Join us on a photo journey of France, Europe and beyond on our photoblog. Click on the photo or go to: www.france-and-beyond-photoblog.com
Chambery App
If you have an IPhone or IPod and are planning a visit to Chambery, buy my ITunes App. It will walk you through the city of Chambery to each historic landmark with walking directions, history, a map, and narrative. It's just $2.99. Click on the above photo of the elephant fountain for the link to the app.
Travel Resources
Planning a trip to France ? Stay in a Paris apartment during your trip to the city of lights.
Get my Chambery, France Guide Book free with the purchase of my Cookbook: 'French Comfort Food: Recipes of Savoie and the French Alps.' Get both for only $7.99. Click the photo to get more information or to purchase your books now.
French Tutorial
A basic grammar and vocabulary review of the French language, as well as some informal & slang vocabulary and a special section on vocabulary for English-speaking expatriates living in France. Also included is an appendix on French pronunciation for English speakers as well as IPA transcriptions for most of the vocabulary lists and all of the verb conjugations.
Visit the Store to buy the e-book for $9.95 or paperback book for $24.95.
Join us on a small group tour of the French Alps June 9 - 16, 2012. I designed this tour to include the best of the region. Wander the Medieval town of Annecy, nicknamed the Venice of the French Alps, and take a boat ride on its crystal blue lake. Do you like pampering yourself on your vacations, then why not spend an afternoon at the Aix les Bains thermal baths inside your lakeside hotel? Are you the adventurous type? Then take a horseback ride in the Alps or fly through the trees at the High Ropes Adventure. Are you a foodie? Taste local chocolates, cheeses, wines and hazelnut oils. Are you a history buff? Then satisfy your curiosity at Lyon's Old Town or Vienne's Roman Temple and Forum. Or just enjoy watching the hang gliders and sunset while enjoying an outdoor aperitif on the top of a mountain overlooking Annecy's lake. See you in the French Alps! www.french-alps-tours.com
Alps Cookbook
Get my ECookbook: 'French Comfort Food: Recipes of Savoie and the French Alps.'
51 recipes of the region, collected from friends and local cookbooks. This is the only English language Savoie and French Alps cookbook in print. Only $7.99 and includes a bonus book: The Chambery Guide Book.
Click the photo to buy yours now or go to the Cookbook Page on the Navigation Bar!
French Comfort Food
Visit my French Comfort Food website for articles, recipes, videos, tips and products about French Food and Wine. Click on the photo or go to www.frenchcomfortfood.com
Videos, photos and posts can be used or posted noncommerically (this means you can't sell my films, photos or put them in or on anything you sell!), but everything must be linked back to this blog and must list me as the creator.
I bought my new video camera while I was in Florida in October and took my first videos with it. There’s definitely an improvement but it’s still not up to its potential. I think I need to look into new video editing software that can handle high definition. Anyway, here’s my first video with the new camera. I took it on a walk in the vineyards not far from our house. The countryside and colors are so gorgeous now and the mountains are truly lovely with the new snow.
Chanaz, a small canal village 15 minutes from Aix les Bains and 45 minutes from Chambery, has an interesting Mill worth a visit. It grinds walnuts (and hazel nuts) for their oils. They also make jams, mustards, and other products, all of which you can buy at the mill. I bought some and they are yummy.
The owner was an executive in Paris 40 years ago and decided he wanted a different life, bought the old broken down mill, totally renovated it and has been making his living this way for all theseyears. Now the mill is a tourist attraction as well. He still uses the old water wheel for energy when there’s enough water, and has electricity as a back up power source. The mill, Le Moulin de Chanaz, is open all year but the hours change seasonally. Visit the website for more information and the seasonal hours:
The video below was taken by some American friends (thanks Grey and Dora!) during their visit and was not compatible with my video editing software so it is unedited and a little raw but still very interesting. It shows the Mill and its owner at work, and his daughter explaining some of the process.
Most people think of Italy when they think of Roman ruins and temples, but France has its share too. The most famous ruins in France are in Provence but the French Alps region has some as well. The best preserved Roman ruins are in Vienne, a town 30 minutes south of Lyon. The town is mostly known for its world-class Jazz Festival every summer. We went last year and it was exceptional. The concert is actually held in an ancient Roman arena. Vienne also has a well-preserved Roman temple and an excavated site that you can see by going into the Museum which provides access to the site. The museum has many exceptional examples of Roman mosaic floors and other artifacts. Vienne also has some excellent examples of Medieval churches. The city can be navigated on foot if your in fairly good shape and wearing good walking shoes.
We’ll be visiting Vienne and the Roman temple, museum and excavation site on my tour this summer: www.french-alps-tours.com
There is a breed of horses in France that everyone calls cart horses. Basically, they are huge horses that historically were used for ploughing fields, hauling heavy loads, and transportation with the carts. They are used more recreationally now although I have seen one or two still being used to plough fields at country farms. They are a gentle breed and quite friendly. We’ve seen them in Savoie and in Brittany and everywhere in between. We even took a ride on a cart at Point Raz in Brittany. See the beauty and grace of these gentle giants.
Every festival including the Le Retour des Alpages, has arts, crafts, food and drink. This festival featured the old fashioned way of making apple juice from beginning to end. Yummy.
The Le Retour des Alpages is an annual October festival which celebrates the bringing down of the pasture animals to the valleys for the winter. The festival features a parade of the animals through the streets of Annecy, a gorgeous town in the French Alps. The festival is held in towns all over the French Alps region but Annecy’s is one of the best and was a blast to watch.
Please excuse my comments – I got a bit carried away since I’m such an animal lover. I wanted you to hear the sounds of the parade so I didn’t edit out my comments or you’d miss so much of the fun.
