Annecy is nicknamed the "Venice of the Alps" and listed as a City of Art and History. The old town's beautiful architecture holds its own against the incredible setting between the lakes and mountains. It couldn't be any more romantic...

The capital of Haute-Savoie has lots of tricks up its sleeves to keep visitors coming back for more! A stroll around Old Annecy is a magical experience visiting the city's wonderful old town. Its idyllic canals, riverbanks bursting with geraniums, little lanes, cute bridges and beautiful medieval houses are the reason why it's known as Savoy's Venice. With such a feast for the eyes, it's hard not to fall under its spell and want to linger a little longer.

Palais de l'Île has been listed as a heritage site (Monument Historique) since 1900 and is one of the city's best-known landmarks. It's a firm favourite among artists and photographers too. The stunning building stands on a rocky islet formed by the Thiou River. The 12th century manor was used as a prison and courthouse before becoming a museum celebrating local architecture and heritage. It's well worth visiting nearby Rue Sainte-Claire, a street lined with beautiful houses and arcades.

The castle museum stands on a rocky headland at an altitude of 470m and was listed as a heritage site (Monument Historique) in 1959. It was home to the counts of Geneva until 1394, when the dukes of Geneva and Nemours moved in. The unusual building blends the impact of medieval defensive architecture with elegant French Renaissance style and now hosts temporary exhibitions showcasing the region's legacy.

Lake Annecy is another local legend and is the perfect place to take time out with a walk on the lake shores, a bike ride around it (approx. 40km), a swim or some water sports. There's lots to visit near the lake too: the Annecy Garden of Europe and its stunning fountain, the Bridge of Love over the Vassé Canal, the simply magical Swan Island (the only island on the lake), the picture-perfect Avenue d'Albigny lined with plane trees and many more sights for sore eyes.

Annecy is a cultural hotspot with the annual Venetian Carnival putting on a show every February or March. Hundreds of people in masks flock to the old town's streets for the entire weekend, creating a buzzing, exciting and colourful atmosphere. Annecy is a foodie city too, so be sure to indulge your senses in Savoy's signature specialities.

Shielded by the awe-inspiring mountain peaks, glittering Lake Annecy and its clear, turquoise waters are a feast for the eyes deep in Haute-Savoie. The legendary lake's impressive stats have earned it the accolade of being the second biggest natural lake in France after Bourget: 14.6km long, 800m-3.2km wide, 27km² surface area and 82m deep. The glacier lake is a pure wonder. It's formed of two basins splitting it between Roc de Chère and Duingt Castle: the large lake that you can sail on all year round and the smaller, wilder lake.

Its beaches are the perfect place to chill whilst its crystal-clear waters can reach 26°C in summer, making it ideal for a swim. The lake is a splash-tastic playground for water sports too: SUP, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, rowing and more. If you're a keen diver, you can explore the lake bed and look out for the wreckage of the last steamboat to sail on the lake.

There's a whole host of adventures to experience at this legendary spot: take a stroll on the lake shores, go for a bike ride (36km of trails including 30km on secure bike paths), go on a speedboat ride to get up close to the surrounding mountains, rent a boat to visit its stunning natural coves... or fly a paraglider to drink in views from the sky! Lake Annecy is heaven for fishers and full of fish including fera, Arctic char and trout.

Make a pitstop in the village of Talloires-Montmin on the lake shores, in the foothills near the Roc de Chère nature reserve. The famous resort is nicknamed "the lake's pearl" and has three beaches, a waterfall and a wealth of fascinating architecture. Head up to the Forclaz pass to soak up unique views of the lake and mountains!

It's just a stone's throw from Annecy and one of those outstanding resorts catering to the most discerning visitors in the world. The "Top of the French Alps" label recognises the top 16 resorts in the French Alps, so you know you can expect great hospitality and service at La Clusaz. The resort's reputation is built on its high standards, in winter and summer alike.

But La Clusaz hasn't sacrificed its roots or traditions for its first-class status. Its classic wooden chalets capture both the resort's personality and Savoy soul. The incredible natural surroundings, deep in the unspoilt and protected Aravis mountain range, take the resort to another level.

These awe-inspiring landscapes peak at 2600m and set the scene for all kinds of sports. With an elevation of over 1500m and 125km of ski runs, downhill skiing is the star in La Clusaz. The resort is also one of the best places for cross-country skiing in Haute-Savoie (63km of ski runs in Les Confins and 36km in Beauregard). The breathtaking views of the Aravis peaks and Mont Blanc will blow you away! If you enjoy good food then you'll be happy here with hearty local dishes and the Reblochon cheese festival in August.

This park, which extends over 81,000 hectares, protects impressive limestone cliffs as well as beautiful landscapes of forests and alpine pastures (high meadows).

The Bauges massif is a great area for Nordic skiing. The Savoie Grand Revard ski area connects small resorts, such as le Revard, la Féclaz and Saint-François-de-Sales, and is an important centre for cross-country skiing with its 140 kilometres of pistes.

