Would you like to spend your weekend or your vacations in Annecy? This charming city, whose lake is among the most beautiful in Europe, has a lot to offer. However, there is one thing that it does not offer despite its small size: a fluid road traffic, especially during the summer season!
So we have only one advice to give you: avoid the car and opt for soft mobility during your visit of the Venice of the Alps and its lake. You will find in this article all the good tips and advice, as well as the necessary information to get around Annecy without a car during your stay.
COME TO ANNECY IN AN ECOLOGICAL WAY
Of course, the airports of Geneva and Lyon, located only 1 hour from Annecy, can give you quick access to the charm of this city. But greener solutions exist, especially if you are located within a 500 kilometer radius.
Carpooling
Carpooling is already a solution that helps increase the occupancy rate of vehicles on our roads. Blablacar is undoubtedly the most used website in France. Count between 30 and 50€ for a one-way trip from Paris or Marseille, as well as about 10€ for Lyon. The bus system established by the latter also offers very interesting prices from Paris, with an average fare of 20€.
Also, Haute-Savoie and its surroundings have their own carpooling website with Covoiturage-Leman.org or Mov'ici. Carpooling areas are spread out in the Annecy agglomeration and allow you to easily access the city center.
The train
Annecy and its train station serve major national and international routes. Two TER lines reach Annecy from Valence via Chambéry. The TGV InOui also offers an average of 7 return trips per day from Paris Gare de Lyon. Finally, from Switzerland, there is a TER link with Geneva, as well as the Annecy-Coppet link of the L2 Léman Express.
Whether you are traveling from the north or the south, the train trip will allow you to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the region before you arrive at the station.
PARKING YOUR CAR IN ANNECY
If it is more convenient for you to drive to Annecy, there are always solutions to park your car so that you can enjoy the city at leisure.
Parking lots
First of all, if you want to park your car in the city center, the city offers 10 covered parking lots with a total of about 3200 spaces. Prices range from 1.10€ for one hour to 3.10€ for two hours during the day. The city also offers 7 other uncovered parking lots in the city center, with the possibility of parking for up to 8 consecutive hours at a price of 1€ per hour. Finally, Annecy has 6 free parking lots on the outskirts.
In the street
As far as parking in the city center is concerned, the city is divided into two zones: green and red. The green zone offers a rate of 1€ per hour for up to 7 hours, while the red zone offers a rate of 2€ per hour for up to 2 hours and 15 minutes.
To avoid the stress of the city center, especially during the summer season, it is possible to park in covered parking lots in Meythet and Cran-Gevrier, towns easily served by public transport.
Good plans
To manage and control your parking at best, the Paybyphoneapplication allows you to pay or even extend your time online, convenient if you want to enjoy the lake longer!
Finally, for electric vehicles, the city of Annecy provides recharging stations in some parking lots. You can take advantage of free charging if you pay your parking fee.
GETTING AROUND LAKE ANNECY WITHOUT A CAR
Nothing better than soft mobility to visit and enjoy the lakefront. Here are the different modes of transportation you can use to visit the lakefront.
Annecy's public transport network: the SIBRA
With 27 regular bus lines, the SIBRA network supports the Annecy agglomeration in its search for more fluid and green mobility. The range of service is from 5:30 am to 9 pm, with some evening buses that continue until 1 am. The 10 tickets are 11,70 €, and a single ticket will cost you 1,50 €. Please note that only the I, J, K and L lines operate on Sundays and public holidays. The bus station is located right in front of the train station.
To move around the lake, the L1 and L2 beach lines allow you, from June to September, to go to the different beaches around the lake but also some tourist places that border it. This service operates every day from Monday to Sunday, even on public holidays from July to August.
If you are looking for fresh air and mountains, the Transdev Haute Savoie lines 62 and 63 take you to Grand-Bornand and La Clusaz, while the SIBRA line 41 takes you to the heart of the Bauges massif.
Line 61 will take you to Talloires, the pearl of the lake, with its terminus in Angon which is just a stone's throw from our bike rental agency.
Lake shuttles and water cabs
What could be more efficient than water to avoid traffic? Various services have been set up to take advantage of this simple and fast mode of transportation.
Lake shuttles are available from June to the beginning of September, the 2 shuttles B1, B2 called "Lac d'Annecy Express" serve different ports and ensure the connection between different banks of the lake.
These shuttles allow theloading of bicycles, nothing more practical if you rent some!
For a more complete and upscale experience, a Water Taxi service is also available. From a simple aperitif-resto to a cruise offer, there is a wide range of choices to escape in the middle of the crystal clear waters of the lake.
Bicycle paths
Cycling is definitely one of the best ways to get around Annecy! Cycling along the lake is pleasant and is one of the most ecological modes of transportation.
For this, the agglomeration has set up a bicycle path that goes around the lake, some sections are still under construction, but most of it is finished. Count on 3 to 4 hours to go around the lake. It is also recommended to ride clockwise. On the west side of the lake, the 33km long greenway takes you from Annecy to Albertville. It is one of the oldest greenways in France.
Our fleet of electrically assisted bicycles has an autonomy of between 75 and 100 km depending on the assistance used and the difference in altitude covered. This is more than enough to ride around the lake with its 40 kilometers.
Idea for a day without a car : The tour of Lake Annecy by the Forclaz pass
There is nothing more beautiful than theAngon sitein Talloires to start your cycling adventure, even if you are staying in Annecy!
From Annecy, take bus 61 (or a summer shuttle) in the morning, and get off at the "Talloires-Angon" stop located a few steps from our rental center. Once there, our team will help you with the itinerary, the use of the bikes and a map of the lake will even be offered to you. Don't forget to reserve your bikes in advanceespecially in high season.
The electric bikes in particular will allow you to challenge the height difference of the Forclaz pass in about an hour, and to enjoy a breathtaking view on the lake. Going down by Montmin you will join the green way, where you will be able to take advantage of the various beaches and of the splendid sight which the Eastern bank of the lake offers. When your tour is over, you will be able to enjoy the different places of relaxation and restoration located next to our rental base. Guinguettes, beaches, bars... to marvel at the lake and the last rays of sunshine before returning to Annecy by lake shuttle or by bus.
