This hiking holiday gives you the opportunity to discover the amazing landscape around Aravis. You will visit amazing places such as the villages of Grand Bornand, Chinaillon, Clusaz and St Jean de Sixt. Along the way you’ll also pass the town of Thônes, the hometown of Reblochon and of course something you should try while you’re there. Surrounded by lush hills, steep mountains, beautiful alpine meadows and fabulous lakes, you hike towards the final destination of the trip, Annecy. Evenings are spent in small villages up in the mountains and down by the lakes, where you can enjoy the local cuisine, quaint little alleyways and a great local population.
Hike in the French Alps from Aravis to Annecy
Highlights
- Villages of Grand Bornand, Chinaillon, Clusaz and St Jean de Sixt
- Lake Annecy
- Pointe de Balafrasse and La tête d'Auferrand hiking trails
- Small picturesque mountain villages
Quick facts
| Travel duration: | 7 days/ 6 nights |
|---|---|
| Travel period: | 15/6 - 11/9 |
| Grade: | Medium. Average 4-5 h/ 10-15 km/ 300-700 m per day. Day by day trip grading, see "program" on each trip. 3 |
| Accommodations: | |
| Trip type: | Self guided walking holidays |
| Price example: | From €1,040 |
| Meals: | Breakfast and 5 dinners |
Prices per person in EUR
This trip is available from 15/6 to 11/9.
7 days/ 6 nights From €1,040 Book your trip
| Period | 4 people, 2 double rooms | Double Room - shared bed | Twin Room - separate beds | TRP - Triple Room | SGL - Single Room |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-15 2026-06-20 | €1,040 | €1,130 | €1,130 | €1,130 | €1,620 |
| 2026-06-21 2026-08-30 | €1,100 | €1,190 | €1,190 | €1,190 | €1,720 |
| 2026-08-31 2026-09-11 | €1,040 | €1,130 | €1,130 | €1,130 | €1,620 |
Prices quoted are per person and include:
- 6 nights incl. breakfast. Accommodation in 2 – 4* hotels or Bed & Breakfast. Either way, you always have access to your own bathroom
- 5 dinners (none in Annecy)
- Digital roadbooks in English (destination information, practical information and route description day by day).
- 24 h emergency phone in case of emergencies
- GPS to make navigation easier
- Transport of your luggage every day
- Transfer from Thônes to Montremont
Not included:
- Insurance
- Flight to and from the destination
- Transfer from the airport
Single room rates:
- Single room rates apply when travelling in the company of others. If you are travelling on your own, in most cases there is an extra charge due to more expensive luggage transport. Contact us for price information
Optional extras:
- Extra nights in any of the destinations you visit
- 5 packed lunches
- Boat and bus ticket to Annecy
- Bus ticket to the Bluffy Pass
- Travel pack in paper form
- Single room supplement
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in St Jean de Sixt
The charming village of St Jean de Sixt in Aravis is the starting point of this trip. Here you will stay in a nice little hotel with a wonderful view of the beautiful nature that surrounds the small village. We recommend that you stroll around and discover the small alleys and squares of the village.
Finish the first day of your trip with a good meal and a drink.
Tomorrow the journey really begins!
Day 2 Hike from St Jean de Sixt to La Clusaz – 21 km
The first day of the trip gives you the opportunity to choose between a slightly shorter or a slightly longer route. If you choose the shorter option, you will pass the Mouilles de la Perrière and the Tête du Danay, at an altitude of 1731 metres. At this altitude, you’ll have a great panoramic view of the neighbouring landscape, the Lachat de Châtillon mountain and the Bouchet valley. The longer option takes you past Pointe de Beauregard and Lac de la Ferriaz to the pretty mountain village of La Clusaz. Here you spend the rest of the evening and night.
Day 3 Hike from La Clusaz to Chinaillon – 15 km
The day starts with a bus journey to Lac des Confins, the starting point of the hike. From here, you will hike towards the Annes Pass, at an altitude of 1721 metres. Here you will also pass the bottom of the highest point in Arvis, the Pointe Percée at 2750 metres. You then continue towards the Bouchet valley where the road is flanked by dramatic mountains on both sides. Finally, you reach the village of Chinaillon, where the rest of the evening and night is spent.
Day 4 Hike around Pointe de Balafrasse or Tête d’Auferrand – 13 km
From Chinaillon you hike up to an altitude of 1607 metres, along the mountain passes Guillery and Col de la Colombière.
You currently have two options to hike along from here:
Pointe de Balafrasse: This hiking route goes in the heart of the Bargy massif along the Peyre lake, the Balafrasse pass until you finally reach the Pointe de Balafrasse. From here, you will enjoy a beautiful panoramic view before hiking back to Chinaillon.
La tête d’Auferrand: This hiking route takes you along the Pointe de la Botte, surrounded by the beautiful alpine pastures of the Tête d’Auferrand at 1981 metres altitude. You then continue along the ridge of the Combe des Fours, past the Aufferand farm until you reach Chinaillon again.
Day 5 Hike from Chinaillon to Grand Bornand – 18 km
If you want a little extra challenge, today you can hike towards the Aiguille verte and Lake Lessy. The views from here are magical, where you will be able to see the Pointe Percée mountain, for example. From here you continue on to the Forclaz pass and then down towards the village of Mayse, where you can stop to replenish your energy levels. You will continue up towards the Planay pass, located between the Roc des Tours and the Roc de Charmieux to begin your descent towards the final destination of the day, Grand Bornan.
Day 6 Hike from Thônes to Annecy – 15.5 km
The day starts with a transfer to Montremont, from where you head for the bottom of the Tourette, via the Nantets Pass. The hiking trail passes the incredibly beautiful Lake Annecy, nestled among nearby mountains. This is a beautiful place to stop and rest, maybe even take a refreshing dip in the lake. When you’re ready, continue hiking down towards Talloires to catch a boat to Annecy, the final destination of the trip.
Day 7 Departure day
We at EverTrek hope you have had a great trip!
We hope to see you again.
Accommodations
During the trip, you will stay in selected two to four-star hotels or similar accommodation.
7 days/ 6 nights
| Night | Place | Accomodation |
|---|---|---|
| Night 1 | St Jean de Sixt in Aravis | Hotel *** |
| Night 2 | La Clusaz | Hotel ** |
| Night 3 | Chinaillon | Hotel *** |
| Night 4 | Chinaillon | Hotel *** |
| Night 5 | Grand Bornand | Hotel ** |
| Night 6 | Annecy | Hotel ***/**** |
Route map
Our travelers’ reviews
Scroll down to read reviews from our guests.
Have you been on this trip? We would be very thankful if you wanted to share your experiences in the form below.