The car rounds a sharp corner

and our driver, Laurence, pulls over and leaves the car running. ‘Usually, at this point, I stop and show you the beautiful view of the lake and the mountains beyond,’ she says, a slight hint of remorse in her voice. Laurence points to the right: ‘The Rhé´ne River, if you could see it, enters from the east and exits the lake by the west, just over there.’ Already our drive from the Bellegarde train station has been full of tantalizing views of snow-topped mountain peaks and rushing river valleys full of quaint and picturesque French Alpine villages. But alas, our first views down the sloping valley to the beautiful Belle Époque town of Ãƒâ€°vian les Bains is shrouded in a creamy white covering of cloud.