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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2011 18:29:32 GMT
I very much enjoyed the time I spent in Geneva. Back when I actually even slept there, I found some reasonable hotels near the train station.
One good thing about (at least, but perhaps not only) French speaking Switzerland is that most of the coin machines (parking machines, tram and bus ticket machines, etc.) also accept euro coins, which reduces the need for making change when arriving from the euro zone. I absolutely love Swiss banknotes and coins, but it is true that since the country is completely surrounded by the euro zone, if you are only going to spend a short time there, it sometimes seems foolish to exchange money. I have enough Swiss currency to get by for a day or two, but when I go to Migros or Coop to buy ten tons of chocolate, I just use my bank card.
Note for mich64: there are a few Migros hypermarkets on the French side, and a few of the products are actually cheaper than in Switzerland, so you might want to examine them for shopping. Basically, the Swiss (especially from Geneva) do 90% of their shopping in France where meat and vegetables are extremely cheaper.
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Post by mich64 on Mar 11, 2011 21:31:19 GMT
Thank you Kerouac, good information. I probably have some Swiss Francs somewhere in the house, we usually do not spend all our money when on these trips. I do make my best effort to purchase as much chocolate at the duty free before returning home, but usually we come home with some euros or francs. Many times I give the money away to children that come to visit, they really enjoy that. I also give them a lesson on world currency while I am at it. You can never learn these things to early! The information from auntieannie regarding parking on the French side and taking the bus into Geneva was great, saves us from buying a vignette for Switzerland. Cheers, Mich
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Post by auntieannie on Mar 12, 2011 14:16:02 GMT
and it will save you money renting the car as you can truthfully tell the car rental clerk that you are only going to drive in France. They tend to put a surcharge on people crossing borders.
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Post by mich64 on Mar 12, 2011 15:39:26 GMT
Thanks auntieannie, that is more information that will be helpful. Our last few trips we visited a few countries while driving so this will save us a few euros. Cheers! Mich
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2011 15:47:43 GMT
Frankly, you can easily drive around a bit in Switzerland without using the autoroutes and therefore without buying a vignette. I very much enjoy the drive from Geneva to Lausanne and Montreux along the lakefront road (in fact, I enjoy driving the complete circle around Lac Leman).
The only complication that I have found driving in Switzerland is that the color of the signs is reversed -- they use blue signs for the normal highways and green signs for the autoroutes, which is the opposite from France. More than once, I have accidentally entered an autoroute and just kept my fingers crossed that nobody would catch me without a vignette before I could exit again.
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Post by auntieannie on Mar 12, 2011 16:13:11 GMT
provided you don't try and drive there weekends ;D
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Post by mich64 on Mar 12, 2011 16:16:55 GMT
Yes, I agree Kerouac, after visiting a few times I have determined the same. The first couple of trips I had no maps, I used the directions I printed off from the Michelin website, from the Airport to the first Hotel, then to the next Hotel. I selected the fastest route, therefore we were on the major highways. If you were to see the my first trip book, you would find it very comical. It started with my extremely detailed itinerary followed by directions to the first hotel, pages from the hotel website, sites we wanted to see in the area. The book continued with each town/city we were going to with their own information. The customer agent at the airport laughed when I took it out to show him our plans for entering the country. I was embarrasly organized. Cheers, Mich
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Post by mich64 on Aug 25, 2011 22:13:53 GMT
Well, all the arrangements are complete! Picked up our plane tickets today, bought the new camera, loaded some books on my Kobo, have our clothes in order and tomorrow my husband will get his International Driver's Permit!
Depart Canada on September 15th
September 16th - 18th, Paris, staying in the 12th.
September 18th we depart by TGV to Annecy where we will spend 5 nights. Casual plans are to visit Chamonix, Geneva and Albertville. We are renting a car but will take the bus into Geneva as suggested.
September 23rd we depart by TGV back to Paris, staying at the same hotel in the 12th. Hoping to spend a night watching the dancers on the Quai, try using the water taxi and buses this time, explore Canal St. Martin and the Bastille area. We depart back to Canada on September 27th.
