UBC October 2024 - Annecy

Hello and welcome back, or should I say, Bonjour!

Yesterday I was talking about how we like to enjoy the proper environment when we go out for a cheese fondue. We actually had our fist one of the season just last week. As part of our short fall trip, among others, we spent a day in Annecy, France, which is located 40 minutes south of Geneva, Switzerland, by car. 

Annecy is often called the "Venice of the Alps" because of its canals winding through the old town, giving it a romantic, Venetian-like charm. The picturesque setting with the waterways, bridges, and historic buildings makes it a truly special destination. The natural beauty of Lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains adds to its appeal.

We didn't have the greatest weather, but we managed to stay dry, and we may have to come back one day when it's sunny and nice.

First up let me show you Pont Morens. It crosses the Thiou River and is one of the oldest bridges in the city. Pont Morens is known for its picturesque location surrounded by charming, colorful buildings, and the floral decorations (even though I think it may be just temporary) made it even more enchanting.

On the not so great side it meant it was permanently occupied by picture-taking tourists. Selfies, group pictures, person A snapping a photo of person B, and vice versa. I was standing there for a long time waiting for everybody to move on. 

My son was laughing at me. "Give it up, Mom, it's not going to happen, see, there's already new people!"

Guys, I caught the millisecond the bridge was empty!!!! Consider this your million dollar shot!

This is where people like to stand. Meet hubby and son!

Annecy is a city rich in history, and its old town (La Vieille Ville) is one of the best-preserved medieval quarters in France. The city itself dates back to at least Roman times, but its medieval character started to take shape around the 12th century when it became an important market town and later a key political and religious center.

I'm not sure what century these “fancy” dresses date back to, but they made me laugh. France, with Paris calling itself a fashion capital and holding its annual Fashion Week? Go to the provinces and find these clothes!

The Palais de l'Isle, also known as the "Old Prison" is one of the most iconic landmarks in Annecy. It's a triangular-shaped building sitting on an island in the middle of the Thiou River, which gives it the appearance of a small fortress. Built in the 12th century, the Palais de l'Isle served various functions over the centuries, including being a residence for the Lord of Annecy, a courthouse, and later a prison (hence its nickname).

Today, the Palais de l'Isle houses a local history museum and is a symbol of Annecy. It’s especially famous for its picturesque setting and is one of the most photographed spots in the city.

We didn't come all that prepared. I had visited Anncey over 20 years ago, and frankly, all I recalled was the canals and the overall old town vibes. As we arrived I did a quick Google search for things to see or do, and it suggested "Pont des Amours" (Lovers' Bridge). It's a charming pedestrian bridge in a park-like setting that spans the Canal du Vassé and offers beautiful views of Lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains.

Speaking of the lake, here you go. I am sure it'd be even nicer with blue skies. Also it was somewhat cold and windy.

Let's take a break and enjoy a treat! This one was called Mont Blanc, yes, like the Mont Blanc (translated as “White Mountain”) on the border between France and Italy,  the highest mountain in the European Alps at 4805 meters = 15,765 feet. Unfortunately, no thanks to the fog, we did not see it at all as we were approaching the area. 

The mountain's sweet little brother tasted delicious. The brown layer is a chestnut puree, and the filling a combination of meringue and whipped cream. It certainly blew my calorie budget, especially considering that we went out for fondue in the evening. 

Remember, the cheese fondue was the origin of this post.

In the afternoon I had spotted this restaurant called "le Chalet". It was closed and wasn't going to open until 7pm, for which I promptly made an online reservation and planned on being there on the dot. We just had an extremely troublesome situation with our hotel room (I think this calls for a separate blog post), and our trust in the French service mentality was very low. 

We were all the more pleased that everything worked out! What's more, the service staff were efficient and friendly, which is also not something we take for granted if you've used to the Paris style. 

The interior was just as cozy as I had imagined. Lots of wooden floors, walls and ceilings and a couple of wood fired cheminées across the winding building.

The food arrived after a short while and tasted delicious. To my shame I have to admit that we ordered the Swiss version, even though we were in the “Haute Savoy Region”, and their fondue is different from ours as it contains cheeses from the (Haute) Savoie regions of the Rhone Alps.  These are typically Beaufort, Comte and Tomme de Savoie as opposed to Gruyères and Vacherin Fribourgois in Switzerland. 

Time for a digestive walk after this heavy meal. This is the same bridge we were talking about at the beginning. Much less crowded at night ;-)

I hope you enjoyed strolling through Annecy with me. Does this look like a place you'd like to visit?