Mousy Goes To France Day One.. (1 Viewer)

[Gellyneck]

Tell son to turnaround, zip tent up around his neck, body warm and dry, fresh air during the night and face pre-washed by the morning dew when he wakes up!

 

[cruiser]

or a bigger tent.

 

[Mousy]

So our friends have arrived and it's been great to catch up. They have been here many times so we felt confident following them onto the cycle route into Annecy. Although they can't tell the time because what they said it only takes 20 minutes and a sweaty half hour later we were still cycling.

Annecy is beautiful, well the old town is. We wandered around indulging in Mr Mousys favourite hobby...shopping. (Those of you who know Martin will be laughing out loud at that) it's not so much that he's tight but as he says "my life is complete and I don't need any more crap in it".
So sadly I couldn't tempt him with a new hat, flip flops or a scented candle, fellow funsters I did try.

We had more luck at lunch time. I'm not sure if any of you are interested in seeing what we had? But here is the plat du jour at £14 for 3 courses..

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[wizzer59]

Great pics and commentary, thank you loving it just one question, how tall is your milkman

 

[Larby]

What did the starter consist of?
What fish was it?
Could I have 3 puddings instead of the other 2 courses?

 

[Taran_Las]

Mousy, you were doing so well until photo number 3 ​

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[wizzer59]

What did the starter consist of?
What fish was it?
Could I have 3 puddings instead of the other 2 courses?

And did the chef cut himself doing the sweet?

 

[Mousy]

Yeah I wish id had the chicken too!

Internet is slightly dodgy so I'm just uploading what I can. There are pictures of cakes, biscuits and ice creams on the photo of the day thread. Hoping to put up more pics of Annecy too.

We are all relaxing and getting into the swing of camp life, it's the longest we have ever stayed in one place and I'm sure if it wasn't so hot we'd be doing more, but lots of swims, some tame biking with a bit of eating seems to be working just fine. It really is beautiful here and what the pictures don't let you experience is the delicious smells, of jasmine, roses honeysuckle and BBQ fuel.
I went for a late evening swim yesterday I was on my own in the lake until a white haired whippet thin, dark brown lady joined me..
Bonjour I said. Ah she replied you are anglaise. I'm German but I also speak French and English. I tried not to look pissed off as I floated in front of her, she explained that this part of the lake is fed by an underwater stream so it's cold, we must swim further out. I thought it was ok where we were but I wasn't going to mess with this German chick, so further out we swam, she was about 80 and I began to worry about who would be saving who.
She asked if we had le camping car, I said yes a Hymer, she corrected me instantly. It's called Humour she said
" I watched your arrival" and with a raised eyebrow that transcended all languages let me know she was less than impressed. obviously our set up drills where not up to Germanic standards.
Ah yes I replied we did have a small sense of Humour failure.

She may have great English but she doesn't understand comic timing that's for sure.

Until tomorrow funsters, there is a ping pong bat with my name on.,,

 

[Mousy]

It was trout and honestly phil I left my pear tart, I was just too full!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[cruiser]

but do we believe her. I don't think I could leave that.

 

[Scout]

please be nice to the Germans, there having a bad enough time with the Greeks not wanting to pay them back.

on the other hand

 

[Taran_Las]

It was trout and honestly phil I left my pear tart, I was just too full!

Well done Mousy........I believe you




(not).​

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Mousy]

Yesterday was another hot day but in the afternoon we watched storm clouds roll over the mountains and with a strong wind came 2 minutes of rain, cue lots of awning winding in and scrambling around moving stuff indoors.
We had woken up to find a very small circus set up on the meadow right outside our van, tied up to a post was a Shetland pony, donkey and either a llama or alpaca. It seemed to be a rotund husband and wife team, who spent all morning putting up a topless big tent. It took the big wind seconds to blow down just before the "spectacular demonstration of circus delights" all for 5 euro. Everyone helped pitch in to raise the sides again so the show could go on and there was soon a large que of small children excitably waiting for the fat sweaty man to transform himself into a clown.
We choose that moment to walk to a nearby restaurant for supper, sat on a balcony overlooking the lake. A few too many glasses of local vino later we stumbled along the path in the dark to "home"

Best thing I've purchased this holiday has been 4 "pool noddles" along with our snorkels we've all spent hours in the lake playing with them. You know you are having a good holiday when none of us know what day it is.
Laters Funsters...

 

[Fenman]

There are two major problems with Annecy.
Firstly, there are far too many lovely restaurants to choose from and few do the "let's rip off the tourists" menu.
Secondly, it is hellish difficult to actually leave.

