In short: Gîte du Cruet is in the hamlet of Le Cruet, on the road (D10) climbing from Saint-Jorioz to the Col de Leschaux. The Lake Annecy greenway, reserved for bikes and pedestrians for about 33 km, runs 10 minutes below; a full loop of the lake is about 40 km. Le Semnoz, the Col de la Forclaz and the Bauges climbs can all be reached from the gîte.
The gîte is on the Col de Leschaux climb
From Saint-Jorioz, the D10 road climbs towards the Col de Leschaux, passing… through Le Cruet. This climb is about 10.8 km with 552 m of elevation gain, an average of 5.1% with sections at 7.9% and 18 hairpins, according to Climbfinder. In other words: you ride home from the beach up a real climb, and you set off for Le Semnoz without any warm-up drive.
For families: the greenway and the lake loop
The Lake Annecy greenway is reserved for bikes and pedestrians for about 33 km, from Annecy to Val de Chaise, almost flat (SILA). It runs along the whole west shore, through Sevrier, Saint-Jorioz and Duingt, and you can reach it in 10 minutes from the gîte. To the north it leads to Annecy's old town; to the south it continues towards Albertville on La Belle Via.
A full loop of the lake is about 40 km with around 100 m of climbing. On the east shore, a few village sections are on the road, and the climb towards Talloires takes a little effort (tourist office). With children, plan a full day, with a picnic and a swim.
Good to know in 2026: the road and greenway between Talloires and Doussard (RD 909A) are closed for works from 14 September to 18 December 2026. A full loop is impossible during this period; free lake shuttles link Talloires and Doussard (Haute-Savoie council).
For climbers: the cols from the gîte
- Col de Leschaux (897 m): straight from the gîte, then down into the Bauges.
- Le Semnoz (road up to about 1,660 m): from the Col de Leschaux, 13.4 km at 5.7% average. The "balcony of the Alps", with views of Mont Blanc.
- Col de la Forclaz de Montmin (1,150 m): across the lake, via Doussard and Vesonne, 8.2 km at 8%.
- Bauges cols: Plainpalais, Les Prés, Le Frêne, Tamié…
Lengths, gradients and tips: everything is in our guide to cycling climbs.
Hiring a bike near the gîte
Several hire shops are based on the west shore, about ten minutes away: city bikes, hybrids, road bikes, e-bikes, children's bikes and trailers. For example Le Conty in Saint-Jorioz or Roul' ma Poule in Sevrier. Book ahead in summer.
2027 World Championships
The UCI Road World Championships will take place in Haute-Savoie from 24 August to 5 September 2027. The time trials will be held around Lake Annecy: juniors on 30 August, elites on 1 September (UCI). If you want to watch as a group, book early: the gîte sleeps 8.
The gîte, practically speaking
- Covered parking on site
- Kitchen equipped for big plates of pasta, 2 bathrooms for 8
- Bed linen and towels provided, cleaning included
- Yoga sessions with Sophie to stretch your legs after the ride
