Day 9: the Medieval Town of Yvoire

Hello from Switzerland everyone!  Today was a relaxing day...starting with 11 hours of well needed sleep!  Thankfully, my hosts - Veronica and Fabrizio also sleep late on a Saturday morning! (well at least Veronica does)


My lovely hosts informed me we had a 2pm reservation at a restaurant by the Lake - I giggled and we were on our way!   We started off in Fabrizio’s Alpha Romao.  (We’re in Europe now!) A very nice car made for non-six-feet-tall passengers!  I had to duck down to see out the windows of the back seat!  LOL! 

We drove about :30 around Lake Geneva - everything was so green and the day was perfect!

We arrive at the Medieval town of Yvoire!  It’s 700 years old people…SEVEN HUNDRED!  That's 1306 people!!!  I found that out when Fabri looked it up on the internet when we got home.  My first thought was “Whoa!” and my second was “I should have touched the buildings more!” 

We parked in a lot/field and as we entered there was a vintage car collection to greet us! 

 

Random, yes, but pretty

This village was totally something out of a fairy tale - hanging flowers in every window and overflowing from every porch.  I had to remind myself that this was not the Swiss themed part of Disneyland, this was the REAL deal.  And it was beautiful.

We made our way through the village and to the docks on the shore of the Geneva Lake.  Wow.  Talk about a gorgeous day with perfect light and temperature.  The lake simply looked good enough to jump into!  It’s pretty enchanting to see a swan glide up to the shore for food from a visitor.

We make our way toward the village

So sweet, n'est pas ?

How do they DO that?

What seemed like the official entrance

Yvoire!

1730-1732

The happy couple, married 1 year and 2 months

The church in the distance and Lake Geneva just beyond it!

It's like wooden lace!

Shops were fun, of course.

These guys were my favorites!

Loved the contrast - don't you?

Come ON!  For REALZ?

Perfection.

The water looked so clean, and these kids were so happy to visit the ducks!

We ate at a restaurant called Le Pirate with an enjoyable shore-side view - top rate!  And the green grass and flowers all around were a close second.  It felt like a perfect sunny, yet cool, spoil yourself with a good meal day!
 

Very popular!

It was suggested that I try the local fish specialty - straight from Lake Geneva…the fish just jump up on to your table!  LOL!  Not quite.  I say when in Geneva…” and so I tried the Filets de perche au beurre émulsionné au citron.

A lovely view from our table!

How beautiful is this girl's hair??

A very happily full tourist!

Kiss, kiss!!!  Said the photographer :)

Love.

Filets de perche au beurre émulsionné au citron 25,00 €

This is the local fish from Lake Geneva with butter and lemon sauce!

A stunning sunflower to bid us farewell!

Makes me smile.

That's a swan, people.

Deck leading to over the Lake

Voila!  Isn't it tres JOLIE!!!

The castle so sweet...swans swam around in the waters

Swiss Waters...well, actually, this village is in France.

Postcard pictures at every turn

This one duck scored a huge end of an ice cream cone - then was hunted down by all the ducks - eventually a bird swooped in and stole it.  It was so sad!

I found this door's faded paint beautiful and the doggie (or cat) door just made me smile

Hello up there!  Vero waited above while her foot recuperates

 

An old church with a metal top!

The vibrant shadows of the stained glass windows.

Inside the church

Spiderwebs

Again, my love for doors, texture and hardware.  Come on, don't you love the little hand??

Charm filled  details.  How lovely are these windows?

Ahhhhhhh, Namaste.

I found these cobble stone walkways beautiful.  It's in the details, isn't it.

Now THAT'S a balcony!

Totally Gorgeous flowers!

Wooden carvings

What have we here!?!

Oh. My.  Yes.

Happiness IS.

Look at those HUGE cakes!  I think they were 29 euros each!

Those Macarons aux Amandes were some o the best tasting things I've had in my LIFE.  So strong an almond flavor - YUM.

Not a bad day's work...er...vacation!  Not bad at all!

We sat down at the entry to enjoy people watching, the view and our ice cream.  We also got quite the show from a loud mouthed, fast talking french chauffuer when he insisted that he was told he could drive in (no cars are allowed).  My goodness, so much chatter - I thought he hit someone!  Maybe he was embarrassed? 

Our view as we sat...many people came and went from this square (more of an oval)

Awwww...married people.

I loved the roses, so romantic, against the wood grain.

Wow, right?

I didn't read what this was, but it looked official.  French anyone?

This old guy with no teeth and his free roaming dog sat with us (yes, I worried every time a car passed)

Good times - 8 years after meeting!

My new scarf from Paris!

Lake Geneva in the distance - taken out the window of the car!

From France back into Switzerland!

Crossing the border - we didn't stop

Driving home - still out of moving car

This woman is dipping in a bikini - must not be FREEZING yet.

Not bad for moving car

There it is in the distance: Jet L'Oeau

This is a very athletic city!

I win for BEST SHOT for zoomed in picture from moving car!!! 

It's super-duper tall!!!

Almost back to the apartment - gorgeousness.

Swiss!

We spent the evening at home eating leftover homemade dishes from the birthday party last night (super fun) her with 25 friends.  I was amazed how they all spoke English!

I gave Fabrizio his birthday present from Paris:

Is that box charming or what?  I almost kept it for myself!  :P

Bee-OOO-Tee-Ful!

So yummy, right?

I bought them here at Laduree on the Champs Elysees on my last night in Paris!

After I took this picture I was schooled by the "macaroon bouncer" at the door that NO PICTURES.  Gimmie a break, for 18 Euros, I'm GONNA TAKE A PICTURE!  LOL!

Ok, good night my friends and family, it's 1:04am and time to sleep.  Veronica and Fabrizio go to work at the UN and JP Morgan respectively, tomorrow I'm on my own.  Let's see what adventures I can be up to on my own!  (once I wake up, that is.)  HEY MOM - I just felt your eyes roll!!!   XOXO Victoria