10 Exquisite Days in France - Lyon , Burgundy and Annecy
Nov 1st, 2012, 03:57 PM
#21
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Our trip to the Burgundy region was coming to an end. I really feel that this region is a gem and would higjly recommend it.
We left after a leisurely breakfast and started our journey to Annecy. Since it was a relatively long drive , we opted to make a small detour for lunch to the medieval town of Perouges. I am a sucker for walled towns . I'd read it was a bit touristy by decided to risk it.
I am glad we did. The town was fairly deserted , except for a tourist bus that arrived at the end of our visit. The town was constructed in the 12th century and is extremely well preserved. Of course , there are some elements of kitsch , but on a whole very attractive and interesting. We lunch on the town square ( rather pricey for the level of food , but...) The local dessert of a gallette is quite tastey.
We were back on the road headed to Annecy. The highway climbs dramatically , very nice. We had the fun experience of driving behind 2 vintage Ferraris from Switzerland , to my husband's delight. We had splurged and rented a BMW serie 5 , so hubby was kind of chasing the Ferraris ( see my photos for photos) , something out of a James Bond movie.
We left after a leisurely breakfast and started our journey to Annecy. Since it was a relatively long drive , we opted to make a small detour for lunch to the medieval town of Perouges. I am a sucker for walled towns . I'd read it was a bit touristy by decided to risk it.
I am glad we did. The town was fairly deserted , except for a tourist bus that arrived at the end of our visit. The town was constructed in the 12th century and is extremely well preserved. Of course , there are some elements of kitsch , but on a whole very attractive and interesting. We lunch on the town square ( rather pricey for the level of food , but...) The local dessert of a gallette is quite tastey.
We were back on the road headed to Annecy. The highway climbs dramatically , very nice. We had the fun experience of driving behind 2 vintage Ferraris from Switzerland , to my husband's delight. We had splurged and rented a BMW serie 5 , so hubby was kind of chasing the Ferraris ( see my photos for photos) , something out of a James Bond movie.
Nov 2nd, 2012, 03:24 AM
#22
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We arrived in the Annecy area. At first I was a bit disappointed. After coming from such a peaceful , uncrowded region , I was overwhelmed by all the cars , people , buildings.....What a contrast. i's imagined a sleepy area by the lake. boy was I wrong , nothing sleepy about it.
I had chosen the Abbaye de Talloires as our base. It was a convent , built in the 12th centery , and turned into a hotel in the 19 th century. Cezanne and Mark Twain have both stayed there.
It is located on the lakefront , with its own pontoon. The Abbaye is an example of refined elegance , the building is just gorgeous , as is the location. We had a lake view room. The view was increible. Lac Annecy deserves its reputation , it is stunning.
The rooms at the Abbaye are small but well appointed...we had some glitches at the hotel , but they did not detract from our overall impression of the beauty of the place.
I had chosen the Abbaye de Talloires as our base. It was a convent , built in the 12th centery , and turned into a hotel in the 19 th century. Cezanne and Mark Twain have both stayed there.
It is located on the lakefront , with its own pontoon. The Abbaye is an example of refined elegance , the building is just gorgeous , as is the location. We had a lake view room. The view was increible. Lac Annecy deserves its reputation , it is stunning.
The rooms at the Abbaye are small but well appointed...we had some glitches at the hotel , but they did not detract from our overall impression of the beauty of the place.
Nov 2nd, 2012, 03:00 PM
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I didn´t include the link to our Chateau . I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough . It is outstanding in every way-the hospitality , the location , the history , the comfort. I really hope to return one day.
http://www.chateaudevaulx.com/anglais/house.htm
The site for the Abbaye:
http://www.abbaye-talloires.com/hote...-4-star.aspx#3
I gave inaccurate information in my previous post saying the Abbaye was built in the 12th century . It was built in the 17th century.
