Annecy is undoubtedly a paradise for hikers.
There are hikes for everyone, easy walks on flat terrain with extreme climbs towards mountain peaks. Go around the lakes, discover waterfalls or picturesque crest trails are all on the menu.
Are you still planning your trip to Annecy? Finding a good anchoring point to explore the region is the first stage of long trips.
The best option is to stay directly in Annecy, because all the hikes in this guide are either directly in Annecy or at less than 1:30.
Best hotel - Lodge and dolce : It is certainly the best hotel in the region. It is located 10 minutes from the station, and 5 minutes from the lake. He has everything you need to be your base for your hikes, and it's the perfect place to go home after a long day of hiking in the mountains.
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The Tournette
Let's start this guide with what is probably the most famous hike in Annecy: The Tournette.
La Tournette is the highest mountain around Lake Annecy, and going to the top is a real adventure.
It's a difficult hike, but it is worth it. The view you have from the summit is absolutely beautiful, and if you go early, you will probably meet some local ibex near the summit!
The final ascent towards the summit is by climbing using steel cables, and walking on a scale between the rocks. It's not a hike for everyone, but if you are an experienced hiker, you will love it.
Mont Baron & Mont Veyrier
If you want to have a view impregnable On Lake Annecy from the top of the mountains without climbing the difficult turnette, so it is made for you.
Mont Baron and Mont Veyrier are two mountains right next to Annecy, and you can even start hiking directly from the city.
For a shorter hike, you can drive near the summit to the Col des Contrebandiers. From there, it is a small buckle of 2 hours of walking up to the summits and return.
After a first climb in the forest, you will soon be above the mountains, with epic views On Lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains. At the top, you can take a panoramic walk along the ridge, between Mont Baron and Mont Veyrier.
3 Croix de Sevrier circuit
This hike is located on the other side of the lake compared to the previous one, and therefore offers completely different views.
It begins in Sevrier, near the lake, and climbs in the forest, above the village.
After the initial climb, the path takes you along the ridge around three different points of view on the lake, each being marked with a massive cross. You will see Mont Baron and Mont Veyrier on the other side of the lake, and the Grand Pic de la Tournette on the right.
It is a short hike, and she surely has one of the best reports View/difficulty of Annecy's hiking trails.
Proud gorges
Located just 20 minutes from Annecy, the proud gorges are an easy walk, Perfect for the whole family.
You will cross natural gorges dug over the years by the Fier river, on a suspension bridge built on the side of the cliff.
At the end of the footbridge, you leave the interior of the gorges and have a beautiful view of the sea of the rocks, a beautiful geological formation.
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ROC DE CHERE
Here is another of the trails of Easy hike of Annecy. The Roc de Cher is a nature reserve by the lake, about 20 minutes from the city center of Annecy, next to the Château de Menthon.
You can drive directly until the start of the hike, and park in the free parking in front. It is an easy 45 -minute walk in the reserve, with an almost zero drop.
The path opens on 2 points of view, with superb views of the lake and the castle of Duingt.
Hiking at the end of the world
Very well, it is now time to leave Lake Annecy to explore some of the major hiking destinations near Annecy, France. One of these destinations is Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, located 1:15 from downtown Annecy.
The first big hike in Sixt is the hike at the end of the world.
Literally called the hike at the end of the world, this hike will take you through the Fer-à-Cheval circus, surrounded by high cliffs and waterfalls.
With more than 30 waterfalls in the region, epic views follow one another throughout this hike. At the end, when you reach the end of the world, you will have a breathtaking view of the valley below.
Font circus
Although the above hike is absolutely stunning, it is quite frequented in summer. If you are looking for a little calm and tranquility in high season, you can go to the Cirque des Fonts, located nearby.
Going to the Fer-à-Cheval circus is as simple as going by car.
But to reach its neighbor, the Fonts circus, you have to hike 2 hours in the forest, at the end of which you will reach the circus and the font refuge where you can even spend the night (it's a excellent base To start other hikes in the region).
