Discover Annecy for holidays with your dog!
What activities to do in Annecy with your dog? Where to sleep with your dog in Annecy? How to get around Annecy with your dog? Laurie and her two samoyeds tell you the story!
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Annecy, I have wonderful memories there… To be able to present this Wouafement Bien destination to you, I interviewed Jedi, Odyssée and Laurie: a 100% Savoyard Too W'ouf trio. I went there with Musher but I don't know the sector well enough to offer you an article rich in tips. Laurie has traveled the entire region with her two Samoyeds, so she gives you her favorite places for your next holidays with your dog. Before setting off to explore this pretty region, not far from Chambéry et Geneva, let me introduce you to our three guides of the day. Direction the Haute-Savoie with doggie, at the foot of the Alps! You will see that the mountain with a dog : it wins you too!
Laurie and her two samoyeds
Passionate about the breed for many years, we had promised ourselves to have a Samoyed as soon as our situation would allow it and we would be sufficiently present for him. The day we found out that I could get a telecommuting contract and thus work from home, we went looking for our future puppy 🙂
We then did the classifieds and one of them caught our attention. The puppies were 10 days old. We went to see them and at the end of the visit, we fell in love with Jedi. The weaning time lasted 2 months, it was the longest 2 months we had known. Jedi has been part of our life since Christmas 2014 and it brings us a lot of happiness.
A few months after the arrival of Jedi, in view of all the happiness he brought us, the question of getting a second dog quickly arose. We have matured the subject and weighed the pros and cons to be sure to be able to welcome a second doggie in good conditions. Everything seemed ok so we started looking at the breedings. We stopped our choice on one of them in the North West of France which we liked for a long time, it only remained to wait for the next litter. Odyssée was born at the end of January 2018, she is now 5 months old and brings us all a lot of joy.
The agreement between the two cuties happened very naturally and it's as if we had always been 4 J!
Why Samoyeds? It's a passion we've had for a long time and it was obvious that our first dog would be a samoyed. Who says Samoyed says hyper active dog, it is a temperament that suits us well. He needs his daily dose of exercise. We practice together canirando, canicross in leisure and competition and also scooter. They are dogs that learn very quickly and have an innate sense of traction from an early age. We are waiting for Odyssée to be 1 year old so that she can accompany us on our more sporty outings. It's a real pleasure because they are always up for going for a walk, jumping in the car… we very rarely leave them at home, they come with us everywhere! They are also very intelligent but also stubborn and think twice before deciding to do something we ask them to do. (“Are we going to get a treat back?” :P) haha)
On a daily basis, Jedi and Odyssée are almost never alone for their greatest happiness because they are dogs who are very/too attached to us. We have to be very careful with the Jedi's diet because even if he is a big foodie, he quickly tends to be underweight, which is not easy to manage. Conversely, Odyssey is less complicated and eats everything given to it. They love to learn new tricks and Jedi's favorite game is hide and seek (he's a real pro at flushing us out!)! Twice a year, Jedi gives us his most beautiful moult and everything turns white in the house 🙂 (For Odyssey we're not there yet but it won't be long with all that baby hair lol)!
Discover Annecy with your dog
Annecy is a magnificent city. There are so many things to do… the Jardin de l'Europe, the Pont des Amours, the shores of the lake as far as the castle museum at the gates of Semnoz. The pedestrian streets are very welcoming and you should not leave without tasting the ice cream of the Glacier des Alpes or taking a pedalo ride (dogs accepted).
Ski resort in winter, mountain pasture in summer, with its plunging view of the lake and its flat summit, it is the ideal place for walks with our companions. The only downside is the access to the lake… no beach accepts dogs. In summer with the heat it does, it would be very tempting to make them cool off in the water. There are alternatives and other great places to stay cool in summer like the Combe d'Ire in Doussard (a nice walk along a stream), the Angon waterfall near Talloires (be careful at the end of the slightly slippery course), the nautical base of Lescheraines in the Bauges which offers a sumptuous setting for a nice family outing to the Pissieu waterfall, the Confins lake in La Clusaz and many more.
You can also enjoy a good tea in a very design and welcoming tea room at Ataya (@ataya_annecy) in the city center, in iced tea or comforting hot tea according to your desires and of course doggies are accepted.
Annecy is a dog friendly city, we find distributors of recycled poo bags everywhere, the streets are very clean and everyone helps to keep it as it is, so it's very pleasant to walk there. In summer, cuties love to play lazy lying in the grass in the shade of the shrubs. As soon as we can, we take them to bathe. It is possible to cani-paddle with your companion at NCY SUP (@ncysup) Sévrier, the very rural setting and calm reign in this place, a real pleasure.
