France · French Alps
Annecy
An alpine old town on canals, beside a lake clean enough to swim in.
Annecy is a Savoyard lake town at the foot of the Alps. Its old town of arcaded streets and pastel houses is cut by canals, and the Palais de l'Isle sits on its island in the Thiou. The lake itself is the other draw: clear, turquoise water that you can swim in, ringed by mountains and a cycle path, with paragliders dropping off the ridges above the eastern shore.
Suggested stay
2–4 days
Language
French
Currency
EUR
Timezone
UTC+2
Why you'll love Annecy
The old town Arcaded lanes, flower boxes and footbridges over the Thiou canal, with the triangular Palais de l'Isle at its heart.
The lake Famously clean alpine water, warm enough for a swim in summer, with lawns and small beaches along the shore.
Mountains at the door La Tournette, the Semnoz and the Mont Veyrier ridge rise straight from the water, with trails and paragliding launches above it.
Savoyard food Reblochon from the nearby Aravis, tartiflette, fondue and lake fish on the menus.
Best time to visit
Apr, Jun
16-24° days
45.899° N, 6.129° E
UTC+2 · Europe/Paris
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Weather & when to go to Annecy
Month by month: typical highs and lows, rainfall and rain days.
✓ Best Apr, Jun
Hiking prime Jun-Sep
Activity seasons none fair good prime
Cards tinted by calculated verdict · big number = typical daily high, small = low · hover for conditions
When to avoid Annecy
December and January are cold, grey and often damp, and many lakeside places close or slow down. July and August are the swimming months and the busiest weeks, with packed beaches and traffic crawling along the shore roads.
Top things to do in Annecy
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Palais de l'Isle - the island prison on the Thiou
history culture arts 👍 PopularA twelfth-century stone building shaped like a ship's prow, splitting the canal in the middle of the old town. It served as a residence, mint, courthouse and prison, and now holds a small museum on the town's history.
-
Lac d'Annecy - swim, boat and paddle the lake
scenic nature wildlife 👍 PopularTake a sightseeing boat from the old town quays, hire a pedalo or paddleboard, or swim from the lawns and lakeside beaches around the shore. The water is at its warmest in high summer.
-
Vieille Ville - wander the canals and markets
culture arts food ⭐ Highly recommendedWalk the arcades of Rue Sainte-Claire, cross the canal bridges and browse the street markets that fill the old town several mornings a week with cheeses, charcuterie and produce from the valleys.
-
Chateau d'Annecy - the castle above the old town
history culture artsThe former residence of the Counts of Geneva and later the Genevois-Nemours dukes, now a museum of regional art and alpine lake life. The terrace has one of the best views over the rooftops.
-
Pont des Amours and the Jardins de l'Europe
scenicThe little bridge over the Vasse canal, lined with moored boats, leads between the lawns of the Paquier and the tree-shaded Jardins de l'Europe. The classic spot for a lakeside evening stroll.
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Lake cycle path - ride the western shore
scenic adventure ⭐ Highly recommendedA flat, car-free greenway runs south from Annecy along the west shore through Sevrier and Saint-Jorioz to Doussard, and on toward Albertville. Bikes and e-bikes are easy to hire in town.
-
Col de la Forclaz - tandem paragliding over the lake
adventure scenic 👍 PopularThe launch above Montmin on the eastern shore is one of the busiest paragliding sites in Europe. Tandem flights glide down over the turquoise water to land near Doussard.
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La Tournette and Mont Veyrier - hike above the lake
hiking nature wildlifeMont Veyrier and Mont Baron make a steep half-day ridge walk straight from the town's edge. La Tournette, the highest peak on the lake, is a long, demanding day with a short scramble near the summit.
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Savoyard cooking - tartiflette, fondue and lake fish
foodReblochon baked with potatoes, lardons and onions, cheese fondue and raclette fill old town menus, alongside fera and char from the lake. Wash it down with a Savoie white.
Best areas to stay in Annecy
$ Budget $$ Mid-range $$$ Premium
Vieille Ville
First-time visitors $$Canals, arcades and pastel medieval houses
Explore hotels in Vieille Ville →
Annecy-le-Vieux
Quieter stays $$Quieter residential slopes above the shore
Explore hotels in Annecy-le-Vieux →
Talloires
Couples $$$Upscale lakeside village on the east shore
Explore hotels in Talloires →
Sevrier and the west shore
Families and campers $Campsites and villages along the cycle path
Explore hotels in Sevrier and the west shore →
Live nightly prices from Booking.com, Agoda and others, centred on Annecy
Getting to & around Annecy
Getting there
Fly into Geneva, around an hour by road to Annecy, or take the direct TGV from Paris.
Flight
Geneva Airport (GVA)
Geneva is about 45 km north; shuttle coaches and cars reach Annecy in roughly an hour, crossing into France on the way.
