Gypsy in Wonderland

We are at the ticket counter at the Jardin du Cinq Sens (Garden of the Five Senses) at Yvoire. I stutter out a few words in french indicating that I would like to buy tickets. " Would you like to pay in Swiss Francs or Euros" replies the girl beind the counter, to our amazement, in English and with a smile. She informs us that there will be a brief introduction before we enter the garden.

There are other people scattered around the hall, also waiting to get the introduction. An older French woman, clearly the person in charge, sweeps into the room and calls for all those who want to listen to the intro in French. No response. "En Allemand", she asks, after a disbelieving pause. An old couple from Zurich raises their hands. "Alice will give you the English introduction" she gestures curtly towards the friendly girl who sold us the tickets.

All the people in the hall file towards Alice. The couple from Zurich follow suit. " We are ok with English" shrugs the old gentleman.

After a look that indicates that we were all a bunch of disgusting worms recently crawled out from beneath a rock, the French organiser departs, leaving us with Alice.

This is not the only surreal experience we have in Yvoire. The spooky feeling of having stumbled into Wonderland, or a set of one of Tim Burton's films persists throughout the trip.

The garden that we explore is a creation of the d'Yvoire family, a kitchen garden that has evolved into a work of art. We see the Venus flytrap, we smell curry and bubblegum alongwith roses and lavender. We sit quietly on a secret bench in the cloistered garden and watch people wander in and out.

Outside the garden, we wander along the walls of a medieval town. We see little gardens growing giant pumpkins and apples. We discover lanes that lead to a waterfront on the lake. We  see a medieval castle on one side, and a church tower covered in steel and gold (almost minaretlike) on the other. Almost as if from thin air, bags of bric a brac and souvenirs materialise in our hands.

A few hours later, at home, we survey the spoils of the afternoon.We are several francs poorer, ("but culturally richer", I insist).

The jury is still out on how soon we can repeat this magical experience.

(Yvoire has been voted one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France. We also enjoyed browsing at Equinoxe and Boutique Maxime)