Aix-les-Bains is one more wonderful town laying on a cost of an azure blue lake Lac du Bourget located in the heart of the mountains in Rhône-Alpes
region in south-eastern France and is a perfect base for exploring nearby cities including Annecy, Lion and Grenoble.
The view of Aix-les-Bains from the top. This photo was taken through the window of restaurant located on the top of the mountain, some 30 minutes drive up from Aix-les-Bains. In winter this restaurant is a part of ski resort.
Actually, when we arrived at the restaurant, the view looked like this and we were disappointed and wondering why we had to drive so far to have a dinner, but after just some 10 minutes the clouds passed away...
... and we had a dinner with a wonderful view, unfortunately our camera was not as wonderful at that moment, but still.
If I had started with a restaurant, will make a little remark and mention some facts about the food - as I am not a fan of French cuisine, probably because my heart was already stolen by Italian one, so it's hard to be impersonal, but when I am in France the things that I really enjoy are croissants, Éclairs, French baguettes, a large variety of cheese accompanied with delicious jams and other delicatessen sold in the markets and small local shops. About the restaurants and cafes - the dishes I really enjoy are: onion soup, beef Bourguignon, duck confit and of course, Creme Brule.
On the terrace located on the other side of the restaurant, when the clouds were finally away it was possible to see the famous Mont Blanc.
The views in real life of course are much more spectacular than through the photos.
Now lets move down the mountain and head to the bank of the Lac du Bourget. The views there are not as spectacular and breathtaking, but for sure very nice and enjoyable. Lac du Bourget is the largest natural lake of glacial origin in France and definitely one of the most beautiful lakes I have seen up to now. Here is more detailed information about lake and mountains.
Frankly speaking, I could spend hours and hours just walking across the shore and enjoying this fantastic combination of nature and completely relaxed atmosphere.
But there are so many fantastic places in this region, so we have to move forward.
Aix-les-Bains is also famous for it's National thermal baths, where you can enjoy a large variety of spa treatments and swimming pools with thermal water. This is one of the reasons this town is so popular among tourists - mostly French tourists. During my stay I had visited Les Thermes Chavalley, and I can say that it's definitely worth a visit. It was quite hard to pass the entrance without knowledge of French, but after some 5 minutes receptionist explained me through gestures, that it is not possible to enter Thermes without a swimming cap, but after a purchase I was allowed to enjoy this palace of relaxation.
After relaxation in the Therms it's time to explore the centre of town, with lots of nice cafes, small shops and flowers, flowers are everywhere - during the summer period Aix-les-Bains is full of beautiful flowers, this gives a city some very specific charm.
This is the view from hotel room, the hotel also featured a garden where guests can enjoy quite and peaceful atmosphere.
Just remembered how we were trying to find this hotel on the day, or more precisely night of our arrival in a complete dark, all this story started with the delay of Finnair flight from Riga to Helsinki, as we had a connection flight from Helsinki to Geneva with very limited 40 minutes connection time, this delay could ruin our trip and we would arrive to the destination a day later than it was expected.
I don't know how to say it in English, but... русские не сдаются..- just a little citation from one movie. This was the fastest run in my life for sure, if you had ever been to Helsinki airport, you can imagine the size of the problem, as according to the timetable our plane to Geneva have to take off after 5 minutes after our landing, not entering the arrival gate, but landing of the plane from Riga. And special prize for making additional problems goes to lady in the Riga airport who had printed tickets with the wrong gate number, it's completely not a problem if your connection time is 30 or 40 minutes, but not in our case. As there were no displays right near arrival gate we started to run to the gate that was indicated in our boarding pass, unfortunately this was a wrong decision, because flight to Rhodes was departing from that gate. When I asked the airport personal for assistance, lady at the gate just told me, ok if your plane is not here, probably it had already departed, well thanks a lot for help.
But русские не сдаются, and after few seconds I was trying to find a display indicating departures, at the same moment I heard our surnames and some text in Finnish language, probably this was last call for passengers, but sorry I do not now the numbering in Finnish, after some minutes the text was repeated in English and
I was approaching gate number 17A with the speed of a high speed train. Lady at the gate told me that the plane is going to depart shortly I have to come in, otherwise I will not be flying to Geneva today, but I was not alone in this trip and had no idea where are now my two travel-mates, who are not as good sprinters. After I refused to come in without them and started a conversation about our luggage, lady smiled and told me that our luggage is on board and I do not have to worry, even I knew she was lying, but there was no other option and when my travel-mates finally reached gate number 17A, we ran inside the plane and departed to Geneva.
After arrival to Geneva International airport of course without our luggage, we went to the baggage claim and spent there half an hour and due to all this delays had missed the last train/bus to Aix-les-Bains and had to take a bus to Chambery and take a train from there. We reached Aix-les-Bains when it already was completely dark and had no idea how to find our hotel... special thanks for three French ladies in their middle 70s or even 80s from another hotel who interrupted their card game and cognac drinking, went to hotel room, brought the detailed map of the area and guided us in French of course, but still. Next evening our luggage arrived from Helsinki to Geneva airport, and from there to our hotel room in France.
Not to get lost:
map of Aix-les-Bains
360 degree panorama
webcams
How to get there: this info was already mentioned in the post about Annecy - the easiest way is to fly to Geneva International airport - the closest International airport for example Riga-Helsinki-Geneva with Finnair with a smooth connection in Helsinki Vantaa airport, return flight will cost you starting from 198 EUR, that is a very reasonable price for non low-cost airline.
from Geneva the easiest way you can reach Aix-les-Bains is using a train .
