La Balme-de-Thuy walks

From La Balme-de-Thuy, I suggest you take a lovely walk around the southern part of Mont Téret via the Col de la Bourse, Les Grands Prés and the Col du Pertuis. This is a fairly challenging route in terms of distance and elevation, with a few difficulties, mainly on the Passage de la Bourse.

It is a varied hike, part of which takes place through woodland, whilst another section crosses a large cliff face – the Passage de la Bourse – and, after passing through the Ablon mountain pasture, the final stretch leads to a breathtaking panorama, which one would never have suspected during the long ascent. From Lake Geneva to Mont Blanc, from the Chablais to the Bauges and from the Aravis to the Grand Combin, nothing will escape your view.Please read the practical information and the safety warning regarding the Passage de la Bourse carefully.

A summit without any major difficulties overlooking Lake Annecy!

A round trip to the Chalets des Auges from the Morette National Necropolis (just before Thônes when coming from Annecy), offering breathtaking panoramic views of the Aravis and Mont Blanc in the background, whilst tackling a challenging route.

A bit of history and prehistory for the whole family amid the waterfalls. An easy, educational walk through the Ice Age and the French Revolution with a detour to see some waterfalls.

A pleasant walk along the Nant du Sappey, followed by a fairly steep climb to the Refuge de la Têtaz, offering a beautiful view over the Thônes valley.

From Dingy-Saint-Clair, I suggest you head for the Tête à Turpin and then the Mont Téret plateau, whilst enjoying lovely scenery and numerous viewpoints. Please note that this is a challenging hike: there are difficulties on a few tricky sections requiring caution in exposed areas, and the route is not always easy to follow. Please read the description and practical information.

A walk through the forest and then across the mountain pastures of La Rochette, followed by a slightly more challenging climb to the Trou de la Chapelle, a cave running through the Arête des Lanches. A beautiful viewpoint and lovely spot at La Rochette below.

Whilst the Glières plateau is a historic landmark, it is also a magnificent place that is well worth exploring. You can do this by riding along the rocky ridge that encloses it to the south-east, approaching it from above. After completing the route, the return journey takes you past the Notre-Dame des Neiges Chapel, then round the southern end of the Sappey ridge, back to the village of the same name where the route begins.

I suggest a circular route from the foot of the Dents de Laffon to the Pointe de Talamarche, all set against a backdrop of beautiful and varied scenery.There are challenging sections in two areas:- below the Dents de Lanfon in the scree slope: moderate navigation in an area exposed to rockfalls.- access to the Trou de la Chapelle: sections equipped with chains and rungs,A torch is strongly recommended for the crossing of the Grotte de la Chapelle. This route is best undertaken outside periods when snow is present and ideally on dry ground.Please read the Practical Information carefully.Three alternative routes are available: please also read the practical information.

A very scenic hike in the Annecy region, taking you to the northern tip of the Dents de Lanfon, set in unspoilt countryside and exceptional scenery. From the summit, there are superb views, particularly of Lake Annecy, the Tête à Turpin and the Grandes Lanches (Dent du Cruet).Please note: a helmet is recommended due to the risk of rockfalls.

A lovely walk in the Aravis, offering a beautiful view of the Glières plateau, part of Lake Annecy, Entremont and Mont Lachat.

A beautiful but long hike with magnificent views of the Aravis range, the Glières plateau, Mont Lachat, La Tournette, and Mont Blanc in the background. The climb to the Col de l’Ovine is challenging as it is long and steep, but the view is well worth the effort. The rest of the hike is gentle, apart from a short climb on the path after La Rosière. This forest path has a few steep sections. Signposts are placed at all junctions.

This hike will take you from the village of Thônes to the village of Les Clefs, following the Fier river and crossing the Roman bridge. The next stop is the Mont forest with its fallen king and new king. You can learn about the history of this king (the tree tadpoles of Thônes) by visiting the website. On your return to Thônes, you can stroll around this village located at the gateway to the Aravis.

A mostly shaded route, a return walk from the Provenat outdoor fitness area, along the River Fier to the Nant Debout Waterfall at Morette. It provides access to the outdoor fitness trail, which features modern, well-maintained equipment. All along the green and yellow-marked trail, it is possible to descend to the banks of the Fier with its clear, crystal-clear waters. The Morette Waterfall is reached via a steep climb where children must be supervised, as the numerous tree roots can cause them to slip.