Famous for its hot springs with recognised beneficial properties, Aix-les-Bains is the number two spa town in France. Dedicated to well-being, the town enjoys a lovely location between lake and mountains and offers numerous attractions. It caters comprehensively for both hydrotherapy patients and holidaymakers, with Roman remains, museums, a luxurious casino, pedestrian shopping streets, balneotherapy centres, beautiful Belle-Époque hotels illustrating the town's prestigious past, as well as a sandy beach and a pleasant esplanade lined with plane trees on the edge of Bourget lake.

This pre-Alps massif offers a combination of plateaux, coombs, cliffs, alpine pastures (high meadows) and peaks exceeding 2,000 metres. At the Col des Aravis pass, at an altitude of 1,486 metres, the view of the Aravis mountain range and the Mont Blanc mountain range is superb.

It is in the Aravis massif, specifically in the Thônes valleys, that the famous unpasteurised cheese Reblochon is made.

Several village resorts of the massif, such as La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand, Saint-Jean-de-Sixt and Manigod, are perfect for winter and summer sports.

Towering over romantic Bourget lake, Hautecombe royal abbey enjoys an enchanting location. The former burial place of the princes of the House of Savoy, today the abbey is occupied by a religious community. The Gothic troubadour church there is nevertheless open to visitors.

With a surface area of 44 km², the Bourget lake is the biggest natural lake of glacial origin in France. Surrounded by hills and mountains, this unspoiled lake offers numerous water sports activities. Moreover, it is surrounded by a few sailing and fishing ports, such as that of Aix-les-Bains or Bourget-du-Lac.

From the mount Revard situated in the Bauges massif, the view of the lake and the spa town of Aix-les-Bains is wonderful!

Every year in late September/early October, the Romantic Nights festival of the Bourget lake is a great classical music event.

On the hills of Albertville, Conflans is a pleasant stopping point, with its flower-bedecked main square featuring a fountain and the Maison Rouge (Red House), a beautiful 14th-century brick-built building home to the Ethnography and History museum; its high street with forged iron shop signs on facades, its Baroque church, and its charming garden protected by the Sarrazine tower.

Albertville is world-famous for having hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the 16th Winter Olympic Games in February 1992. Recounting the sports events that took place during this prestigious period, Tremplin 92 is an essential stop for anyone staying in Albertville. Place de l'Europe square, the location of a very modern cultural centre, offers a beautiful view of the hilltop village of Conflans.

Historical capital of the Savoie, Chambéry is a City of Art and History boasting numerous treasures. The old town is admirably restored and a great place to stroll around, with mysterious lanes and many covered passages, mansions, trompe-l'oeil facades, charming internal courtyards, Saint-François-de-Sales cathedral, a castle – the former residence of the Dukes of the Savoie – pedestrian streets and the famous Elephants fountain.

The visit continues with the Savoie museum, exhibiting archaeological and ethnographical collections, and the Fine art museum home to a large number of Italian paintings. The Saint-Léger square, very lively, is a place not to be missed in the town for a stroll or to relax on a café terrace. The city also offers a large number of cultural events, with the Espace André Malraux cultural centre located in the Curial district, and the Charles Dullin theatre.

For lovers of water sports, Chambéry benefits from the proximity of two natural lakes: the big Bourget lake and the Aiguebelette lake, with an emerald colour.

Located in Pays de Gex not far from the Swiss border, Ferney-Voltaire Castle, built between 1758 and 1766 by François Marie Arouet, also known as Voltaire, on the site of a former fortified house, is famous for having been the residence of the famous Enlightenment philosopher for the last 20 years of his life.

Open to the public from early April to late October, this elegant building (a listed historic monument) is now a genuine commemorative site that immerses the visitor in the memories of the writer. It was here that Voltaire, who called himself the "Innkeeper of Europe" at the time, welcomed many famous figures from all over Europe. This is also the place where the philosopher fought against intolerance by writing major works in defence of human rights, such as the Treaty on Tolerance and the Philosophical Dictionary.

The visit is completed by a park adorned with a French-style garden, a terrace with a view of the Alps and an arbour where Voltaire liked to stroll.

Nestling in the Épine mountain at the heart of the Savoyard Foreland, at an altitude of 360 metres, Lake Aiguebelette is one of the four great lakes of Savoie Mont-Blanc. This Natura 2000-certified site offers lovers of idyllic landscapes its turquoise water, protected ecosystem and mountainous environment. Containing two small, unspoilt islands, it is one of the warmest lakes in France, with a temperature of up to 28° in summer! This marvellous 545-hectare expanse of water is an ideal place for relaxation and taking it easy, and therefore very inviting for a swim. Bathing is only permitted on supervised beaches during the summer season, and for water sports such as canoeing, stand up paddle or pedalo boating.

Its neighbours in the municipality of Novalaise are an international rowing centre, which hosted the world championships in 1997 and 2015, and some hang-gliding take-off areas. Mountain bike enthusiasts can enjoy their favourite sport on a signposted 150-kilometre network of trails, while cyclists can use the landscaped path around part of the lake. Those who would rather go fishing will be delighted by the presence of many species such as lavaret and Arctic char.

