 Poster: A snowHead
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I have passed through Annecy loads of times en route back to Geneva airport, have always stopped for a break and had a walk on the lake shore. I have always promised myself that I will return for a Summer holiday as it looks absolutely idyllic but have never got round to it, so I plan to visit in Summer 2009.
Has anyone been here in the Summer and is there enough to see and do locally for say a weeks holiday, don't want to been driving 100+ miles every day to get into the heart of the Taranteise. Want to explore this region walking and on mountain bikes.
I have seen this place on owners direct http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/france/FR1058.htm and it looks ideal for just the 2 of us I know I can get something cheaper, but I just like its location.
As anyone explored this area in the Summer or any suggestions for similar areas, please note I have been to La Rosiere and it is a nice place, but don't really want to return in the summer  .
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 31-08-08 14:38; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kel, Butterfly spent some time there this summer and posted, try a search
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Kel, It's a beautiful area. Be sure to visit Talloires on Lake Annecy, see also here
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
don't want to been driving 100+ miles every day to get into the heart of the Taranteise
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Can't think why you would want to go to the Tarentaise - there are any number of great places to visit for walking/biking in the vicinity of Lake Annecy. That location for the apartment looks very nice.
Our apartment is up in the Beaufortain, about 50 mins from Annecy - we go down to the Lake sometimes in spring/summer/autumn and always enjoy it - it's far warmer down there than up in the mountains. The eastern side of the Lake is quieter.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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[quote="pam w"]
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don't want to been driving 100+ miles every day to get into the heart of the Taranteise
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Can't think why you would want to go to the Tarentaise
I don't want to
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kel, sorry, am confused, why would you ever have thought of going to the Tarentaise?
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pam w,
Its not that I don't want to go to the Tarentaise region, in fact I probably will for a day. I just want to explore the area around Lake Annecy as I have only ever really drove through it and from what I have seen it looks beautiful.
I always stop at a cafe on the shore and dream of someday actually living there. What could be better than living somewhere like that with arguably the best ski resorts in the world less than a couple of hours drive away. You never know if the kids ever decide to leave home I might be able to trade my 4 bed detached in for a 1 bed apartment on the lake, guess we wouldn't be short of people wanting to visit though.
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Kel, it's absolutely gorgeous and there are tons of beautiful places to walk, both around and above this lake and also the Lac de Bourget (though I don't know about mountain-biking, since I don't do it.) Annecy is an interesting, sophisticated and beautiful town in its own right. Aix les Bains is nice too, elegant, but smaller than Annecy. I'm just addicted to the whole region and also once dreamed of retiring to live in Annecy. You'll find, though, that even a 1-bed apartment on the lake is stratospherically priced, I fear!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Kel, It is indeed beautiful & we fully intend to visit it properly one summer. From personal experience of trying to drive through it in the summer though, I would say 'avoid Saturdays' 
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Hurtle, it's not as bad as you may think... my parents are looking for a place there to retire to and from what I've seen-in comparison to similar areas-it's not so bad.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A little tip when all the caffs and restaurants in Talloires are heaving, on a sunny August Sunday - hire a rowing boat and row out into the middle of the lake with a picnic. Such a lovely way of spending a few hours, pottering around the lake, eating, drinking, reading, and dropping into the lake for a swim if you get too hot. Bliss. (On the other hand, I did enjoy my meal at Pere Bise, many years ago, when it still had 3 *s. Probably my most memorable meal ever, not least because of the view.)
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| arv wrote: |
| Hurtle, it's not as bad as you may think... my parents are looking for a place there to retire to and from what I've seen-in comparison to similar areas-it's not so bad. |
Yeah, but everything is relative. I'm sure it's cheaper than equivalent accommodation on the Cote d'Azur. Mind you, who needs the sea, when you've got the Lac d'Annecy? Not me!
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| Kel, You'll find, though, that even a 1-bed apartment on the lake is stratospherically priced, I fear! |
I know every time I come back when I am still in "dream mode" I google "properties Lake Annecy"  That's when I get my reality check.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yeh I am yet to visit but it looks fantastic, be a cool base for winter exploits aswell. 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I haven't been much to Annecy in the winter but it can be rather drear - just rather English and gloomy, with no snow around. Far more cloud cover than up in the mountains, of course.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| pam w wrote: |
| I haven't been much to Annecy in the winter but it can be rather drear - just rather English and gloomy, with no snow around. Far more cloud cover than up in the mountains, of course. |
Yes, I can imagine that. I've had some less than clement weather in the summer too, and the worst of all when the holiday was specifically arranged for the inspection of spring flowers. The flowers were lovely, but my goodness it was wet! I can remember that our gite was so damp that nothing got dry, and I had to dry a pair of socks with a hairdryer before putting them on one day.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We stopped off for lunch in April on our wasy to Geneva, and it was damp and grey, more like Manchester. Lunch was good though.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| pam w wrote: |
| I haven't been much to Annecy in the winter but it can be rather drear - just rather English and gloomy, with no snow around. Far more cloud cover than up in the mountains, of course. |
It can be coldish in the winter with the wind blowing straight off the lake. I remember going to the sales in January and stupidly forgot my jumper and coat (the woes of having heated underground parking) and had to walk around town in a t-shirt! Some northern English guy stopped me and asked if I was a Geordie - no I said, I've got goose bumps.
