Today is going to be short and leisurely journey along the east side of Lake Annecy, starting with a drive through the busy outskirts of the town. There are scores of crossings and traffic lights for a couple of miles, always with the vivid turquoise waters to our right until we are at the top of the lake and turn south. Traffic thins out, then before we get going properly a minimarket hoves into view at Chavoine, and it’s grocery time.
From there the route gets increasingly beautiful with craggy mountains across the water, neat little communities, parks and tidy private gardens. The road has climbed gently, almost unnoticed, to Menthon St Bernard, where there are plenty of shops and restaurants in the centre, but then descends steeply on a switchback until we are back at the water’s edge with only a cycle path between. We meander along the edge enjoying the views and stopping a few times to take in the scene and record it with photos.
Near Angon we find a layby with superb vistas in both directions and pause for lunch.
On the far shore houses are tucked under trees and appear tiny but their styling suggests they are really quite substantial homes. Further up, the tree line gives way to rippled rock faces dappled with shadows. A power boat speeds past with a water skier almost hidden in its wake and to the south parascenders launch themselves from high peaks, circling and gliding before lining up to land on a low paddock, their wings changing from shadows to fluorescent yellows and oranges as they catch the sun. We wonder if this is the spot nephew Andy has told us is one of his favourite flying zones.
The road is well used; cyclists, motor bikes, cars and motorhomes all cruise past, then comes an elegant 1950s Rolls Royce Silver Wraith with a CH number plate. Swiss Rolls, says Nick.
We continue lakeside for a few more miles before picking up a main road to Faverges and find the aire with mountains around it on three sides.
There is a Carrefour store with a laundry just up the road so A+G walk across to do some dhobi while the Nicks fix one of Mary*Lou’s brake lights, the bulb of which fell out on one of the many, many speed humps in the lakeside towns.
Ali phones and tells us to look in a certain direction and we will see…….. snow on the mountains!
We’re not sure, but we believe it might be the peak of Mont Blanc, and if it isn’t, well we plan on seeing that one soon.
In two days we’ve driven 29 miles. If we go much slower we’ll get snow on the vans. But if we go too quickly we’ll miss all of this beauty and that would never do.
We pour G+Ts, pop in their very own ice caps and settle for the evening enjoying the beauty around us.
As the sun goes down shadows form low on the bases of the hills creating myriads of colours in the trees and stone, Pockets of the hillsides glow as if hit with spotlights while billowing clouds turn pink over the summits. The distant snow cap turns ever whiter then starts to dapple with steely blue shadows.
Stunning.
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