The Annecy Mountains are located in the northern French Alps, between the Bornes and Bauges mountain ranges.

It has undulating and fertile Albanais plain and the unspoilt Fillière region.

Visitors can take in :

There's the chance to cyle one of the 18 'cols' in the area,Colombiere, Aravis or Col Fry, or a circuit of Lake Annecy or, off the beaten track Plan Bois, Epine or Arpettaz.

Ebikes are available to ease the hills and make for a more relaxing cycling itinerary,

Throughout the region, the accueil velo mark is the endorsement French tourist offices give to businesses that welcome cyclists.

Paragliding

In La Tournette, the mountain alongside Lake Annecy, is the launch area for hundreds of paragliders who fly above the lake.

The craftspeople

The region has a range of artisan craft makers keeping the local traditions alive.

In one of the oldest chalets in Le Grand Bornand, Didier Perrillat is skilled in the ancestral craft of leatherwork, which Audrey Pechoux makes the special leather straps on the bells around cow's necks.

Marie and Antoine, from Maana soap are a young soap-making couple whose range of simple, authentic products is based on plants found in the mountains.

Laurence of Polkadot, has a small ceramics factory in Manigod making pretty delicate objects for the home.

The cheese

Home to Reblechon cheese, with 40 alpine farms and 2000 cows in Annecy Mountains.

Many of these are open to visitors along with the caves above Manigod where the cheese is matured.

Useful links

​ www.annecymountains.com