I have a few questions regarding Annecy... I am planning a trip in January 2007 for a few weeks to organise rental accommodation so we are ready to leave Australia in May 2007.

I would like to find out what businesses/people are best for enquiring about renting a house or apartment in Annecy. We would like to live close to shops and schools (especialy walking distance to a maternelle school for Lily who will turn 4 next year).

How much time should we give ourselves to find a house to rent? as Annecy is not a big city should we start making contacts with real estate agents before next year?

What areas do you recommend? Is it possible to rent in Annecy Centre or should we try Annecy-le-Vieux first?

Are there any areas that are warmer in winter or is that just a matter of making sure you have a room that faces south-east?

Also how often does it snow in the actual town.

I speak fluent French and hopefully I should be able to find my way around next year but would appreciate some tips from somebody who knows the town well.

Thanks in advance. :)

Hi man,

I'm a computer engineer living in Annecy and I'm glad you like my town. You're right, Annecy is a really a cool town to live in, with its lac and festivals for entertainment during the summer and mountains and ski resorts for the winter...

The best for enquiring about renting a house or apartment in Annecy is to call local rental agencies, there are plenty of them and you should not have any pbm to get their phone nbers by quering yellow pages website (www.pagesjaunes.fr - run the query agence immobiliere (activité); annecy (localité); 74 (département)).
I lived in Annecy-le-vieux for 15 yrs and to me that's the best place to be. Now I moved to Annecy...
Also, don't worry, weather you are in Annecy or Annecy-le-vieux there's always a school close by (at walking distance).

How much time should you give yourselves to find a house to rent? I'd said it's all depend on what you're looking for to rent and of course your budget. Honestly rent can be quite expensive around here due to the proximity of Geneva, more and more Swiss nationals come and buy/rent places because it's more affordable than Switzerland.

The weather here is quite homogenious regardless where you are located in the city. I would say it's warm/hot from March until mid-October and during the winter, we can have some snowing days from December to Febuary. Some years it can happend to not have snow in Annecy at all, but bottom line is you'll always have snow in ski resorts (around 30min to 1h away from Annecy).

Voila David, hope these info help a bit and if you have any question don't hesitate to post it on the forum or email me ;)

Cheers

Wow, well what a stroke of luck you have :)

Interesting for all of us too.

Hi man,

I'm a computer engineer living in Annecy and I'm glad you like my town. You're right, Annecy is a really a cool town to live in, with its lac and festivals for entertainment during the summer and mountains and ski resorts for the winter...


Welcome to the forum tahitibob!

Thanks for the rental tips, based on my early searches in explorimmo.com and immostreet.com the rentals in Annecy seem rather reasonable as we first started searching in Nice which was very very expensive.

15 years in Annecy...wow I will certainly keep your details handy for any further questions. Are you originally from France? If you have time, tell us your background story in the Moving/Living in France Forum.

I can't wait for my trip In January so I check this beautiful area in detail. I had visited Annecy with my parents as a child when I lived in Switzerland but my memories are sketchy.

Merci beaucoup :)

That sounds like a dream of a place to live in!
________
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I would say it's warm/hot from March until mid-October and during the winter, we can have some snowing days from December to Febuary.


This sounds just like Arizona along the border to Mexico!

David, I live in Nice and have family in Annecy.
I can say the rent prices are rather comparable, for comparable house/flat and accomodations.
It is a different choice of life and climate.

Hello David,

Im Amandine, i dont know if you remember me. I live in Prague CZ but im from Annecy.
I would say ,as im a person who likes a lot the nice and warm weather, its not so warm till end of april. So when you will move in , it should be nice!
Also it is true that we didnt have too many snowing days in the center those last years.

Annecy is a great city, closed to everything.30 minutes by car and you are skying in Grand Bornand, in 4 hours you are in Marseille. And ladies, for shopping, i recommend going to Lyon.There is lot of choice and fashion shops.

In May, the outdoor swimming pool will open.There is a small swimming pool for young kids, and two bigger ones for those who want to swim or have fun.And of course ,there is a our beautifull lake.

Also, for sport, you can rollerblade or ride the bike on the " piste cyclable" all around the lake(almost!) ....


Well i have to go by now, but i will give you more info later.

Bye,

Amandine:)

Hello Amandine, yes I remember you! Welcome to the forum :)

Thanks for the tips and information, I was also wondering what areas of Annecy would be more suitable for a family to live? (Lily will be 4 and Jasper will be 1 next year) We would like to be close enough to écoles maternelles so that we do not have to drive. Is it difficult to find an appartment at ground level (rez-de-chaussée)? Do the children get the whole day off on Wednesdays? if so do they stil go to school saturday mornings? I guess I will find out more during my 3wk trip in late Jan to find an appartment.

ps
Even though you are living in Prague at present you are welcome to enter the photo competition (http://www.chiefdreamer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=8) if you like :) (we need more entries, so if you know of any English speaking families living in France who would be interested, please send them this website link):
http://www.chiefdreamer.com/forum/

Ah Annecy! Quelle jolie ville!!!