Imperial Palace Hotel in the summer. Photo / Gilles Piel
For a fairy-tale French lake town without the chaos, hightail it to Lake Annecy, writes Annabel Urquhart.
I fling open floor-to-ceiling French doors and step onto the Juliet-style balconette of my hotel room, stretching my arms wide as crisp alpine air arrests my lungs and rinses my mind.
It is, quite literally, a breathtaking moment, looking out across the moody expanse of Europe’s purest lake, toward craggy snow-capped mountains dwarfing the villages below.
It’s easy to see why frazzled Parisians and other city folk have escaped here for generations – a chance to unfurl their limbs, to slow down and to breathe.
In fact, visitors can, if so inclined, fine-tune their inhalations at the local Breathing Academy. But that’s not my raison d’etre, nor why I’m here.
While most travellers chasing a French holiday tend to head for Paris, Provence or the Riviera, I’ve swapped the classic tourist hotspots for a quieter and cheaper alternative: a storybook lakeside town in the heart of the French Alps where it’s possible to experience the very best of French culture without Eiffel Tower crowds or Cote d’Azur prices.
Lake Annecy sits in the southeast of France in the picturesque Tarentaise Valley. At the lake’s northern end lies the city of Annecy, home to the region’s greatest concentration of shops, restaurants, hotels and must-see sites. Yet, it’s the shimmering lake before me, with six quintessential French villages dotted around its shores, that plays the role of leading lady in Annecy’s enchanting tale. The 38km, mainly flat trail around the lake’s edge is easily conquered by all abilities on an electric bike and feels more quotidian than touristy; I pass dog walkers and joggers, and am mesmerised by rhythmic rowing crews. The lake’s sandy bottom is visible through crystal clear water and in warmer weather I can imagine diving in at one of its many beaches only to re-emerge 10 years younger.
The scene is typical of France, old and beautiful. Pastel-coloured houses line narrow roads with productive plot gardens, aged wooden shutters and attic-style roofs, while stately residences hide behind high stone walls.
Perched on a rocky outcrop above the lake, the Chateau de Menthon-Saint-Bernard rises in a dramatic cluster of towers and spires said to have inspired Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.
Reached by a leg-testing detour through pencil pines, the 11th-century castle has remained in the same family for 23 generations. Today it hosts seasonal events – and even overnight stays, promising the deepest of sleeps.
Exploring higher into the mountains reveals a smorgasbord of nature-based activity. Serious bikers and hikers fill daypacks with fresh baguettes and cheese to fuel endless trails, rewarded with incredible views. Paragliding, rafting, climbing and canyoning are more daring options, but through the winter (and much of spring), when the valley is blanketed in snow, it’s most famous for the world-class skiing.
Resorts such as Val d’Isere, Meribel and Chamonix line the ridges, with Annecy positioned as an ideal launching pad. For a charming and budget-friendly ski experience, Mount Semnoz is an easy day trip.
A short stroll along the lakefront from my hotel leads me into the old town, now hungry and curious. Nicknamed the Venice of the Alps, the town feels intimate and unhurried. Pedestrians drift along medieval canals and through quiet cobbled lanes, lingering beneath arcades and ducking into independent boutiques.
I can’t resist boulangerie windows stacked high with flaky pastries, while fromageries demand closer inspection with their gloriously gooey displays.
Above market chatter, I hear church bells toll and the gentle murmur of the Thion river. One impassioned local insists I try the local Savoyard cuisine, which is shaped by mountain pastures.
At L’Etage, heady local cheeses rise from the region’s signature dishes – I see bubbling tartiflette and molten raclette but settle on a decadent fondue and barely make a dent.
Blissful and beaten, I retreat to the cosy, timber-lined bar downstairs for a final glass of Gamay. Here I linger over tomorrow’s possibilities, marvelling at travel unburdened by hassle.
Ready for sleep, I return to my hotel. Ornate and enormous, the all-white Edwardian facade of the Imperial Palace invites travellers to step back in time.
Opened in 1913, the hotel remains iconic for its beauty, stature and lakefront position nestled in parkland. I revel in its spacious well-appointed rooms, decadent terrace breakfasts and unforgettable views.
In the morning, I fling open those same French doors once more. The lake is glassy, the mountains unchanged, the air as bracing as before.
Annecy offers everything that draws travellers to France – beauty, history, food – but without the crowds or the hurry.
I step back onto the balconette, arms wide, and take another unencumbered breath.
Annecy is 40 minutes by car from Geneva or three and a half hours by high-speed train from Paris.
Many hotels offer e-bikes to rent or rental shops are easily found around Annecy’s Old Town.
The writer travelled as a guest of the Imperial Palace Hotel.