Last month marked the 13th edition of the CilfaCyclette! Since 2006, 80 students have already taken part in this 4-day bike trip organized each summer by CILFA.

This year, eight students set out on a four-day cycling trip to explore the region: one Brazilian woman, three Japanese women, one Japanese man, one German man, one Swiss man, and one Australian man. This cheerful group was accompanied by several French people, some of whom were experts in cycling travel.

First day of the CilfaCyclette:

As it does every year, the ride started at CILFA after the morning French class. The CilfaCyclette always begins with a big picnic on the shores of Lake Annecy, and the group then cycles toward Albertville along one of the most beautiful greenways in France (with a swim break at the far end of Lake Annecy).

French as a Foreign Language is practiced intensively over these four days, as the students not only have the opportunity to speak (French 😉 ) with the French people accompanying us on this wonderful bike ride, but also to express themselves in writing in the travel journal that regularly pops out of the teacher’s bag!

On the first evening, we explored the medieval town of Conflans and had dinner there, right next to the Olympic city of Albertville.

A video that summarizes the 2017 edition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJkpSYyf9_U

Day Two:

The next day, we headed to Montmélian along bike paths and small country roads. This year, we visited a winery and asked the winemaker, Frédéric Salomon, lots of questions; he gave us a very warm welcome. https://vins-salomon.jimdo.com/

The visit naturally concluded with an excellent tasting of local wines. In the late afternoon, some students went for a swim in the campsite pool, and in the evening, everyone enjoyed a delicious barbecue.

Day 3:

The group traveled to Chambéry, passing by the magnificent Lake St. André, located in the heart of the vineyards. After a picnic and a nap, the teacher gave us a guided tour of his hometown. Twelve kilometers further on, we arrived at the Bourget-du-Lac campground, which overlooks the beach.

Last day:

In the morning, we rode along the beautiful Lake Bourget before visiting Aix-les-Bains (and its Eiffel Tower!). For lunch, we enjoyed a Savoie cheese tasting at the spectacular Pont de l’Abîme. The CilfaCyclette tour ended with a long descent to Annecy and a very warm welcome reception at the Haras.

Check out photos from the 2018 event: