Tales of walking, eating, watching and playing. Vintage treasures and simple pleasures ... the things that make her happy.

Tuesday 4 September 2012

En Vacance

They swapped the levels of Somerset for the high peaks of the Rhone Alps.
Alpine paradise and natural playground.
Hikers, rafters, climbers, mountain bikers and paragliders.
They just walked ... and walked ...
Through gorges and waterfalls, grassy plains and rocky precipice.
Little man.  Simian adventurer flying high on tightropes and zipwires.
  
Feasting on saucisson and Comte, Haute Savoie wines and divine patisserie.
 
Local produce ...
Brilliant blue mornings and deep, sultry afternoons.
Lazy evenings spent playing cards and watching Mr Bond.
Coming down from their mountain retreat,
they wandered the little town.
Sun on high peaks, lightning strikes and thunderous rumbles.
Clean air and icy water.
From St Gervais they took a tram ...
... ascending by rack and pinion, climbing higher and higher ...
... to Mont Blanc - La Dame Blanche.
The snow capped, glacial peaked beauty captivated them.
From grassy plateau below, she rises up, dominating the landscape.
Gargantuan rock, 4810m high.
Regularly claiming the lives of some who try to scale her.
The VJ's walked a high ridge and then ambled and scrambled back down the valley.
She fell in love with old Annecy ...
Franco Tuscan beauty - French Venice 
She spent hours rummaging in Brocantes ...
... wishing her suitcase was bigger!
They took cable cars ...
Passed time with locals ...
From France ... they crossed the border into Switzerland.
To the airport.
Brought back down to Earth with a jarring bump in Geneva.  
They were very nearly robbed by a scamming gang.

One of the most expensive cities in the world.
They watched the money walk by.
Beautiful people flaunting their wealth.
Armani, Versace, Dior and Chanel on every corner.
She felt confused, drawn in but repulsed, captivated but angered.
They missed their mountain, but they were going home.

28 comments:

Marigold Jam said...

Fabulous post - I could almost feel the clear cool air of those mountains! Pity about the contrast of the over rich and the natural but that's life and you have many happy memories I'm sure.

June said...

Stunning photography. Love the last photo in particular.
June

Shortbread and Ginger said...

Lovely post - wonderful photographs.
Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

*Susycottage* said...

Wow...che vacanze strepitose
devi aver fatto!!
Complimenti anche per le foto,
sono magnifiche, mi fai venir voglia
di ripartire!!
Love Susy x

Catherine said...

Lovely, I was there with you on that wonderful walk, super photos:~))

Anne said...

Looks fantastic!

Hesta Nesta said...

What a wonderful holiday and such beautiful photographs. Bet the Brocantes were fabulous.
Jo xx

Kristie said...

Marina,

I loved this post!! You've captured me from the very first of your photos. Gorgeous shots, stunning views and a lovely cow! HA I'm curious about your brocante finds! I hope you bought some cool "goodies". When I was in Paris several years ago, I picked up business cards matches and anything free from the cafe's, restaurants and places I visited. I still have them!

In the end "There's no place like home" though! (I'm clicking my ruby red slippers even as we speak!) I missed you!! :) ♥♥

greenthumb said...

What a wonderful holiday you all must have had, those photos are amazing.

Red Rose Alley said...

These are beautful pictures. The snow capped mountains are amazing. Jess went to Switzerland a few years ago, and she said it was like a fairytale. Everything was so green and groomed. It would be so nice to visit there one day. I love the sweet cow.
~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

Jen said...

Marvelous post--a true vacation. Such beauty and wonder (except for Geneva).

Josie-Mary said...

Beautiful photo's :)

Melanie said...

What a wonderful trip! But I like the happy comfort of returning home too. The air must have been so clean and quiet. How refreshing.

The Pea Pod said...

What an adventure! Beauty at every corner x

Outcast said...

These photos are incredible Jane and makes it look like an incredible holiday, so glad that you managed to have so much fun, great photos and great post.

Sylvia said...

It looks like you all had a wonderful vacation, I enjoyed your photos, lovely !
Wish I was there at that brocante fair :-)
Have a nice day,
Sylvia

Vintage Sheet Addict said...

Looks so beautiful! What a great place to visit, lucky you! Ada :)

thesnailgarden said...

Stunning photos! It is so long since I have visited The Alps - I want to go back now! Thank you for sharing your holiday with us. Best wishes, Pj x

Tina said...

What a dream place. Wonderful photos!
Thank you for sharing with us. Seems like you and your family had a great time.
xx

*Maristella* said...

Hi Marina... che meravigliose immagini e che bei luoghi, io li conosco, ci siamo stati alcuni anni fa!
Ma la tua Inghilterra è sempre la più meravigliosa!
Un caro saluto, *Maristella*.

Angy is my name. said...

Travel gives us so much more than just relaxation yes? Perspective is priceless... I loved when you said "drawn in but repulsed" ... this is the gift of travel... new ways to see things, new reference points. Thank you for sharing. Xx

Karen said...

So many beautiful images... and now I am hungry for smoked sausage and cheese !!
xoxo
Karen

Unknown said...

made me miss france
truly stunning
{in fact i have shared this post here: giveaway/link delight, hope you don't mind: FEEL FREE TO JOIN IN ONE 'N ALL}
and yuk to fleas - put them all in a circus ****
x ...

Husmannsplassen i Hidlesundet said...

What a lovely journey you have had! And wonderful photos!! I´d loved to go there. Thank you this post!

Hugs fra Hjørdis

Miss Simmonds Says said...

it looks impossibly perfect and those food photos are making me a bit peckish. You lucky thing!

Rosemary said...

What a wonderful post - our kind of trip - lovely

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos and I can see why you fell in love with Annecy and the French Alps. I live in Annecy and buy cheese from the cheese guy you pictured! (We also live in the same building as the boulangerie!). We've been here for three months and have fallen in love with the place.

Monsterchen said...

oh wow it looks so beautiful there! the landscape is amazing! i´m sure you enjoyed it a lot there!
love and kiss,mary
http://www.maryloucinnamon.com/