Lin Xiao quickly drove to the embassy, picked up a few people at the entrance, and together they headed towards the Alps.
With the Christmas and New Year holidays just over, there wasn't much traffic on the highways.
Lin Xiao drove very steadily. To make it more spacious and comfortable for everyone, Wang Handong lent her his family's minivan.
This Citroën minivan has a very spacious interior and comfortable seats, much like the nanny van that Wei Changfeng usually rides in.
The group couldn't hide their excitement, chatting and laughing all the way. From their conversation, Lin Xiao also learned some interesting anecdotes about the entertainment industry.
More than two hours later, we arrived in Annecy, a town on the German-French border known as "the most beautiful town in France".
This town is famous for its unique architectural style and charming lake and mountain scenery, like a pearl set in nature.
The streets are crisscrossed, the stone-paved roads meander, and the emerald green river flows around the city. On both sides of the river are colorful houses, and plants hang slowly from the wooden railings of each house's balcony, making the city quite vibrant even in winter.
Although the town is small, it has a long history, dating back to the early 10th century. Most of the existing buildings were constructed between the 12th and 17th centuries and are relatively well-preserved. The various rooftops and colorful walls give the town a fairytale-like feel.
The lakeside scenery is particularly beautiful, with snow-capped mountains in the distance and rippling water on the lake nearby, giving the whole city an ancient and tranquil atmosphere.
Annecy is more beautiful and colorful in spring, summer and autumn than in winter, but winter still has its own unique charm.
On the day Lin Xiao and his group arrived, the daytime temperature was around seven or eight degrees Celsius, the water was not frozen, and they could take a boat tour along the lake.
They chose to first stroll around the town and have a meal before taking a boat trip.
After everyone was seated at the restaurant, Lin Xiao said there was a famous French dish that we had to try, which piqued everyone's curiosity.
When the dish was served and everyone tasted it, their reactions were remarkably consistent: almost simultaneously, several people widened their eyes and asked, "Isn't this just our sauerkraut stew with pork?"
Lin Xiao laughed: "Haha, doesn't it taste exactly like our Northeastern sauerkraut? I was quite surprised when I first tasted it."
Everyone laughed, saying that this was the most familiar and least challenging dish they had ever eaten in France.
The other dishes were also quite tasty, including sausages, cheese soup, and steak. There were no strange dishes like "raw ground beef" that Wei Changfeng had ordered last time.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they strolled along the colorful town to digest their food, and finally arrived at the lakeside, where they took a boat tour for nearly an hour before setting off again.
The next destination was closer to the foot of the Alps, not far from Annecy, and we arrived after a short drive.
The town of Albertville is far less famous than Annecy, with a population of just over 10,000, but it has hosted the Winter Olympics and is considered a ski resort.
Compared to the vibrant colors of Annecy, this town is much more rustic. But it is also more tranquil and comfortable.
Everyone decided that choosing a hotel to stay in was the top priority.
The town is small, but in winter it attracts many tourists from all over France and even Europe, most of whom come for skiing. Therefore, there are plenty of places to stay, ranging from the best to the worst.
Between a luxury hotel and a detached villa, everyone chose the latter.
No matter how luxurious the hotels in this small town are, they probably can't compare to the Ritz in Paris. Since they've already stayed in the most luxurious hotels, they should experience the feeling of living in a small town at the foot of the mountain.
There are many houses for rent, and the houses vary in size. Some are rented out entirely to a family, while others are owned by the homeowner and rent out a few rooms to tourists who come to ski temporarily.
For convenience, Zhao Hui decided to rent the entire building, with each person having their own room so they wouldn't disturb each other.
We quickly chose the one closest to the ski resort, where we could see the Alps across the way from the courtyard and the windows of each room.
The mountain boasts endless snowscapes and ski runs of varying difficulty. From a distance, the people in their brightly colored ski suits appear as tiny specks on the slopes, moving at different speeds, which is quite an interesting sight.
Since everyone had just had a hearty French meal in Annecy in the afternoon, they weren't hungry. After resting in their rooms for a while, they decided to go out for a stroll.
As dusk fell, the town lights began to twinkle, creating a dazzling spectacle. Many lights also illuminated the ski slopes, resembling a dragon in flight, providing illumination for night skiers.
Wei Changfeng and Zhao Hui, who were not very good at skiing, were now looking on with great interest.
"Hey bro, let's go skiing for a bit, it's on the beginner slope," Wei Changfeng said to Zhao Hui.
"I want to ski on the intermediate slopes; the beginner slopes aren't challenging enough," Xiao Hao said.
"No, no, we're counting on you to teach us. Even if there are instructors at the ski resort, we won't understand them, haha, right?" Wei Changfeng started to coax his little assistant.
Xiaomin said from the side, "I don't want to go. I've seen a lot of videos of skiers breaking their arms and legs. I don't dare to try."
"Lin Xiao, what about you?" Zhao Hui asked.
Before Lin Xiao could speak, Wei Changfeng suddenly said, "Don't tell us that besides speaking several foreign languages, you're also a skilled skier?"
Lin Xiao laughed, looking at him provocatively, and said, "I usually ski on advanced slopes."
"Haha!" Xiao Hao burst out laughing, "Brother, look at you, you're no match for a girl in anything!"
"You're just like me, didn't you just say you could ski on intermediate slopes?" Wei Changfeng wasn't angry at his assistant's sarcasm; instead, he pouted at him playfully.
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