Off to Annecy

 [19 April].

After last minute tidying up of the apartment we called for an Uber and were off to the train station. We had only an hour or so to wait for our train to Annecy and we were impressed by the Lyon Part Dieu station. We spent a little time in a nice spacious waiting area with monitors advising of trains coming and going. When we saw our train's platform pop up on the departures screen, we headed for voie I, found it easily and zipped up the escalators to await the train. 

It was good that we got there early since, soon after we settled into our seats, the train filled up and remained so pretty much the entire way to Annecy. It's Easter weekend after all.

The trip took about 2 hours and we passed through numerous villages large and small with the occasional stop. It was slightly exhilarating to feel the climb out of the valley into the alpine world and then to see the mountains with snow off in the distance. 

We arrived in Annecy a couple minutes early. The station is right in the center of town and it was only a 10-minute walk to our apartment. 

Up two flights of stairs and we were in! See the listing right here.

view from our living room window toward the lake

our room is at the corner 2nd (3rd floor)

After settling in we went off in search of the Tourist Information office. We found it just a block away overlooking the lakefront. We bought tickets for a lake boat cruise for Sunday afternoon and for a bus trip to the Gorges du Fier on Sunday morning. After picking up a map of the town we headed off to orient ourselves.

TI office

a nature expo of some sort going on inside the TI building

Our stroll began with the lakefront. This being Easter Weekend, the entire population of France and several eastern European countries joined us in that as well. Everywhere we went there was another small horde of people trying to get to the same places we were. 

But it was a beautiful day and we were alive and healthy.

several teams of petanque or boule players being very serious

lots of paddle boats out

Pont des Amours

Jardin d'Europe

we'll be back there tomorrow queuing up for the boat

Thiou River

one of numerous tiny canals in town

We stopped at a Monoprix, picked up/dropped off some groceries then headed out for an aperitif. 

street next to the Monoprix

We sat outside at Les Chardons d'Ecosse, literally right around the corner from our building in a small courtyard and had a glass of wine (me) and Lillet rosé (Susan).

 

Les Chardons d'Ecosse

Eventually we plunged back out into the crowds in search of a supper venue.

Monoprix grocery store again (on the right)

Since we were still early for dinner (at most places) we grabbed an outside table overlooking one of the canals at Captain Pub and had a glass of local white.

view from our table

We ultimately grabbed a table for dinner at Le Zinc & Raoul right next door to Captain Pub.

Susan had tartiflette vegetarien

For those who wonder, tartiflette is potatoes, onion, lardons (bacon) and Reblochon cheese all baked up. For the vegetarian version, the lardons are left out. It was all more than Susan could handle - at least the salad offered a fresh, light side.

I had l'escalope Savoyard

Steve's dish - thinly sliced chicken, grilled lardons, Reblochon and crème fraïche with a side of frites. Believe me, we don't usually eat like this.

It was a short walk back home.

Tomorrow a trip to the Gorges du Fier and a cruise on Lake Annecy.