We arrived at the Abbaye and relaxed a bit . Decided to go out for a bite to eat. The Abbaye , as I said , is a lakefront property. It was raining ( our first poor weather). The hotel lent us huge umbrellas and we wandered up the hotel to the village of Talloires . The hotel had recommended Cafe de la Place . It was very crowded , the waitress was quite overtaxed and cranky . It was an okay meal , nothing memorable.
The next morning we woke up to cold rain . We borrowed the umbrellas and drove to Annecy´s famous historical center. It is worthy of its fame , full of flowered canals and well preserved ancient buildings , framed by the Alps in the distance. There are lots of touristy shops and restaurants , but the town is a must see in terms of beauty.
We had fondue to ward of the cold and later headed back "home" for a rest . We wandered around Talloires again and found a supermarket to buy supplies for our evening "picnic".
Our last day was spent in Talloires before we had to head back to Lyon to catch our flight back and end our 10 day "second honeymoon". I will post some last impressions soon , but I´d welcome any questions if so inclined.
The next day , we woke up to improved weather and decided to drive to Chamonix. We wanted some Alpine adventure. It was about 2 hours from Annecy , through the dramatic Alps. We greatly enjoyed our drive.
Chamonix is a typical upscale Alpine village . Mount Blanc graces it in its majesty . We opted not to take the funicular up the Aguille due to the cloudiness. Later , we regretted our decision as the clouds dissipated , affording us beautful views of the moutains. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch in a sidewalk café ,just soaking up the atmosphere. Our drive back was
http://www.chateaudevaulx.com/anglais/house.htm
The site for the Abbaye:
http://www.abbaye-talloires.com/hote...-4-star.aspx#3
I gave inaccurate information in my previous post saying the Abbaye was built in the 12th century . It was built in the 17th century.
We arrived at the Abbaye and relaxed a bit . Decided to go out for a bite to eat. The Abbaye , as I said , is a lakefront property. It was raining ( our first poor weather). The hotel lent us huge umbrellas and we wandered up the hotel to the village of Talloires . The hotel had recommended Cafe de la Place . It was very crowded , the waitress was quite overtaxed and cranky . It was an okay meal , nothing memorable.
The next morning we woke up to cold rain . We borrowed the umbrellas and drove to Annecy´s famous historical center. It is worthy of its fame , full of flowered canals and well preserved ancient buildings , framed by the Alps in the distance. There are lots of touristy shops and restaurants , but the town is a must see in terms of beauty.
We had fondue to ward of the cold and later headed back "home" for a rest . We wandered around Talloires again and found a supermarket to buy supplies for our evening "picnic".
Our last day was spent in Talloires before we had to head back to Lyon to catch our flight back and end our 10 day "second honeymoon". I will post some last impressions soon , but I´d welcome any questions if so inclined.
The next day , we woke up to improved weather and decided to drive to Chamonix. We wanted some Alpine adventure. It was about 2 hours from Annecy , through the dramatic Alps. We greatly enjoyed our drive.
Chamonix is a typical upscale Alpine village . Mount Blanc graces it in its majesty . We opted not to take the funicular up the Aguille due to the cloudiness. Later , we regretted our decision as the clouds dissipated , affording us beautful views of the moutains. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch in a sidewalk café ,just soaking up the atmosphere. Our drive back was
Nov 3rd, 2012, 12:31 PM
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Oops , there is something strange about my last installment! Some things are out of order and incomplete!
annhig ,
We stayed in the Geoffery Suite.it was quite large , with 2 separate bedrooms , a nice , sunny , renovated bathroom and ggod closet space. There was an ample balcony which had stunning views of the valley down below.
We have been fortunate enough to have traveled fairly extensively and we have stayed in some very nice places. Chateau de Vaulx is special. Martin has put so much love into the renovation....each fabric and paint color has been chosen with care.
It is not a sterile " designer " boutique hotel. There are a few cobwebs and some of the decorative pieces have chips , there are books scattered around for you to pick up and read at your leisure.There are beagles ( I believe that is their breed) that chase each other on the vast lawn.
