Lake Annecy

Meer van Annecy 6 vakantie Frankrijk Portes du Soleil savoie Alpen Abondance watersport luxe apparte

One of the most famous lakes in France is Lake Annecy. A visit to this beautiful place in Haute-Savoie in the French Alps should definitely be on your list during your holiday in the Portes du Soleil. After Lake Geneva and Lac du Bourget, this is the largest lake in France with the purest water in all of Europe. It is located at an altitude of about 450m and was created due to the melting of glaciers. On the edge of the lake lies Annecy, which has been called the Venice of the Alps. You can walk and cycle around the lake or visit the different villages the lie on the lakes’ banks. You can also venture into the mountains. All kinds of water sports are possible on the lake and there are also several beaches where you can lie or sit and enjoy the sun. If you look up into the sky, you are likely to see paragliders as this sport is popular in this region due to its steep mountain slopes and beautiful views.

Water sports on Lake Annecy

Lake Annecy is about 15 km long and has a surface area of about 27 km2, which is more than enough space to practise all sorts of water sports. The temperature of the water varies between 18 and 26 degrees during the summer, which makes it a pleasant temperature for swimming or diving. Other sports that are commonly practised on the lake are sailing, windsurfing, wakeboarding, paddleboarding, water skiing, jet skiing, canoeing and kayaking. Do you want to take it easy? Then take a cruise on the lake with one of the (restaurant) boats such as the Libellule. Many boats depart from the Quai Napoleon. There are several types of boat trips that you can do on the lake. For example, boats that take the time to moor in another place on the lake for you to go have an explore. We also recommend renting a motorboat to take out onto the lake for a day. You could rent a pedal boat. Regularly, big sailing competitions are held on the lake, on these days you will see all kinds of colourful sails racing past each other. On the beautiful beaches surrounding Lake Annecy, you can rest or simply enjoy lunch or a picnic.

Beaches along the lake

  • Marquisats beach in Annecy.
  • Plage de l'Impérial in Annecy.
  • Plage d’Albigny.
  • Plage de Veyrier-du-Lac.
  • Plage de Menthon-Saint-Bernard.
  • Plage de Talloires.
  • Plage d’Angon.
  • Plage de Duingt.
  • Plage de Doussard.
  • Plage de Saint-Jorioz.
  • Plage de Sévrier.
Meer van Annecy 24 vakantie Frankrijk Portes du Soleil savoie Alpen Abondance watersport luxe appart

Lake Annecy Festival

The Fête du Lac is a big festival held in Annecy yearly on the first Saturday of August. If you are on holiday in the Portes du Soleil during that period, it is the perfect day to visit Annecy. Make sure you go early seen as it gets very busy, there are around 200,000 tourists who go to Annecy on that day every year. During the day there are all kinds of activities, stalls are set up and local products, handicrafts, clothing and various knick-knacks are sold. The large spectacle takes place in the evening in the bay of Albigny, when there is a huge fireworks show with all kinds of light and music effects. This show lasts over an hour and is a beautiful sight with the imposing mountains in the background. This annual celebration has been around since 1860. In that year, it was held for the first time in honour of the arrival of Napoleon III in Annecy.

Massif des Bauges

Annecy is located on the edge of the Massif de Bauges, a beautiful mountain massif. In this area there are rugged mountain slopes, but also vast valleys and huge forests. There is a lot of nature and there are beautiful hiking trails you can do where you cross through nature and the occasional small village or farm. The highest mountain in this region is the Arcalod with the valley of Orgeval bordering it. This is a great mountain for hiking, as is the Mont Revard which is also located in this area.

Roc de Chère

On the east side of Lake Annecy lies the protected nature reserve of Roc de Chère, between Talloires and Menton-St.-Bernard. The big eye-catcher is an imposing rock, known as the Roc de Chère, with a height of over 650m. There are several hikes you can do here. The "Belvedere route" is one of the most beautiful routes with its beautiful views over Lake Annecy, the castle of Duingt and the mountains on the other side of the lake.

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Gorge, cave, waterfall and castle

Gorges du Fier – The Gorges du Fier lie to the west of Annecy. You can walk along the steep rock walls and above the river Fier over 25m high suspension bridges.
Seythenex Cave and Waterfall – This is the only stalactite cave in Haute-Savoie. There is a 40m tall waterfall outside of the cave. There is also a 150m zipline that goes right past the waterfall.
Château du Menthon – Beautiful castle on the edge of Lake Annecy that has been owned by the Menthon family for over 1000 years. You can visit this castle and enjoy the beautiful views over the lake. Fun for the children: this castle has served as inspiration for a Disney fairy tale.

Paragliden

The Annecy area is one of the most popular places in Europe for paragliding. There are a number of reasons for this: the mountains around Lake Annecy are steep. As a result, there is a certain wind direction that is favourable and good use can be made of thermals. In addition, the view is spectacular. You have a view of the mountains, which is truly stunning. Below you you’ll see the clear blue waters of Lake Annecy and all the pretty sights surrounding it. To dare to go paragliding you will need quite a bit of adrenaline and be able to control your nerves well. Jumping down a steep mountain  is a bizarre and at the same time a very unique experience! With a bit of luck, you can float in the air for up to an hour. The two most famous starting points for a flight are La Forclaz and Planfait, but there are also other starting points.

The participants gather at the bottom of the landing site, from where they are taken to the starting point by car. This is where safety instructions will be discussed with you and you will be given a harness and a helmet. The instructor prepares the paraglider and attaches himself to the paraglider. You will then be attached to the instructor and walk together to the edge of the mountain where the sail will be pulled up and you will be floating in the air within seconds. In the air, the instructor will tell you about the area and explain that he  is looking for the thermals. These are warm air bubbles that rise. The instructor tries to get into that airflow so that the paraglider is taken up. At the end of the flight, you will have both feet back on the ground, the adrenaline will disappear and you will forever remember this wonderful experience in the French Alps. Paragliding is possible for both adults and children. The flights with children mainly take place in the morning, when there are fewer thermals. Don’t fancy trying paragliding yourself? Watching the coloured sails of the paragliders soar through the air is a show in itself.

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