Yvoire medieval village

Just on the edge of Lac Leman (also called Lake Geneva) sits the medieval village of Yvoire. It dates back more than 700 years, and is full of pretty things. And tourists. Like me. The first great thing I noticed was the absence of cars, which are banned from town. In their place: flowers. Pots of flowers line houses and businesses, while a bed of flowers planted near the pretty port form a giant peacock sitting on the grass. It’s easy to lose a whole day here, even though activities are limited. It’s all about the views, walking along the coast, checking out the antique shops, and stopping for snacks regularly. In fact, it was during an ice cream stop that I overheard the following few facts about Yvoire (according to the waiter, that is):

Facts 1 & 2: Yvoire has 1.3 million visitors per year , and 85% of them come in July and August.

What can I say? I was there during peak time, so maybe he’s right!

Facts 3 & 4: There are only 75 inhabitants within the village walls, although another 700 live around them.

Judging by the vast number of restaurants and shops selling tourist faff, I’m surprised that 75 people still want to live in the centre of town. I’m taking his word on the first of those two facts at the very least. The old, rusted tin outer layer of the church spire was replaced in 1989 with stainless steal and gold leaf, which means it’s still shining today, as pictured. It’s also very easy to spot from Switzerland, on the other side of the lake, on a sunny day. Like the church, some parts of the town really don’t look as old as they really are, but perhaps it’s just that the blemishes are hidden by all those lovely flowers. The town on a whole is very charming, and I can’t wait to go back next year — probably in July or August.