Discovering the most beautiful villages near Annecy during your holidays will allow you to spend unforgettable moments. Let us guide you!
The village of Menthon-Saint-Bernard
In the classification of the most beautiful villages near Annecy, Menthon-Saint-Bernard holds a special place because it combines many tourist assets:
- Its magnificent medieval castle, worthy of a fairy tale, has been occupied since its construction by the same Menthon family. A visit to the castle is a must on the way to your holiday. The walk around the building is also remarkable in the adjacent forest.
- Its port allows a very pleasant walk along the shore of Lake Annecy to the Palace de Menthon where you can enjoy a delicious gastronomic menu. This hotel is characterised by its neoclassical and art deco style. You can enjoy its private sandy beach if you stay at this palace.
- Its Roc de Chère nature reserve allows you to discover a preserved fauna with notably the salamanders dear to François 1er.
- Its Lake Annecy golf course, at the foot of the nature reserve, you can play in a green setting which makes it one of the most beautiful courses in Haute-Savoie.
If you can come by bike or by bus, you will avoid looking for a parking space in front of the summer tourist crowds. Geographically, Menthon-Saint-Bernard marks the boundary between the large lake and the small lake of Annecy.
The village of Talloires
The village of Talloires adjoins that of Menthon-Saint-Bernard. It is located on the edge of Lake Annecy on the small lake. The many assets of this pretty village deserve a visit during your holidays:
- The village slopes gently down to the harbour, with shady pedestrian streets that offer very good restaurants for all budgets. Two Michelin-starred gourmet restaurants, L’Auberge du Père Bise and L’Abbaye de Talloires are worth a visit for gourmets.
- To the left of the harbour, you can swim at the Talloires beach.
- Every year, at the beginning of August, the village organizes the Pyroconcerts of Talloires. This show combines a concert of contemporary music with a firework display to create a magical moment on the banks of the lake.
- The commune of Talloires-Montmin is home toone of the most beautiful paragliding spots in Europe. Taking off from Planfait or the Forclaz pass, your flight will allow you to admire the mountains and Lake Annecy with a very favourable aerology.
- For children, but also for adults, you will find next to the paragliding site of Planfait, the Accro’Aventures course in Talloires. More than 9 very varied courses are available for children, juniors and adults.
Talloires thus offers its visitors a wide variety of leisure activities according to their preferences.
The village of Yvoire
The village of Yvoire is located on the shores of Lake Geneva before Thonon-les-Bains. You will have to drive a little less than an hour to discover this marvellous preserved medieval village with its flowers. Built at the beginning of the 14th century, the pearl of Lake Geneva offers you :
- A visit to the Garden of the Five Senses, classified as a Remarkable Garden by the Ministry of Culture, allows you to discover a preserved flora in a cloister and to try to get out of the labyrinth. More than 1,500 varieties of plants make up this initiatory garden.
- In the fortified town, the ramparts and gates are evidence of the remote past when Yvoire had to protect itself from attack.
- The superb port of Yvoire from which paddle steam ers leave for Lausanne allows you to have a drink in front of the sunset.
- The castle of Yvoire built in 1306 by the Count of Savoy Amédée V was restored in the previous century. But it is not open to the public, as it has been home to the Yvoire family for generations.
- The tasting of perch fillets from Lake Geneva. This speciality comes from the Swiss side of the lake. The village offers excellent restaurants to discover the local gastronomy.
- The magnificent bulbous bell tower of the church of Yvoire is covered with non-hammered steel scales. These scales are the symbol of one of the best edible fish in Lake Geneva: the féra.
The village has been awarded the “4 flowers” distinction of the Villes et villages fleuries label since 1959. 
