The Smell of the Continent

by Richard Mullen, James Munson

"I remember being much amused last year, when landing at Calais," wrote Mrs. Frances Trollope in her 1835 book, Paris and the Parisians , "at the answer made by an old traveler to a novice . . . making his first voyage. 'What a dreadful smell!' said the uninitiated stranger . . . 'It is the smell of the continent, sir!' replied the man of experience. And so it was."  Historians James Munson and Richard Mullen examine just what it was about the smell of the continent that so attracted British travelers in the hundred years from the fall of Napoleon to the outbreak of the First World War. It was the first time in history that the British, en masse, set out to discover Europe. Drawing on contemporary accounts, diaries, and letters, Munson and Mullen offer a compelling portrait of the Victorians abroad, many of them convinced that their country was not only vastly superior but also the envy of the world. Their attitudes to foreign food, modes of transport, and habits were often as uncharitable then as now and complaints about "beastly abroad" abound. But there were also those intrepid souls who were genuinely interested in other countries what they could learn from them. The Smell of the Continent vividly reveals that the gulf between the "traveler" and the "tourist" was as wide in our great-grandparents' time as it is today.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, History, Humor

456 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. The one thing that struck me on reading this book is how little British tourists have changed over the years, whether it's Victorians interrupting Latin Mass in Italian cathedrals to look at frescos, drunken youths cavorting in fountains and public squares, or the expectation that everyone ought to speak English. As the authors themselves state, it's the numbers that have changed, not the behaviour.

This is a really enjoyable read, a look at how the British arguably invented the concept of modern tourism. Prior to 1814, when this book begins, after the end of the Napoleonic Wars when the continent was 'opened' again, only the upper classes travelled, usually on some kind of 'improving' Grand Tour. By 1914 almost everyone could afford to travel, barring of course the very poorest, and almost everyone had an expectation of an annual holiday, a concept which still lasts to this day.

This book is a sort of combination of thematic and chronological approach, looking at concepts such as transport, food, hotels, bureaucracy, money, language, arts. It looks at the role tourism had on improving sanitation in cities, on travel services; on the spread of Anglicanism on the continent; and some towns and cities, notably Cannes in the south of France, even owe their very existence to tourism. Some familiar names crop up, Lunn Poly, Thomas Cook, Baedekers, the Ritz chain.

What I found interesting throughout the book was the confidence of the travellers, the sense of superiority merely from being British, and yes, the arrogance. 1814 to 1914 was perhaps the era when British confidence was at its height, Britain 'ruled the waves', and in terms of the Continent British gold certainly ruled. But these days, such confidence and arrogance is entirely unjustified, and yet it lingers on sadly in the attitudes to so many tourists now.

[David Blithe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing ground-breaking here but a few interesting eye-openers. I enjoy reading books like this to keep me in touch with Victorian England and to feel the thrill of how travelling used to be. Not that it isn't exciting now but back then it was a huge event, even going from one side of the country to another.

Lots of interesting factoids yet somehow falls short of being a classic.

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amusing compilation of Brit travel anecdotes 1814-1914.

[Jane · Rating 2 out of 5]

No illustrations

Apparently the Kindle edition does not include illustrations, no idea why.

The authors have managed to make a fascinating subject boring.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of fascinating and amusing information in this history of Victorian tourism (or, more accurately, how the Victorians invented tourism). Some chapters are a little dry and seem to be simply a list of facts, statistics and quotes, but others are a bit more lively and "human". I learnt a lot, like how there was a pre-Euro experiment with European monetary union, the fact that Brits didn't used to need passports but the French needed them even to travel within France, and how people had to deal with the lack of sanitary facilities in French hotels. Plus there are lots of amusing snooty comments from the travellers of the time about how dirty and stupid foreigners all were and how abominable their food was.

[Joe · Rating 3 out of 5]

More a collection of anecdotes grouped under various headings than a history with a particular point to make. However, it is still a highly enjoyable read on the early evolution and development of tourism in Europe from 1815 to 1914. This was largely the work of the British who pioneered the rise of the package holiday, cultural tourism and the development of the modern hotel etc.

Interesting to see that some things remain the same: the British loathing the presence of each other when abroad, the snobbish distinctions between “tourists” and “travellers”, the prevalence of published guides with Lonely Planet and Rough Guides now replacing Murray’s and Baedeker, and the realisation that most European hotels were far better value for money than in the UK.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and entertainingly written account of the early days (1814-1914) of mass British tourism to Europe.

[Giles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, obviously a vast amount of research went into the book. I just felt that the chapters might have benefitted from less jumping about from year to year

[Jill Haiselden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched and very funny. it explains such a lot about the origins of present day tourism.

[Gemutlichkeit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazingly-researched, droll, well crafted, but also a bit of a slog. I highly recommend if you have any interest in the history of vacations or in how the Grand Tours evolved.