Les Écotagnes

Walking trails into the foothills and up to the mountain peaks start right from the site, just ask the Les Ecotagnes team for tips. For an easy ride to the tops, take the gondola from La Clusaz (15 minutes) up to the Beauregard Massif; take it back again if you like, or explore the mountains on foot, dip your toes in the glacial waters of Lac des Confins or bike your way down. You can hire wheels in La Clusaz and take them up with you to try the two-mile descent trail, one of 21 marked biking paths in the area served by three year-round gondolas. A lively ski resort in winter, La Clusaz has a fine spread of bars and restaurants and a swimming pool for those who find those glacial lakes a little too glacial... For days out closer to sea level, it’s a half hour trip to Annecy and its lake. Smaller than nearby Lac Leman and Lac Bourget, it crams a lot in, with two nature reserves, a 12th-century island prison (now home to a museum) and an impressive castle. Take a leisurely boat cruise round the lake, taking in the wildlife and the ancient villages, or windsurf and kayak across the waters.