Ooh La La! 🇫🇷

Once upon a time, many moons ago, I was a 14 year old teen who had won a writing scholarship/contest. To this day it is the biggest prize I have ever won. Here is how it happened - I had grown up hosting exchange students from all over Asia, but primarily Japan. I loved it, every minute spent with them and learning about their cultures, food, dress, and way of life. I was a little sponge who wanted to soak it all in, and I did. My brother and I would make these large gaudy "Welcome to America!!" signs to hold up proudly so that our student could find us on the night of arrival. It was an exciting time, and living in the high desert of California, and at the time a small town, we felt like the most "cultured" family in Hesperia.

At some point, the company who brought in the students decided to offer a writing contest. It was not just my town, but rather all families all over the West Coast. This meant they had to write a story about their experiences with having students and what they learned from one another, etc. I remember telling my parents, without hesitation, that I wanted to write a story and submit it. I cannot tell you how long it was, or what I said exactly, but I remember writing with pure excitment and determination. To this day it still shocks me that they chose me as the winner over all other entries. Again, the biggest prize ever and my reward was a trip to be an exchange student myself, and I got to choose one out of four places. Japan, Switzerland, French Riveria, and the fourth I absolutely cannot remember and if I passed up New Zealand or something, well let's just say my older self is glad I cannot remember. Anyway, you would have thought I had chosen Japan. Seems logical since that is the culture I wrote about, but instead I chose Switzerland. It needs to be known that Japan is number one on my bucket list as an adult!  So, I went at the ripe old age of 14 to Switzerland to stay with a family I had never met, to a country that I did not speak the language, and on a 14 hour plane trip all alone. What were my parents thinking? I remember looking at my daughter when she was 14 and thinking there was no way I would let her go! I could write a whole story on my time spent there as a child, but the reason for bringing this up is that I loved it there so much that when I came home and my parents picked me up in LAX, the first thing I said when I was in the car was how ugly eveything looked (sorry LA, you have some good parts, but the Alps you are not) and I proudly exclaimed that "one day I am going go live in Europe!"  This coming from a little middle school desert rat, ha! I was already wanting champagne tastes on beer budgets. Well, I did end up "living" in Scotland and I sure didn't know that I would ever get to see Switzerland again, but that brings me to the point of this blog. We were going to Switzerland and France, many many years after being a little freckle faced, red headed 14 year old. (This is where some of you reading this is are saying "wait, she is a red head?" 🤯)

As most of you know, one of the luxuries of being here in Scotland is how easy it is to go from one country to the next on a budget. It may look like we have all the money to travel, but I can assure you, we have a very strict budget and the ease we can travel from here has been a blessing. Switzerland has been on David's wish list for a very long time, and since my time spent there made me the equivelent of an official Suisse tour guide (In my mind, I am still young and have a good memory, which is so not the case), well of course I was happy to show him around. France however, was new ground for me. I did go to France while I spent time in Switzerland as it borders the country, but I believe it was only for a day or two and I have no idea where I stayed. It was a different world then - no immediate pics from our phones, no social media to document. I only had pictures put into a photo album that my parents no longer have sadly. Anyway, my idea, or expectation of France is what you see on television ... Paris. I could not have been more wrong, but I will get to that. 

I cannot stress this enough. If you are visiting Switzerland, do not make Geneva your first impression. I had flown into Zurich the first time, which is an amazing city. Geneva is not. It is not scary or a bad place, but it is industrial looking, cold, and just not a good representation of Switzerland. I immediately felt bad for David and almost responsible, even though I could not have known. Don't get me wrong, everyone was nice and it by far was not the worst city I have been in. Europe was also going through a major heat wave and coming from Scotland, anything over 55 degrees is a heat wave. It was high 80's and we were sweating to death, coupled with the tiny apartment we were staying in with no air conditioning. I stand firmly when I say that the sun is hotter in Europe than it is in the States. When I smugly exclaimed at 14 that I would live in Europe one day, I did not factor in that almost all homes in Europe do not have A/C. Stupid girl. 

