Idyllic Annecy

The beautiful Lac d’Annecy greeted us upon arrival. Located in the Savoie region of France, Annecy is actually a short bus ride from Geneva, Switzerland.

We couldn’t have asked for a better day to visit. Blue skies, lush green mountains, turquoise waters and pleasantly warm air brought an inexplicable joy. There was no rush to go anywhere, do anything or please anyone. Lingering on the little marina and soaking in the leisurely pace of life, life felt perfect!

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Finally shaken out of the trance, we made our way into the heart of the town. Beautiful flowers were outside every shop and cafe. Narrow cobble stone streets led through what was going to become a farmers market in a little while.

First stop, Palais de l’Ile. A palatial prison initially, it then turned into a coin-minting workshop. In the 15th century, it became the residence of the Dukes of Savoie. It turned into the Palace of Justice (Law Courts) in the 16th century, and now houses a small museum. You can still see some of the old prison cells.

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Continuing to admire the architecture of Cathédrale Saint-Pierre and some quaint houses, we made our way up the hill to Château d’Annecy. With stunning views of the lake and the surrounding mountains, it was home to the Counts of Geneva during the 13th and 14th centuries. Today, it’s a museum with exhibits on regional history, medieval sculpture, landscape painting, and contemporary art. We spent a good 30 minutes walking the grounds of the Château and listening to the history of the Savoie region.

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By this time, hunger had kicked in, especially for me and my husband with our two meals a day only lifestyle. The farmers market was in full swing now, and the sight of fresh vegetables, fruit, cheeses and bread was just what we needed! Our meal # 1 for the day was going to be a generous helping of Annecy’s local produce and macarons. And we were going to eat it in a rustic style, munching on the goodies straight from the paper bags while walking around town some more. We enjoyed layering french bread with local cheeses of Chevrotin & Tomme de Savoie and dried apricots. Kids of course loved the macarons!

We travel with abandon and enjoy every moment as it comes. There are no rules or routines, but the key is to adapt and keep going. Kids were tired and wanted a break to sit down and relax a bit. So we found a cozy coffee shop with views of Lac d’Annecy and the mountains. We stretched our legs, rested our backs and ended the half day in Annecy with some french coffee and ice cream.

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