Bonjour!
Why the French Alps?
After our amazing trip to Austria, I was looking for a destination for our
next trip, a destination with breathtaking views of high and snowy
mountains to suit a family with grown children, that won’t let us down.
Did the French Alps suit for us? You will know this at the end of the this post.
I booked the flight about 10 months before departure,
I planned the all trip a long time in advance and left it aside almost to the
last moment.
But I didn’t dig too much, as I usually do…
and I was content with approving the kids for the trip plan I presented to
them about a month before we went on the trip.
pay attention: In detailing our trip here I try to be relevant and practical
and give you tips and recommendations from our experience.
Learn more about each destination – there are also links at the end of the post.
The dry details:
Trip date: July 18-25, 2019.
Flight: EasyJet Flight to Lyon for $ 200 per person
(including 2 large luggage and 5 small luggage for all of us).
The French Alps are in eastern France and have borders with Italy
and Switzerland.
To hike the area you can also land in Geneva, Switzerland
(an hour’s drive from Annecy),
we landed in Lyon, as mentioned.
If you land in Geneva, you should rent a car from the French side of the field,
because renting there is cheaper.
Car: We rented a family car through the Rentalcars website
And after booking the car I put all the rental information into the site
This site finding you a vehicle in the same as the category of the vehicle
you have booked at a cheaper price.
To me, they reduced the rent to NIS 300. Worth checking!
Please note: After landing in Lyon, take a free airport shuttle (blue bus)
that takes you to the area where the car rental companies are located.
* The excursion route includes several toll roads.
Hotels: 3 hotels were booked by me.
One in the Annecy area, one in the Chamonix area and the last at the airport.
* It took me a while to find hotels that would meet my budget.
It turns out that Staying there is pretty expensive.
SIM card: I bought a SIM card at the airport for 20 euros, the seller told me
it was without installation/help, and I couldn’t turn it on! What haven’t I tried?!
It did not work!
We were lucky to have a GPS built into the car and we were moving
around using this GPS.
A few days later, just at the end of our trip, I came up with an idea to insert
the sim card into another phone, which we had, and see it is a wonder –
it’s immediately worked !!
Conclusions: 1. Do not purchase a sim card from a location that does
not provide assistance with its initial installation.
2. If there is a problem try turning the phone on another device,
It is recommended to have a different operating system (iPhone / Android.).
3. You can run Waze app where there is internet (in the hotel),
upload all day addresses, the Waze downloads the route and when you are
in the car, even without an internet, the Waze will direct you to the
destination (without traffic updates).
Food: Breakfast – Almost all days we ate at the hotel,
Lunch – We tried to have picnic in the lake or other pastoral place
and we had dinner at a restaurants (the prices are the same as in Israel,
which is not cheap).
Our trip:
Our trip was divided into two main areas – Annecy and Chamonix.
After we landed, we drove to the Ibis Budget Hotel which is about 10
minutes from Annecy.
*To view the hotel and book a room click on the hotel name.
This is a simple and cute hotel that fits our budget.
We settled into the hotel and went to have dinner at the restaurant next door.
When we were done we did a night out in Annecy but we were too tired
so we did a panoramic tour of the city (with the car).
From there we went back to the hotel to sleep.
Please note: I have no idea why but at this hotel the water flow stops at 11pm,
It is therefore advisable to finish showers and brushing your teeth before
this hour.
It was the first day, which consisted of flying, settling in at the hotel and
touring a bit ..
Day 2 of our trip:
We got up in the morning, drove downtown Annecy to the Old Town.
The city of Annecy, located in the French Alps, is a picturesque city,
450 meters above sea level.
Aannecy River crosses the city to a beautiful 27.59 square miles lake.
The Lake of Annecy is the third largest lake in France and its
clear and clean waters.
Aannecy has a long and very well-kept beach along the shore.
Along the coast you will find plenty of options for fun couple and f
amily activities, such as:
Boat rentals, playgrounds for children, biking and of course bathing in
lake water.
