flying_kate

Greetings All - In mid-September we will be staying a week in Annecy. We have a car and are starting to plan day trips. Any and all suggestions for trips or dining would be much appreciated. Also looking for a great train trip.

Merci!

StuDudley

We spent 2 weeks in a gite just outside of Talloires in late June '08. Below was our itinerary. The page numbers are the pages in the Michelin Green guide which describes "attraction"

Sunday June 22 Annecy Market in AM
Annecy market on Sunday – one of the best in France according to the GG
Afternoon - Route de la Forclaz*** pg 150 #2 go north to south St Germain, Col, Montmin, Vesonne
Montagne de la Sambuy* pg 150 Chair lift – best in afternoon
Comb de Ire* pg 150

Monday June 23 - ¼ day in Afternoon
East side of Lake via Annecy on the way there, west side of lake on way back
Gorges du Fier** pg 144 9:15-5 www.gorgedufier.com
Chateau Montrottier* 2-7 1 ¼ guided tour www.chateaudemontrotter.com Cad pg 256

Tues June 24 – Massif des Aravins** pg 159, & Beaufort** pg 186 all day
South along lake & take N508 east to D12 north
Route 4 pg 163 to Flumet
At Manigod take vallee de Manigod** up & back
Route 2 – Flumet to Beaufort* pg 187 (in reverse)
After Col des Saisies, take road west to Sal de Bisanne** lookout
Hauteluce, Areches, Boudin*
Take D925 west to Conflans* Pg 127 near Albertville

Wed June 25 – The Semnoz** pg 153 All Day – leave at 8:30
Through Annecy or Sevrier to D41 south
Cret de Chatillon***
D912 south to D911 west (pg 181 route 2 )
At Gresy, D49 southeast, then D913 toward le Revard
Mont Revard*** pg 123 (best views west)
Aix les Bains Market day
Return D911,
Gruffy - Musee de la Nature Pg 125 - reconstruction of farm, chalet, cheesemaking 2-6
D912 back to Sevrier pg 153

Thurs June 26 - free day
Annecy Boat trip Cad pg 251, 254

Friday June 27 - Lac du Bourget** pg 209 All day Cad pg 260
A41 to Aix les Bains
Do roundtrip of lake first - counterclockwise
At Chaudieu, take loop east to La Chambotte** Col du Sapenay* to Chaudieu
After loop, take 991 North to D904 East and do Grand Colombier*** pg 203 in Jura G G
Hautecombe** 10-11:45 2-5 Cl Tues 30 min audio tour
South on D914 to viewpoint near Bordeau, then take N504 west to Yenne & Route 2, Cad pg 258
Backtrack on section of D914 that was bypassed
South of lake has ugly sprawl

Saturday June 28 Chambery & Massif de la Chartreuse** Half day
Take freeway to south of Chambery Pg 275 Route 3
Chambery & visit.

Sunday June 29 Map 333 Massiv de la Vanoise*** ¾ day
Lifts don’t open till July 6 Call for cime de Caron*** 04 79 00 08 08
Vallee des Belleville*** pg 189
Courcheval, Meribel

Monday June 30 – nothing sched

Tuesday July 1 – Geneva & Le Saleve* pg 291 in Old Green Guide
Mt Saleve cable car** Can take freeway there
Geneva – market Tues & Fri
Exchange car
Chateau de Menthon* July 12-6, June F, S, S 2-6 Pg 152 www.chateau-de-menthon.com

Wed July 2 – Les Bauges* pg 179 ¾ day
From Sevrier, take D912 south
D911 south pg 182 starting at le Chatelard
Chateau de Moolans* 10-7 in July, 10-12 1:30-6:30
D201 South to D11 West
D21/D206/D59 north pg 183 Rte 1 back to D912/D110/D41

Thurs July 3 – do this in July Half Day - afternoon
Take A41 or N20 south from Annecy & get off at #15
l’Albanais* pg 123
Alby sur Cheran* Musee de la Cordonnerie 10-12:30 2:30-6:30 in July, Cl Su
Rumilly
Val du Fier* pg 126
Ch de Clermont 2-7 1 hr guided

Friday July 4 – Massif des Aravins** pg 159 Do in July or on Wed afternoon Half day
Route 1
Thones* market Sat
Musee* July 10-12, 2:30-7:30 Cl Sa June We & Su 2:30-5:30
Route 3 Pg 159
La Roche sur Foron* pg 490 old town ** (1 ½ hrs) home of Reblochon, Beaufort, & Tomme cheeses
Route 3 * pg 490
Route 2 pg 159
Le Grand Bornand home of Roblochon

End of Itinerary
We did not do all the stuff on this plan.
Did not like Geneva at all - we mainly went there to swap a car.

