The Good Life France Magazine




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WINTER 2024

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Packed with fabulous features and fantastic photos, inspiring, entertaining and informative guides, mouth-watering recipes from top chefs, history, culture and much, much more. Discover the French Riviera in winter, effervescent Epernay, Champagne, picturesque Provence, and captivating towns and villages, hidden gems and secret France. Find out what's on, what's new and what to cook for a taste of France! Bringing France to you - wherever you are.

Walking and

Walking and wildlifeAnnecy and MenthonCheeses ripening at Jospeh Pacard © Amy McphersonReblochon after my visit, I hopped on theeasy-to-use local shuttle bus and headedto nearby Manigod to visit the workshopof Artisan Fromager, Joseph Paccard for acheesemaking tour and tasting. Even if youdon’t like cheese, the view from the balcony ofthe building is worth the trip.Soft and creamy Reblochon has a long history.During the 14th century, landowners wouldtax the mountain farmers according tothe amount of milk their herds produced.Canny farmers didn’t fully milk the cowsuntil after the landowner had measuredthe yield. The milk that remains is muchricher and makes for the creamy taste ofReblochon. This area produces a whopping6 million rounds of Reblochon per year.Back in La Clusaz, after a fortifying lunchat the cosy L’Ecuelle Restaurant, I jumpedon a gondola to the top of the Beauregardplateau. The sky was a deep blue, the snowsparkled and the air was so fresh it almost tookmy breath away. From the top, at 1650m,the view across the Aravis mountain range isstunning. Skiers and snowboarders preparedfor their adrenalin fuelled adventure whilstI studied my map of walking routes that insummer are green with forests and bright withmeadows of wildflowers. Once I left the skiarea behind, it was just me with the silence ofnature, the pure air and the crunch of snowunder my snowshoes (which I recommend forsnow walking). Perfect.There’s so much to do off skis that it’s hardto know where to start! The horse and cartride is magical, clopping along with a rug tokeep you warm is so relaxing and for thrillseekers there’s mushing – dog sledding withbeautiful huskies and a guide to take you ona magical mountain tour. In La Clusaz, LaBascule, a brand new giant swing perched onthe Balcon des Aravis Terrace (1860m) offersincredible views – only for those with a head© D Machet, H21for heights. Or you could go paddle boardingon Lake Annecy, play an Escape Game in themountains, do yoga in the snow, or take anevening walk with guides overlooking MontBlanc, glowing pink as the sun sets. Followedby dinner at restaurant Lucia in Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, it’s hard to imagine a more perfect day.Day 2The next morning I headed to Le Semnoz, theclosest mountain village to Annecy, the historicand chocolate box lid pretty capital of Haute-Savoie. Joining a nature and wildlife hike withguide Lauris Chaumond, we were soon off-pisteand wandering the white wilderness – a realexperience of winter paradise.As we walked, the soft snow fell around usand Laurence pointed out signs of wildlife– mountain hares, foxes, birds and otheranimals, and learned about the trees andfauna and told tales of the mountains as weadmired the majestic views of mountainsand forests.Annecy is lovely year-round and in winterit’s especially pretty, it would be easy tospend a weekend here too and there’slots to do from museums to wanderingthe incredibly picturesque old town, tolearning how to make a dried flowerwreath at artisan florist Blomeko.If you happen to be there in December,there’s a colourful Christmas marketwith stalls along the canal and Castlewalls. And there’s a very charmingChristmas market at the nearby Chateauof Menthon-Saint-Bernard which is wellworth a visit any time, and where you canalso indulge in a dish of fondue with aglass of wine, serenaded by local bandsor a choir while falling in love with theviews of the snow-covered mountains allaround, the lake and the city below.Back at my lakeside hotel, Rivage Hôtel& Spa, I thawed out with a session in thesteam room and sauna before headingout for aperitifs in the city and a robustdinner of tartiflette, mountain food thatmakes you smile.Who says winter around the mountains isonly for skiers?TRAVELINFORMATIONGeneva is the closest internationalairport for Annecy. The fast TGVtrain from Paris takes from just3h45m.Aravis Bus offers free shuttleservices connecting villages in theAravis mountain range fromLa Clusaz to Le Grand-Bornand,Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, Manigodand Thônes.Beauregard Plateau © Amy McphersonChateau de Menthon-Saint-Bernard © Peignee verticaleFind out more at:annecymountains.com106 | The Good Life France The Good Life France | 107