Our Last Day in Annecy (10/03)

Our last full day together in Annecy was spent with an indulgent lunch celebrating J and his sister's birthdays. We had a fantastic meal at Brasserie Saint Maurice. My first course was one of the most amazing, indulgent dishes of my life...
Yes, it is just carpaccio of beef (or boeuf) but it was the best I've ever had. The beef was so tender and the taste was amazing. In addition to the salad and Parmesan, it was drizzled in a beautiful olive oil, sprinkled with course sea salt, and chives. The flavors were all so distinct and pure - and went so perfectly together. If I had to come up with my final menu, this would absolutely be the starting point!

Afterwards we had a walk around Annecy to settle out stomachs (and to somewhat sober up).

If you order flowers in Annecy from FTD.com - this is where they just might come from...

If you are in Annecy and looking for something for a very pampered pooch, Au Chien Elegant is the place for you! They had designer everything for the most discerning pup.

We then went for a walk in the park where we experienced two seasons in under five minutes. Let's start with Autumn: the leaves are just starting to change color.

Next enters Winter: the mountain tops were starting to get their first dusting of snow...

Brasserie Saint Maurice

7, Rue Collège Chapuisien

74000 Annecy, France
+33 4 50 51 24 49‎

Le Lac Bleu Camping International (10/02)

Annecy holds great sentimental value to my husband and his family, so no trip would be complete without a visit to their beloved Le Lac Bleu Camping International...
It is a large campsite that also boasts their own caravans that you can hire - along with apartments for those who aren't too camping friendly: that would be me. Despite my hate for camping, how could you not like the view:

Along with the view, they had wild strawberries growing amongst the campsites...

Next to the campground was a sailing school/boat rental facility.

One of the guys working there had the most amazing dog. She was such a sweetheart and insisted that I rub her belly. She bore a striking resemblance to my Cookie that I had when I was a little girl, so I could hardly resist. It broke my heart to leave her, and if I could have taken one thing back with me from France, she would have been top of my list. Hopefully someday, her twin might end up in my life...On the way back to the car, we passed this pedestrian walking symbol. The leaves made me smile..

The View from Duingt (10/02)

After lunch we decided to go into Duingt, where there are lovely views of the lake. We stopped at a boulangerie for some quiche on the way in.
The "Dog Parking" out front is a complete give-away that we are in France. Yes, they love their dogs so much that there is a specific place outside for you to tie-up your faithful friend while you go inside to get your baguette.

City Hall and Church in Duingt.

A short drive up into the mountain provided stunning views into the valley looking onto Lac d'Annecy.

Here is a close up of the Château de Duingt or "Châteauvieux", the 1896 subject of a painting by Paul Cézanne. The village across the lake to the left of the photo is Talloires, which you might remember from an earlier post.

While they were not open for service, we utilized the parking of the restaurant at Auberge Terre de Bellevarde. This appears to be a collect enterprise consisting of Restaurant, Guest Houses, and Apartments.

They had a kitchen garden next to the road where these lovely little beauties were sticking out.

Here is their kitchen garden. While there wasn't much there, I'm pretty sure they were just finishing up for the summer and were beginning to let the land rest. However, with the size of the garden and the position looking into the valley and lake, I would be in absolute heaven calling this home.

Camouflage Tree: A.K.A. Sycamore (10/02)

My sister-in-law treated us to a lovely lunch at a hotel on the lake. It was such a beautiful location and the garden was lined with these stunning sycamore trees. They were the most striking trees I have ever seen. Each one was a work of art: they all looked like they had been painted in a perfect camouflage pattern that could be plucked straight out of Domino magazine. Now - we probably have them in the US and you might not see what the fuss is all about, but to a Florida girl, they were magic.

The FBI in Forclaz (10/02)

We also spotted the FBI. No, not the Federal Bureau of Investigation - the Flying Best Instructor. For 125€, the FBI will allow you to jump (tandem) off this ramp for approximately 35 minutes of gentle gliding down to the valley.

FBI - Pascal Piazzalunga

41, bis avenue de Genève
74000, Annecy

E-Mail: info@tandem-fbi.com

Phone: 06.09.76.50.40

Spotted: Voltron ~ In France (10/02)

On our way to our Alpine Meadow Walk, we spotted this little fixture... I was very excited as I was certain that what appeared before my eyes was Voltron himself, and was slightly disappointed when I was informed that it was only a French fire hydrant.

Annecy (9/30)

Located 22 miles south of Geneva, Annecy is a well preserved, gorgeous Medieval city.

The Palais de l'Isle (old prison), was built in the 12th century. It is the symbol of the town and is most photographed image of Annecy.