Restaurant recs tomorrow

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

>>which describes "attraction"<<

which describes the "attraction"

Stu Dudley

mari5

Stu Dudley has trips around the area very well covered. We've visited Annecy 3 times,,,just about 3 days each time. Once drove over to Chamonix, other times around the lake, other into the mts. to the Southwest (through thick fog which was a disappointment) Annecy is LOVELY....stayed at a nice hotel right on the lake in the city. ONce we stayed in a very nice IBIS I think ,b ut very good location,modern,clean, CAR PARK IN the hotel, good breakfast and great rest after flying from overseas and driving from Geneva airport), Walking was easy to resaturants, on the river, and the back led out to the Sunday market and what a TREAT!

Michael

The Col de la Forclaz is a paragliding and hang gliding center. If adventurous, you can sign up for a ride from there to the valley--it's you and the instructor on the device.

ozgirl

We very much enjoyed the Gorges du Fier and also the Col de la Forclaz. I really wanted to do the paragliding but was too stingy as it was the first day of our holiday! We will be back in the area for a week in July and I am very tempted....
Thanks for the extra tips Stu, we only had 2 days last time.
Flying_kate, have a lovely time, it is a beautiful area and yes, the market is wonderful.

hanl

We spent a week staying in a gite near Annecy in June 09. As our little girl was still quite young our itinerary wasn't as busy as it might otherwise have been, but we did enjoy a few day trips:

We drove over to Chamonix and went up to the Mer de Glace on the little cog railway, which was great fun and very beautiful.
We hired bikes in Annecy and enjoyed cycling along the excellent cycle path that runs along by the lake for several kilometres.
We drove up to the Plateau des Glières (an important area for the résistance movement during WW2), had a nice walk and enjoyed a copious and tasty (and cheap!) lunch at the auberge up on the plateau.

We did find that traffic in and around Annecy and the lake was dreadful - very slow going indeed and much worse than we remembered it from previous trips. Perhaps in September it will be a bit less busy, but it's probably worth taking into account when planning day trips/driving time!

flying_kate

Thanks All --- also looking for a self-catering apartment--suggestions for two adults.

hanl

We stayed in this property http://www.lacannecy-gite.com/accueil_en.html, which is in a rural location near Doussard.

However, the same family also own a self-catering apartment in the old town of Annecy, which looks very nice. http://www.providence-annecy.com/accueil_en.html Though maybe it is a bit big for your needs?

flying_kate

hanl - the properties you mentioned are beautiful..sadly the apartment is not available in September, waiting to hear about Doussard.

Any other suggeestions from anyone?

klondike

In selecting your property I would consider its location relative to where these "day trips" are located.

One year in early September (the last weekend before Back-to-School) traffic was backed up for kilometres around the lake as there is only the one main road. Another day there was an accident, and again, traffic backed up terribly. It was so disagreeable, we almost left before getting to see what we had come to see. (I'm sooo glad we didn't) Annecy is not particularly "car-friendly" imo.

If most of your other towns/sights are on the west or the east direction of town, that's where I'd try to find a property. While we love to stay in city centre for it's ambiance, with a car you will also have to consider that there are only city car parks, it can be expensive depending on you budget, or very limited street parking where you have to move your car every 1-2 hours (not very practical).

For Dining we have had excellent meals at the following, all in the old town:

Auberge du Lyonnais
9 r. République (right on Thiou canal)
tel. 04 50 51 26 10
Brasserie-style cuisine, outside dining avail, Michelin Guide 2 forks

La Brasserie St-Maurice
7 rue Collège Chapuisien
tel. 04 50 51 24 49
modern cuisine in old house (1675) with terrace, Michelin Guide 2 forks& Good value note

Also a great fondue and raclette place...the names escape me at the moment...I'll see if I can find them.

Annecy is one of our favorite French cities! I envy you. Have fun!

flying_kate

Merci Klondike!