I don't ski.

OK, so technically, yes, I have been skiing once. And I wasn't quite as terrible at it as I would've expected.

But in general, as much as I like the idea of it, skiing is not an activity I actively seek out.

So when I told some of my friends I was heading to Annecy for the weekend, and explained that no, I would not actually be skiing, they were all a bit confused.

But I'm here to say, that the town's natural beauty and quaint city center is reason enough to visit this town along the French Alps. Whether you're a regular ski bum or a gal like me, who prefers to sip hot chocolate and gaze at the mountains from inside near the closest fire, Annecy and its surrounding towns are a great place to travel if you're trying to escape the concrete jungle of Paris.

Annecy is located in the Haute-Savoie region in south-eastern France, and is one of the more popular tourist destinations for both French and non-French travelers, who come in droves of roughly 40 million a year to visit this beautiful area.

In addition to being known for its prime ski slopes and stunning natural landscape, Haute-Savoie is also known for its many delicious (and pretty smelly) cheeses, such as Reblochon and the famously deliciously Fondue Savoyard. And of course, like most regions in France, Haute-Savoie is known for its wine.

Among the French, the Haute-Savoie region is also known for being home to quite a prideful group of folks; there is even a tiny sector of the population that promotes the independence of the Savoie region from the rest of France - like these guys.

I happened to visit during a weekend with unseasonably warm, sunny weather - not a drop of snow to be found unless you were way up in the mountains. (Needless to say, this was fine by me.)

The sun and warmth made it all the more enjoyable when I went on my morning runs around Lac d'Annecy, which is both breathtaking in its size and its clarity. 

The second largest lake in France, Lake Annecy is known as "Europe's cleanest Lake," thanks to strict environmental regulations imposed in the 1960s.

And I'm gonna say that was a good call, because I have never in all my life seen a lake that clear. It was just plain gorgeous.

As much as I love Paris, it was amazing how much more relaxed I felt being outside of the city. It's easy to get distracted by Paris' many monuments, museums and massive crowds, and forget about things like mountains and lakes...and grass...birds chirping...you get the idea.

But in Annecy, it's impossible to ignore.

So even though I didn't get a chance to "hit the slopes" and experience all the alpine glory this region has to offer, I was still able to enjoy all the other wonderful aspects of Annecy and its surrounding towns.

I highly recommend a trip to anyone planning their next visit to France...skier or non-skier.