Cycling around Lake Annecy is a spectacular and accessible ride, known for its stunning alpine scenery, clear blue waters, and well-maintained cycle paths. Here’s what you need to know:
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### 🚴‍♂️ **The Route**
* **Distance**: ~42 km (26 miles)
* **Difficulty**: Easy to moderate – mostly flat with a few gentle inclines
* **Time**: 2–4 hours depending on pace and stops
* **Start/End Point**: Annecy town is the most common starting point
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### 🗺️ **Route Description**
* The route goes **clockwise or counterclockwise** around the lake.
* Much of it is on the **Voie Verte (Greenway)** – a dedicated, car-free cycle path.
* The **west side** is completely off-road and scenic.
* The **east side** includes a short stretch on the road between Talloires and Menthon-Saint-Bernard – still safe, but less separated from traffic.
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### 🚴‍♀️ **Bike Options**
* **Rentals** are widely available in Annecy: e-bikes, road bikes, and hybrids.
* Popular shops include **Roul’ ma Poule**, **Cyclable Annecy**, and **Annecy Bike Rental**.
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### 🧠**Points of Interest Along the Way**
* **Annecy Old Town** – canals, cafés, and markets
* **Sévrier** – beach spots and Musée de la Cloche (Bell Museum)
* **Saint-Jorioz** – peaceful views and picnic areas
* **Doussard** – southern tip of the lake, quiet and great for nature
* **Talloires** – charming village, great for a coffee or swim
* **Menthon-Saint-Bernard** – has a fairytale-style castle
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### 🌞 Tips
* **Start early** to avoid crowds and get the best light for photos.
* Bring **swimwear** – there are plenty of beaches to cool off.
* There are **bike repair stations** and water fountains along the path.
* Perfect for families, couples, and solo riders alike.
Cycling around Lake Annecy in a clockwise direction offers a delightful experience, combining scenic beauty with well-maintained paths. Here’s a detailed guide to help you plan your ride:
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### 🗺️ **Lake Annecy Clockwise Cycling Route Overview**
* **Distance**: Approximately 40–43 km (25–27 miles)
* **Elevation Gain**: Around 240–300 meters
* **Estimated Time**: 2 to 4 hours, depending on pace and stops
* **Route Type**: Predominantly paved cycle paths (Voie Verte), with some sections on shared roads
* **Recommended Direction**: Clockwise, to keep the lake on your right and tackle inclines early in the ride ([komoot][1], [Boots & Sandals Travels][2])
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### đź“Ť **Suggested Itinerary & Highlights (Clockwise)**
#### 1. **Annecy (Start Point)**
* Begin at the Pâquier lawns near the Pont des Amours.
* Ride through the Jardins de l’Europe and past the Impérial Palace.([Lake Annecy Tourist Office][3], [campingsannecy.com][4])
#### 2. **Veyrier-du-Lac & Menthon-Saint-Bernard**
* Pass by charming lakeside villages.
* Be cautious on the 3 km road section between Menthon-Saint-Bernard and Talloires, which requires vigilance due to traffic and a steep descent into Talloires .([Lake Annecy Tourist Office][3])
#### 3. **Talloires**
* Consider a detour to the Belvédère de la Forclaz for panoramic views of the lake.
* Enjoy a coffee break or swim at the local beach.([Lake Annecy Tourist Office][5])
#### 4. **Doussard**
* Ride through the peaceful southern tip of the lake.
* Explore the Bout du Lac Nature Reserve.([WikipĂ©dia, l’encyclopĂ©die libre][6])
#### 5. **Duingt**
* Pass through the historic Duingt tunnel, a highlight of the Voie Verte .
* Visit the Château de Duingt, a picturesque castle on the lake’s edge.([Guide touristique d’Annecy][7])
#### 6. **Saint-Jorioz & SĂ©vrier**
* Enjoy beach spots and picnic areas.
* Refill water bottles at fountains located after the Duingt tunnel and in Saint-Jorioz .([Guide touristique d’Annecy][7])
#### 7. **Return to Annecy**
* Conclude your ride by crossing the Pont des Amours back to the Pâquier lawns.([Lake Annecy Tourist Office][3])
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### 🛠️ **Practical Tips**
* **Bike Rentals**: Available in Annecy, offering e-bikes, road bikes, and hybrids.
* **Safety**: Wear a helmet and be cautious on shared road sections.
