After our eventful day in Chamonix yesterday, it was time for some relaxation and fun in the sun.  We went to a beach on Lake Annecy, rented lounge chairs and enjoyed the turquoise water, mostly from the sand.  The water was cold – 21°C (69.8°F) alpine cold.  But how can one resist the temptation of swimming in such an idyllic setting, no matter the temperature?

Sophie and I were by far the bravest in the water.  Papa, Grammy and Chloe, not so much.  Papa was essentially forced to take a dip in order to keep an eye on brave Sophie, who threatened to jump into the lake by herself.  As for Grammy, there was no way she was going to miss the opportunity to swim in the cleanest lake in Europe, despite the water temperature.  And to her credit, Chloe did make it into the water before any of us, hoping to float on an inner tube without actually having to get wet.  So much for that idea.

Chloe also braved the steep slide later in the day, which she thought was fun.  But not that fun since she only braved it once. The water was too cold for her sensitive body.

After a very exhausting day at the beach in the French Alps, we had to treat ourselves to a nice meal.  We found a cute little restaurant near the apartment, and Papa and Grammy compensated for their wimpiness at the beach by winning the bravery medals at dinner.  Papa indulged in escargots, or “little Garys” as Sophie endearingly called them in honor of Sponge Bob’s pet snail.  Grammy peeled and ate jumbo shrimp, or gambas, which are traditionally served with their heads and shells intact.  Simply delicieux.