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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Travel
Joanne O'Connor, Colin O'Brien, Paul Sullivan

Skip the coast: three of Europe’s loveliest lakes to visit – by travel experts

Children jump off the pontoon into the lake.
Jumping into the pristine waters of Lake Annecy at Saint Jorioz beach. Photograph: Hemis/Alamy

Lake Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France

A light breeze ruffles the palm fronds of our parasol as we sip Orangina and gaze at the windsurfers skimming across the water. The beach cafe is playing gentle Balearic beats. But this isn’t the Balearics and that shimmering expanse of blue is not the Med. We’re in the foothills of the French Alps and the nearest coastline is over 250 miles away.

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