Tour du Lac: The Classic Lake Loop

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Talloires, Rhône-Alpes, FR

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BicycleCartographer

Savoring the Annecy Lake Region

37 km

329 m

The Tour du Lac is one of the region's iconic rides, popular because it is accessible to casual cyclists as well as to highly trained athletes. There's one long hill, to Talloires, but it climbs only about 90 meters over two to three kilometers-- a piece of cake by local standards.

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# Ride at a Glance
**Start and end point**: Downtown Annecy, beginning of the bike trail across from the Bonlieu cultural center, 1 avenue Jean-Jaurès.

**Difficulty** Advanced beginner-Intermediate. One long hill, and some winding descents .

**Climbing index** Minimal climbing compared with most routes in this region. The route climbs about 90 meters over three kilometers to Tailloires, averaging about 3% with a maximum grade of about 6% to 7%.

Nearly two thirds of this route is on bike trails, separate from traffic. The route as mapped here also takes a scenic side road through Veyrier du Lac, bypassing the busy road for 4 kilometers. On the rest of the route, however, traffic can be heavy, particularly during rush hour.

The lake loop is popular in both directions, but I've chosen the clockwise direction because I like to finish the hill early in the ride. Also, I think the beauty of the lake unfolds more spectacularly when it is on the right side as you're riding.

The ride starts in downtown Annecy, across from the Bonlieu cultural center and Quick hamburger restaurant, at 1 avenue Jean-Jaurès. In front of Bonlieu there's a pedestrian/bike crossing. Cross the street toward the lake, and turn left onto the bike path, so you are riding with the water to your right.

Follow the bike path, watching carefully to stay on the section for bicycles and not veer into the pedestrian-only section. Entering the town of Annecy Le Vieux, you'll pass the @photo[Impérial Palace](976183), built in 1913 and now a four-star hotel and casino with a large beach and children's slide.

The bike path ends at the @point[3.9 kilometer mark](d,3928.29), but stay right onto the small road which is marked no entry except for bicycles. Good thing you're on a bicycle!

Follow these small scenic roads for about 4 kilometers. Watch out for the speed bumps, and for the occasional car or motorcycle. On nice days, bicycles and pedestrians abound, so stay in control of your speed.

About 8 kilometers into the ride, you'll @point[turn left into a parking lot.](d,7944.85) Pause before you make the right turn onto the main road, as traffic speeds by here. It's also a good time to catch your breath and take a drink of water, because the next three kilometers are a @slice[steady 90-meter climb to Tailloires. ](d,7974.66,10776.3)

After the first section of the climb, you'll enter the village of Menthon-Saint-Bernard. If you need water or snacks, the @poi[8 à Huit convenience store](1245701) is a good bet.

Between the @slice[9 kilometer mark, until the turnoff at 10.9 kilometers](d,8864.49,10785.53), a beautiful new bike path was completed during the summer of 2015. The path now runs all the way until the turnoff to descend along the lake.

At the @point[10.9 kilometer mark,](d,10799.05) you turn right and begin a spectacular descent with the lake unfolding before you. There's a @point[hairpin turn ](d,11163.64)partway down the hill with heavy traffic (often trucks and buses) in the opposite lane. I suggest braking before the curve and taking it tight so you don't risk veering into oncoming traffic.

You'll continue on the flats, passing through two roundabouts until finally, at 12.7 kilometers, the bike path resumes again for another 1.5 kilometers. When it ends, stay right on the main road, Route de Tailloires, and continue for a while sharing the road with cars. The view is gorgeous, but be particularly careful here. A lot of motorists think this is a great place to zoom by at breathtaking speeds.

You'll pass a veterinary clinic on your left, then shortly after, enter a roundabout and go straight through. Just after you exit the roundabout, the entrance to the bike path is on the right.

It's a long, straight, scenic stretch on the bike trail back to Annecy. At 23.2 kilometers, about four kilometers after the turnoff at the roundabout and just a little more than halfway through the route, there are several rest stop possibilities. On the left, you'll see a @poi[locomotive train](1286381); behind it are public toilets, a fountain you can use to fill your water bottles and picnic tables to relax and refuel. Across the street, the @poi[Coup de Pompe ](1286382)café and bike rental shop is a great place for a break with cold drinks or to get any problems with your bike repaired. The trail meanders along, going through two tunnels and eventually taking you over a bridge and to the marina.

Stay on the bike trail, being especially careful of other bicycles and pedestrians, as this part is particularly crowded. Near the end of the trail, as you turn left, you'll see a sign which says "espace partagé" which means you are sharing it with pedestrians. Go slow, and if there are a lot of people you might want to get off your bike and walk it.

At the end of the trail, you turn right onto a major thoroughfare which takes you right in front of the @photo[Town Hall](1024683). If you don't mind riding in traffic, you can follow the route I mapped which takes you a few hundred meters back to Bonlieu. However, if you want to avoid riding with a lot of cars, I suggest you get off your bike and walk along the lakeside back to the start point.

## Food, Water and Bathrooms
Please note that bathrooms, fountains and many of the casual dining options on this list are open only in warmer months. This list is in order of appearance on the route.

@poi[**Bathrooms next to the Town Hall**](1300441) Near the start and end of your ride, public bathrooms are available. They are located in the corner of the large Town Hall square, down a staircase.

@poi[**8 à Huit**](1245701)
 Convenience Store in the village of Menton St. Bernard. 
 
@poi[**Camping La Lafonnet** ](1245684) Small convenience store on the right with cold drinks. Part of the campground but easy access from road.
 
 @poi[**Le Kokopelly**](1286385) 910 route de Talloires, Doussard. Restaurant with a variety of dishes, plus crêpes and ice cream.
 
@poi[**The Locomotive**](1286381) Behind this green locomotive car, there are free public rest rooms, a water fountain and a grassy area with picnic tables.

@poi[**Coup de Pompe**](1286382)
400 Route du Taillefer, Doussard. 
Tel: 04 50 05 54 95 Small friendly café with bathrooms for customers. Delicious organic frozen fruit drinks which they call smoothies, pronounced 'smoozies' in French. Plus ice cream and pastries. Rents tandem and other bicycles, and does bike repairs, too! Open seasonally, from the end of April through mid-September. A great place to stop for a break midway through the ride.

@poi[ **Les Crêpes de Dame Kerlou**](1286412) Very friendly Brittany style crêperie with outdoor seating. As you can see from the photo there is a sign that says "don't hesitate to bring your bicycles inside." Score!

@poi[**Water Fountain**](1286384)  Public water fountain.

@poi[**Auberge du Bessard L'Oasis**](1286383)  Restaurant offering lakefront dining or a little kiosk for snacks and cold drinks, open in warmer months. Next door there is another restaurant, also with lakefront dining, called the Bodega.

## Beaches and Picnic Areas
There are at least four public beaches on this route, however the one marked below is the least crowded as it is further from town. You can also just stake out a quiet corner of the lake for yourself as the shores are open to everyone.

@poi[**Picnic Area**](1286379) Small grassy park with a bench and picnic tables

@poi[**Beach** ](1286380) Free public beach. No lifeguard. Free, and a  bit less crowded than the well-known beach near the Imperial and the other two beaches a bit closer into town.

@poi[**Beach,bathrooms and restaurant**](1300443) This public beach also has bathrooms. The Restaurant Côté Plage, which means next to beach, is to your right as you enter the gate.

## Important Reminders

On the bike trail, stay a steady course and do not veer to the left without looking first. Cyclists in France pass silently so if you veer to either direction without looking you risk a collision!

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Tour du Lac: The Classic Lake Loop

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