A week in Annecy, the Venice of the Alps

Hello, fellow travelers! I am Corina, a random wanderer, just like you. Also a book worm, a student, and a language lover. My passion for travelling goes hand in hand with another one, writing. So, I thought I should finally combine the two and see where it goes.

April was the month I got to touch French soil for the first time and I think I started pretty well. I stayed for six nights in the medieval town of Annecy, region Haute Savoie, 40 km from Geneva.

Sursă foto: Corina Mişu

Annecy has everything someone would like to see while on holiday: mountains, lakes, castles and cobbled, canal-side streets.

Annecy is famous mainly for its lake: Lac D`Annecy. But apart from it, its effluent, Thiou, flowing through the old city of Annecy, is said to be one of the cleanest rivers in Europe. No wonder why swans enjoy that much!

Sursă foto: Corina Mişu

Here are a few things to do if you spend at least a few days in Annecy:

1.      Walk. A lot. 

2.      Visit Chateau d`Annecy-  cause who does not like medieval castles?! It was built around the 13^th   century and with the advance of construction techniques, the castle expanded up to the 16^th century. The Chateau was at first the residence of the old counts of Geneva. The military used it in the Second World War as barracks. It is a fortress that breathes history in all its corners and the view from up there is mesmerizing.

3.      See Pont des Amours- right next to the Lake.

4.      Wander the old town and dine near Palais de l’Isle.

5.      Visit Palais de l`Isle- at first a residence, then a courthouse and lastly, a prison- you cannot miss it, it is right in the centre of the Old Town (and appears on all postcards!).

6.      Visit Église Notre Dame de Liesse for some peace and quiet. It is a beautiful cathedral built around the 14^th century, which I discovered on my last day in Annecy.

7.      Have a picnic near the Lake- drinking wine while sitting on the grass is totally allowed, so you can go a bit extra. If you don’t have a corkscrew at hand, don’t worry, ask someone to lend you one, you will be surprised, but some people actually carry it with them.

8.      You have a sweet tooth? Pay a visit to “Le comptoir de Mathilde”, it has everything (and more) your heart aches for in times of despair.

9.      Eat all the crepes you can get your hands on! 

    Sursă foto: Corina Mişu

If you are a romantic at heart, this is the place to go to.

                The “Vieille Ville” (Old Town) is a delight to one’s senses. Especially the visual ones. You will see flower boxes everywhere and pastel colored houses.

                As for the food, I tried fondue for the first time and it was heavenly. I think I ate cheese every day, but I knew it was going to happen.

     Sursă foto: Corina Mişu

                 And that’s all I am gonna say. You need to go there and experience it yourself, and I hope you will.

                 Wander the winding streets. Don’t look at the map, go by instinct. You will encounter many narrow corridors that will draw you in. But every time you get lost, you bump into something different and lovely.

I hope you enjoyed my first article here, many more to come! Until then, safe travels!