ECLAIT VOYAGER : EUROPE

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Annecy is more than just a picturesque town. It has been quaintly dubbed the "Venice of French Alps", with the Thiou river surrounding the old city and canals, protecting its Medieval charm from being disturbed. There are only about 50,000 inhabitants and yet this town attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.

Surrounded by Mount Semnoz, Veyrier and various lakes, the town has plenty to offer. From paragliding, hiking to sailing and skiing, there is a sport for everyone all year round.

Take a stroll down towards Jardin de Europe, where you will get a panorama view of the iridescent blue Lake Annecy. On a sunny day you will see people jogging and children playing soccer at this municipal park, feel free find a bench for people watching, reading or even just immersing in this remarkable view of mountain Veyrier.

I would also recommend grabbing brunch at La Bicyclette Rose and I highly recommend their avocado and salmon toast. Note this is place is always crowded so get there early.

As you walk pass Jardin de Europe, you will find yourself at Pont de Amours. The myth goes to say that a couple who kisses on the bridge will be together forever. There will be quite a lot of people passing by, but don't hesitate to linger for a bit to enjoy this romantic spot! There are also boat tours that departs every 20/ 40mins if you want to get a better view of the lake.

You will pass the Imperial Aviary if you continue your way to Plague de Imperial. The goose looked almost obnoxious when the peacock opened its feathers. During summer time, it's a good place to just relax on the beach or even take a quick swim in the river!

Cezanne once said, you must "treat nature by means of the cylinder, the sphere, the cone". He set foot in this town in 1896 for holiday with his family, and although he sneered at the view, promptly prompt an easel at the hotel terrance and started painting. The Lac d'Annecy (1896) is very much a juxtaposition of discipline vs. rebellion. In many ways, Cezanne has steered away from the tranquility and pristine nature of a classical pictorial arrangement. He treated each object almost as independent and yet integrated in its form and shape. His love for geometry very much inspired the cubism movement as well as the artist vibe at Annecy. Now you can find the art market available every Tuesday and Sunday.

Make your way back to the old town area, and you will be mesmerized by the quaint shops full of pizzazz. From colorful fancy hats to delicate art stores and patisseries, don't forget to drop by Glacier des Alpes for an ice cream!

If you love the nature, take the path from Basilica of the Visitation, to Parc Animalier de la Grande Jeanne and walk through Mount Semnoz to Sevrier for some zen-like meditation walk. There are many paths that are interconnected and you could take the hike towards Croix Du Crete and take a bus back from Sevrier, Marie bus stop on the main road. Don't forget to drop by Plague de Municiple for a gorgeous panoramic view of the lake.

Croix Du Crete

My advice for Annecy - Don't rush it and don't bother making an itinerary. Getting lost in this city will help you find yourself.

The farmers market is a great place to start your morning explorations, pick up some of the fresh produces and you could make yourself a simple lunch. Mushrooms and artichokes, fresh plums and arugula leaves.

My idea of bliss is striking a balance between comfort food vs. healthy gluten free and vegan options. I would opt for the perfect Belgium fries from La Frite du Pont Neuf for one afternoon, and then vegan plates from Kia Ora for another.

La Frite du Pont Neuf

Kia Ora

Being an avid painter and a lover for the impressionist era, I've always yearned to go to Giverny and see the Monet's Garden myself.

Once you enter the narrow pathway, the garden comes into full view of lavender hues and purple delights, a garden full of irises, poppies, pansies, roses and other surprises. Along the central alley that leads to Monet's house, you will see arches of honey suckle and tulips.

Studio

Although Monet painted mostly outdoor and preferred natural light, he needed a place to store his artworks. The room is filled with his work from different times, perhaps as a gentle reminder of his progression and also inspiration for his next artwork. It is said that Blanche Monet (His granddaughter) was also an avid painter, and would often paint with him in this house.

Claude and Alice Monet's Bedroom

The upper middle class couples did not share the same bedroom back in those days. Claude's bedroom had delicate redwood furnitures, with paintings form his impressionist friends - Cezanne, Renoir were among those that hung in his room. Alice's bedroom, was full of Japanese woodblock prints.

In those Victorian days, their rooms must have been considered quite "avant garde", with lavender violets, cream yellow and mediterranean blue that ran throughout the house.

Kitchen/Dining Room
The dining room could host a good 10+ people, which was good for entertain friends and family, the pastel yellow theme worked harmoniously well with the kitchen next door, which was covered in tiles of Rouen and a Turquoise blue, with copper pans and pots.

His love for the Japanese woodblocks, is consistently seen throughout the house, from Alice's bedroom, through the corridors and down to the dining room, covering great collections from Hokusai, Hiroshige and Utamaro.

Lily Pond

Breathtaking view of the lily pond - the pond flickers with iridescent blues and turquoise greens. It is not surprising that this is all Monet wanted to paint in his later years, I could spend all day in this garden myself! Do make your way all around, passing through the bamboo forest, to the emerald Green Japanese Bridge with wisteria.

The Monet Garden is not enormously huge, but no eating/drinking is allowed inside, so after your work, I'd highly recommend popping by at this cafe: La Capucine Giverny - a cute little cafe that comes with great dessert and coffee.

Transportation

There are package tours out there, but it really isn't worth the money, because this is the place you'd want to be strolling along the riverbank and slow down to smell the roses.

It is 45mins away Vernon train station - of which you can take the direct train from Gare de Lyon in Paris to Vernon, and there's shuttle that waits outside of the train station to take you to Giverny (Monet's Garden) directly. Its about 15mins drive (and 8 Euro round trip). The shuttle works very nicely because they match the schedule with the train arrival and departure times.

I'd also suggest you to jump on the first train that arrives Giverny by 9:05am (The garden opens at 9:30am), so there wouldn't be as much traffic waiting in line for tickets, it would also be wise to purchase the tickets online, and get into the "Groupe" line, which has a bit less of the waiting line. The sign for the Group line is so easy to pass by, but it is NOT the main entrance but somewhere 200m before the main entrance, so look out for it.

Other Attractions around the Area:
The Old Mill, Church of Our Lady (Vernon), there are plenty of art galleries in Giverny, so do feel free to pop in and chat or see the artist at work!

Mijas - a little quaint town not far from the Malaga, is situated at the heart of "Costa de Sol" or literally known as the "Coast of the Sun".

It almost reminds you of Greece, with similar hues of Izmir Blue and Cobalt White, but what is different is the sea breeze and the charm of a traditional Andalucian village. Mijas was devoted to agriculture and fisheries but nowadays, it is a sun-decked village with rows of lavender, jasmine and colorfully potted charm.

You can also take donkey taxi here!

Despite of its narrow paths and cobblestone side street, it is hard to be lost in this town, as it only takes about an hour or so to cover the whole ground. Figuratively, this is an artist town, full of colorful ceramic plates, leather artisan goods, scented olive oil soaps, to be honest this is a town that feels good to be lost!