August 20-22 – Annecy Part 1!

Look at that forecast! It’s been raining a lot but the weathergod is smiling for our last 5 days in Annecy.

We ‘discovered’ Annecy 6 years ago based on advice from our Dutch friends. They are retired KLM airline people, so they know all the best places in the world. We were staying with them at their place in the village of Claviers in the very mountainous Verdun region northwest of Cannes. They have carved out a paradise home with guest house and pool built into a steep terraced 200-year-old olive grove. When we were there, we asked advice for the trip back toward Netherlands. We wanted to go into the French Alps and they recommended Annecy. As soon as we arrived we wished we could stay longer than 2 days, and resolved to return one day.

This is that day – finally. It’s been a stretch to get here, but worth it for the chance to fully enjoy this special place. Last time we rode ¾ around the lake and then took a boat back from the southern tip. Unlike the last time we were here, you can now ride safely all around the lake. It’s very steep on the east side and we are advised to pedal clockwise around the lake to avoid major climbs.