Hello. I'm planning a trip to Chambery France in late August/early September. This will be my first time traveling to Europe alone. I'm interested in spending a few days in Chambery and would like to visit 1-2 other locations for just a few days that are 1) easy to travel to without a car, 2) have an airport nearby so I can fly back to the U.S. easily at the end of my vacation, and 3) safe for a woman traveling alone. I'd welcome any suggestions you have!
Posted by
1 posts
Bonjour, Frances, I'm American and my hubby is French and we leave half-time in Chambery (my husband's home for 20 years before he met me). I also own a French Alps and Provence tour company so I know a lot about the area.
I would recommend going to Annecy which you can reach in 45 minutes from Chambery. It's very lovely, walkable, historic, tourist-friendly, and is called the Venice of the French Alps due to all of its canals that connect to the gorgeous Annecy lake (which you can take boat rides around). It's an easy day trip.
Secondly, I would spend a day in Lyon seeing the historic center with cathedrals (funicular up to the Basilica on the hill), historic buildings, traboules (Google that!), museum (quite good!), stop by a silk making factory, great food since it's one of the centers for cuisine in France, and much much more. Lyon is also walkable, esp the Old Town section and there are subways and buses too. All three cities are safe but do be aware of the Roma (gypsies) that target tourists for pick pocketing and purse snatching. You can fly out of Lyon to anywhere with good connections, and it's a direct 1.5 hour train ride from Chambery. I usually fly to the US from Lyon.
Aix les Bains is a 10 minute train ride from Chambery and small and walkable. Some nice shopping and a few small Roman ruins. It sits on the Bourget Lake which has numerous boat ride opportunities, some with meals. You would need to take a taxi or bus from the train station to get to the lake. You can do Aix in a morning or afternoon unless you want to go to the lake and take some boat trips or hang out on the board walk, then you'll need all day. If you do take a boat ride, look at the ones that go to a cute little town on the canals off the lake called Chanaz. Stop for a couple of hours to see that tow and don't miss the nut mill up a paved path to see the 150 year old grinding millstone grind nuts. Yummy products too. Then you can take another boat back to Aix. There are boat schedules at the main office at the port.
May I ask why Chambery? There's not much to do or see there other than the small museum and small historic center. It is a lovely town though.
I hope that helps. Cynthia of Best of the French Alps and Provence Tours
Posted by
OP
Milford, MI, USA
15 posts
Hi Cynthia,
Thanks so much for your suggestions. I really appreciate the details that you provided. They're very helpful!
In your message, you asked why I was traveling to Chambery. I'm American and am visiting my Japanese cousin who I've only met twice and who lives in France with her French husband. They've been living in the Chambery area for many years. (Perhaps you know them. :-)
In addition to the places in France that you suggested are there any other places that you would visit in nearby countries that are safe and easy to get to? For example, any place in Switzerland or Italy?
Thanks again for your help. I'll keep your company in mind if I stay a bit longer in the Chambery area or want to visit Provence.
Best regards,
Frances