It’s savoir faire in the Haute-Savoie, as Alwynne embraces mountains and lake views, cheese and wine and medieval churches and- well, it’s classic France, really…
Sitting on my balcony at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Annecy, France, I look out towards the crystalline blue lake and feel an immediate calm come over me. The music from the jazz band playing at the downstairs restaurant drifts up and, over the notes of the whisky I’m sipping, I catch hints of the fresh grass and beautiful flowers that blossom all over the grounds. Young couples stroll along the pathways near the lake holding hands, while on the right side of the grass, a newly married couple has pictures taken – it’s the perfect time of day for it, with the sunset oozing a gentle orange and pink dusky glow over the area.
The city, and the Savoie-Mont Blanc area, are often touted for being perfect winter destinations and around 62% of visits occur during this time. With popular skiing destinations like Chamonix and Val d’Isere, millions of tourists are attracted annually to hit the slopes by day and indulge in a warming raclette and wine by night.
But, with numerous outdoor activities – from boating on Lake Annecy, to hang-gliding over the hills, mountain biking and hiking – the region has so much more to offer outside of the skiing season. Near to Annecy, Le Bourget-du-Lac has numerous Michelin starred restaurants, while Aix-les-Bains provides breaks for the spa hungry. Add in the fact the Savoie wine region is growing in quality and popularity, and you’ve got more than enough choice for a summer break.
I begin my journey with my friend Ms Nathalie at the aforementioned Imperial Palace Hotel – the perfect, luxury retreat set right on the stunning Lake Annecy. The hotel has recently undergone a major renovation, having been taken over by the family-owned PVG group in 2013. After opening in 1923, it became the grand dame of hotels in the area, attracting everyone from King George VI to Edith Piaf and Winston Churchill. It fell into decline in the 1960s before being taken over by the town council. Two parks were created out of its grounds, making the expansive area in front of the hotel open to the public. If you don’t stay here, it’s worth the walk down to simply experience the lake at its best, or pop to the outdoor area of the top-end restaurant La Voile to enjoy views of the lake and a glass of Savoie wine in the sunshine. If you’re feeling flush, reserve ahead for one of the luxurious set menus. We choose to dine there one evening of our trip and it is clear the chef – Jean-Christophe Ansanay-Alex – is aiming for the (Michelin) stars. Beautifully prepared plates of caviar with celeriac and fennel, porcini mushroom velouté and burlat cherrries and basil, paired with local wines, make the meal a highlight of the trip.
The hotel is located a 20 minute walk to the old town – a perfect stroll along the waterway, through a massive park and over sweet little bridges, makes it less of a journey and more of a joy. It helps that a quality gelato stand is on hand to ease the summer heat and tempt our tastebuds.
Turning into the old town, we quickly note that Annecy is akin in both architecture and structure to Venice. With 3.5km of canal systems, and delightfully colourful thin houses with a half Swiss/half Italian architecture, the similarities abound.
In town we meet Elaine Masset, a young tour guide who takes us up and down narrow alleyways to first the lovely food market on the Rue de L’Ile – where we pick up a variety of Savoie cheeses like Tome des Bauges and Beaufort – and then the Rampe du Chateau, which leads to the Chateau d’Annecy, the castle-cum-museum that shadows the town from on high. From here, you can overlook the town, with its hundreds of red tiled roofs, mountainous backdrop and tiny streets, a wonderful spot to while away some time, waiting for the sun to go down over the colourful scene.
The next day we hop on a train from Annecy to nearby Chambery, another walled city that was part of the State of Savoy until 1864. Here, locals go about their weekend business, milling around the massive food market and sipping strong coffees in the morning rays. Where Annecy echoes of Venice, Chambéry is comfortable in its French clothes. Wide stone plazas and chunky cream and peach buildings give it a feeling of sturdiness, though this is undermined when we learn that the entire city is, in fact, built on tens of thousands of wooden piles, since the area is actually marshland.
Chambéry is well worth a visit. From its peaceful former Franciscan monastery with Trompe-l’oiel painted ceilings, and one of the biggest bell organs in the world at the central chapel, it is a charming French town. One of our best finds comes over lunch at Le Carré des Sens on Place Monge, which Savoie-Mont Blanc tourism guru Céline Guillermin points us to. Situated at the end of a row of touristy looking restaurants, it could easily go unnoticed, especially as its menus are similarly priced as the others. However, the walk to the end of the street to reach it is more than worthwhile. Scallops sit plumply on a bed of crisp apples and radish, while a delicate vegetable tart with crumbed sea bass is a delight, so much so that the meal lasts long in the memory.
That afternoon we visit the area’s surrounding vineyards with wine expert and guide Bernard Vissoud, who knows the region inside and out. We learn that Savoie holds the record for number of grape varietals in France – 23 – and that seven of those are unique to Savoie. It became the 8th Crément of France in 2014 and with its hilly alpine terrain and climate (warm summers; cold and wet winters) most vines are built on slopes so the moisture runs down into the valleys. According to Vissoud, the gradient is 80% in some places so it can take up to 1,100 man hours to cultivate one hectare compared to 200 man hours for Bordeaux. Because of these steep inclines, it makes for many engaging viewpoints where we look down over the rows upon rows of grapes growing in the late summer’s heat.
Back in Annecy, Ms Nathalie and I rent bicycles after a quick stop to the food market to pick up provisions. A long, winding path runs much of the way along the lake, and it’s the perfect way to soak up some of the sunshine and better see just how expansive the lake is. Over our picnic of cheese, wine and bread, we relax into the setting and toast our discovery of a wonderful French region to visit in summer. Savoie offers something for the foodie; something for the outdoor explorer; something for the history buff; and something for the oenologist. It really is the whole package.
Alwynne travelled with Peak Retreats and Savoie Mont Blanc Tourism. She stayed at the Imperial Palace Hotel, which can be booked through Peak Retreats (www.peakretreats.co.uk) for £888pp (based on two people sharing a double room ) for 7 nights, on a B&B basis, including ferry crossing. With thanks to:
