of an itinerary but also things to carry by sea and overland. For the sea crossing from Cannes or Toulon to the Levant, a trip that often took more than three weeks, travelers might bring a long trunk to store provisions (ginger for sea sickness, citrus fruits and Suntana raisins, cured meats and biscuits and linens) and serve as a type of bed for sleeping. And
They needed many papers—passports from their country of origin and a health certificate, which provided information on where they came from most recently in case of outbreaks of the plague.
They needed letters of exchange from their banks to be exchanged for currency in various countries. Some brought letters of recommendation or introduction to gain entry into prestigious circles. These letters might describe the holder as someone of high moral standing, excellent conversation and a man of virtue.
Once they arrived in a town, they needed to register with authorities for a laissez passer, a document that enabled them to sleep in lodgings and remain for a certain period. For example, travelers might arrive at 10 p.m., be stopped by a soldier asking their purpose and the duration of their stay before accompanying them to a lodging. (Bouchard 29).
Travel arrangements changed frequently because of reports of Barbary pirates along the coast or at sea, who sought to capture ships laden with bounty and sell passengers on the slave markets of Tunis or Algiers. Some captives were kept to row on the galleys and others, such as diplomats or from wealthy families, were sold for high ransoms. Others might remain in captivity for years until their families could pay Redemption priests to bring them home. Within France, travelers encountered the plague or civil unrest. (Bouchard 114-115).
Also, reports of the plague resulted in changes in itinerary By the 17th century, ships had to stop off the coast so passengers and merchandise could be examined by officials. In case of doubt, passengers were sent to the lazarettos for a quarantine (up to 40 days). Merchandise was not allowed in the country of destination until the quarantine period expired.
Ship passengers dealt with sea sickness, cramped quarters and the lack of food and fresh water. A sea voyage from Alexandria to Venice with 23 people on board, of which 15 were crew, lost four to fever and dysentery. (Brizay 158).
Once passengers arrived on land, they faced new challenges. Italy was known for its dirty auberges, questionable food and poor drinking water. (Brizay 153). Not to mention the fleas and dirty lines, which also plagued many French auberges (Cradock 196, 236, etc.).
In distant countries, they traveled with guides and in groups for safety. They might sleep in caravanserais alongside camels and horses, in monasteries or in houses of diplomats or even under the stars. Intense heat and flies forced them to travel at night (Brizay 152-153).
Villamont's account on Gallica.
Often taking months to recover from fatigue and illness, they headed home. Perhaps many like Jacques de Villamont, shared the values of this experience.
“To experience different ways of life and become more adept at affairs than those who remained at home, thumbing through their books. . . .To change your environment without changing your mentality is like wandering about without gain.” (Villamont, Preface to the Reader, n.p.).
After all, “It’s the journey, not the destination,” according to a saying that has been attributed to poet Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Works Cited
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Brizay, François. “Voyager en Méditerranée aux XVIe et XVIIe siècles.” Annales de Bretagne et des Pays de l’Ouest. 15 Nov 2016. https://journals.openedition.org/abpo/2850. Accessed 26 July 2025. Bouchard, Jean-Jacques. "Les Confessions de Jean-Jacques Bouchard, Parisien: Suivies de Son Voyage de Paris à Rome en 1630.” 1 Jan 1881. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1026611.image. Accessed 25 July 2025. Cradock, Anna Francesca. Journal de Madame Cradock. Voyage en France, 1783-1786. Trans & ed. O. Delphin Balleyguier. 1 Jan 1896. Gallica. https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1028087.texteImage. Accessed 26 July 2025. |
Villamont, Jacques de. Les Voyages du Seigneur de Villamont, Chevalier de l’Ordre de Hierusalem, Gentilhomme du Pays de Bretaigne. Paris, Claude de Monstr’Oeil et Jean Richer. 1595.
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