Another day another storybook town… and our journey to get there was just as lovely. While it included four trains and three changes… potentially a nightmare… it was relaxing (Swiss trains are the best) and the hours went very quickly travelling through stunning Swiss countryside with its castles and villages, bright green pastures, vineyards, lakes and mountain backdrops. It is difficult to take pictures out of the train windows but I couldn’t help but keep clicking away.

Overwhelmed again by the beauty of where we are now staying- Annecy… another one of the most beautiful towns in France and perhaps one of the most romantic spots on Earth, nestled in the heart of the towering French Alps just over 20 miles from Geneva. Annecy has breathtaking views with its mountain backdrop and a crystal-clear blue lake (apparently the cleanest in Europe) in the foreground… a vision of pure tranquillity.

Nicknamed the Venice of the Alps because of its beauty and canals that help to give it a Venice-like feel. It is a perfect blend of nature and medieval architecture. 

The old town itself is also ridiculously beautiful…

… but it’s a very different type of beauty than in Colmar- not in your face but quieter… softer… more peaceful. No more half timbered buildings but very historic and once again, looks like it’s straight out of a storybook…

… divided by little canals and tranquil streams that flow from the intensely blue Lake…

…small bridges lined with blooming flowers…

… colourful homes…

… and tiny shops with wares spilling out into the picture-perfect streets. The city is full of historical and architectural treasures…

The old bridges…

… fortresses, historical religious buildings and churches (there are several), give the impression of going back in time.

Wandering the cobbled streets at all different times of the day, we were enchanted by the winding canals that Annecy is known for… lined with colourful houses and pretty flowers… and the smell of fresh-baked breads and croissants that wafted down the street.

The Pont de Amours is a symbolic place of Annecy… a small wooden bridge overhanging a canal and overlooking the lake, it is apparently the meeting point of lovers. Legend has it that people who kiss on this bridge stay together for life. But no kissing here sadly…

If you’ve seen one photo of Annecy, it’s probably of Palais de l’Isle: this tiny, 12th century storybook kind of castle is located on a tiny island in the middle of the Thiou River and is Annecy’s best-known building.

While the structure has served many purposes since it was built in the 12th century… a residence and a courthouse… it is perhaps most notorious for being a prison- that was its function during times as far apart as the 13th century and World War II, and at many points in between! Doesn’t sound quite as romantic as it looks! Now it’s a museum exhibiting Annecy’s heritage.

What would a fairy-tale town be without a castle? The magnificent Chateau d’Annecy dates back to the 12th century and overlooks the landscape from a hill. It once served as the home to the Counts of Geneva- today, it’s a museum and home to a panoramic view over the town.

Of course I walked the Old Town at sunrise…

… and it was picture perfect.

But it’s not all about the Old Town. Considered one of the most beautiful and purest lakes in Europe, Lake Annecy is the second largest lake in France… a true marvel of nature and the towns most famous landmark. Surrounded by the mountains, the landscape is simply breathtaking and it’s part of UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008. I walked here at sunrise…

… and the colour was just amazingly turquoise… you just think it isn’t real. I was mesmerised once again by the swans gliding along on the lake…

… there’s just something about swans (although I do remember my daughter jade being attacked by one when she was a child so she may not agree with me). But to me they somehow just symbolise peace and elegance and grace. Just perfect for this place.

I came back later in the day with Anne with a loose plan to do one of the lake cruises offered but decided instead to walk the path part of the way around the lake. It was so lovely… a beautiful sunny autumn day, clear turquoise water… pure tranquility.

On our last full day, I rose early as usual to go down to one of the regular market mornings when the streets and even the bridges throughout the Old Town swell with stalls hawking their wares…

…anything from fresh locally made nougat, sooooo many cheeses, fresh bread and pastries, seafood, fruit and vegetable, rotisserie cooked chicken and other meats… through to jewellery and clothing. I was captivated by the atmosphere.

There were things I didn’t understand and things I did but had never seen before. I wanted to buy it all… and would have if we had more time… but as it was, I left with a few pieces of fruit.

I did manage to find myself a chai latte… my first since leaving home… and as I ate the best almond croissant I had ever tasted for breakfast and wandered the bustling market in the beautiful old town, I felt the weight and blessing of my privilege. Sometimes it’s the little moments that have a huge impact.