France's Best Kept Secret - The Isere Department

As we entered France we felt a buoyancy of spirits.  Switzerland has beautiful mountains and countryside and we had an excellent visit but the temperament does not match (to us) those of the countries on the Med.  We drove on a wonderful sunny day into Haute Savoie where we briefly stopped at the large town of Annecy. This scenic spot is on Lake Annecy and is a touristic but still beautiful medieval town with a gorgeous lake.  The day was  perfect weather wise and we enjoyed an hour strolling around and sharing a large ice cream sundae.

Annecy is a popular tourist town in the Haute Savoie with good reason

Lake Annecy with the mountains in the background

The iconic view in the old town

A pretty duck lives the good life in France

Another view of the old town - note, this is not a postcard - just a photo I snapped

We shared a chocolate and caramel ice cream extravaganza

Very interesting - the Italian church in Annecy with mass said in Italian

The outside of the Italian Church - on the main square in the old town

The inside is a nice synthesis of the Italian and the more restrained Swiss style of church decor

The flowers were breathtaking

More spring flowers adorn Annecy

Pleasure boats on Lake Annecy

Driving on we entered the Savoie and then the Isere district which was to be our home for the next two nights.  We had stayed at this bed and breakfast for one night in 2012 (Montchateau) and were sad not to have longer there.  So we booked for two nights this time (although it was not nearly long enough either).  We were fortunate to have ideal weather throughout our stay in this area of eastern France.  The main city of Isere is Grenoble (to which we did not go) and the area, if it is known at all, is only really known for skiing.  But it is an amazingly beautiful and bucolic region with spectacular vistas and wonderful nature.  It is completely unspoiled and the people we met were uniformly welcoming and tolerant.  Montchateau is also an oasis of comfort for us English speakers - first, the bed is huge and soft relative to the usual hard ones in Europe.  Second, there is extensive English language TV and also English magazines and books.  Needless to say, our hosts (Hazel and Phil and there two cats) speak English flawlessly since they are from England.

Our home for two short nights - you should definitely go out of your way to stay here!

Montchateau is in the hamlet of Reyssabot, which fortunately our trusty GPS Clive recognizes.  He guided us to the place through many back roads flawlessly.

The beautiful house which is Montchateau - a hunting villa from the 1800's

We enjoyed a home cooked (but gourmet) dinner on our first evening (Wednesday) from Hazel along with some tasty red table wine.  The next morning after the bountiful breakfast we took a long walk in the lovely nearby countryside which included trying to reach a ruined castle.  We then headed on an excursion recommended by our hosts.   Along the way we saw two small but very cute deer. The excursion was to a little known road up a mountain (Mont du Chat) with tremendous views next to Lake du Bourget.  We found the road but were disappointed when, less than half way up, it was closed to vehicles.  We turned back and ended up picnicking on the lake which was splendid.  Even the parking was free!

Our welcoming and interesting hosts - Phil and Hazel Watson

Hazel outdid herself with goat cheese souffle, roast pork with potatoes, carrots and green beans

Desert was just as good as the rest of the meal - chocolate molten cake with ice cream and caramel sauce

The spacious and comforting lounge with lots of English language TV and reading materials

The porch has a glorious view but it was a bit cold to use it on this trip

View from our bathroom window - wins for best bathroom view on the trip so far!

The huge and very comfortable bed - we slept very well both nights

The rest of the room - we were too busy to turn on the TV but it could be useful for a rainy day

The view from our bedroom window which was located on the third floor

Randy enjoyed the croissants each morning

Before Hazel and Phil moved it, the place was a dog breeding and dog museum place.  Remnants of this business still dot the garden outside - here one of the sturdy dog houses with a fake Basset Hound

One of Hazel and Phil's two cats

A view from our walk on the first morning

A rustic watering trough

The ruins of the castle/mansion which Phil told us burned down during World War II

We walked through the woods to try to reach the ruin but were unsuccessful

Some wild flowers along our walk

A blooming Saucer Magnolia tree

A blooming Rhododendron bush

More wild flowers

The lawn in front of Montchateau

View of Lake du Bourget

We enjoyed our picnic of bread, fruit, chees, olive paste and wine

Panorama of Lake du Bourget

Having more time than anticipated we sought another activity and found it in visiting the interesting and historic distillery of the Carthusian monks who make Chartreuse.  The place was a great find - free parking, free tour (in English since we were the only guests) and free tastings.  The history of this liquor is fascinating and the distillery is still run by the monks who guard both the ingredient recipe and the exact production process religiously (ha, ha).  There is a hokey but still informative museum area than the tour is given which is kind of like a winery tour - you see the stills, the storage rooms, etc.  A tasting completes the experience.  While green Chartreuse is the most famous (and the most venerable) there is yellow Chartreuse and gourmet versions of each.  There is also a flight of fruit cordials.  We bought a few bottles of this pedigreed liquor and returned "home."

The only distillery of Chartreuese

The area where the stills are were on the tour but pictures were forbidden - the same with the storage areas which were huge and had enormous Russian and French barrels

The pretty main building where the free tours are originated and the museum is housed

The beginning of the museum

Yes, the museum exhibits were not sophisticated (here, a dummy monk at his library) but the museum was informative and pretty well laid out

Another hokey monk exhibit - this one of a brother brewing the elixir of life

Our tour guide, Ezekiel, was from Argentina but fell in love with a French lady and moved to France

Randy and Ezekiel discuss the elixir of life, as the liquor is known

So much to taste, so little time!

That night we chose a Michelin recommended restaurant about 20 minutes away.  The place perhaps had never seen English speaking guests before but the personnel (the chef/owner and the waiter - his son?) were friendly and did their best to make us have a good experience.  This place, La Blache, had some very nice food and we drank a relatively local wine from the Jura department, north of Isere.  All in all, we were pleased with our evening and returned to the comforts of Monchateau in a happy mood.

The restaurant nearby where we enjoyed our second night's dinner

The pink exterior is hard to miss

The obliging owner/chef brought us this to us so we could communicate with each about the dishes of the night

We drank Evian water which comes from not far away on the French side of Lake Geneva

Hmmm - what is this?  It is Alice's starter - a puff pastry enclosing a rich stew/soup of cream, escargot and wild mushrooms - only in France!

Randy's starter of cured thinly sliced pork with giant capers, olives, mushrooms and lettuce

The wine from the Jura region was nice and not too heavy

Randy loved his steak - done perfectly and large and not fatty

The cheese plate was special - the plate giving the cheese names.  We had this packed up to enjoy the next day on our picnic lunch.

Walnuts are a specialty of the region and these came with the cheese course

The chocolate terrine with chocolate ice cream

After another fulfilling breakfast we walked again, this time in the opposite direction.  We were also able to see the goats out grazing in the back of the bed and breakfast, as their property borders a goat farm.  We sadly bade goodbye to Phil and Hazel and vowed to come back for at least four nights next time.  After all, there is the Carthusian Monk's museum to see, Grenoble and its Bastille and cable car, and many other interesting and unique sights.

The happy goats behind Montchateau at the Goat Farm

A closer look at these French goats

Yes, when you go to France, seek out the Isere region.  You will not be disappointed and it might become, as it has for us, your favorite part of this country. 

A panorama from our second morning's walk

Another one - what glory

Doesn't this make you want to travel to France right now and book in at Montchateau?  Our room was in the tower part on left on the top (third) floor.