Annecy in the Alps

The happy couple take in the old part of Annecy.

As previously mentioned, we spent the last week in the Alps on the shores of Lac d'Annecy as guests of one of my teammates, Romain. Although the chalets we stayed in were actually located in the town of Duingt, the main town of the region is Annecy and it was during our first full day in the Alps where we took a tour of the city. Of course our tour guide was our excellent host, as his family has had property in the region for generations, and as a result Romain was able to answer all of Mindy's questions about the fascinating architecture and history of the town. The tour was an excellent way to ease us into our Alps vacation and certainly was a great appetizer of what was to come.

The princess stands in front of her castle. This castle was located across the bay from our chalets in Duingt.

Like most mountain lakes, Lac d'Annecy is long, narrow, and deep. As a result, it does not freeze in the winter even when the temperature in the valley drops below zero. For the most part during our stay, the temperature hovered between minus 3 and plus 3. It is also one of the cleanest lakes in France as it is glacier fed and the locals take great care not to pollute the water.

Andronik, Romain, and I on the shores of Lac d'Annecy.

After walking the shoreline in the town, we walked to the top of the old section of Annecy where the town castle was located. It was a bit of a hike, but the view from the top was fantastic. It also served a second purpose as this was where the tour of old town started.

Romain and Mindy lead the way to the top of Annecy.

After walking around the town for a few hours, we were starting to feel a little chilled as the temperature was around plus 1. To warm us up, Romain introduced us to one of the traditional drinks of the region, vin chaud (or in english, hot wine). This drink is not just red wine warmed in the microwave however as Romain explained it is red wine flavoured with oranges, lemons, cinnamon, sugar, and cloves. It was absolutely delicious.

A round of vin chaud helped to fortify us after our walk in Annecy.

What next from our trip? I guess we will find out tomorrow!