ANNECY GUIDE
With great infrastructure and fantastic flying Annecy is the beating heart of paragliding in the French Alps
IN NUMBERS
ESCAPE THE CROWDS
2
The two main take-offs in the valley are Col de la Forclaz and Planfait. Forclaz is higher and used for SIV, Planfait is lower and closer to Annecy.
150,000
Hike-and-Fly
The number of launches that Forclaz and Planfait see each year, according to the Annecy Tourism Office. Most of those are during the main season, April to October
130
The number of professional tandem pilots operating in Annecy. 10-minute discovery flights start at €75 and rise to €130 for a 45-minute thermalling experience
€25
How much extra tandem passengers pay for photos and video of their flight
82
The maximum depth in metres of Lake Annecy. The lake is known as one of Europe’s cleanest and is fed by mountain springs. At 14.6km long the average depth is 41m, and it holds more than 1bn cubic metres of fresh water
A one-hour walk from Planfait launch brings you to the Col des Frêtes at 1,650m. It’s just one of dozens of hike-and-fly missions in the area
Tour du Lac
The classic route here is the Tour du Lac, which comes in big and small sizes. Launch about 1pm from Forclaz, then surf the forested slopes and climb out above the limestone peaks to pick your way first north to the Dents de Lanfon and Mt Veyrier, then across the lake to connect with the Semnoz ridge. Turn left, soar up, get high, then head over to the Roc des Boeufs where you can climb high and head back to your starting point. A true XC classic of about 40km and a must-do for any aspiring Alpine cross country pilot.
SIV
Annecy is an SIV mecca. The Forclaz launch is 800m above the lake, and it’s a short but focused glide out to the SIV box where you will have around 500m to play with
WHERE TO STAY
Vol-Visa
€540
Is how much it costs for an intensive three-day SIV course with Flyeo, the local SIV and pilotage specialists. They also run acro, XC and single-skin courses
54
La Sambuy
Head 7km south from the lake and you come to La Sambuy, a quiet resort with a chairlift and grassy launch that is perfect for flying crosscountry missions into the wild Massif des Bauges
La Nublière Camping at the south end of the lake, is the best option for camping and bungalows. Camping du Lac in Angon near Talloires is also recommended.
CROSS COUNTRY TRAVEL GUIDE 2020 ANNECY
Hotel Arcalod in Doussard and Residence Florimontane near Perroix are good midrange options, or search out studios and gites on Airbnb.com.
Head out of the valley and connect with the Aravis, a paragliding highway that leads towards Mont Blanc (4,804m) and beyond into Switzerland. Keep going until you reach Slovenia, 800km east
