Annecy, Aix-les-Bains & Grenoble Travel Guide | Rhône-Alpes Part 2
We recorded this episode as the second part of our Rhône-Alpes series, continuing beyond Chamonix and into some of the smaller cities, lake towns and mountain bases that make this region such a strong road trip destination in France.
This part of the trip moves between Annecy, Aix-les-Bains, Chambéry and Grenoble. These places all feel very different from one another, but they work well together when you’re traveling by car and not trying to rush.
This episode focuses on how these towns compare, how long we felt was enough time in each place and which stops made the most sense as part of a longer Rhône-Alpes itinerary.
Episode Summary
This episode continues our Rhône-Alpes series and looks at a handful of places we’ve spent time in over different visits rather than as one single trip. Annecy, Aix-les-Bains, Chambéry and Grenoble are all relatively close to each other, but they feel very different once you’re actually there.
We talk about Annecy as a place that immediately feels easy and livable, especially around the lake and old town, and why it’s somewhere we’d happily return to without needing a long list of plans. Aix-les-Bains comes up more as a slower stop, one that works well for a short stay or as part of a longer drive through the region rather than a destination you build an entire trip around.
Chambéry sits somewhere in between, feeling more local and practical, and less polished than Annecy, but still useful depending on timing and route. Grenoble feels the most like a working city and we talk about how it functions more as a base for the mountains than as a place you go for the town itself.
This episode builds on Part 1 and stays focused on comparison. How long each place realistically needs, which stops feel worth repeating and how these towns actually work together when you’re traveling by car and not trying to rush through the region.
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