My Lake Annecy

What is so nice about visiting Annecy in winter is that although I don’t ski, there seems to be an abundance of things to do as well as my favourite pastime of reading!  Nothing to re-energise yourself like sitting on a mountain in the sun with a hot chocolate and cosying up in a blanket with a good book!

My husband is a keen skier and for him the choice of where to go is vast, as there are ski resorts all around Annecy itself.  These are a little smaller than your average Val d’Isere hotspots (although we have been known to travel to Tignes and Val a few times!), but still well equipped and offering good restaurants and facilities, ideal for both our palates! My husband’s favourites are La Clusaz and Megeve, but there are many other ski resorts nearby. If you browse this blog you will find all the nearby ski resorts. I am sure my husband has been going on about them in his own blog posts.

Of course, after sunning yourself for a while watching all the snow sports around you, it’s time to do some exercise of your own!  There are some lovely walks around the Lake itself with plenty of stops along the way to have a coffee.  For those who enjoy cycling, there are cycle paths to make the whole experience not only safer but much more enjoyable.  Simply cycle around and feel the fresh air and take in the breathtaking landscape, mountains all around, and of course the lake itself standing still and majestic at this time of year.

One of my favourite spots that I particularly like to go to each time I am in Annecy, is Col de la Forclaz or , a sight high up with 2 restaurants.  In the summer, it’s a great place to see the paragliders taking off while sampling some local aperitifs, but in the winter, the surroundings take on an enchanting presence.  The road to Col de Forcaz is a winding one to say the least, but it is well worth it, especially when you see the lake in its full glory.

So, after all the shopping, (Annecy Old Town is only a stone’s throw away wherever you stay in Annecy), walking, cycling or simply sightseeing is done- it’s back to the relaxation with that book, under the blanket with that sun on your face, BLISS!

Oh what fun it is being a vegetarian in France! Well, my first trip to Annecy was great, all but the dining experience! I had dreamt that all I had read on great French cuisine would await me, I was very wrong! There isn’t much variety in anything without meat and it’s niggly way of getting into things that you would never have imagined… lardons! In vegetables, potatoes, anything goes really. The most frightening word in my vocabulary when it comes to my frequent trips to lake Annecy.

Well, as I said, that was my first trip, now I am more confident with my choices as it’s just a matter of learning. Sans lardons, sans poisson and sans carne, things without meat etc work very well as the chefs really don’t like to alter their menu!!

My favourites are tartiflette, which is a creamy potato baked dish, scrummy, but again beware as it is mostly with lardons and pre-made, so best ask the waiter/ess. The only thing is you can’t get away from cheese in most meals when dining out, even pizzerias obviously, so one thing I try to do before my stay in Annecy,  keep off the stuff! Even vegetables rarely make an appearance on the menu, because they live on green salad – strange because at all the supermarches, the shoppers have leeks in their baskets, yet to appear on any menu? They have lentils and green beans occasionally, but sadly the lentils contain ham and the beans are cooked in goose fat. So annoying!

The best thing that has happened is that we now own a house, where I can delight in France’s amazing vegetables of all shapes and colours from the bustling markets or the supermarches. It’s hard to decide when my favourite season would be as in Spring the vegetables are all earthy and vibrant but in the Summer you have fruits that taste so different to those in England, it’s hard to imagine being the same fruit!

Well, lastly I would hope that I have not put you off visiting lake Annecy or France because it truly is worthwhile, even being a vegetarian! Just be well equipped with the knowledge that it may be difficult, but sticking to what they do have on the menu and adapting it would be the best advice. There will be an abundance of fresh salads that you can have, goats cheese being one that they often serve, in any season. If all else fails and you crave some variety as you may be staying like me, for 3 weeks or longer, you may want to rent somewhere, and you can be your own chef and shopper, great fun.

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July is the start of the peak holiday season on lake Annecy. With average temperatures normally well above 30C it offers everything you would expect from a true summer holiday. A clear, blue alpine sky, warm temperatures well into the night, outdoor dining and all the water based activities you can imagine. Enjoy one of the many beaches and a cold drink in one of the many lakeside restaurants and bars.

