Pining For Annecy & The French Alps

Sat

We drive to Dover for the short Channel crossing to Calais. Upon arrival, we proceed to Laon for our overnight
stay at the Ibis Hotel. (Dinner tonight will be a set 3-course menu and includes tea/coffee).

Sun

Continuing through the Champagne Region of France we journey south to the heart of the French Alps for
5 nights in the mountain village of La Clusaz.

Mon

Today we enjoy a day at leisure in our resort. Monday is market day,
so we can browse the delightful alpine market in the morning. In the afternoon
we can relax in the town or, you might decide to take one of the numerous
gondolas or chairlifts to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the mountains.

Tue

This morning we embark on an excursion to Annecy. Often described
as the ‘Venice of the Alps’, this beautiful lakeside town is blessed with charming
canals and narrow streets waiting to be explored. On Tuesday these canals and
streets are lined with a bustling market. Our 90-minute guided walking tour
gives us an insight into the history of this popular summer resort. Afterwards,
we have some free time for lunch in one of the many waterside restaurants,
before we enjoy a 1-hour circular cruise on the lake itself in the afternoon.

Wed

Today we journey to the chic mountain resort of Chamonix.
We spend the day here enjoying the relaxing town centre and taking in the
numerous sights, including the impressive Aiguille du Midi. After free time for
lunch in the town, we board the Train du Montenvers for our return journey
up to view the impressive glacier known as the Mer de Glace. Departing from
Chamonix, this famous rack and pinion railway brings us to the Montenvers
site at 1,913 metres for an imposing panorama of the Mer de Glace glacier.
At the summit, we can descend via cable car and walk within the glacier itself.
(Please note: this requires a significant number of steps and is not suitable
for those with walking difficulties). In addition, we can visit the museum at
the summit known as the Glacorium, which charts the evolution of the glacier
over the centuries.

Thu

Today we drive through the majestic Alps to the lakeside spa town
of Evian – famous for its mineral water – where we spend some time at leisure.
We then travel to the lakeside village of Yvoire on the shores of magnificent Lake
Geneva. This charming medieval village has hardly changed over the centuries,
with beautifully decorated houses and gardens, and lots of shops and cafés to
explore. We take a circular cruise on Lake Geneva from Yvoire’s pretty port.

Fri

After breakfast, we retrace our steps north to Laon for our final night of
this memorable tour.

Saturday

Departing Laon, we return to Calais for our sailing to Dover, returning
to Henley during the evening.