French holiday - Day 2: Hautecombe, Aix-Les-Bains and Annecy

[london1967]

It started snowing in Grenoble in the night and it was still snowing when we looked out of the window


"What's this white stuff?"

We decided to stick to the planned itinerary and headed for Chambery and the Abbaye de Hautecombe on the Lac du Bourget.
Well, the snowfall got heavy on the motorway down to a single track, and it was difficult to drive on the uphill hairpin bends on the road leading towards the lake. We were both rather tense and worried about getting stuck. Luckily Adrian (london1952) just managed to make it down to the lake where it was pouring with rain and, amazingly, there was no trace of snow. What an adventure that drive was!


I had visited the abbey once before over 20 years ago, but this time I didn't get the same welcome. We arrived at lunchtime and the abbey was closed; there was no warm place to wait or to have a hot drink and it was simply too cold and miserable to hang around for another couple of hours until it was meant to be open again.
We had a look around, took a few pictures and left for Aix-Les-Bains where we had tea.

The Michelin guide recommended the Grand Hôtel du Parc for afternoon tea. I had visions of a sumptous spread. The reality was slightly different: we were made to sit in the small hall and served a cuppa with a slice of tarte tatin (albeit yummy and fresh).

Queen Victoria

would have not been impressed!

Then we headed to Annecy where the lovely Jean

was awaiting our arrival.

There were many beautifule primroses on the road leading to the abbey