Annecy magnet – Annecy, Haut-Savoie, France

Today’s plan was to head into Annecy to get a French SIM card from the Free shop (French mobile brand rather than without cost), then head towards Bourg-Sainte-Maurice for LPG and set up camp. However, as we walked through Annecy, which is so picturesque, we immediately said to ourselves we would stay another night. Since we left Sardinia, due to the nature of our French visas, we have been on something of a timetable to get back to France. Today was the first day we felt we could just please ourselves for the day without a schedule, so we did.

I successfully managed to procure a Free SIM with a very generous data allowance and a transaction conducted entirely in French. It was somewhat of a stretch for my rusty language skills, but luckily it did not require much speaking from me and I could get the gist if not every word. We had a lovely wander round the old town and a coffee before heading back for lunch.

I was excited to find online a Giant bike store only 5 miles away, along the lake, so I could get my bike fixed. Kevin is doing some research for our 2024 travel plans so was happy to stay with the dogs and rest his leg whilst I headed out. I located the Bike shop just as they reopened from the French two hour lunch. I did have to resort to Google translate to explain the issue though. A warped brake disc was swiftly identified and within 15 minutes I was heading out the shop with my bike mended.

Positively giddy with my available free time, I rang Kevin to tell him I was going for the 23 mile lap of the lake, we had wanted to do this on our last trip but our folding bikes were not up to the task. I set up my bike computer with the route and set off belatedly realising as I navigated from the bike shop that it was taking me clockwise and back past Annecy where I had come from.

Ah well, after so long off the bike, the extra miles would do me good. There was a bitingly cold head wind heading to Annecy, but once I got into the shelter of town the sunshine was lovely. The cycle track is really well used and well set out navigating around the town and along the lake, up through a couple of villages then back to the lake. There was only a short stretch of road on the east side of the lake, but it was marked up almost like a cycle track and seemed to give us the right of way.

Travelling down the east side at the foot of the snow capped mountains, the sun reflecting off the water, with a following wind was absolutely joyous. It was so good to be on the bike again. The Annecy lake loop had to be one of the most stunning routes of the many glorious rides I have been lucky enough to do on this trip. The route back along the west side, into the cold head wind again, but this time in the shadow of the mountains and no sun was very chilly indeed. There was certainly a lot less cyclists on that section. However, I completed the lap and even the climb up the hill to the motorhome at the end. Whose idea was it to park at the top of a hill…oh yes, whoops that might have been me.

An absolutely glorious day, so happy to be back off a schedule and in France 🇫🇷