F S = France Sévrier? [Episode 1]

fbb's trucker chum, David, makes regular weekly trips to Eastern France ...

... to deliver assorted stuff and bring back other assorted stuff to the UK. He works a little like a European road version of a Clyde Puffer ...

... a stumpy little boat that would puff its way up and down the lochs collecting and delivering general merchandise. David, of course, drives a big blue Volvo lorry ...

... but the principle is the same. He has regular customers, of course, and occasional diversions to pastures new. His load can consist of anything from steel (UK to France) and industrial machinery (France to UK) to baby wipes (UK to France) ...

... what is imported and exported on his lorry is amazingly varied.

But often his route takes him from Ugine (off map, bottom right) ...

... on the D1508 road north to Annecy along the spectacular banks of "Le Lac D'Annecy".

The "Sévrier" ("A" on map above) of fbb's headline is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It is located on the north-western banks of Lake Annecy. It is essentially a residential suburb of Annecy.

The area is mountainous and very beautiful; full of amazing views of the peaks and rich lakeside forests. But it was a somewhat different vision of delight that caused David to jam on the anchors; pull his truck over to the side of the road and take some pictures.

Of which more in due course!

Annecy itself has a population of some 50,000 souls and a typically stylish public transport franchise operating under its own brand.

"Make the bus your natural choice". It has a typically stylish fleet, including; artics ...

... minibi ...

... and, most recently, gas guzzlers!

The fleet is modern and proud of its "green" credentials:

Les bus à grande capacité sont tous équipés de pots catalytiques, de filtres à particules et fonctionnent au gazole désulfuré. Avec un âge maximum de 8 ans, le parc de bus est l’un des plus modernes au niveau national, ce qui lui garantit de respecter les normes les plus strictes et de bénéficier des technologies les plus récentes. Les bus les plus récents respectent la norme Euro 5, la norme de référence au niveau européen, qui impose aux constructeurs des limites de pollution particulièrement contraignantes : combustion et traitement des gaz d’échappement, amélioration du niveau de performance et de fiabilité du moteur, protection durable du moteur.

If you were there in the Summer, however, you might have caught a glimpse of one vehicle that was adorned in a non standard livery.

Still operated by Sibra, this, thinks fbb, deserves further investigation.

Meanwhile, enjoy a look at Annecy's most photographed building:-

Classé monument historique en 1900, le Palais de l'Ile a été une prison, un palais de justice et un centre administratif. Il s'agit d'un édifice original dont les parties anciennes datent du 12e siècle. D'abord simple bâtiment quadrangulaire qualifié de maison forte, abritant occasionnellement la prison et l'atelier monétaire (en anglais, "mint") des comtes de Genève, le bâtiment désigné aujourd'hui comme Palais de l'Ile est un monument original du Moyen Age. Il est construit sur une île rocheuse naturelle.

Well worth a visit. And a pleasant walk from the station (top left) and its associated bus terminal; it is at this terminal that we shall start tomorrow's "upwardly mobile" blog.

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First Bus Pink Paint Job

Following hot on the heels of the gift of a bus for a travelling museum (read again) First's Bannokburn depot (as in "Battle Of" near Stirling) have painted a vehicle to support the Yorkhill charity.

First’s fundraising efforts have been inspired by the tragic case of Chloe McIntyre from Calendar who passed away aged just six weeks in 2008 due to a heart condition, truncas arteriosis. A campaign including Unite the Union raised more than £2,500 for the Chloe McIntyre Memorial Fund – the cash has been used to support the specialised Children’s Ward at Yorkhill Hospital (more correctly The Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow.)

The work of the depot and the aims of the charity are laudable indeed. Pity this effort was not matched by the geographical skills of the author of the above press release.

Calendar?

Callander, mayhap?

And pre-pink?

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 Next bus blog : Sunday 3rd November