Annecy & the Mont Blanc Express
- 8 days
- £1,299
- France
- Catch the train through France to the pretty Swiss city of Lausanne
- Take a scenic journey through the Alps to Chamonix
- Connect by bus to beautiful Annecy
- Return home via Lyon
- Decide when you would like to travel
- Adapt the route to suit your plans
- Upgrade hotels and rail journeys
- Add extra nights, destinations and/or tours
- All rail journeys, in standard class
- Seat reservations where required
- 7 nights’ hand-picked hotel accommodation with breakfast
- Easy-to-follow travel documentation
- Despatch of tickets by email
- Proactive rerouting in case of strikes or disruptions
Suggested Itinerary
Make your way to St Pancras and catch the Eurostar across to France. Arriving at the Gare du Nord, transfer by rapid metro (payable locally) to the Gare de Lyon for your direct TGV Lyria service down to Lausanne in Switzerland. Disembark here and head for the Best Western Hotel Mirabeau (or similar) where you have an overnight stay.
There’s a great choice of restaurants to have dinner this evening, whether you stay in the centre of town or head down to the beautiful lakefront district of Ouchy.
After breakfast today, head back to the station and catch a regional train to Martigny, with a stunning setting surrounded by peaks. From here, you’ll board the Mont Blanc Express, which has been carrying passengers across the mountains to France for over 100 years. The narrow gauge railway cuts through the rocks above the Trient Gorge and then follows a glacial river across the French border.
At Vallorcine, transfer onto another regional service which will take you to Chamonix. Here, you’ll check in for a 2-night stay at La Folie Douce Hotel (or similar).
Enjoy a free day to explore Chamonix. You can easily get up into the mountains via the Montenvers cogwheel railway or with a trip up to l’Aiguille du Mdi via one of the highest vertical ascent cable cars to 3,842 metres (12,605 feet) above sea level with panoramic views over the Mont Blanc Massif.
Alternatively, learn more about the history of mountaineering at the Museé Alpin or treat yourself to an afternoon at the QC Terme Spa, with stunning views over Mont Blanc.
Spend another morning in Chamonix. Perhaps take a short hike in the mountains (during the summer) or take a snow-shoeing tour (in the winter).
After lunch, collect your bags from your hotel and take a comfortable coach for a scenic journey by road to Annecy. On arrival, check in for a 3-night stay at the BW Plus Hotel Carlton (or similar).
There are plenty of options for exploring the lovely city of Annecy over the next couple of days. You might like to start with a walk through the town’s cobbled streets, lined with colourful houses and threaded through with a network of canals or take a scenic boat cruise out on Lake Annecy.
Not-to-be-missed attractions include the much-photographed Palais de l’Île in the Vieille Ville (old town) area and the Château d’Annecy, formerly the residence of the Counts of Geneva which you can reach on foot if you’re feeling like stretching your legs, to be rewarded with lovely panoramic views over the town and lake.
You have an unreserved rail journey today between Annecy and Lyon so you can check out after breakfast and simply make your way to Annecy station or store your bags at the hotel and spend some more time exploring before leaving for your journey to Lyon.
Either way, the journey takes around 2 hours and once you arrive in Lyon, you have an overnight stay at the Grand Hotel des Terreaux (or similar).
Leave straight after breakfast this morning and make your way back to Lyon Part Dieu station for a direct TGV service to Lille. Once you arrive, you can connect in the same station to the Eurostar, which will take you back to London.
Typical hotels on this itinerary
Lausanne
Located within walking distance of the main station and the centre of the city, the Hotel Mirabeau is a comfortable base to explore Lausanne. The tastefully furnished bedrooms offer cable TV, a minibar and free Wi-Fi internet access. There is also a restaurant serving international cuisine along with fish from Lake Geneva.
Chamonix
The Hotel La Folie Douce is situated in the centre of Chamonix, within walking distance of all attractions. All bedrooms offer views over the surrounding mountains. There is also a wellness centre with a heated outdoor swimming pool, a sauna and hammam. The hotel offers a choice of restaurants and a bar with views over Mont Blanc. There’s also a large garden with several terraces overlooking the mountains.
Annecy
Located at Annecy’s medieval town gates, the Best Western Carlton offers a comfortable base to explore Annecy. All sound-proofed bedrooms come with air-conditioning, en suite bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, a desk and a coffee machine. Guests can relax with a drink in the hotel bar in the evenings. The hotel’s buffet breakfast can be served in the dining room, or delivered to your room if you prefer.
Lyon
Within walking distance of the Place Bellecour, the river and Lyon’s pretty Old Town area, the Grand Hotel des Terreaux is a great base in the heart of the city. You can enjoy comfortable, modern accommodation with individually decorated air-conditioned bedrooms, a stylish bar and an indoor swimming pool. When it comes to eating out, you will be spoiled for choice with options in the immediate vicinity of the hotel.
