Aix-les-Bains sits between Lac du Bourget and the first wall of the Savoyard Alps. It made its name as a spa town, drawing a Belle Epoque crowd for thermal cures, casino nights, lake air, and long promenades under the mountains.
The town is still a little old-fashioned in the best way. The Casino Grand Cercle and old palace hotels carry the resort past, while the lakefront pulls the day outdoors: swimming, boat trips, cycling, and wide views across France's largest natural lake. The Faure Museum adds a compact but serious art stop.
Aix is not as dramatic as Chamonix and not as polished as Annecy, but it has a strong identity: thermal town, freshwater Riviera, and mountain-edge retreat all at once. It is especially good if you want a slower Alpine base with trains to Chambery, Annecy, Lyon, and Geneva.