Ken and Manchun welcome you to their Gite nestling on the mountainside only a short distance from Lake Annecy. With southerly panoramic views and easy access to the cycle path and mountain footpaths, you will never be short of adventures.
The lake offers ample opportunities for water sports including swimming (the water temperature in July is around 25C), sailing, wake boarding, kayaking and fishing. The local mountains provide a wonderful playground for walking, canyoning, climbing, including Via Ferrata, and mountain biking. A number of walking routes start immediately above the gite. The views are, of course, quite stunning and include opportunities to see the Mount Blanc massive. Walking can take you up to over 2400 metres; cycling to around 1650 metres, higher if you travel towards the Maurienne valley. Locally, the chair lift for Mount Sambuy (2198 m), above Faverges, operates in the summer months. The walking and views from around the summit are truly spectacular. Guided tours are provided around the summit with the chance of seeing a Marmot.
Lake Annecy has many beaches around its periphery. The nearest is at Bout de Lac, 10 kms away. It has everything you need for a day beside or on the lake. St Jorioz has a the only sandy beach. There is a charge of 2,30 but the facilities make it well worth it. On the other side of the lake in Angon and Talloires, there are 2 other beaches, both of which charge for entry, but which also have great facilities for a day out. All around the lake are other municipal beaches which are free of charge. Some are small, others quite large and provide the basic facilities such as toilets. The south-east corner of the lake has a long stretch where it is possible to park immediately beside the lake and swim.
Alternatively, if you just want to chill and take in the mountain scenery, the patio right outside the gite allows you to do just that. We are situated away from any main roads so peace and quiet is a given.
Away from the lake there are many sights of interest. The chateau at Menthon is well worth a visit as is the Gorge de Fier. Slightly further afield is Beaufort, famous for its magnificent cheese and gateway to the mountains and the Cormet de Roselend lake, one of the most beautiful in the Beaufortain alps. Closer to the gite is the Bauges national park. This mountain area has some lovely scenery as well as many small villages to explore. It is ideal for walking and cycling.
To the south of the gite lies Albertville and beyond, Chambery. Between the two are many Savoie vineyards, all of which sell their wines and offer tastings to visitors. The D road which winds its way through the vineyards is very scenic and a great cycle ride.
For keen or not so keen cyclists there are a wealth of opportunities to challenge yourself with the local alpine climbs, many of which are used in the Tour de France, or to just saunter along the “piste cyclable” all the way along lake Annecy to Annecy itself and explore this charming old town. The cycle path now goes around about 65% of the lake and is on course to completely circumnavigate the lake by 2020. The cycle path is 1.6 km from us. It also extends south to Ugine and then onwards to Albertville on designated cycle paths sharing quiet back roads with traffic. The cycle path is not hilly. This is because it was a railway line between Annecy and Albertville and gradients had to be gradual so the steam trains could cope.
Our 50m2 Gite has a bedroom with a double and single beds. The living area has a convertible sofa which is also a double as well as another single bed so the options for a family or group of friends will ensure a relaxing and rewarding break. The kitchen has all the facilities you need for eating al fresco in front of the gite or for preparing a picnic for a day out. A separate shower and WC complete the picture. Bed linen and towels are provided free of charge. A complimentary bottle of wine and local bread are provided upon arrival.
The nearest supermarkets are 2 kms away in Faverges. These are Intermarche, Carrefour and Lidl. The town has numerous banks/ATMs and all the facilities you would expect, including a tourist office. There is a market on Wednesday mornings which sells local produce, cheese and meats, amongst other items.
In the winter months, we are an ideal location for exploring the area and for access to some of the best ski resorts in the Alps. The nearest is Mt Sambuy, just above Faverges, which is only a 20 minute drive. Crest-Voland/Les Saises and La Clusaz are 35 minutes and Megeve 40 minutes. Within an hour are the remainder of the Aravis and Chamonix ski domains.
For a review of the ski resorts clustered around Crest-Voland see http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/articles/family-skiing-val-d-arly-best-kept-secret-france/