I lived in Annecy for 3 months and I found it to be one of the most well-hidden gems in France. There weren't a lot of tourists coming through and therefore you could really get a taste of French culture in this amazing, beautiful town in the French Alpes. The lake borders up to the base of the mountains...Italy and Switzerland are a short train ride away. Could you ask for anything more?
I went to Annecy for a youth exchange -- it is beyond amazing! I will go again one day!
If you are a good skier and love offpiste, then Chamonix and Verbier are one of the best places in Europe. No argument about it.
After two seasons of Chamonix I can never imagine being bored by its varied and steep terrain. After a week in Tignes I felt like I had covered almost every inch of the mountain even though it is obviously more interconnected.
If it is on-piste boarding/skiing you are after, Chamonix may not be the place for you. I am halfway through a season here and am just beginning to discover that it is all about the off-piste. That is the big deal with Chamonix.
Everything in Chamonix, is truely remote from any skiing. I wouldn't go back, mostly because Chamonix as a ski area is over-rated. It's lots of small ski areas spread out. Lifts are slow, crowded, and you have to take a lift up above the tree line before you can take another lift to begin skiing. Go to Tignes instead...
Vienne is a very interesting historical small town -- both ancient (Romans) and medieval city. There are many small restaurants, pizzerias, and small supermarkets open late at night. It's probably a good place to sleep if you have to stay in Lyons or go down to the South of France by the Rhone Valley.
Annecy is aewsome. You should definitely go to the parks. One is next a lake and you can paddle boat up to the edge of a cliff. The buildings and briges are all very pretty.
I have no idea what this person is talking about. Maybe they were in a different resort. Chamonix is the only place to go, when it comes steep extreem of peist boarding, it also hosts a huge range of awesome slopes for all abilities. With its rad of piest and laid back atmosphere it's the only place to be...
What a beautiful city! I've been twice and both times it took my breath away. I recommend renting a small motor boat. Its a wonderful and extremely cheap way to get out on the lake. If you want to experience real french culture... get to Annecy!
Annecy is quite simply one of the most beautiful places on earth.
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