Vive la France!

[InverYes]

A few foties from our trip to France last week.

Beautiful country and great weather too.

It got off to a good start when I turned on the radio in the hire car

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010838.jpg

Sadly they didn't play any.

[InverYes]

Headed for Annecy first.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010915.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010921.jpg

[InverYes]

It wouldn't have been Henry Ford's favourite shop.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010923.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010927.jpg

[True Believer]

What a beautiful place, Richard! Where is that?

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010832.jpg

[InverYes]

What a beautiful place, Richard! Where is that?

It's Annecy, at the head of Lake Annecy in the Haute Savoire region. It's just south of Geneva where we flew into.

The lake is an amazing colour

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010837.jpg

[InverYes]

The Chateau Menthon St Bernard

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010876.jpg

[InverYes]

Off up into the mountains to, I think, the Col Du Glandon

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010963.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010974.jpg

[InverYes]

.. and came across the US Army.

Hopefully they've not been parked up here for sixty years!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010882.jpg

[InverYes]

Speaking of the war ( I think I got away with it) what do you think this memorial represents.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010908.jpg

Or, what do you think it's meant to represent, but do you see something different, and quite unfortunate.

[InverYes]

In La Clusaz there was a show jumping competition on

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010900.jpg

[InverYes]

But once the horses had finished

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010886.jpg

[InverYes]

They had the World Championship finals for the Horsemen

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010897.jpg

These guys were going round the same course and taking the jumps at the same height as the gee-gees.

[InverYes]

Somewhere cute en route

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1010878.jpg

[Bluegrunt]

Looks just wonderful.

[tardistraveler]

Beautiful . . . absolutely beautiful . . . :D

And I'm "icon-challenged", so I have NO clue what that monument is of - looks like one of the icons on the controls of my car! I can't figure THOSE out either . . . :rolleyes:

[yesanneyes]

The pics are stunning! I spent a few days in Annecy in 1984 - it looks positively unchanged. I remember feeling a really good vibe there and and not wanting to leave such a beautiful, relaxing place. Thanks for sharing the pics.

[Malcolm Birkett]

Wow...or, perhaps...Sacre Bleu Richard!

Wonderful!

I have been to Lake Annecy twice...hey...and to La Clusaz!

First time was when we had the kids with us on a very long road-trip camping holiday at the south end of the lake at Damvix...that's when we went to La Clusaz and the tobogganing run...amazing. Those ski resorts in Summer are so beautiful.

Second time was just us a couple of years ago...stayed right on the lake in Annecy and drove to Geneva for a day.

I must admit I was rather disappointed with the city.

Annecy is just so beautiful but still, I'm afraid, not a patch on Venice.

Were you travelling?

I did Chambery during the same trip and that was pretty nice especially Lac Aguebuillette**??!!...whatever!

Hey...back on to the theme of this site. I once went to La Tranche in the Vendee with the family in 1988...took a walk off the campsite to the town with my elder son who was by then so aware of my love for Yes and all things Yes...

We took a break in a typically French cafe-bar before walking back...lovely...by the long sandy beach. Wow...there was a video juke-box! Lo and behold...'Rhythm Of Love' came on...that black and white video for ROL..I leapt off my seat...Matthew leapt off his seat (he was 9 at the time!)...we freaked out big time to that song man!

The locals?...Crazee Eeengleez!!!!

Hope to see you and young daughter again during the Jon and Rick tour.

[InverYes]

The pics are stunning! I spent a few days in Annecy in 1984 - it looks positively unchanged. I remember feeling a really good vibe there and and not wanting to leave such a beautiful, relaxing place. Thanks for sharing the pics.

It is a lovely place Anne, but here and there, there are reminders of darker times.

That building on the left in post #5 is a school and it has a plaque on the wall remembering four small children ( the oldest was 11 ) who were lifted off the street by the occupying German army and transported to Auschwitz.

Quite chilling.

[InverYes]

Wow...or, perhaps...Sacre Bleu Richard!

Wonderful!

I have been to Lake Annecy twice...hey...and to La Clusaz!

First time was when we had the kids with us on a very long road-trip camping holiday at the South end of the lake at Damvix...that's when we went to La Clusaz and the tobogganing run...amazing. Those ski resorts in Summer are so beautiful.

Second time was just us a couple of years ago...stayed right on the lake in Annecy and drove to Geneva for a day.

