Sevrier, on the western shore of Lake Annecy, is home to an unusual industry: bells. The Paccard foundry, which has been casting bells since the late eighteenth century and moved to Sevrier in the 1980s, has made bells for churches and carillons all over the world, and its museum explains how they are designed, cast and tuned. It is a curious contrast to the quiet lakeshore just below the village, where the Secteur des Mongets marks the remains of a prehistoric village built on the edge of the lake, now under water. It is one of the sites included in the World Heritage listing of the Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps, and divers have found wooden piles, pottery and tools in the lake bed.
The western shore of the lake is gentler than the eastern one, with a cycle path running along the old railway line, beaches, campsites and reed beds, and views across the water to the steep cliffs of the Dents de Lanfon and the Tournette, the highest mountain around the lake. The lake is known for its clear, turquoise water and is a popular place for swimming, sailing and paddleboarding in summer. In winter, the shore is quiet, with mist often hanging over the water.
From Geneva, the ride to Annecy takes you through the Genevois countryside and over the mountains, and an alternative to the motorway is the road through Cruseilles, which crosses the deep gorge of Les Usses on the Pont de la Caille, a suspension bridge from the nineteenth century that stands next to the newer road bridge. Around the lake, the road along the western shore through Sevrier and Saint-Jorioz is often busy, especially in summer, but the roads that climb into the hills, towards the Semnoz or the Col de Leschaux and the Bauges, are much more rewarding, with forests, meadows and fine views. The eastern shore, through Menthon-Saint-Bernard and Talloires, is narrower and more winding.
Saint-Jorioz, about two and a half kilometres away, has fuel, supermarkets and restaurants, and Sevrier has cafés and shops. Try fondue or raclette, made with local cheeses, in one of the restaurants around the lake, and a glass of white wine from Savoie. If the weather is warm, a swim from one of the public beaches is the best way to cool down after a ride.