What to do in Annecy

Annecy is a charming lake-side city in southeastern France, in the beautiful Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, 50km from the French city of Chambery and 40km from the Swiss city of Geneva. This stunning town offers sublime scenery and opportunities for water sports such as stand up paddle, canyoning and wakeboarding as well as ways of seeing this gorgeous destination from above, with opportunities for paragliding, hang gliding, hot air balloon and micro light flights.

Annecy is not just a summer outdoor sports paradise, but also a great base for winter activities - with the popular ski resorts of La Clusaz and Le Grand Bornand nearby, in the Aravis mountain range.

Set within the sublime surroundings of the French Alps and on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Annecy, this destination is a must-visit for stunning architecture, outdoor sports and great French cuisine. This quaint city is a packed full of restaurants and cafes, great places to sit outside and take in the beauty of the Alpine backdrop and the turquoise waters. These turquoise waters are the perfect place to try some wakeboarding, stand up paddle, kayaking and windsurfing, to gain a different perspective - being on the lake rather than seeing it from the shore.

Paragliding and Hang Gliding in Annecy –

Paragliding is an incredibly popular sport in this area and a great way see the snow-capped peaks of the French Alps and the thick-forested surroundings of the Lake and the town. Get away from other tourists and gain a new perspective of the area - with two main landing sites in Doussard and Menthon and different types of flight including tandem paragliding and paragliding training, as well as a variety of different flight lengths and routes, Annecy has a wide variety of paragliding experiences to offer.

A world-famous location for this sport, Annecy is the perfect spot for some paragliding, due to the incredible views that can be gained from the air, of this sublime area. This fantastic sport also makes for an unforgettable family holiday experience, with some paragliding options allowing children as young as 5 years old to participate too. Head to Col de la Forclaz mountain pass, southeast of the city, and choose from a variety of different flight types - whether you are just looking for some great views, to learn the basics of the sport or for the adrenaline rush of an aerial acrobatics flight, Annecy has a multitude of options.

Hang Gliding, a very different aerial sport experience to paragliding, is also popular in Annecy. This sport offers you just as a great views but a whole new sensation, with a more extreme landing and different way of flying through the skies above the lake and mountains.

Canyoning in Annecy - 

Annecy is a great destination for canyoning, with two particular canyoning areas of note nearby the town itself, Angon and Montmin, both fantastic locations for discovering the sport, both offering a number of different routes for different levels. This sport is great for families and groups of friends alike – make unforgettable memories jumping your way through Angon canyons and into water pools and take in the beauty of the 60m high Angon Waterfall, set within a beautiful alpine forest.

The Montmin Canyon is also a great location for canyoning, with a number of exciting obstacles and courses to overcome and navigate. With beginner’s routes for those new to the jumping, ziplining and abseiling that this phenomenal sport entails, this location is perfect to try it, in this stunning forested setting. Some of the routes in this canyon involve a 40m abseil, pools to be swum through and naturally occurring obstacles to test the physical strength and endurance of the more advanced canyonists. Try a full or half day excursion to fully experience this enchanting, exciting area.

Mountain Biking, Hiking and Via Ferrata in Annecy -

The Semnoz mountain summit, 18km south of the city of Annecy, is a famous location nationally and internationally for its beautiful, thrilling mountain biking trails and hiking routes. Head to Semnoz for some downhill mountain biking, enduro mountain biking and electric mountain biking excursions and experiences - this forested mountain has great terrain to test your skills and more beginner friendly routes to get familiar with this exciting sport. Hiking and mountain biking in this area is a great way to see some panoramic views of the mountains and lakes of the region, with views of Mont Blanc in the distance, as well as Lake Geneva, Lake Annecy and Lake Bourget.

Annecy also has a great, popular Via Ferrata route – the Thones Via Ferrata, 20km east of the city. This Via Ferrata has a number of different routes to offer its visitors, boasting great climbing and hiking experiences and an altitude climb with unforgettable views, that have to be seen to be believed.

Micro Light Flights, Helicopter Flights and Hot Air Balloon Flights –

For yet another way of seeing Annecy from the sky, try a hot air balloon flight over the lake and its surrounding scenery - the perfect family, friends or couples’ activity. Choose any time of day between 7am until midnight; every time slot offering you a wholly different experience, due to the changing light reflecting on the mountains and lakes. Take a flight at sunset or sunrise for the perfect way to create lasting holiday memories of the sun shining on; rising or falling behind, the snow-capped peaks of the French Alps. Helicopter flights are also available over the Annecy area too.

Try a micro light flight, for a unique and accessible way of seeing this destination. This quiet, peaceful mode of transport, allows you to feel the wind in your hair and see a large amount of the area’s different scenery, with a variety of different routes on offer, of lengths from 10-75 minutes.