Active fun in Annecy

The adventure begins 

We were an excited foursome as we set off early from our hometown to St Pancras International for our much-anticipated trip to Annecy. Having browsed a few shops in the beautiful St Pancras terminal, it took just 15 minutes to go from the Eurostar entrance through security and two sets of passport control to the departure lounge while we waited to board our train. The trip on the Eurostar was comfortable, relaxing, and over too soon. Between planning activities, playing a game of backpacker, and eating some croissants to get us in the French mindset, we were almost sad to arrive at Gare du Nord. However, we had another relaxing train ride to look forward to from Paris to Lyon, after an easy transfer across the city to Gare de Lyon. The InOui trains were one of the highlights of our 14-year-old son’s trip: big, comfortable seats, lovely views from the upper deck, and great Wi-Fi, allowing him to get his daily fix of Clash of Clans.

Elaine Hollins

Lyon 

Our two days in Lyon were wonderfully varied, as we combined wandering through the old city and visiting historic sites with more teen-friendly activities. The Roman amphitheater was a highlight for the adults, offering spectacular views of the city, interesting facts, and well-preserved Roman ruins. The Basilica of Notre Dame was equally impressive.

Elaine Hollins

The afternoon brought a pleasant stroll through the botanical gardens to play some mini-golf in green, peaceful surroundings. However, the game itself was less than peaceful, with some epic “skills” on display from all four of us. On the walk back, we happened upon some surprise giraffes as the route wound through Lyon Zoo. I was pleased to see these beautiful animals had a large enclosure to roam around in.

Elaine Hollins

Our final morning in Lyon involved a stroll along the Rhône, admiring the beautiful buildings bordering it on both sides and checking out the very reasonably priced outdoor pool. We didn’t have time to visit on this trip, but it provides a great incentive to entice the boys back to this easily reachable city.

Annecy bound 

Elaine Hollins

That afternoon, we set off for Annecy for the main part of our trip. The train ride took us past some magnificent lake views, and we rolled into town two hours later. After checking into our hotel, we set off to explore, discovering the beautiful labyrinth of the old town and the crystal-clear waters of the lake, surrounded on all sides by mountains. We found a good spot to wade in the pleasantly warm water, stopped into the helpful tourist office to plan out the days ahead, and lost ourselves more than once in the historic streets. That evening, as we enjoyed the first of many delicious meals in town, we were excited for the week to come.

Elaine Hollins

Around the lake 

The following days were full of adventure. We went on a couple of wooded hikes, one on either side of Lake Annecy, where we were thankful for the shade from the trees and the conveniently placed logs for picnic lunches. The tree-climbing opportunities were pretty good, too.

Elaine Hollins

One of the highlights of the trip was renting bikes to ride the 40 km around the lake, most of which was off-road. We did have one steep climb, but the magnificent views of the lake on the way down made it completely worth it. About two-thirds of the way around the lake, the sky started looking more and more ominous before letting out a loud clap of thunder. The rain came soon after, and with a vengeance. We pulled up to a food truck with covered seating and took shelter there with other cyclists, watching the downpour. Not only did the vendors welcome us in, they came out with free sandwiches! A perfect and heartwarming example of the kindness of strangers, and a true highlight of our trip. Our 17-year-old declared it the best sandwich he’s ever eaten (and he’s eaten a lot of sandwiches)!

Elaine Hollins

On the lake 

Of course, we couldn’t come to Annecy without enjoying the lake itself. Our 14-year-old was really looking forward to paddleboarding, and it didn’t disappoint. It was my first time trying it, and I was thrilled to find I could actually stand up on the board. What a place to learn! I did take one spectacular spill, much to the delight and amusement of the boys, but the water was pleasant, and I managed to regain my composure and keep paddling. The boys spent the whole time shoving each other into the water (as long as they didn’t push me in, I didn’t mind)!

Elaine Hollins

We also spent time just unwinding on one of the many beaches dotted around the lake. We took local transit to find some quieter spots, and the €7 it cost for the four of us to get into one of the beaches was well worth it for the peace and tranquility it gave us. The adults swam a little, read a little, and repeated. Once again, the teens preferred wrestling with each other in the water.

