Helllo,

We are a U.S.-based family with two teens who spend a week in somewhere in Europe every August before heading to Greece.

This year, I was considering spending about five days in Annecy. We like moderate hiking, cycling, and basically just hanging out. We did Lake Garda and the Dolomites last year and was looking for something similar but in France. We travel carry-on only and don't rent cars. Trains and buses are fine but the gang doesn't like hopping around. When we travel, we like to be close to local supermarkets so we can have a low key breakfast. We try to have one meal in a restaurant (spending between 50-100 euros), either lunch or dinner, and then something light for the other mean (we do a "cocktail hour" generally in our hotel, usually on a balcony or something with a view each night).

I went to my local library to get guidebooks on the area, and they got rid of all their pre COVID guidebooks and new ones are "on order." I don't really trust bloggers. I do trust Fodors (my library had Fodor's Paris but not Fodor's France). I went to the official Annecy website and found what seemed like a very cute little apartment for a reasonable price. Regarding Annecy, I was thinking the first two days to have no plans and then maybe doing a day trip here or there.

Here's a basic sketch of an itinerary

Aug 23 - Fly to either Paris or Geneva.
Aug 24 - Arrive. Public transport to Annecy. Night in Annecy
Aug 25 - Annecy
Aug 26 - Annecy
Aug 27 - Annecy
Aug 28 - Annecy
Aug 29 Leave Annecy for a place from which we can fly to Greece on Aegean (Geneva? Paris? Milan? Nice?) Night there
Aug 30 Fly to Athens/island or ferry to island. Night on island
Aug 31 - Sept 4 island.
Sept 5 - fly home

I know Annecy is very touristy. Is it hella expensive? Is there enough to do over a five day span (including day trips)? Any other places we should consider?

Annecy is lovely and good for a half day. It is not like the Dolomites. Or Lake Garda. Banish the thought.

I'm glad I saw Annecy, but a day was enough for everything I wanted to see and do. I suppose one could fill another day with hikes, but five days would be WAY too much for me. Post #198+
A stellar month in southeastern France

In contrast, a week for Athens and an island is very, very little. I think we would need to know more about your priorities to be of much help with that part of your plans.
With Gratitude for a Glorious Solo Month in Greece

Hey thanks.

Our priorities are a low key stay where we could walk/hike, cycle, and relax in a calm, beautiful environment. We’re thinking on staying on Lake Annecy and not the city itself and taking day trips here and there.

As for Greece, we go every year so that part of the trip is sorted.

Have you considered Slovenia?

no, because we want to fly to Greece afterwards

Which you could do....

I spent 3 nights in Annecy. I enjoyed it very much and had more than enough to see and do in that time! I didn’t do any day trips outside of there or maybe 5 days would have worked! Museums, castles, lake cruises, old town, great restaurants, etc.! There is a bus from Geneva airport going into Annecy proper.

My family spent a week in Le Grand Bornand, which is the rare traditional village in the French Alps. We had a car.

The village is an explosion of red and pink flowers in the summer. There is a good amount of activity as it is also a four-season resort with cable cars. There are trails right from the village. In general, this area is a good indication of where the Alps got their name. There are also a fair number of shuttle buses to get you to destinations in the immediate area. The nearby mountain passes are known for their high-altitude meadows and rocky outcroppings. It is also a dairy farm and cheese-making area and you can visit some farms making Reblochon cheese. There is a hike to a surprisingly pretty waterfall.

For five nights, I would stay at a chalet rather than a hotel. There are many that rent by the week, but it works out economically even if you leave early.

In some ways, this is a very low-key experience. The village is not as big as a city, like Annecy, but you have quite a number of places nearby.

There are plenty of other places in France I could recommend, but not Alpine...

Hi!
Annecy is a great choice for a trip. There’s plenty to do in the city and nearby:
- the Old Town,
- the Lake,
- Talloires and Menthon-Saint-Bernard: two charming lakeside villages, easy to reach by bus,
- moderate hikes on Mont Veyrier or Col de la Forclaz offer panoramic views of the lake and the Alps.
..and a lot more. Check with the Tourist Office for ideas.

Annecy is also known as one of the top destinations for French gastronomy. The town and its surroundings have several Michelin-starred restaurants, offering high-quality local and alpine cuisine. Even if most of your meals are casual, you can treat yourself to one special experience during your stay by dining in a starred restaurant:
- Yoann Conte – He took over the restaurant formerly run by Marc Veyrat, the famous chef recognizable by his wide-brimmed hat. The restaurant is known for creative dishes using local ingredients,
- L’Esquisse – 1 star, intimate and inventive cuisine.
- Auberge du Père Bise – Jean Sulpice – 2 stars, fresh Savoyard products in Talloires.

