Annecy's lake gives way almost immediately to mountains on every side, and the riding reflects it — flat, fast cycle paths along the water for a warm-up, then a choice of high passes within the hour.
Le Semnoz, the "mountain of the people of Annecy," rises directly from town to 1,699 metres and hosted a Tour de France summit finish in 2013, won by Nairo Quintana on his race debut.
To the east, the Col de la Colombière — climbed twenty-three times by the Tour — connects through Le Grand Bornand and Le Reposoir, with the harder Col de Romme often paired onto its final kilometres, as the race did in 2018.
Further into the Aravis massif, the Col des Aravis and Col de la Croix Fry open onto views of Mont Blanc on clear days. Closer to the lake, smaller climbs like the Col de Leschaux and Col de la Forclaz offer a gentler introduction to the same terrain, well within reach of a morning ride from the old town.
