My Lake Annecy

Most holiday makers won’t think about airport transfers when organising a trip to lake Annecy. Partially because lake Annecy is within an days drive from the UK and for those who fly, Geneva airport offers plenty of car hire options.

However here is a thought. You can fly to Geneva and get an airport transfer to lake Annecy. Once there you can hire a bike and enjoy the region the way the local French do. Probably the healthiest and lowest cost travel option for your lake annecy holiday.

Airport transfers to lake Annecy are not expensive. You can get to the lake from Geneva airport for as little as £20 return. Why? Lake Annecy is on one of the busiest ski transfer routes in the Alps. As such there is a healthy level of airport transfer competition. Many for the airport transfer providers have spare capacity outside the winter season. Most of them offer airport transfers to the more popular summer resorts such as Chamonix, Megeve, Les Gets and of course the towns and villages around lake Annecy. Most offer free bike carriage.

The most convenient airports for an airport transfer to lake Annecy are Geneva and Chambery, both less than 40 min transfer time away. Lyon and Grenoble airports are also options but the transfer tends to take 1.5 hours or more and will be more expensive than a Geneva or Chambery transfers.

If you decide to come by train to Annecy you won’t even need an airport transfer.

I have to say I never been in the region without a car, but I will certainly try it next year. I have used airport transfer services from Geneva to Chamonix. The service was very efficient, reliable and door-to-door for £50. I certainly did not miss a car, spending a week in the Chamonix Valley and climbing Mt Blanc, never mind a saving of £100 on car hire and petrol.

Should you want to explore airport transfer options just submit your Geneva airport transfer request to Ski Transfer Finder and see what quotes you can get. I will try it next season on one of my flying visits to lake Annecy.

Given that I have travelled forwards and backwards to and from lake Annecy over the past 10 years, here is my take on the cheapest way to get lake Annecy from the UK.

I kind of ignore convenience, speed of travel and personal preferences. If you visit lake Annecy you should ideally have some means of transport as public transport services are very infrequent around lake Annecy. However a car is not essential as there are buses, boat services and taxis available for use. Cycling is also an option locally but not from the UK!!!

You basic choices are Air, Rail or Car. Below some of the assiciated cost to travel to lake Annecy from the UK.

By Air to lake Annecy

There are plenty of regular and budget airline flights from UK airports to Geneva (most convenient), Chambery, Lyon and Grenoble. Car hire is available at all these airports.

Return flight from UK:  £60 – £100 (late booking suring peak periods £200+)

Airport Parking / Airport transfer UK: £8/day

Car Hire in France: £25/day (£30 if you include insurance)

Airport transfer lake Annecy: £25/person

Total 7 days pp (car hire option):  £285 – £335 (single person), £180 – £210 (two people sharing)

Total 7 days pp (airport transfer): £145 – £175 (single person),  £115 – £145 (two people sharing)

By Rail to lake Annecy

Annecy got a fast rail connection TGV. You can travel Kings Cross – Paris – Annecy in as little as 7 hours. In Annecy you got car hire options.

Return train ticket from UK:  £160 – £320 (depending on how flexible you are)

Car Hire in France: £25/day (£30 if you include insurance)

Total 7 days pp (car hire option):  £330 – £500 (single person), £250 – £410 (two people sharing)

Total 7 days pp (no car hire): £160 – £320 (single person),  £160 – £320 (two people sharing)

By Road to lake Annecy

By Road the fastest route is Calais – Annecy via Dijon about 900km. By motorway, the journey takes normally between 8 – 10 hours depending on the number of comfort breaks. By route national the journey is a lot longer and slower and is not feasible in one day and requires an overnight

European Roadside Assistance:  £30

Motorway fees return: £140

Petrol return (estimated): £200

Total 7 days pp:  £370 (single person), £185 (two people sharing)

Here you go. Some figures so you can make a budget for your holiday to lake Annecy. The train journey is probably the most enjoyable but also the most expensive. As a single person , flying from the UK is probably the cheapest option. As soon you are two people or a small group the journey by car will work out the lowest cost option and you got the flexibility. The drive is not too bad and you can stop of in the Champagne to stock up on some reasonably priced Champagne. I always drive if I stay longer than a few days, that way I can bring back some of the local produce to the UK.

