Breathe in the crisp mountain air as you enjoy the refreshing views of glacial lakes, rolling green hills and snow-capped peaks all at once.

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When and where

Date and time

August 26 · 12pm – August 27 · 4:30pm CEST

Location

Gare d’Annecy Place de la Gare 74000 Annecy

About this event

WHY GO?

It’s not often that you get the chance to hike the beautiful French Alps when the weather is just right. The blazing summer months are gone, snow has melted away. There is greenery everywhere. There is a no need for a jacket finally! Folks, it is now or never to witness spectacular Summer hiking in the French Alps!

Relaxing moments near the mountains – the Alps, to be exact. Here is a land of green-velvet slopes and icy mists, ranging from the spa town of Aix Le Bain, the crystalline pure lake of Annecy, the “Venice of the Alps” Annecy with our grand finale at Mont Renard.

Best of all, it’ll all only take a weekend.

3 crosses hike with participants from a previous trip.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS?

Hiking Mont Revard (French Alps) – Le Revard is THE local mountain in Aix-les-Bains and in the western end of the French alps. The mountain rises to 1,563 meters above sea level and its ascent is very popular with locals. From up there, you have an incredible view of Aix and Lac du Bourget.
Explore Aix-les-Bains: Riviera of the French Alps in an unspoilt rural region in the heart of the Alps and situated on the shore of the largest natural lake of glacial origin in France, the Lac du Bourget, this town is a major spa town and also has the largest freshwater marina in France. Aix-les-Bains along with Annecy is one of the most beautiful towns in France.
Lac du Bourget: Stretching 18 km, Bourget is the largest natural lake in France, surrounded by viewpoints & stunning peaks of the French alps.  This lake, which has inspired the greatest poets and as aptly stated by the famous poet, Balzac – Nowhere could one find such perfect concord between water, mountains, earth and sky. Bourget also offers visitors an array of water sports and bathing opportunities.
Hiking the Circuit des 3 Croix de: Loosely translates to “The circuit of the Three Crosses”. This trail takes you along the ridge to 3 epic viewpoints over lake Annecy, with a massive cross marking each spot. We can also view the other iconic mountains including Baron & Mont Veyrier across the lake, and the tall la Tournette peak. This trail offers one of the best views/difficulty ratios of the Annecy hiking trails.
Discover Lake Annecy: One of Europe’s Purest lakes and providing one of France’s most spectacular settings with the steep wooded and snow-capped mountains rising majestically above the stunning yet peaceful turquoise waters of Lake Annecy combining to make it an unforgettable view. Lake Annecy is also the base for a wide range of sporting activities and cruises across the lake including being famous for its paragliding activity as winds are generally gentle and air conditions are perfect.
Explore Annecy: Popularly also referred to as “Venice of the Alps” , Annecy is one of France’s most beautiful town’s with its flower-decked canals crossing the medieval old town. Clustered at the foot of its imposing castle are historic buildings and churches such as the fortress of Palais de l’Île, Notre-Dame de Liesse and the St. Claire Gate.

Lac du Bourget

TRIP DETAILS

Start & End Date: Sat afternoon, Aug 26 – Sun, Aug 27

Meeting location & time: Meet outside Annecy Train station @ 12pm.

Finishing location & time:

Aix – Les-Bains train station @ 4:30 PM on Sunday.
There are a lot of connections from Aix-Les-Bains to most major cities in France as well as Geneva (closest airport). If you are flying, please aim to catch your respective flights home from Geneva airport (closest to Aix-Les-Bains) anytime after 8 PM preferably.

Note: If you are arriving earlier or later, please do let us know and we can make relevant arrangements from our end.

Hiking Distance:

Day 1: 12 KM: Hiking the circuit of the Three Crosses, exploring Annecy town & lake. (Hiking Level: Easy)
Day 2: 20 KM : Hiking Mt. Revard with ascent of 1,280 metres (Hiking Level: Intermediate to Hard). Note: There is an option to get a taxi from the top of Mt. Renard all the way back to Aix-Les-Bain town for an additional €20 per person, which will halve the hiking distance to 10km.

Difficulty: Intermediate – Short hikes to castles at relaxed pace on well-marked paths, moderate elevation, general fitness level required.

Price: Starting from 120 EUR.

What is included ?

Community leader & Local English speaking guide for the entire duration of the trip
1 nights shared accommodation in Aix-Les-Bains with breakfast included.
Public transportation for the entire trip from the meeting point (excludes flights & taxi’s)
Guided hike to Mont Revard.
Guided 3 crosses hike in Annecy & exploring Annecy with a local.
Access to a dedicated whatsapp group for this event to connect with other trip mates, coordinate arrival options & stay in touch (link to whatsapp group in the ticket).
Access to a shared Google photo album where you can share & view all amazing pictures & videos from the trip (link to google photos album in the whatsapp group description).

