Apnea Diver Stephane Tourreau Reveals the Best Spots for Outdoor and Diving in Annecy

Stephane Tourreau is a professional Freediver and Vice World Champion in Apnea Diving. With the monofin, his personal depth record is an incredible 113 metres.

The Frenchman was born in the border region with Switzerland, not far from the Alpine town of Annecy. No wonder that he is always drawn to diving there, but of course also for outdoor adventures. In this interview Tourreau talks about the best dive spots and his perfect outdoor day in and around Annecy.

OutDoor Society: What would you do as a visitor if you only spent one day inAnnecy?
Stephane Tourreau: If I had just one day to visite Annecy I would visit the mythic wreck of Le France in the lake in the morning - on freedive of course! After that I‘d enjoy the spa of Hotel Les Tresoms and eat in its restaurant with the lake and city views!
In the afternoon I would go tot he old town to get a juice on the old street and walk around Les Jardins de l’Europe. Later on I‘d climb the Mont Veyrier to enjoy the beautiful views and to connect to the nature. On the way back I’d stay in Albigny Place to eat a pizza on the shore of the lake with the sunset. That is the perfect day in Annecy for me!

Is it true that you can also learn free diving in Annecy?
Yes! At the Profil Plongée freediving school in Veyrier du Lac, anyone can take a freediving course! There you also learn the breathing technique, and there is a super fun freediving introduction!

Finally: Where is the most beautiful vantage point for an unforgettable sunset in the Annecy region?
For me, the best place for a sunset is the summit of Col de la Forclaz.