Weather Woes

Summer was rapidly coming to an end here in the mountains, and the weather seemed to be uncooperative. It was probably my imagination, but it seemed to be sunny all week and then rain on the weekends. Seeing that my brother and his girlfriend were visiting midway through the month, I tried to make the best of it. Still I didn't wander too far from home and focused a little more on the immediate area around Aix-les-Bains.



Les pétanquers américains.


Two points for the home team.


My fanny.

Pétanque

Travel just about anywhere in southern France – small towns or big cities alike – and you will see people playing pétanque. Similar to its cousins, such as the British bowls, Italian bocce, Flemish krulbol, or Maltese bocci, pétanque has its origins with the Egyptians who used round stones and a target object to play a game of accuracy and strategy. The Greeks also used polished stones, but the Romans refined the game by using lighter and easier-to-make wooden balls, sometimes with a protective metal surface. The family tree of boules is extensive. Even within France there are variations of the game including jeu provençal, jeu lyonnais, jeu bretonne, boule de fort, boule nantaise, and boule de berges, mainly differing on the size or shape of the boules, length of the court, or use of lane borders.

The game of pétanque is unique in that it can be played almost anywhere there is a relative flat sand and gravel covered area. The unevenness of the ground adds to the skill level. Another distinctive feature of the game is that players must shoot with both feet within a small circle. This rule actually gives the game its name in that the Provençal expression ped tanco means "feet together". The game can be played as individuals or in teams, but either way, each member has three boules in his arsenal. A game begins by throwing out the small ball called the cochonette (piglet), which acts as the target, to a distance of 20-30ft. The first lanceur throws a boule as close to the cochonette as he can. Players continue throwing until they have either the closest boule or have exhausted their supply. The player with the closest boule to the cochonette gets one point for each boule that is inside his opponent’s closest shot. The winner is the first player to 13 points. Serious players specialize in being either pointeurs (pointers), who try to get a boule close to the target, or tireurs (shooters), who try to knock an opponent’s boule away from the cochonette.

One last aspect of the game to know is that of “kissing fanny”. Legend has it that in a small Savoie village following World War I, a certain waitress took pity on pétanque players who lost without scoring a single point by allowing them to give her a kiss. During one particular game, the unpopular mayor of the village was on the losing end of a 0-13 skunk and went to collect his reward. The waitress climbed up on a chair and bared her backside for the mayor to plant one on each cheek, which he did. Thus was born the ritual of “kissing fanny” when suffering a humiliating 0-13 loss, be it a statue, painting, or even a willing onlooker. Nowadays, almost every pétanque starter-kit comes with a fanny in the form of a measuring tape or scoring device.



Crémieu sprawled below Saint-Hippolyte.


The 12th century Châteaux Delphinal.


Still a few hours from being ready.


The straw-strewn lanes added a touch of charm.


Keeping an eye on the cow.

Crémieu

Driving back from the Lyon airport where I had picked up B and P, we decided to stop in Crémieu and have a look around. As luck would have it, they were hosting a Renaissance fair that weekend, so we were treated to a unique look at this nicely preserved medieval city. Crémieu enjoyed commercial success during the middle ages as a trading center for grain among merchants from France, Savoie, Italy, and Switzerland. Its role as religious center began with the founding of a 12th century Benedictine monastery on Saint-Hippolyte, a massive hill overlooking the city. This religious influence eventually led to the demise of the city’s affluence, as a constant stream of Capuchin, Visitandine, Ursuline, and White Penitent monks eventually took over administrative control of the city and banned all commercial fairs.

We walked around for a while taking in the atmosphere and a couple glasses of cider. It was still early so much of the fair was still being set up. Next to the long 15th century market hall, an entire cow (at least I hope it was a cow) was on the spit. Organizers added a nice touch by spreading straw along the streets and restaurants covered their outdoor chairs in burlap. As skies began to darken with rain clouds, we made our way up to the château for a nice view of the town and Saint-Hippolyte in the background. With poor weather on the horizon we decided to head out before the crowds started arriving and made our way toward Aix-les-Bains.



The Bossons glacier which has been known to extend into the valley during periods of heavy snow.


A view of the Arve.


Tribute to de Saussure who crossed the Alps 14 times and studied their geology.

Chamonix

After Annecy, the other must-see in Savoie is Chamonix. Located in the shadow of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Europe, it is a veritable winter sports Mecca. Its surrounding rugged terrain and access to mountains and glaciers made it a premier tourist attraction during the Belle Époque, culminating in it being chosen to host the very first winter Olympic Games in 1924. While the town has grown over the years, the downtown still retains an Alpine charm. The emerald-green Arve bisects this area which is filled with tourist shops, winter sports and mountaineering stores, and restaurants serving fondue, raclette, and pierre-chaud - a hot rock on which you cook strips of meat. Even this time of year, it’s easy to imagine skiers strolling along on snowy streets.


L'Église St. Michel.



Glacier entrances for the last 3 years.


La Mer de Glace.


The Montenvers train.


Inside the glacier.


In summer, debris covers the glacier.

La Mer de Glace

Perched on the northern face of Mont Blanc is the Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice), Europe’s second longest glacier at approximately 8 miles in length. It originates at the peak of Mont Blanc and extends toward Chamonix at a rate of about 270 ft per year under the weight of new snowfall. I was surprised at how dirty the glacier appeared, but as it flows, the glacier carves through the surrounding mountain resulting in a layer of debris on its surface. I expect that fresh snow in the winter gives it a nice white appearance once again.

Once visible from Chamonix itself, it has since receded to a point where one must either hike up a portion of the mountain or take the Montenvers cogwheel train to view the glacier. We chose the latter so as to conserve the smattering of blue sky that was not expected to last. Once at the glacier, it’s possible to ascend to the ice cave that is carved into the side of the ice sheet every year. The movement of the glacier is evident from previous entrances which can be seen further down. The bridge to the entrance is supported by loose moorings to account for the 100 ft or so of movement that occurs while the ice cave is open to the public. Inside the cave or grotte are some sculptures, an ice living room, and a Saint Bernard that you can photograph for a fee. Aside from these cheesy ploys to justify the 5 euro entrance fee, there is a definite thrill to being inside such a massive force of nature.



The Grand Port in Aix.


The classic carnot à vapeur.


These guys were on something.

Navig'Aix

Every year, Aix-les-Bains hosts Navig’Aix, a four day celebration of all things nautical. With not much better to do, I moseyed down to the Grand Port to see what the buzz was about. Boats, boats, and more boats. There were motor boats, sailboats, steam boats, speed boats, paddle boats, and model boats. There was nautical equipment, nautical souvenirs, and nautical clothing. Frankly, it was a little overwhelming.

Lac du Bourget is connected to the Rhône via the Canal de Savières. This opens a direct route to Lac Léman (Lake Geneva) from which it seemed much of the flotilla had originated. If you’re not a boat person, it’s not an overly exciting event; however, there were some pretty neat things like the Barone Brothers and their 1972 Alpha Romeo speed boats or the vintage steam-powered canots. The highlight of the weekend seemed to be the amphibious vehicles. There were three Swiss vessels that looked like ordinary cars (if you didn’t look too closely) until their owners drove them down the boat ramp and off onto the lake.


One of the Barone Brothers.


Another speed boat did not fare so well.


Performance art - in case I forgot I was in France.


There were boats everywhere.


An amphibious vehicle.

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