Annecy in November

[Deleted]

This was not the best season to visit Annecy, but I try to make do with what I can, so I decided to try to see the city out of tourist season. I arrived in Annecy on a Friday afternoon, but on Saturday I realised that just like in Paris, "tourist season" happens every weekend, no matter what the calendar says. It's 4 hours on the TGV from Paris since the high speed line basically ends after Lyon. On top of that, my train stopped in beautiful Aix-les-Bains which I would love to visit again, running alongside the fabulous Lac du Bourget. Then it changed direction to go back to Annecy. I've been on a few trains that do this, and it always sends me to maps of the rail lines to try to understand why on earth trains would do such a thing. Basically, it is just because they want to attract more passengers without making them connect to a different train even if it would be most logical and cost effective thing to do.

At 13:30, I arrived in Annecy. It's a modern station but I was no longer in Paris, so I knew that the car rental agency would not open until 14:00 so I walked to the hotel a few blocks away. It sits on top of a delightful canal.

Here is the hotel on the other side of the bridge.

I checked in and was kind of disappointed to not have a canalside room, but I had a tiny balcony instead which was good for keeping a few comestibles cold. Then I went and got the car, which I brought back to the public car park right next to the hotel. I wasn't planning on using it until the next day. It was wonderful that parking in Annecy does not cost Parisian fees, and on top of that the hotel had vouchers for 2€ to cover parking between 19:00 and 09:00. So I actually only paid about 5€ to leave the car there most of the day. The hotel is on the edge of "Old Annecy" (called "le Vieil Annecy" to distinguish it from a suburb of the city which carries the name "Annecy-le-Vieux"). I immediately went exploring.

The streets were pleasant and pretty much deserted on a Friday afternoon.







The tourist shops awaited customers with relatively appealing items from Savoie.

[mich64]

I can not wait to see all of your photos! This is a beautiful place. We spent 4 days there a few years ago in September. It was still so warm that there were people swimming in the lake. So many nice shops and restaurants. Looking forward to seeing what you did on your visit.

[Deleted]

Unlike Paris, the Christmas market was not open yet. In fact, it was still under construction.



The Hôtel de Ville stands on the edge of the park that leads to the lake.





Autumn colours were still hanging on to some of the trees.





In a few minutes, I was on the edge of the lake.



Alpine lakes are always so freakishly clear that it is impossible to determine how deep the water is.





There are relatively majestic peaks at the other end of the lake.













I couldn't figure out this device, but there were also some parts missing.

[bjd]

It looks so different than when we saw it -- had to go to a wedding nearby at the beginning of August a few years ago and stayed in Annecy. It's very pretty but was packed with tourists then, mostly French from what I could hear. All the bridges along the canals were decorated with flowers and there were boats and pedal boats for hire.

I too was amazed at how clear the water was in those lakes.

[Deleted]

The lakeside area is really quite nice, especially when you consider that fact that it is a totally downtown area.





This tree has clearly had a very long life and suffered some tragedies.



I wasn't even sure it was a weeping willow until I checked the plaque.













Since there is a very high swan population, I wondered if swans spread out over more territory as the population increases or if they always remain grouped.







As graceful as swans are, they are never graceful when they are doing this.









Then I wandered back into the centre ville.

[mich64]

The photo of the mountain peaks at the end of the lake is superb! We sat on the rock wall with our feet in the water watching the brave dive into the cold water (down at the Casino). I agree, it was hard to judge the depth of the water and it was such a beautiful aqua colour.

The day we arrived the community was putting on a play in the canal with the bridge at the end. They had wonderful costumes and were acting amongst the boats, rowing to each other with characters climbing into different boats or into the lake! Even though we could not understand the language, we did understand their actions.

Maybe we will be lucky some day to return.

[Deleted]

The little canals that run through "Old Annecy" are really wonderful.













There are also a lot of little passages through buildings, like the traboules of Lyon.







In spite of the season, there were plenty of people sitting outside at the cafés, which mostly don't have the heaters that Parisian cafés use.



The municipal Christmas decorations were excellent, but the illuminations will only begin on November 29th.

[Deleted]

Boulangeries in different parts of France have different local specialities which must be inspected.







More café crowds as we were approaching TGIF time.





I always wonder which florist/botanist invented cascading chrysanthemums, because they turned out to be a good idea when used properly.





I knew that I did not want to visitate the château, but I at least wanted to see it up close.



It was rather a steep climb.









And so here is the Place du Château.





Here is the inner courtyard with would have required monetary compensation to enter, although the château was closing in 45 minutes.