Just in case you need accommodation on lake Annecy. My house sleeps up to seven and mid season prices are £500/week inclusive bed linen, towels, local tourist tax and utilities. That works out less than £15/day if you are five people sharing.

Enjoy the planning

View of Annecy Lake

Just picked the last of the cherries in my garden before the birds have them all. Not that it matters as the cherry tree in our garden produced lots of fruit this year throughout the entire June. You can never tell when the the cherry season start on lake Annecy. It very much depends when the winter ends and when spring starts harvest time tends to start early mid June.

I know you might think cherries, lake Annecy? The region is more famous for alpine outdoor activities and watersport. However the region nearby lake Annecy does produce some very excellent white wine and some delicious fruit such as plums, pears, apples and of course cherries.

I think the cherries here have a lot more flavour than the ones from some of the better known cherry regions. I got my own theory on this. Like with wine, the could winters and snow covered terrains help the cheery trees to rest and recover during the winter season and  produce some very crisp tasting sweet cherries…. I think the 2009 lake Annecy cherry harvest has been a vintage one. I wonder if the birds appreciate it?

Anyway if outdoor and watersports ain’t your thing, you can always come out, visit our house next year and taste some of the cherries for yourself.

lake Annecy

Magic 4 test Flight during a nice evening at the Annecy Lake (France)

Amongst many things lake Annecy offers some of the best paragliding and hang-gliding sites in the world. No more so than the site just above Col de la Forclaz, overlooking lake Annecy right away from the point the take-off point.

The site has become increasingly popular with experienced and novice pilots alike. There are a dozen flying schools operating from there in addition to many tandem paragliding pilots. Try it if you dare, tandem flights are available for as little as 70 euros depending on availability and season.

With a quality paragliding site comes the operation of getting people up the mountain. Unlike other flying sites, Col de la Forclaz has not got any cable car connection. The only way up for 99% of pilots, wannabe pilots and tandem passengers are by mini van.

paragliding lake annecy

I stated paragliding because it is a easy and low cost way to experiencing flying but also because it is powered by wind and does not burn any fossil fuel. A green way of flying. Taking a mini van up the mountain seems to go against this principle (although I do take them too!!).

However here on lake Annecy there is an alternative, greener way up – walking. with so many trails and working routes you can get to any flying site by foot, hence making the experience of paragliding totally green. It is also a more fulfilling, if not tiring exercise.

I had a look out of my bedroom window and the wind and general weather conditions looked great for flying. I Confirmed this by checking the Annecy weather forecast online. I decided to take the long hike up to Col de la Foreclaz late afternoon, ready to lunch my wing for the evening more gentle thermals and winds.

The walk up leads through stunning woodlands within the occasional view onto lake Annecy, just to tease you how not so far you got. The good thing, the trees protects you from the sun, which offsets the extra weight on your back. Irwyn, a friend of mine and the host of a local B&B specialising on paraglider pilots, let me have a lightweight glider and harness so it was only 8kg of extra weight to carry. It did not feel any easier and the 2 hours up from lake Annecy to the lunch site above Col de la Forclaz were long and hard. It did not make it any easier that towards the end of the track I was passed by all the other pilots in their mini vans.

Well, I got there, felt a real sense of achievement and was rewarded with an hour or so flight 1000 m above lake Annecy. You can’t get greener flying than that. I am very pleased with myself, sitting here with a beer in front of my house and watching the last paragliders to fly across lake Annecy for their final decent.

There are many great landmarks around lake Annecy from where you can enjoy a birds eye view of the lake. Non more spectacular than the Tournette 2351m, the highest peak along lake Annecy and an ever present, imposing feature when you drive along the the lake’s west side.

To get up the Tournette, you will have to be reasonably fit as there are no roads or cable cars to make the trip up any easier. The closest you get is the alpine village of Montmin, just behind the Col de la Forclaz. But don’t despair I have seen people as old as 90 years making the hike up this great view point.

I climb the Tournette at least once every two year,  if I can. Just because there are other great things to do around lake Annecy and I am not here all year around … and there is work too.

