The French Alps
The French Alps
A Travel Guide for your Seven Senses
Happy Winter Solstice ~ Every season, I share a Travel Guide exploring a new destination with, or as, a local. Featuring 7 recommendations for each sense: SEE, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE, TOUCH, BALANCE & ENVISION. You can also access past guides, including Paris and Mexico City.
Most of my childhood was spent in Chambéry, a small city in the French Alps. I left 20 years ago but my mother still lives there, so I typically visit every other year. Due to the pandemic, I hadn’t been in 4 years, and finally made the trip over the summer.
Most people outside of France have never heard of Chambéry, unless they’re skiers. It’s the main city one traverses en route to some of the best ski stations in the world. From my mother’s apartment window, one can see Mont Blanc in the distance.
Naturally, like everyone else who grows up in the Alps, I learned to ski as a kid. But it’s been over a decade since I’ve gone down a slope, and I now much prefer the slow rhythm of snowshoeing. Even though the region is a popular winter destination, I actually love the spring and summer there, when the mountains shed their snow, giving way to the most beautiful hiking trails.
At 73, my mother still goes on multiple-day treks with her friends. Typically, they reserve space at a “refuge” along the way, They’re the mountaineer version of a hostel: a “chalet” (typical Alpine cabin) with a couple rooms, bunk beds and a shared bathroom. The ‘refuge’ host serves a typical dish for dinner (no menu choice), and a simple breakfast before you head out on your hike. They’re rustic, convivial, and “à la bonne franquette” which roughly translates to ‘unfussy’.
The mountains have a culture of their own too. There’s an array of food specialties, which mainly involve cheese and potatoes – such as raclette and cheese fondue. There’s even regional dialects (Patois), and traditional Alpine outfits (typically worn for cultural festivals). And there’s the locals too, a breed of their own, who are the antithesis to Parisians. They’re shepherds and ski instructors, they’re cheese makers and rock climbers. They prefer silence over French intellectual discussions; they crave open air rather than art museums; and they can recognize any local plant but couldn’t name the latest pop star.
Situated only 50 miles away from the Swiss border, and 80 miles from the Italian one, the area offers a trifecta of landscapes, languages and culinary specialties. Growing up, my uncle would often take me and my cousins to Turin, just for a day trip. We’d leave in the morning and arrive on time to have a delicious Italian lunch, spend the afternoon eating gelatos, and watch the beautiful Italian drama unfold in the streets.
What I love most, every time I return to Chambéry, is how little changes. Like any other city, it has its share of rotating shops and restaurants. But overall, the place stays the same. The cobblestones and fountain square; the farmer’s market and corner bakery; the independent bookstore and old movie theater – they’re always there. As the world’s pace seems increasingly frantic, people from my hometown still find time to sip coffee on terraces, take swims at the nearby lake, and spot marmottes on their weekend hikes.
What I often took for granted growing up are now the simple pleasures I most seek – the fresh mountain air, daily baked bread, and long meals with friends. Everywhere I look, the mountains are there, a constant humbling reminder of my place in the world.
On my latest trip, my mother and I went around our city and compiled a list of our favorite things to experience. As with all Seasonal Travel Guides, my recommendations include:
7 sights
7 sounds
7 smells
7 tastes
7 touches
7 ways to balance
7 images to envision
In Joy,
Sabrina