* **Amenities**: Public toilets and water fountains are available along the route, notably at the old Brédannaz station and in Saint-Jorioz .
* **Best Time to Ride**: Morning hours to avoid crowds and enjoy cooler temperatures.([Lake Annecy Tourist Office][3])
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So, we’ve rented a bag and uh you’ll see the view in a minute. Look at that view there behind me. Look at the view. Look at that view. So, what do you think of that for a view? It’s uh 40 quid for the bag for the day. We’re just giving it away. Now, you do have to put down ÂŁ500 in your credit card, but can you beat that with a big stick? Now, I went to the cheapest place in town, which was right beside the Icon Hotel near the Tar at the gate. Uh, and uh yeah, well, it’s a pretty special place. And that’s what you’re looking at. Just have to watch out the people that are riding like they’re in the tour to France, sliding all over the place, you know. It’s uh I tell you what, beach jogging. A hell of a lot of joggers here. You see, look, loads of joggers. Loads of joggers. Oh, now there are some lake fishermen. Uh you can catch lots of different kinds of fish on the lake. Uh used to be a thing uh like a proper industry, but it’s not really. And uh just when you think I’m the worst cyclist in the world, there’s uh people that don’t understand the gear system. There we go. We caught it in camera. Don’t know where I am, but aren’t the banyan trees lovely? I’m at the very dulac. That’s where I am. Look at that there. Absolutely stunning place. And one one of these step three bikes things. 40 quid for an entire day. Like you can’t beat that with a big stick, can you? Look at that. There. I’m all kitted up. We bit warm, but it is what it is. face is all white because I have suntan lotion on. Keep on forgetting to put it on because it’s uh so fantastic. But you have a look around here and you’ll see all this. There’s the chateau on the other side of the lake. About a third of the way round now. I’ve got to go all the way down there and round. So, about 2/3 to go. I’m going to have a bit of lunch, I think, at the halfway point. Yeah, pretty good field of view in this camera. So, I’ll keep it on while we’re cycling along here a wee bit. See if you can see a bit. big place over there. Was told there’s places on the way around if you get a puncture. Although puncture doesn’t translate very well. Look at that there. Where else would you get it? Oh, isn’t it fabulously spectacularly beautiful? You can cycle off here into this into the into the drink very quickly. At least you’ve got a a buoyant helmet. I better concentrate. Wow. Look at that there. That’s something else, isn’t it? Look how clear the water is. Isn’t it unbelievable? You you think it’s cuz like the zebra muscles there isn’t any are are killing it. But it’s just cuz it’s pure alpine water. That’s why it’s so clear. You actually drink it. They’ve been filtering it for over 100 years and they’ve upgraded about five times I think since then. But it’s absolutely good. Should have rocked my swimming trunks. Could have gone for a dip. You got it dried off pretty quickly today. All these fantastic bikes. You see them? All sorts of different bikes for different categories. Here’s somebody walking. Oops. The benefits of relaxing bike. You catch up with people. There’s a sort of dog leg in the lake so you can’t actually see an stop and have a bit of And along here, I thought there was supposed to be a tunnel in this somewhere, but maybe uh cycle path avoids this now. But I thought there was a tunnel. Might be coming up. Or maybe the the cycle path avoids it. But it’s virtually cycle path the whole way. That’s a nice rib up there, isn’t it? Somebody coming up fast behind us here. They’re pretty good with their bells. I know you do get a lot of people that are very bad cyclists. [Music] There’s somebody to swing over the water there. Begin to do that, wouldn’t you? It’s just about warm enough to swim in at the minute. I did stick my hand in yesterday. I’m actually cycling with uh two t-shirts on. That’s why I look like I’m warmer than I am. I actually seen a cyclist. He had the old plastic bag down the shirt to stop the cold getting him cuz he was descending that fast. There’s a there’s a switchback road. You come down it on the bike, but up on the on the bike is actually a cycle path. So, we’ll give it a break. Speak to you later. So, that says the cycle way is closed, which isn’t good. So, have to go on the the road. So, we’ll go on the road here. And uh we’ll keep the camera on, I [Applause] think. Heat. Heat. [Music] Here we go. So the UNESCO jail park this It’s uh a large area south of the lake in France. Uh it’s sort of like a natural park. You can keep pace with uh proper cyclists on this thing. It’s a bit disconcerting. I’ve only gone down one bar so far, so it is