If fresh water sports are your passion, you will be in for a real treat. From early morning swimming, afternoon sailing or late evening water skiing, the lake got it all. The entire region comes to live and there is an abundance of outlets providing you with whatever water sport equipment your might require. Waterskiing, wake boarding, sailing, kayaking and diving are amongst the most popular water sports. You can also hire all kind of boats including speedboats.

Even if water sport is not your thing you can enjoy one of the many trail around and nearby the lake, perfect for cycling, hiking or even just a gentle walk.

The many villages along the lake come to live with fetes, festivals and weekly farmers markets. You will find something in the calendar on most days and if you are willing to make the effort you will be able to experience the traditional nature of this unique French region.

Talloires lake front lake Annecy

Lake Annecy also boasts on of the world’s most famous hang- and paragliding sites. It is a truly spectacular sight, watching all the colourful gliders in the sky. If you dare you can even enjoy a tandem flight for as little as 80 Euros. Both Talloires and Doussard are used as a base for many paragliding schools and tandem flight operators. Just pass the landing site in Doussard, have a drink, watch the spectacle unfold and make some enquiries. Your family and in particular your kids will love it.

Here my suggestions for lake Annecy activities during July:

• Book an even cruse with one of the operators in Annecy (based next to the main canal just in front of the Old Town) and enjoy lake and mountains whilst having a meal on board.
• Shop the many boutiques lining the narrow stone-paved streets alongside the canals in Annecy’s Old Town
• Relax lakeside in one of the many bars / restaurants – my favourites Chez Ma Cousin for evening dring or Chez Gerald (Bout du lake) for fish dinner.
• Visit the four day long Noctibules festival in Annecy
• Visit one of the many weekly local farmers markets.
• Visit the castle in Menthon St. Bernard and enjoy the stunning views over the lake
• Book a tandem paragliding flight from the top of Col De la Forclaz down to the landing site in Doussard.
• Sunbath on one of the many beaches around the lake.
• Enjoy an early morning swim in one of the cleanest lakes in Europe.
• Book a late afternoon waterski session with on of the local operators.

walking near lake Annecy

July is the time to sunbath, relax and enjoy all what the lake has to offer. Use the first day of your holiday to drive around the lake and find out just how much there is to be done. July is all about enjoying summer lake activities without limits.

Most of you will have never heart of the ski resort of La Sambuy. I can’t blame you, given the ski resort boasts a grand total of one chair lift and three drags. Don’t be fooled however. On it’s day the skiing here is great and if you ever visit lake Annecy in winter, you should check it out.

I skied La Sambuy twice this week, the first time purely due to bad visibility elsewhere.  I opted for half day in Sambuy, rather than wasting money on an expensive ski pass in one of the more famous neighbour ski resorts. The adult day skipasses in La Sambuy are just 14 euro, a real bargain given what you get for your money. I got certainly more powder than I paid for this week, skiing Sambuy.

You might not know, but using lake Annecy as a base you can reach up to seven top ski domains in less than an hour. This includes Megeve, Val D’Arly, Espace Diamant, La Cluzas, Grand Bornand, Valmorel and Meribel. La Sambuy would not be your natural choice for a week’s skiing, but for a quick, half-day ski fix it delivers in full.

On arrival I counted a total of two cars in the car park. Yes it was snowing and yes visibility was not great but I would have expected more locals. I ended up sharing some exceptional powder snow with just seven other skiers all morning. When is the last time you skied untracked powder all day without any competing skiers or boraders? I never do, unless of course I opt to mount my skies and dare some more dangerous off-piste an hours walk from the official slopes.

Needless to say that I had a great morning skiing and given the entire ski resort of La Sambuy is below the tree line (up to 1850m altitude) visibility was actually very good. I got probably as much skiing done as I would have done elsewhere in a full day. The lack of ski lifts was just not a factor at all and piste and off-piste was plentiful.

