From Sunshine to Lakeside Living: Why We Chose Annecy over the French Riviera

The Côte d’Azur had everything we were looking for in life. Beautiful beaches, stunning mountains, and year-round sunny weather. Plus all the amenities of a European city we couldn’t find in the US: walkability, public transit, and gorgeous historic architecture. When we visited for two months, it seemed like a dream destination.

However, things changed once we settled in. After only eight months of living there, we were ready to leave. We packed our things and moved north to Annecy. Here’s what went wrong, and what we learned along the way.

The allure of the French Riviera

The Nice area seemed to have everything we were searching for. It felt like an affordable California, but the water was warm enough to swim.

We spent most of 2024 traveling around Europe, looking for a place to call home. We wanted somewhere with good weather, nice beaches, close to the mountains, and with all the infrastructure to live car-free.

Could there really be a Goldilocks city out there? A more affordable and walkable San Diego? We felt like Nice was really going to be it. And in a way, it really is. Nice is really… nice.

We found everything we were looking for in the South of France. The VLS-TS Visitor visa made it easy to retire to France. The weather in September and October was pleasant and the water was clean, but the beaches weren’t crowded. The Alps meet the Mediterranean in Southeast France, so there’s no shortage of outdoor activities.

The cost of living was reasonable too. Not quite as affordable as Spain or Italy, but certainly more so than any coastal US city. The Numbeo estimate is fairly close, except rent for furnished apartments, which is what most expats will rent, is about 1.5 times more expensive.

At first, life was great. We could swim in the sea in the morning, ride bikes to Italy or Monaco in the afternoon, and walk the seaside promenade at sunset.

What went wrong

While we really enjoyed our time on the Côte d’Azur, there were a few key areas we struggled with. None of them on their own is a deal-breaker, but they all add up over time.

Comparison is the thief of joy, and it wasn’t until we visited Annecy that we saw how much better things could be in a different French town.

The public transport

When we first visited, we were comparing the public transit to America and the Balkans, the last place we had traveled. We were amazed that there was a train that ran the length of the coast and buses going everywhere we needed to go. As a tourist staying in a central location, everything seemed pretty peachy.

But after a few months of regularly using the transit system, the allure quickly faded. We realized why everyone still chose to drive or ride a scooter, despite the high cost of fuel and scarcity of parking.

While there are bus routes going everywhere important, the schedule is quite sparse. Usually the last bus is around 7 or 8pm, right when restaurants are opening for dinner. Buses are often late as there are few bus lanes, meaning they get stuck in traffic with everyone else. And there is no app to track their location, so transfers involve a lot of waiting and hoping.

The train was no better. Twice we almost missed our flights while heading to the airport because the trains were delayed or canceled.

The summer heat and humidity

We’ve lived in the Southern US before, so we thought we were used to heat and humidity. The big difference was the air conditioning. In the US, it’s easy to go from house to car to store and back without ever really feeling the heat. But without a car, we were much more exposed to the elements.

Plus, we’re not sitting in an office during the hottest part of the day. Instead, we’re trying to go out and enjoy the outdoors. But the outdoors in summer are just not enjoyable. We also found the sea to be quite dirty in the summer months, with many days where we got to the beach only to not want to actually get in the water.

For us, it felt like a whole season of being mostly indoors. We simply traded a cold, dark winter inside for a hot, humid summer.

And with every year being hotter than the previous, it’ll only get worse with time.

The retraité vibe

For all the gorgeous nature and outdoor opportunities, there just weren’t that many people taking advantage of them. Most people who live in the South of France are older retirees who moved from elsewhere in France, the UK, or Europe. While this may be the perfect fit for some, we prefer a more active crowd. We found most activities here to simply involve sitting and drinking.

How Annecy won us over

Life in Nice seemed great until we started comparing it to Annecy. During our first week-long trip, we were absolutely blown away by how livable Annecy was. Bike lanes absolutely everywhere, bus tracking on Google Maps, and great nature reachable by foot from downtown.

The atmosphere in Annecy really reflects the emphasis on sports and outdoors, too. There are runners and cyclists everywhere. Activities are organized around going outside and doing things, not sitting and drinking. The city feels vibrant and alive.

Both areas have incredible natural beauty and amazing architecture, great mountains, and plenty of water for swimming and sporting. But the day-to-day life in Annecy is so much more pleasant and enjoyable.

In our town near Nice, shopping at a hypermarket involved taking two buses and quite a bit of walking along narrow, busy streets without sidewalks. In Annecy, it’s a pleasant 15-minute bike ride with separated bike lanes most of the way.

Looking forward

We’ve been in Annecy for three months now and plan to stay here for the long term. It’s got all of the charm and beauty we found in the South of France, but wrapped into a much more livable package.

Questions about life in Nice, Annecy, or France in general? We’d love to hear from you in the comment section, or feel free to write us directly.

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