Don’t miss the chance to taste two of the lake’s most famous fish: féra and Arctic char (omble chevalier).Féra has a mild white flesh, often served grilled or smoked. Arctic char is slightly firmer, with a pink flesh that is similar to trout but more delicate.You’ll find these fish on local menus, from simple cafés to Michelin-starred restaurants.
Besides enjoying a meal in a restaurant, you could also join a guided food tour, like this Annecy Food Tour . It’s a fun way to taste local specialties while exploring the old town.

Getting to Annecy is easy without a car. From Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), take a high-speed train from the airport station to Lyon Part Dieu, then connect to a regional train to Annecy. The trip takes about 5 hours 30 minutes.
From Geneva, Aegean Airlines offers direct flights to Athens.You can reach Geneva Airport from Annecy by shuttle bus in about 1 hour.

If you’re looking for a good place to stay, two solid options right in the center of Annecy are Hôtel Le Pré Carré, a modern boutique-style hotel with comfortable rooms, and Allobroges Park Hôtel, a more traditional choice. Both are well located and make it easy to explore the town on foot.

Enjoy your time in Annecy!

You missed ordering a plate of petite friture d'eparlans. A plate of tiny fried fish you eat whole. You won't find this much outside of Lac d'Annecy and an inexpensive meal.

Thank you so much!!!! I’m about to pull the trigger on some flights and am so glad to read this.

i found flights from our City to Geneva and Athens to our city for $700. And I found a place in Saint Jorioz that looks perfect and I’m negotiating with the owner. I also found some flights from Paris to the island in Greece we go to.

fine tuning the details - trying to figure out how long to stay in Saint Jorioz vs. Paris. I found an affordable hotel in Paris with awesome reviews located in Saint Germain du pres.

what we are currently thinking

Aug 23 Fly out at 8 pm
Aug 24 Arrivevin Geneva at noon. Bus to Annecy and then to Saint Jorioz. Night in Saint Joriiz
Aug 25 day trip to Annecy town? Night in Saint Jorioz
Aug 26 hike or beach? Night in Saint Joriiz
Aug 27 Saint joriiz one more night? Or train to Paris
Aug 28 Paris
Aug 29 Paris
Aug 30 Paris or leave for Naxos
Aug 31 Paris ( leaving) or Naxos
sept 1 Naxos
sept 2 Naxos
Sept 3 Naxos
Sept 4 Naxos or ferry to Athens
Sept 5 ferry to Athens or Athens
sept 6 leave Athens fly home.

questions?

Should we do three or four nights in Saint Jorio? We are looking at the L’Oree du Lac, we won’t have a car.

Should we do three or four nights in Paris?

If we extend our stay in France, we would skip Athens completely and just stay in either Piraeus or Rafina our last night and fly then next day.

let me know your thoughts, if any!

Where did you find a cheap direct flight from Paris to Naxos?
I would rather fly from GVA (dp 11.30 with Aegean) or from Lyon ( dp 11.55 with Volotea) to Athens, reach Avra Hotel at Rafina by free hotel shuttle and proceed by FB Ekaterini to Naxos the following day.
Or fly with easyjet from GVA (dp 12.25) to Mykonos, sleep there and reach Naxos by FB Ekaterini (or saeajets) from there
You could then visit Paris on the way back.

Hello! It’s not a direct flight - there’s a stop in Athens. For whatever reason the Paris to Athens flight cost just as much as the Paris to Naxos via Athens flight. $180 pp. Now that the kids are over 12, don’t get family fares anymore.

This morning,I booked the flights. Flying to Geneva and out of Athens, through Lufthansa. $2889 for 4. The Paris to Naxos flights were $729. So all of our flights are done for $3500. I am ok with that. We are leaving on a Sunday and coming home the Sunday before Labor Day so we have some wiggle room in case there are flight changes.

On Lake Annecy, we are going to put a deposit on three nights at L’Oree du Lac in Saint Jorioz. Quote is 615 euros for three nights, with breakfast, with two separate bedrooms.

