Damien asked:
"What are the advantages of a mixte frame? For what sort of riding are they best suited? What is about the design that makes them a preference for some riders? One observation is that they seem to have predated the fashionable (last 12 years or so) sloping down tube by several decades! (and yes, I did google advantages bicycle mixte frame but did not find the info particularly insightful."
Tony Oliver's excellent book "Touring Bikes - A Practical Guide" devotes seven pages to a discussion of women's frames and compares different designs including mixte.
Hugh Enox
La Honda, California USA
where it is raining today