Santa Claus' reindeers are in Annecy!

Christmas in the Alps at Annecy has become impossible to miss. Nicely installed on the boat quay, the chalet-shops vie with each other in ingenuity. In another place in the town, the Imperial Palace organizes its own Christmas market on the Québec theme. For the past two years now, Santa Claus's reindeers rest in their enclosure with Philippe, their Lapp shepherd. From time to time the man himself visits them and the children can then get to meet him. You have to keep your eyes open!

At the Reindeers Brasserie decorated with 16000 snowballs, you can be initiated with Quebec gastronomy with Dominique Truchon, the chef, who prepares a smoked-bison carpaccio, snow crab and a pancake duo with maple syrup, in a musical ambiance every evening with Tommy Boivin and his musicians.

Every afternoon and all day-long during the weekend you can skate on the ice-rink, at the foot of the Imperial Palace, just like the one in Central Park in New York and, to reheat yourself, rendezvous at the "Cabane à Sucre" to savour and buy cider, ice-cream, apple-butter, maple jelly...

Like anywhere else, Santa Claus finally turns up at the Mall, that is to say in Bonlieu on December 17th, but it is not there the originality of this town between lake and mountains. On the lake, children are invited to participate in «musical reading cruises» on board the ship "Le Cygne" with a female story teller and a guitarist. Something that will leave them dreamy souvenirs with real frosty spangles, the iridescent light on the lake surface makes the imagination run at maximum speed.

The older Gourmets, accompanied by the Tourist Office guides, will remember that the capital of Haute Savoie was also the capital of chocolate. Until the early 70s, a chocolaterie, which was not Charlie's one but was renowned in the whole region, gave out a wonderful smell in the whole area. It has vanished now but its place has been taken by craftsmen.  The «Fidèle Berger» for instance, famous for its chocolate bells, which remind us that Annecy is also famous for its foundry of bells that nestle in all the campaniles or bell towers throughout the world.

The tour is organized around the most famous chocolate makers in the town and you will be able to regal yourself listening to their stories. Nevertheless you must know that, at this period of the year there is a very intensive load of work and their laboratories cannot be visited. No matter, you will be pleased to buy chocolate in the shops and to eat it!