The roads can be very busy, especially the lake roads. There are nice restaurants by the lake. A cycle path from annecy to Ugine which is also good for rollerblading but it can be dangerous if you intend to cycle with young kids. The old town is one of the better ones in the South East France with a mix of restuarants and shops... a bit like the lanes in Brighton. Walking is good.
Just caught the headline in the local paper "Annecy house prices plummet" - ten percent off the peak apparently. Although not as much as Chamonix.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Just returned from our hols and we went to Annecy for a day. It is an amazing place in summer and thoroughly recommend it. Plenty to do and close access to resorts and other places. Prefer the east side of the lake and some fab places to stay. Just do it
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Kel,
We luckily happen to live close by during every summer (and sometimes other seasons too when airfare from the US is more affordable) - 15 minute drive - and can assure you that Annecy is just breathtakingly beautiful and charming during summer - it's simply picture perfect .
The same is Aix-les-Bains on a somewhat smaller scale, like mentioned above in a prior post.
However, during summer it's packed to the brim with EU tourists, including the French themselves.
Annecy real estate has the highest prices in France (especially Russians seem to just love the RE !) and therefore it could be expensive and difficult to find a place for summer. However with the current economic downturn (?) one never knows how things will turn out.
And BTW I would never compare Annecy with Manchester, UK - even if it's solely for the weather !
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Sun 31-08-08 21:34; edited 2 times in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Summer round there is awesome. Round the lake itself, up in the Aravis (Thones/Gd Bornand etc) for great road biking, some of the best limestone climbing for miles around, hiking, mtb-ing etc etc. The Bauges as well is nice (other side) & The area round the Semnoz is worth exploring as well...
Only problem with Annecy in the summer is sheer volume of people. Don't be expecting peaceful, quiet roads round the lake...
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Kel, Durham is sometimes damp and grey , but every time I have been to Manchester it has rained.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Kel, I've just looked at your apartment rental link, it looks absolutely gorgeous location-wise. The only thing is that it might be quite noisy, with lots of people walking below your window at all hours.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Had an August weekend a few years ago staying in a guesthouse here near Duingt on the western side of the cntre of Lake Annecy. Canoed across the lake and swam from a very small bay. Cycled off-road downhill into the western side of Annecy town. It was a great weekend.
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You know it makes sense.
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Kel, We have spent the last two summer holidays in the Alps - Les Gets last year and St Gervais this year. Each time, we have gone to Annecy for a full day, and had a great time. Our boys are 13 and 9 and they love it too - lots of open green space within a minute's walk of the largely pedestrianised centre, you can hire pedalo type things with slides, and swim in the beautifully clean water, there are larger boats for a tour of the lake, plenty of shops and cafes etc. You are also within an hour drive of many other lovely locations (such as Les Gets and St Gervais!), Geneva, Thonon Les Bains, Grand Bornand and La Clusaz. I can think of worse places to spend my holidays
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Spent many happy summers in Annecy and Aix, brilliant for summer holiday, just do it. That apartment looks perfect.
Wish my dad had followed up his plan to buy an apartment in Aix in the late 70s, when prices were sensible.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Kel, We took a caravan down there for a fortnight's holiday a few years ago, staying in a campsite at Chaparon
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=annecy&ie=UTF8&ll=45.800279,6.203799&spn=0.010831,0.01929&t=h&z=16
We found a decent amount to do even for two weeks, never mind one. You can cycle all round the lake in a couple of hours, you can hire boats, there are plenty of good alpine walks, and some steeper cycl;e rides available.
And if you want the odd day away, it is less than 2 hours drive to Chamonix, or to Bourg-St-Maurice. We had 10 days in the area (two days traveling at each end took up the fortnight), and only went away from the general area of the lake twice (and one of those was just my wife and me going up to St Jean-de-Maurienne, we left the kids at the campsite for the day).
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FAQ
But we can go to the fridge whenever we want 