Lake Annecy
Having thoroughly enjoyed our time in the mountains, it was with a heavy heart that we left Chamonix and departed for Annecy. As the van meandered west, Katy and I soon found ourselves enjoying the stunning Alpine scenery. This epic drive reminded us that adventure is always just around the corner…
The journey from Chamonix to Annecy
On arrival in Annecy, we headed straight for the lake’s western shore and eventually found somewhere to camp near Les Mongets. We hopped out and set about exploring, following the lakeside path from beach to beach.
Western shore of Lake Annecy
One thing that’s worth mentioning here is that dogs are not allowed on any of the Lake Annecy beaches. This meant that poor Betty was confined to the paths and parks on the lake shore.
Poor Bets
Le Semnoz
To lift Betty’s mood, we decided to ascend Le Semnoz – a mountain that reaches 1699 m and offers stunning views over the lake and it’s surroundings. The journey up was tough on the van but worth the effort. Betty loved charging around on the open ski slopes and managed to exhaust herself as we walked up to one of the ski stations. Lucky with the weather once again, Katy and I enjoyed bright blue skies and incredible Alpine views – we could even see Mt Blanc in the distance…
Views over Lake Annecy from the top of Le Semnoz
The Route to Nuremberg
After a couple of days in Annecy, we decided to crack on with the Letter E’s middle section. This stage would see us head north to Luxembourg City before pivoting east towards Nuremberg.
Middle section of the Letter E
To break up the journey, we planned to visit Cascade Des Tufs – an unusual waterfall sitting in the Jura Mountain range. This was the perfect way to stretch our legs after hours on the road:
Cascade Des Tufs
A few hours after our waterfall excursion, we found ourselves on the outskirts of Luxembourg City. Instead of visiting the capital, we took the decision to pivot east (there would be time to visit Luxembourg City on the return journey). Now on a roll, I decided to push on into the night and cover the remaining distance to Nuremberg.
Crossing the German border
Nestled in northern Bavaria, Nuremberg is famous for it’s medieval architecture. After finding an Airbnb, Katy, Betty and I set off to explore the Altstadt (Old Town). We were all taken aback by the city’s beauty and atmosphere. We dined on Nuremberg Bratwurst, explored it’s narrow streets and tucked into some proper German Beer. It was a lovely way to refuel before setting off to complete the letter.
Beautiful Nuremberg