Chanaz responds perfectly to the typical image of an idyllic French village
The world is full of Venezia and the French department of Savoy it was not going to be less. In the, chanaz , a small town with narrow streets decorated with flowers, is in charge of receiving the honors.
Between the snow-capped peaks of the French Alps and the turquoise lakes that bathe the region of Rhône-Alpes , Chanaz shyly peeks out, one of the most beautiful and remote villages in France . The virgin environment that surrounds it makes it a true treasure rarely visited by local tourism.
chanaz is crossed by Savières canal , which was the historic crossroads to communicate the extensive Lake Bourget with the Rhône river allowing the transport of goods from the valleys to the south.
the rhone then delimited the former territories of France and Savoy until, on June 14, 1860, **Savoy became part of France** and the customs office that existed here disappeared.
Little houses piled up on the slopes of Chanaz
But Chanaz's notoriety goes back thousands of years ago , and it is that vestiges have been found in the area with more than 2,600 years old . Among them stands out the Gallo-Roman pottery that took place in the nearby Portout village. We can see samples of it in the Gallo-Roman Museum of Chanaz located in a Gothic chapel of the fifteenth century.
The importance of this historic town also encompasses its festivals and celebrations, such as the one held every last weekend in June and in which Chanaz is filled with masks on the occasion of its particular Venetian carnival.
A steep bridge built in 1989, crosses the Savières canal, welcoming us with one of the best panoramic views of Chanaz.
After crossing it, we can get lost among narrow streets decorated with stone houses.
On the side of a small hill,** an old mill is still in operation with the same original 19th century equipment**.
The stone wheel and the wooden gear system are still used as in the past to produce oils, jams and other products made with hazelnuts and walnuts as a base. on the visit , the owners show the process and offer a little tasting.
With hazelnuts and walnuts From this peculiar factory, other rich artisan products are added that are made in shops located in the upper part of the town: chocolate, tea, coffee, beer and even soap n.
Owners also offer tastings so that we leave loaded with the best flavors and smells of Chanaz.
After this delicious tasting, the restaurant Auberge de Savieres , will end up awakening our senses thanks to its exquisite menu based on local cuisine. Located on the banks of the Canal de Savières , the building in which it is located was an old inn that welcomed travelers traveling from ** Lyon to Turin **.
To complete the extraordinary proposals of chanaz , the Jongieux, Seyssel and Chautagne vineyards They will perfectly match the landscape and the cuisine of the place.
FROM CHANAZ TO LAKE BOURGET THROUGH THE SAVIÈRES CANAL
The Canal de Savières , four and a half kilometers long and approximately 25 meters wide, is one of the magical enclaves in the area, as it is responsible for uniting the rhone river with Lake Bourget, the largest in France.
Sailing down the Rhône River
In ancient times, boatmen navigated it with their rafts made of fir. It is currently used to evacuate water from the river to the lake and thus avoid possible flooding. As a peculiarity, it should be noted that the channel also flows from the lake to the river, when there is no danger of overflowing.
Touring it by boat from Chanaz will bring us closer to the history of the place in the most special way.
We can choose between three itineraries: the one that connects it with the Lake Bourge t, the one that unites it with the Rhône ascending and descending through the lock that regulates the 4.25 meter drop or a complete itinerary in which the entire canal is covered ( The Grand Tour ) .
But it is the area that reaches the lake, from Chanaz, which is of greatest interest. In it, the legends of smugglers of brandy, tobacco and gunpowder who did their tricks protecting themselves between diabolical stories.
Chanaz, or the French idyll
There are rare occasions when the occupants of the ship are not French, so the explanations of the itinerary are made in the local language. However, it will be easy to follow it through a map that indicates the key points of the route. Among them stand out barns, a boatman's house or the Chautagne nature reserve , in which they live wild boars, beavers and roe deer.
As we get closer to the Lake Bourget, we can see the Chateau de Chatillon-d'Azergues and the Hautecombe Abbey along with some small houses dotted in the surrounding hills, although fortunately the urbanization in the area is quite limited.
Lake Bourget is of glacial origin and its 18 kilometers long and three kilometers wide are home to more than 100 species of birds. Enjoy a microclimate favored by the mountains that surround it, which makes it possible for in winter it does not freeze.
Hautecombe Abbey
SLEEP ON WATER
Water is the main element of the area and the one that fills it with life. Sleeping on the water will end up enchanting our visit to this secret place in France.
This is possible in one of the ten wooden cabins of Les Ilots perched on stilts in the waters of the canal. Although if you are more adventurous, Les Ilots too offers camping spaces surrounded by the natural beauty of the environment.
Les Ilots de Chanaz