Our autumn picks
Chambéry’s Saturday market, Tome des Bauges from the village dairies, Savoie wines at harvest time and a stroll by the lake: our suggestions for the season.
Summer is drawing to a close and the area is changing pace. Autumn fruit is arriving on the market stalls, the grape harvest is ending and the herds are gradually leaving the high pastures. Here is what we are suggesting to our guests at the moment.
Saturday morning at Chambéry market
Chambéry market is held around the covered halls in the town centre, about 15 minutes from our place. Saturday morning is when it is at its fullest. In early autumn you will find local apples and pears, walnuts, squash and, before long, chestnuts. We rarely come home without diots, Savoie sausages to simmer in white wine, or crozets for a gratin with Beaufort. Go early in the morning: it is quieter and there is more choice.
Tome des Bauges at the source
Tome des Bauges, a PDO cheese made from raw cow’s milk, is produced on farms and in village dairies across the massif, including several dairy cooperatives that sell it on site. That is the best way to try it: you can choose how aged you want it, younger and mild or older and stronger. The tomes made this summer from high-pasture milk are gradually coming to maturity, so ask for them. We are happy to point you to the places we know. For more ideas, see our guide to Savoie food and markets.
Savoie wines at harvest time
As September ends, the harvest is drawing to a close in the vineyards around Chambéry. In Chignin, Apremont and Les Abymes, at the foot of Mont Granier, the slopes are starting to turn yellow. It is a good time to try Jacquère, crisp and light, Mondeuse with autumn dishes, or Chignin-Bergeron. Estates are very busy during the harvest, so call before you visit a cellar. And if you are tasting at several, choose a designated driver.
A stroll by the lake
Lake Bourget has found its calm again after the summer. One of our favourite walks follows the water in Aix-les-Bains, from the lakefront esplanade to the Grand Port, late in the day as the sun drops towards Mont du Chat on the far shore. To go further, the cycle path runs along much of the eastern shore, and we rent out e-bikes for €15 a day. Our guide to Lake Bourget has more ideas for outings.