Yesterday was one of those days. I drove up the Col de la Forclaz (a previous mountain climb during past Tour de France), and headed to the car park just above Montmin. Early morning and early afternoon are the best times to go. Late afternoon would be even better but depending on your condition it might not leave you enough time to get up and down before dawn. I started my hike just after two to avoid the worst of the heat although I love the sun. The hike up Tournette is sun blessed, which translates in a lot of sweat and pain climbing it during a hot summer day.

The track up is signposted 4.5 hours from the car park but I regularly manage to get up there in 2.5 hours. Having said though, the terrain is not the easiest and the views over lake Annecy are great from almost anywhere along the hike. It is really best to take your time,` have a few mini breaks and enjoy the views.

There is also wildlife to be seen such as eagles and Capricorns. Yesterday I encountered a whole family of Capricorns at close range, less that a few feet away. Trapped on a rock they had to pose for photos with lake Annecy in the background. I could not believe my luck.

I reached the top along some very steep drops and some rocky terrain to find the views, over lake Annecy on one side and Mont Blanc and the Chamonix valley on the other side, short of sensational. The rewards for the physical demands the hike up Tournette put on you are exceptional and you truly have a birds eye view of the entire region. You really can’t stop long enough to take it all in.

I am never in any rush for the decent, but you can they up there for ever. Sadly I said goodbye and started my decent along the south ridge. Beware, I know the area well but I still managed to get lost which made the decent almost as long as the ascent.

A not of caution, the hike up and down Tournette can be as long as 7 – 8 hours not catering for extensive breaks. It really is a day trip, start early in the morning and take plenty of water and some food. The climb up is not dangerous but you should not be afraid of heights, walking boots and walking poles are essential. I only recommend this mountain tour if you have done some alpine hiking before. It is strenuous!! However the views are well, well worth it.

A walking tour around Annecy Old Town and a look at the French Alps. May 2009

Another gorgeous day on lake Annecy, too windy too paraglide and not enough time to go for a long hike. What about some save climbing near lake Annecy. Save climbing you may ask, does that exist? Let me introduce the concept of Via Ferrata to you.

It is 4pm and I fancy some exercise on the rocks and some vertical excitement. I decided to drive up to Thones towards the Aravis mountain chain. Thones is just 30 min drive from my house in Doussard, actually 3o min drive from almost anywhere on lake Annecy.  Just enough drive time to get the adrenaline going and visual the vertical climb overlooking some of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the French Alps.

Via Ferrata is climbing along a fixed metal rope. There is no need for carabiners and belaying, just a simple harness required. Hence a very save way of climbing and a great way of experiencing vertical limits without the risk.  Climbing harnesses are available (to buy or hire) in most mountaineering shops and there are plenty on the way. A good harness will cost you about £100 depending where you buy. If you not sure you like the sport you can always hire on the first time.

I have done the Via Ferrata in Thones on many occasions but it never gets any less spectacular, especially on sunny warm summer evening. The largely vertical face contains several short but sometimes difficult overhangs. It is not for beginners and requires a little stamina. At the end of the climb is the Hermit very difficult overhang. The official warning: “if you are not fresh or in a good shape, and if you cannot support your weight with the force of your arms during several minutes, this overhang is not for you.”

I started my ascent at 5pm, the face looked almost clear, just two people half way up the face. It is Monday after all. It tends to be a lot more busy on weekends. The face is west facing and in the sun all the way up until late evenings. You will need water on the way bring at least a one liter bottle.

The official sign indicates 2 to 2 1/2 hours for the climb and walk back to the car park. The great thing about this Via Ferrata is that it start with a shocker that get you juices flowing. I always love the face when i take novice for this climb when they look at the monkey bridge they have traverse at the beginning of the climb. The bridge is basically a thin metal rope to stand on and a thin on to hold on to. You have to traverse across to reach the first vertical face. Doing so you stare down the 100m towards Thones. The monkey bridge sheds the firs adrenaline and the verticals and overhangs feel almost like a save heaven thereafter.