Cost of pedal boat hire starting at 20 euros, motorboat rental about 60 euros.
Parking in Annecy:
Just get to the Hotel De Police area where there are several car parks,
Both free and at symbolic fee right next to the lake.
In Annecy we wandered the alleys of the city, walked around the colorful
food market,
that runs on Tuesday, Friday, Sunday from 1am to 1pm,
We bought fresh fruit, coffee and pastry and it was our breakfast.
From there we went to a bike rental shop and we rented a bike for 11 euros
per person for two hours.
Around the lake there is a bike path about 35 miles long!
There are a variety of bicycles for rent (semi-electric, parity and more),
We rode by the magical lake and it was really fun!
It is highly recommended!
There are many places along the way where you can stop and sit right
by the lake.
Tip: You should take some water for riding, otherwise you will have to pay
lots of money for water.
After two hours we returned the bike and went to eat ice cream
in one of the many ice cream parlors in the alleys of Annecy’s Old Town.
From there we went for fun karting in the town of Thones at:
4 to Route des Aravis, 74230 Thônes
Cost: 15 euros per 10 minutes.
We recommend that you check operating hours on site
The kids had a great time.
From there we went to a cool vantage point from which you can see full floats
Which is close to you and a spectacular view of lake Annecy below you.
Viewpoint Col De La Forclaz
You can direct the GPS to the town of Montmin.
You should sit down to drink and eat something light in the restaurant at
the vantage point and look at the surrounding parachutes.
In general, almost every time you look at the sky in the French Alps
There is a very good chance you will see a paraglider.
Day 3 of our trip:
After breakfast at the hotel we drove to the beach called Talloires
There is a large lawn by the lake, a children’s pool, water sports, rescue services and more
Cost of entry to the beach: 2.5 eur per person.
We sat on the lawn, having a picnic therefrom groceries we bought
at the supermarket
Then we rented a kayak for 10 euros for half an hour
(the hourly rate is 15 euros).
Beaches in Annecy: There are several beaches for bathing around the lake,
My suggestion is that you do a tour and look for the place you like the most.
No need to look for a specific beach ..
If you still want example beach names:
Sevrier, Talloires, Angon, Imperial Palace.
An area to sit in banshee in the shade of the trees with a view of the lake:
Les Jardins De L’europe.
Offshore we drove to a shopping center called Center Commercial Auchan
We weren’t thrilled with the place and drove away pretty quickly for
another walk around Lake Annecy.
At the end of the day, we ordered a pizza from Dominos Pizza and ate it at
the hotel.
What else can you do in Annecy?
* For the Brave and Extreme Lovers:
a recommended parachute found in the Talloires (there are even more places),
Floating + photos will cost around 100 euros.
An amazing but brief experience.
Address: 39 Chemin de Pré Monteux, 74290 Talloires-Montmin
It is recommended to pre-order on the site
* Acro Aventure Talloire Rope Park in the higher area of the town –
a lovely place with different difficulty levels suitable for ages 5 and up.
The place has both a cart and a few attractions for little ones.
Not far away, like a lot of places in the area, you can see people paddle
with parachutes.
The view with the lake is stunning and it’s just fun to sit there and watch.
* Segway Hike in Annecy Mobilboard Annecy –
Suitable for ages 14, over two kilometers 30 minutes cost about 19 euros.
Or a 5 km (hour) guided tour of 32 euros.
* A shopping center located in the city center and called the
Center commercial which has a huge carrefour writer
Address: 65 Rue Carnot, 74000 Annecy, Open: 8:30 p.m.
* Not far from Annecy Lake is a huge nature reserve called
Parc Naturel régional du massif des Bauges,
There you can go hiking and guided field trips.
The southern part of the park is on the Saboa Wine Route and has
fine vineyards and wineries to visit.
* Cascade d’Angon – A walking route where the walking is a bit
challenging between waterfalls.