Winter is unquestionably their favorite season, especially when it starts to snow! We regularly go up to Semnoz to take advantage of the snow and the hiking trails with magnificent views of Lake Annecy and Lake Bourget. It is also very pleasant to climb the Col de la Forclaz to try paragliding above the lake (winter or summer version).
We live in the mountains, at the beginning of the Parc des Bauges just next to Annecy, a dream place for them. We often go hiking in the mountain pastures, there are many hiking trails just from our village. By the way, if you come to the area one day, know that we also have a great cheese dairy in Saint Eustache, the Fromagerie de la Cochette (@fromageriecochette) and we will be delighted to welcome you to talk about the region and the darlings, but especially to taste good local farm cheeses.
Where to sleep with your dog in Annecy?
Musher and Sophie : “Are you going on vacation with your dog to Annecy? It's great, but before finding all the listing of dog-friendly activities in the city of Annecy, it is important to know where you are going to stay! For this, I recommend 4 addresses of QUALIDOG labeled hotels and accommodation. A label that certifies a pleasant and benevolent welcome for our dogs.
- Hotel Campanile Annecy Center Gare. A hotel that welcomes dogs (2 dogs accepted) and ideally located near the train station and on the edge of the lake. Very flexible reception rules that will guarantee you an easy stay on site. Puppy should even be entitled to a little surprise when he arrives!
– The Mercure Annecy Center hotel. A hotel also ideally located on the edge of the pretty Lake Annecy (2 dogs accepted and category 1 and 2 dogs are also allowed). No leash required as long as your dog respects the hotel and other customers. Once again, doggie will be entitled to a smiling and benevolent welcome with perhaps even a little surprise!
– The Sandaya la Nublière campsite : A luxury campsite located right next to the lake in the town of Doussard. 2 dogs are accepted, of all sizes. They must be kept on a leash and will be able to enjoy lovely walks by the lake with a few places where dogs can enter the water…!
– The cabins of Salève. A large estate with magnificent original spa huts, unusual accommodation… The ideal compromise between a hotel and an unusual guest room. One dog is welcome per cabin regardless of its size and category 1 & 2 dogs are also allowed. You will stay a few kilometers from Annecy in Collonges-sous-Salève in Haute-Savoie between Annecy and Geneva.
There you go, you know the good addresses, it's up to you to choose the Wouafer's! Also discover other rentals and hotels that accept dogs in Annecy !
Traveling to Annecy with your dog
We have never tried public transport in Annecy because everything is easily done on foot and the alleys are worth it, but it seems to me that a dog is authorized by bus with a muzzle depending on the crowds. Small dogs are accepted if they are transported in hand luggage.
Annecy and its region: dog-friendly?
Yes, especially during the tourist period when there are many holiday doggies everywhere in the city and especially on the Paquier (the large green esplanade by the lake). The space is perfect for enjoying the sun's rays and the alleys are ideal in case of hot weather. I'm always happy to see that doggies are also part of holidaymakers' lives. Annecy is to be discovered: it would be a shame to come without our dogs.
Vacation tips – Annecy with your pet
To get to the site www.emmentonchien.com (but you're already there since you're reading this article, so BRAVO!) to discover even more great deals!
Privilege the months of May, June and September when the heat and the crowd are less important and more pleasant for our four-legged friends. Do not hesitate to take the car to discover magnificent landscapes in the immediate vicinity!
The holidays of Laurie and her two Samoyeds
I always go on vacation with my dogs, it's a real pleasure and the holidays would not be the same without them. We love going to the mountains whether it's summer or winter to do canirando and discover new spaces. In summer, we favor courses with water points to prevent hot shots. We also went to the South West and the French Riviera and Jedi loved playing in the ocean and the sea, real moments of happiness that will remain etched in our memory. There are so manyactivities to do with your dog, we still have a lot to discover and we can't wait.
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I hope this interview with Laurie and these two doggies has made you want to traveling with your dog and come and discover Annecy and its region. To follow their adventures and discover new Wouafement Bien corners, go to Facebook page.
It's a place that I love and I spent a day there with Musher two years ago, on the way to vacation. It was super frustrating not to be able to find a place to swim with your dog but we had rented pedal boats. We were still able to swim together by trickery. And I confirm for the borders, we spent a week of vacation in La Clusaz with her. We had a great time there with memorable hikes.
See you soon for new Wouafement Bien adventures!