Cycling around Lake Annecy: distance, direction, time needed and the east shore closure for roadworks
37 to 42 km depending on the source, 200 to 300 m of climbing, a cycle path from 1974 on the west shore and a shared road on the east shore. And from 14 September to 18 December 2026, a full loop is impossible because of roadworks.
Cycling around Lake Annecy is the most recommended activity in the area, and one of the least measured. The listings agree neither on the distance nor on the climbing, and none of them counts the cyclists.
One piece of information outweighs all the others this autumn of 2026, though: the east shore is closed to bikes from 14 September to 18 December 2026 for roadworks. The full loop will have to wait until the end of the year.
Is the loop 37, 40 or 42 km?
All three, depending on who measures and where they start. The tourist office publishes two figures itself: 37 km, of which 33 km is on cycle paths, on one page, and 40 km for the official "Boucle cyclo" on another.
Private guides add 38 km for the shortest route and 42 km for a wider family loop. The realistic range is 37 to 42 km, and the gap comes from the exact starting point and the variants on the east shore.
The climbing varies just as much: 250 m for the tourist office on its 37 km page, 200 m for the cycle path alone, 300 m for the full loop according to other listings, so 200 to 300 m. No single figure has settled.
Which way round should you go, and which route?
Clockwise is the most recommended direction: Annecy, Sevrier, Saint-Jorioz, Duingt, Doussard, then Talloires, Menthon, Veyrier-du-Lac and Annecy-le-Vieux. That way the lake stays on your right along the east shore, on the side of the view.
The west shore, from Annecy to Doussard, is almost entirely on a cycle path separated from traffic. It is the easy half, the one for families. The east shore is largely on a shared road, with cars, climbs and descents: it is the half that "easy, family-friendly" brochures play down.
The most common starting point is central Annecy, near Bonlieu or the Petit Port. Distances between villages and travel times are on the map of Annecy.
How long does it take?
Sources give times from 1 to 5 hours, and they are all right: it depends on the rider.
- Trained cyclist: 1 to 1.5 hours without stopping.
- Leisure cyclist: 2 to 3 hours of pedalling.
- Family with breaks: 3 to 5 hours, which means half a day once you add a swim.
Promotional material likes to round down. A family that plans "two hours" on the strength of a brochure finishes the east shore in the late afternoon, on the road, with tired children. Allow half a day and set off in the morning.
An early start changes everything on the cycle path: a base in Sevrier or Saint-Jorioz puts you on the path before the families from Annecy, and you get back without using the car. The search for places to stay in Annecy shows each location on the map, so you can choose the shore before the price.
See places to stay on the west shore of the lake →Partner link: booking through this link supports the site at no extra cost to you.Why is the full loop impossible during the east shore roadworks?
A tourist information site reports that the east shore is closed to cyclists from 14 September to 18 December 2026 for roadworks. The official listing for the cycle loop gives rideable periods from 1 January to 13 September 2026, then from 19 to 31 December 2026: the two match.
During these three months the west shore stays open: a return ride from Annecy to Doussard on the cycle path covers about 40 flat kilometres, the same distance as the loop without the east shore traffic. It is even the best option with children.
This closure appears neither in the generic brochures nor in most articles that have not been updated. The official listing simply says to "check current conditions with the tourist office". Do so: the route changes with the roadworks and the snow.
How much does bike hire cost?
The official listings publish neither a list of hire shops nor prices. The only press reference gives €45 a day for an adult e-bike around the lake, in 2024.
Market ranges, worked out from typical prices rather than an exhaustive survey: €30 to €60 a day for an e-bike, €15 to €35 for a standard bike, €10 to €25 for a child's bike or a trailer.
The sum the brochures never do: a family of four on e-bikes pays €180 for the day, before lunch in Talloires and parking in Annecy. The route is free, the day out is not. Parking charges are in parking in Annecy.
When is the cycle path at its busiest?
No count is published: not by hour, not by day, not by season. Local authorities install counters on other cycle paths, but their data for Lake Annecy is not available in the documents consulted.
What reviews and guides say: the sections close to Annecy and Annecy-le-Vieux mix walkers, bikes and scooters, and get crowded at summer weekends. Clashes between fast cyclists and families feature in no brochure.
The cycle path was created in 1974, which makes it one of the oldest in France. Fifty years on, it carries a level of use that nobody measures publicly. For running along the ridges and the other ways of going round the lake, see the three ways around Lake Annecy; to sleep next to the path, camping at Lake Annecy.
You rarely need to book a bike, but the rest is another matter: cruises, paddleboarding and guided trips on the lake sell out several days ahead in summer. The Annecy activities page brings the options together with their duration and price.
See activities on Lake Annecy →Partner link: booking through this link supports the site at no extra cost to you.Sources
Lake Annecy tourist office (Boucle cyclo Tour du Lac d'Annecy listing of 8 September 2026; cycle path page; 2021 PDF on cycling round the lake), annecy-tourisme.com (lake loop, 3 November 2025), destination-annecy.com (lake loop, 31 August 2026), annecy-ville.fr (day itinerary, May 2024; lake loop page).
annecyguide.com (cycling around Lake Annecy), Le Figaro (guide to the loop by bike, 17 November 2024), manawa.com (the lake without a car, 30 July 2024), bestcyclingtrip.com (family loop, 17 July 2026), Tripadvisor (reviews of the cycle path). Research consolidated on 12 September 2026. Hire prices are market ranges, not an official price list.
Frequently asked questions
How many kilometres is the cycle loop around Lake Annecy?
How long does it take to cycle around Lake Annecy?
Can you cycle all the way around Lake Annecy at the moment?
Which way round should you cycle Lake Annecy?
How much does bike hire cost at Lake Annecy?
Camille Perrissin
Camille grew up in Sévrier, on the west shore, and swims in the lake from April to November. She has been taking the water temperature herself since 2019 and knows where the bottom suddenly drops away. She writes about the lake without ever turning it into a postcard.
