A typical Alpine country house

While I’ve adored Paris for a very long time, I often remind myself that my first (French) love was the beautiful Alpine town of Annecy in the departement of Haute Savoie which I first visited in 1968, and to which I have just escaped for a few days.

The person I visited over 40 years ago, my friend Brigitte, is the same person I’m staying with now, and we initially became penfriends in 1965; I used to write to her in French, and she would write to me in English. Each would correct the mistakes in the other’s letter and send it back with the next one. This may have been my first encouragement to become a teacher. Brigitte, however, became a midwife.

We are both now quite a bit older than our parents were in 1968, and we find it very strange that we thought they were so old back then, while yet now we don’t think of ourselves as old at all!

I try to come to Annecy twice a year if possible, and it’s enchanting in both winter and summer. Here are a few of the things I love about it…

Our 'dinner party' in the snow--starring Isabelle Huppert and George Clooney!

Eating the local cuisine--all delicious variations on cheese--this one is raclette

The many specialty shops--this one sells sweets in all shapes imaginable, including little animals

Eating and talking with Brigitte and her family

Madame Hulotte's bicycle; as we both love Jacques Tati films and because we are rather clumsy, we call ourselves La Hulotte Francaise et La Hulotte Australienne

Come back in June and I’ll show you how different it is, while still ressembling something out of a fairytale.