See my posts on the Guardian travel web site on Annecy and La Roche sur Foron in France and Maurach in Austria.

Also recommend Wengen in Switzerland as it's car free.

As for Flying to Paris and then the train. You will spend so much time getting to/from airports, anywhere Birmingham and south you are better off on Eurostar.

See The Man in Seat Sixty-One... for how to get there.

Yes, do travel light. We have no car and manage fine!

Adam