Trip Option — Annecy, France
Sat Aug 29 – Sun Sep 6, 2026 (8 nights) · two couples · single base + day trips, car-free (two short provider/station shuttles, no rental) · anchor stay: Impérial Palace (1913 belle-époque grand hotel on the lake).
Getting there (car-free)
- Fri Aug 28 (overnight): DEN → Geneva (GVA), one stop via ZRH/FRA/EWR.
- GVA → Annecy: direct BlaBlaCar/FlixBus coach ~45–50 min, ~10/day, €5–15 pp.
- Return Sun Sep 6: reverse coach to GVA (allow 3h), GVA → DEN one stop.
- On-ground: foot, Sibra city bus, lake boats, regional coach. Two unavoidable short shuttles (paragliding pickup; Les Houches→Merlet station shuttle) — neither a rental.
The anchor stay — Impérial Palace Annecy
A 1913 belle-époque grand hotel on its own wooded peninsula directly on Lake Annecy, ~20-min flat lakeside walk (or short bus) to the vieille ville — a genuine landmark with spa, lake-view balconies, and park grounds. Calm, walkable, air-conditioned, shaded: strong for Maria, and the unique building Amanda wants. Book two Lake-View Doubles (request lake view explicitly). Estimate ~€320–420/room/night late-Aug/early-Sep with breakfast → ~€2,560–3,360/couple for 8 nights; confirm live rate. Budget lever: the Classic (non-lake-view) room drops lodging ~30%.
Day by day
- Sat Aug 29 — Arrive & settle. GVA → coach → check in. Lakeside park walk on the hotel peninsula, dinner on-site. (Red-eye recovery.)
- Sun Aug 30 — Vieille ville. Shaded canal walks, Palais de l'Île, the château-musée, Jardins de l'Europe — flat and café-laced. Amanda's day; Maria's pace.
- Mon Aug 31 — Lake boat + lido. Morning Compagnie des Bateaux cruise (€19 Grand Lac, or the village Omnibus); afternoon Plage d'Albigny / a lido for calm swimming + paddleboard. Kieran + everyone.
- Tue Sep 1 — Davis adventure I: paragliding. Tandem from Col de la Forclaz (~€100–125; provider shuttle from Doussard). Others: hotel spa / lakeside café day.
- Wed Sep 2 — Animal day: Parc Animalier de Merlet. A 21-ha semi-wild park at 1,500 m above Les Houches — ibex, chamois, mouflon, deer, marmots, llamas roaming free with Mont-Blanc views (no bees). Annecy→Chamonix-valley coach (~1h10–1h35) + free Les Houches station shuttle; book online. Doubles as the Mont-Blanc day. Amanda + Maria's featured day; gentle park paths, Maria sets the turnaround.
- Thu Sep 3 — Rest & lake. Deliberate down day: spa morning, lounging, calm swim; optional MS Libellule sunset dinner cruise. Mid-trip recharge for Maria; Kieran's ideal day.
- Fri Sep 4 — Davis adventure II: La Clusaz luge/coaster (coach ~30 min) — alpine coaster + twin 800 m luge tracks (family-mild, so the group can join); canyoning the harder alt for Davis.
- Sat Sep 5 — Free / vieille ville encore. Market morning, more canal walks, a final lake swim. Farewell old-town dinner (non-raw-milk choices for Maria).
- Sun Sep 6 — Depart. Coach to GVA, fly home.
Per-traveler wins
- Davis: Forclaz paragliding + La Clusaz luge/coaster (two marquee adventures), optional canyoning.
- Amanda: the palace stay, vieille ville culture, the Merlet animal day, Mont-Blanc views.
- Kieran: lake cruises, Plage d'Albigny swimming/SUP, spa lounging, a dinner cruise.
- Maria: calm walkable week, a true mid-trip rest day, mild weather, animals on gentle park paths.
Healthcare
Centre Hospitalier Annecy Genevois (CHANGE), Metz-Tessy, ~15 min by taxi, busy maternity unit. Keep insurance + the address offline. Food-safety note: Maria avoids raw-milk Savoie cheeses (choose pasteurized/cooked).
Budget (per couple, all-in, USD)
| Item | Lower | Upper |
|---|---|---|
| Flights DEN↔GVA (2) | $1,750 | $2,800 |
| Lodging (1 room Ă— 8 nts) | $2,800 | $3,650 |
| Coach transfers (rt, 2) | $40 | $80 |
| Food & drink | $700 | $1,300 |
| Boats/museums/transit | $120 | $260 |
| Adventures (paraglide + luge) | $250 | $450 |
| Animal day (coach + entry, 2) | $90 | $180 |
| Buffer | $150 | $400 |
| Per couple | ~$5,900 | ~$9,120 |
Lodging is the swing. Classic room + lower fares → ~$5–5.5k/couple. Full lake-view pushes past $7k — a deliberate splurge.
Book / verify
- Flights DEN→GVA (Fri Aug 28) / GVA→DEN (Sun Sep 6), one-stop.
- Impérial Palace — 2 rooms, Aug 29–Sep 6; confirm rate + lake-view supplement.
- GVA↔Annecy coach for Aug 29 + Sep 6.
- Paragliding (Tue Sep 1) — confirm provider shuttle.
- Parc de Merlet (Wed Sep 2) — mandatory online booking + coach + station shuttle.
- La Clusaz luge/coaster (Fri Sep 4) — confirm summer operation.
- Maternity-aware travel insurance; save CHANGE address/taxi offline.
Verdict: the best all-rounder — a unique lakeside palace, a genuine animal day, two real adventures for Davis, and a calm walkable lake for Maria — if you take the Classic-room lever to hold budget.