good for the distance. Look at those mountains. Still snow. Although it is like the 10th of March. Look at the wood down there. All collected already. Place over there looks good. Flights, sports, pizza. There’s a place over there. That we house back there did a honey vending machine. Missed it. Can’t really carry the glass with me. And these things here are mad like because it’s the stuff you hit in cars, but uh you’re going to end up hitting them at some point. I would imagine. It’s a ziggzag. at the foot of the uh lake the other end. And uh obviously the lake level probably came up this way at once one point. Bit windy here probably cycling into the wind now. I’m glad I’ve got two t-shirts on now. I can tell you that much. But uh sure I’m going to stop for lunch. I’ll talk to you at lunchtime. I lied. It’s not lunch time. Just uh forgot to show you how close you get to the mountains here. So, you’re pretty pretty darn close. And uh yeah, it’s about 19 odd kilometers back. So, I would say I’m halfway now. That would be the halfway point. It’s all flat back. Uh, but it probably is going to be into the wind, so who knows how that will go someplace, isn’t it, Mark? If you couldn’t do this for a week or a weekend, I don’t know. So, I’m actually here, but it’s quite difficult to get down to the beach with a bicycle. So, I’m going to go back out to the cycle path. There’s a place in the way in Dussard, which a chocolate place, which you could have gone into way over here somewhere. Uh, but I’m going to go to a place along there in land. uh cuz it’s could have be easier just just to see the bike and stay near the bike and get something to eat. It’s a a 42.8 km trail. Uh so it’s pretty good. And the water in the lake consumed by 140,000 people. So what do you think of that? It’s a a good day out for 40 quid. So it is a big deal park. this as I said and uh this place is Lethul and it’s uh it’s quite quite good quite good very very very good indeed that’s very very very very picturesque that’s the way into the park the main park. So, uh about 12 mi to go to get back here. Says it’ll take about an hour. Uh so, let’s go get the horses in the paddock and uh yeah, I get the wrong way around, but we’ll see. Isn’t it stunning? It is totally stunning. Just had a spot of lunch back there and uh that’s the lake going clockwise round it. Heat. Some pads here. Look at this. This bit looks like an old train track, doesn’t it? Certainly does. It really does look like an old train track. This This looks like a cutting. So, I was guessing correctly. It lives in old culling cuz there’s the old tree in. Very good. Yeah, not bad at these things. Guessing quite a bit of construction going on around here as well. That looks like a new house. Very modern. Look at that there. Couple of donkeys up here. Come on. Have a look at them. Bit windy around this side. on the donkeys. There’s a Honda Jazz. Highly underrated car. You’ll get one secondhand for two grand and they’re a brilliant motor. Very traditional that one, isn’t it? [Music] Huh? Ah, heat. 13 kilometers down. Let’s see. Oh, it’s a tunnel. I knew there was a tunnel. Should automatically adjust this thing. Hopefully, it does. Oh, I can’t see. I’ve got my sunglasses on. That wasn’t smart. I’ll have to look at the camera. I can actually see then. Isn’t this fantastic? Woo. I got my sunglasses on. So, I can see the end now. Look at this here. Whoa. Hey. Hey. Oh, the daylight’s coming back. Look at that there. Wow. That picture. Oh, bit of heat. Bit of heat now. Cycle shop. Wow. Tillage there already. Bit tillage. Looks like the village’s green. What about that for a pastoral scene? Oh, look at the cows. They’ve got bells on their on their necks. Right. The milk from that. That’s good. Couple of ravens. Are they ravens or blackboards? I know the difference. I think they’re ravens picking the the bits off stuff. Hey, it’s Lorentter Relentless. Yeah, that’s good. Quite right for bikies overtaking in corners. There you go. There’s an equestrian center here if you’re into your horses. Look at that there. Like nice horses. Quite a few of them. That should you, Chris. How long and straight this bit of road is. It’s quite long a straight look that there see we’ve returned and I think we will return here again sometime cuz it is very very very very nice. [Applause] Some fishermen here. [Applause] Ah, Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Applause] audio. Heat. comes upon you rather Break. Heat. [Music] [Applause] Well, Heat. Heat. Okay. All right. [Applause] It’s melted. [Applause] It’s a boat club and the Canon Kayak Club there. That’s good. Carl’s That’s one. Hey. What’s up? What I’m How are you? Last order, please. Last order. I don’t know what he was doing yesterday. dresses up as a as Chant the Beast tree. What’s the They put some plastics in the art surveillance camera there. Huh? Ready?