Talloires and a waterfall

Sunday was our impromptu hike in the Semnoz forest, but we’d planned to do a real hike on Monday, as it’s been on the kids’ to-do list. 🙂  We were able to catch a bus a few blocks from our apartment for a short bus ride (20-minutes) to Talloires — a small village on the other end of Lake Annecy.

(On our way down the hill into Talloires, we saw lots of paragliders floating around above us and landing in a field close by.) 

(Bus stop view!)

(The St. Germain church in Talloires was built in 1780.  There were 3 large, elaborate tombstones along the side of it and a cemetery in the back.   

(The beach is beautiful and deep enough for a diving board at one spot.  The two splashes are from two people we watched challenge each other to go first into the cold, October water!) 

 (Couldn’t resist the quaint beauty of this sign painted on the side of a hotel.)  

After stopping in at the tourism office for suggested hikes, we headed for a waterfall — Cascade d’Agnon — which was about a 45-minute hike.  Perfect!   We hiked basically straight uphill (thank you, Trumi!) through the forest on a path covered with small rocks and boulders to step on.  Ever since our hike in Vermont a few years ago (which ended up being on really big boulders and rock that you had to pull yourself up onto), the kids always ask before any hike, “will there be rocks?”

(Taking a break on a big boulder as we head up the hill.)

Although the rocks and boulders on this hike weren’t as big, they enjoyed it and were satisfied, especially when we got to the waterfall itself.  While it was a nice wide path for a majority of our hike, close to the waterfall, there was a warning sign of a hiking boot (meaning: need good hiking footwear beyond this point) and a baby with a dotted line going from the parent to the child (meaning: watch your children).  This was the part that the kids really liked.

(Almost there…)

The path became much narrower and seemed to be cut right into the cliff; the cliff rock hovered right above our heads at some points.  For a while, we continued without any guard rails, but a straight drop down, so we kept close to the cliff side.  A few meters ahead, the guard rails began and ran along the path as it continued up and down all the way to the back of the 40 m high waterfall!

(Notice the cliff rock hanging above G and L’s heads!  L reached in to feel the water of the smaller waterfall we passed to get to the big one.)

(Is it a trunk or a brontosaurus???)

(The beauty of nature…)  

(Mike and the kids head for the waterfall…I stayed up high to take pictures…someone needed to…)    

(I’m the silhouette standing on the rock on the right.  Mike snapped this picture of me while I was taking pictures of them.)  

(The waterfall up close!) 

(On their way back from the waterfall.)

(Heading back up and out from under the cliff overhang.) 

(Time for a snack…Fanta and Pringles a tasty treat!)

(Views from our way back down the hill — the mountains, the lake, and beautiful, wide paths through the forest.)      

A great day!  “La fin!” (The end!) 🙂