Canyoning near Annecy: the Angon canyon above Talloires
What canyoning at Angon actually is
A canyon descent is a walk down a stream where the stream has cut a slot in the rock, and where getting past each drop means doing something more interesting than walking. Some drops you slide down on a natural water chute. Some you jump. Some are too high for either and you abseil on a rope the guide has rigged. In between you swim across pools that are colder than the lake and much more fun.
Angon is the canyon directly behind Talloires, fed by the same water that makes the Cascade d’Angon. It is popular because it is close to town, because the drops come in a range that suits first-timers, and because most of the jumps are optional — there is a walk-around for almost everything, so a group of mixed nerve can do the same trip.
Best sellerTalloires: Guided Canyoning Experience in Angon Canyon
Small groupAnnecy: Angon Canyoning by the Lake
What you need to bring, and what you do not
Usually included
- A full wetsuit, and usually a jacket over it
- Helmet, harness and buoyancy
- All the ropes, and the guide who rigs them
- Usually the transfer from central Annecy
Not included
- A swimming costume to wear under the wetsuit — bring one
- Trainers you do not mind soaking — not sandals, not flip-flops
- A towel and a full change of clothes
- Any technical experience whatsoever
Wear old trainers with a proper sole. Operators supply everything else, but footwear is almost always yours, and the single most common mistake is turning up in sandals and spending the descent worrying about your feet.
Who it suits, honestly
It suits people who can swim, are up for being cold for a couple of hours, and quite like the idea of jumping into water from a height. That last part is genuinely optional — every reputable operator offers a bypass on the jumps — but if the whole idea makes you miserable rather than nervous, this is not the day out for you.
It is an unusually good activity for teenagers and for groups where the alternative is another walk round the Old Town. Minimum ages vary by operator and by canyon, so check the listing rather than assuming.
What works
- The highest-rated genuine Annecy activity, by review count
- Cheaper than most things here, from around EUR 55
- Runs in rain — you are wearing a wetsuit anyway
- Jumps are optional, so mixed groups work
- Close enough to town for a half day
Worth knowing
- Cold. Alpine streams do not warm up the way the lake does
- You must be able to swim, and be told so before you book
- Season is roughly late spring to early autumn only
- High water after heavy rain can close a canyon entirely
- Bring your own footwear and a towel — not included
Canyoning or paragliding?
If you can only do one adventure day and the budget is the deciding factor, canyoning is roughly half the price and is not weather-cancelled in the same way. If the budget is not the deciding factor, fly — it is the thing people remember. If you have two days, do both, and put the flight first so a wind day can be rescheduled.
Getting there
Talloires is on the east shore, about 9.4 km from Annecy in a straight line, and the canyon is in the hills behind it. Most canyoning bookings include a transfer from central Annecy; the ones that do not expect you at a meeting point near Talloires, which needs a car or the lake bus. The map page shows where it sits relative to everything else, and getting around Annecy covers the shore transport.
Can’t make these dates?
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Frequently asked questions
Do you need to be able to swim to go canyoning near Annecy?
Yes. You wear a wetsuit and a buoyancy aid, so you float easily, but you cross deep pools under your own power and there is no way round that. Every reputable operator asks. If you cannot swim, this is the one activity on this site to skip.
Is canyoning at Angon suitable for children?
Often, but minimum ages differ by operator and by which section of the canyon they run, so check the specific listing. It tends to work well for confident swimmers from around secondary-school age upwards, and it is a notably good use of a teenager who has run out of enthusiasm for old buildings.
What should I bring canyoning?
A swimming costume to wear under the wetsuit, old trainers with a real sole, a towel, and a full change of clothes. The wetsuit, helmet, harness and all the rope work are supplied. Leave your phone in the car unless the operator provides a dry bag — and assume it will get wet if you do not.
Does canyoning run if it rains?
Usually, yes — you are already wet and already in a wetsuit, so ordinary rain changes nothing. What does stop it is high water. After sustained heavy rain the flow through a canyon can rise to the point where the descent is closed, and that decision is made by the operator on the day.
How cold is the water?
Cold, and colder than the lake. These are alpine streams running off the mountains rather than a 27-square-kilometre body of water that has had all summer to warm up, and no amount of July sunshine changes that much. The wetsuit handles it — the first thirty seconds are the worst part of the day.