What to do: viewing the city and surroundings from the top of the mountain is a must here, for sure visit one of the famous Aix-les-Bains Trerms and enjoy some spa treatments and pools with thermal water, have a walk through the town centre and finish it on the Lac du Bourget shore enjoying fantastic relaxed atmosphere and having little picnic with local delicatessen you had just bought in one of the markets or little shops in the old town, one more nice option is a boat ride
Where to stay: there are many cosy hotels in Aix-les-Bains, so everything depends on your budget, we were staying in Hotel des Eaux a 3 star hotel in the centre of the town and I can say it was a good choice, completely no complaints
The virtual tour now is over, hope it motivated you to explore this region
Julija
The view of Aix-les-Bains from the top. This photo was taken through the window of restaurant located on the top of the mountain, some 30 minutes drive up from Aix-les-Bains. In winter this restaurant is a part of ski resort.
If I had started with a restaurant, will make a little remark and mention some facts about the food - as I am not a fan of French cuisine, probably because my heart was already stolen by Italian one, so it's hard to be impersonal, but when I am in France the things that I really enjoy are croissants, Éclairs, French baguettes, a large variety of cheese accompanied with delicious jams and other delicatessen sold in the markets and small local shops. About the restaurants and cafes - the dishes I really enjoy are: onion soup, beef Bourguignon, duck confit and of course, Creme Brule.
I would say this is typical French charm.
And this is the first building you will see in case of arriving to Aix-les-Bains by train - Gare D'Aixles Bains-Le Revard. There are direct high speed train connections to Annecy, Chambery, Geneva and many more destinations. That is one of the reasons I found Aix-les-Bains a perfect base for exploring the nearby towns, including Lion, Greboble and Annecy. One more reason - a smooth high speed train connection to Geneva with it's International airport.
The main reason of course is the city itself. It is worth spending day or two here.
Just remembered how we were trying to find this hotel on the day, or more precisely night of our arrival in a complete dark, all this story started with the delay of Finnair flight from Riga to Helsinki, as we had a connection flight from Helsinki to Geneva with very limited 40 minutes connection time, this delay could ruin our trip and we would arrive to the destination a day later than it was expected.
I don't know how to say it in English, but... русские не сдаются..- just a little citation from one movie. This was the fastest run in my life for sure, if you had ever been to Helsinki airport, you can imagine the size of the problem, as according to the timetable our plane to Geneva have to take off after 5 minutes after our landing, not entering the arrival gate, but landing of the plane from Riga. And special prize for making additional problems goes to lady in the Riga airport who had printed tickets with the wrong gate number, it's completely not a problem if your connection time is 30 or 40 minutes, but not in our case. As there were no displays right near arrival gate we started to run to the gate that was indicated in our boarding pass, unfortunately this was a wrong decision, because flight to Rhodes was departing from that gate. When I asked the airport personal for assistance, lady at the gate just told me, ok if your plane is not here, probably it had already departed, well thanks a lot for help.
But русские не сдаются, and after few seconds I was trying to find a display indicating departures, at the same moment I heard our surnames and some text in Finnish language, probably this was last call for passengers, but sorry I do not now the numbering in Finnish, after some minutes the text was repeated in English and
I was approaching gate number 17A with the speed of a high speed train. Lady at the gate told me that the plane is going to depart shortly I have to come in, otherwise I will not be flying to Geneva today, but I was not alone in this trip and had no idea where are now my two travel-mates, who are not as good sprinters. After I refused to come in without them and started a conversation about our luggage, lady smiled and told me that our luggage is on board and I do not have to worry, even I knew she was lying, but there was no other option and when my travel-mates finally reached gate number 17A, we ran inside the plane and departed to Geneva.
After arrival to Geneva International airport of course without our luggage, we went to the baggage claim and spent there half an hour and due to all this delays had missed the last train/bus to Aix-les-Bains and had to take a bus to Chambery and take a train from there. We reached Aix-les-Bains when it already was completely dark and had no idea how to find our hotel... special thanks for three French ladies in their middle 70s or even 80s from another hotel who interrupted their card game and cognac drinking, went to hotel room, brought the detailed map of the area and guided us in French of course, but still. Next evening our luggage arrived from Helsinki to Geneva airport, and from there to our hotel room in France.
Not to get lost:
map of Aix-les-Bains
360 degree panorama
webcams
How to get there: this info was already mentioned in the post about Annecy - the easiest way is to fly to Geneva International airport - the closest International airport for example Riga-Helsinki-Geneva with Finnair with a smooth connection in Helsinki Vantaa airport, return flight will cost you starting from 198 EUR, that is a very reasonable price for non low-cost airline.
from Geneva the easiest way you can reach Aix-les-Bains is using a train .
What to do: viewing the city and surroundings from the top of the mountain is a must here, for sure visit one of the famous Aix-les-Bains Trerms and enjoy some spa treatments and pools with thermal water, have a walk through the town centre and finish it on the Lac du Bourget shore enjoying fantastic relaxed atmosphere and having little picnic with local delicatessen you had just bought in one of the markets or little shops in the old town, one more nice option is a boat ride
Where to stay: there are many cosy hotels in Aix-les-Bains, so everything depends on your budget, we were staying in Hotel des Eaux a 3 star hotel in the centre of the town and I can say it was a good choice, completely no complaints
The virtual tour now is over, hope it motivated you to explore this region
Julija
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