
How to Join us in France
Pictured: The route from Annecy to Château de Saint-Sixt
Location
Stay: Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France
Ceremony: 167 Route du Château, 74800 Saint-Sixt, France
Annecy is a sweet, mid sized historic French town located on the edge of the Rhône-Alps. There are many Hotels, cafés, and eateries located on Lake Annecy. The Bride, Groom, and immediate family will be staying in this town for the extent of their visit in France. We recommend staying here as well.
Annecy is 30 minutes south of Geneva and 2 hours east of Lyon.
On the day of the ceremony and reception, guests and wedding party will convene at the Château de Saint-Sixt, 28 minutes North East of Annecy in the quaint town of Saint-Sixt at 3:00pm.
Transport to Venue
We hope to provide a shuttle from Annecy to the Venue. Please add your email in rsvp so we may provide further updates for pickup location and time.
Common Questions
Can I stay elsewhere? Yes! However you will need to find your own transport the the Château, located just outside small town of La Roche-Sur-Foron.
Can we stay at the Château itself? No, unfortunately the Château is unavailable. If you would like to stay closer, you can book accommodation in the town of La-Roche-Sur-Foron or Saint-Sixt.
Proposed Itinerary
Friday, 1st August - Sunday, 3rd August, 2024
Guests travel during the weekend to Annecy, France.
Monday, 4th August, 2024
6:00pm - Wedding party gathers for a brief wedding rehearsal.
7:00pm - Family and friends meet in Annecy for a rehearsal dinner.
Tuesday, 5th August, 2024
3:30pm - Guests gather at Château-Saint-Sixt
4:00pm - Ceremony begins
5:00pm - Ceremony ends, and guests gather for the Vin d`Honneur (cocktail hour) on the terrace
7pm - Reception dinner commences
8:30pm to 11:00pm - Celebration
Traveling to France
For those looking for travel guidance, we have provided two options for your consideration to arrive in Annecy, France by Monday, August 4th 2024
What You’ll Need
A valid passport which will have more than 6 months until expiry after your planned departure (France only requires 3 months, however we recommend 6 as other countries in the Shengen region are more stringent). You can renew/apply for a passport at the local post office or online.
A plane ticket to one of the two airports listed below.
An international phone plan. For short term travel, many US providers offer short term international deals for European travel. Such as ‘by the day’ plans.
Notify your bank of international travel. You will be able to use your Visa/Mastercard credit and debit card’s all over Europe, however it is imperative that you notify your bank of international travel so they don’t freeze your accounts. American Express cards are usable abroad as well, however much less available than here. We recommend having a bit of cash on hand while traveling.
EU outlet converts. Amazon offers inexpensive options. We recommend against the “Universal Many Country” converters as they are more expensive and typically low build quality. Simple US to EU converters will work just fine and are inexpensive.
Physical copy of tickets and itinerary in case wifi and cellular are inaccessible .
An ETIAS visa - A quick and easy visa you apply for online for $8 starting May 2025.
Option 1: Geneva International Airport
Airports
Geneva is a mid-sized city on the Western point of Switzerland and is the closer of the two airports we are recommending. While Geneva is a large city, the airport is quite small.
Geneva is 50 minutes by bus, 1.5 hours by train, and 30 minutes by car to Annecy, France.
English is one of the national languages of Switzerland, thus you will be able to communicate in English with nearly everyone you encounter.
By train: Geneva Airport -> Geneva Cornavin Train Station -> Annecy
By bus: Gare routière de Genève (5 min walk from airport) -> Gare routière de Annecy
This routes are subject to change, so we recommend you do some research and not purchase domestic travel too far in advance.
Option 2: Lyon-Saint-Exupéry (LYS)
Lyon is a large city in the South Eastern Auvergn-Rhône-Alps region of France. The Lyon airport will be slightly larger than Geneva’s, but still quite simple to navigate.
The journey from Lyon to Annecy is 1 hour 45 minutes by car, 2.5 hours by bus, and ~3-4 hours by train.
Lyon is a large city, so finding someone for directions who speaks English should not be a challenge.
By train: Lyon Saint-Exupéry TGV (airport station) -> Grenoble -> Chambery -> Annecy
Lyon Saint-Exupéry TGV -> Valence Ville -> Annecy
By bus: Lyon Saint-Exupéry TGV (airport station) -> Perrache bus station (in town) -> Annecy
This routes are subject to change, so we recommend you do some research and not purchase domestic travel too far in advance.
Common Questions
What Visa Do I Need? Starting in May 2025, US citizens will need to apply for an $8 doller ETIAS Visa. This is the only visa you will need. You can learn more here, and please include your email on your RSVP so that we can send you updates.
Where should I buy bus/train tickets? Download the SNCF Connect App. This will allow you to find, purchase, and track your train or bus tickets. Please remember to download or take a screenshot of your ticket while on airport wifi just in case you lose connection. You can also buy tickets directly at the train station or the FlixBus or BlaBlaCar apps.
Are aggregators such as Trainline or Google Maps any good? We have found that they can be helpful, however often don’t account certain stations and travel times. We recommend starting with SNCF Connect as it is the official app of the SNCF French national train system. It works just fine in Geneva as well.
Is BlaBlaCar Bus or FlixBus any good? Yes! They are typically clean, reliable, and inexpensive. They are used all over Europe.
Are ride shares available? Yes, Uber is well established in European cities.
What Apps should I use if traveling in surrounding countries? SBB for Switzerland, DB for Germany, ÖBB for Austria, and TrenItalia for Italy.
Accomodation Recommendations
We have provided hotel information below, However Airbnb is a fantastic option for Annecy, or the immediate area surrounding Saint-Sixt (namely la roche sur Faron).
All hotels can be booked through expedia, hotels.com, or directly on hotel’s website by searching their name.
Annecy
Approximately 30 minutes from the venue, and the largest close French town.
Privilodges Le Royal Annecy, ★★★, 9, rue Royale, Annecy, Haute-Savoie, 74000
Campanile Annecy Centre- Gare, ★★★, 37 Rue Vaugelas, Annecy, Haute-Savoie, 74000
Mercure Annecy Centre ★★★★, 26 Rue Vaugelas, Annecy, Haute-Savoie, 74000
Saint- Pierre-en-Faucigny
10 Minutes from the venue in Saint-Sixt.
B&B Hotel Saint-Pierre-en-Faucigny Bonneville, ★★★ 280 Rue du Rhône, Saint-Pierre-en-Faucigny, Haute-savoie, 74800