David and I had practiced a little French before our jaunt, and when I say practiced, he actually did, and I just watched Emily in Paris. We had read that they appreciate tourists trying to communicate in their langauge. On our first night in Geneva we went to a sweltering hot restaurant and ordered hot pasta, and stuck to our hot seats and practiced our new second language. Ok, David did. I chickened out and couldn't do it because I am petrified of getting something wrong. Instead, all I could muster out of my mouth was "water, water merci?" We got water alright ... hot tap water. Oh Americans and their constant need of water at all times! 

The worst sleep of my life occured in Geneva. It was hotter than a stolen tamale and I am pretty sure I just took a series of cat naps repeatedly. We were given a small rickety fan to cool us down by our AirBnB host, but that was as useful as a tit on a frog. Our window was open to of course let more hot air in, but also to listen to the very distinct sirens you hear in Europe. Wee eww, wee eww, wee eww. Morning couldn't come soon enough and the rental car with air conditioning to drive away in, was all that got me through that night. Yes, I am a bit dramatic, but putting a woman of a certain age in a hot room at night is never a good idea, you feel me ladies? 

Lausanne, Switzerland was next on the list. We escaped Geneva and headed towards the Alps. I had been to Lausanne before. This was close to where I stayed and where I remember being with my host family sister and we hitchhiked back to the village after seeing a movie in Lausanne. I hitchhiked! I am not sure I ever told my parents this, but well there it is. I was a 14 year old free spirit. Anyway, this time our AirBnB was out in the country where the cows wear big cowbells around their neck and you can see wild foxes roaming the hills. It was beautiful. This is also where we had to share a house with a woman who was also a free spirit and where apparently bras were optional. I would learn throughout the week we were gone that bras in fact, are optional everywhere in Europe. I happen to love my braissere and did not adopt this way of life. Once again, no A/C but the cooler mountain air was better and we had a wonderful room, so we thought. We went into downtown Lausanne that night and had the national Suisse cuisine, fondue. The European culture of having a late dinner and sitting outside for hours to eat and converse, is where Europe wins in my book. There is no rush to eat and move on to the next thing. It is a time to talk, to enjoy your food and wine, and to relax. I could sit and people watch for hours. You would see couples making out passionately in front of everyone, every language being spoken at any given time, groups of teenagers, tourists with their phone maps, and people smoking. Oh my word how people smoke in Europe. A cigarette is an accesory to them. You are almost out of place if there is not a cigarette in your hand. There is an episode in Emily in Paris where Emily (an American) is telling her boss (a French woman) that she is very hungry, and her boss exclaims "For heaven's sakes Emily, just have a cigarette!". This could not be more true. The cigarette is an excuse to not eat, to linger over dinner, and to accesorize your outfit. 

Lausanne was a great city, and we had a wonderful time, but there was still this part of me wishing that David could see the Switzerland that I remembered. We headed back to our loft and slept a much better night than we had in Geneva. Little did we know that we would wake up with bites all over us. Turns out, our lovely room was the room inhabited by the host cat, Socrates. He decided he was going to leave some fleas for us by making him sleep in the living room and not in his own room. Cats. 😽. Showers taken, bites counted, goodbyes said to smoking braless lady, and we were off to France. 

We were headed to Chamonix, France just two hours from Lausanne. It was taking us into the French Alps and was finally giving us the scenery that I know David was desperate for. Now, some of you have been in the car with him at one time or another. He loves to sing, beat the steering wheel as though he is drumming, and makes all kinds of noises to songs. However, have any of you been with him when he sees the mountains? He loves the mountains like no one else I have ever heard. That's right, heard. "Wow", "Oh my gosh!", "Oh wow!", over and over. He is like a kid in a candy store, or me when I see a dachshund. These mountains are the holy grail for him, and rightfully so. The Alps tower high into the sky, above the clouds in places. They are insanely gorgeous and fierce. At one point I was driving so he could look without having to concentrate on the road, but that turned into an epic fail as I drove during the highest switchback before we dropped into France. It was terrifying and David had to take over so I wouldn't pass out. He was about to get a steady dose of mountain "epicness" though, so don't feel too bad for him. 