If any members want to meet with us when we are in Paris, please send me a PM and we can set up a meeting date, place and time. I would love to spend some time with you.
Cheers, Mich
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Aug 25, 2011 23:36:14 GMT
Hi Mich64,
I'd love to meet up with you when you come to Paris. And as luck would have it (for you) I'm just back from a 2 week vacation at the Lac d'Annecy so I bet I've got some good tips for you. I'll be working on my trip report in the next week or two so it should be ready by the time you leave. See you soon!
FMT
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Post by mich64 on Aug 26, 2011 2:08:20 GMT
I just got to this post, so excuse my others on the Landscape thread. Amazing photos so far, I cannot wait to see more. And Yes! would love to meet up with you in Paris, let me know of any available dates and times. Cheers, Mich
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Aug 26, 2011 22:02:27 GMT
I'm always around and with free time Mich so just drop me a line when you get to Paris and let me know when's a good time for you.
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Post by Jazz on Aug 27, 2011 9:05:12 GMT
Mich, with my move (house to condo), I was confused, thought that you had already gone to France and wondered that you hadn't posted. So, your trip is soon, exciting!. I would love to have met you, but I won't be in Paris until October 4th. It sounds as though you and your husband will have about 7 days total in Paris, time enough for a few (many?) exceptional moments. September is an exquisite month in Paris, it certainly was the year that I was there...highs of 22-26 and fresh, cool nights... lovely for sleeping. The night skies and the Seine were especially beautiful, as was the tiny vineyard at Montmartre. Of course, I know nothing of Annecy, but you've been given some great thoughts. Have a very special trip. Jazz
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Aug 27, 2011 14:03:04 GMT
See you in October Jazz!
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Post by mich64 on Aug 27, 2011 16:04:07 GMT
Hi Jazz, it is unfortunate we will not be there at the same time! We usually travel in September, we find it is the most favourable climate wherever we have gone, warm days with cool nights just like you describe.
We have been busy too! We decided to buy a condo too! However we are not moving in, we bought it so my in-law's can move in. So we have been busy with Banks, lawyers and Realtors while preparing to depart for our trip! But the condo was to perfect to pass on and we got the keys yesterday and move them in on September 10th and we depart on the 15th, pretty busy time for the next couple of weeks. But so excited about both!
Congratulations on your new home! Cheers, Mich
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Post by mich64 on Oct 12, 2011 22:57:27 GMT
I thought FMT's photos prepared me for how beautiful the Rhone-Alps area was, but my gosh, we are blessed that we were fortunate to stay there for 5 days and will return some day. Here are some of our photos: The view from our room in Annecy was beautiful and tranquil. The Old Town, fabulous shops and restaurants and pathways. When looking at pamphlets in the Hotel lobby, we came across this gorge and castle to visit. Les Gorges du Fier is about 10 km away from Annecy in the small town of Lovagny. The Fier River has its source at the foot of the Mont Charvin and empties into the Rhone at Chateaufort, downstream from Seyssel. Gorges du Fier is one of the most wonderful examples of erosion by running water. We spent a day in Chamonix by taking the lift up to view Mont Blanc and enjoyed a lunch in the village when we came down. i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i444/mich647/DSC00120.jpgIt was so warm during our visit that we spent an afternoon at the beach sunbathing and walking in the lake, just as I had hoped. We will definetly return, there is so much to see and do and that we truly relaxed was so enjoyable. Cheers, Mich
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Post by mich64 on Oct 12, 2011 23:04:39 GMT
I am going to try to add the photo of our day at the beach again as photobucket seems to want to delete it? We had a glorious afternoon at the beach just as I hoped we would be able to do, the water was so clear and still warm enough to swim.
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Post by frenchmystiquetour on Oct 13, 2011 0:10:34 GMT
Ah mich64, I knew you would love this area. So true, pictures don't capture the beauty like being there in person. I knew about The Gorge du Fier but just didn't make it there. There were a lot of places I never made it to but it's always that way. I never try to see it all and just enjoy my time as much as possible wherever I am. Hope you'll share some more photos and stories from your trip.
