(Annecy, France)

My second day in Annecy was quite different from the first. At the end of the first day, I realized that the city was hosting a big marathon race…and well as some shorter races for those less inclined to run for 26 miles. One of the waterfront parks was completely closed off to handle the administration of all of those races.

On top of that, all the street vendors from the first day’s antique market seem to have disappeared. So, while the main street was still rather busy, it wasn’t nearly as crowded as the first day. I did feel more relaxed downtown. Some of my technological issues resolved. And I also felt better after getting a full night’s sleep.

But the finishing touch to the second day turnaround came from an unlikely source. In my pre-trip research, I had learned that “The Little Italy” restaurant was ranked the highest of all 100+ pizzerias in Annecy. This surprised me for several reasons.

Firstly, restaurants in France with English names attract suspicion from me. Were they just trying to lure homesick English-speaking tourists? Secondly, the restaurant was on Annecy’s busiest pedestrian street, with tables spilling out onto the sidewalk. This raised the risk that the location was taking a priority over quality. Thirdly, the pizza names were mostly based on “The Godfather”: the Corleone, the Cosa Nostra, etc. That didn’t seem too “authentic”.

But even on a rainy Sunday evening, the place was nearly packed. I told myself to trust the experts and give it a try, despite the many red flags. I managed to secure the second-last available outdoor table, which was in the middle and very close to the street. I ordered a Pizza Sinatra, which is made up of tomato sauce, fior de latte mozzarella, fontina cheese, speck, oregano, and olives. And to drink, a glass of lambrusco, a glass of sparkling red wine.

I was very happy with the meal. There was a *lot* of cheese, and the fontina worked well. It was a very substantial pizza, considering how thin the crust was. I was able to spice it up a little with some pepper-infused oil. And they did *not* charge for the bread sticks or the water that appeared on the table: some Italian restaurants levy a cover charge (coperto) for the bread and water if you touch them at all.

Best of all, I didn’t feel either ignored or “overserved” – they had found the perfect balance. And they were very helpful when I returned to the restaurant later looking for my lost electronic hotel card. They found it under my table and retrieved it with a minimum of fuss. So, despite all the red flags, “The Little Italy” turned out to be a satisfying final meal in Annecy. And, in turn, I ended up feeling a lot better about the town after the underwhelming first day. Maybe the problem that day was just a jetlagged and cranky me, rather than Annecy itself!

(Annecy, France)

When I heard that Annecy was called “the Venice of the Alps”, I interpreted it to mean “the Venice of the Alps that only insiders know about.” And in the Canadian context, that is probably true.

However, in Europe, Annecy seems to be quite well known indeed. And while I am glad that I’ve been to Venice, I also don’t think I will ever go again unless I need to fly into that airport for some other reason. The Venetian crowds, and the shrinking local population, can make it a daunting proposition except in the early morning and the late evening.

So, how does Annecy compare? Well, Annecy isn’t exclusively composed of canals, like much of Venice. And the smell of Annecy is much better. But, on the day I arrived, the crowds in Annecy were approaching Venetian levels. As were the number of souvenir shops, ice cream shops, and English-language menus. I love gelato as much as anyone, but still…

Annecy *is* beautiful. And the mountains in the background make it even easier on the eyes. But after an hour or two downtown, I was tired. I wanted to go to a restaurant that only locals knew about, that didn’t have English menus, and were focused on serving (and retaining) their local clientele. My first impression was that I wasn’t going to find that in Annecy.

It has a castle, of course. But it also has the Pont des Amours (“Lovers’ Bridge”, pictured below). This nicely located but fairly non-descript bridge reminded me of Juliet’s Balcony (as in Romeo & Juliet) in Verona, Italy. It seemed overtaken by what people wanted it to be. And just like Juliet’s Balcony (and house) may not even be the real thing, the name of the Lovers’ Bridge may in fact refer to paid love rather than romantic love.

So, as noted, my first impression of Annecy was not a particularly great one…at least, when compared to the “undiscovered gem” that I had envisioned. Such impressions can easily happen, especially when you arrive at a bad time. For example, there’s nothing worse than arriving the day before garbage day (especially when every business puts their garbage out early).

And I guess it is important to remember that I formed this impression on the day I arrived from Canada. I was certainly jet-lagged. I also had some technological challenges. And then there was that substandard crêperie experience I wrote about in my previous post.

I was aware of these circumstances, and the biases such circumstances can create, but I still wondered how Annecy could triumph over my initial impression. Throngs of tourists really aren’t my thing (even though I may contribute to the problem).

Stay tuned to find out whether Annecy met the challenge!