Une autre journée un autre lac

Today we headed to Lac Léman – or as it’s known in English Lake Geneva. This meant a new country for me and Cath – Switzerland.

The water in the lake was so clear that I could clearly see how a coot uses its feet to swim and how a great crested grebe swims underwater – it does breast stroke legs

There were plenty of boats in the harbour.

And the snow-capped mountains were never far away.

Then it was on round the lake to Evian – but not before a trip to a Swiss coffee/chocolate shop.

We drove for about an hour but Lac Léman was always there.

In Evian you can fill up your water bottle from the source for free. You just have to follow les gouttes.

The lake is 73km long so it’s no surprise it kept us company all day. Evian-les-bains is beautiful – we will definitely be back.

Faire le pont aux Aix-Les-Bains

As it was the Ascension on Thursday it was a bank holiday in France. It is common practice for most people to take the Friday off work too to get a long weekend – it is known as faire le pont. Cath and I are keen on following local customs so we ont fait le pont aussi.

We booked a couple of nights in Aix-Les-Bains – an hour-and-a-half from Lyon with a huge lake called Lac Du Bourget. It is a spa town which Queen Victoria used to visit.

As we drove along the motorway we saw the usual array of buzzards but then, nesting high up on a post next to the motorway was a white stork – la cigogne blanche – a first for me. Her babies had better learn to fly properly first time.

Aix is very picturesque and our flat was right in the centre. After lunch we set out for the lake.

This mountain peak is called the cat’s tooth

Ca sert a quoi ce truc?

Roman ruins around Lyon

Today we drove to Vienne and had a look around the charming town with its impressive Roman past and remains.

Vienne became a major Roman colony under none other than Julius Caesar and eventually became a Roman provincial capital. The Roman remains are everywhere and very impressive.

And then just across the river is a huge Roman complex at Saint-Romain-en-Gal.

Tennis pendant une vague de chaleur

Today we had tickets to the Lyon ATP tennis final at Parc de la Tete d’Or.

It’s only a 30 minute walk from the house but Lyon is experiencing a vague de chaleur – a heat wave. It was 31 degrees today.

As Parc de la Tete d’Or has a flower garden and a zoo in it, there are some great sites on your way to the court.

And the abutelon – just like ours in New Malden

The zebra and a deer of some description

The court is built on the velodrome in the park

We got to the temporary court built on the site of the velodrome.

Once in our seats we realised just how hot it was. 31 degrees with the sun directly overhead.

No doubt where the match was taking place

We were both hoping for a straight sets Cameron Norrie victory. The UK no 1 won the first but Cath had to leave – that’s how hot it was.

I stayed for the second set hoping for a swift victory- and Norrie had two match points at one stage. But he blew those and it went to a tie-break which he lost. I decided to leave then – not having too much faith in Norrie. But I should have had more because he won the decider in double- quick time, 6-1.

It was a great day – hot but great. Nice to see Lyon putting on such a well-organised event.

Lovely jubilee

One thing I noticed while in London were the preparations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Last time I saw bunting like this in Putney was 1975

Despite having worked at the BBC for years I am so grateful that now in Lyon the royal celebrations will not loom quite so large.

My gift at last

I had to pop back to London for a meeting at Euronews’s London office – which is this:

And not this:

While in London I made new Euronews friends and also saw my sons and dad as well as some former BBC colleagues.

Speaking of my ex-colleagues you may remember they bought me a leaving gift in January.

Unfortunately, because they bought it on the Printemps UK site the goods could only be delivered to a UK address.

So I finally got to pick it up and with the weather the way it was in London on Thursday, the timing was perfect. Merci beaucoup.

So back to Lyon with the bare essentials.

Scenes from La Confluence

Some Vélo’v’s this morning had adverts for le train on them. Pointing out it’s a long way to Paris by bike seemed a bit unfair just over a month before the Tour de France.