Train
Annecy station
Direct TGVs from Paris Gare de Lyon take around four hours; the station is a short walk from the old town.
Train
Annecy station
Regional trains link Annecy with Lyon, Chambery and Aix-les-Bains.
Getting around
Walking
The old town, lakefront, castle and station are all within an easy walk of each other.
Free
Bike
The lakeside greenway makes cycling the best way to reach the west-shore beaches and villages.
TBC
Bus
The Sibra network covers the town, and lines run round both shores of the lake.
TBC
Lake boat
In season, boats from the old town quays call at villages such as Talloires and Menthon.
TBC
Day trips from Annecy
Gorges du Fier
Half dayRiver gorge walkway
A narrow limestone gorge carved by the Fier river, walked on a walkway pinned to the cliff above the water. Pair it with the Chateau de Montrottier, a short walk away.
Getting there
car
About 20 minutes by car west of town
Chamonix and Mont Blanc
Full dayHigh alpine valley
The mountaineering capital under Mont Blanc, with the Aiguille du Midi cable car and the Montenvers train to the Mer de Glace. Go on a clear day.
Getting there
car | bus
Around 1.5 hours by car or coach
Geneva
Full dayLakeside Swiss city
The Jet d'Eau, the old town around St Pierre Cathedral and the promenades of Lake Geneva, just across the border.
Getting there
car | bus
About an hour by car or coach
The Aravis and La Clusaz
Full dayMountain villages and cheese
The Aravis range and the villages of La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand, home of Reblochon. Hike in summer, ski in winter and buy cheese straight from the farms.
Getting there
car | bus
About 45 minutes by car or bus via Thones
Chateau de Menthon
Half dayLakeside castle
A turreted castle above the east shore, birthplace of Saint Bernard of Menthon and still home to the same family. Combine it with a swim at Menthon or Talloires.
Getting there
car | ferry
About 20 minutes by car or boat to Menthon-Saint-Bernard
A little history of Annecy
Annecy grew around the outflow of its lake, where the Thiou canal leaves the water. From the thirteenth century the Counts of Geneva made its castle their residence, and in the early 1400s the county passed to the House of Savoy. When Geneva turned Protestant in the 1530s, its Catholic bishop settled here, making Annecy a stronghold of the Counter-Reformation.
Its most famous bishop, Francis de Sales, founded the Visitation order here with Jane Frances de Chantal, and both are buried in the town. Rousseau arrived as a teenager to meet Madame de Warens. Savoy became French in 1860, and from the 1960s a ring sewer around the lake turned polluted water into some of the cleanest in Europe.
The Palais de l'Isle is built on its island in the Thiou.
The Counts of Geneva make Annecy's castle their residence.
The county of Geneva, Annecy included, passes to the House of Savoy.
After Geneva embraces the Reformation, its Catholic bishop takes refuge in Annecy.
Francis de Sales and Jane Frances de Chantal found the Visitation order in Annecy.
The young Jean-Jacques Rousseau meets Madame de Warens in Annecy.
Savoy is annexed to France and Annecy becomes the seat of Haute-Savoie.
Work begins on a ring sewer around the lake, reversing decades of pollution.
Annecy merges with five neighbouring communes into one larger town.
Know before you go
Payment
Cards everywhere
English
Widely spoken
Wifi
Reliable
Power
Type C / E
230 V, 50 Hz
Dialing
+33
The months our climate read flags to avoid: the wettest, lowest-rated weather of the year.
Mobile network & SIM card
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FAQs about Annecy
▸ When is the best time to visit Annecy?
April and June are the most comfortable months, with mild days and green mountains, and June is warm enough to start swimming. July and August are the warmest swimming weeks but also the busiest. December and January are cold, grey and damp.
▸ Can you swim in Lake Annecy?
Yes. The lake is known as one of the cleanest in Europe, and there are free lawns and paying beaches around the shore, including right by the old town. The water is warmest in July and August.
▸ How many days do you need in Annecy?
One day covers the old town, the castle and a lakefront walk. Two to four days leaves time for a boat trip, the cycle path, a hike or paragliding, and a day trip to Chamonix, Geneva or the Aravis.
▸ Is Annecy expensive?
It is one of the pricier towns in the French Alps, especially lakefront hotels in summer, partly because it sits close to Geneva. Staying on the west shore or visiting outside July and August makes it easier.
▸ Do you need a car in Annecy?
Not for the town itself, which is compact and walkable, and the station has direct trains from Paris and Lyon. A bike covers the west shore. A car helps for the Aravis, the Gorges du Fier and the east-shore villages, though summer traffic around the lake is heavy.
▸ Is there skiing near Annecy?
Yes, though not in town. La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand in the Aravis are under an hour away, and the Semnoz above the lake has small slopes and cross-country trails. Most dedicated skiers stay in the resorts themselves.
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