Active Annecy

Best foot forward
Saturday morning, and the lake blinks into life. Rowing crews pull in unison across the water; on the shore couples jog and chat, and a man on a mountain bike leads a dog.

But my destination isn’t at the water’s edge – it’s above it. I plan to walk along the ridges of Mont Baron and Mont Veyrier, part of the eastern cliffs at the head of the lake.

There are many walks on Annecy’s doorstep, many starting in the town itself. In fact I could have walked directly uphill from the lake to reach Mont Veyrier’s summit – but I didn’t. Instead, I got a lift to the Col des Contrebandiers, 600 metres above the town, in order to wander back, downhill, to Annecy.

Footpath signposts pointed the way through beech forest and on to a narrow track that ran, like a balcony, along the cliffs. The view, a startling contrast between rock walls, trees and the great lake, changed with every kink in the path.

On Mont Baron I met four walkers. Further along the ridge more shared the path, many having marched up from the lake. And everyone, no matter how out of breath, offered a friendly ‘bonjour’ and a smile.

Soon the path eased over Mont Veyrier and began zig-zagging down, ever down, through the forest. A wooden bench allowed a rest with a view of the old town; a picnic table offered the perfect platform for baguette and jambon cru.

Arriving at the lake, I flopped on to a sandy beach and stared back up at the cliffs I had just walked down. It was easily enough exercise, I calculated, to justify another trip to the pâtisserie.

JUDY ARMSTRONG

Hiking map: IGN 3431 OT Lac d’Annecy, 1:25,000 (www.ign.fr)

Guidebook: Lac d’Annecy: Special Balades et Randonnées, in French and English, from tourist offices around the lake (€6.50)

Bureau des Guides et des Accompagnateurs d’Annecy Tel: (Fr) 6 88 27 93 77 www.annecyguidesmontagne.com


Riding the rapids
There’s no charge for entry to any of the routes in the area. You’ll need to pay for chairlift access for most of the downhill runs, which starts at around €5, although day passes start at just €12 if you want to do several runs. Bike hire ranges from €29 a day to €60. Ask at any of the local tourist offices and they’ll give you a clear map with all the routes marked, along with other useful information. In addition, guided tours are available in July and August, costing around €20 per person for a half day.

Sitting in a chairlift, high above the slopes of the ski station of La Clusaz just outside Annecy, it’s hard to escape the feeling that something’s not quite right. Despite the low cloud, there’s not a flake of snow to be seen. Hardly surprising really, since it’s mid- June and although we’ll be taking the quick way down to the bottom there’s no skiing involved. Securely strapped on the back of the chair ahead of us are our bikes – serious, full-suspension downhill mountain bikes rented from the bike shop in the town, along with body armour and full face helmets.

There may not be any snow, but there’s plenty of rain. That means mud, and lots of it, and our guide – World Champion freeride skiier and top downhill mountain biker Seb Michaud – tells us we’ll need to be extra careful, as the whole nature of the trail changes when it’s wet.

It’s a red run, so graded as assez difficile and it’s plenty challenging enough for me. I’m a lifelong cyclist, and I’ve done a fair bit of mountain biking in my time, but I’ve never done anything as extreme and focused as this. Right from the start it demands total concentration. Use too much front brake and you risk the front tyre sliding away, too much rear brake and you just skid. It’s a constant balancing act. Less than a kilometre from the start and my arms are already pumped up and tired, my legs aching – not from pedalling, but from standing on the pedals and soaking up the bumps. In the forest sections the tree roots are slippery as ice, elsewhere rocks poke out into the track and try to trip you. In these conditions, it’s not about speed, just about staying upright. And it goes on, bend after bend, switchback after switchback, four kilometres from the lift station at the Crêt du Loup down all the way back to La Clusaz village – but it feels a lot further.

At the bottom of the run I’m as tired as if I’d ridden up the mountain, rather than down. Like everyone else, I’m also completely soaked and caked in mud, with a broad grin plastered over my face. On a better day I’d have been first in the queue for the chairlift to have another go, but today I’m happy to have made it to the bottom without falling off – I haven’t had so much fun on a bike in years.

But if hurtling downhill isn’t your idea of a relaxing cycling holiday, don’t worry – there are plenty of less strenuous options. Around the Aravis Massif there are 26 signed and carefully maintained mountain bike trails, with the easiest being the eightkilometre route starting from Villeneuve and running along the River Borne through Le Bouchet. If you’re fitter and want a challenge Le Tour de Sulens takes you all the way around the slopes of a mountain, taking in some stiff climbs and short descents on the way. All the trails are clearly marked with a difficulty rating.

KEVIN RAYMOND


Roller coast
A prime jewel in Annecy’s crown doesn’t sparkle like the lake or shimmer like the air. It is flat, with a dull surface, and a regularity that soothes rather than excites. It is the cycle piste, a 36 kilometrelong ribbon of tarmac that follows the contours of the lake from north to south, down the west side and beyond, right to the town of Ugine. Following a disused rail line, it links Sevrier, Saint- Jorioz, Duingt, Doussard and Faverges and is loved by locals and visitors alike.

