Mont Veyrier rises directly above Annecy-le-Vieux on the east side of the lake, a long limestone ridge with a 1,291-metre summit (the Mont Baron) at its northern end. The standard hike climbs from Veyrier-du-Lac through beech forest to the crest, with a series of metal-ladder-and-cable sections (via ferrata style) on the steeper bits — about three hours up and down for someone in reasonable shape.
The reward is one of the best views in the French Alps: the full length of Lake Annecy below, the Tournette and the Bauges ranges across the water, and on a clear day Mont Blanc on the eastern horizon. Take water and proper shoes; the upper sections are exposed.