Annecy Travel Guide
From Wikitravel
Annecy [1] in the North of the French Alps, is the Venice of Savoie -- a well deserved title. The medieval town centre built around a 14th Century Chateau is dissected by small canals and streams running into Lac Annecy, which is clean, fresh and a wonderful azure colour. Annecy is also the prefecture of the département of Haute-Savoie.
Contents |
Get in
Annecy is a popular day trip from nearby Geneva, Switzerland (bring your passport for the border crossing).
Geneva is the nearest major international airport and is well served from across Europe and beyond. A little further away are Lyon, a full international airport, and Grenoble, which is focussed on low cost and winter flights. Both are about a one-hour drive by car or bus. The airport at Annecy only has flights to Paris.
See
Events
- June : One of the biggest animation festival is held in Annecy (6 days)
- July : Noctibules festival during the nights (4 days)
- The first week-end of August is the Lake Festival (Fête du Lac) with attractions around the lake and a great fireworks. This event brings more than 100'000 spectators.
- October : "Descente des Alpages" old tradition show in streets
Do
- Swim, raw or sail on the lake
- Hike on the mountains around the city
- Bike around the lake, or up in the mountains if you are in good condition.
- Hangliding above the lake from the Col de la Forclaz (~20km)
Eat
Eating- lots of tourist trap restaurants but look at the menus, be prepared to wander down alleyways to find the best small restaurants and always try to speak French.
Sleep
A subtential number of hotels, bed & Breakfast, youth hostel exist. Surounding mountains and lake activities are draining a large number of tourist during the summer and more and more during the winter season. Several winter sport resorts being in 30' drive.
Buy
Annecy has a number of local artisan shops as well as many European chain boutiques.
There is a market (marché) each Sunday morning in the pedestrian streets of the medival city
Cope
The town itself gets ridiculously busy in July but September brings less folk- visit then when the air is clearer and the views to the mountains are better.
Get out
- Discover small towns nearby in the Alps such as Thônes, La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand, Menthon St. Bernard, Duingt, Faverges
- Use the place as a base to visit other places of the Alps such as Chamonix (~80k), Geneva (45 km), Chambery (40km), Yvoire (60km), Thonon, Evian, Val d'Isère, Aosta (IT, 100 km)...
