Outdoor
Cycling, a great way to explore the area
With 1580 kilometers of marked roads crisscrossing the area along with 60 MTB circuits meandering up, down, and through the mountains, Annecy Mountains is a true gem as a destination. It combines the sublime turquoise-blue waters of Lake Annecy, the natural beauty of the Aravis Mountains, Tournette Peak, and the Bauges Mountains, the charming authenticity of its many mountain villages, and a rich natural and cultural heritage with so many stories to tell.
To make touring the area a fun and enjoyable, the biking community goes to great lengths to make life as easy as possible for you. Follow one of so many different routes based on your plans and the season.
© Tristan Shu – Annecy Mountains
Annecy Mountains is an area-wide initiative for important projects that extend beyond Annecy and the lake. Since 2023, it has focused on developing cycling infrastructure and related services across the districts governed by Grand Annecy, Communautés de Communes des Sources du Lac, and Vallées de Thônes including the four resorts in the Aravis Mountains: La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand, Manigod, and Saint-Jean-de-Sixt.
When launched, this initiative had three main objectives:
- Diversify tourism in the area,
- Encourage touring and exploring the entire destination,
- Allow tourists to enjoy the area all year long.
After conducting two market studies on mountain biking and road/gravel cycling to identify existing infrastructure and services, as well as to identify any missing links, the Annecy Mountains collective thoroughly reviewed its options to create a high-quality cycling destination – from routes and trails to dedicated services – in order to improve the visitor experience (assistance, instruction, lodging…).
This in-depth work provided additional tools to enable tourism offices and service providers to offer a complete cycling experience to visitors and locals alike.
© Tristan Shu – Annecy Mountains
Tools to make trips easy and practical
Whether planning a long trip or organizing an outing over the weekend, several tools are now available to perfect every last detail:
- A dedicated cycling section on the Annecy Mountains website – with three subsections for road cycling, gravel cycling, and mountain biking – detailing every ride, trail, legendary mountain pass, service, and associated events.
- An interactive map lets you view all of your options in the blink of an eye, select a route, view the technical details, and download the official GPX track. The map also displays the location of guard dogs and their herds using Map Patou, which helps to foster a more harmonious coexistence between user groups and land owners.
- A cycling map with content for all three types of cycling and the ability to zoom in on services and other shared spaces.
This approach enables the destination to provide a full range of options for cyclists, to clarify these options (rides, routes, and services), and to connect one end of the destination to the other in more ways than one.
© Tristan Shu – Annecy Mountains
Cycling in all its forms showcases the every aspect of the destination. Spreading riders out and making it easy for them to explore the lesser-known corners of the area has the added benefit of reducing the number of people on the most popular roads and trails during the high season. This alternative approach to tourism enables all users to coexist and enjoy the destination together.
The three certification labels, “Ville et Territoire Vélotouristiques” (Cycle tourism city and destination), “Accueil Vélo” (Cyclists Welcome), and “Base VTT” (MTB base camp) highlight the entire local cycling ecosystem– hotels, restaurants, cafés, repair shops, rental shops, sites to visit – all working harmoniously together to benefit cycling enthusiasts.
Through Annecy Mountains, everything is organized for you to easily embark on forty different road cycling and touring routes, including eighteen mountain passes to climb, four gravel-cycling tours, sixty MTB circuits, two bike parks, and five fun zones. Every experience proves that, whatever your level or experience, every cyclist will find their place at our destination.
© Tristan Shu – Annecy Mountains
Along the legendary Route des Grandes Alpes
The area covered by Annecy Mountains is crisscrossed by the legendary Route des Grandes Alpes bike route – from Thonon-les-Bains, along the shores of Lake Geneva, to Nice, along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Ride up and over seventeen mountain passes along the 720 breathtaking kilometers through the French Alps. Locally, the route takes riders over Col de la Colombière Pass in Le Grand Bornand, through Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, La Clusaz, and then over Col des Aravis Pass.
An alternative “Lake Annecy” side route links Le Grand Bornand to Lescheraines via Col du Marais Pass, Val Sulens, Faverges-Seythenex, and Saint Jorioz along the lakeside bike path. This fabulous ride takes you through breathtaking landscapes with spectacular views of Lake Annecy.
© Tristan Shu – Annecy Mountains
Cycling as a means of exploration
Cycling provides a great way to explore a new area, with countless opportunities to uncover hidden gems wherever you ride.
- Pearl of the French Alps, Lake Annecy offers breathtaking landscapes. Venture to higher ground atop Mt. Semnoz and marvel at the majestic peaks surrounding the lake, cool off in the Fier River Gorge, or embark on the always-enjoyable loop around the lake.
- In Sources du Lac d’Annecy (the southern tip and headwaters of the lake), mountain bike and cross-country trail 2 takes you along the water for a 2.5-hour ride between Faverges-Seythenex and Doussard; enjoy riding beside the creeks and streams that feed into the lake.
- In Thônes Cœur des Vallées (Thônes), the expert-level gravel-cycling trail, with its alpine feel, takes you along “Route de la Soif” (“Sunnyside Road”), a legendary path through the area’s south facing alpine pastures. This ride links Col de l’Arpettaz Pass and Col des Aravis Pass with Marais and Croix-Fry passes. Enjoy this truly unique way to ride from one pass to another!
- In La Clusaz, the Corbassières cross-country mountain biking trail leads riders through spectacular mountain landscapes, astutely mixing the majesty of the great outdoors with an athletic adventure. The more accessible trail 48 starts from the village and takes you through the beautiful alpine pastures along Beauregard Plateau – marvel at the 360° breathtaking views of the Aravis Mountains and Mt. Blanc!
- In Le Grand-Bornand, cross-country mountain biking trail 2, “Tour du Grand-Bornand” is a difficult ride that includes several technical downhill sections- it leads down to the village from the top of the Le Rosay gondola. More family-friendly, cross-country mountain biking trail 1, “Boucle des Hameaux” (Hamlets Loop), uses primarily dirt roads and offers riders a more leisurely way to explore the area by mountain bike.
- In Manigod, a fun intermediate level mountain-biking and an e-MTB trail starts at Col de Merdassier Pass and leads over Tête de Cabeau, with several opportunities to stop to enjoy great views of the surrounding landscapes before descending back down to Col de la Croix-Fry Pass.
- In Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, trail 16, “Le Bois de l’Envers” (Backside Woods) is open all year long (snow conditions permitting) and offers a 7 km loop that starts at the Tourism Office and leads riders through the steep terrain of the Backside Woods, with the Nom River always close by to keep you cool.
To learn more about all of the area’s rides, to contact a guide, or to choose the right accommodations for your needs, visit the “Plan Your Stay” page on the website, it contains all of the useful practical information you need as well as a downloadable brochure.
Since Annecy Mountains is more than just a cycling destination, take the time to learn about all the other activities to enjoy in the area: heritage sites, gourmet cuisine, culture, and outdoor sports. Whatever the weather, every season reveals a different aspect of the area’s character and offers the chance to view the villages and landscapes in a different light – striking just the right balance of authenticity and modernity.
© Tristan Shu – Annecy Mountains
Top of page photo credit:
- © Tristan Shu – Annecy Mountains
Journalist: Gaëlle Tagliabue
Translation: Darin Reisman