Como, Garda, and Maggiore may shine on social media, but France’s Alpine lakes, similarly stunning but with an understated elegance, are a refreshing and less crowded option.
I hesitated when my sister proposed Lake Como for a 40th birthday vacation. Social media shots of glistening waterways, beautiful houses, and lakeside espressos are alluring, but they hide Italy’s northern lakes’ tourist influx. I pondered where in Europe we might get the same beauty, history, and grandeur without café lines and lakeside crowds. Enter France’s Alpine lakes.
Already aware of Lake Annecy. For its canals, the namesake town at the top of the lake is sometimes called the “Venice of France”—a promising but overused analogy. The canals, River Thiou, and intricate lanes, cobblestone streets, and colorful townhouses of the 16th-century cathedral’s old town are postcard-worthy. In spring and summer, canal flowers appear twice on the surface. Charming? Check. History? Check. Glamour? Though it may not have the Clooneys, the lake has several luxurious chateaus and castles where you may stay.
Annecy isn’t the only lake, which makes this place more like my sister’s Italian lake ideal. Four dazzling lakes—Leman, Annecy, Bourget, and le petit Aiguebelette—with charming villages and paths have emerged from the Alps. I suspected I was right but needed to talk to locals.
I like swimming in these waters. Swimming in that mountain water is amazing “Richard Hoskisson on the phone sent me into a fantasy of floating beneath a brilliant summer sun, breathing pure mountain air. Hoskisson, a travel specialist from southern France, often visits his sister on Lake Leman, Annecy’s northern neighbor (Lake Geneva to the Swiss). “I’ve never seen such blue water in Como or Garda. Wonderful to swim in.”
Talking to Hoskisson and others encouraged me to visit Leman and Bourget after Annecy. The area is easy to reach via Geneva International Airport. The Geneva/Leman shoreline is 60% Swiss, 40% French, and border crossings are easy. “When you are crossing the borders between Switzerland and France, there are [usually] no checks,” he said. “You basically just drive along the road and all of a sudden you’re in another country.”
Évian-les-Bains, France’s spa town, is easily accessible by rail or ferry across Lake Leman after landing.
Évian has been a health destination for generations due to its mineral springs and thermal baths, despite its bottled-water fame. My design-obsessed sister would love the town’s Belle Époque charm, exemplified by the Buvette Cachat building, a mid-19th century tasting parlour for tourists to sample the town’s famous waters, and the Palais Lumière, formerly the Hydrotherapy Institute, which opened in 1902 as a spa and now houses an exhibition and cultural center with a large historical archive.
Locals suggest taking the funicular at Thonon-les-Bains, a 15-minute drive away, for views of the village, port, and lake. Mohd Rizwan, director of luxury travel business Travelosei, suggests hiring a vehicle in Évian as “the most flexible way to explore the rest of the route along the lakes.” The Michelin-starred Moulin de Léré, a sustainable restaurant in a 17th-century mill amidst pine-forested heights, is simple to reach by automobile. In addition to its fairy-tale setting, chef Frédéric Molina and his wife Irene Gordejuela offer real regional dishes like spaghetti with fresh goat cheese, seafood from Leman, and a wild strawberry dessert.
From Thonon, Hoskisson recommends the medieval town of Yvoire, known for its ivy-strewn stone townhouses and one of France’s most beautiful gardens, Le Jardin des Cinq Sens, where each perfectly manicured section is designed to engage one or more of the five senses. I envisaged eating a Champagne breakfast at Yvoire’s Villa Cécile hotel and gazing out over Leman while my sister and I planned our trip.
Not that other lakes could disappoint. According to Annecy-based lifestyle magazine MokaMag publisher Carole Cailloux, “Cycling around [Lake Annecy] is a beautiful way to discover the area, and you can stop at small beaches like Menthon-Saint-Bernard or Talloires.” She stated that the 42km route is possible to complete in a day with several pauses to refuel.The Annecy macaron shop Les Délices de Manon delights gourmets. Fromagerie Pierre Gay cheeses and Philippe Rigollot Pâtissier & Chocolatier are must-sees.”
Its majesty recalls the Italian lakes. Richard Hoskisson
Menthon-Saint-Bernard was another Annecy must-see for Hoskisson.
He stated, “It’s got that kind of grandeur that I would associate with the Italian lakes,” alluding to the large Chateau de Menthon above Lake Annecy. “There are spectacular views across the lake and the mountains, and the chateau has such a rich history.” In Menthon, he proposes eating or staying in the Palace de Menthon, a replica of Wes Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel.
“We call this area ‘the Riviera of the Alps’ since a riviera is a mountain that descends into water, like on the Italian Riviera,” explained Lorène Belotti, publicity officer for Aix-les-Bains Tourism, Lake Bourget’s most popular town.
France’s biggest and deepest freshwater body is Bourget.
From urban Annecy, visitors may take a one-hour train to Aix-les-Bains or drive to the green beaches of Lac d’Aiguebelette and Chambéry (dubbed “France’s most Italian town”), all less than 30 minutes away. Bourget, like its Italian equivalents, has attracted Queen Victoria, Empress Sisi, the Aga Khan, and others. Today, it is a popular, albeit less regal, vacation town with waters that change color with the mountains, calm spas facing the lake, and several water sports.
Belotti suggests “packrafting” to explore Bourget, a backpack-sized inflatable kayak that combines trekking and kayaking as a fantasy activity.
These lakes are like Lake Como or Lake Maggiore, but more sporting and dynamic – Carole Cailloux
“What I love the most (about this region) is you can be as active as you want,” he said. “You can go hiking, boating, even paragliding – or simply relax and stroll the small towns.” The feeling is echoed by Cailloux. “These lakes share similarities with Lake Como or Lake Maggiore, but [they have] a more sporty and active dimension,” he remarked. Cailloux falls in love with the place every day because of its natural beauty and adventure.
The Italian lakes seem suited for Instagram, maybe because of their closeness to Milan, the fashion capital. Locals’ views of Leman, Annecy, and Bourget reflected the French’s modest elegance. They’re Italy’s low-maintenance counterpart to its excess.
After being persuaded, my sister and I are packing for eastern France. However, this encounter makes me wonder where else in the globe we’ve ignored for highly publicized locations in our feeds.
I want to know.
