Lake Annecy France

Dr. Nick

Hi - interested has anyone been to this area in Rhone-Alps? Just about to book a campsite in the area after a few days in Paris/Disneyland/Springsteen @ SdeF (separate thread on Disneyland coming!)
Any advice welcome....

dohouch

IMHO most beautifully situated inland city in western Europe. Lived there for a month in December '89

tennis12

Beautiful place. Lakes so relaxing in summer. Lived in grenoble for a while and annecy is the retreat place from the dead heat in Grenoble as its surrounded mountains.
Highly recommend annecy

Dr. Nick

bump

Ponster

No real advise to give only that you really can't go wrong going to Annecy.

mel.b

Spent the day in Annecy and cruising the lake in 2011 and thought it would be a fantastic place to go for a family holiday - looks like there is so much to do - cycling, swimming, sailing, walking etc

nocoverart

Unnecessary bump, but WOW! just seen footage of this place on TV while watching the Tour de France. Definitely looks as beautiful as already mentioned, and in my future holiday plans for sure.

smurgen

nocoverart wrote: »

Unnecessary bump, but WOW! just seen footage of this place on TV while watching the Tour de France. Definitely looks as beautiful as already mentioned, and in my future holiday plans for sure.

Lived in Geneva for two years,Annecy is only 40 mins away and I tried to go there at least once a month!it's my favourite place I've been to so far.not alone in the scenery some of the best you'll find anywhere but there's a nice little town with great shopping,restaurants and bars,there's a Vegas style casino there too if that's your thing!

Great spot numerous times in Geneva and always get over to Annecy. Lovely town great restaurants and the lake is great to go for a boat trip on. Not far from there as well down to Chamonix which is another super spot. Well worth a trip

Poochie05

Have never been there so don't have much to add, but the TV series recently aired on Channel 4 The Returned (Les Revenants) was filmed around there and it looked stunning on film, definitely made me want to go there!

Lucena

I live in the area (broadly speaking) and whenever I have people over from Ireland, I try to bring them there. The town in itself is quite small, so if you're staying for a few days, you would need to be interested in cycling, hiking, scenery and the like. The scenery is amazing though.

animum

Lucena wrote: »

I live in the area (broadly speaking) and whenever I have people over from Ireland, I try to bring them there. The town in itself is quite small, so if you're staying for a few days, you would need to be interested in cycling, hiking, scenery and the like. The scenery is amazing though.

Hi,

I have just booked a week here in May/ June.. I am going with my 9 year old son, camping near Doussard..
I plan on paragliding, hiking, cylcling, and getting boat taxis etc. I want to do it all.
We will be flying into Geneva, can you advise me, if there is need to hire a car, or could I get by on public transport, it is just us both, and we love the trains/ buses etc, as its all part of the adventure, but if it is more convenient, safer etc. would you think that a car would be better?

Thanks for any advice you can offer. I have fallen inlove with the place, cant wait to physically arrive.

mfceiling

A beautiful place - stunning.

I don't know about public transport options as i had a car, but knowing our european friends it will be well serviced with public transport.

Try to get to Chamonix and then get the train to take you up Mont Blanc.

animum

mfceiling wrote: »

A beautiful place - stunning.

I don't know about public transport options as i had a car, but knowing our european friends it will be well serviced with public transport.

Try to get to Chamonix and then get the train to take you up Mont Blanc.

Thank you, I hope to see/travel Mont Blanc also, it looks like the place has it all.

annecy

I lived there for a year 12yrs ago have returned many times since . U wont be disappointed. Annecy hosts an annual week long animation festival I think u will just miss this but there will be a big build up so watch out for events closer to your trip time eg annecy castle usually has something on. Great for kids and adults. Enjoy!

zagmund

Sounds like Annecy is the place to go based on this thread. We're looking at heading to Tignes during the Summer, but want to spend some time elsewhere in the general area and Annecy showed up as a likely candidate.

What campsites have people stayed in? I see Doussard mentioned - was it this one by any chance - http://www.vacansoleil.ie/camping/info/france-lake-annecy/doussard/campsite-nubliere-la/VAC/5/2042006/ ?

We're looking at flying to Geneva and hiring a car but I'm still recovering from 24 hours of Zurich prices last month. I know Geneva is airport is right on the border with France, so is there some trick like walking a KM or so until you are in France and then hiring at sane prices?

z

Lucena

If you're looking at going to Tignes, have you thought about flying into Lyon? It's not much further away and car rental should be cheaper.

zagmund

Lucena - thanks for the tip. I had looked around all the airports in the region, including Lyon but Geneva came out tops this time. We can fly (with luggage) to Geneva and hire a car for 2 weeks (on the French side) for the price of flying to Lyon with luggage thanks to a bargain fare I spotted with Swiss.

z

ncmc

Just bumping this again as myself and my husband and 15 month old are spending 11 nights in Annecy at the end of August. It looks stunning and I'm really looking forward to it, I'm just wondering is it a very expensive place to stay? I know that's subjective, but my parents were in Switzerland two years ago and could hardly eat out at all it was so dear! I've heard that because Annecy is close tow Switzerland, it's more expensive than other parts of France. So just wondering what peoples thoughts were on prices for food/drink/tourist attractions? We prefer cheap and cheerful places to eat, especially with the smallie.

