Eastern France
We are planning a trip with our car and van to Annecy in Eastern France, Though seasoned visitors to France we have never toured in this region.
Any advice on routes and sites along on the way and at our destination would be very welcome.
Many thanks in advance.
Elvet
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It’s hard to help with routes when we don’t know where you are starting from- but if you are going by Reims, Troyes, Dijon and Beaune they are all worth stopping for a full day to look around.
And when you have seen enough of Annecy take your caravan the extra 60 miles to one of the campsites at Chamonix and ride the big cable cars into the high mountains there. They are really spectacular.0 -
We have had a few holidays in eastern France and my blogs of our trips might give you a few ideas for stops on the way. The one on Annecy also covers the area around Chamonix that eurotraveller recommends [ and so do I ] but we were there too early for the cable cars. We were lucky enough to go for six weeks at a time so had plenty of time to really explore an area.
https://jennyandjohngocaravanning.wordpress.com/2017/06/19/2017-jura-alps-and-lake-annecy/
https://jennyandjohngocaravanning.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/somme/
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I agree about Chamonix, the cable car to the Aiguille du Midi is phenomenal. But wrap up warm - the temperature at the top is usually below freezing even in summer!
We spent a couple of nights at La Ravoire near Lake Annecy after glowing reports here and elsewhere but I'm afraid we hated it. Very cramped pitches and not the usual relaxed atmosphere we expect from French sites. And to cap it off, the "bread" sold at reception was that horrible warmed up frozen stuff. Maybe not surprising as the owners are (or were when we were there) British.
We had intended to spend a week or so but couldn't take more than the 2 nights. It is a lovely area though.
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We haven't stayed in or around the lake at Annecy, covid getting in the way of a planned visit but have visited it from nearby. Biking around the lake is possible.
If you want somewhere close by to visit that is different after the mountains then head for the Dombes, an area just north of Lyon, about 50 miles west of Annecy. It's a flat area with large fishing lakes used by exotic breeding birds such as Black Necked Grebes, Purple Herons and Little Bitterns and an ideal place to cycle around as its relatively sparsely populated. A small town of Bresse is a decent place to cycle out from. Renowned throughout France for its chicken which have their own "AOC" type approval.
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We stayed near the lake, at camping Taillefer, a few years ago.
It’s a small campsite, with good pitches, a decent shower block and a small shop selling basics. Easy stroll down to the lake, or a very nice walk / bike ride into Annecy.
There’s a small boat that does a circuit of the lake, stopping at various places to pick up and drop off, a good option for linear walks / bike rides.
Also a very good bird reserve at the southern end of the lake, well worth a look.
A stunningly beautiful region, we certainly enjoyed it.
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We stayed at Camping Europa at St Jorioz. It's about halfway along the lake from the town of Annecy. There is a ferry boat that you can get that will take you down the lake to Annecy or you could cycle it. The cycle path is excellent and runs the full length of the lake.
We enjoyed sitting by the lake and watching the paragliders as they jumped off from the other side and flew across the lake to their landing spot.
We did Annecy on our way back from the Med Coast at the end of May in 2017, the weather was perfect nice and warm with snow on the peaks.
Enjoy it, its a beautiful place.
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We visited the area a few years ago now,and loved it.We stayed at La Ravoire and loved it.I see from a previous post that someone had the opposite views.
My pitch further away from the road,and quite near the sliding barrier,which was large and very peaceful.Swimming pool was lovely and watching the parasailers from site was a sight to remember.If I remember correctly this site was part of the CCC overseas recommended sites ,there is another site quite near called La Taillifer,which was a site set in tiers.
There is a cycle path at the lower end (lake) allowing traffic free route into Annecy,but please check distance.
Area was lovely with restaurants nearby,visited Mont Blanc,and visited Chambery for a day out.
Certainly an area that needs a return visit.
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This summer, we spent ten days at Au Coeur du Lac at Sevrier, a mile or two closer to Annecy than TG's site. An average ACSI site but a convenient distance to cycle into Annecy along the lake path accessible directly from the site. My new ACSI book shows the price is €21 for 2023. On balance, we preferred Lac de Bourget about 20 miles SW. Although we stayed on the adjacent aire, Camping Isle de Cygnes look quite reasonable.
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I agree that the Annecy area is lovely, but be aware that some of the lakeside campsites aren’t. Here’s a photo of one of them.
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And by comparison here’s a campsite near Chamonix. Take your pick.
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Hi Elvet, After a planned trip in 2021 was cancelled we visited Annecy this year, in June. After the enforced break, on top of other reasons, we had not been to Italy for several years so Annecy was an enroute 4 day stop.
We sailed to Roscoff and then headed SE using toll free roads till in the Macon area, the last stretch being a bit too “wiggly waggly” for towing.
We stayed as the Southern end of the lake at Camping L’Ideal, which was an ACSI site, and had a great time-so good that we are to return in 2023 with friends-it will longer be ACSI but we feel worth the extra €3 a night!
On the first day, a Friday, we decided it best to book a table in the restaurant for the evening-a good decision as it was very busy, predominately with what we took to be locals bringing in Le Weekend, but, more importantly, the food & drink was superb and very good value. The staff were very friendly and there was a real buzz about the place that was a great start to our stay.
In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we returned three days later for my Birthday!
Its position is excellent with view across to the site to the Eastern side of the lake and the Momtmin/Forclaz area one of the paragliding launch sites. Also behind the site is an esacarpment used, it seemed, to maintain height before landing alongside the site.
It was quite a surprise to see one guy pick up his canopy and walk to a MH just yards away!The area is quite stunning, but with just 4 days we saw but a fraction and didn’t make the mountainside restaurant recommended by eurortraveller, so that’s on the list for next year.
We did mange a trip up to Forclaz and pulling over to check the views fro the road we were passed by a line of very exotic, and loud “supercars” Maseratis, Lamborghinis etc.
We managed to park and had a short stroll to a view point, where we spoke to a group of Brits on a cycling tour of the area, and watched countless paragliders pass overhead.
Jean jokingly asked if I would try it, and seemed surprised when I said “yes, course I would”-so, when my thoughts changed from “no way” to “why not”, I booked a “flight” for my birthday and now have pictures and my certificate to prove it!Next year we will explore further afield, and a trip up Mont Blanc is on the list, but also spend more time looking around Annecy itself and enjoying the many cycling options.
Have a great trip!
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Haha! Thanks for the compliment-You can tell I had a bit of time in my hands-didn’t realise how much I had typed, especially as it’s on the iPad.
Tried to dictate a blog on that trip after seeing a mates Wordpress efforts but just couldn’t get the thing to work but the memories are still quite fresh.
I have always been impressed with the efforts that people make to record their travels and kept a journal, of sorts, this year so at some point could do something but only ever wanted it so we would look back on things.
Anyway, fingers crossed I have managed to post some pics.
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Thank you all very much. Useful information to work with.
For information we will be travelling from South Wales.
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