Need help with a village south of Annecy on the way to Lyon .Somewhere with an old quarter and character.Would like to stay one or two nights but NOT Chartreuse,Chambery or any of that ilk. Would be grateful for any suggestions.

I'm a bit confused as to what you mean by "NOT Chartreuse,Chambery or any of that ilk"? Chambéry is a largish town, while the Chartreuse is a national park, so to my mind they wouldn't fall into the same category...

Anyway, one suggestion would be the medieval town of Crémieu, about 30 km east of Lyon. Logically you could stop off there on your way from Annecy without making a huge detour. I must admit I've never been there myself (I keep meaning to visit, just haven't got round to it yet!). There are a few pics on the town's official Web site : http://www.ville-cremieu.fr/pages/vgaperst.htm

Alternatively, have you thought about taking the northern route from Annecy to Lyon? You could stop off in the medieval village of Perouges on the way.

Thanks hanl.What I meant by Chartreuse and Chambery is that their reputations as shopping meccas and very elegant turns me off. Is that incorrect? Will certainly look into your suggestion re Cremieu and am grateful for your help What suggestions do you have for the Northern Route? Frankly I had not thought about it

Well, Lyon is almost directly west of Annecy, so unless you specifically want to go south, you do have a choice of either direction. Also, since Annecy is quite close to Lyon (about a 2-3 hour drive by autoroute) you could wander farther afield for a nice stay. The place with the most character, a bit farther away from Lyon, is the village of Tournus, a small riverside village with lots of charm and some good hotels and restaurants. It's straight north up the A6/E15 autoroute, about a 2 hour drive. It's a wonderful village for wandering, exploring the incredible old abbey, and just enjoying the ambience. Good luck.

We have stayed a few times in Péruges, 23 miles south of Lyon. This is a medieval fortified village and is a national monument.

Bourg-en-Bresse, a town known for its flamboyant Gothic church and beautifully carved furniture, might fit the bill. There's much to see in the town and hotels in all price ranges; Le Prieuré is one of the nicest.

We thought Pérouges was a bit touristy, although it's a charming small town that has been featured in many films.

You have two autoroute options when driving from Annecy to Lyon. Either you take the route nationale northwards and join up with the A40 autoroute, which takes you through the Dombes region (called "the region of 1000 lakes" for good reason!!). This route (which IMO is prettier than the southern route) takes you near Bourg en Bresse and Pérouges (which is north-east of Lyon, rather than south as mentioned above).

Otherwise you take the A41 autoroute directly south out of Annecy, via Chambéry (where it becomes the A43).

But as Wayne mentioned, Annecy is only a couple of hours from Lyon, so you could feasibly travel a little farther north or south...

We enjoyed a quiet few hours in Pérouges and it would be pleasant to spend the evening in the lovely inn there for dinner. Just a correction on location however, it is northeast of Lyon and a quick and pretty drive in the country. If you enjoy a country walk coupled with a pretty, but tiny village, this could be a good stop.

thanks for the correction, you're right! hnl Can you tell I don't drive?

I don't drive much in France either - my BF does the chauffeuring... but I'm chief map-reader

Thanks everybody for all the suggestions. hanl, I looked into Cremieu and have already booked into the hotel there. The village web site is really great and it looks like a fascinating place. Amazing that I could not find any mention of it in any of my French travel books! I think my itineray is set now.I have 12 days. Lyon to Annecy, Cremieu, Perouge,Bourg en Bresse. All those lovely places without spending hours on the freeway. Thanks again

Pipsil, I hope you're going to report back after your trip

I'll be interested to hear about your visit to Crémieu.
The village is hardly covered in any of my France guides either, apart from the Michelin Green Guide to Lyon and the Rhône Valley (French version). It's a good, comprehensive guide to the area, which you might want to try and get hold of. I assume there's an up-to-date English version...

a book I have says Cremieu is a remarkably intact village that is a throwback to the days when dauphins ruled Dauphiné. It says there is a superb covered market.

Sounds just great. As we are not leaving until May and staying in Europe for a total of three months you'll have forgotten all about this conversation.But I will report back nonetheless. After all, I owe you!!!