I made my way up swiftly along a good series of crossings, flagstones and rather stiff slopes always in oblique towards the left. Three quarters of the way up I caught up with the two guys ahead of me. Thankfully they let me pass so i made it to the last overhang inside 50 min. Few minutes rest, enjoying the view down the valley and up the Aravis before I tackled the overhang.

Gravity really pulls you down and strains your arms and shoulders. The first time I did this i was panicking a little which caused even more pain, especially if you are at the 95kg mark.  I have learned to plan your moves and visualise where you put your hands and feet before you start climbing. I managed the overhang inside five minutes but the last few meters felt really painful. It is almost as if all your blood flows into your arms and shoulders and than drains away. One has to admire those crazy climbers who do these things without the benefit of a fixed rope.

If you are reading this, thinking this is not for me! I am pleased to say there are a number of entry level Via Ferratas nearby:

Via ferrata du col des Aravis, La Clusaz: Built in the cliffs surrounding the “Col des Aravis”, it is the easiest Via Ferrata near lake annecy. You climb slowly, gain altitude and can enjoy the views. There is a nice cable bridge in the middle of the trip. At the end, there is a choice between an easy or a more challenging end.

Via ferrata du Jalouvre, Grand Bornand: This via ferrata is in the wild area of Jalouvre Mountain. It is an easy but quite a long one. You can often see Ibex, Marmotta and other wildlife. In fact I have seen all of them each time I did the climb.

Here you go back in Doussard, in front of my house looking down lake Annecy and enjoying the sun lit Tournette opposite. It is 8.30pm

Let me tell you about a spectacular hike I have done yesterday late afternoon. Got my mobile broadband connection going and I have been working all day from my house. True the views down to the lake and up the mountains nearby is still better than the ones from my office in London. However it is still work. Luckily June days have long day light and around 5pm I headed off for some late afternoon hiking. I wanted something spectacular, with lake views, some peaks and some challenging terrain. Climbing the Tournette would give me all that but even I can’t do the full tour in the remaining 4 hours of daylight. I had to look for some alternatives

Here is what I got.  A challenging hike, spectacular views over lake Annecy, 4 passes and one peak. 15km in 4.5 hours.

Lake Annecy view from tournette

I left my house just before 5pm and headed up to the Clo De Forclaz. It was warm but very windy when I left my house. Luckily when i arrived at the car park above le Bois (Montmin) there was hardly any wind. Looked like an inversion of some sort.  I headed straight up to Cal. de l’Aulp, signposted 40 min. but I was in a rush so I did it in a lot less. There is catered chalet Cal. de l’Aulp with great views across the Tournette.   The trail from the car park uphill but easily doable even if you more into a gentle Sunday afternoon walk. Worthwhile investing the 40 min of effort.

From Cal. de l’Aulp I enjoyed my first views over lake Annecy, keenly aware that my destination peak was still another one and a half hours away I continued hiking without a prolonged stop.  After all hiking is a sport and I can enjoy the lake views later from the peak or tomorrow from my house.

The trail headed into the woods, down and up the valley to the Col des Nantets, where the views trruly opened up. My target peaks ahead of me, the light blue of lake Annecy to my left, the ever present Tournette behind me and the Aravis mountains and Thones to my right. This view takes a beating. I have been hiking and climbing all over the Alps, the Rockies, Asia and Central America.  Few of the hikes I have done anywhere compare and even fewer are so easily accessible.

Onwards and upwards towards Roc Lancrenaz and Cal. de Aulp Riant where I climbed up the top of the peak just under 1700m. It sound low but the drops down to the valley and lake Annecy are steep and breathtaking. From here you can see the nearby Dents de Lanfon, Lanfonnet and the spectacular Les Grandes Lanches.

7.30pm on the peak enjoying every minute of the views (and the rst of the water in my bottle). Acutely aware that I needed to be back at the car park for 9.30pm I headed off.  To add a little extra challenge I decented the west face of the Roc Lancrenaz. It is not a climb, more like a challenging hike but it gave me a different route back, altough a little longer. My reward:  some dear grassing along my path. My punishment: a dark cloud came in and it started to drissle. I uped the tempo and made it back in time to the car park.

Just enough time for a pizza take-away on my drive home and a couple of hours on the Internet before I fell asleep thinking about how much you can enoy life when you organise yourself.