Hi all,

Have a weekend just south east of Lake Annecy next weekend (Bellecombe-en-Bauges, https://goo.gl/maps/2KupG7ApgNM2). Land in Geneva Friday lunch time, leave Monday lunchtime. We have a hire car.

Looking for any recommendations on things to do. Want to be active, see the scenery etc, but also be able to relax a little.

We’d like to do some walking/hiking, I’m happy to scramble etc, but girlfriend is less so, plus steep descents can knacker her knees pretty quickly. Walks where I can do a last steeper stretch on my own could work well.

La Tournette looks like a pretty decent hike, although gf may not enjoy the scramble at the top.

Any funiculars/gondolas worth taking up to decent view points?

From a quick google there are some places that have the taboggan runs, electric scooter offroading etc, which could be fun.

Any cultural things around worth seeing? Pretty little villages, spots on the lake etc? Restaurant recommendations?

Not taking any bikes, but could be open to hiring some.

Any thoughts much appreciated!

Thanks,
Duane.

Also, worth heading over to Mt Blanc/Chamonix area?

I’d also love to go wakeboarding but going rate seems to be £35 for 15 mins…

We stayed in Aix-les-Bains a few years ago, poss. worth a visit. If the weather is good, a good day out is to hire a bike, take the ferry across the lake from Aix to l’Abbaye d’Hautecombe and then cycle back round the Lac du Bourget to Aix. Some photos from our trip (have gpx if you need it).

On foot, you can get a bus from Aix and walk (or poss. cycle) up to Le Revard, worth it for the views and refreshments at the top:

There’s lots to do in the area though, sure you’ll have a great time!

Tandem parapente – great views and will only take a couple of hours from start to finish…

I did some ski touring close to Bellecombe earlier in the year. There were lots of hiking trails heading out from the Mont devant area and several decent sized mountains to choose to hike or ski. We did the cret de chard and the arriere which were fairly straightforward. Roc de Boeufs Is bigger and quite close although we didn’t ski that do can’t comment on difficulty. I’m sure there would be plenty to go at if you get the ign map or a Bauges hiking guide book’s Closer to Annecy there is the Parmelan which is popular although I’ve not done it myself to advise. Lovely area, enjoy! I wouldn’t bother driving over to chamoniix area personally, lots to do in either the Bauges or Aravis (e.g from La clusaz or Grand bornand).

We used to do do La Tournette , quite often , 5am start and back down by lunch, if the GF has week knees then I would avoid its steep for quite a long time.

Le Parmalan is much easier with great views.

Parapente is a good idea.

Take the taxi/ferry boats around the lake for a relax with things to look at.

There is bike hire and a cycle route using an old railway track around one side of the lake.

Oh, and alps-bike-rental.com does pick up and drop off of decent bikes to wherever you need at a decent price, I used one for the etape this year.

If you do hire a bike there is a bus that you can use to get to the top of Mount Semnoz. There is VTT trail off the top, follow this till it crosses the road, once you enter the trail again take the No VTT signs (the VTT is dull) and follow your nose, lots of great trails to be found. I got lucky on my second day and found myself on the bus with some fast locals who showed me the good stuff.

Plateau de Glieres, is a interesting trip out. There’s a huge huge monument to the French resistance and British SOE who hid out up there in WW2.

VIsit the Chartreuse distillery for some free samples?

https://www.chartreuse.fr/contact/

If you’re driving from Geneva to annecy you could drive up and over the Saleve (my local knee popper)

Great views and isn’t taking you out of your way.

Thanks for the replies all very useful!

Mountain biking – anywhere in the area I could hire a half decent mountain bike for half a day or so, that isn’t extortionate?

Hiking – La Parmelan looks good, thanks. Any other suggestions for hikes, maybe something inbetween La Parmelan and La Tournette in terms of difficulty? Any recommendations for routes in La Clusaz area?

Looks like we will try to spend a day doing some hiking, half a day hire a tandem bike and check out Annecy/go along the lake, half a day doing some water sports (maybe SUPing), and maybe another half day doing walking and toboggan etc on Semnoz.

Based in Annecy there is loads to do nearby/locally

Canyoning
Go Karting
Tree walking
lots of restaurants have a beer garden and you can climb down or dive into the Lake

La Clusaz:
Via Ferrata
Mountain biking
Zip line
1 Mile summer Luge

Annecy? Old town ice cream.

I know I mentioned it earlier, but any thoughts on heading to Chamonix area? The big ol cable car looks good, although expensive (65 euros!)

What would be great is if we could find some hiking routes, 5-6 hours or so, that start with a cable car so we can get high up quickly for great views, and then a not-crazy-steep loop around. Any suggestions?

From Chamonix, taking the Flégère cable car up and then walking to Lac Blanc looks good, but maybe there are better options?

Thanks,

Duane

Cable car up the Aiguille du Midi then get out half way down at Plan Praz and walk the Grand Balcon Sud to the cog railway station at Montenvers, amazing views of the Mer de Glace, cable car ticket covers the descent by railway. A great day out.

globalti – I assume you mean get out at Plan D’aiguille? That route looks great, thanks!

Boo looks like the train down from Montenvers is closed in October 🙁

Boo 2 – the lift to Aiguille du Midi is closed too!

https://www.chamonix.com/lifts,88,en.html