Annecy is twinned with:
* Bayreuth, Bavaria, Germany

* Cheltenham, United Kingdom

* Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia

* Venice, Italy
It is a very stylish city with many fashionable shops and restaurants. We spotted a Subway in Annecy. We had a few when I lived in England, but I wouldn't have expected to find them in France. I was curious to know if they used the same bread as in the US (they do in the UK), or if the French would demand firmer baguettes in which they were more accustomed to. However, I was not curious enough to actually find out. We also spotted a McDonalds. Not pictured - for obvious reasons.

I couldn't resist stuffing my pockets with left over bread from lunch to take back to the moorhen that I had made friends with earlier that morning. In the process, attracted two swans and some ducks. Hey, when away from home, do as the tourists will do!

For more information on Annecy, please click the following link: http://www.annecy.fr/

Talloires: Heaven in the Alps (9/29)

After lunch we headed off to Talloires, a small town and commune of the Haute-Savoie département. A popular tourist spot, it has also been referred to as "most romantic village" in France. It is a beautiful town, and was sunny and warm that afternoon - which sent us quickly looking for liquid refreshments. We found a quaint little bar in which J was excited to discover offered Wi-Fi (pronounced Wee-Fee, of course).
Enter the Perrier Menthe, which completely quenched my thirst.

Afterwards we had a look around the boutique of L'Auberge du Pere Bise. This is a very well known, very upscale Hotel and Restaurant. Much to the dismay of the boutique girl (and much to the amusement of my sister-in-law), I opted to buy one Macaron. This was an extreme faux pas, but at 60 cents euro a piece, I was only curious enough to try one of the blue ones in case they tasted of lake scum. I can happily report that they did not, and I returned to buy an entire bag.

This was a narrow house that took my fancy. Not only did it have fantastic views in all direction, but porches on each floor! Now I have to admit, I have sort of an obsession with porches and my knees go weak at the thought of Charleston's historic section. On a hot day, this house would be a dream. Just open the windows and I would imagine that you'd have a fantastic breeze.

The entire area was full of hang gliders. We noticed about 10 in one area, all with different color gliders. It looked like the sky was raining Crayola drops!

With the Alpine mountains in the backdrop, and the town sitting on a lake, you can see why this is THE ideal tourist spot.

The water was so blue and clear, it looked as though the boats were floating on air.

For more information on L'Auberge du Pere Bise, please click the link to their website: http://www.perebise.com/

AUBERGE DU PERE BISE

303 ROUTE DU PORT - LAC D'ANNECY - 74290 TALLOIRES

Tél. : +33 (0)4 50 60 72 01 - Fax : +33 (0)4 50 60 73 05

eMail : reception@perebise.com

Lunch at Châlet la Pricaz (9/29)

Our first full day there, we drove into the mountains to have lunch at this lovely restaurant with breathtaking views of the lake. The restaurant was Châlet la Pricaz and is located in Forclaz, which offers these stunning views of Lac d'Annecy:
The most popular dish that day seemed to be the Tartiflette: a Savoyard gratin consisting of potatoes, cheese, and some kind of meat such as bacon. Traditionally, the cheese in tartiflette is Reblochon*, and it is believe that the dish was launched in the 1980's by the Reblochon trade union in an attempt to increase sales of the cheese.
Châlet la Pricaz's presentation was brilliant, a simple piece of wood, with the dish of baked gratin, a sealed jar with nicely dressed salad greens, and a couple slices of jambon fumé de Savoie that were the best I've ever tasted: nice and thick with an earthly smoked flavor.

This was our first official "proper" meal out in France, and I was not disappointed. The presentation, coupled with the flavors and view created a perfect afternoon in France that I will always cherish. It will definitely go down as one of my all time favorite food memories.
Now I'm not sure if it is traditional of all tartiflette, this one was topped with thinly sliced bread. Here is a close up for you to enjoy... in the upcoming months, I will try to perfect my own version and will post the results when I do.

J opted for the meat platter: Again, I was so struck by the simple presentation: luscious meats, massive cornichons, and a dab of butter - all served on a plank of wood! While J's parents and I opted for a nice bottle of Apremont, J opted for a local brew:

* Reblochon is a nutty tasting, soft washed-rind cheese French cheese from the Alps region of Savoie, made from raw cow's milk. The cow breeds best for producing the milk needed for this cheese are the Abondance, Tarentaise and the Montbéliard. The owners of Châlet la Pricaz make their own Reblochon nearby from the milk of their Tarine cows. (photos of the cows to be added to this posting in the upcoming week)

For more info (including a menu and more photos) of Châlet la Pricaz, please click the following link: http://www.lapricaz.com/

Our Menu Choices:

Me: Gratin de la ferme, jambon fumé de Savoie, salade de saison 18.00€

J: Ecorce de charcuterie, confiture d’oignon jaune paille, beurre de ferme 16.00€

Chalet La Pricaz Restaurant avec vue panoramique sur le Lac d' Annecy depuis le Col de la Forclaz

Tèl: 04.50.60.72.61 Fax: 04.50.60.71.31

E-mail:lapricaz@aliceadsl.fr