Annecy Travel Forum

My wife and I visited Haute Savoie this year and we really impressed, so much so that we're thinking about going to live there for a year. I've been web researching for the last couple of weeks, and was wondering if some english speaker resident of the Lac Annecy region could confirm the following:

1.
We'll be able to rent a campsite chalet for the month of June for approx. €1,000
2.
We'll be able to rent a 2 bed apartment with parking in one of the towns around Annecy for 1 year for approx. €900 per month + €50 per month charges
3.
We will be able to enrol in a french language course where we will meet other expats (we're Irish).
4.
I work as a Technology Engineer, and speak good conversational french. I have some small chance of finding contract work in either Geneva or Grenoble
5.
It is practical to live in the Annecy region and work in either Geneva or Grenoble

apologies in advance for length of post.

I don't know much about the rental market in Annecy - I recommend you look at some Annecy immobiliers online and ask them about rentals in the region.

I know there are several French language schools in Annecy, and most will have a placement test (if they are any good) to make sure you are put into a class of people with similar levels. I went to CILFA and found it very good. http://www.cilfa.fr/

You can drive to Geneva from Annecy daily if you don't mind driving 1 hour each way (they are constructing a new highway to make this even faster in future but that won't be finished for a few years). The pay is better in Switzerland, but then the health care might get more complicated if you are there for only 1 year and come from Ireland. Check out the 'frontalier' regulations which you can read about on the Canton de Geneve's website. http://www.geneve.ch/ocp/doc/frontalier.pdf I don't know about driving to Grenoble every day from there. Annecy itself is not small so you might find something there as well.

Hi,

I lived there for a year in 2004/5 (evaluating the area for setting up of an international call centre)

To answer your questions:

1. Yes short term summer 1000GBP for a month is possible but don't expect much for that price. Annecy is one of the most expensive places in France to live, and mainly occupied by wealthy bourgeois.

2. No need to go out of Annecy, try Annecy-le-Vieux. This is a middle class, upmarket area. I paid 1050 Euros for a 130 sq. m. 2 bed furnished apartment (dish washer and washing machine fridge freezer ceramic hob gas oven) with outdoor communal swimming pool, underground secure boite (undeground gated parking with individual lock up garage) You need to enter in to a 12 month agreement otherwise you have to pay the agent 10% of the rent on top for 3 month agreements, otherwise 6.5%. So 900 Euros will get you something really nice in say Cran Gevrier a mile up the road from Annecy town centre. |Also the habitation tax of around 50 E per month is payable by the tenant. Watch the agents out there(horror stories from other ex-pats and students) I used albigny immobiliere in Annecy it is run by a very honest lady a Mme Berthelot who loves practising her English! She is very helpful, and tries to look after everyone. Good reports from other students and ex-pats (no rip offs at end of contract) www.albigny-immobilier.com

3. I studied at Ifalpes (www.ifalpes.fr) This is the only proper professional school in the area. It is under the control of the University of Lyon. In the year I was there (20 hours per week full time mornings and/or afternoons) I had a great time. There was a wide range of nationalities (lots of Brits) with a wide age range. You are tested before admission and allocated to a group at your level (1-12). Level 1 is for students who don't speak any French, level 12 is for students who hope to gain admission to a French University. The teachers were excellent, and are all graduates. The fees are very reasonable compared to other language schools. The results were excellent, and the examinations are controlled externally by the Univ of Lyon (so no fudging of results) The qualifications are recognised by the Ministry of Education unlike the useless pieces of paper awarded by other so called language schools. Ifalpes offers a thorough grounding in grammar, conversation and written skills, and is of a high academic standard whilst making the courses interesting and fun. Finally Swedish students study there on a grant from the Swedish Government, and if they fail the externally marked exams, the students have to repay the grant. None of the Swedish students whilst I was there failed the exams (some of them were quite honestly at the back of the queue when the brains were given out)The teaching staff go out of there way to help the students. If you decide to choose Ifalpes, try to get in to Mme Isabelle Verguin's classes from the start. She is an excellent and popular teacher. All the students try to jump ship in to her classes, after the first term. Courses are structured for 1 week, 3 weeks 1 month 3 months 1 academic year etc. The School's Director is very, very flexible and she runs the place properly. www.ifalpes.com

4. Many middle class french live in Annecy and cross over the border to Geneva each day to work (39 Km to the border, use the RN rather than the motorway, it's much quicker , and of course no toll fees. Word of warning, make sure you have all necessary papers when crossing: Driver's licence, passport, insurance certicate, car registration document, Ifalpes photo card or work permit. The Swiss border control computer check everything before they let you over the border. If going to work in Grenoble, don't speed anywhere (horror stories of overseas vehicles being impounded on the spot for speeds in exces of 140 Km per hour) the traffic cops are everywhere, and if you have an overseas plate, you will be frequently stopped to show papers. If you are living in France you need to obtain a "Carte de Sejour" from the Mairie. If you live in Annecy, you can find the Mairie next to the cop shop in the Town Centre (Banlieu Centre area) It tkes ages to getto Grenoble from Annecy because of the traffic, and in the winter because of the ice and snow. ALso snow chains by law, in the winter months, and quite necessry if you are not in town. To be fair I didn't hear of anybody getting done for not having them.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need any more info. We spent an absolute fortune investigating matters there fro commercial reasons. BTW, generally renting empty properties requires a min 3 year term.

A few observations/corrections in response to the previous post.

1. You do not any longer need a French Carte de Sejour to live in France if you are an EU resident, due to EU regulations.

2. The language school mentioned above is actually not the only one to give out recognized certifications - CILFA also gives out recognized certifications and is affiliated to the University of Savoie and is an official DELF and DALF test center, which is a French minister of education (ie government) recognized qualification, just as the other school offers and uses placement tests to ensure you are put into the right level class.

3. Personally, I also do not ever find the Swiss border to be picky - I have never been stopped there in 5 years of living in France and going regularly to the Geneva airport to travel for business. If your car has French plates from 74 (Haute Savoie) which borders Geneva, this is less likely but of course you must bring all the required papers as it is the legal requirement. They of course have the right to pull you over and inspect everything, but as a practical matter this doesn't happen on a daily basis. You will need a Swiss work permit as a 'frontalier' (cross border worker) to get a job there - that is the important thing (I believe getting this will require proof of residence in Annecy to obtain from the Swiss). The city of Geneva website has information on this process (in French). You can also get a frontalier permit to exercise your own business (such as consulting work).

we have a flat in the heart of annecy near courrier , tghe train station, it is really near every thing an we have a private garage ;it is a duplex with 2rooms upstairs and a menzanine , a living room american kitchen,and toilets downstairs

if you are interested send me an e-mail to berliomimi@yahoo.com i wish you nice stay in annecy