Any suggestions on 'must sees'? We will have a car and intend to visit Chamonix, drive around Lake Annecy and parts of Lake Geneva, but any other suggestions of where we should visit? I'm looking to see the most amazing scenery we can bearing in mind we can't hike with the baby.

annecy

Hi, how was your trip to annecy? We are going back this summer with 2 small kids, we booked europa camping in St joriaz and got amazing flight deal to Geneva with Swiss for 70 pp

ncmc

annecy wrote: »

Hi, how was your trip to annecy? We are going back this summer with 2 small kids, we booked europa camping in St joriaz and got amazing flight deal to Geneva with Swiss for 70 pp

It was absolutely amazing! We ended up extending our trip and staying for two weeks, we had an incredible time. We stayed in an apartment about 15 mins walk from the town right by the lake. The walk in on the lakeside path was beautiful. Even my car loving husband never once wanted to drive in!

We did a good bit of touring, we went to Chamonix twice and took the Tramway du Mont Blanc. We visited quite a few towns around Laje Geneva, Yvoire on the French side being out favourite. Late August was the perfect time to go, weather was lovely without being too hot and the crowds weren't as bad as high summer. We were able to swim in the lake which was lovely.

We didn't find it that expensive, probably similar prices to Ireland, but wow, the minute you crossed into Switzerland the prices jumped 60/70% or more. Definitely glad we stayed the French side of the border.

The only drawback is that we found the restaurants weren't really geared for small kids, they are old buildings and small and didn't really have space for high chairs. It wasn't a big deal as we found it easier to eat in anyway, but next time I would bring one of those portable high chairs.

We plan to go back this summer and hopefully bring my parents as I know they'd love it. Can't wait to go back, it's a wonderful place. What a great price for your flights! Must check Swiss out.

annecy

Delighted you had a great time! Its my favoyrite place on earth. Good tip on the travel booster, we are further out than that about 10k but on cycle path so we have to strap the baby to one of us and hope the bigger one able for it . Hoping to do lots of day trips too, we overlap the animation festival which brings so much buzz to the town especially love the open air cinema in the park each night. Also overlap the start of the euros so I'm sure there will be a fanzone to keep the hubby happy! I was there for the world's in 2012 when we bet Germany. Can't wait to take the trip down memory lane at my old haunts!

ncmc

annecy wrote: »

Delighted you had a great time! Its my favoyrite place on earth. Good tip on the travel booster, we are further out than that about 10k but on cycle path so we have to strap the baby to one of us and hope the bigger one able for it . Hoping to do lots of day trips too, we overlap the animation festival which brings so much buzz to the town especially love the open air cinema in the park each night. Also overlap the start of the euros so I'm sure there will be a fanzone to keep the hubby happy! I was there for the world's in 2012 when we bet Germany. Can't wait to take the trip down memory lane at my old haunts!

Sounds fab, I’m sure it’s beautiful in early summer – but then I’d say it’s beautiful at all times of the year! I notice you said earlier in the thread that you lived there for a year, are there any daytrips or surrounding areas that you recommend? We did quite a bit of touring last year but it’s always nice to see somewhere new.

annecy

I was a student so didn't have means to travel, joined a Sunday ski school in winter different resort each week soo much fun. Summer spent in the park by lake or lounging around old town on quays of river thiou. Recommend cycling around the lake and allow full day (option of car or boat trip too if can't cycle). Take in menthon saint Bernard - menthon chateau, talloires - abbey, drive up la tournette mountain view from chalet de l'aulp is amazing even better if you can do it at sunrise, roc de chere and chateau duingt. Also drive up semnoz mountain for views of annecy and mont blanc. Chamonix is a must see and I'd recommend la mer de glace tour. I enjoyed walking tour of Geneva before but that town is so expensive even mcdonalds prices are doubled! Eat in a traditional savoyard restaurant, raclette is lovely, and buy take away tartiflette from a street vendor, yum. Castles are all fab with museums inside. Id be sympathetic to the lack of child facilities as they have strict rules for modernisation but hope it has improved when you return. Market day in place st Clair is a must. If you are early riser or late drinker, haha, I'd recommend a cheeky knock on the numerous bakery's side door for some hot out of the oven bread or pastry, I've been asked in for liqueurs on many an occasion