We will be staying in the Montreux, Switz area and planning to drive over to Yviore and then to Annecy, wanted to see if it is realistic to get to both towns in one day to enjoy the best of both?
It certainly looks feasible (on google map) but since I've not visited Yvoire, its diffucult to say.
I have visited Annecy & can certainly say that it's worth visiting for more than just a few hours as a day trip.
Annecy is lovely & it's one of my favorite French towns ;-)
Enjoy!
You can see both in one day, but I'd focus on the old town/waterfront area of Annecy as this is the part that holds the charm. Yviore is tiny, but one of my favorites. If you find you don't have time to see Yviore after visiting Annecy, take the boat over to Yviore from Montreux. It's an easy on and off and you see the areas along the lake from a different perspective.
Hi there,
While it is feasible to see both towns in one day, I agree with the majority here that I personally would rather spend an extended amount of time in Annecy (at least one full day). Both towns are full of charm, which means that they are both worth visiting! If I were to decide between the two I would opt for Annecy over Yvoire because there is slightly more activity and it is hard to beat the beautiful waterfront area.
Ultimately, it is a possibility to visit both beautiful French villages in one day, but by doing so, I fear that you may miss out on the charm and relaxed pace that both destinations offer. You can't go wrong with either (or both villages), and bon chance with deciding your itinerary!
As others have said, while you can theoretically see both towns in a day, you'd miss too much. If you're planning to spend a night, then I'd suggest Annecy, since there plenty to see there. But if it's just a day trip, then Yvoire might make more sense. I've made several trips to Annecy, one as long as a week, and felt that there was plenty to occupy my time. On the other hand, I spent just one night in Yvoire (and far less than 24 hours) and felt I had covered the town sufficiently. It's beautiful, but very modest in size. And by the way, if you go to Annecy, try to make it to the Glacier des Alpes ice cream shop in the center. It's terrific, and was just listed in one publication as one of the 10 best ice cream shops in France.
Another vote for Glacier des Alpes ice cream shop in Annecy, their ice cream is delicious!
Thanks to all for sharing your insight, truly helpful in planning!