It was such a wonderful stay and Saone et Loire is a region of such charm that I cannot emphasize enough what a gem it is. The days we spent there were magical , although it sounds a bit like a cliche. Lyon and Annecy and Paris ( which I have visited before) were all special and gorgeous , but it was this area that stole my heart.
It seems my paragraph in my previous post was unfinished... We left Chamonix and then left Annecy with sadness that such a vacation had to come to an end. We were missing our children , but had relished traveling as a couple ( usually we travel as a family).
We arrived back at the Lyon airport rather early , returned our car ( a snap!) and had lunch and browsed the airport shops. Our plane was on time and we arrived in Zurich with time to kill. The lounges in Zurich aren't really noteworthy. We purchased a few things for the kids ( as you know , Zurich is the land of outrageous prices!)
Our flight back was uneventful , we slept ...I love Swiss , they offer a great product in my opinion.
Home again...til our next adventure.
annhig ,
We stayed in the Geoffery Suite.it was quite large , with 2 separate bedrooms , a nice , sunny , renovated bathroom and ggod closet space. There was an ample balcony which had stunning views of the valley down below.
We have been fortunate enough to have traveled fairly extensively and we have stayed in some very nice places. Chateau de Vaulx is special. Martin has put so much love into the renovation....each fabric and paint color has been chosen with care.
It is not a sterile " designer " boutique hotel. There are a few cobwebs and some of the decorative pieces have chips , there are books scattered around for you to pick up and read at your leisure.There are beagles ( I believe that is their breed) that chase each other on the vast lawn.
It was such a wonderful stay and Saone et Loire is a region of such charm that I cannot emphasize enough what a gem it is. The days we spent there were magical , although it sounds a bit like a cliche. Lyon and Annecy and Paris ( which I have visited before) were all special and gorgeous , but it was this area that stole my heart.
It seems my paragraph in my previous post was unfinished... We left Chamonix and then left Annecy with sadness that such a vacation had to come to an end. We were missing our children , but had relished traveling as a couple ( usually we travel as a family).
We arrived back at the Lyon airport rather early , returned our car ( a snap!) and had lunch and browsed the airport shops. Our plane was on time and we arrived in Zurich with time to kill. The lounges in Zurich aren't really noteworthy. We purchased a few things for the kids ( as you know , Zurich is the land of outrageous prices!)
Our flight back was uneventful , we slept ...I love Swiss , they offer a great product in my opinion.
Home again...til our next adventure.
Nov 4th, 2012, 11:18 AM
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Thank you.....am looking firward to exploring France further in the future and I hope my little report inspires exploration of this relatively unspoiled region ( but not too much , as the unspoiled aspect makes it special).
Nov 4th, 2012, 01:20 PM
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my husband and I are starting to plan our first trip to France..starting in Paris and then exploring some of the countryside before embarking on a river cruise from Lyon to Arles...enjoyed your detailed descriptions and beautiful photos
Thanks for taking the time
Thanks for taking the time
Nov 4th, 2012, 04:07 PM
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I appreciate the kind comments! I am keen on trying a river cruise. I have done some wonderful cruises- Antarctica/ South America , the Galapsgos , the Baltics....I hsve looked at Uniworld , Viking and Avalon and plan to do one of them in the future. I'd love to hear your impressions when you get back!
One comment I forgot to make....I must learn French! I speak English , Portuguese , and can get by fairly well in Spanish and some Italian. I'd taken 4 French classes before our trip and was glad I did! I encountered a lot of people with no English at all....I always greeted everyone in French , taking care to use the greetings and thank yous in French. People were very kind , but many really knew no other language other than French. Glad I had my phrase book and a smile!
This , of course , led to several funny situations. The most amusing was my attempt , in Lyon , to track down a beret , a smock and paints for my 8 yr old son who loves to dress up. This was his his request for a gift.
