Two ways from Amsterdam to Annecy (and back)
Below are two itinerary alternatives for you to consider when driving between Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Annecy, France, this summer. Both require about 12 hours of total driving, but are broken up with two stops each, around 3.5-4.5 hours apart, hopefully making the journey more enjoyable and manageable.
One route takes you through Germany, with stops at some smaller towns popular within their respective regions, while the other avoids Germany altogether, traveling just on the other side of its border. You could, of course, choose to do one on the way down and the other on the way back.
I have purposefully left out the bigger German cities, as I think you will get more pleasure out of visiting the more characteristically German towns noted below.
Route 1 - via Germany
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Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Depart The Netherlands out its southern tip, where you can choose to stop at Les Trois Bornes, the convergence of the borders of Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands marked by flags and a small monument you can skip around. :)
- Drive about 4.5 hours to your first stop in Germany - Trier.
Trier, Germany
- This is Germany's oldest city and boasts some of the best preserved Roman ruins, including the Porta Negra city gate, as well as a lively market square.
- It sits at the head of the Mosel Valley, so can also be used as a nice base for short scenic drives along the river to the quaint towns of Bernkastel-Kues, Traben Trarbach and Cochem.
- If you want to visit the Rhine River Valley (the most charming stretch is from Bacharach to St. Goar), plan on about 1.5-hour's drive from Trier.
Freiburg, Germany
- A 3.5-hour drive from Trier, Freiburg im Breisgau is the capital of the Schwarzwald region. An energetic university town nestled in the wooded hills of the Black Forest that features a prominent cathedral and access to picturesque nature and hiking.
- You could also choose to stop in Baden-Baden, about 30 min further north, which is one of the more famous spa resort towns of the region, with a casino and baths but a more sedate, elegant feel.
Annecy, France
- After a roughly 4-hour drive from Freiburg, arrive in beautiful Annecy!
Route 2 - via France/Luxembourg
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Annecy, France
- Depart your Annecy home for the charming French town of Colmar, just under 4 hour's drive north.
Colmar, France
- A lovely stop along the Alsace Wine Route, with half-timbered buildings along cobblestone streets.
- A stay here would also allow visits to the appealing villages of Riquewihr, Ribeauville and Eguisheim (all within a half hour’s drive from Colmar).
- The larger, more lively nearby city of Strasbourg is another good option for an overnight and worthy of a stop in its own right.
Vianden, Luxembourg
- To check another country off your list, consider staying in the small town of Vianden in Luxembourg's northern end, just under 4 hours away from Colmar.
- Set along the Our River, it is most known for its striking hilltop castle, and you can take a chairlift nearby for panoramic city views.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- After about 4.5-hours more driving, arrive back in Amsterdam.
If you decide you want to include Bruges, Belgium, in your travels this time around as we talked about, I would highly recommend staying at least a night there instead of just stopping for the day. You could easily include a stopover there if you make a route primarily through France, such as:
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
3 hour drive
Bruges, Belgium
3 hour drive
Reims, France
3 hour drive
Dijon, France
3 hour drive
Annecy, France
Total driving time is still 12 hours, but this time with 3 stops. Of course you can eliminate 1 of these, knowing that will make for a 6-hour drive one day instead.
If you choose this Belgian-French routing on one of the trips either down or back, you could possibly see some combination of the places I mention in the two suggested itineraries above. For example, Vianden is about an hour from Trier, and Colmar is about the same distance from Freiburg.
So many options! :)
As far as accommodations go, I tend to look on Booking.com or Airbnb.com to book ahead for international destinations. If you are willing to be flexible and a bit adventurous, smaller towns in Germany are known for their "Zimmer frei" signs, as many larger homes rent out rooms in summer. Of course it will be high season and you'll have better luck on the outskirts of the towns I've mentioned, but with a car at your disposal, it is an option to consider.
I hope this gives you some food for thought as you firm up your plans for making your way between two very special places in your life. Let me know if you have any questions about the suggested itineraries or if I can be of any more help in the planning process!
"Travel is not reward for working; it's education for living."
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