Annecy has two cycling seasons, not one. The lake rides for most of the year. The cols have a proper season, though a longer one than the famous high passes get. Knowing the difference is the key to turning up at the right time, on the right bike, for the riding you actually want. Here’s when to come, and the month we’d pick if we were choosing for you.
Two seasons, not one
The lake sits low, around 450 metres, and the path round it is flat. That means you can ride it for most of the year. Spring to autumn it’s glorious. In the depths of winter it’s cold and quiet, and the odd icy morning will keep you off it, but on a crisp, dry day you can ride the lake in January and have it almost to yourself.
The cols are a different matter, though not as different as you might fear. The famous high passes of the Alps, the Galibier and the Iseran and the rest, don’t open until June and shut again by October. Annecy’s climbs sit lower, between about 1,150 and 1,650 metres, so they open earlier and close later. You can ride a real col here in April or late October, long after the high giants are buried in snow. Local riders even take the lower ones, the Croix Fry and the Glieres, on clear, dry days right through the winter. It’s one of the best things about the place.
Month by month
Roughly how the year shakes out for a cyclist. Annecy summers are warm, with daytime highs around the mid-twenties Celsius and hotter in a heatwave. Winters are cold, often near freezing, with snow on the tops. Mountain weather always has the final say, so treat this as a guide, not a guarantee.
| Period | The lake path | The cols | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| December to March | Rideable on dry days, cold and quiet | Mostly off, lower cols only when dry | The off-season, mostly indoor-trainer weather |
| April to May | Lovely and quiet, lake still cool | Opening up, snow lingers up high, May is the wettest month | The cols come back. Pack for showers |
| June | Warming and filling up | Open and superb, roads still quiet | Arguably the sweet spot |
| July to August | Busy and hot, swim weather | All open, hot, afternoon storms | Peak season, with the crowds and heat to match |
| September | Quiet again, still warm | Open, stable, one of the driest months | The connoisseur’s month |
| October | Cooling, quiet, autumn colour | Closing from the top down, lower cols linger | The season winding down |
One caveat on the higher summits. Le Semnoz and the Col des Aravis sit a little higher than the rest, so they hold snow slightly longer in spring and catch it slightly sooner in autumn. If you’re coming at the edges of the season, check before you count on them.
The best time to come
The honest answer is June and September. The cols are open, the weather is at its most settled, and the July and August crowds are either not there yet or just gone. You get the riding without queuing for a lakeside table.
It’s no accident that we run our Lake Annecy week in September. Stable weather, quiet roads, the cols still open, and the light turning gold on the water. For our money it’s the best week of the year to ride here.
July and August are wonderful too, if you want the full buzz of an Alpine summer: the lake alive with swimmers and paddleboarders, festivals in the old town, long warm evenings. Just go in knowing the lake path gets busy, the roads carry more traffic, beds cost more, and the afternoons can turn stormy. Book early, and start your rides in the morning.
What the weather actually does to a ride
Three things to plan around, whatever month you come.
Afternoon storms. Annecy gets a fair number of thunderstorms, most of them in the second half of summer and most of them in the afternoon. They’re often short, but they can be fierce. In July and August the simple fix is to ride early and be heading home as the clouds build over the mountains.
Cold on the descents. This catches flat-country riders out every time. You can start in a warm valley in shorts, reach a cold, exposed summit, then drop for half an hour on a fast descent that chills you through. Carry a packable layer for the top, even in summer. A long Alpine descent is no place to be cold.
May is wet. It’s the wettest month of the year here, so a spring trip wants a proper rain layer and a flexible plan. The flip side is green hillsides, full waterfalls, and empty roads.
None of this is a reason to stay home. It’s a reason to plan. On our trips we read the forecast each morning, pick the route and the timing to suit it, and always keep a bailout in mind. That’s how a changeable mountain day stays a good one. It’s the planning side of what we do, and there’s more on it in our Cycling in the French Alps guide.
Keep reading
Cycling around Lake Annecy: the lake loop, best cycling climbs around Lake Annecy, best cycling routes near Annecy, and getting to Annecy for cycling. For the bigger picture, and how to choose the right Alpine base for your level, see our pillar guide, Cycling in the French Alps.
Plan your trip
Want to ride Annecy in its best week, with coaches who plan around the weather so you don’t have to? That’s our coach-led Lake Annecy trip. Get in touch and we’ll help you pick your timing and your riding.