On the road to the alpine lakes

Dominated by St. Peter's Cathedral–a symbol of the Protestant Reformation–Geneva’s Old Town offers a unique charm on the shores of Lake Geneva. Here, you can wander the streets at a leisurely pace, and feel far removed from the city’s glass banks and corporations. At Bourg-de-Four, café terraces have replaced the old marketplace. In December, don't miss the Fête de l’Escalade with its grand costumed procession as it passes through these narrow streets.

While it may not be the most famous mountain pass, the Col de la Forclaz de Montmin near Talloires–at an altitude of 3,700 feet–offers superb views of Lake Annecy in one direction, and the alpine pastures of La Tournette in the other. Classified as a Category 1 climb, with gradients exceeding 11.5%, the pass is well known to professional road cyclists like Federico Bahamontes, Laurent Jalabert and Richard Virenque, who have all reached this point in the famed race in first place. You may prefer to tackle it with electric assistance.

At an altitude of over 5,900 feet, the limestone Parmelan plateau offers remarkable views over Lake Annecy, with the Aravis range and Mont Blanc in the background. Among the many marked trails that lead here, the Grand Montoir is perhaps the most impressive–though also the most challenging. After making your way over its limestone paths, past fields carpeted in wildflowers, the panorama laid out before you is an astonishing reward.