Return to Europe (in style)

[TheRealTMA]

For a local dinner, Restaurant Le Savoyard was recommended and I was able to walk in without a reservation. A very friendly place, with zero attitude from the young staff. I had the suggestions



With a terrific local Gamay red. I love the 50cl bottles.


Some of the other wine selection:



A nice crust on this one



And the entrecote a la point.





And cheese of course. He did explain what they were but got lost in non-translation.



Next table had an interesting construction. heat lamps melting cheese as-you-go

View attachment 326540

Although service compris, I left the waiter E5 as he got the perfect mix of French and English for me.

Raclette! Yum!

 

[RooFlyer]

Next day, off again, this time into the mountains of the Massif de Bauge and more exactly, the village of Le Chatelard where a rellie lives (2nd generation French), just about in the centre of the Massif (see map, above).

Unfortunately the weather was cloudy again. The drive took me up and up behind Chambery and along mountain roads for about an hour.



Into the clouds ... fortunately came down out of them again'
'




A succession of little villages, surrounded by meadows full of cows, producing Haute Savoir cheese!




Eventually spotted Le Chatelard, with rellie's place in the m iddle







The view from his place. The mountain off to the left is abt 2000m.

 

[RooFlyer]

A good long chat about family, then we headed off for what I was looking forward to - lunch!! Of course there was a well-regarded restaurant in the village, tucked away so the tourists don't find it (but of course they do).






Amuse bouche arrived promptly - asparagus ice cream



I was uncertain what to order, so my rellie suggested a local classic - matouille a la Tome des Bauges - and heck, yes, I'll go the charcuterie de Savoie on the side.

Oh, dear:





I only got through one spud and fortunately the Tome cheese is low-fat

 

[RooFlyer]

After lunch we went for a drive around some of the high villages and I was cursing that the weather wasn't better.

The curved wooden stick-holders on the right grow naturally in that shape and are harvested for this purpose















Finished back at rellie's place where his son had just arrived back after picking local mushrooms. Long discussion as to how you tell the poisonous ones .... I left before dinner!!

 

[RooFlyer]

About 40 mins down to Annecy for two nights. Not much on the agenda.

Staying at the Novotel, on the edge of the old town. Major blunder in not realising that its built over the main rail lines, apparently at the time of the Albertville winter Olympics (or the Annecy-Albertville Olympics as the hotel's card said) .. My allocated room was on the top (4th) floor and a train rumbled underneath as soon as I walked in.





I turned on my heel, back down to reception. Rooms near the elevator - away from the tracks - would be noisy with all the kids on holiday, so I kept away from that. Finally got an 'exec' room at the very far end. Was told trains would end about 8pm - didn't believe that, but assured that they did NOT run all night. They did stop about 10:30pm (there was a low rumble each train - not too bad, but could hear/feel it)







View



Parking was frigging E18/night in the hotel's own u/g car park, with some of the narrowest gates I've come across. Literally had to inch in and out with side mirrors closed - and then you had to navigate the pole!!



At avg of A$250/night, I wouldn't recommend the Novotel Centre Annecy.

 

[RooFlyer]

Will combine pics of around Annecy old town over 2 days, as the weather improved to .. sunny!!



The Chateau was closed while I was there. The Monday was May Day.



Never found the significance of lions and turtles

 

[RooFlyer]

It was 1 May, so the Castle was shut. Not having a good run.





The only one of these I saw and judging by the number of dogs, it probably doesn't make much difference

 

[RooFlyer]

That Monday was May Day, and of course there was an anti-Macron protest march. I was told by my rellie in Le Chatelard that even there, there would be a symbolic march down the street.

I don't think this was a compliment









Lots of chanting and banging of drums and frypans, but peaceful enough.

I then drove up to Semnoz, a ski field above the town where my rellie said I could get a view of Mt Blanc. Unfortunately the weather intervened.







Lac Annecy - the town is off to the left

 

[RooFlyer]

I get arthritis in my big toe and it really flared up - anti-inflammatories to the fore, but didn't really hit by dinner time on Monday, so I just had it in the hotel.