Chamonix was a town I had never heard of before and David knew it from the Winter Olympics a million years ago. As we do anytime we come to storybook towns, we drive in and we both immediately said "Oh, we could live here!". We have a serious problem with that, ha! Northern Ireland had the bluest, almost Carribean like water I had seen up until this point. The streams flowing through this part of France are literally a bright turquoise green. We tried to capture it on video, but it does not truly represent the almost fake color. They are magical streams and you can feel the clean, cool air coming up from them. I was having a love affair with water.  After stopping a couple times we finally arrived and parked right under the air tram that takes people high up past the clouds into Mont Blanc. David had mentioned he wanted to do this and when I looked up and watched the tram go up, I knew this was a once in a lifetime thing that he must do! I get altitude sickness, so it was no go for me! 

The town is exactly as you may imagine a ski resort town in France, but with heavy Suisse vibes and architecture. It was perfect. That turquoise river runs right through the heart of the town, and there were so many shops, cafes, fine dining, and gelato stands that it was almost overwhelming ... in a good way. Our AirBnB was in the heart of downtown and it had a gorgeous patio that overlooked the alps. I must have taken 700 pictures within the first hour, but I didn't care, I wanted to remember this forever. Summertime in Chamonix is backpaking time, and the town was bustling with hikers and backpackers everywhere. At some times throughout our stay those very same people morphed into what seemed like a hippie commune, bet hey, they were out doing what they loved in nature and I admire them all for it. There was a free concert in the park one night that an adorable waitress (from Scotland 🤣) told us about, and of course our ears perked up thinking about hearing some good jazz music. David and I took a nap because we are old, and then got dressed up and headed to the park. When I say I have never felt so out of place in my life, I mean it. All of the backpackers and hikers were sprawled out in the grass eating their tofu and drinking their grass shakes, waiting for the "world jazz" concert to start. Once again, bras were optional. We busted out laughing because we stuck out so badly it was comical. We made it through one song and decided the river and ice cream might be more our speed. For the record, I love earthy people, but I have to know the dress code before I arrive anywhere! 

We absolutely fell in love with Chamomix. The French people had been extremely kind to us. We tried speaking French, and they spoke English when the look on our faces said we had no idea what they were talking about.  Everyone knows the stereotypical idea that French are snobbish, rude, etc. Yes, we were in a touristy place, but it couldn't have been more opposite. They were friendly, helpful, and funny. They are also beautiful, men and women alike. They dress in what I can only explain as glamorous, casual chic. I was in awe of the French women and how effortlessly beautiful they are. It must be all the amazing food they eat .... fondue, chocolate, cheese, charcuterie, bread straight from heaven, and more chocolate. I absolutely gained weight and I did not care. We rented ebikes and road throughout the whole town, stopping to watch the tandem paragliders glide right above us. I decided right there, that at some point in my life, I am going to paraglide (tandem of course!). I want to fly! Who is with me? 🦗🦗🦗

David made it up to the top of Mont Blanc just like he wanted to, and we spent 3 amazing days in this mountain town that we did not want to leave. It really was perfect in every way, and France was slowly creeping to the top of one of our favorite countries. We packed up and headed south to Lake Annecy. 

When we first drove into Annecy, I will tell you we were not impressed. I had found Lake Annecy on an YouTube video that described it as being a cheaper version of Lake Como, Italy. I immediately thought "Oh no, this is the Shein version of Como". Was I becoming accustomed to places that always looked like you were in a movie? Probably. Living in Scotland is literally as though you are on a movie set almost daily. The Highlands, Edinburgh, the Lochs and forests, all of it straight out of a movie. Even with the clouds, wind and rain, you feel like you are at Hogwarts. 

The streets on the outskirts of Lake Annecy wound up and around and then back down into the heart of Old Town Annecy (pronounced Ahn-see). This is where the magic happens, finally. We were done with the Shein version and back up to Coco Chanel. Chamonix was quaint, mystical mountain charm, and Annecy can be described as old world French romanticism. The same turquoise water now sprawled out into a expansive lake, surrounded by mountains dotted with french chalets and small castles. The water was so clear that you could count the rocks on the lake bottom. A canal lined with small gondolas lead into the old town and crowds of people were gathered at the open air market. Cheese, nougat, fruit, chocolate, breads every size and shape could be found at this market. Jewelry and dresses that I immediately had my eyes on, were calling my name! There were so many people at the market you could hardly walk, but it didn't bother us at all. We were in France and we were high on charm. We were meeting some of David's friends that night for wine and charcuterie, so we bought fruit nougat to take with us. The man selling the nougat kept giving us samples over and over and then when we paid, he cut off two huge slices and gave us some more. The French were teasing us with their charm and generosity and it was working. Oh, and yes, my husband knows someone wherever we go ... even in the south of France. 

