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Published: June 24th 2009
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Medieval Prison
A medieval prison sits in the middle of the main canal in Annecy. Thursday, June 18th
About an hour To the north of Grenoble, just past the Chambery, is a small city near the Swiss border called Annecy. It's only 30 minutes from Geneva, and it sits on the edge of a mountain lake with very clear water. Annecy is like a little Venice or Amsterdam, complete with its own set of canals, a medieval prison, and a castle on the hill overlooking the town. Pedestrian bridges are sprinkled throughout the quaint streets and flowers sprout from the windows of the buildings and the sides of the bridges. As soon as we arrived we headed for the main canal to find some lunch. The main canal which is lined with shops and restaurants and is an easy place to take a stroll or enjoy a leisurely lunch which is exactly what we did. Even the ducks were having a good time swimming in the water right below us while we ate.
A Boat Ride Around the Lake
If you follow the main canal it flows right into the lake where you can catch a boat for a tour. Go the other direction, and the canal continues past several well situated apartments,
Alyssa in Annecy
Alyssa poses for a photo in Annecy. more parks and eventually narrows into a stream that goes into the countryside. The whole length is covered in comfortable shade trees and trails. After lunch we walked went to the marina at the end of the canal and bought tickets for the tour boat. It was a one hour trip around the lake with gorgeous views of the mountains on one side and little holiday houses lining the lake side on the other. There were plenty of people out in canoes, kayaks and even the touristy little boats you paddle with your feet. As the boat cruised down the lake, we caught a glimpse of parasailers floating down off the mountain. At first we counted 3 or 4, then suddenly we saw at least 50 to 60 at once !! It was an amazing sight to see the sky thick with parasailers like a flock of birds. The coordination and skill necessary to stay aloft and not run into the parasailer next to you must be extraordinary.
Rest in the Park
The kids just had no stamina by this point in the trip and Erin had fallen asleep inside the cabin of the boat. Oh well, I
Canals of Annecy
A church sits on the main canal. guess she can watch the video later. When we docked the boat back at the marina, we walked over to a park on the edge of the lake to find a shady spot and rest. This park has a long promenade by the water with more trees and is always full of mothers pushing baby buggies, old couples taking a stroll, and friends relaxing and having a good time. You could even watch the kids out in the lake jumping from the paddle boats into the water to cool off from the hot day. Annecy feels so livable, so perfect and just the right size. Who ever planned this city should be complimented. I don't understand why Annecy is not high on the list of sights to see in American guide books, but it is definitely a day well spent. I think next time I will bring a bathing suit so I can jump in the water too.
Observation: Highway tolls
France has a very efficient set of Autoroutes that criss cross the country much like our interstate highways. Efficiency comes at a cost though, as the tolls are very high. Imagine paying about $10 or $11 for
approximately every hour's worth of distance you drive on the Autoroute. Now that cost can add up quickly !! Most of the major internet mapping sites like Via Michelin do a good job estimating the tolls so you can decide the best route, but just be prepared to contribute heavily at each stop. The toll booths are simple, just grab a ticket the first time you come across a booth. Periodically or when you exit, you hand the clerk your ticket and credit card and pay for the toll. They even have automatic machines that take credit cards, but I have found that the magnetic cards usually require a person to work properly.
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