What to do around Lake Annecy? Visit the villages of Talloires – Montmin, Menthon, Veyrier, Duingt, Sevrier, Saint-Jorioz…
Enjoy the cultural heritage, such as the Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard, the Écomusée du lac d’Annecy and many others. For nature lovers, hike to Mont Veyrier or enjoy the Roc de Chère nature reserve. For water sports enthusiasts, discover the lake in a different way: during a paddle or pedal boat trip… there is no shortage of ideas. A quick tour!
The villages around Lake Annecy
Accessible by the road, the cycle path or by boat, set off to discover the different villages that border Lake Annecy. Even if they keep as a common denominator a wide range of nautical activities, each village has its charming asset!
Veyrier-du-Lac
The largest properties
Located at the foot of Mont Veyrier, Veyrier-du-Lac has some beautiful properties such as that of the Meyrieux Foundation, a former outbuilding of the Talloires Abbey dating from the 16th century.rd century which today hosts numerous scientific conferences and seminars.
Beach and water sports
The public beach of La Brune welcomes you with its paddling pool for the little ones, its pontoon and its trees offering just the right amount of shade in summer. The village's nautical club also offers many activities in the form of lessons, courses or equipment rental. Catamaran, windsurfing, kayaking, paddle, wakeboarding, diving... enjoy the pleasures of water!
Mont Veyrier and its panorama
Several marked trails between the village and the ridges of Mont Veyrier allow you to explore every corner before reaching the summit and enjoying the view overlooking Annecy and its lake, framed by the peaks of the Bauges, the Entrevernes mountain and the long wooded ridge of the Semnoz. As you stroll along the ridges, you will make out the old arrival station platform of the cable car that took visitors up to Veyrier until 1984.
Menthon-Saint-Bernard
The Castle of Menthon-Saint-Bernard
Occupied by the Menthon family for over 1000 years, The castle was built in the 13th centuryrd century and remodeled several times throughout its history, which gives it its atypical but also very romantic appearance. It also inspired Walt Disney for his Sleeping Beauty castle! It contains many treasures: furniture, books, tapestries and can be visited from April to November.
Beach and water sports
Backed by the Roc de Chère, Menthon-Saint-Bernard benefits from a kilometer of banks open to the public to enjoy beautiful walks along the lake. Its public beach and its nautical and diving clubs allow you to fully enjoy the pure waters of Lake Annecy.
Palace of Menthon
Recently renovated, this splendid 5 star hotel is an architectural gem characteristic of hotels and palaces from the beginning of the 20th centuryrd century. The three neoclassical, art deco and art nouveau styles of its interior decoration give it a chic and refined charm. Note that it is the only establishment built facing Annecy and not facing the lake!
Talloires – Montmin
A village full of charm
Often Nicknamed “little Monaco of the lake”, Talloires and its bay are a particularly popular holiday destination enjoying a legendary microclimate. Every summer, The Pyroconcerts of Talloires liven up the bay with a fireworks display accompanied by exceptional concerts on floating platforms. A tour accompanied by a heritage guide will allow you to discover the whole history of this pretty village, its 11th century abbey, its priory and its church. You can end your day with a two-star gastronomic escapade at the table of the Auberge du Père Bise!
Roc de Chère nature reserve and viewpoints
Between 447 m and 601 m above sea level, This rocky spur whose cliffs plunge into the lake was classified as a nature reserve in 1977The Roc de Chère is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna: both mountain and Mediterranean vegetation and a multitude of small forest mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects to be discovered along the paths that run through the site.
Taking even higher ground, The Hermitage Saint-Germain at 730 m reveals a sumptuous panorama over the bay of Talloires and the whole of Lake Annecy, small and large lake, while the belvedere of Forclaz pass at 1147 m embraces the lake and surrounding peaks. On the way up to the pass, you can take a refreshing break at the Angon waterfall!
Beach and leisure
The beach in the centre of the village and that of Angon located 1 km away are equipped, paying and secure. The beach in the centre includes a paddling pool, diving board and slide for everyone's enjoyment. A water sports centre located within its perimeter allows you to rent kayaks and paddleboards. Angon beach, for its part, is ideal for swimming with children thanks to its gentle slope into the waters of the lake. The presence of a small river flowing into the lake is very pleasant and allows you to play and sail for hours between the cool water of the stream and the warmer water of the lake! Many other activities are possible in the town: tennis, golf, paragliding, adventure course, etc.
Duingt
An old village
Duingt is located on the west bank facing the Roc de Chère at the edge of the large lake towards Annecy and the small lake towards Doussard. The current commune includes the village of Duingt and the hamlet of Dhéré. The history of Duingt dates back to the Bronze Age when the islet of Roselet, a rocky reef extending from Taillefer, emerged from the water. The site has since been submerged, The Roselet shoal is very popular with divers where remains of piles from lake constructions still exist and where various prehistoric objects were discovered as early as 1856. They are exhibited at the Annecy Museum-Castle. A guided tour of the old village is offered in summer and allows you to discover the mythical paths that crossed the village as well as its small narrow streets bearing traces of ancient, even medieval, architecture.