It’s about a winding walk in a tangled forest, the route becomes slippery
and more difficult as you approach the line of cascades and waterfall at
the end.
The waterfall is 60 meters high, and a short distance from the road should
be held while walking on the ropes set on the mountain.
A challenging but beautiful track.
* Bout du Lac Nature Reserve – At the southern end of the lake,
a magical reserve characterized by its virgin marsh.
In this place, you can connect with nature, meet many songbirds, deer
and wild boars.
The length of the track is one and a half kilometers, most of it easy to walk,
entrance to the reserve and free route.
* Secret Gardens VAULX or Jardins secrets – entry cost € 8.50 per person.
For the genre lovers, a lovely garden with many architectural details combining
different materials: wood, lime, glass, water.
Instead of many flowers and plants of course, also fountains and statues.
You can sit there in a small restaurant located on the spot and have lunch.
Address: 1561 Route de Lagnat,
74150 Vaulx France
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10:30 am to 5:30 pm from April to October.
I recommend that you check operating hours on site
Get to know Annecy Lake in an experiential way on a horse’s back.
The tour of a group of about 5 horses, in views of Annecy Lake.
You can also ride a pony (for the little ones).
The tours leave at 9 am and 2 pm and it is recommended to register a
few days in advance for the tour.
Price: € 39 per person for two hours.
Address: 695 chemin des Communaux
74320 Sevrier
Tel. : 04 50 52 64 21
* Annecy Synagogue – Address: 18 rue narvik
Shabbat prayers are held there in order, even with the help of
guests from Israel.
Conducted by Rabbi Naftali Suissa.
Traditional Israelis can certainly stay in Annecy on Saturday.
Day 4 of our trip:
We had breakfast at the hotel, cleared the room and drove in the direction
of Chamonix.
Our first stop today – Morzine Town,
a lovely ski town 1000 meters above sea level,
Morzine, bordering Switzerland, was built in the 16th century, a town with a
beautiful and green landscape in an area full of activities.
The center of Morzine has plenty of cafes, restaurants, ski equipment
stores and many cyclists.
What to do in the Morzine area?
* Extreme cascade adventure park –
The park has an omega that runs over a stream of water
price: about 20 euros per person,
Canoeing (€ 50 per person), rope park and other style attractions.
* The Devil’s Mall –
About an hour of a guided tour of a beautiful mall, walking on hanging bridges,
Please note: those who have a baby – can get there a free carrier.
* Shopping in Morzine – YouCanyon Price: 50 Euro per person!
Address – 74110, Morzine, France
We made a walk around Morzine, ate ice cream and moved on
to the stunning lake Lac de Montriond
This magical and beautiful lake is surrounded by mountains and forests
and its waters shimmer.
You can walk around the lake on foot for an hour or on a pony (for kids),
you can also rent a kayak.
We did a picnic spot and then circled the entire lake on foot.
On one side of the lake there is another part of the lake that is separated from
it and it’s feels like a pool, excellent especially for children but not only.
There are 2 restaurants on site, one on each side and you can spend a
good few hours there.
After our recreation in the lake we went to the village of Les Lindarets which
is the main attraction dozens of goats roaming the streets freely ..
You should buy dedicated goat food instead and feed them with their food
We brought them a Bamba, but in retrospect, I realized it was not
recommended and the goats should be fed only in food they are used to,
so as not to harm them.
Please note: Getting to this village involves traveling on a very winding road
up a mountain, It was unpleasant for me to travel this way and I was
ready to give up the experience and the road.
For your consideration.
From there we drove to Avoriaz, a special ski resort located on a very high mountain, on the Swiss border,
800 meters higher than Morzine.
Also for the road trip on a winding road up a mountain, but I would not give up a visit there.
At Abouríaz there were several times the end point of the famous Tour de France cycle track,
How did they get up there to ride a bike ?! it’s unbelievable!
Aborias has a very small water park called Aquariaz
Price: From the age of 12 you pay 11 euros per person. A child in the age range 5-11 pays 8 euros.
