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.
Are you starting to think about your summer vacation? Then you have to check out our French Alps Tours. This year it will take place again in June. With enough interest, we may offer it in September too.
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 pool or spa inside your lakeside hotel? Are you the adventurous type? Schedule a paragliding jump with your instructor off an Alps mountain. 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 Yvoire’s medieval streets. Or just enjoy watching the paragliders and sunset at an outdoor aperitif on the top of a mountain overlooking Annecy’s lake. And don’t worry, you’ll have a few hours some days to explore on your own, shop, or just take a French stroll in the mountains or on the lake promenade. Do it all with a small friendly group who will feel like family by the end of the tour (maximum 15 people, with an average group size of less than 7).
Don’t delay. Only one more place left on our June Tour! Several places are available in September so bring a friend or spouse. See: www.french-alps-tours.com for more info.
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 Archeology Museum. Or just enjoy watching the hang gliders and sunset at an outdoor aperitif on the top of a mountain overlooking Annecy’s lake. And don’t worry, you’ll have a few hours most days to explore on your own, shop, or just take a French stroll in the mountains or on the lake promenade. And for the ultimate in relaxation, spend a couple of evenings in your hotel’s thermal pool and saunas in Aix les Bains.
Tour Dates for the 2011 Year: June 4-11 & September 3-10
Price of the Tour: 1,860 euros or approximately $2,650 ($ amount dependent on the exchange rate at the time of booking).
You’ll receive a 60 Euros discount (or $85 discount depending on the exchange rate at the time of booking), if you book before June 3rd for the September tour.So don’t delay!
See the fun we had on our last tour in this 16 second video. See more (and longer videos) of each tour day on our website: http://www.french-alps-tours.com
Unfortunately, I’m not an independently wealthy person. Far from it. My days of 6-figure salaries ended when I moved to France so I look for travel deals and budget hotels when I travel. I found a great, inexpensive hotel in Nice that I’m happy to recommend for you fellow budget travelers. Hotel Solara (www.hotelsolara.com) was a great find. I did a review about the hotel via video so have a look!
An inexpensive but very charming form of travel accommodation in France is the gite. A gite is basically a furnished/equipped house you rent for a period of time – a few days to a few weeks. They are almost always in rural areas so you need a car to get to them. Many times you need to bring your own sheets, towels and soap/shampoo and almost always have to clean the house prior to leaving. The price usually reflects these lack of luxuries. And if you do your research well, you could end up in a 1600′s house next to a larger similar 17th century chartreuse in Dordogne like we did, complete with lots of pets to play with. We also had the option to join the owner and her children in the larger mansion for a gourmet dinner our last evening for 20 euros a person – a very reasonable price for the lovely meal and company, not to mention seeing the inside of such a charming old house. You can also take cooking classes from her while staying at the gite. To rent this gite see: http://www.albuca.net/gite_dordogne.htm
Here is Part II of my hotel research in Annecy, France, a gorgeous Alps City. I found two well-located, budget hotels that I decided to recommend for those of you planning to make it to Annecy someday. This one is called: Hotel du Nord. I hope you find it helpful information.
I did some research of hotels in Annecy, France on my trip a few weeks ago. I checked out a few hotels in person and took videos of two. Here’s one called Hotel des Alpes near the train station. It’s a good choice in you’re looking for a clean, comfortable and pretty hotel in a central location and at a budget price.