Very nice carrot and pepper gazpacho, steak & fries, with a 50cl Cotes du Rhone.







Next morning, before driving out, I went to the farmers market in the old town.











Tomes! (Tommes) - goat, sheep ...






I bought breakfast (not cheese ) and hit the road for Lucerne.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

You and your coughking hotels over railway lines - what gives?

 

[andye]

I get arthritis in my big toe and it really flared up - anti-inflammatories to the fore, but didn't really hit by dinner time on Monday, so I just had it in the hotel...

Condolences. Great TR as ever
Toe arthritis while on a high purine diet sounds suspicious for gout. Maybe check your uric acid levels when you get back

 

[RooFlyer]

You and your coughking hotels over railway lines - what gives?

What gives is that I don’t do my research! In this case it was just booking through the Accor app which of course isn’t going to mention the bloody railway lines.

What was the other time?

 

[Guvner]

Why is the seating elevated except for the one at the end

Accessibility seating and an area for wheelchairs and bicycles. It's not that the "main" seating is elevated, rather the entrances are lowered.

Old style:

 

[Quickstatus]

built over the main rail

Sorry I didn't get the memo. Are we changing from car park view to rail view?.

@Cruiser Elite . It's the same hotel but in 2 different threads

 

[ellen10]

Loving your trip report, with you visiting many of our favourite places that we have visited over the last 12 years.
Loved the Annecy food market, so much delicious produce! We had beautiful weather there and cycled around the Lac, followed by a swim.

 

[Quickstatus]

high purine diet

Gazpacho Ok,
steak not good,
red wine not good
Cheese should have got some - good

Just stick to the green section and you will be right.

 

[RooFlyer]

Condolences. Great TR as ever
Toe arthritis while on a high purine diet sounds suspicious for gout. Maybe check your uric acid levels when you get back

Gazpacho Ok,
steak not good,
red wine not good
Cheese should have got some - good

Just stick to the green section and you will be right.

longer story. I’ve had a history of both haemochromotosis- induced osteoarthritis pain and swelling of finger and this big toe joints. Flares up every 5 years or so - treated with celebrex ok. Also one bout of gout ( test confirmed) - treated with prednisone ( very quickly).

Toe flared up again 3 weeks before departure. Doc didn’t think gout and first prescribed Arthritex - did nothing. Then, a week before departure, injected with steroi_ ( no time for x-ray or u/s guided injection etc). Definitely didn’t want to give me prednisone.

Effect lasted about a week; I’m guessing he missed. Of course with my holiday, lots and lots of walking. I have Celebrex, which does a bit, but I’m spacing out courses of 3-5 days each; don’t want to take too much of it, or continuing.

Trying to get a doc appointment in England on Friday.

PS any follow up on this welcome but pls let’s go to ‘ medical issues’ thread

 

[Drakecula]

Really enjoying the photos, I think Strasbourg has entered my 'want to visit' list. Looks lovely!

 

[TheRealTMA]

Gazpacho Ok,
steak not good,
red wine not good
Cheese should have got some - good

Just stick to the green section and you will be right.

View attachment 327021

Come on! He’s on a holiday! Encore le Riesling s'il vous plaît!

 

[Flyfrequently]

For a local dinner, Restaurant Le Savoyard was recommended and I was able to walk in without a reservation. A very friendly place, with zero attitude from the young staff. I had the suggestions

View attachment 326534

With a terrific local Gamay red. I love the 50cl bottles.

View attachment 326535

Some of the other wine selection:

View attachment 326533

A nice crust on this one

View attachment 326536

And the entrecote a la point.

View attachment 326537

View attachment 326538

And cheese of course. He did explain what they were but got lost in non-translation.

View attachment 326539

Next table had an interesting construction. heat lamps melting cheese as-you-go

View attachment 326540

Although service compris, I left the waiter E5 as he got the perfect mix of French and English for me.

Ahhh love Raclette - our young French friends introduced us to this cheese in 2017 although it's origins are Swiss.
A cool climate dish but we have been known to have it in the warmer months - can still see the look of our Parisien waiter when we ordered it in late summer!!