It has to be said, La Sambuy is great on a sunny day too. Going up by chair, you can see the impressive setting of lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains. On the summit you can even see the Mont Blanc in the distance. In my books La Sambuy is a great place to ski on good or bad weather days. Beware, don’t expect to ski with only seven people on the slopes if the sun is out.

just starting to make the crossing of lake annecy, without a t-shirt and freezing my ass off

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How many days fresh powder can you have skiing anywhere? Correct, the answer is depending on where you go, how often and how much it snows. Given that you can’t influence the weather, the only choice you have is where to go. If you commit to one ski resort you get what you are given. You share what powder skiing is available with all other skiers and snow boarders in that resort. What about staying nearby a number of ski resorts, than you would have a choice where to ski at any given day – right?

Well, that is what I normally do and the past five days have paid off. I skied powder every day all day, something impossible to do in some of the flagship French ski resorts such as La Plagne, Val D’Isere, Meribel or Tignes. There powder is gone after a few hours of snowfall, tracked out by the many expert skiers and seasonaires. Powder snow might last all day at most if you are willing to take the avalanche risk. I take a different and safer approach. I ski locally in ski resorts nearby lake Annecy at low altitude and on hidden secret tree-lined slopes. This largely reduces the avalanche risk and increases visibility even on a bad weather day. Here my last five days:

Day one: Espace Diamant , I normally head to Flumet and take the drag lift up into the domain. That way I can do my first run 40 min after I left my house. : Espace Diamant connects seven small ski resorts and got close to 200km of slopes. This resort has almost no foreign skiers and as a relaxed feel about it. Think ski resort 30 years ago before all the crowds arrived. Powder can still be found even days after the last snowfall. I had a great day skiing powder in bright sunshine – with spectacular views across the Mont Blanc. You have to be prepared to navigate the odd tree!!

Day two: La Sambuy, a local mountain a mere 20 min drive. It snowed all night and all day, visibility was not great. Sambuy is good for these conditions. All the runs are tree-lined and all the off-piste is surrounded by trees, which gives you great visibility even in bad conditions. The only downside, the mountain only got one chair and two drags, but who is to complain if you pay 10euro for half day and share the mountain with seven other skiers. I skied fresh, untracked, knee-high powder all afternoon. I was not complaining.

Day three: I had friends staying over for the weekend, so I was keen to show them Megeve and its powder runs, 35 min drive from my house. Megeve is great when visibility is poor and clouds are lingering. Almost all the runs are below the tree line and after 24 hours of snow fall the powder is fantastic. Somehow this resort never runs empty of fresh, untracked powder to the delight on my friends and me.

Day four: Sunny day and we headed for La Cluzas, the cable car of La Balme to be precise. From there you head straight up to 2500m and into a paradise of off-piste. You can ski the entire mountain with a face almost half a mile wide. Plenty of untouched, fresh powder, especially the first sunny day after heavy snow fall. Beware La Cluzas can be very busy on a Sunday (many local skiers). Starting in La Balme has another advantage: you avoid the sun seeking crowds in the morning and got all that powder for yourself.

Day five: Megeve again – Megeve is always good when it has not snowed for a few days as there are many hidden powder runs still untouched even days after the last snow fall. Why? Because Megeve is full of posh people and beginners, not too many expert skiers. When I am by myself I normally head straight to Cote 2000, which at 2000m is just above the tree line. The lifts there are not busy (partially because posh people don’t like to ski in the shade!!) and there is a good choice of reds and blacks with great off-piste either side. Yesterday I skied fresh powder for five hours over two days after the last snowfall. I had so much fun, I nearly missed the last lift back to the resort.

I still got another five days here on lake Annecy. What will I do tomorrow? One thing is for sure, the weather forecast is for more snow and I will be skiing fresh powder!! Come join me lake Annecy accommodation is easily available

Lake Annecy the town with Debussy

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Why do I love to use lake Annecy as my base for skiing? For one I have property there, which surprisingly is empty most of the winter season. However there is another reason. Lake Annecy is within an hours drive of more than 10 major ski resorts. By choosing to drive I can pick the resort most suitable for the day’s conditions and my ski preferences on the day.

le grand bornand winter

When the weather is bad I can go to a lower ski resorts with mainly forest runs, offering better visibility in poor conditions. When the snow conditions are poor and the temperatures are high, I can go to a higher ski resort and benefit from the more consistent snow conditions. When it snowed I can chose an avalanche-save ski resort and have an early start before piste patrol declare slopes save in other resorts.