The birthplace of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, the famous French gastronome and author of the famous Physiology of Taste, the town of Belley, the historic capital of Bugey and bishop's palace from the 5th century onwards, has a rich religious past. Its neo-gothic style Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, largely rebuilt in the 19th century, has retained the northern door of the old 12th-century cathedral. Boasting a tall bell tower with a porch reaching a height of forty metres, the building contains beautiful 19th-century murals, a 15th-century chancel, an 18th-century marble statue of the Virgin and a reliquary containing the relics of St. Anthelme, Bishop of Belley in the 12th century.

Near to the cathedral stands the old Episcopal palace, an elegant building in the classical style dating from the 18th century, which nowadays contains the municipal library. This pretty park is ideal for a leisurely stroll and offers a beautiful view of the chevet of the cathedral and the roofs of the old town.

Then head to Place des Terreaux, with its 19th-century fountain, and Grande Rue, with its old houses, including the birthplace of Brillat-Savarin and the Hotel du Bailliage, the headquarters of Belley Lower Bugey Tourist Office.

Lovers of regional produce should not miss Belley market, which takes place every Saturday morning on Grande Rue and Place des Terreaux!

The highest point in Bugey, the Grand Colombier, located to the south of the Jura Massive near Culoz, has an altitude of 1534 metres. Accessible via a footpath, twenty or so minutes' walk from the car park near the pass, this fantastic natural site, adorned with a metal cross and panoramic table, offers an exceptional panoramic view of the Rhone Valley, the lakes of Bourget, Annecy and Leman, the Alps and the Mont-Blanc massif. The stuff that dreams are made of...

Considered as one of the toughest passes in France, the Grand Colombier Pass, open from April to November, is a real challenge for cyclists, with its western ascent - from Artemare - reaching a maximum gradient of 22%!

Surrounded by mountains with limestone cliffs, Nantua Lake in Haut-Bugey is a stretch of water of glacial origin, covering 141 hectares and supplied by many springs. Ideal for nautical leisure activities, its deep water ranges from blue to dark green in colour and is suitable for fishing, sailing and pedalo boating, as well as bathing. Bathing is supervised in the summer - in July and August - at the water sports centre.

Not far from the lake, in Nantua town centre, be sure to take a tour of the Abbey Church of St. Michael, with its high altar adorned with marble angels, a famous painting by Eugène Delacroix depicting the martyrdom of St. Sebastian, and its 19th-century organ by Nicolas-Antoine Lété.

During your stay in Nantua, remember to try the famous local speciality, pike dumplings...with Nantua sauce!

Nestling at the heart of the Jura Massive in a clearing surrounded by pine trees and spruces, Lake Genin, a listed natural site, is known as the little Canada of Upper Bugey. At an altitude of 831 metres, in the communes of Charix, Échallon and Oyonnax, this lake has a surface area of 8 hectares and looks superb amid unspoilt countryside which is ideal for walking.

Its fish-filled water will delight fans of carp, trout and pike fishing. As well as this peaceful activity, you can swim there in the summer and take advantage of the many surrounding paths to enjoy a hike.

In the winter, you're sure to be thrilled by activities such as ice skating on the frozen lake, diving under ice and snowshoe walking!

At the heart of Bugey, Ain, the Maison des enfants d'Izieu was a children's centre that ran holiday camps before the war. In 1943 and 1944, it was a place of refuge for Jewish people, 44 children and 7 adults, until they were deported on 6 April 1944. Today, there is a memorial to them on the site, in the hamlet of Lélinaz.

In the house's refectory and dormitories, an exhibition evokes the atmosphere of the camp and the refugee children's daily life. You can absorb the atmosphere of the time by visiting the rooms where they lived, and looking at their letters and drawings, as well as portraits of each one of them. A particularly moving experience...

In the barn and the new building, which was inaugurated in 2015 by President François Hollande, there is an exhibition space, a documentation centre and rooms dedicated to educational activities. The permanent exhibition, supported by archives, deals with three themes: the story of the Jewish children of Izieu, the judgment of war criminals and the mechanisms for building memory.

This place aims to ensure history is not forgotten, and is also a site for awareness-raising and education against intolerance and discrimination.

This village in the Pays du Mont Blanc area offers a combination of hydrotherapy, mountain and alpine sports. It is from the village of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains that the Mont Blanc tramway departs. In the summer, this highest train in France offers magnificent views of the Mont Blanc mountain range all along the route. It takes passengers up to the Nid d'Aigle at an altitude of 2,372 m, as well as the Bionnassay glacier. In winter, this train takes skiers up to the Bellevue plateau.

Megève is both an authentic village and a smart winter sports resort that is renowned for its sophisticated sports facilities, its designer clothes shops, its luxury hotels, its fitness centres and its famous gastronomic restaurants.

This village resort with wooden chalets is a pleasant and restful destination, in summer as in winter. The Nature reserve of Les Contamines-Montjoie, covering 5,500 hectare, attracts walkers and nature lovers. The resort of Les Contamines-Montjoie is connected to the vast ski area of Evasion Mont-Blanc, offering 440 kilometres of pistes and connecting the other resorts of the Mont-Blanc country, such as Megève, Saint-Gervais and Combloux.