Red cascade
And finally, let's finish this part of the Sixt hikes with the Redlet waterfall hike.
The red cascade is a really popular, and it is easy to understand why: it is a massive waterfall, just on the side of the road.
There is no need to hike to reach it because you can literally go by car.
However, there is a beautiful hike that starts from the waterfall. It will take you to two other waterfalls, The Sauffaz waterfall and The crying cascade.
You can even make a shorter hike if you drive to the Lignon chalet: it becomes a short one hour hike to reach both waterfalls.
Green lake
We leave Sixt to go to Passy, another region close to Annecy. It is about 1:20 AM ANECY, and perfect for a day trip.
The first hike in Passy is the green lake: a small emerald lake surrounded by trees and mountains.
If you don't want to hike, it's perfect: you can drive to the lake. However, there are only a few parking spaces available, and they fill up fairly quickly.
If you can't park nearby, or if you want to hike, you can park in the huge free plain-Joux car park. From there, it is an easy 20 -minute walk to reach the lake and a very low slope.
Once at the lake, you can walk around the lake using wooden bridges floating on the water.
Lake Pormenaz
The second hike in this guide to Passy is the hike to Lake Pormenaz.
This hike actually leaves green lake, and takes you to the mountains of Pormenaz. Lake Pormenaz is not as easy to reach as the green lake: plan about 6 hours for round trip.
After a slow mounted on a forest path, the hike becomes delicate for a short part where you will climb a fairly steep portion using steel cables and ladders.
After the climb, you will reach the magnificent lake of Pormenaz, surrounded by the rocks of the FIZ and the Pointe de Pormenaz. There are several other small lakes around the top, and it is very likely that you can see ibex and sheep on the way.
Fall of Angon
The Angon waterfall is a waterfall located in Talloires, on the shore of Lake Annecy.
The hike to the waterfall will take you to a well -maintained path, with superb views on the lake and the mountains.
It is a short hike, and there are many covered parts which are in the shade, which is rather pleasant in the heat of summer.
At the end of the hike, you will reach the Angon waterfall. The path is cut in the rock and takes you close to the waterfall. Done Warning In the last part of the path, because it can become slippery when it is wet.
The Semnoz plateau
The Semnoz plateau is a plateau located in the mountains west of Lake Annecy. The whole region is a ski resort in winter, and very popular with families in summer with many activities.
You can drive to the board and from there, you can walk, surrounded by hills and mountains. This is a hike Easy and suitable for everyone, with little elevation, on a very open ground.
Col de la Forclaz
The Col de la Forclaz is a pass above Lake Annecy, on the southeast shore of the lake. It is a very famous collar for cyclists, but also for paragliders who jump from the cliff.
The only difficulty of this hike is altitude : It is a steep walk, and with 726m (2,382ft) of climbing, it is certainly not for everyone.
At the top, you will reach the Col de la Forclaz, with a panoramic view of the lake. For an optimal experience, you can also reserve your paragliding flight at the top and descend to the lake!
Parmelan loop
The Mountain du Parmelan is one of Annecy's most famous benchmarks. This long rocky strip above the forests is visible from Annecy, and it is an element unavoidable from the view of the city.
Like the Tournette, the Parmelan buckle hike is a classic in Annecy, and as such, it is generally quite crowded on the trails. If you visit in summer, be sure to leave early.
The hike is quite steep, and you will climb a lot. After the first climb in the forest, you will find yourself at the foot of the cliffs. From there, a path called the Grand Montoir climbs on the side of the cliffs, with stone steel steel cables and handrails to secure the climb.
It is not extremely difficult, but it can be impressive When you are on the side of the cliff.
When you reach the summit, you can stop at the Camille Dunant chalet (open from mid-May to mid-September) to have a drink or eat a piece. You will also have one of the most epic views around Annecy, with Mont-Blanc in the background.
Thiou walk
Let's take a harsh mountain hikes with the next: the Thiou promenade. This hike is a sweet walk through Annecy, along the Thiou river.
