Escape to Annecy and its lake

Taking the D1212 then the A430 from Courchevel 1850, it’s a 110 km run to Annecy in about two hours, snow permitting, skimming past Moutiers, Albertville and Ugine before the road shadows the River Fier. You trade Tarentaise’s 1,850 m for Lake Annecy’s 447 m and famously clear waters, the result of pioneering sanitation works launched in 1957. Medieval lanes, the Thiou’s lace of canals, the Palais de l’Isle, the Jardins de l’Europe, and beaches like Albigny set a crisp alpine-lake contrast and, quite often, a sunny terrace even in winter.

Your day starts with hotel pick-up in Courchevel, a Mercedes at disposal and full flexibility while your dedicated driver handles the roads as you wander and taste. Browse the old town market (Tuesday, Friday, Sunday), linger over lunch on the water in Veyrier-du-Lac or Talloires, then loop the lakeside via Sevrier and Saint-Jorioz to spot Savoyard bulbous steeples. Depending on season and traffic, return via the Arly Gorges through Flumet and Megève, or take the A41/A430. Expect smart stop suggestions, table bookings on request, and waiting times that fit your pace.