Final-year school trip to Annecy: Geneva, CERN, Chamonix and Lake Geneva (7 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and arrival in Annecy

• Departure from your school early in the morning, at the agreed time, and daytime drive via Luxembourg, Lorraine and Burgundy (about 800 km from Brussels, 9 hours’ driving excluding stops), with two drivers taking turns.
• Our drivers drive for a maximum of 3 hours, then take a 30-minute break, day and night.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Arrival in the late afternoon and check-in at the accommodation in or around Annecy for six nights; dinner and quiet evening.

Day 2: Annecy, the Venice of the Alps

• Walk through the old town: the Thiou canals, the Palais de l’Isle, a 12th-century former prison, and the arcaded streets.
• Past the Pont des Amours and the Jardins de l’Europe; lunch at your own expense.
• Cruise on Lake Annecy, between mountains and lakeside villages.
• Supervised free time on the lakeshore, then dinner and supervised evening.

Day 3: Geneva and CERN

• Drive to Geneva (about 45 min): the Jet d’Eau, the old town, St Peter’s Cathedral and the Reformation Wall.
• Guided tour of the Palais des Nations, the UN’s European headquarters (on request).
• Lunch at your own expense, then visit to CERN Science Gateway, the exhibition centre of the European particle physics laboratory (free admission, booking required).
• Return to Annecy (about 45 min), dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: Chamonix and Mont Blanc

• Drive to Chamonix (about 1½ hrs), at the foot of Mont Blanc, the highest peak in the Alps (4,806 m).
• Cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi (3,842 m), facing Mont Blanc and its glaciers (on request).
• Lunch at your own expense, then the Montenvers cogwheel train to the Mer de Glace viewpoint, France’s largest glacier (on request).
• Supervised free time in Chamonix centre, then return to Annecy for dinner and supervised evening.

Day 5: The Fier Gorge and sport on the lake

• Drive to the Fier Gorge (about 20 min) and visit along the walkway fixed to the rock face above the torrent (on request).
• Back to the lakeshore and lunch at your own expense.
• Introduction to stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking on the lake with an instructor (on request).
• Supervised free time and swimming at the lifeguarded beach (in season), then dinner and supervised evening.

Day 6: Yvoire and Évian on Lake Geneva

• Drive to Yvoire (about 1 hr 15 min), a flower-filled medieval village on the shore of Lake Geneva.
• Visit to the Garden of Five Senses, a plant maze in the heart of the village (on request); lunch at your own expense.
• Drive to Évian-les-Bains (about 30 min) and walk along the waterfront facing the Swiss shore.
• Return to Annecy (about 1½ hrs), dinner and last supervised evening.

Day 7: Return to your school

• Rooms vacated after breakfast, luggage loaded into the coach.
• Departure early in the morning and daytime drive to Belgium (about 800 km to Brussels, 9 hours’ driving excluding stops), with two drivers taking turns.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way and regular stops.
• Arrival at your school in the evening.