Unforgettable Experiences in Alpine France and Switzerland

France | Sep 26 - Oct 5, 2023

We truly enjoyed our trip to Geneva, Switzerland and Chamonix, Annecy, and Lyon, France. Mathilde, our local specialist did a fine job planning just the right mix of activities with down time to relax. The hotels she chose for us were conveniently located to the attractions we wanted to visit, and all featured comfortable rooms, and wonderful breakfasts. The Edelweiss Hotel in Geneva was filled with local color, including rustic Swiss mountain lodge decor and a musician in its restaurant who sang, yodeled, played the accordion and the long mountain horn of the region. What fun! A friendly driver picked us up at the hotel and drove us to our next destination, Chamonix.
We loved Chamonix! It's a very picturesque town, where we were guided by the excellent Aude, who helped us to understand the rich heritage of the town. We were in awe of the jaw-dropping vistas seen from l'Aiguille du Midi. Guide Armony accompanied us up the mountain on the cable car, and showed us the various levels and viewing points along the way. Without her guidance, we wouldn't have experienced half of the sights from the mountain. She was wonderful! In Chamonix, a driver picked us up and took us to Annecy, about an hour away. Going by car was super convenient.
In Annecy, we were reunited with Aude, who had shown us around Chamonix. Again, she was friendly and informative. It was Sunday, a beautiful day, and the streets of the town were packed! Aude knew how to negotiate the narrow streets and get us samples of local foods so that we could experience the tastes as well as the ambiance of this very charming town. In our free time, we took boat tours of both Lake Geneva and Lake Annecy, both incredibly picturesque. We were blessed the whole time with sunny skies and mild temperatures.
We left Annecy and took the train to Lyon. From the station, we took a taxi to the meeting point where we joined a group to take the Beaujolais Golden Stones tour. There were 2 vans, each with 8 tourists and a guide. We rode for about 40 minutes through beautiful hills and picturesque towns, then stopped at a lovely overlook where our guides Clémence and Agathe told the story of the area's heritage in wine production, and poured samples of white, rosé and red wines of the region. The served delicious croissants and pastries to accompany the wine. We then proceeded to a gorgeous village called Oingt that dated from the Middle Ages, and on to Domaine de fond-Vieille, vineyards and winery. The proprietor, Dominique showed us his vines and explained how the wine is produced. We then sampled his wines, white, rosé and red along with delicious cheeses and charcuterie of the region. We had plenty of time in the vans to chat with our fellow tourists, and enjoyed getting to know people from the Netherlands, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, and Canada.
The next day we wandered Lyon, taking the funicular up to the high town, visiting the Basilica at the top, and the Roman ruins of Lugundum. A delicious déjeuner at the Rooftop restaurant of Christian Tetedoie overlooking Lyon way was the perfect way to end our visit.
Thank you to Mathilde for all your hard work, and to Amandine for helping when Mathilde was on vacation. The next time we travel to Europe, we will definitely use Kimkim to help plan our adventure!