Just returned from a 16 day trip to France, where I continued an exploration of the Savoie that was begun last October. The Savoie is nestled in the eastern part of France, in the region known as Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes. There is a lot of history here, as it is bordered by Switzerland to the north and Italy to the east. Within the Savoie, places of note include Annecy, Chambery, Chamonix, Aix-les-Bains, Albertville and Lac du Bourget, which has the distinction of being the largest lake in France. It was at Lac du Bourget where I ate lunch at the two star Le Bateau Ivre, which I shall comment on in another post once my jet lag subsides.
The Savoie is a place of unimaginable beauty, owing in large part to the mountains that dominate its topography. No less than eleven ranges are to be found here, and first among equals is the imposing Mont Blanc Massif. Within each massif, one must traverse mountainous roads to get from one place to another. Depending on the massif and the season, some of these roads are treacherous and even impassable, requiring a circuitous path across the border into Italy in order to reenter France. It was at the Italian side of the border where I savored the perfect espresso made with that true Italian flair that is difficult to duplicate elsewhere. And this, in the most unlikely of places, a rest stop!
The mountains of Savoie are dotted with villages that seem frozen in time. I stayed one night in a family-run hotel in Aiguilles, a picturesque village where everyone knew each other and where visitors are greeted with the type of hospitality common among the Savoyards. It was late, I was hungry, but everything was closed. The proprietress came to the rescue, and whipped up a potato leek soup from scratch followed by an omelet. If simplicity is the highest form of sophistication, this is it. “Keste,” as the Neapolitans would say.
What I witnessed the following morning will forever be etched in my memory bank of places visited. It was barely daybreak, I went outside for a walk and saw clouds hovering above the village. This created a hypnotic vision that simply cannot be described. If you have ever seen Chinese landscape paintings, especially of mountains, you will know what I mean. Invigorated by the cold mountain air and entranced by such beauty, I could not imagine how such things can be. The moment one tries to use words to describe something like this, its essence is lost.
The Savoyards who live in mountain villages are hearty folk, undeterred by the rapidly shifting elements that are part of life here. The cold does not bother them, and on that early morning in Aiguilles, the folk were out in shirtsleeves and sweaters. They are people of the earth, honest and simple in the best sense of the word.
Mont Blanc has the distinction of being the highest peak in Europe, and it is in the Savoie where its majesty is best appreciated. I was in a chalet in St. Nicolas la Chapelle one day when the clouds finally parted, offering a glimpse of one of the most breathtaking sights in the world. Mont Blanc dwarfed the massif, its snow covered peak standing so regally that one could easily imagine the rest of the range bowing in obeisance. If you are a contemplative sort, given to introspection, then such a sight may perhaps inspire you to ponder questions regarding the origin of things.