The paints were a snap....but the quest for the beret and smock were a challenge which involved much mimicry , my rudimentery drawings and expansive gestures...I ended up finding the required items at a costume shop , with the help of a lady who spoke only French , but got the idea and drew a map.
I love traveling!
One comment I forgot to make....I must learn French! I speak English , Portuguese , and can get by fairly well in Spanish and some Italian. I'd taken 4 French classes before our trip and was glad I did! I encountered a lot of people with no English at all....I always greeted everyone in French , taking care to use the greetings and thank yous in French. People were very kind , but many really knew no other language other than French. Glad I had my phrase book and a smile!
This , of course , led to several funny situations. The most amusing was my attempt , in Lyon , to track down a beret , a smock and paints for my 8 yr old son who loves to dress up. This was his his request for a gift.
The paints were a snap....but the quest for the beret and smock were a challenge which involved much mimicry , my rudimentery drawings and expansive gestures...I ended up finding the required items at a costume shop , with the help of a lady who spoke only French , but got the idea and drew a map.
I love traveling!
Nov 7th, 2012, 02:02 PM
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Hi vbrasil...I am the person who told you about the chateau vaulx. Glad you enjoyed it. Marty is wonderful. We stayed in the suite Choisil....lovely. When You went to La Colline de Columbier to eat did you see the Cadoles.?Those are the three houses that look out per the countryside. Incredible.They are close to the restaurant. We stayed there 2 nights and they stock the refrigerator and bring you breakfast and dinner. We were not impressed with the food however. marty's meals were fabulous. Jane
Nov 8th, 2012, 03:48 AM
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KathrynJane ,
I am so glad I get to thank you for your advice....you really helped make our trip special!
Sadly , Marty didn´t prepare a meal for us , as he was hosting dinner parties 2 of the 3 nights we were there. Next time!
We saw the Cadoles , the look very charming. We enjoyed the food at the restaurant very much , sad to here the food you had was not impressive. The countryside is just gorgeous , I was enchanted by the setting!
Again , your advice was so helpful , a big merci!!
KIm
I am so glad I get to thank you for your advice....you really helped make our trip special!
Sadly , Marty didn´t prepare a meal for us , as he was hosting dinner parties 2 of the 3 nights we were there. Next time!
We saw the Cadoles , the look very charming. We enjoyed the food at the restaurant very much , sad to here the food you had was not impressive. The countryside is just gorgeous , I was enchanted by the setting!
Again , your advice was so helpful , a big merci!!
KIm
Nov 8th, 2012, 04:05 AM
#32
vbrasil, you mentioned learning languages
I've spent years on holiday trusting that I can get by with guide book languages and while it has worked, it has worked because of the kindness of strangers.
So this year I went to Italy and decided to learn Italian, using verbalplanet.com and their skype based teachers. I know some romance languages so it was not a complete step into the dark but I paid less than $20 a lesson. I took one a day for two weeks ($200) and I got the teacher to give me homework. So it was tough on me but in two weeks I went from a useless idiot to someone who could just about hold a booking converstaion on a phone.
I'd recommend it. The teachers are native speakers, they tend to be people who have good qualifications and often don't need to work, or combine teaching with translation etc. so they have a wide range of skills. I selected my teacher on their voting scheme and on the basis of the highest price!
I've spent years on holiday trusting that I can get by with guide book languages and while it has worked, it has worked because of the kindness of strangers.
So this year I went to Italy and decided to learn Italian, using verbalplanet.com and their skype based teachers. I know some romance languages so it was not a complete step into the dark but I paid less than $20 a lesson. I took one a day for two weeks ($200) and I got the teacher to give me homework. So it was tough on me but in two weeks I went from a useless idiot to someone who could just about hold a booking converstaion on a phone.
I'd recommend it. The teachers are native speakers, they tend to be people who have good qualifications and often don't need to work, or combine teaching with translation etc. so they have a wide range of skills. I selected my teacher on their voting scheme and on the basis of the highest price!
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