November 27, 2014

Old Town of Annecy

The Old Town of Annecy (le Vieil Annecy) is the most visited part of the city. It is located at the mouth of the Thiou river, an effluent of Lake Annecy on the way to the Fier River. It mostly developed starting in the 13th century when Annecy became the capital of the County of Geneva. Its most famous sights are the Castle, the Palais de l’Ile (which served as a court and a jail) and the canals. It is a pedestrian-only area and is host to many restaurants and shops, as well as a large market every Sunday morning.

November 23, 2014

Walk in Chambéry

Chambéry is a city in Savoie, France, located 10km south of Lac du Bourget. It is the former capital of the duchy of Savoy.

November 21, 2014

Belvédère du Mont Revard

After the hike to Croix du Nivolet, I made a stop at the nearby Belvédère du Mont Revard. It is a viewpoint that provides a great view on the Lac du Bourget below and the surrounding mountains. I then took my bike down the mountain back to Aix-les-Bains.

November 16, 2014

Boat ride on Lac d'Annecy

After looking at the Lac d’Annecy from all angles from the surrounding mountains or the shore, I decided to go on a cruise. I went for the 2 hour cruise, which goes to all the way to Doussard, at the south of the lake, and back. It makes a few stops on the way so it is possible to hop off and on later, but I just stayed on board for the whole loop.

November 13, 2014

Walk in Paris #2

During the summer, I went to Paris for 1 day. I just walked around, starting at Gare de Lyon. The city was as grimy as ever, although the sun showed up in the afternoon.

November 8, 2014

Walk in Amsterdam (Day 2)

On my second day in Amsterdam, I only had the morning free, so I checked out of my hotel early and walked around at random.

November 7, 2014

Walk in Amsterdam (Day 1)

This summer, I had to be in Amsterdam for about 1 day. I arrived in late afternoon at Schiphol airport, took the train to the city and spent the evening walking around.

November 6, 2014

Walk in Geneva

While waiting for my plane to Amsterdam, I spent a couple of hours in Geneva. I arrived in the morning on the LIHSA bus from Annecy and walked around starting from the highway bus station and finishing at the Cornavin railway station. I then took the bus to the airport.

November 1, 2014

Walk in Réserve Naturelle du Bout du Lac

The Réserve Naturelle du Bout du Lac is a nature reserve located in the marshland at the southern end of Lake Annecy, where the Ire and Eau Morte rivers flow into the lake. The park has trails for pedestrians and horse riders, as well as viewpoints on the lake. There are also beavers in the rivers but I did not see any during my visit. Unfortunately, it started to rain pretty hard while I was there so I had to rush a bit.

October 31, 2014

Hike to Cascade d'Angon & Ermitage de Saint-Germain

After the Roc de Chère, I continued on my loop around Lake Annecy: My next stop was the center of the village of Talloires. The short path to the so called Cascade d’Angon (Waterfall of Angon) starts there. The waterfall is at the end of a slippery trail carved in the rock. I then kept going up, in the direction of the Ermitage de Saint-Germain. Saint Germain was a monk who founded the abbey of Talloires, on the shore of Lake Annecy, in the 11th century. The ermitage is a church built on the location where he used to come for retreat. There is also a great view on the lake from there. I then went back down to Talloires.

sightseeing