Sainte Claire street

You are now on one of the city’s main thoroughfares. This was the very first street which made it possible to cross the whole of Annecy by carriage! Characterised by its arcades and its façades in ochre, almond green or pink, the street is always busy, lined with bars, restaurants and souvenir shops. If you’re looking for something to take home from your stay in Haute-Savoie, the possibilities are endless! I’ll pass on the mugs, magnets and key rings decorated with Saint Bernards, the marmot slippers and the little chimney sweeps covered in soot! The most practical gift is always the Opinel, the famous folding pocket-knife made in Chambéry! And if you want to try your hand at regional tradition and offer your guests an original way to end their meal, get a Grolle, a delicately carved wooden friendship cup with several spouts from which to drink a mixture of coffee and brandy! The town also offers a wealth of local specialties, so don’t hesitate to try local beers, Génépi (a herbal liquor made in the Alps), local sausages and the many cheeses, like abondance, beaufort, tomme, and of course reblochon, for tonight’s tartiflette. If you don’t feel like cooking, don’t worry, all the restaurants in Annecy will have that dish on offer, regardless of the season you’re in! This very comforting dish take its name from the local dialect “tartiff” wich means potatoes. It’s basically a mix of potatoes, oinions and crispy bacon, covered with reblochon cheese, a smear-ripened cheese traditionally made from raw cow’s milk. Fun fact about the reblochon, its name Reblochon derives from the word “reblocher”, which in the past meant “to milk the cow again”. This refers to the practice of holding back some of the milk from the first milking. As always, there is a story of taxes behind this habit. In the 14th century, the mountain farmers were taxed according to the amount of milk their herds produced. In order to pay as little as possible, the farmers would not fully milk the cows until after the landowner had measured the yield. The milk that came out of the second milking was much richer, and was traditionally used by the dairymaids to make their own cheese. It is known to be a smelly cheese but don’t be afraid, the taste has nothing to do with the smell! You’re gonna love it.