Annecy

Crowning the very northern top of the Regional Natural Park of the Bauges with its turret-spiked castles and handsome Haute Savoie style, Annecy is one of the real jewels of the French Alps. Yes, ski fields, snow parks and hiking trails are just a stone's throw away, up in La Sambuy, in Aravis, or even across the valley with Tignes to the east. However, unlike many spots in these great mountains, you don't just come for the sporting and the summer adventure. You come also because of that enchanting Old Town district, where cobbled streets weave and wind past ice-cream-coloured mansions dating back to the days of old Savoy. You come to flit between the alcoves of Saint Maurice Church and the wondrous city Château with enlightened Annecy tour guides. You come to wander past blooming beds of rhododendron as babbling canals drift away from Annecy Lake. And talking of Annecy Lake, that's where a whole other load of life kicks off in the warmer months. You can swim, boat, bike and just breathe the fresh airs of the Alps here - or even get the adrenaline pumping with a bout of hang gliding over the town!