The Holiday Post #2: Summer the Lac Léman, in the French Alps

by - August 22, 2015


In the summer, there's no need to go to the seaside to feel properly on holiday! On the borders of the Lac Léman (separating France and Switzerland), you'll find beaches, harbours, ice cream shops and lots of sun! 
We first went to Thonon-les-Bains, one of the major cities of the area. There, you can see Switzerland at the other side of the lake. It is a busy place in the summer, and the beaches can be full of people very quickly! But I loved walking along the water to the harbour. You can get on boat tours of the lake to see it from all angles, and of course enjoy a meal in one of the many restaurants of the area - and eat some fish coming directly from the lake! In Thonon, you can also find the château de Ripaille, a pretty castle built in the 15th century and used and transformed through time until today. The outside of the castle is really worth seeing (you have to buy a ticket to go there though), with its beautiful yellow stone and picturesque towers. However the inside is not as captivating, unfortunately: like many castles from this era, the château de Ripaille is not extremely well furnished. We did not arrive in time for a guided tour, but I guess that if you visit the castle with a guide, it all makes more sense and gets more interesting! Also, they have some good wine apparently ;)


Afterwards, we went to the small medieval village of Yvoire. It was not planned at all, but a friend told me about it and when I saw the sign saying that it was a medieval village, I urged my father to drive us there. And I was so right! Yvoire is the cutest village you could find. Bluest water ever, flowers at every corner, collection and artisan shops full (from the antiques shop which sells old books and schoolboy toy cars to the minerals dealer who also proposed for sale a homo sapiens bone and some mammoth bones too - yep, you read well).
It surprised me to see how many tourists there were, speaking so many different languages. The streets were full, but I guess this is what helps the village to live. The lake there is really nice, with ducks swimming around the boats lined on the harbour. It was a joy to walk around the small streets, discovering new flower arrangements, new quirky houses and new unexpected shops. Also, I had the best caramel-strawberry ice cream I've ever had there! If you're visiting the area, don't miss this small village, it is a beautiful place and you don't find these spots everywhere, I'm telling you!

I hope you enjoyed this little visit with me! Do you know any beautiful lakesides elsewhere in the world? :)
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6 commentaires

  1. The pictures are beautiful! And the castle is amazing!
    Iulia x
    www.iuliatudosa.wordpress.com

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    1. Thanks Iulia! The castle looks really beautiful, almost out of a fairytale world :D xx

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  2. Such a beautiful place! I love your pictures <3
    Nati xx
    www.simplyartdicted.com

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  3. the castle is lovely!! i love old architecture, especially medieval times or later! it really looks like a great escape for a few days. chill and quiet(:

    xx from Italy
    Cate ღ kate/idoscope | youtube

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    1. Old architecture is the best! And yes it's a perfect place for a weekend for example :) xx

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