# Golf in Annecy: fairways above the lake, facing the Alps > Annecy, in Haute-Savoie, 45 minutes from Geneva airport, offers three hillside courses: the Golf du Lac d'Annecy, designed by Cecil Blandford at Talloires within the Roc de Chère nature reserve; the Chamois at Golf des Alpes in Giez, at the far end of the lake; and the Sacconay at Esery, facing Mont Blanc. Golfers come for precision golf between lake and mountains, and for one of the highest concentrations of Michelin-starred restaurants in France. The best season runs from May to October. - Golf guide • France • Haute-Savoie - Airport: Geneva (GVA), 45 min transfer - Ideal stay: 3–5 nights - Best season: May – October - Updated 11 October 2026 - URL: https://www.golftripplanner.fr/en/destinations/france/annecy/ Some fifteen kilometres long, Lake Annecy stretches between the Bauges massif to the west and the foothills of the Aravis to the east. At its northern tip, the old town lines up its ochre and pink façades along the Thiou and its canals, around the Palais de l'Isle, a 12th-century former prison set in the middle of the water. The rest of the lake belongs to its villages, Veyrier, Menthon, Talloires and Duingt, linked by cliff-top roads and by the boats of the lake's ferry company. Golf here is played on the slope. The courses occupy hillsides, wooded plateaus and former farmland, with changes in elevation that call for careful club selection and greens that must be read with the general fall of the land in mind. The Talloires course overlooks the water, the one at Giez commands the plain south of the lake, and Esery looks out to the Mont Blanc range. None is especially long; all of them ask for accuracy rather than power. The other reason to come is the table. Three houses on or above the lakeshore hold seven Michelin stars between them, and Savoyard cheese, from reblochon to beaufort, feeds the great kitchens as readily as the fondue pots of the old town. Three to five nights are enough to play all three courses, drive round the lake and keep an evening for a memorable dinner. ## The courses ### Golf du Lac d'Annecy Architect: Cecil Blandford · Opened 1954 · 18 holes · Par 69 The club was founded in 1953 by a group of local figures, and the eighteen holes laid out by the English architect Cecil Blandford opened in June 1954. The course winds across the Roc de Chère, a wooded hill between Menthon-Saint-Bernard and Talloires, part of which is a nature reserve: oaks, pines, limestone boulders and undergrowth that punishes any stray shot. A short, hilly par 69 with a few blind tee shots and well-guarded greens, it offers constant views of the lake and the Château de Menthon. It suits every level, provided you enjoy walking. Official website: https://www.golf-lacannecy.com/ ### Golf des Alpes, parcours du Chamois Architect: Didier Fruchet; Jacques Losserand · Opened 1991 · 18 holes · Par 72 At Giez, south of the lake, three Savoyards brought together seventy-five hectares leased from the Comte de Chevron Villette from 1987 onwards; Didier Fruchet and Jacques Losserand designed twenty-seven holes there, which opened in July 1991. The eighteen, long known as the Belvédère, is now called the Chamois. A par 72 of around 5,700 metres, it begins on the flat with two water-lined par 5s, climbs to a plateau served by a shuttle for holes 4 to 8, then comes back down among ash, oak and poplar. The clubhouse occupies an 1808 edge-tool works, a forge from the Napoleonic era. Signature hole: The 8th, a par 3 played from the plateau, offers the finest view on the course over Lake Annecy and the mountains that frame it. Official website: https://www.legolfdesalpes.com/le-chamois/ ### Golf Club Esery, parcours du Sacconay Architect: Michel Gayon · Opened 1990 · 18 holes · Par 72 Opened in spring 1990 on the slopes of Reignier-Esery, about 35 minutes north of Annecy and 30 from central Geneva, the Sacconay is the work of Michel Gayon, an architect known for his links-inspired courses. The clubhouse is the Château de Sacconay, recognisable by its two round towers. This par 72 stands out for its large, sloping greens, which make approaches and putting highly technical, and for an open panorama over the entire Mont Blanc range. It is the most demanding course of the trip, best kept for regular players. Official website: https://www.golf-club-esery.com/fr/les-parcours **Concierge tip:** In summer, book early-morning tee times at Talloires: the road along the eastern shore fills up quickly, and the cool of the morning makes walking this very hilly course far more pleasant. At Giez, holes 4 to 8 are played on the plateau, reached by shuttle; plan to play Esery on your departure day if you are flying home from Geneva, just 30 minutes away. ## Where to stay ### Auberge du Père Bise – Jean Sulpice Founded in 1903 on the harbour at Talloires, the Bise family's inn made culinary history: Marguerite Bise was one of the first women chefs with three stars. Jean and Magali Sulpice have made it a five-star Relais & Châteaux hotel with a two-star restaurant. The classic rooms look mostly towards the mountains: ask for a suite, as every one has