Day Nine - A Stop in Annecy!
Back on the bus at 8:30 a.m. As we departed Chamonix, my husband's keen eyes spotted a chamois goat - a mountain goat native to this region - bidding us farewell. About an hour down the road, however, we stopped for a few hours at Annecy, where we boarded the "Bateaux" for an hour-long scenic tour of Lac d'Annecy. The water in Lake Annecy is clear and turquoise in color, as you can see in some of the photos below. There are walking/biking trails along the shoreline. No time for those today though!
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Old Town Annecy...
Rick Steves tours always dispense with the modern perimeter of the European cities they visit and drop you off right in the heart of the most interesting part of town - the traffic-free "old town" area. The Thiou river cuts through the center of the city, with the canals coming off of the river making Annecy a "mini Venice" experience (minus the gondolas).
In the heart of the old town, markets were humming, making it difficult to navigate the narrow streets. The most memorable vendor was a French gentleman stirring a pan of paella the size of a truck tire!
In the heart of the old town, markets were humming, making it difficult to navigate the narrow streets. The most memorable vendor was a French gentleman stirring a pan of paella the size of a truck tire!
Traveler's Tip:
Our stay in Annecy was short - but we had enough time to experience the French crêpe. Because there are so many to choose from, my Traveler's Tip is about this sweet or savory dish!
In Annecy we had the ultimate crêpe experience at La Bolee crêperie, where we had a long list of crêpes from which to choose. The crêpe in France can be either savory or sweet. The savory crêpe (called a "galette") is made with buckwheat flour and is unsweetened. At La Bolee we had many choices. I picked the galette "Epinards-Fromage" (spinach and cheese). Jeff had the "Fromage-Jambon" (ham and cheese). They were both delicious! Ham and eggs is another common filling. The sweet crêpe is is made with wheat flour and is slightly sweetened. This is "dessert." I just choose a plain "Beurre Sucre" (butter and sugar). It was heavenly. Others from our group indulged a bit more with sweet crêpes with chocolate, caramel, whipped cream, and - what seems to be a favorite sweet filling in France - Nutella! |
While our crêpes at La Bolee were served in a sit-down style, it is just as fun to order one "to go" from a street-side vendor and watch them skillfully pour the batter onto a flat, hot griddle, spreading the batter in a thin layer out to the very edges of the griddle without losing a drop. Then they fill it with your topping of choice, fold it into a triangle, insert it into a paper envelope and you have the perfect "walking around" French treat!
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