Holiday - French Alps

ilav84

Not fully cycling related but I'm flying into Geneva on 12th of July. I have 5 nights in Morzine for a cycling trip. Then the wife is flying over to meet me on the 17th July and we have 10 nights. Going to drive around rather than train or bus. Don't know much about the area but would like some help with an itinerary and hotel suggestions.

What about something like:
Evian 4 nights
Chamoinx 3 nights
Annecy - 3 nights
Fly out of Geneva

The Tour De France is on and close to where we will be so I will hopefully get to see a bit of it as well.

As I said I know nothing about the area and no doubt there are nicer places. We are looking a bit of a mixture of sight seeing, sunbathing, few nice walks. I will have done my cycling before I start the touristy stuff so I will be happy enough not to want to go cycling, plus the wife would kill me.
Cheers

mr_goo

We stayed in Samoens a couple of years back, which is the next valley across and the start of the Col de Joux Plane climb.
Whilst you have a few days of cycling its given that you will do that climb and Avoriaz & Joux Vert. However there is one climb out of Samoens that has never featured on any pro race to my knowledge but is would rank as HC for sure - Plateaux de Saix/Samoens 1600 (1km at 12.5%).
http://www.routeyou.com/en-fr/route/view/359884/cycle-route/montee-de-samoens-1600

There is also a lovely walk to be had at the head of this valley, you can park up at Sixt Fer A Cheval and follow the river up the valley. There is a chalet bar up stream to imbibe a nice cold beer before continuing up. At the weekends the park rangers set up telescopes so that visitors can view the chamois and other wildlife.

Also worth doing is parking at the lake at the top of the Col de Joux Plane and walking right up on the the ridges of the mountains. Quite a challenge but the views of Mont Blanc are a just reward.