Optional Upgrades / Add-on’s (can be bought directly from the Add-on’s section when purchasing ticket)

Private Taxi: If you wish to avoid coming downhill from Mont Revard to Aix-Les-Bains town, then there is an option to get a taxi (20 euros per person). Needs a minimum of 3 participants.
Accommodation: Single, Twin share / Double rooms & triple share-rooms are provided at an extra cost and can be bought directly as an add-on while purchasing the event ticket.

How to get to Annecy?

By Train: There are frequent train from Paris to Annecy, however would recommend that you book early to avoid paying more closer to the date.
By Flight: Geneva is the closest major International airport, with connections to most major European cities from Geneva.

Annecy Town

WHAT IS THE PLAN?

Day 1: We meet at Annecy train station at noon, one of the most beautiful places in France handpicked by the local guide. We will be hiking the “Circuit of the three Crosses” starting from the cute little village of Sevrier. The trail takes us along the ridge to 3 epic viewpoints over lake Annecy, with a massive cross marking each spot. The hike finishes in Annecy town and we then spend some time exploring this beautiful town and lake Annecy, that provides one of France’s most spectacular settings. Once we are done, we head to the beautiful lakes side town of Aix-Les-Bains where we will be staying for the night.

Day 2: Enjoy breakfast and check out of our hotel by 8 AM. Today we are hiking Mont Revard, a favourite among the locals in Aix-Les-Bains. The mountain offers spectacular views that offers great views of Lac Du Bourguet and the French alps. Once we are done with the hike, we catch a taxi to get back to our hotel in Aix-Les-Bains to pick up our bags and then head to train station to head back home.

Fun Facts:

Queen Victoria used the pseudonym “The Countess of Balmoral” – during her regular visits Aix-les-Bains in the late 19th century.
Annecy is also know as the European capital of outdoor sports due to its lake and strategic location to the Alps that makes it a favorite spot for both, winter and summer sports.

View from Mount Revard to Bourget Lake (Aix-les-Bains).

WHO IS THE COMMUNITY GUIDE FOR THIS TRIP?

Firas Sokhon – Community Guide

I am of Lebanese origin and fluent in Arabic, French & English currently living in Paris for the past 4 years, having lived before across different countries in the gulf for almost 7 years. My passion for nature grew after my first real mountain track challenge back in 2017 while hiking the Annapurna trail. Since then ,I have been organising weekend trips of different physical levels in the four corners of France. My next big challenge would be the Everest base camp and reaching that 5000 metre mark.

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

Free cancellation up to 7 full days before the start of the trip. After that, cancel up to 5 days before the trip to get a 50% refund.
If the event is cancelled on our end, you will get a full refund.
Please note that the program, as well as the venue is subject to change due to extreme weather conditions, as well as to the characteristics and size of the group.
Urbanature Travel (UNT) needs a minimum of 5 participants for this trip to take place, else we may cancel this trip.
UNT reserves the right to cancel the trip, modify the route, change the accommodation or re-schedule hikes and without prior notice.
UNT is not responsible for any loss, theft, damage or personal injury that occurs during the trip.

HOW DO I CONTACT YOU FOR ANY QUERIES / CONCERNS?

WHATSAPP: Reach out to us directly by clicking here: https://ExpatsTravelTogether.com/Questions

WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY TRANSACTION FEES?

Transaction fees apply only when you use the ticketing system available on this page (EventBrite). If you prefer to avoid these fees, we offer the option of paying via bank transfer. To arrange a bank transfer or if you have any questions, please reach out to us directly by clicking here: https://ExpatsTravelTogether.com/Questions

WHAT ARE YOUR REVIEW'S LIKE FROM PREVIOUS TRIPS?

To go through our amazing reviews by participants, please click on the links below:

WHAT IS NEXT?

WhatsApp Group: In the ticket confirmation page, you will find a link to a whatsapp group dedicated to this event. This group is where you can connect with trip mates, coordinate arrival options & stay in touch.
Trip Briefing: You will find a link in the whatsapp group description to a detailed trip briefing document providing details on what to expect, how to prepare etc.
Google Photos Album: You will find a link in the whatsapp group description to the shared google photos album where you can upload & view all shared photos & videos from the trip.

WHAT IS YOUR CANCELLATION POLICY?

Free cancellation up to 7 full days before the start of the trip. After that, cancel up to 5 days before the trip to get a 50% refund.
If the event is cancelled on our end, you will get a full refund.
Please note that the program, as well as the venue is subject to change due to extreme weather conditions, as well as to the characteristics and size of the group.
Urbanature Travel (UNT) needs a minimum of 5 participants for this trip to take place, else we may cancel this trip.
UNT reserves the right to cancel the trip, modify the route, change the accommodation or re-schedule hikes and without prior notice.
UNT is not responsible for any loss, theft, damage or personal injury that occurs during the trip.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZER

Organized by Urbanature Travel

Welcome my fellow travellers! We are looking to provide you with options to travel to amazing places with our like-minded community guides. Our trips would involve a mash-up of urban exploring and comfortable nature trails & hikes planned & designed by us to ensure that you have a great time & have a more holistic experience.

Looking forward to seeing you on our trips!!!