Bike-Friendly Hotel for Your Stopover by Lake Annecy

Located in Haute-Savoie, at the foot of the Bauges and Aravis mountain ranges, near the Col de la Tournette, Annecy is an ideal destination for cycling and mountain biking.

The city offers many facilities for cyclists, one of the most appreciated being “La Voie Verte”: the long bike path connecting Annecy to Ugine/Albertville. This 35km route provides breathtaking views of the mountains and the turquoise waters of the lake.

Using this bike path, you can cycle around the lake: an easy 45km loop with an elevation gain of 400m, allowing you to discover beautiful landscapes from each lakeside.

For more thrills and a wider panorama of Lake Annecy and the surrounding mountains, take the longer 60km loop via the Forclaz. This route is a bit more challenging with 700m of elevation gain, but it’s worth it for the fantastic viewpoint from the climb up the Col de la Forclaz. Don’t miss the stunning sunset overlooking the Annecy basin!

Speaking of cols, the Col des Glières, Col de Merdassier, and Col de Tamié are also must-do climbs. The Col des Glières is 75km with 1000m elevation gain, Col de Merdassier 74km with 1110m gain, and Col de Tamié 35km with 390m gain.

Dream of cycling the same routes as the Tour de France? The road up to Semnoz was the new final climb of the 2013 Tour de France! It’s a pleasant 55km ride with 1000m elevation gain. Alternatively, you can ride via the Col de la Colombière and cycle 120km following the legendary Tour de France route, with 1200m of elevation gain!