UKC

Collectively you helped 6 months ago with some good family tent recommendations which we took on board and helped us buy a suitable family tent - not too big and heavy but still with family space and good arrangements.

So now I would appreciate your input on holidays near Annecy in August this year, for young family - kids 3 and 5 - older one able to cycle 10 miles or so, younger on pushbike but we'll take a bike seat also, both liking climbing and scrambling, swimming etc. This post is on the off-chance others in UKC have been on similar hols with similar needs. I'm not certain Annecy is right - but it seems to offer a good set of options. The downside is, as I understand from a friend who lives near, is that it is very busy in August.

For us, "best" needs to include;
easy access to lakeside beach ,
access to family cycling,
decent camping pitches with space and shade,
campsite without too much "hoohah" like pools, waterslides, discos every night etc
opportunity to get me and older son a cable car uplift within an hour or so drive and then an easy but fun ride back down a biggish trail,
opportunity to do some decent hikes with the kids <8 miles,
opportunity to include easy scrambling on walks/hikes,
opportunity to get up into the mountains on the odd day for more adult hiking, soloing scrambles only probably
any other things you guys have found works well for a young family in that area of France - we'll plan to be there about 9 days

So far my favoured is http://www.campingaucoeurdulac.com/index.php?id=9&L=1 although it isn't partic cheap

many thanks in advance for your time taken to reply
S

In reply to Spike:

There is a big campsite Lac Bleu at the south east end of the lake, on the shore. It has a restaurant and access to the shore line but I don't think it has the watersports facilities you dislike. Studios to rent as well as camp sites. Lots of well signposted and maintained trails north and south of the lake. Don't know any cable car uplifts nearby, hills not big enough, but Chamonix can't be more than an hour away. Or turn south and you will find a 'railway' up the Chartreuse cliffs. Or is there a cablecar at Megeve? Good cycleway on the lakeside, steamers on the lake.

In reply to Spike:

yeah went there a few years ago with kids slightly older than yours and had a great time. Not sure if it was this campsite, but something similar on the west side of the lake, half way down.
re biking, they have turned the old Annecy - Albertville railway line into a 20Mile cycle way all the way down the west side of the lake and its really easy biking into Annecy, passing a couple of lakeside "beaches" on the way. These are just grassy bits with a yard or 2 of sand really… do make the effort to go to the one at the top of the lake though with the slide, other side of Annecy. watch the kids reaction as they hit the water...
there is a little crag on the cycleway, next to a tunnel entrance with a load of easy stuff on it. Good for the kids. Totally flat at the bottom, and dead easy to get to
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=8632

re walks - loads of stuff in the local area. We bought a guide book and I also managed to get up the Tournette on a day off. No scrambling but a great walk with a view of Mount Blanc when you get to the top
there was also a ski area to the north east, around 30 minutes away that still had one ski lift working, people were taking that and biking down a track, but looked a touch severe so may not be suitable. Did have a summer toboggan run there as well though,which was a definite test of nerve

and as someone said above, easy day trip to Chamonix is a must

In reply to Spike:

http://www.camping-des-ferrieres.com/siteang/accueil/accueil.html

Up in the mountains and not next to the lake but cheap and very cheerful, 20 mins to the lake, 30 to Annecy