Having had lots of sea and sunshine over the last two weeks we thought it was time for a change and we are now in the beautiful town of Annecy in the French alps for some lakes and mountains.
After our long journey from southern Spain we were eager to get some mountain air so set off to explore our new home for the next few days.
The old town of Annecy is situated at the far end of Lake Annecy and is very picturesque. It has been described as the Venice of the alps with a river running through it and is crossed by several stone bridges. It was certainly very busy at ‘le weekend’ (French for the weekend) as the sun was shining and everyone was out and about enjoying the sunshine but it was the perfect place to wander around and people watch.
Annecy is also known for its cuisine which is typical of the haute-savoie region. Think heavy on the cheese and you have it. Local specialties such as raclette, fondue and tartiflette are aplenty here.
There is a market here on Sunday, Tuesday & Friday mornings so as it was Sunday we thought we should probably get involved. An huge array of stalls spread throughout the old town selling everything from fruit and veg to socks!
An obligatory stop at the bakery for pain au raisin and then coffee started the day perfectly and we then went for a wonder along the shores of the lake which is framed by mountains and looked stunning in the sunshine.
Monday brought a slight change in the weather so we set off to do a different walk and see the rest of the town as it was much quieter. We headed up to the chateaux and then decided to try and get higher to get a birds-eye view of the lake. We eventually came across a huge convent and then picked up a footpath leading up through the forest. Much climbing later we did eventually get a great view of the lake through the trees and it was definitely worth the climb.
Tuesday was a little overcast and chilly but we were not daunted and after our usual breakfast of pasties from the bakery and coffee from our favourite ‘old school French cafe ‘we set out to explore the other side of the lake. It is such a beautiful location and we can only guess at the water sports and activities that will take place in the summer months.
Having got a taste for lakes and mountains we are now planning our next stop, Locarno in Switzerland (not the Locarno in old town, Swindon). It is actually on the shores of Lake Maggiore but is in the Swiss side. Only a 4 train journey so see you on the other side.
No comments:
Post a Comment