Yvoire

Friday
Today, Magali suggested we went to the medieval village of Yvoire on the French side of Lake Geneva, and classed as one of the most beautiful villages in France - and we found it certainly lived up to its description. The only drawback is that it attracts hordes of tourists, so it was hard to get a good picture of the narrow streets and flower-box decorated houses and boutiques as there were too many people in the way, so for my blip I opted for this simple uncluttered shot of the single boat and beautiful flower bed.
Since ancient times, the upper valley of the Rhône and Lake Leman have formed a route through the Alps between Italy and France. Yvoire’s strategic position, where the narrower western end of the lake opens up into the more expansive eastern part did not escape the notice of Count Amédée V the Great, who undertook important fortifications from 1306, during the war between the Dauphiné and Savoy. For half a century, the village of Yvoire held a very important military rôle, which earned certain freedoms for its inhabitants in 1324. Later, when the whole region was occupied by the Bernese, allies of the French and Genevese from 1536 to 1591, the village lost its ramparts and military rôle and the castle was burnt and remained roofless for 350 years. For a long period, Yvoire sank back into anonymity and the proud strongpoint became a village of farmers and fishermen.
We strolled the streets, looked in a few of the boutiques, strolled by the lake, and visited the Garden 0f the Five Senses. Taking its inspiration from the Middle Ages, this garden elaborates the theme of the five senses in its outdoor "rooms". You are invited to smell, touch, listen and contemplate. Medicinal and aromatic herbs, fruit trees, vintage rose bushes, aviaries and fountains line a pathway where a collection of many varieties of plants changes with the seasons. After a pleasant lunch we continued to the larger town of Thonon les Bains, where we visited the Chateau de Ripaille. Before crossing the border back into Switzerland, we stopped at the local Carrefour supermarket for Magali to do her grocery shopping, since things are significantly cheaper in France!