By the end of Volume 1, Gretsch already has recorded his entry into France and mentions having been there for some time. With the first part of Volume 2, he begins his in-depth exploration of important French historical sites as he moves through Paris and other cities like Versailles, Fontainebleau, Blois, Orleans, Reims, Chalons, Verdun, Metz, and Strasbourg. These visits keep him busy until Letter XXV, in which he describes finally leaving France to enter the German Confederation. Thereafter, the narrative follows Gretsch through Karlsruhe, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Potsdam, Berlin, Pillnitz, Tharandt, and finally Dresden and its environs. At each stop along his route, he pauses to visit the theatre, to see the local sights, and to enjoy the local culture as his whims decree. These sections of Gretsch's narrative are particularly interesting for the contrast that Gretsch draws between Russians and the French (and Britons, briefly). Additionally, Gretsch reveals more about himself and his own ideals in his staunch defense of Russia any time that he hears his own country disparaged, and he is delighted to meet several important literary and political figures.

Contrasting the French with Britons and Russians

Before concluding Volume 1, Gretsch records his entry into France, and it quickly becomes evident that his opinion of the French is considerably more negative than that of the British. This impression stays with him throughout his time in France so that when he finally crosses the Rhine at Strasbourg, he breathes a sigh of relief on entering German territory.

Gretsch's first impressions of France are colored especially by the contrast with England that he notices after crossing the English Channel. In Letter XV at the end of Volume 1, he cautions later travelers not to enter France from England if they want to save themselves from disagreeable impressions. While England is clean and neat, the villages in France constitute a striking and unpleasant contrast by being extremely dirty and smelling badly.

In the same letter, Gretsch calls the French “bold, smart, funny,” and says they could accomplish a great deal if they were not quite so fickle. This comment about fickleness probably is a not-so-subtle criticism of the French for their revolutionary activity in recent decades, especially the July Revolution of 1830.