Off the beaten track in Savoie Mont Blanc, France

Looking for a slice of unspoilt France? Then it's not a bad idea to settle down in Savoie Mont Blanc. In fact, the Riviera des Alpes is a popular holiday destination, especially for winter sports and cycling enthusiasts who come to make the most of the stunning scenery with the unapproachable Mont Blanc in the background. But there is more. - TEXT HARALD KOLKMAN & MAGDA VAN DER RIJST | IMAGE HARALD KOLKMAN, SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Driving towards the south of France, before passing through Lyon, I take the exit to the A46 and wind my way through the countryside, eventually ending up in Aix-les-Bains on Lac du Bourget. This region, the Pays de Savoie - also called Savoie Mont Blanc or Savoy - is a nature-rich region in the western Alps, comprising the French departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie. The region's name refers to the historical region of Savoy, which was part of the independent Alpine state of Savoy until 1860 and still has its own regional character. The ancient capital Turin is an hour's drive away. Unlike historical Savoy, the term Savoie Mont Blanc is still relatively young and has only been in use for about 40 years.

Spa

Aix-les-Bains is a delightful French town on Lac du Bourget. It grew into a popular spa resort for royalty and the wealthy during the belle époque. Treatment at spas was part of the insurance package in France for many years. When this changed some 20 years ago, demand for spas declined. The beautiful hotels remained, but increasingly became vacant. Now many hotels have been converted into flats. Fortunately, the old chic has been preserved. Tip: dine at Michelin-starred Lamartine restaurant. They serve the most delicious local wines and you have a great view over Lac du Bourget.

Lost

I don't spend the night in the city. I do so on the banks of Lake Bourget, just across the road from Aix-les-Bains. La Turquoise Egarée is the B&B of Elisabeth and Philippe Cane. Égarée means 'lost': a French writer once wrote that Lac du Bourget, the second largest of the three big lakes in this region after Lake Geneva, was so beautiful that you could get lost in it. Elisabeth and Philippe have transformed an old house into a bed & breakfast with three guest rooms. Have breakfast in the living room.

Small & fine

If you travel through Savoie Mont Blanc, you cannot avoid wine. In shops and supermarkets, the shelves are full of it and the bottles bearing the coat of arms of Savoy stand out. Names like Apremont, Chignin, Abymes and Roussette appear on the label, but do not immediately ring loud bells even among wine lovers. In fact, you rarely see the wines outside the region. That too is what makes this area so fun, so quirky and unique. Although viticulture is on the rise, Savoie provides at most half a per cent of France's total wine production. With its cool climate and mountain formations, the jagged region remains a challenge to grow grapes. Here, there are no vast sites with endless rows of vines. The vineyards are scattered here and there, often on steep slopes, sheltered from the cold and taking full advantage of the sun. Small and fine applies to Savoie Mont Blanc as a wine region.

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