We originally thought about a trip to Normand...

France | May 12 - May 18, 2025

We originally thought about a trip to Normandy and the WWII beaches. While working with Justine it was clear the timing was not right and the accommodations we would like were booked. Another time….

She came up with an interesting plan instead to add on to our Rhône River cruise that finished in Lyon. We enjoyed a 4-5 hour wine tour of the northern Beaujolais region; a large vineyard operation and a smaller one….vineyards are quite an operation whether big or small. We walked all over Lyon, the food capital of France, and enjoyed our boutique hotel along the Soane River. The following morning a driver picked us up for our next adventure to the medieval village of Annecy, in the heart of the French Alps. Annecy, with cobbled streets, winding canals and softly colored shops is located on the pristine and clear waters of Lake Annecy. This city was the medieval home for the Counts of Geneva, Geneva being only 20 miles to the north and historically significant to the Dukes of Savoy. We spent 4 nights in Annecy, enjoying our boutique hotel which included a tasty breakfast…all within walking distance to the train station. We walked the bustling village, sampling restaurants and cafes and a myriad of shops. No doubt this village is hopping in the summer given the offering of water activities, however, our time in May after the bank holidays was ideal.

Other activities Justine scheduled for us all worked out well. We used our rented bikes and circumnavigated the 24 miles of Lake Annecy, a beautiful day and a great workout. She also arranged a personal boat cruise on the lake and the Captain prepared fondue and served us a lovely crisp white wine ….a very nice evening. He was a local man and we enjoyed hearing his stories of the region. On another day we set off for a paragliding adventure at the southern end of the lake, each with our own pilots. It was spectacular, launching at 3400’ and riding the thermals to 8000’….the sensations and vistas were memorable, Lake Geneva in the distance and Annecy below. On the last full day we went on a driving tour out to the Bauges mountain region stopping at the city of Chambery for a tour with a local guide….she was fun, knew everyone in town and regaled us with the local history. After a delicious lunch at a wonderful alpine restaurant overlooking the valley of farm fields, we experienced the workings of a small family dairy/cheese farm….so nice to learn their process and meet them. The owner of the farm did not speak English so our driver translated. It was his first visit to the farm and it was a special day for him as well. This farm is very well known in the region and has won many awards for their cheeses, for which we sampled.

Our trip soon to end, we hopped on the train for a leisurely trip back to bustling Paris, but soon exited for our final afternoon in Chantilly. The huge biannual garden and flower market was going on and Chantilly was bustling with people, mostly regional locals it seemed. It was time to begin to decompress from our 16 day French adventure with a lovely dinner before heading to the airport the next morning.

The weather was perfect for our stay. All the arrangements by Justine worked very well and we enjoyed immersing ourselves in a different culture. It was especially nice to have drivers take care of the logistics. Thank you Justine.

Jim and Joanne Matthews