I must admit I was rather disappointed with the city.

Annecy is just so beautiful but still, I'm afraid, not a patch on Venice.

Were you travelling?

I did Chambery during the same trip and that was pretty nice especially Lac Aguebuillette**??!!...whatever!

Hey...back on to the theme of this site. I once went to La Tranche in the Vendee with the family in 1988...took a walk off the campsite to the town with my elder son who was by then so aware of my love for Yes and all things Yes...

We took a break in a typically French cafe-bar before walking back...lovely...by the long sandy beach. Wow...there was a video juke-box! Lo and behold...'Rhythm Of Love' came on...that black and white video for ROL..I leapt off my seat...Matthew leapt off his seat (he was 9 at the time!)...we freaked out big time to that song man!

The locals?...Crazee Eeengleez!!!!

Hope to see you and young daughter again during the Jon and Rick tour.

We were the same Malcolm. First went to La Clusaz with a caravan a good few years ago. We were pulling it with a Land Rover Defender so would seek out the roads where caravans were "not advised" and headed straight for them.

"The locals?...Crazee Eeengleez!!!!" right enough.

The summer luge? Exciting stuff if you're not careful!

This time was a two stop trip. Stayed on the shores of Lake Annecy in Menthon St Bernard and then headed up to Venosc for some skiing in Les Deux Alpes.

[InverYes]

Interesting driving!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020035.jpg

[InverYes]

Venosc, the small village where we stayed

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020041.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020040.jpg

[InverYes]

from where a cable car took us up to Les Deux Alpes

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020074.jpg

[InverYes]

No snow at resort level with the temperatures in the thirties!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020161.jpg

[InverYes]

.. but once we got up to just under 12,000 feet

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020048.jpg

[InverYes]

Nice snowpark here Denise!

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020072.jpg

[InverYes]

This may be Mont Blanc, but I have my doubts

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020067.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020046.jpg

[InverYes]

As well as skiing on top of the glacier

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020106.jpg

[InverYes]

You could go inside it to see some ice sculpture

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020114.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020118.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020120.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020127.jpg

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/P1020123.jpg

[InverYes]

As we travelled around we always seemed to be a day ahead of the Tour de France. They had the welcome mats out ready.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/DSCF2433.jpg

[Malcolm Birkett]

Beautiful Richard.

Am loving this.

Have you done the Dordogne and the Ardeche? The South? Provence?

I have so many memories of the whole of France....driving so many miles accompanied by Yes/Jon/Rick...car stereo...oh, and a bit of Roy Orbison Mystery Girl...

the next year...France, Switzerland and ITALY!!!!

Mamma Mia...camp sites in Italia!...unfortunately all my pics are pre-digital.

Hey...if you love Lac Annecy...you will pee your pants over the Italian Lakes. I have done them four times.

Maggiore, Garda (x2), Como....amazing...I have to say Richard, I think so much better than Annecy.

If you fancy it next year PM me for info' and recommendations.

Jeez...Bellagio, Lake Como...bloody Clooney..say no more dahlink!

But, my fave is Garda...amazing...anyway...back to Yes...in and around the lake!

[InverYes]

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/DSCF2447.jpg

[InverYes]

I thought this was quite interesting.

At one of the viewpoints they had photographs taken in 1905.

Check the snow pattern compared to today's picture, 105 years later.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/DSCF2761.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/DSCF2762.jpg

[InverYes]

Haven't covered too much of France, Malcolm. Brittany, Chamonix area, Paris ( mandatory ) and many. many years ago, Monaco and Monte Carlo.

But Italian Lakes? Bullseye! Love them.

From a couple of years ago, Limone

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/DSC00333.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/DSC00329.jpg

and Malcesine

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c114/Inveryes/scenic/France/DSC00376.jpg

The combination of lake and mountain is irresistible.

[Malcolm Birkett]

Wowser...bella!

Yup, Limone is wonderful and Malcesine equally if not moreso.

Went up the cable car there...is it Mount Baldo? Incredible view of the Dolomites.

Riva del Garde for lake well and truly overlooked by mountains.

I stayed in Garda itself first time...lovely walk from there to Bardolino. I did it on a day when Simple Minds were playing at one of the many camp-sites which are located parallel to the lakeside walk.

Two years ago I stayed in Sirmione...so picturesque.

[ctask]

Wonderful pictures! Thanks for sharing!

[flep]

Thanks for sharing