Annecy sits where the lake meets the Alps, and Zeus Prestige delivers luxury car hire there to a lakeside hotel, a chalet in the hills or Annecy Haute-Savoie Mont Blanc Airport. Rent or hire a supercar or an exotic for the passes, a convertible for the shore, or a luxury SUV for the long valley roads, and climb from the lake into the high Alps.
Annecy was ruled by the counts of Geneva before it passed to the counts of Savoy in 1401. Saint Francis de Sales served as bishop from 1602 to 1622, and the town joined France in 1860. Canals run from the Thiou through the old quarter, which earns Annecy the nickname Venice of the Alps. The Annecy International Animation Film Festival and a thriving paragliding scene bring visitors to the lake each year.
Lake Annecy stretches for 14.6 kilometres, covers 27.59 square kilometres and reaches 82 metres in depth. The town sits at its northern tip, and Annecy has hosted stages of the Tour de France in 2009 and 2018. Within minutes of the old quarter the road starts to climb, and the mountains fill the windscreen.
Choose a convertible for the morning loop around the lake. Follow the shore road past the villages on the eastern bank, including Talloires and Menthon-Saint-Bernard, where a castle stands above the water. The lake lies at an elevation of about 447 metres, so the air stays mild and the surface glints between the trees. With the roof down, cool breezes drift in off the water and the scent of pine follows you around every bend. Stop for lunch at the water's edge and let the afternoon slow down.
Supercars and sports cars belong on this road. The Col de la Colombière links Le Grand-Bornand with Cluses at 1,613 metres, and Tour de France riders have faced it 23 times since 1960. The climb from Le Grand-Bornand runs 11.7 kilometres, while the long approach from Scionzier covers 16.3 kilometres at an average of 6.8 per cent, with the steepest ramp of 10.2 per cent close to the summit. Near the top the bends tighten, the engine note fills the valley and your palms damp on the wheel. From the pass the Aravis range stands to the south-east.
Comfort matters on this long day, so go with a roomy SUV or a grand tourer. Chamonix hosted the first Winter Olympic Games in 1924, and its guides' company dates from 1821. The Aiguille du Midi cable car rises to 3,842 metres above the town, and the Mont Blanc Tunnel, 11.6 kilometres long, has linked the valley with Italy since 1965. Settle into the seat, let the heated leather soften the early chill, and listen to the cabin hum as the glaciers pass by the windows.
Yes. Your car can wait at a lakefront hotel, a chalet or a villa in the hills, or at any other address in the area. Give us the dates and the address, and the handover is set.
Yes. Annecy Haute-Savoie Mont Blanc Airport (NCY, ICAO LFLP) and Geneva Airport (GVA, ICAO LSGG) each offer a private aviation terminal, and both are delivery points.
The lake shore belongs to a convertible, the Col de la Colombière to a car with real power, and the valley road to Chamonix to a spacious SUV or prestige car.
The pass stands at 1,613 metres. Weather in the mountains can change the surface and visibility quickly, so check conditions before setting out.
Yes. Megève and Courchevel are within reach, Grenoble lies to the south-west and Geneva sits to the north.
Choose from our exotics, supercars, cabriolets, sports cars and SUVs, tell us where you are staying in Annecy, and the keys will be ready for your luxury car hire.