The château has a viewing terrace, but this is what I could see from ground level.

[htmb]

I'm enjoying seeing these photos, taken in what appears to be very delicate light, Kerouac.

[Deleted]

Back down to the old town by an alternate route as the sun set.













I made a pit stop at the hotel for refreshments before going out after dark. I had a tiny balcony on the 1st floor of the "land" side which was useful for keeping drinks cool.

[lagatta]

Such lovely walks, though my that looks slippery going down. I only got a glimpse of Annecy, travelling by car with an Italian fellow who was going from to Perugia from there for some reason; forgot - that was at least 25 years ago. I thought the whole region was spectacular, but was scarcely in any position to ask him to stop so I could get a better view. Then I had to translate for him early in the morning - he didn't speak French, or any other language except Italian and his regional dialect (Bergamesco - his family was from Bergame, above Milan, so I got to see that equally spectacular craggy place).

My, those are hardy revellers. The very thought of hoisting a beer outdoors on a chilly day would send me rushing several times into the nearest facility... A reminder that the view some people have of "the French" is based on a few of the posher arrondissments in Paris, or some retreats on the Côte d'Azur.

[Deleted]

Next it was time to see Annecy by night.























Here is the train station where I had arrived a number of hours earlier.

[Deleted]

The next morning I made a quick trip to Geneva, which turned out to be rather aggravating since I spent most of the day in the fog. There was a ridge somewhere or other that divided the weather completely, because on the southern (Annecy) side, it was clear and sunny all day whereas on the northern (Geneva) side, everything was plunged in fog all day even though the two cites are only 40km apart. I took a few pictures of the countryside once I had finally escaped the fog on my way back.

I also stopped in a Migros hypermarket for a bit of shopping. This is the ordinary chocolate aisle. I did not photograph the aisles of Christmas chocolates.

[bjd]

I think any "hardy revellers" outside in French cafés in cold weather are there because they want to be able to smoke. I was surprised to see so many people sitting outside in Paris last week -- it was damp and about 10°, but they were outside anyway.

Was that mostly milk chocolate, Kerouac?

Surprised at your not "visitating" the castle, I just looked it up: La Visitation is a basilica and monastery.

[Deleted]

In Switzerland it would have been mostly milk chocolate, but this was one of the Migros stores on the French side of the border, so at least half of the chocolate was dark to conform to local preferences.

[lagatta]

bjd, not as hearty as their reveller cousins here, especially last winter when we had many -20 days...

My (once a bush pilot) uncle was escorting a Russian visitor around Yellowknife for some kind of Northern conference. The Russian said, "my, you have classy looking streetwalkers". These "streetwalkers" were actually civil servants out for their cig break, at -40 or so. (-40 is the point where C and F scales meet).

Glad I don't smoke. I hate being cold.

[mossie]

Reminds me of when I often visited London during the early days of the "No smoking indoors" regulation. Used to wind up the posh secretaries standing in their office doorways by asking "Are you looking for business?"

[Deleted]

After returning from Switzerland, I got back out on the streets to wander around again.





Since it was now Saturday, the city was full of tourists, even at this time of year.













I thought this shop dared to proclaim that it sold clothes for fat people, but it was actually specialised in work clothes like coveralls and overalls.



I never ignore the botanics when I go anywhere.





I was wondering what the rates were for a typical modest downtown hotel, for example this one.



It was sold out for Saturday, and these were the rates. (I had an excellent internet rate of 62€ at my nice modern Ibis.)

[lagatta]

I suppose you got a better rate still...

Think Mossie and my uncle would get on thick as thieves... (Mossie, this is my youngest uncle; my maternal grandmother died when he and his twin were born and my mum pretty much brought him up). Twin died too...

Kerouac NEVER tells us what he eats on these forays. I don't eat elaborate, copious or expensive food when alone either, but it is fun to know what you found to snack on.

[onlyMark]

I use the Accor chain of hotels all the time unless I'm wanting a hotel that is a feature of the excursion. I've even used a couple here in India.

[Deleted]

After dark, I took another look at the château.









There was a rippling lighting effect on this building because the spotlights were half submerged in the canal.

[Deleted]

Even though it was a Saturday, it appeared that all activity had come to a standstill after dinner.





The swans had folded down their necks to get some sleep.



It would have been an excellent time to use the cycle paths.



You can see the lake bottom even in the dark.







The next morning it was already time to go home, but I would have wanted to take some of the local trains to other places.



The train to Paris was delightfully empty, but I'm sure that the evening trains were jam packed.