After I reached the Passerelles neighbourhood in Cran-Gévrier and the end of the path along the Thiou river, I kept walking on the road until the start of the Parcours Nature Fier et Erbe (Fier & Erbe Nature Trail). It is a path in the forest that follows the course of the Fier river at first, then the Erbe, a brook that flows into the Fier. Here is a map.
The Thiou is a short river (3.5 km) that flows from Lake Annecy to the Fier, which is itself a tributary of the Rhône. Starting from the Old Town of Annecy, built in the middle of canals formed by the Thiou, there is a series of paths along the river that go all the way to Cran-Gévrier, slightly before it joins with the Fier.
The Château de Miolans (Miolans Castle) is a fortress in the Bauges mountains above Saint-Pierre-d’Albigny, Savoie. It was built during the Middle Ages and was converted to a prison by the Duchy of Savoy after they acquired it in the 16th century. Its most famous prisoner was probably writer (and notorious pervert) Marquis de Sade: He was arrested in 1772 in Chambéry and placed under guard at Miolans, until he escaped a few months later.
Last summer, a few weeks after riding my bike from La Féclaz to Albens, I came back to the Bauges mountains. This time, I rode from the Semnoz plateau to Saint-Pierre-d’Albigny in Savoie.
The Église Saint-François de Sales is a catholic church built in the 17th century and located in the old town of Annecy, near the Thiou canal. It is consecrated to Saint Francis de Sales, who grew up in Annecy. The church used to host his shrine but the tomb is now located in the Basilique de la Visitation.
Starting at the Petit Port in Annecy-le-Vieux, I walked along the north shore of Lake Annecy until the Port des Marquisats.
After getting down from La Bastille, I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around Grenoble. I then took the train back to Annecy.
Last summer, I went on a hike in the Chartreuse mountains next to Grenoble: I visited La Bastille, Mont Jalla and Mont Rachais. I used these directions as reference.
The Jardin des Dauphins is a park located in Grenoble, near the Isère river and below the Bastille fortress. It is composed of multiple levels of terraces that offer a good view on the city of Grenoble and the surrounding mountains.
Starting from the Savoie Technolac in Bourget-du-Lac, I walked on the Voie Verte along Lac du Bourget towards Aix-les-Bains. On the way, I made a detour through Base de Loisir des Mottets in Viviers-du-Lac.