Pearl in Savoy – Lake Annecy

Deep blue water reflects the clear morning sky, densely forested, lush green mountain slopes and blooming hay meadows glow in the early sunlight while life awakens in the small villages – this is how peacefully rural the southern part of Lake Annecy presents itself in June from a viewpoint in the Roc de Chere nature reserve near Talloires, in contrast to the urban ambience of Annecy with its picturesque old town and cultural centres at the northern end of the lake.

The Savoy region around Annecy and the lake of the same name is characterised by numerous rocky mountain ranges of the pre-Alps, dominated by La Tournette, Annecy’s local mountain at 2,351 m. It is suitable for a wide range of sporting activities – water sports, paragliding and hang gliding, cycling, hiking, climbing and mountaineering.

Updrafts frequently form on the rock faces and steep mountain slopes, making them a popular destination for paragliders. Large ‘swarms’ of circling paragliders and hang gliders can therefore often be observed around the Col de la Forclaz or the Montagnes d’Entrevernes.

From short and easy walks to alpine mountain tours, everything can be found here. From Duingt, for example, a scenic hike over the two mountain ridges starts, or from the Chalet d’Aulp the ascent of La Tournette.