We’ll be in Paris for 9 nights in a few weeks, and then were planning to go to Annecy for 3 nights, before heading to Brussels (our flight back to the US leaves from Brussels). The train connections between Annecy and Brussels are not ideal (though workable). I’m just wondering if we should skip Annecy on this trip and substitute something else, and if so, would be happy to hear suggestions. (I’ve already purchased our tickets to Annecy but they can be changed.)
Posted by
Paris
6887 posts
What are your interests? Do you need mountains? If so, you could head to Switzerland (e.g Luzern) and fly to Brussels from Zürich. If not... Countless options really, like Alsace or Amsterdam or Bruges.
Posted by
OP
47 posts
We’re actually starting out in Amsterdam before Paris, and I’ve already been to Bruges. Don’t need mountains per se, but it’s one area of France I haven’t spent much time in and thought I’d try to fit it in this trip.
Posted by
martinez, ca, usa
2299 posts
hey hey carol
we spent 6 nights in annecy just last month. loved the area surrounding by gorgeous mountains and the lake. walked around old town with the canals, shops, cafes, restaurants. fridays and sundays there is the marketplace within the village. hired a taxi tour with taxi-massingy.com to small villages around the lake. she is fluent in french and english, picked us up at apartment and showed us main sights, castle and basilica (the pope said mass here) in town, had lunch at ferme de la charbonniere menthon st. bernard. it's a working dairy farm, you can see the cows below the see through floor, had lunch with their well known cheese, reblochonnade, heated under a small like pizza oven at your table and scrape the melted cheese onto your potatoes, was yummy, along with a tray of deli meats, wine, pickles, dessert. passed chateau-de-menthon.com with a stop for a photo op, "rumor" has it that disney visited and designed the princess castle in disneyland around it, drove further up to col forclaz to see the hanggliders sailing right above you and the lake, couple shops at top of hill, cows enjoying the green pastures with real cowbells around their necks. they have a special parade and festival early october "retour des alpages" bring cows and other animals down from the alpine pastures. i bought an authentic cowbell for my sister in hawaii, our mom was a cowgirl on a ranch growing up, fit the purpose, a france souvenir you could not buy here.
we ate fondue in the village, so good, by then was up to eyeballs in cheese so ate a calzone and pizza, wine and tiramisu. great tour guide, about 4-5 hours.
hope this helps you make a decision if you want to go. stay in the old town village, sems to be busy but you're right there. train station is close by.
enjoy and have fun
aloha
Posted by
S.F. Bay Area, CA, United States
1878 posts
I was in Annecy for three nights (really only two full days as we arrived late) in 2010 and it was great. Could be really cold during the time of your visit, but I am sure that you have tought about that.
Posted by
Paris
6887 posts
More convenient to Brussels would be Alsace, you could spend three nights in Colmar. But I doubt accomodation will be easy to find in Christmas Market season... If you deem the train connection "workable" (I have my doubts, it's 7 hours including crossing Paris by metro...), you could stick with Annecy.