Where to stay near Lake Annecy

If you're thinking about where to stay near Lake Annecy, read on! For those who want the best of both worlds, staying in a beautiful mountain resort close to Lake Annecy means you can visit the lake but also enjoy everything that the mountains have to offer in the summer. Discover our top choices below. 

Be a day tripper!

One of the French Alps most popular destinations during the summer months, Annecy is well-known for its stunning surroundings. Located at 447m altitude in the Haute Savoie region of the French Alps Annecy has two main focal points - the Tournette mountain, and its famous lake. Lake Annecy is almost 15km in length and has some of the purest water in Europe! Whilst Annecy has much to offer visitors, staying in a nearby authentic mountain village just a short distance from Annecy and the lake means you can explore other areas of the French Alps whilst being close enough for a day trip or two...

We asked our team of Alpine experts where to stay near Lake Annecy, and here are their top picks...

Le Grand Bornand, Aravis

Being one of the closest resorts to Annecy (a 42-minute drive) Le Grand Bornand is in an ideal location between Mont Blanc, Lake Annecy and Switzerland. This typical Savoyard village is a great choice for a family summer holiday. There is an abundance of activities as well as some unmissable mountain biking and cycling trails to explore - including the famed La Colombière from the Tour de France! Le Grand Bornand also offers the 'Leisure Pass Aravis' which gives visitors discounts on selected activities of up to 30% off! 

We have some wonderful accommodation in Le Grand Bornand, such as the 4* luxury Le Village de Lessy in the centre of the Chinaillon village area with gorgeous views of the Aravis mountain range, the 4* superior Le Roc des Tours, also in Chinaillon, has recently been added to our programme, and Chalet Julie a 5 bedroom spacious chalet with superb views.

Dates for the diary

• 30th Festival Au Bonheur des Momes 21st-26th August 2022.

Combloux, Mont Blanc & Chamonix Valley

The stunning village of Combloux is just over an hour's drive to Annecy. Combloux is situated in a perfect location facing the peak of Mont Blanc, making this an ideal base for exploring the beautiful Mont Blanc and Chamonix Valley. Combloux is also known for its ecological lake where visitors can swim in the naturally purified water and children can enjoy the nearby mini adventure park, with the majestic Mont Blanc as a backdrop! A market is held in the centre of the village every week offering local and fresh produce, perfect for a making summer picnic.

Stay at the 4* Les Fermes du Mont Blanc self-catered apartments. The apartment has access to an indoor pool and wellness area and has a beautiful sun terrace. Last summer, our team stayed there and were very impressed with the spacious apartments and stunning views.

Dates for the diary

• Readings for Small Ears 1st June 2022 A new appointment at the Les Houches Library with "readings for small ears " every 1st Wednesday from October to June. Admission free!
• Literary Encounters 10th June 2022 Authors and readers in a reciprocal discovery, gives you an RDV in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc and Aix-les-Bains. Discover different borders and languages, genres and literary, artistic and travelling practices.
• Theatre Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï 18th June 2022 Fabcaro's Zaï Zaï Zaï Zaï is a crazy story about a man who finds himself at the supermarket checkout and realizes that he doesn't have his customer loyalty card. 
• Show: Levitation 18th June 2022 How does a body move and stay suspended above the ground? To answer it, the choreographer Jean-Camille Goimard takes us into the world of the wingsuit. 
• Mont Blanc Marathon 23rd-26th June 2022 The Mont Blanc Marathon has 7 different races to suit each participant’s expectations and level of practice: the “flagship” 42km race, 23km, 10km, the “Duo under the stars”, Vertical Kilometer, as well as races for children.

Samoëns, Grand Massif

With just a 1 hour 13 minute drive to Annecy, the beautiful village of Samoëns is a perfect choice for a summer holiday. This charming rural valley destination found in the Grand Massif region of the Alpes offers a quiet yet active holiday for visitors. Listed as a 'Historic Monument' Samoëns has a great heritage. Medieval features like its church and fountains give the village its character. There is a wealth of activities to try in the area, from watersports on the Giffre, Drance or Arve rivers, to the forest assault course with obstacles, ladders and zip-lines, to the Via Ferrata, or of course making the most of the gorgeous panoramic views whilst on a mountain hike! 

We'd recommend staying at one of our luxury or superior residences in Samoëns, such as the recently built 4* luxury Les Chalets des Layssia in the village centre, or the brand new 4* Superior Alexane residence just 150m from the centre. 

Dates for the diary

• Vélo Vert Festival 3rd-5th June 2022 In a friendly atmosphere, the event will host, on a new playground conducive to all types of practices, enduro, cross-country, electric mountain bike, sports or family events. To discover for lovers of the Green Bike Festival, in a formula well known to festival-goers composed of a fair-tests, hikes, competitions, animations and conviviality.
• 13th Botanical Days 11th-12th June 2022 During the Botanical Days, Samoëns and its exceptional alpine garden La Jaÿsinia (with its 4800 varieties of mountain flowers from all 5 continents), welcome you. All the natural beauties will be offered to you. with this year's theme: recycling and the use of nature for nature.
• Samoëns Trail Tour 16th-19th June 2022 Ultra-Trail du Haut-Giffre is one of the biggest and the most fantastic mountain races in the Valley to discover without any hesitation!
• Samoëns American Festival 13th edition 30th June-3rd July 2022 Samoëns invites you to come dance and immerse yourself in American culture for a weekend, with dance courses, frenzied concerts and balls, as well as equestrian and mechanical shows.
• F'Estival Les Pépites 7th July-25th August 2022 Every Thursday of the summer, Samoëns offers a high-quality musical programming. Emerging artists of national or international stature will share their music, passion and talent for unforgettable moments.
• "Adopte 1 Col": Morzine to Joux Plane 24th July 2022 Don’t miss climbing this legendary col at 1690 meters altitude and crossed 11 times by the Tour de France and 3 times by the Critérium du Dauphiné!
• A musical journey around the flutes of Guy Angelloz7th August 2022 Flute concert given by Guy Angelloz and Elodie Baile revisiting Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi, Handel, Paganini and many others.
• World championships of Mölkky 18th-21st August 2022 Samoëns hosts the Mölkky World Championships, with many bowling nations of Finnish origin coming to compete, to become Mölkky World Champion! Tournament accessible to all.

Les Carroz d'Araches, Grand Massif

The pretty alpine village of Les Carroz d'Araches is also a short distance away from Annecy (1-hour 4-minute drive), and it's also a great base to explore the Grand Massif area of the French Alps - including the beautiful village of Samoëns. Along with some fantastic walking/hiking routes, Les Carroz has 7 dedicated mountain biking trails of differing levels in the bike park and can be accessed by the 8-seater Kédeuze cable car. There's also plenty of other activities which ensure visitors can enjoy the stunning mountain scenery, such as swimming in the outdoor pool, fishing in the local lakes, horse riding, and golf! Les Carroz has also recently opened a year-round mountain coaster, offering an 850m descent and with an optional entertaining virtual reality element!

The self-catered apartments at the 4* luxury Les Chalets de Jouvence are a perfect choice for a comfortable and relaxing summer holiday in Les Carroz d'Araches! Guests have access to free WiFi, covered parking, as well as free access to the indoor pool, wellness area and Ô des Cîmes Spa (treatments payable).

Things to look out for

• Exhibitions held throughout the summer for various art forms
• Musical entertainment and festivals - including the Mountain Voice Festival 
• Regular specialised workshops, including dance, crafts, and art
• Cinema with daily showings during the afternoons and evenings (with selected viewings in English)