It starts from the city center, and gradually leaves the urban environment as the buildings are replaced by trees.
This is one of Annecy's easiest walks, and it is Perfect for the whole family After a generous lunch!
Taillefer edge
The Taillefer edge is a ridge that leaves Lake Annecy in Duingt, on the southwest part of the lake. The hike leaves Duingt, next to the beautiful castle, and climbs on the ridge.
The first stop is the cave of Notre-Dame, a point of view just above the village, very easy to reach. After that, the path goes up on the mountain, and becomes a little more difficult with certain parts where you will have to use your hands to hold the ramps.
This short hike offers superb views On the lake and the surrounding mountains, with the turnette right opposite.
Villaz waterfall circuit
The Villaz waterfall circuit is a hike next to the Parmelan mountain, just at the exit of Annecy.
The hike begins in the forest, and soon crosses a small stream. Right after the stream, a small forest path will take you to the first waterfall, the Nantitis cascade. After this first step, the path will take you to the second waterfall, the Dard waterfall.
It is an easy hike, with only a slight elevation, and it is perfectly suited to the whole family, including young children.
Point of Talamarche
The tip of Talamarche is another of the summits that dominate Lake Annecy. It is located on the east side of the lake, between the Baron and Veyrier mountains to the north and the Tournette to the south.
The hike begins with a very steep climb to the Col des Nantes. Once you have reached the pass, you will have one of the best views on the lake, often visited by local goats.
The walk on the ridge to the tip of Talamarche and the view of Lanfon's teeth are the two strengths of this hike. It is not a very long hike (about 5 hours), but there are a lot of elevation: more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet). Prepare your calves, they will exercise!
Pic de Jallouvre
The Pic de Jallouvre is a summit that is part of the Bornes-Aravis massif, located 1 hour from Annecy.
The hike to the top is absolutely epic, and offers everything you need: walking on the ridge, ascent of the summit, views of an alpine lake, and many ibex. You will go up first to the top to enjoy the view, then go down to Lake Lessy where you can relax for a moment around the lake.
It's an extreme hike, and you should only go there if you are a experienced hiker. First, there is a big change of altitude, and the climb is quite fast and steep to the top. And second, there are several delicate parts to navigate:
- A scree field (full of unstable small rocks) where it is difficult to walk properly.
- Walk on the Rasoir pass, a small path on the edge with steep slopes on both sides.
- Persistent snow on the path until July.
The Pointe d'Arcalod
After the extreme hike of the Pic de Jallouvre, let's continue with another difficult hike, the Pointe d'Arcalod. Hard, but that is really worth it!
With its 2,217 meters, the Pointe d'Arcalod is the highest peak of the Bauges massif, south of Annecy. The ascent of the summit offers a 360 ° panoramic view of all neighboring mountain ranges, including Mont-Blanc in the background.
But arrive at a view too breathtaking is not easy. It is a long climb, with a stiff constant path to the final ascent towards the summit; Final ascent for which you will need to use your hands, and it becomes climbing rather than hiking.
There are huge rocks and the ascent itself is rather easy, but it is still an ascent.
Rocher du Vent at Lake Roselend
And finally, the last hike on this list of Best hiking routes that Annecy has to offer: the Rocher du Vent hike.
The Rocher du Vent is a peak above Lake Roselend, a large alpine lake located 1:40 south-east of Annecy. The hike to the top will make you go through a fairly cool tunnel, and you will have epic views on two lakes, Lake Roselend and Lake Gittaz.
The area is a nature reserve, so you will probably see many wild animals. I arrived early in the morning, and I had the chance to see dozens of marmots and a family of ibex at the top.
The hike is not too long, and you will reach the top in about 2 hours. The small path that goes up to the top has since been covered by a landslide. It can always be borrowed but with additional precautions.
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I hope you enjoy your trip to Annecy, if you have any questions, let me know in the comments below, I always answer.
