Aix-Les-Bains
France > Alps > Aix-Les-Bains
AIX-LES-BAINS train station is on the western edge of town, just off boulevard Président Wilson, from where it's a brief stroll up avenue Charles de Gaulle into the centre. the town has been one of France's premier spa resorts since the eighteenth century, with a wealth of elegant architecture, recalling Aix-les-Bain's Belle-Époque heyday, when high society from across Europe dropped by to relax and take the waters – Queen Victoria, calling herself the "Countess of Balmoral" made several incognito visits. These days, it's a sedate and genteel place, particularly popular with French pensioners, who descend on the town en masse throughout the year for state-funded thermal treatments, though unless you're after a mud-bath or a glass of sulphurous water, the main draw today is the magnificent Lac du Bourget, 3km from the centre of town and the largest natural lake in France. Rising above Aix is Mt Revard (1550m), a vast plateau, made up of gentle meadows and forests, offering a range of trails for ramblers and cyclists, while it is also one of France's finest cross-country skiing areas.the town centres on place Maurice Mollard, where you'll find the monstrous Art-Deco Thermes Nationaux and the tourist office (April–May & Sept daily 9am–12.15pm & 2–6pm; June–August daily 9am–6.30pm; tel 04.79.88.68.00, www.aixlesbains.com), which is built into the well-preserved shell of a Roman temple, itself containing a small museum (same times; free), housing a collection of Roman sculpture and other oddities. Just outside, meanwhile, is another grand Roman remnant, the Arc de Campanus, a rare funerary monument from the first century BC. Also in the town centre, you'll find the elegant Parc Thermal, laid out with brilliant flowerbeds, ancient trees and a fountain, as well as a 300-seat outdoor theatre, which hosts a variety of events during the summer months. The compact warren of pedestrianized streets that makes up the old town lies right opposite, while to the north, at 10 bd des Côtes, is the Musée Faure (Mon & Wed–Sun 10am–noon & 1.30–6pm; €3) where a small but important collection of Impressionist art is on display. Around 3km west of the town centre, along avenue du Grand Port, lies the Lac du Bourget, a place of great beauty, connected to the River Rhône by the Canal de Savières, a protected wildlife reserve and home to the now scarce European beaver. "Nowhere could one find such perfect concord between water, mountains, earth and sky", enthused the French writer Balzac, and it's clear what attracted him, and so many other poets and artists to this place. The Côte Sauvage rises precipitously above the sparkling blue water on the lake's west bank, dominated at its southern end by the looming presence of the Dent du Chat (1390m), while further along is the picturesque Abbaye d'Hautecombe, the final resting place of many members of the royal house of Savoie, including the last King and Queen of Italy. There are daily sightseeing cruises on the lake between March and November (€10.10–17) as well as more expensive lunch, dinner and evening cruises. For details and tickets, contact the Bateaux du Lac du Bourget office at the port (tel 04.79.88.92.09, www.gwel.com). Aix-les-Bains has almost a hundred hotels, though as it's a busy, year-round resort town, advance bookings are advisable. For a taste of real fin-de-siècle elegance, try the Astoria, 7 pl des Thermes (tel 04.79.35.12.28, www.hotelastoria.fr; €70–85), while a cheaper but equally comfortable option is the more modern Agora, rue de Chambéry (tel 04.79.34.20.20, www.hotel-agora.com; €55–70). The basic Beaulieu, 29 av Charles de Gaulle (tel 04.79.35.01.02, fax 04.79.34.04.82; €40–55), is handy for the train station, while if you want to be nearer the lake, the friendly Davat, 21 chemin des Bateliers (tel 04.79.63.40.40, www.davat.fr; €55–70) is a good choice. There's an equally broad range of restaurants; one of the best is Le Manoir, 37 rue Georges 1er (tel 04.79.61.44.00), with excellent gourmet menus starting at around €25. At the cheaper end, the buffet-style Casino Caféteria, 8 rue du Casino, offers good value, with meals from around €7, and Le Campanus, 11 rue de Revard, serves good plats from €8. One of the most relaxing places to enjoy a coffee or an apéritif is La Rotonde, a very pleasant outdoor café in the Parc Thermal. Internet access is on hand at Cyberspace, 8 rue de Chambéry (Mon & Wed-Sun 10am-8pm).
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