This dramatic and dreamy northeast sector of France snuggled into Switzerland is under a four-hour drive from our home in Saint-Rémy. For a week this month, we lived a magical alpine fantasy from a pied-à-terre in the tiny town of Veyrier-du-Lac, waking up to the glorious vision that is Lake Annecy, home to the quaint canal-crossed, cobble-stoned medieval city of Annecy, nicknamed the “Venice of the Alps.”
Hemmed in on one side by the towering Alps, this strikingly clear, deep turquoise lake—the third largest in France at 27 square kilometers, not counting Lake Geneva which it shares with Switzerland—is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream come true. A dizzying array of water sports are available to include swimming, paddle boarding, sailing, water skiing, canoeing and kayaking. And thanks to the 42-kilometer cycle path called the Voie Verte Loop that circles the lake, walking and biking are also huge draws. For height fiends, paragliding opportunities await!
Happy to not fly through the air with the greatest of ease (and angst!), we opted for terra firma, bicycling and hiking, plus occasional dips in the pristine lake. The weather was unseasonably warm—in the high 80s F—so no matter where we were, we weren’t alone. In fact, over the weekend, it seemed the entire region came outside to soak up the rays, whether it be on the grassy slopes by the beaches, on the lake, or along the biking trail—everywhere was jammed to the gills. For example, we shared the cycle path with loads of folks on all forms of e-cruisers, Tour de France-like speedsters, young parents with kid-carriers attached to their bikes and elderly couples slowly peddling home after a grocery shop. You really had to faire attention!
But there was plenty of breathing space an hour’s drive away at Col de la Colombière (1,613 meters), where we’d driven for some hiking and birding in brisker temps. There we ran into a Swiss gentleman manning a spotting scope from a comfy camp chair who was kind enough to show us a notch in the peaks occupied by several ibex (wild goat) with their impressively long, sturdy curved horns. Birds were few but we did spot a dozen Griffon Vultures circling high above.
It’s a good thing this sensational recreational area provides outlets for calorie-burning because the region’s cuisine is all about sensationally rich cheesy dishes. Case in point is one fabulous signature casserole called tartiflette, starring potatoes, Reblochon fromage and bacon.
Another yummy attraction is the shredded potato fritters known here as beignets de pomme de terre, very similar to rösti. During our alpine birding adventure, we gobbled up a platter of them—along with a huge green salad and assortment of charcuterie—at a charming hut with a vast mountain view. When our plates held but a few crispy crumbs, the owner drifted by and asked if we’d like more, smiling as she cocked her head, expectantly. Bien sûre! my tasted buds hollered. Luckily, she didn’t hear that interior plea but rather our emphatic praise of the scrumptious dish.
At heavenly heights, the repast was pure heaven.
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With the weather shifting to the next season, wishing you happy almost-autumn (or spring!). And, as always, stay safe, well and hopeful.
Bises, Gayle
PS
How is the third book coming along, you ask? Two steps forward, one step back and then a side-ways tango around the room. Get the picture? Most certainly, the tale will keep me at the keyboard through the winter.
Gayle Smith Padgett 