Month: March 2023

Lac d’Aiguebelette, France to La Tour-de-Peilz, Switzerland

It was raining when we woke up this morning and it rained most of the day.

We had a great breakfast at La Bageatière where we were staying.
La Bageatière
It stopped raining long enough for us to pack up.

We drove into the Alps to the town of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. Unfortunately we couldn’t see the top of Mont Blanc but we had many glimpses of the stunning mountains through the clouds.

On the way to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
In Chamonix-Mont-Blanc we stopped and walked around a bit and then had hot chocolate We only got a bit wet.
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

From Chamonix-Mont-Blanc it was only a few miles further east over the mountains until we were in Switzerland.

Overlooking the Rhône valley in Switzerland.

Tonight we are staying in La Tour-de-Peilz on Lac Léman.

Lac Léman from our hotel.

The sun came out as we were checking in. But then a bit later an enormous storm with lightening, thunder, hail and rain completely obscured the view

For dinner we had pizza at a nearby pizza place
A view of Hôtel Bon Rivage where we are staying as we walked back after dinner.

Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise to Lac d’Aiguebelette

Tonight we are on the edge of the Chartreuse Mountains in southeastern France. We are staying in a Chambres d’Hôtes over looking Lac d’Aiguebelette. Tonight is our last night in France.

Our Chambres d’Hôtes is about a mile up from the lake.
This is where we are tonight.
Duke, Elaine and Rick in the grounds of our Chambres d’Hôtes

For dinner we went to the other side of the lake to Restaurant Les Roselières. Our meal was excellent. Each dish was a work of art full of nuanced nuanced flavors.

Beet, orange and tuna salad.
My scallops
Raspberry desert with meringue and cream and cookie. The waitress poured a raspberry sauce around it after I took the picture.

Uzerche to Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise

Today we drove further east in France towards Switzerland. We are staying in a lovely small mountain village, Besse-et-Saint-Anastasia’s, in a small Chambres d’hôtes.

Chambres d’hôtes Villa Chantebise where we are staying.

Our room has a wood chip dry toilet. I’ve never seen or used one before. After using it you just add some wood chips. There is no smell! I assume the bag gets replaced every day.

Our dry toilet
Wood chips

When we stay in small towns in the off season, we usually ask our host or hostess to make us a dinner reservation because often there aren’t many restaurants open. Tonight our hostess made us s reservation at a fondue restaurant that was about a five minute walk away. It was a delicious meal.

Restaurant Les Fondues du Sancy
Our Fondue

Domme to Uzerche

We had a wonderful breakfast this morning in the kitchen at Le Relais de Galais. Duncan and his wife Jane built the house and grounds. Duncan was away while we were there but Jane showed some of his amazing wood work.

Duncan built the table we ate breakfast on.
He used the lathe that is now part of the counter to help build the house.
Duncan used the lathe to make the bowl that Rick is holding.

After breakfast we went for a walk along the trail above the Dordogne.

This is the trail we took.
This was the view on our walk.
Before we left Jane took a nice picture of the four of us.

Our drive to Uzerche was relatively short so we made several stops along the way.

Our road went under the toll road.

We had a lovely picnic lunch at road site rest area that was built as a memorial to four village men who were shot by the Nazis here.

Our picnic lunch spot.
We are staying at Hotel Joyet de Malbec in Uzerche.

After resting a bit we walked down to the river that we can see from our windows.

This gate used to be a part of the town wall.
This is the river we can see from the windows of our rooms.

On the way back from our walk we stopped for beers.

Having beers after our walk.

We ate dinner in the hotel. Everything is home made and locally sourced.

Foie gras
Sweet breads
Sorbet and lemon cake.

Bordeaux to Domme

This morning we took a taxi to the Bordeaux Airport and picked up a rental car.

This is Bordeaux airport where we picked up our rental car.

From Bordeaux we drove east on back roads through beautiful country.

This is one of many beautiful vistas we drove by today.

Tonight we are staying at the fabulous Le Relais des Galet overlooking the Dordogne River where we canoed in October of 2021.

Le Relais des Galet
The view from Le Relais des Galet

For dinner we drove down to a beautiful golf resort right on the River, Domaine de Rochbois and ate at their bistro. We had a wonderful meal.

My Sea Bream
The chefs special desert
Our table overlooking the putting green