At last, viz., on the 23rd of October, 1721, I set out, having with me the Comte de Lorge, my children, the Abbe de Saint-Simon, and his brother, and many others.  The rest of the company joined me at Blaye.  We slept at Orleans, at Montrichard; and at Poictiers.  On arriving at Conte my berline broke down.  This caused a delay of three hours, and I did not arrive at Ruffec until nearly midnight.  Many noblemen of the neighbourhood were waiting for me there, and I entertained them at dinner and supper during the two days I stayed.  I experienced real pleasure in embracing Puy-Robert, who was lieutenant-colonel of the Royal Roussillon Regiment when I was captain.

From Ruffec I went in two days to La Cassine, a small house at four leagues from Blaye, which my father had built on the borders of his marshes of Blaye, and which I felt much pleasure in visiting; I stopped there during All Saints’ Day and the evening before, and the next day I early betook myself to Blaye again, where I sojourned two days.  I found several persons of quality there, many of the nobility of the country and of the adjoining provinces, and Boucher, Intendant of Bordeaux, brother-in-law of Le Blanc, who was waiting for me, and whom I entertained with good cheer morning and evening during this short stay.

We crossed to Bordeaux in the midst of such bad weather that everybody pressed me to delay the trip; but I had so few, days at my command that I did not accede to their representations.  Boucher had brought his brigantine magnificently equipped, and boats enough to carry over all my company, most of whom went with us.  The view of the port and the town of Bordeaux surprised me, with more than three hundred ships of all nations ranged in two lines upon my passage, decked out in all their finery, and with a great noise from their cannons and those of the Chateau Trompette.

Bordeaux is too well known to need description at my hands:  I will simply say that after Constantinople it presents the finest view of any other port.  Upon landing we received many compliments, and found many carriages, which conducted us to the Intendant’s house, where the Jurats came to compliment me in state dress.  I invited them to supper with. me, a politeness they did not expect, and which they appeared to highly appreciate.  I insisted upon going to see the Hotel de Ville, which is amazingly ugly, saying to the Jurats that it was not to satisfy my curiosity, but in order to pay a visit to them, that I went.  This extremely pleased.

After thanking M. and Madame Boucher for their attention, we set out again, traversed the great Landes, and reached in due time Bayonne.  The day after my arrival there, I had an audience with the Queen Dowager of Spain.  I was astonished upon arriving at her house.  It had only two windows in front, looked upon a little court, and had but trifling depth.  The room I entered was very plainly furnished.  I found the Queen, who was waiting for me, accompanied by the Duchesse de Linorez and very few other persons.  I complimented her in the name of the King, and presented to her his letter.  Nothing could be more polite than her bearing towards me.