It is worth checking costs and opening hours on site
Address: 142 Route des Rennes, 74110 Avoriaz, France
Please notice:
There is no car entrance into Aboriginal, you can park for a fee in the
parking lot next to the place or for free at a car park at the entrance.
But don’t worry, from the free parking – you can walk about 200 meters to
the site or get on a free train that arrives every 20 minutes, makes
around within the site and stops at several stations.
Also notice the train runs at about 5:30 p.m.
Don’t miss a tour of this special place.
After taking a train tour we went down to the little water park and
spent about two hours there.
When we were done my little son played a little bit in the nearby playground
and jumped in the trampoline.
From there we walked up to the car that was in the parking lot outside the site.
We drove away to our next hotel, the lovely Rockypop Hotel.
The hotel is partly designed in the 1980s style,
It has activities for children and is also suitable for adults.
We got the rooms and went downstairs to order pizza for dinner,
after eating we went to bed tired from the long day.
Day 5 of our trip:
Today we embarked on a long and challenging walk in a reserve called
Sixt Fer à Cheval Waterfall Circus Reserve or Cirque du Fer à Cheval
The word circus in this context is simply an incorrect translation instead of
the word “circle”.
It refers to the cliff circle that is around you in the course, from which
waterfalls are pouring from the snowy peaks that surround the valley.
There is a restaurant in the middle of the reserve, you can sit there to rest,
drink, eat or just relax with popsicles.
Please note: Take the vehicle to the checkpoint where you pay 5 euro entrance
(per vehicle) and parked closest to the start of the route.
* I do not suggest getting to the reserve on a hot day because most of the
route is not shaded.
* Don’t forget to take a hat and water with you.
* At the beginning of the route, there are signs with names of points in the
route, next to each name written how long walking
This time indicates one direction.
To go and go back double the time written there.
That is, if it says this route is an hour, it will take you two hours back and forth.
We walked a total of three hours and it was very exhausting.
Suggestion: If you are already in the area, you should also consider hiking the
Cascade du Rouget waterfall, a few minute’s drives.
From there we went to the super-market, bought groceries for a picnic
and proceeded to our next destination:
Lake Lac De Passy
In the lake there is a possibility to do water sports, my kids chose SAP
(hourly sap 10 euros) and Wake-out (8 euros and 45-60 minutes).
They enjoyed it, I’ve seen prettier lakes in the past than this one.
Parking cost at lake Pasi: 2 euros.
Right next to the lake is mini-karting, information on the site
Day 6 of our trip:
Gorges de la Diosaz crevice near Chamonix
Walking time, relatively easy walking, but after the 10 km we walked
yesterday in the Waterfall Circus Reserve
our legs were pretty weak.
It is a trail of tree bridges and a stream overflowing at or below the track.
We are experienced in this kind of tracks, so we had a nice and no more.
Anyone who has never traveled in such a cuckoo – probably will enjoy it
very much, anyone who has already traveled on a similar route –
he has probably already seen more beautiful crevices than this.
Admission cost for cuttings: 5.5 Euros for youth, 4 Euros per child,
6.5 Euros for adults.
From there we drove to the reindeer park – Parc de Merlet –
which is just above our hotel.
The road there is curvy, its owner.
It’s worth traveling by car until the last car park,
Which is closest to the park and hope there is a parking space there
(it should take about 10 minutes from there too).
In this huge park, the animals are free, usually sit under a shade tree and
you have to hike and look for them,
some will greet you and even wait nicely for a picture.
It’s not a zoo, it’s a big park where the animals roam naturally and freely,
This is their natural environment.
A beautiful environment with the view of lots of Mount Mont Blanc and the
surrounding glaciers.
Recommended for children in their souls and animal lovers.
Notice: there is also a lot of walking here and you shouldn’t come here when
it’s too hot.
Price: 8 euros per adult, 5 euros per child (up to the age of 15).