You cannot escape stairs no matter where you are in Europe. If you want the full experience and to be where the heart of a village or city is, then your accomodations will likely include spirals of stairs. Our flat in Annecy was no exception. We were located steps away from one of the many canals in old town, so we were in an old tower overlooking the Thiou River. A tower, which meant old castle like steps (60 to be precise). Once again, the obsession we were having with France suddenly meant we would lug (and by "we" I mean David) our large suitcases up to the top of the tower happily. 

Wandering around the old town was like a storybook. Once again, shops, restaurants, book stores, baguette stands, and fromageries. Let's talk about fromageries for a moment. It means "cheese shop" for those of you not fluent in French like myself. A cheese shop that absolutely smells like butt. I tried, I really did. I love cheese and I am literally in one of the cheese capitals of the world. I ate my weight in fondue during this excursion, but I have never walked into a shop and immediately had that "spit before you vomit" pool in my mouth. The cheese is fresh as you can imagine, not packaged and not refrigerated. David says going 12,000 feet up to Mont Blanc is not for the faint at heart, but I firmly believe a true fromagerie is not for the faint of heart. Just the same, we visited David's friends who just purchased this picture perfect apartment in old town, and we ate that stinky cheese, gobs of baguette, and drank wine until almost 12 am and it was perfect. Also, I have a confession .... I ate a reindeer that night as well, and I am ashamed at how divine it was, and well I don't want to talk about it any further. 

I was truly captivated by Lake Annecy and I was dying to put my feet in the water. I am so drawn to water lately that it is almost ridiculous. I still don't know how to swim, and rafting is my favorite sport, but it doesn't matter, I wanted to stick my toes in this turquoise water. David took me down to the lake and I finally was given the chance. It was crystal clear, slightly cool, and took eveything I had to not just jump straight in. Remember in the 80's movie "Splash", when Daryl Hannah pinches herself and she suddenely has a mermaids tail? I would have given anything to have a tail and been able to just swim in that water. I took many pictures and videos and will cherish those moments. 

We had wandered around Annecy for a few days and we fell in love with it more and more. Both Annecy and the people too. We ate amazing food, shopped for treasures, took so many pictures, and thanked God for giving us this time. Perhaps Paris is another story with how they may be towards visitors or just in general, but I cannot say enough of how well we were treated. We took a drive around the lake to see other small towns, and there is just so much beauty all around. We even decided to go out on what we thought was a guided small boat tour; one last time to see the lake. What it was instead, was the man handing David the keys to the boat and telling us where we could go and to be back in 30 minutes. David ever the trooper, took the keys and drove that boat around the lake as though he had done it many times before. It was hilarious and the perfect ending to our time in Annecy. 

So, what started out as me anxious to show David a bit of what made me fall in love with Switzerland as a child, turned into both of us truly loving France more than anything. Of course Switzerland is stunning and amazing (although extremely expensive), and if given the chance, you should see it; but just know that a few hours away are towns that have the bluest water in Europe, people who are kind and generous, chocolate and ice cream that take it up a notch, mountains that make your mouth hang open in awe, lots of braless people, baguettes that perfectly hold the best meats, and the most lovely stinkiest cheese you will ever put in your mouth. 

I still think LA is ugly for the most part, and I ended up getting to live abroad just as I exclaimed at 14, and I can now add France to my list of magical places, but I will tell you ... I miss America. America will always be my home. We celebrated the 4th of July in Chamomix, and it was lovely, but there is nothing like being with your family, roasting hot dogs and grilling burgers. Music in the background while you are lounging by a pool, and anxiously waiting for fireworks at 9pm. America may seem divided more than ever lately, and it is, but I believe the patriotic spirit is still there for all of us. Walking around France you see how much they are proud of being French, the Swiss proud to be Swiss, and the Scots definitely proud to be Scottish. I am a proud American who is happy to have been given this opportunity to spend time here, but your girl needs air conditioning now! 

Merci et au revoir! 🇫🇷