Tennis Eden Parc, Annecy: Peak performance

My only criteria when booking a holiday this year was that it had to have a tennis court. I'd made the reservation months ago, in the heady days before quarantine requirements, mask wearing and social distancing, when the main inconvenience was fitting in around my husband's work schedule in a summer packed with sporting events - Euro 2020 and the Tokyo Olympics - both of which were postponed. The only property I could find in France for the last two weeks in August was here in Annecy so I snapped it up. By the time the holidays arrived, after enduring the heatwave through the dog days of July and the start of August in Paris, we were desperate to get away. In my desire to find somewhere to play tennis, I hadn't given much thought to the location - this apartment ticked the most important box with access to two tennis courts and also a pool, but its most stunning feature turned out to be a wraparound balcony with breathtaking views across the lake and mountains. Annecy has spectacular views in every direction and there is plenty to do and see when you are not on court. 

In  photos the Eden Parc courts looked like clay, but in fact they are a surface known as OmniCourt - a type of synthetic grass with a sand top-dressing, which needs to be swept after each session to redistribute the sand. The ones at Eden Parc are extremely well-maintained, clearly marked out with excellent nets and we found the surface pretty much perfect - a nice even bounce, soft underfoot and just the right amount of slide for an enjoyable game. Temperatures have been scorching - up to 36C on some days - but even after an overnight downpour the court was soon ready to play on and quickly dried off. My only quibble would be the lack of shade - the rapidly shrinking shadow of a couple of trees had us creeping up to the net for some respite or lingering in a back corner collecting balls. We needed plenty of water to get us through our daily two-hour matches and some judicious moving of the court-side seats to for a break in the shade when we changed ends.

There's no problem with availability - no need to reserve (though there is a sheet to book a slot) - in fact we've been pretty much the only people playing. Possibly it's too hot for the locals - only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun - they are more likely to be found social distancing round the pool. Personally I find two hours of tennis with the mountain views sets us up perfectly for a day of messing about on the lake or heading up the mountain (and jumping off in the case of the kids, who are keen to try paragliding). Highly recommended for tennis enthusiasts (and Annecy's not bad either).

Tennis Louis Lumière: Rallying after the Covid crisis

Encore on court: return to tennis after a long lockdown break

After two months of lockdown in France,  the tennis courts are finally open again. If ever there were a  game that allowed social distancing then surely tennis is it (especially singles), but the public courts were not among the first things to reopen. The Covid crisis also means I've missed my annual birthday week visit to Roland Garros (postponed until September) and there is no Wimbledon to look forward to either - cancelled altogether.
A cheering game of tennis was just the ticket to blow away the coronavirus cobwebs and start getting back to normal, so I booked a court at Louis Lumière, close to home  - with no requirement to take public transport.  There are two excellent refurbished courts  (numbers 2 and 3), but court number one has yet to be upgraded and seemed to be an access route to the open air gym at the far end today, with a steady stream of body-building types carrying weights, heading in that direction.
There was a one way system to enter the sports centre with hand gel provided and the now ubiquitous queueing markers to space out those waiting to check in at reception. The changing rooms were closed, but the loos were open and there was a tap to refill water bottles.
I've missed playing tennis, especially as the spring weather has been so consistently fabulous since we locked down in mid-March. Unfortunately my efforts at keeping fit (in front of the TV with Body Coach Joe Wicks) have led to a knee strain so I was taking it very easy. I was damned if was letting anything get between me and my return to the court, though  at times it felt as if I was channeling my late dad who as he got older, with knee bandages on both knees, relied on crafty ball placement rather than speed around the court. I left my son (and tennis partner) to do the running and astonishingly, despite my handicap, we won the first set 6-1.
Not wishing to tempt fate I sat the rest of the session out. We have booked a holiday home with a tennis court in Annecy from mid August and plan to play every day for a fortnight so I need (kneed) to be in top shape for that.
It felt good to play - and dare I say it, but my knee feels better for it!