This cycle route climbs towards the Col de Saint-Jean-de-Sixt, then descends through the entire Vallée du Borne. Towards La Roche-sur-Foron, it then follows small roads before reaching the Col de Fleury. It descends to the village of Thorens-Glières, continues towards Aviernoz, and reaches the village of Naves-Parmelan. The route then turns towards Dingy Saint-Clair, La Balme de Thuy, and reaches the centre of Thônes via a cycle path.

This route passes through the Col du Marais, joins the cycle path that takes you to Ugine, where the climb to Hery and Flumet begins. Then, the Route des Gorges de l'Arrondine leads to La Giettaz, the start of the tough climb up the Col des Aravis. All that remains then is the descent, which passes successively through La Clusaz and Saint-Jean-de-Sixt before reaching Thônes.

This circuit passes through the Col du Marais, the Col de l'Épine and, after a beautiful descent, crosses Marlens. At the roundabout, a cycle path joins and runs alongside Lake Annecy, then climbs up the Côte de Talloires to reach Menthon-Saint-Bernard. All that remains is to climb the Col de Bluffy to reach the Thônes side.

A beautiful, steep hike that follows a stream through the forest before arriving at a small alpine valley, then on a ridge where you can enjoy the view of the lake.

A nature trail with a few information boards and explanations about the wildlife and forest. Two picnic areas with tables. The viewpoint from the belvedere is lovely, with views of the Dent du Cruet and the lake.

A summit with few visitors, offering exceptional views across the entire Aravis range, La Tournette and the Mont Blanc massif. At the Pointe de Talamarche, there are also fine views of the Dents de Lanfon. After the gruelling climb from Montremont to the Refuge de Larrieux, enjoy a welcome break at this pleasant spot before continuing your ascent.

This beautiful circular hike begins in a beech forest that may seem quite steep but is well marked. The alpine pastures, which are full of flowers until mid-summer, quickly come into view. You may encounter ibex on the Crête des Trévelles. The summit is easily reached and offers a beautiful 360° panorama. The descent to Pas de l'Aulp can be daunting but is very well protected.

A visit to the ‘King of the Mountain’ – a grove of spruce trees – and enjoy the view of Thônes from the highest point.

Le Parmelan, via the Col de Perthuis and return via the Petit MontoirVaried landscapes passing through green pastures, dense forests, rocks and impressive sharp limestone pavements on the summit.

A lovely hike above La Blonnière, with the Parmelan cliffs as a backdrop; superb view from the Pertuis ridge overlooking the slopes above Grand Bois to the west.

This is a lovely little outing from the hamlet of La Blonnière. It is a pleasant walk, even in summer, because although the slope faces south, the route is quite shady. In winter, it can be more complicated, as we are still at an altitude of 1,000 metres and there is often snow.

The tour of Montagne de Lachat, above Dingy-Saint-Clair (near Annecy), is a very pretty hike that is ideal for families, for example: a wooded trail and, from the summit, views of Annecy and Les Bauges. Possible in all seasons, safe in winter.

Le Parmelan, via a slightly less traditional route. At the summit, sharp limestone pavement, Grotte de l'Enfer (and other caves), Mont Blanc range.

Starting from Montremont, I suggest you follow a lovely route on the Montagne de la Tournette, taking in numerous viewpoints: the ascent is via the Col de Frêtes de Rosairy, where you are unlikely to encounter many people, then the return via the classic route from the Chalet de l’Aulp – which can be quite busy – before reaching the Col des Nantets. The challenges lie in the elevation gain and distance, but above all in certain exposed sections requiring caution: ⚠️ Please take full note of the explanations and warnings in the ‘Practical Information’ section.

Tête Noire, Tête Ronde and Tête de l'Arpettaz: three peaks overlooking the southern end of the Glières Plateau. The hike takes you through a fairly wild and unfrequented part of the peaks surrounding the famous historic plateau. Magnificent 360° view.

A beautiful, easy hike on the Glières Plateau, offering clear views of the mountain pastures and the Notre-Dame des Neiges Chapel. There are many chalets and mountain farms with herds of livestock in summer.