I once went to learn French for the phrase C’est la vie, and I once watched a lot of French movies for the phrase C’est la vie. Perhaps the reason for this fascination is that C’est la vie is a bit like me, which has always been spontaneous and easy-going.
Maybe a lot of the time C’est la vie is said just to ease the feeling of helplessness. But in the next town I’d like to introduce, I’d like to say C’est la vie, C’est la paradis, and how much worse could it be than the Garden of Eden?
This bewitching medieval French town of flowers is called “Ivar” and is situated on the shores of Lake Leman, across the lake from the Swiss town of Nyon.
It was in 1959 that the French government created the ‘town (city) of flowers’ competition to beautify or improve the appearance of a town with flowers and plants, to protect the natural environment to better welcome visitors and to boost the local economy.
The award levels are “one flower”, “two flowers”, “three flowers” and “four flowers” –The highest accolade, the Four Flowers, is an example of the most beautiful countryside. And Ivar is the town with the four flowers.
Flower town logo
The criteria for the award are very strict: 50% for the town’s natural beauty and botanical heritage, 30% for the efforts of the local authorities to improve the living environment and protect environmental health, and 20% for the value added by tourists, educational development, citizen involvement and sensitivity. The local government’s efforts to improve the living environment and protect environmental health account for 20%.
We will now take a stroll into the town.
The entrance to the town is very narrow and cannot be entered by car, so visitors navigate on foot. There is a self-parking area on the outside of the town, where cars are mainly parked for an hourly fee.
As you enter the town, you will be greeted by the scent of flowers.
The town of Ivar, formerly a small fishing village, is protected by a high walled town. Most of the town’s well-preserved buildings are built of stone, hence the name Stone Town.
As a famous French tourist town, it is full of tourist shops, galleries, ice cream parlours and small restaurants. Each one has its own unique character.
Each hotel is surrounded by flowers and quietly awaits the visitor.
In front of many of the shops there are fat ladies touting for customers.
The town has a five senses garden with a labyrinth inside. Here, visitors can experience the plants through the senses of smell, touch, sight, hearing and even taste.
At the end of the street is a small church, where the sun shines through the stained glass windows.
From the entrance to the church, you can see the small fishing port of Ivar. This is used by the locals. There is also a commercial harbour where the ferries stop.
Swans, ducks and cats, what a harmonious view.
The building in the distance is an old church, but it’s not open and you can feel the rich history just by looking at it.
After the town, wouldn’t you all love to live there for a while yourself? C’est la vie, C’est la paradis~