The 3 castles
The commune of Duingt has no fewer than 3 castles! Dhéré Castle was originally a fortified house, reworked by Bertrand Dhéré on the 15thrd century. Its name comes from a Savoyard word meaning “behind” and thus designating its position behind the town of Duingt and its castle. The Châteauvieux castle was built in the 13th centuryrd century on an island. Made up of several buildings attached to a keep, Paul-François de Sales transformed it into a single castle and connected it to the mainland by a stone bridge. Closed to visitors, the castle, a real gem immortalized by Cézanne in “Le lac bleu”, now opens its exterior for public performances. It is one of the most photographed monuments on the lake! Châteauneuf is the real Duingt castle, built on the rock. Occupied by many lords, it was gradually dismantled in favor of the architectural modifications of Châteauvieux which enjoyed a better strategic position. Today, only the hexagonal tower remains.
Notre-Dame-du-Lac Grotto and Lookout
The belvedere path which joins the Notre-Dame-du-Lac cave overlooks the village and offers a beautiful view of its castles and the two parts of Lake Annecy. It takes you further towards the Taillefer trails, its ridges and as far as Entrevernes, the opportunity for beautiful hikes.
Saint-Jorioz
The port and the beach
Saint-Jorioz benefits from the largest marina in Annecy. Arranged in a half-moon, more than 400 mooring rings including seasonal rings accommodate motor boats and sailboats. 200 m long, the natural sandy beach with a shaded lawn allows you to enjoy the joys of water. It is supervised and paying in July-August. Nearby, a nautical base allows you to rent pedal boats, paddles, catamarans and to go water skiing or wakeboarding.
The Marshes of Hell and the Reed Beds Trail
Inhabited since prehistoric times, the The marsh area was home to a large stilt village and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Prehistoric Pile Dwelling Sites of the Alps. Named the marshes of hell because cows sometimes sank into them without being able to get out, they are today home to remarkable flora and fauna. Natura 2000 classified, we observe sedges, chon, rush, molinia, aquatic warblers and beavers.
Le Reedbeds path which runs along the edges of the lake and passes near the marshes is a beautiful walk accessible to all and allows you to discover one of the largest reed beds of Lake Annecy. This protected area is home to many aquatic birds. Explanatory panels provide information on the fauna and forest present. Don't forget your binoculars!
Semnoz
An emblematic mountain of Annecy culminating at 1670 m, the Semnoz is located in several communes including Saint-Jorioz and is part of the Bauges Regional Nature ParkAccessible by car or bike via the Col de Leschaux, Semnoz offers many beautiful hikes in the Crêt du Maure forest or on its plateau with the Crêt de Châtillon, a magnificent viewpoint that extends to Mont Blanc.
The Laudon Country House
During the summer, you can visit this old 19th century farm, either freely or with a guide.rd century where everyday objects and tools used in the past in Saint-Jorioz and in the Laudon valley are exhibited in the various living rooms and outbuildings.
Sevrier
Nautical station
Labelled “France Station nautique” since 2014, Sevrier benefits from numerous infrastructures to take full advantage of the pure waters of Lake Annecy: a free and supervised municipal beach in summer, a completely renovated nautical centre offering sailing and kayaking, a port with more than 400 moorings and more than 5 km of shoreline, part of which has recently been developed: the Promenade des Seines. Two of Three pile dwelling sites on the lake, listed as UNESCO heritage sites, are also located in the commune of Sevrier.
Lake Annecy Ecomuseum
Housed in the former girls' school, this eco-museum invites you to take a unusual trip to the Savoy Alps from 19rd century. Through depictions of everyday life, discover rich collections full of lessons for building the world of tomorrow. Fun and interactive, this visit will please the whole family!
Paccard Bell Museum
Created by the Paccard foundry specializing in bell casting For over two centuries, this museum has been introducing you to the magic of molten metal through three documentaries of around twenty minutes each. A collection of tools, documents, engravings, photos and bells retrace the history of the bell and the Paccard Foundry, which makes the name of Annecy resonate throughout the world!
Semnoz
Sevrier is located under the wooded slopes of Semnoz. Many hiking trails leave from the village and crisscross the forests of the commune to reach the various paths and viewpoints of this emblematic mountain of Lake Annecy.
Tour the lake differently
What if you took the time to discover the lake differently? Between hiking and cycling, two gentle ways to get around and enjoy the beauty of the landscapes. At the water's edge or from the heights, new perspectives await you!
By the hiking trails
Marked in red and yellow, the GR de Pays du Tour de Lac d'Annecy allows you to go around the lake in 5 days of hiking. Sometimes taking portions of the GR 96 marked in red and white, it starts from the Marquisats and passes through the Semnoz. You then reach the Roc des Bœufs via the Col de Leschaux. The third stage takes you to the Forclaz pass from where you can certainly watch the paragliders take off. You then head towards the Bluffy Pass en passing at the foot of the Tournette. Finally, the ascent of the Col des Contrebandiers and Mont Veyrier will allow you to descend to the small port of Annecy-le-Vieux and return to your starting point at Les Marquisats. Five days in the heart of the mountains with a view of the lake to fully and gently enjoy this exceptional environment!
By the cycle path
The tour of Lake Annecy is one of the most beautiful bike rides in France. Not very technical and always magnificent with its constant view of the crystal clear waters of the lake, consider doing your circuit in a clockwise direction. This will avoid the main steep slope of the Talloires climb and above all you will always ride on the lake side! On the west bank, the cycle path follows the old steam railway line that connected Annecy to Albertville. An old steam locomotive is also exhibited on the Bredannaz picnic area along the route. You can also admire other remains of works of art such as the tunnel located at Duingt or the Belle Epoque style footbridge in Sevrier. Don't forget to take your picnic and your swimsuit. This 36 km outing is the perfect opportunity to take your time and jump into the water at various places. You will have wet your swimsuit!
