For the last couple of years I have spent my holidays seeing Europe by train and trekking to gorgeous little towns around France and Italy. One of my particular favourites has had to be the town of Aix-Les-Bains, nestled quietly next to the towering Alps and the beautiful Lac Du Bourget in France.
The weather here can be changeable and on the couple of occasions I have visited it has been prone to some quite fantastic thunderstorms! More specifically after our arrival it seemed to pour with rain as soon as we’d walked into the hotel lobby! We also had a bbq one evening which resulted in a quick dash inside when the first spots of a heavy shower started to plop onto our plates.
For those who are keen cyclists the location is perfect and the nearby Chambery is the finishing point for Stage 9 of the 2017 Tour De France. Routes close to Aix-Les-Bains include Col Du Chat and the renowned Mont Du Chat, for those who would like more of a challenge and is also to be featured on the 2017 Tour de France.
For those who like to explore on two feet, I recommend taking a trip down to Lac Du Bourget and what better way to get there than by miniature train which leaves the Hotel De Ville throughout the day. This is a perfect way to see the town – the commentary is mostly in French – but it is still wonderful to see the beautiful scenery on the way down to the lakeside. Once by the lake you have the opportunity to walk for miles, there are lovely areas to sit and relax as well as wonderful bars and restaurants which I’m sure would be open in an evening to watch the world go by.
Although there are not many chain stores here, it is a beautiful town to stroll around at a leisurely pace, visiting the various independent stores. I bought some stunning shoes in one of the stores – a gorgeous pair of pastel coloured wedges. I had a wonderful morning enjoying some retail therapy and planning my dream French maison!
If you are looking for a fabulous hotel in which to base yourself for the duration of your stay then definitely take a look at the Golden Tulip. With recently refurbished spa facilities it is the perfect place to relax and rest those aching feet from all that retail therapy. The large bar and reception area is perfect for chilling out – reading a book or catching up with the latest on the Tour De France on their widescreen TVs.
If you are looking for a town where you can truly practice your French. This is the place to go. I had quite an experience in a French lingerie shop where as it happened I had a brief lapse in remembering any French bar the words ‘tres chaud’ and manically trying to mime how hot the weather was outside.. fortunately the two French ladies were extremely excited about the fact that I was even attempting to speak their language – a very amusing experience by both parties involved!
Becky
Pretty & Petit
To celebrate the release of Cinderella we visited the Cinderella exhibition in London’s Leicester Square presented by Swarovski. This free exhibition presented both the costumes and the props from the set giving a real behind-the-scenes look into how the film was made. 
1.7 million Swarovski crystals were used to add extra sparkle to the costumes. They also produced the iconic glass slippers that were used in the film which sparkled with a rainbow of colours. 
There were also beautiful illustrations around the exhibition to show the full design process of the costume creations. 
The film has also inspired a collection for MAC, including shimmering eyeshadows, pearl powders and nude enchanting shades of lipstick and tinted lipglass. The packaging is reflective of Cinderella’s beautiful pale blue ball gown. 
Cinderella is in cinemas nationwide now! Becky at Pretty & Petit
I wore this outfit for the Friday evening negotiating comfort with my new fabulous pink wedges from Primark that I had picked up earlier on in the day – how cute are they!
After a relaxing Saturday morning we spent the afternoon at an amazing vintage tea rooms – 
We saw a couple of hen parties head down to a “party room” where they had opted to get their hair and make up done in a vintage theme which looked like a fun optional extra! After enjoying our delicious afternoon tea and glasses of prosecco we ventured into the boutique next door which sold loose tea and a range of fabulous vintage dresses and accessories.
Saturday evening was spent in Slug and Lettuce in the city centre. We had arranged a cocktail making lesson followed by a wonderful buffet. We learned how to make mojitos and cosmopolitans and were able to consume anything that we created!! The staff and our host were absolutely fantastic and we couldn’t fault them at all! Highly recommended for a fun, girls night out!
