By Jane Wilson
Nature reserves and tuomo yoga, tracks for biking, trails for hiking and hills to climb, Annecy Mountains is a destination offering pathways to village resorts, an array of outdoor leisure activities, artisan workshops and a taste of the alpine lifestyle. It’s also home to the old town of Annecy, laced with meandering canals naming it the Venice of The Alps.Â
Colourful houses in Piedmontese style, emblematic buildings and water flowing under the church capture the life of years gone-by. There are arcades to explore, a myriad of passages to stroll through and window boxes drenched in floral displays. It’s no surprise to learn there are over 100 gardeners to keep the area so colourful. There are channels of water flowing along the narrow streets fringed with restaurants and al fresco dining. And of course, Pont des Amoures, the romantic footbridge with an equally romantic past.
Walking tours of Annecy old town provide an in-depth history of this French medieval town. The Château d’Annecy is a restored castle and now a museum. Situated at the top of a hill, it is well worth the walk for the views. From the Gothic Cathedral of Saint Pierre to modern structures, there are a number of churches with some dating back to the Middle Ages. Église Saint-Maurice is the oldest church here. The old prison built in the 12th century is unlocked and now a key attraction sitting in the middle of the Thiou Canal. At the end of the 16th century the Palais de l’Île served as a court house and a prison. Today it houses the Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Centre.
The quaint town of Old Annecy lies on the edge of the alpine Le lac de Annecy. The crystal clean lake serves as a central focal attraction to the villages it circumvents. You can sail on it, drive around it or paraglide over it. Biking takes two hours, hiking, much longer. Alternatively, simply enjoy its stunning views and changing rhythm of the sunsets, sunrises and natural reflections. And thanks to protective measures taken over the last 50 years, it is now the purest of all urban lakes in Europe. It is also the third-largest lake in France, formed some18,000 years ago when the large alpine glaciers melted.
Wrapping around the lake are carpets of green landscapes, wooden houses dotted on the hillslopes and church spires glinting and adding shape to skylines. Hidden chalets, farm stays edging the forest, camping, glamping and B&Bs, accommodation is varied. Les Ô d’Annecy proved to be a delight with homemade offerings of preserves and breads, a real country breakfast served on the edge of the garden flooded with spectacular views of the lake with a backdrop of its 1867 country house. A massage room is housed in a shepherds hut while visiting deers roam the grounds packed with pine trees. Hotel La Ferme is located in the middle of the slope, overlooking the village of La Clusaz. This hotel-restaurant offers traditional cuisine served in a cosy candlelit dining area or on its surrounding terraces which savour views of the ski lifts traversing the Aravis mountain range. Sitting on the shores of Lake Annecy, Villa Caroline is the first dedicated wellness hotel and often doubles as an ideal yoga retreat. It offers 18 rooms, a detox menu, choice of massages tailored to requirements and fitness room.Â
Fresh mountain air and cool fresh rivers, are the perfect conditions for tuomo yoga, an ancient art practiced by Tibetan Buddhist monks. This form of yoga helps to strengthen our immunity, resistance to cold and overcome our fears. It is also a method used to overcome negativity and obstacles in our life. The process starts with walking barefoot on stony pathways and then rehearsing breathing techniques, mantras and visualization to prepare for voluntary submersion in cold water. It certainly calls on will-power to relight an inner fire and mental control. 
A preserved area on the shoreline of Lake Annecy is the Bout du Lac nature reserve. This reserve is a wetland area crossed by two rivers which feed Lake Annecy. Reedbeds, wet forests, meadows and alkaline peat bogs make up this ecosystem, offering a sanctuary for rare animals and plant species. Mindful walks are encouraged with regular signs to remind walkers to listen to nature. Other activities in the area take the shape of paddle yoga, excellent for mental strength, invigorated by the energy of the mountain environment. Cycling is popular, following the tracks of the Tour de France which, since 1939, has made 16 stops in the area. As you journey up into the mountains, towns include Thônes, a half-way point between Annecy and the ski resorts. The villages of St jean De Sixt, La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand and Manigod provide an insight into alpine life.Â
Cow Art is alive and well around the village resort of Le Grand Bornand. And it’s in the form of an outdoor art gallery. Adding fun and colour, this walking tour showcases art works of cows in metal, wood and milk containers scattered in and around places. Why cows? In the year 2000, Le Grand-Bornand had 2000 inhabitants, 2000 cows, pastures at nearly 2000 meters altitude.  It’s a tribute to the old forgotten trades of the valleys with cows representing arts and crafts. The village also sits in the region of cheese making. Reblechon cheese is made in the area. 
Soap workshops provide an insight into sustainable medicinal plant production in this mountain area. Laetitia Hespel trained at the French Institute for Herbalism. She hand-picks her own homegrown organic plants or those she finds growing wild. These she then dries at a low temperature to conserve all the qualities. The botanical herb garden sits at 800m altitude where she grows around thirty different varieties These are sold to laboratories or herbalists such as Clarins.
Dishes are often served decorated with edible flowers. In Buvette de Paccaly, proprietor and mountain guide, Astrid Marty, is a specialist in edible plants and flowers. She picks them locally at different altitudes to ensure she has a good variety. They include campanula, wild thyme, willow herb, clover, wild oregano and nasturtium. She prepares and scatters them as toppings on dishes to add taste, colour and additional nutrition to the menu of Chalet de Paccaly. 
From edible flowers to liqueurs,  Distillerie des Aravis, specialises in making artisan herbal   liqueurs, using local products such as Génépi. These are based on a recipe used by monks dating back to 1878 which included 27 plants when it promised treatments for headache, stomach and mood.
Annecy Mountains is rich in natural resources, a destination offering more than a breath of fresh air.
This pocket of SW France has found fame in a number of annuals events:Â
The international Animated Film Festival takes place in June when professionals of the industry from around the world showcase their movies, ranging from 3D animated graphics to traditional animations
A Venetian Carnival attracts hundreds of people dressed in magnificent costumes for a parade along the streets of Annecy.
Yoga Festival takes place in La Clusaz
