One of the wonders of living in Europe is being able to go on holiday and still see your home. Yet everything is different. I’ve just returned from a holiday in Savoie in France, less than an hour’s drive from my home in Switzerland, and it was easy to think I was 1,000s of miles away from home.
The wine from the area, which is not available at all at home, was splendid, as was the food. My favourite was Diots, a simple pork sausage that is divine when cooked in white wine (Savoie, of course) and onions served with polenta.
We rented a small chalet in the countryside and did what we do best on vacation. Nothing. Well, except for eating, drinking, taking afternoon naps and letting the dog run free. Of course, we did do a couple of quick little tours in the car to get a feel for the area and the people, which, in fact, were just excuses to find a nice sunny terrace and drink beer for an hour or so. With the view from our chalet being so splendid, it was just as easy in the end to bring the beer back with us and enjoy our view of the Roc d’Enfer, or Devil’s Rock, a majestic mountain above little holiday abode.
So where to next time? With so many beautiful places so close to where I live, it will probably take a forever of little holidays to discover all the wonders that are just an hour from home.
That’s the beauty of Europe, so many wonderful places just beyond your door. :D