How many days in Annecy?
 

I am entertaining some ideas for a trip this summer. I'm considering a small group walking tour in France and I would like to add some time in Annecy. Would 3 days be enough?

What are your favorite things to do in Annecy. It looks like an incredibly beautiful place.

Thanks in advance.

I spent two weeks vacationing on the Lac d'Annecy last summer and there are still places to explore that I didn't get to. I had a car and I don't know if you will but you could spend weeks hiking in that area. If you want to look at my trip report from my vacation there last summer maybe that might give you some ideas:

http://tinyurl.com/7er3tjn

If you don't have it, here is the link to the tourist office website:

http://en.lac-annecy.com/

How many days total for your walking trip? What other places are you visiting for this tour? Will you have a car?

FrenchMystiqueTours was so helpful for my planning for my own trip there, 18 months ago (I think a few weeks after he had left) and there is a lot of walking to be had in the area. And hang gliding, and boat rides, etc.

Thanks for your replies. The walking trip that interests me the most is in the Riviera, based in Menton. I don't plan to get a car. Last night I was checking the logistics of train travel and I didn't realize it would be such a long journey from Menton to Annecy. Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't save Annecy for my next trip and instead do a few day trips around the Riviera before/after the tour.

I will check out the links above later tonight, thanks so much for all of the good info.

Sorry flygirl, I didn't answer your questions. The walking tour lasts 7 days and it's around the Riviera, Monaco and just across the border into Italy.

PM, we spent 4 days in Annecy with a car and felt it was too short a time. If Annecy is not on a direct train route from the Riviera it might be better to save it for another trip. I think when using public transportation, a stay in Nice would give you options for interesting day trips after your walking tour or consider Lyon if a large city interests you. Deborah

Like FrenchMystiqueTours, we also spent 2 weeks in Annecy with a car & didn't see all we wanted to see. We've also spent about 10 weeks in the Nice/Menton area - and didn't see everything. We have an apt reserved in Nice for 2 weeks in '14.

There is plenty of stuff to do around Nice. There are also some good train trips into the Nice Hinterland where you can get away from the crowds & do some walks.

Do you have my 27 page itinerary for the Cote d'Azur & Nice??? It has lots of suggestions for places to visit around Nice that would be good for hiking. However, I suggest that you rent a car for at least a few days so that you can get to these areas on your schedule instead of the train's/buses schedule. E-mail me at [email protected] if you would like to receive my itinerary & I'll attach it to the reply e-mail.

Stu Dudley

FMT----I enjoyed visiting the area through your photos. It looks lovely.

Is Sept. a good time to visit?

Stu, you've got mail. :-)

Stu: <i>Like FrenchMystiqueTours, we also spent 2 weeks in Annecy with a car & didn't see all we wanted to see.</i>

That's a fairly bold statement. OK, that does it... Annecy just cracked my worldwide Top 15 list.

{pounds fist on desk for emphasis}

TPAYT - I was there for the last two weeks in August so I would think September is still a good time to visit. I was still swimming in the lake on my last day but I would imagine that at some point in September the temps will start dropping. If you can go at the beginning of September that would be best. Thanks for the compliments on my report. :)

Here is my photo set from my 5 nights in Annecy. I did at least one hike from FMT's recommendations, and a number of drives around the area. I also did a day trip to Mont Blanc.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skywalk...7627584898555/

For a 7 night tour, I'd probably consider just staying local. You will have plenty to see on the coast as well.

flygirl---your mountain shots with the deep blue sky are stunning!

Indeed they are stunning. Now I want to go to Annecy!! But maybe next time. :-)

Thank you! Gorgeous part of the world, for sure.

flygirl - Fabulous photos.

We stayed in Annecy and followed FMT's route over the Semnoz plateau. The drive was really beautiful.

In general, I didn't love Annecy itself. The area is great, but I found the town too touristy. If I were to go back, I would plan to stay somewhere else and visit Annecy occasionally.

>>In general, I didn't love Annecy itself. The area is great, but I found the town too touristy.>>

Us too. Annecy's "Old Town" is small, and it is quite picturesque without the tourists. But it took less than 45 mins to realize that we were walking down the same streets that we were on just 30 mins prior. We went there for dinner on a Sat night in late June, and there were outside eateries everywhere along the main streets, it seemed like every third storefront was an ice cream parlor, lots of clothing racks set-up outside on the streets, it was shoulder-to-shoulder people, and about every fifth person was pushing a baby stroller.

We actually stayed in a gite just outside of Talloires - and we were glad we stayed there instead of in Annecy.

Visit Annecy in the early morning before the day-trippers arrive (same for all "touristy" type cities/villages). This most recent 2 week stay was our third visit to Lake Annecy - but the others were 2-3 day visits.

Stu Dudley