All I need to do now is find lodging in Paris- three nights for 350 euros or less I also need to figure out what to do after Naxos. I booked five nights. Haven’t been to Athens for a while. Or maybe we can take a ferry to one of the other islands we’ve not really seen yet and then head to Athens. I’d love to hear what people think. Don’t mind a day in Athens but maybe somewhere else would be nice? Our flight home is at 2 pm,

Here is our plan:

Aug 23 Leave the US
Aug 24 Arrive Geneva. Buses to Annecy and Saint Jorioz. Night in Saint Jorioz
Aug 25 walking/hiking/cycling Night in SJ
Aug 26 Day trip? Night in SJ
Aug 27 bus to annecy then trains to Paris
Aug 28 Paris
Aug 29 Paris
Aug 30 Flight to Naxos via Athens. Naxos
Sept 4 ferry from Naxos to Athens or somewhere else
Sept 5 Athens or somewhere else
Sept 6 fly home at 2 pm

There are direct trains from Annecy to Paris, for example Annecy do 9.22 - Paris ar 13.15 (actial timetable).
If you book well ahead, you can get tickets for as less as 60 USD/pax

Paris - Naxos: add 70 USD for every piece of checked in luggage

Thanks! We normally don’t check luggage and have generally had great luck with Aegean not giving us a hard time with our carryons. If we fly into Athens and take the ferry, we will have to travel to the ferry dock and if our flight is delayed, we may have to stay overnight. I’ve stayed at the Avra before, and it’s lovely, but the surrounding area doesn’t have much to do and the restaurant is expensive. I think we’d rather just go straight to Naxos. I fully expect that Aegean will change the flights at some point, and it’s easier to pivot to a ferry or ask to be sent to Paros, Santorini, or Mykonos than to hope our plane lands in time for us to get to Piraeus or Rafina.

Wondering what to do after Naxos. Is there a place near Athens but not in Athens that’s worth a day? Maybe somewhere on the Athens Riviera? Don’t get me wrong, I love Athens but I’ve been there four times and it’s a pain getting in and out of the city to the port and airport. I was thinking maybe r Lake Vougliagmeni?



QUOTE=neckervd;17680775]There are direct trains from Annecy to Paris, for example Annecy do 9.22 - Paris ar 13.15 (actial timetable).
If you book well ahead, you can get tickets for as less as 60 USD/pax

Paris - Naxos: add 70 USD for every piece of checked in luggage[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely try petite friture d'éperlans next time I’m in Annecy. I actually really like that dish — I once had a great plate of it in Cabourg, Normandy — so I’d be happy to taste the lake version too.

I haven’t been to Saint-Jorioz myself, but I know it’s a quiet, pleasant village right on Lake Annecy — sounds like a great choice!
In Paris, you might want to check out Hôtel PiaPia. Some friends of mine stayed there and really liked it. It’s a cozy, well-kept hotel. It’s just a little above your budget, but it’s worth it. Plus, it’s quite close to the RER Nation station, which makes it easy to reach many other parts of Paris quickly.

If your plane leaves ATH at 2pm you will have to leave Athens, Piraeus, Lavrio or Rafina around 10am.
That means that you will have to spend the night at one of these places.
So you must arrive there Saturday Sept 5th before midnifght at the latest.
On the other hand you plan to leave Naxos on Friday Sept 4th.

I wonder whether it makes sense to visit another Island in such a short time frame.
This year you could have done what's follows:

Naxos dp Friday 9.00 - Paros ar 9.30, dp Saturday 19.15 - Piraeus ar 23.15 (sleep at Port Square Hotel)
Naxos dp Friday 9.55 - Syros ar 11.15, dp Saturday 16.00 - Piraeus ar 20.00 (sleep at Port Square Hotel)
Naxos dp Friday 9.00 - Tinos ar 10.55, dp Saturday 18.00 - Rafina ar 21.10 (sleep at Avra Hotel)

BUT BE AWARE THAT FERRIES CAN BE CANCELLED BECAUSE OF STRIKES OR ROUGH SEA.

Therefore I would spend the whole Saturday on the mainland.
I cannot recommend day trips from Athens as I suppose that you know all the main places like Dafni, Korinthos, Mycenae, Thyrins, Nauplia........
But why not revisit a place in Athens that you really like, may be the Cycladic museum (with a good guide), Lycabettos hill (by rope railway) and of course a folk dance performance in the Dora Stratou Theatre?

Outside of Athens we went to swim at Lake Vougliameni and then onto Temple of Poseidon. Both highly recommended. We did it by car.