Elaine Hollins

A culinary adventure 

Our dinners were varied — traditional French, Italian, Japanese, and our favorite: a vegetarian Middle Eastern restaurant in Annecy, which we visited twice. At lunchtime, we picked up delicious baguettes from a variety of boulangeries and sandwich shops around Annecy. These made the perfect picnic lunch to nourish and energize us during our active days.

Elaine Hollins

However, I think it was the huge variety of ice cream and sorbet that really grabbed the boys’ attention. From day one, we made it our mission to try a new flavor every day. That turned out not to be enough to sample everything, so the boys heroically volunteered to have two ice creams a day instead of one. Such altruism!

Elaine Hollins

Homeward bound 

After six wonderful days, it was time to leave Annecy and start our journey home. Still, the trains were a highlight in their own right, so we were only a little sad to go.

Elaine Hollins

The InOui to Paris was once again on time, comfortable, and equipped with teen-friendly Wi-Fi. While we could have made it all the way home in one day, we chose to spend a night in Paris, since it’s never a chore to spend time in the French capital. We stayed in Montmartre and loved wandering its streets, sampling delicious pastries, and catching sneaky glimpses of the Sacré-Cœur around almost every corner.

Elaine Hollins

The next day, we headed to Gare du Nord for our Eurostar ride home, which was smooth and relaxing. Along with our board games, we treated ourselves to some drinks on the train to celebrate another wonderful family rail adventure. We’re already looking forward to next year’s trip.

For those considering train adventures with teens, Byway asked our boys a few questions, and their unedited answers are below. Read on for some teen inspiration.

1. What was your favorite memory from the train or one of the destinations you visited? 

• Paddleboarding on Lake Annecy.

• Biking around the lake, getting caught in a thunderstorm, and getting free sandwiches from the pop-up cafe we sheltered at

(Personally, I could have done without the thunderstorm!) 

• The downhill bike ride from Talloires back to the lake 

• Jumping off platforms on the lake

(I was quite happy to sit and read on the sidelines!) 

• Comfy seats and great Wi-Fi on InOui trains 

2. ⁠What was the most beautiful or unexpected view you saw out of the train window? 

• Passing many beautiful lakes on the way from Lyon to Annecy 

(I very much agree with this) 

3. ⁠What was a funny, memorable or most surprising thing that happened? 

• Funny - Foosball with mom and dad, some of our shots at mini-golf in Lyon, and mom’s fall off her paddleboard  

(Glad I provided such entertainment!) 

• Memorable - The amazing soccer street performer in Annecy, the bike ride around the lake and the thunderstorm, the best veggie burger ever tasted (restaurant in Annecy) 

• Surprising - Annecy is much bigger than expected and there were sooooo many ice cream flavors to choose from 

4. ⁠What is the first thing you want to tell friends about? 

• Great activities on and around the lake and the soccer street performer 

5. ⁠Where would you like to go back to? 

• Annecy - DEFINITELY 

 (I concur!)

6. ⁠Did you learn anything interesting? 

• The best restaurants are often not in the main area 

(I’ve been telling them this for years!) 

7. ⁠Which part was the most difficult? 

• Hiking up the hills that surround the lake in 86-degree heat cuz it was mom's birthday 

• Choosing which ice cream flavor to have and where to eat in the evening as there was so much choice

(Lychee and rhubarb sorbet was my personal favorite) 

8. ⁠Were the train journeys like you expected them to be? 

• Yes because we’ve done Interrailing before and the trains were as nice as always 

9. ⁠Do you have any tips for teenagers traveling with their parents?  

• Research fun physical activities at the destination so you don’t have to go to museums 

• Bring plenty of travel games for the trains and restaurants or bars 

• Introduce your parents to games based on reaction speeds - you’ll wipe the floor with them!

10. ⁠Describe your Byway trip experience in 3 words 

• Connor - Chilled, tasty, enjoyable 

• Thomas - Fun, easy, adventurous