On the second evening of stay in Aix-Les-Bains, at the Bristol hotel, about which I have already written impressions here (see impressions), I could not resist and I went quickly to a nocturnal walk through the little provincial town. But only the provincial can not call it, not the way we perceive, the Romans, the term "provincial city."
Aix Les Bains is located in the Savoie region, very close to the azure Bamboo Lake at the foot of the French Alps. It is the place where thermal springs always come from. These have been known since the time of the Romans who came here and made those curative curative water cures. The city-resort has earned a well-earned place and international reputation for these health-friendly thermal waters. Today, there is an important center in balneotherapy, where all kinds of treatments are based on these thermal waters.
Bourget Lake offers all its clean and quiet waters, leisure; so for. swimming, fishing, sailing, water skiing, enjoying a cruise on the blue stretch, so good mood all the way to a superior level of quality.
The small provincial town is an authentic jewel of this area, a true paradise for rest and relaxation. Here, there is also the temptation and beauty of the lake water, bordered wonderfully by the coolness, the clean and highly ozonated air of the high peaks of the Alps.
Once out of the hotel, where should we go first ?! where we have seen more people, hop on us. And so, taking Avenue Victoria, I quickly discovered a beautiful, quiet, but still life-filled world. Everywhere there are restaurants with terraces and cafes arranged and lighted enchantingly, with a thin, calm world, I have not heard a voice shout more noisy. And the cars seemed to move silently and I saw enough on the broader or narrowest streets of the small town. It was a delightful delight in our walk in the semi-pedestrian center of the city, but also in the busiest or quieter streets.
Even at that late evening, I managed to distinguish something special in this French provincial town, namely, most (if not all) buildings are painted white. I know that the contrast between the dark but clear blue of the night and the white buildings strongly tinted by the lights of the city caught my attention. And that's how I left myself with that delightful charm that has continued as the city has unveiled its appearance in our journey. I never felt the tired fatigue accumulated after an exhausting day at Chamonix, and I left myself with the wave of pleasure to continue my walk ... Beginning with me, I was bothered, she was tired, so it was, but eventually she quickly left a spell of what she saw in this town.
Yes, so, in our walk we only saw relaxation, pleasure, beauty and good mood in the city lighted more or less on every street, every shop window, every restaurant or just a small but cocheta terrace , placed either more discreetly by the rush of the broad streets or even on the clean sidewalks, well-decorated with all kinds of flowers and full vegetation. There are bars and discos, fun at the discretion, but all made with great sense ... or at least we so perceived life here at those hours of the evening.
In our walk on Rue du Casino I immediately met the most important piece, I say, of the town: the large, elegant building and an impressive architecture of the Grand Cercle Casino. So it's a provincial town, but it has an impressive casino. I just wondered what it looks like on the inside ?! because the outside is super ok! ... But the temptation and especially the curiosity pushed us even to the big entrance door with a discreet announcement: the entrance was 35 euro / person. and included a main course dinner, dessert, wine and coffee and 10 euro in chips. play at the Pocker casino, English roulette, Black Jack or mechanical machines. Inside the casino there are several restaurants, bars and discos. Exciting, damn it!
The next day I learned from a guide that in his wing, the casino hosts a French-style romantic theater. What can be more educative, more charming and exciting that money is lost or lost, there is a particular place where only culture, culture is won.
We also stopped in front of the casino to look at it, because we had something to admire; the building consists of three U-shaped bodies. In front there are several stairs of white marble, impeccable and on one side and the other on the steps are some palm trees, a splendor, which, in my opinion, also embellishes give the place exotism.
On the sides we admired the two artesian fountains, which had some color-changing spots inside, making the jets of water shine in those color shades. Superb this multicolor light game among the infinite water droplets. Behind the casino there is a Japanese garden, of rare beauty, located in the heart of the small town.
On returning to the hotel, passing through the casino, we also managed to see some good world coming in and out of it; some ladies in long dresses and gentlemen "equipped" in a 4-needle suit. Deh, the thin, big expense is, is not it?! ... And we were just a tired head, we were looking at what the real world is, respecting but respecting, I say!
In our walk we came to see the town hall building, somewhat modest compared to all other buildings. But I found out that this building is very old, since the 16th century, being initially a small feudal castle. I really liked the floral abundance of every window here; there were flower gardens all over the place, which really embellished the town hall and gave it a cheerful and alive air. The Town Hall is set in a small square, even called the Town Hall Square, which has a beautiful, well-groomed park full of vegetation and several lighted statues. I managed to distinguish in the dark of the night a rest of a stone gate, called the Campanus Arch, a living testimony of the Roman remains in these places, like the Temple of Diana, located in that park on the town hall market. Nearby I also saw the Moroccan fountain, another richness of the art and beauty of this province city. In the center there is the spa center, where a very old stone plate is written: Place des Thermes ...
Aix-Les-Bains has many beautiful showcases of various boutiques, with all sorts of products, clothes, shoes, perfumes, confectioners with all sorts of chocolates or whipped cream, tempting evil, and many others with all of us kept their eyes on us. for a few moments.
Very many chic terraces at every corner of the street; I then picked up another park where a band was playing live, but I could not stand listening. The next day we had a crusade, with other counter-timing trips, and we needed a few hours of sleep.
We have passed many gorgeous hotels, none like architecture, but all embrace the same fine, elegant, refined, good French world of good, good French air.
We also reached the railway station of the town; here a real silence, like a place special for the downtown. At some point we just woke up on that street. I did not know how to get back to the lights again.
And we've been able to see that this Aix Les Bains has a university center, a large, modern building with a wonderful park in front, surrounded by tall white columns, which gave me the feeling that I would be in a beautiful, an outdoor amphitheater.
The whole city abounds in the green, the secular trees have rich crowns, everywhere we have seen flowers laid on the sidewalks, in large pots, a beauty.
As a conclusion easier to remember: Aix-Les-Bains is a French town close to the border with Switzerland, a garden town, bathed in nature by its blessed position by a lake and the high peaks of the French Alps; is a city where the Belle Epoque architecture is at home, by witnessing the facades of most of the buildings discovered in many villas, luxury hotels, as we have seen "Splendid, Royal" or "Bernascon", some real palaces, which dominates the urban landscape and pulsates the rich and cosmopolitan clientele. Or ultra-modern, as we did so, we can see the "Radisson" hotel overnight. Aix Les Bains is the place with a glorious past, with its wealth of heritage and long-lasting tradition in the breezes with the blessed thermal waters abounding in Lac du Bourget. The city also has museums such as Faure Museum for. art lovers, who host works of impressionists such as Degas, Cezanne, Pissaro and others as the second largest collection in France with Rodin's works; another museum is the Lac du Bourget Aquarium; or the theater of the city (besides the one in the casino), with a majestic building that I managed to shy about in a nocturnal picture and many other places undiscovered by me but definitely worthwhile to know.
If you come here or around, do not hesitate to run and run to this place and visit it. I say it's worth it.
What's more, I liked Aix Les Bains. It's a shame we did not know him better for the day. In the morning we went quickly, on some of the streets we crossed us a few hours ago. We head to the Thonon area of Lake Geneva towards Montreux. But that's another story ...