When I first started planning my move to Switzerland I imagined wonderful crisp winters with piles of snow outside my front door. When I arrived in Geneva however I soon realised that you had to head further up the mountains to really discover this kind of magic, but fortunately there are plenty of amazing places a short drive away from where we now live in Vaud.
We were looking for such a spot this weekend and headed to Lac de Montriond in France which is one of our favourite places all year round.
We had an extra special reason for choosing this destination however as we had organised to meet Polly Studio Film & Storytelling who had agreed to capture a family video of us while were were out and about.
Generally when we are travelling around, the photos of us all together are limited to the occasional disorganised selfie so when we heard Polly’s idea to film us, we were really excited. We met her at the restaurant Le Bout du Lac and we had a hot chocolate together during which she started filming a bit to ease us in gently.
I am not especially comfortable in front of the camera so I was expecting to feel awkward and fidgety but that wasn’t at all the case. The video is mainly silent so we didn’t have to worry about what we were saying and Polly is charming and very unobtrusive so it felt extremely natural to get on with what we were doing around her.
After the obligatory 20 minutes it took to bundle everyone into their snow clothes, we set off to walk around the Lac de Montriond. It was stunning!
We were lucky enough to have chosen a crisp, dry day with lots of powdery snow underfoot and even a bit of sunshine when we set out. Jude and Alba were extremely excited and progress was very slow as they threw themselves (and each other) around in the snow and we had to keep stopping to shake snow out of collars and reattach mittens but Polly was extremely patient and brilliant with the children. Alba discovered a love of the camera and was happy to stand right in front of it pulling faces.
The circuit around the lake had been cleared of some of the snow and it’s flat so it’s a perfect place to take children for a walk if you don’t want to hire a lot of equipment. There is also a little play area which Jude wanted to explore although it was something of a challenge with snow piled up everywhere.
In the summer the lake is a popular spot for sunbathing, picnics and swimming in the shallows. We came when Elio was a few weeks old to escape the heatwave in Geneva and it’s a nice cool spot with stunning surroundings. There are hotel-restaurants either end of the lake so when we finally made it to the other side we stopped for something to eat. For those without straggling children, it’s not a long walk around the lake but there are various paths leading off it to try if you have more time.
We are utterly delighted with the video Polly produced, it’s such an incredible memento of a wonderful morning and in fact my Mum shed a tear of two when she saw it. If you are like me and wouldn't necessarily contemplate organising a full-on photoshoot, this is a really great way of getting something even better! Polly is mobile around the Morzine, Les Gets and Avoriaz areas so you can book her to capture your special moments in these beautiful surroundings. She is an extremely talented photographer and also does lots of weddings so you can be sure you are in good hands.
Following that we headed to our Airbnb in Le Biot which was a cosy converted barn in a quiet road, it was very good value for money with everything we needed and enough space for us all and very helpful hosts. There was also a restaurant within walking distance so that we could leave the car at home and finish off the day with a glass of wine.
Discover the beautiful video created by Polly :
I think of all the amazing experiences we have had the pleasure of discovering since the start of our blog, this will stand out in my mind as one of the most heartwarming, and we are so grateful to Polly for giving us such a beautiful record of it to treasure.
You can visit Polly’s website below to contact her about shooting your own family video. You won’t be disappointed!
Information
Parking : Yes both sides of the lake
Toilets : No (restaurants only)
Baby Change Facilities : No
Accessibility : Suitable for pushchairs the summer
All the pictures are from Polly !