The département Ain (01) in France is barely known. Even our friends in Geneva – an one-hour ride away -haven’t explored this region. We came across this beautiful landscape after having seen the movie “Le renard et l’enfant” (“The fox and the child”). Luc Jaquet shot the movie mainly in the surroundings of the Plateau du Retord where we stayed for one week. The landscape is fantastic: panoramic view on the Alps from the Col du Grand Colombier, hidden highlights to be discovered along the rivers, meadows full of various flowers and a incredible diversity of butterflies. Whoever is interested may first have a look at the tourism office of Valromey Retord.
  
The Lac d’Annecy where we enjoyed again sunny days during the second week is also a lovely place. Annecy has a wonderful old town worth more than a visit. The mountains which surround the lake offer a perfect ground for hikes and are a paradise for paragliders. My children particularly appreciated the four-hour hike on a overhanging path (Grand Balcon Nord) from the Montenvers station to the Plan de l’Aiguille station in Chamonix.