Address: Chemin de Merlet, 74310 Les Houches, 2495 France
From there we drove to Chamonix to the Parc d’Attractions de Chamonix
This is a cute park with kids attractions, we surfed a mountain slide,
which was fun but relatively short.
From there we drove 2 minutes to downtown Shamuni,
it’s hard to find parking there.
After finding parking we did a walking tour of the city and the pedestrian
area, ate some delicious ice cream and from there we went to have dinner
at a lovely restaurant located near our hotel.
And so it ended another day.
What else can you do in the Chamonix area?
*Horseback riding –
20 euros per horse-riding hour, the riding in the Lake Vert area should be
booked a few days before.
Phone 0614341722. Email lesecuriesdantan@gmail.com
site
* Rope park in the area of Lake Pacey – site
* From the center of the town of Chamonix, take a cable car to the
Aiguille du midi vantage point in Mont Blanc (expensive experience).
* Blue Lake – a lovely lake just a short walk from the Aiguille du midi cable car.
Get off at the middle of the cable car and from there, there is a sign for
a trail that is behind the cabin and leads (after about 20 minutes walk)
to the magical blue lake.
You can go back and continue with the cable car to its top station,
pay attention to the air at the sparse top station.
* Montenvers train – an ancient train that reaches landmarks in the city
of Chamonix.
* Glacier Mer de Glac Glacier – 20 minutes by train from Chamonix,
boarding the cable car, and descending many steps to an ice cave that
has been melting over the years.
Please note: when buying a daily ticket at Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix,
it also wins a visit to Mer de Glace, a special experience.
These are high costs, so the matter is worth clarifying and checking
in advance.
* Vercors Parc Naturel Regional du Vercors.
* Grotte et Cascade de Seythenex Reservation.
* La Sambuy ski site
* Cable Car.
* Hot Baths – details and tickets here.
Day 7 of our trip:
Today we said goodbye to Chamonix and went to Lyon.
There we came to a park called the Parc de la Tête d’Or,
It was a really hot day so we shortened our walk in the park.
This is a beautiful park with a lake, a free zoo with giraffes and other animals,
a restaurant with cheap prices
and a train that takes you for a ride in the park (3 euro child, 5 euro adult).
Recommended:
Rent a bike at the park entrance and easily walk around the park by bike.
From there we went to a beautiful big mall called Center commercial Part Dieu
in the mall we mainly spent in our favorite Primark,
and in a Nyx makeup shop. recommended place for shoping!
Attractions in Lyon:
Tour bus for travel between the places to see in Lyon, to purchase a ticket
click here
City Card Ticket – Provides free public transport, 23 museums,
river cruises, guided tours, and more purchase here
Lyon Mini World – Like our mini Israel, of course only known and
reduced buildings from all over France – buy a ticket without waiting in line here
Museum of Science and Nature – To purchase tickets and more details go here
To finish our day, we had lunch at the mall and drove to our last hotel
located inside the airport.
Ibis budget Aéroport Lyon Saint Exupéry (to book a hotel name).
Parking at the hotel costs 7 euros, we returned the vehicle today and
asked not to pay for parking.
And so it ended a magical, tiring week in wonderful views of the French Alps!
To summarize the trip:
Annie is stunning in her beauty, the city, the lake, the parachutes that adorn the
sky and the surrounding environment.
I would like to live there for two months a year, in the summer by the lake.
In Chamonix, you will not stop admiring the Mont Blanc, the high mountain in
the Alps (4,808 meters high) whose peaks are filled with snow every month.
The people who live in the French Alps are nice and nice and I will still miss
their “Bonjour”.
But for me, deep in my heart, I save a special place for the beauty of Austria,
Austria has its beauty and the rich variety of attractions for all ages
and that’s awahy Austria wins.
The Alps did not replace Austria, but we certainly got to see a beautiful land,
a quiet and pleasant position.
I hope you enjoyed reading and that the information will help you on your
next trip.
Thanks to those who came this far, I’d love to read your comment below.