And finally just because I am willing to drive to a ski resort I am staying in larger and better accommodation at a much lower cost.

Below my ski resort explorations when I stay on lake Annecy for a weeks skiing:

Day 1: La Sambuy, a small resort 20 min drive from Doussard. There are only three lifts but a good selection of runs for both beginners and advanced skiers. It is a good place to go for your first day. It is great in poor visibility as all runs are below the tree line and ski passes for adults are only 14 euro per day.

Day 2: Le Grand Bornand, a pretty family ski resort 35 – 40 min drive from lake Annecy. The ski resort is blessed by sun, got great, wide slopes and about 20 ski lifts. Ideal for family skiing or if you are into carving. May be not the best for powder skiing but still reasonably prices at 28 euro (adult ski pass) for 90 km piste.

Day 3: Megeve, one of the oldest ski resorts in the French Alps and also one of the poshest. The real attraction of Megeve skiing is the view across to the Mt Blanc. Just 40 min from lake Annecy a few ski lifts up the mountain and you are face to face with the highest mountain in Western Europe.  Although Megeve is connected to other ski resorts such as St Gervais and boasts a massif ski area with almost 50 ski lifts it is frequented by a class of skiers who like to hang out in mountain restaurants and sun terraces. Still a great place to ski for a day or two.

Day 4: Les Saisies (Espace Diamant), a real gem in my opinion. This ski resort is also 40 min drive from lake Annecy but is little know amongst skiers outside France.  The ski resort is still unspoilt and not on the tourist trail for mad skiers and boarders. The infrastructure is a little old and at places  one feels like skiing in the seventies. However that is not necessarily a bad thing. The country side and views are stunning and the whole domain got a slower feel to it. It is more sightseeing skiing rather than race skiing. Ski pass is cheap and with 300km of slopes there is more than just a day of skiing to be done.

Day 5: La Clusaz, probably my favourite ski resort in the region. Postcard village, challenging runs, good off-piste and over 100km of marked piste makes it my preferred playground. I tend to ski 40% of my winter time on lake Annecy in La Clusaz. It is a great resort for a half day blast too with some very efficient ski lifts in La Balme. I tend to leave just before midday for the 12.30 half day ski pass. Four and a half hours skiing at 22 Euro …a real bargain. I love it in La Clusaz. However if the weather is bad you are better off in Megeve or Les Saisies.

la clusaz winter

Day 6: Meribel, Trois Vallee. Not much I need to say about Meribel and Trois Vallee. The largest ski domain in the Alps with 600km of slopes connecting the ski resorts of Courchevel, Meribel, La Tania, Val Thorons and Les Menieurs to name a few. Meribel is an hours drive from Doussard, lake Annecy. You can park for free in Meribel village or for 8euro for the day directly under the ski lifts in the centre of  Meribel. Beware, if you are not a good skier it is pointless buying the Trois Vallee ski pass. I visited the ski resort this season and the ski pass for entire domain is a hefty 48 Euro. If the weather is bad, visit Courchevel as there are more tree lined slopes.

Day 7: What about Valmorel – nice alternative to some of the more famous neighbour resorts in the Trois Vallees. Valmorel got  150 km of pistes, 50 ski lifts and 315 snow cannons. It is at a lower altitude than Trois Vallees but faily snow sure. The resort got a good mix of family- and extreme skiing and some great off-piste. It is a less visited resort and a good option for a Saturday change-over day. Valmorel can be reached from lake Annecy in less than one hour.

Here you go, plenty of skiing to be done even if you are spending the entire winter on lake Annecy.  Should that not be enough for you try Chamonix just under one and a half hours drive from lake Annecy.

Waiting for Lance to arrive at the final 2009 Tour de France time trial around Lake Annecy, France

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