Cyclists have always enjoyed it but now rollerbladers, too, populate the piste. A white line divides the track to control traffic flow, with walkers, skaters and cyclists sharing the space with courtesy. In winter the southern stretch is taken over by cross-country skiers, although near Annecy it is snow-free all year.

Rollerbladers, like cyclists, are a manyfaceted breed. Some squeeze into skintight suits and, stretching their legs and swinging their arms, swallow the 36 kilometres in a lunch-break. Others, wrapped up warmly in winter or cool in shorts and t-shirts in summer, cruise for a few kilometres, enjoying the cafés and conversation.

The cycle track is one of the most popular and panoramic ‘green tracks’ in France. Thousands use it daily while others – visitors, like you and I – take advantage of it when we can. In fact, parking a car near Ugine, and arriving in Annecy on much smaller, human-powered wheels, gives a fresh, new outlook on a truly unique place.

JA

Cycle track information: www.sila.fr

Rental equipment: Roul’ ma Poule, 4 rue des Marquisats, Annecy. Tel: (Fr) 6 79 69 54 58, www.annecy-location-velo.com

Annecy Tourisme 1 rue Jean Jaurès 74000 Annecy Tel: (Fr) 4 50 45 00 33 www.lac-annecy.com


Flying high
Towering cliffs – grey, orange, cream – surround the turquoise lake. On clear days, however, the most vivid colours come, not from the rock and the water, but from swirling nylon wings.

Talloires, on the ‘sunny side’ of Lake Annecy, is Europe’s leading paragliding centre. Its cliffs are a backdrop for experienced pilots enjoying the thrill of flight, and newcomers to the sport who fly tandem, or biplace.

On a bright autumn day I sit in a harness, in the lap of my pilot Viktor, and run off a ramp at the Rochers des Moillats, a launch site above Talloires. Viktor tweaks the lines above our heads until we rise on a thermal and ease toward the mountains. We soar, glide and dive, first facing the peaks, then the lake itself.

“Annecy is one of the world’s top ten parapente destinations,” he says proudly. “Summer is the most wonderful time to fly, because sunshine makes good thermals. And anyone can enjoy this; with children, we go early or late in the day to ensure calm conditions.”

The peaks of the Bauges Natural Park, the blue sliver of lake, the white limestone cliffs whirl around me; scooped valleys, doll-sized houses, yachts as mere specks on the water. The château of Menthon-Saint- Bernard, the pert little castle at Duingt, other pilots with other passengers, all spinning, soaring, smiling. Viktor points out the snowy peaks of the Vanoise: “If we were a little higher, we would see Mont Blanc,” he says. And he sighs with happiness. “I have lived in Annecy for ten years, but for me the magic is in the air, and in the mountains.”

JA

Les Grands Espaces, Talloires

Tel: (Fr) 4 50 60 79 06

www.parapente-annecy.com


Hit the heights
France has long been the pioneer of the high-level forest adventure trails now popular around the world. It all started with the first park, at Talloires in the Haute-Savoie, and it’s at Talloires that new ideas are tried out for the first time. There are four separate routes through the forest depending on your age and abilities. For kids, there’s a special route which doesn’t involve clipping and unclipping harnesses, and parents can follow at ground level. For those with limited mobility or who just fancy a walk in the woods with a difference, the Forest of Five Senses provides a secure walkway, sometimes at ground level, sometimes high in the trees, and takes about 45 minutes. For those with a fear of heights, there’s a treasure hunt through the forest, tracking down hidden waypoints. But for most people, it’s the Grand Forêt which is the big attraction. Set high up in the trees, between five metres and 15 metres off the ground, the route takes you on a twohour green adventure via rope ladders, swaying suspension bridges, Tarzan-style rope swings, clambering nets, and long, fast wire slides.

On a sunny day the dappled light under the trees and the smell of the pines are glorious, and every now and then you break out of the trees and get a fantastic view over the nearby Lac d’Annecy. The organisers reckon that even people who normally have a slight phobia about heights usually manage to complete the course without a problem, and it can be a useful confidence builder. But if you really can’t handle heights, it’s probably best to stay away.

Every session starts with a full briefing and explanation of the double clipping system that’s essential to maintain a failsafe attachment to the safety wire at all times. But even when you know you’re doubly protected from falling, it still takes a fair bit of determination to launch yourself off some of the features. There’s a great atmosphere up among the foliage – you seem to be so far from the real world that you can just forget everything and relax mentally, even while you’re physically working hard. As a family day out, it’s hard to beat. KR

The park is open every day from April until the end of September, from 2pm until 7pm, with the last entry at 5pm. On weekends and holidays, and during July and August, it opens from 9.30am. Entry is from €5 per person for some of the smaller routes, up to €20 adult/€15 child for the main forest route. Entry to the Forest of Five Senses is included along with entry to any of the main forest routes.