Annecy

From Wikitravel

Annecy, in the North of the French Alps, is the Venice of Savoie --and 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.

Table of contents

1 Get in

2 See

3 Do

4 Eat

5 Sleep

6 Buy

7 Cope

8 Links

Get in

Annecy is a popular day trip from nearby Geneva, Switzerland (bring your passport for the border crossing).

You can get there also from Lyon St Exupery International Airport, one-hour drive by car or bus.

See

Spring : Venician Carnival

In July : Noctibules festival during the nights ( 4 days )

The first week-end of August is the Lake Festival (Fête du Lac) with decorated boats on the lake and a great fireworks.

In October : "Descente des Alpages" old tradition show in streets

Market "marché" each Sunday morning in the pedestrian streets of the medival city

Do

Swim in the lake

Bike around the lake, or up in the mountains if you are in good condition.

Discover small towns nearby in the Alps such as Thônes, La Clusaz, Menthon St Bernard, Duingt, Faverges

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

Most visitors only come for the day, but accommodations are available in Annecy.

Buy

Annecy has a number of local artisan shops as well as many European chain boutiques.

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.