 

[cruiser]

oh dear, how to do a holiday. you even find a circus. it must have felt like a funster meet. or a carry on film. keep it up. having fun reading about it.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Mousy]

The weather actually cooled down today to the low 30's so it made doing anything much easier. Mr mousy cycled 25 miles around the lake and came back with a fantastic raspberry tart.
I cleaned the van out with the help of the boys...(their soft snores saved me playing the radio).
After a swim and some more pool noddle love, a game of boules and supper of Dutch pancakes we are ready to move the van to Mont Blanc tomorrow.

 

[Moodybrook]

Good oh, Mont Blanc means Chamonix, Chamonix means Golf - sigh!!!! go on tease me Piccies

 

[cliffanger]

Have a wonderful day tomorrow - hope the weather is good enough for a mass ascent - photos from the summit please!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Mousy]

Ok so we took ruby to the vets today for her tape worm tablet (which we supplied) vet near to the campsite enough English to understand us but when Harry put ruby on the vets table the vet said "is she nice?" Harry ever the polite lad replied "yeah she's lovely, we really like her". It was only later we realised the vet was asking "will she bite?!" 34 euros and a doggy biscuit later we set the sat nav to Chamonix.

After a worrying drive because I thought the dodgy sat nav was taking us through the Mont Blanc tunnel we arrived.

We went up the red train to the glacier. George is studying Geophysics so was keen to walk on one. We had been told repeatedly that it would be cold so I'd forced the males into long trousers and we all carried jumpers and coats. It was still baking hot but I kept insisting it would be -5 at the top. We shared the train up with half the West Bank, and these guys along with anybody else not British were not queuing. The boys were amazed at how rudely people would push and shove to get on the train etc.

Desperate to avoid the crowds we legged it off the train and followed the signs to the ice cave. Every year they dig a new cave in the ice, you pass the cave from 1860 much higher up the mountain. We stumbled down this awful path for ages..

I'd read in the guide book that it was 400 steps but I whinged at everyone. I couldn't believe how dangerous and uneven it was. Half way down I had a panicking moment when I looked over and started shouting "everyone get away from the edge!" It was a shear drop and don't forget we've got the dog and bags full of water and winter clothes etc.
we keep descending, with Martin holding my hand whilst listening to me moan, it's still hot and we don't see anyone else. the boys go on ahead and it seems hours later we reach the glacier....only to find that at the bottom of this long and arduous descent there was a cable car we could of taken!
We are now at the top of the 400 steps with no sign of the boys. I go abit mental and refuse to go down any steps as does the dog.
There follows a kinda benny hill/carry on film afternoon of trying to find each other involving cable cars and trains.

Sat nav went off on one on the way home and we had the most exciting white knuckle drive around hairpin bends up and down the mountains. It was a massive relief to get back to Annecy for our last night there.

 

[irnbru]

What a great read and some lovely photos too.

 

[cruiser]

oh dear. you really know how to enjoy yourself. how much fun can you get into one day. I bet there was a few drinks supped that night. we hope it gets better. not really we are enjoying this. thank you @Mousy

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DuxDeluxe]

@Mousy - pleased that you are all having a great time. The path up to the top of the railway is much better than coming back down........ Hell on the knees - it was one of my "get back walking" projects after a bad skiing accident. Did you get up the Aguilles de Midi?? Campsite right next to the cable car station as I recall. Lovely place in the summer...... much prefer it to the winter

 

[Moodybrook]

You what ? blooming icecave ? blooming glacier ? and you didn't have a round of golf just why go to Chamonix and waste diesel, muttermutter

 

[Mousy]

@DuxDeluxe @Moodybrook
We parked in the aire at the bottom of the cable car station to the agillies de midi. We didn't have enough time to see both sadly I listened to a friend who said take the train first.
Didn't see the golf course surely not on the mountain!?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[DuxDeluxe]

@DuxDeluxe @Moodybrook
We parked in the aire at the bottom of the cable car station to the agillies de midi. We didn't have enough time to see both sadly I listened to a friend who said take the train first.
Didn't see the golf course surely not on the mountain!?

As far as I remember the golf course is where the nursery ski slopes are and also (don't know if it is still there) the luge d'ete.........

 

[Kool Kroozer]

Superb

 

[Moodybrook]

see the golf course

Broken Link Removed

Glorious ! AND YOU MISSED IT ??? Honestly Next time Messrs Mousy !

You missed the best views of Mont Blanc. I am going out to my van to give her a cuddle and beg her to take me there next year pretty please !!

Keep safe and have your kind of FUN

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Mousy]

I'm sure we missed loads, it's been that sort of holiday

 

[Fenman]

@Mousy Can you tell me what the building is with the suspended parasols inside. It looks fantastic and I'd love to put it on my list of "must see" spots for the next visit to Annecy.
You have certainly tempted me to put it high on the future list.

 

[cliffanger]

@Mousy - hope you got home OK and have got at least two loads of washing under your belt!

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}