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 13, 2011 1:12:08 GMT
Beautiful photos, especially the second one, which looks almost too charming to be true! The gorge is really pretty. I recognize those diving structures from FMT's photos, and once again, they look fun to jump off of.
It's frustrating when that message from Photobucket turns up. It really makes me curious about what I'm missing. For all I know, the best picture could have been deleted!
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Post by mich64 on Oct 13, 2011 18:01:32 GMT
Thanks FMT and nycg! I am slowly loading my photos onto photobucket to post.
Nycg, the old town is quite large and has so many quaint spots throughout with bridges, church courtyards and gardens. I hope we can spend more time there the next time we go just to live the daily life there. This town will be on our list of month long stays once into retirement.
Cheers, Mich
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Post by Deleted on Oct 13, 2011 18:11:03 GMT
I love both Annecy and Chamonix, so I can never see enough pictures of these places! Keep loading those photos, Mich!
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 13, 2011 18:19:28 GMT
Oh, I also love the house with the trompe l'oeil art. For a second, I actually thought that was a real bird flying by.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 13, 2011 23:34:29 GMT
Yes, it was fabulous! From afar you could easily have been fooled by the whole portrayal as the village street just seemed perfect for the scene.
Cheers! Mich
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Post by bixaorellana on Oct 20, 2011 15:28:05 GMT
Finally catching up to this very interesting thread, Mich. I'm going to try on a different browser, as I can only see three of your photos. The Gorges du Fier picture is fabulous!
Yes, please -- keep loading your pics & show us more of your visit!
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Post by mich64 on Oct 25, 2011 1:20:18 GMT
Adding some more... Each morning we walked down the street to the corner where we enjoyed our breakfast of bread/jam or croissants/pain au chocolat and tea/coffee. You walked in on the ground floor, waited for your order and then walked upstairs to go outside on the terrace above, the view was sensational as we watched the townspeople going to work, taking their children to daycares and teens rushing to school. It was also here that I watched some customers coming in for a quick glass of wine BEFORE work, that was a first time for me. When talking with my girlfriend later in Paris, she informed me that the house wine is cheaper than a coffee! This shows how I spoil myself... If I can find a hotel room with a coffee/tea set, I am so pleased. It is my source of comfort, my security blanket. We took the boat tour before lunch on a clear morning. We took the short tour, one hour long and thankfully we did choose only the one hour. It was so warm, I, who rarely burns, encountered a subtle, but there, burn on my forehead. Therefore, my husbands face was totally sun burned! But it was a lovely ride. And one more of the cable car lift up to Mont Blanc in Chomonix, it was a little more scarier up there than I thought it would be. Cheers! Mich
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Post by nycgirl on Oct 25, 2011 2:37:21 GMT
That lift does indeed look scary. I think I would have been sweating bullets.
I, too, appreciate little comforts like coffee and tea in the hotel room. I also love those little cookies in the photo. Apparently you can buy a nutella-like spread made out of those crushed-up cookies. I really want to find it.
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Post by mich64 on Oct 25, 2011 4:47:01 GMT
It does! And it was only the first half the second half took us up to the snow covered mountains above that!
Sometimes a tea and cookie is just what I need to relax me at the end of a long day. I had not heard of this spread your are explaining, but if you find it, let me know! Thank you.
Cheers! Mich
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2011 4:59:36 GMT
looks like peanut butter!
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Post by mich64 on Oct 25, 2011 5:09:59 GMT
Have you tried it Kerouac? If so, did you like it? Cheers! Mich
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Post by tod2 on Oct 25, 2011 7:19:37 GMT
I loved your glorious photos Mich honey! It certainly looks picture postcard Be - U -T - full
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Post by Deleted on Oct 25, 2011 17:20:12 GMT
Have you tried it Kerouac? If so, did you like it? Cheers! Mich I can't say, Mich. I don't eat that sort of stuff, but reports say that you writhe around on the floor in ecstasy if you have any.
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