a balcony or terrace over the lake. The Golf du Lac d'Annecy is five minutes away. ### La Maison Bleue – Yoann Conte On the eastern shore at Veyrier-du-Lac, Yoann Conte took over from Marc Veyrat in 2010 in this blue house of eleven rooms and suites, each with a balcony or terrace over the lake. Skip the Chalet room, which sits under the eaves and has no shower; ask for a contemporary junior suite of 45 to 50 m². A two-star restaurant and a simpler one, Le Roc: the most intimate address on the lake, fifteen minutes from Talloires. ### Abbaye de Talloires A Benedictine priory founded in 1018 and rebuilt from 1681, the abbey became an inn in 1862. Paul Cézanne stayed in the summer of 1896 and painted his Lake Annecy here. The garden-side rooms have only a partial view of the water: book a lake-view room or, for quiet, one of the three that look onto the cloister. A spa and a private jetty, a few minutes from the Talloires course. ## Where to dine ### Le Clos des Sens Perched above the lake in Annecy-le-Vieux, this house dating from 1866 has held three Michelin stars since 2019. Laurent Petit handed it over in 2023 to chef Franck Derouet and sommelier Thomas Lorival, who keep its lake-and-garden cooking: fish from the lake, vegetables from the kitchen garden, produce from within a hundred kilometres. Closed on Sundays and Mondays; if you are driving back, ask for the juice pairing. ### Le Freti Opened in 1974 under the arcades of Rue Sainte-Claire in the old town, Le Freti is the place for cheese: fondues, raclettes and traditional dishes made with raw-milk cheese, all cooked in house. Order the raclette from the whole wheel. The dining rooms are upstairs, reached by stairs; only the terrace under the arcades is at street level. The choice for the evening when you do not want a tasting menu. ## Beyond golf ### The old town and the Palais de l'Isle Flowing out of the lake, the Thiou runs through the old town in canals lined with arcaded houses. The Palais de l'Isle, built in the 12th century on a small island, has served as a residence, a courthouse and then a prison; today it is open to visitors and tells the story of the town. In the evening, stroll up to the Pont des Amours and the Jardins de l'Europe, where you can watch the lake and the Dents de Lanfon at sunset. ### Paragliding from the Col de la Forclaz Above Talloires, the Col de la Forclaz is one of the great free-flight sites in the Alps. Schools offer tandem flights with an instructor, no experience needed, soaring over the lake and the Roc de Chère before landing on the shore near Doussard. Morning flights enjoy calmer air; allow half a day and let the weather choose the day. ### Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard Perched above Menthon, the château you see from the Talloires course has belonged to the same family since the Middle Ages and is said to be the birthplace of Saint Bernard, founder of the Great St Bernard hospices. It is open in season, with its furnished rooms and library, and pairs well with a boat crossing from Annecy. ## When to go The golf season runs from May to October. May and June bring green courses and peaks still capped with snow; July and August are hot, with late-afternoon storms and crowds around the lake. September and October are the best months to play: soft light, water still warm, and the woods of the Roc de Chère turning russet. The courses stay open in winter, snow permitting, but the cold and morning frost limit the playing days. ## Getting there Geneva airport (GVA) is the most convenient, about 45 minutes' drive from Annecy and an hour from Talloires; Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS) is about an hour and a half away. The TGV links Paris with Annecy in just under four hours. Once there, a car is essential to move between courses, and in season the lake boats connect Annecy with the villages of the eastern shore. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best golf course near Annecy? The Golf du Lac d'Annecy at Talloires is the best known for its setting on the Roc de Chère above the lake. The Sacconay at Esery, 35 minutes to the north, is the most technical course in the area. ### How many golf courses are there around Lake Annecy? Two eighteen-hole courses border the lake: the Golf du Lac d'Annecy at Talloires and the Chamois at Golf des Alpes in Giez, which also has a nine-hole course, Les Castors. ### Can visitors play the Golf du Lac d'Annecy? Yes. The members' club welcomes visiting players, with online booking; in July and August, book several days ahead. ### Which airport is best for a golf trip to Annecy? Geneva, about 45 minutes' drive away. Lyon Saint-Exupéry is an alternative about an hour and a half away, and the TGV runs direct from Paris to Annecy station. ### When is the best time to play golf in Annecy? From May to October. September and October combine courses in good condition, mild temperatures and a calmer lake than in high summer. ## Your golf trip: Annecy Tee times, suites, transfers and tables: your concierge replies within 24 hours with a proposal shaped around you. https://www.golftripplanner.fr/en/#contact