Uncover the Best Things To Do in Annecy

Venice of the Alps. The prettiest old town in France. The crown jewel of Haute-Savoie. The accolades for Annecy come thick and fast. And they’re all completely justified, for this utterly seductive small city is rightly famous for its sublime setting, hugging the northern end of serene, sparkling Lake Annecy and surrounded by snow-dusted alpine foothills. The old-world charm of the canal-side Vieille Ville (medieval old town) and the romance of lakeside strolls combine with a lively restaurant scene to make a weekend getaway in Annecy truly unforgettable. It’s an easily walkable town too, and there are enough things to do and see in Annecy to keep you busy for at least a week – whether you’re into castle bagging, soaking up the sun on a beach or hitting the pistes in winter. Let’s discover what’s best about Annecy.

You’ll find a number of elegant, family-friendly or budget hotels close to the centre of Annecy, meaning you’re just steps away from the town’s biggest-hitting attractions as well as the train and bus stations.

First things first. Annecy’s enchanting Vieille Ville is just begging to be discovered. Perhaps the best place to start is at the hilltop Musée-Château d’Annecy. Once home to the Counts of Geneva, the castle is a blend of medieval and Renaissance architecture housing fascinating exhibitions of alpine landscape painting and period Savoyard furniture. You’ll also have divine views over red rooftops to the turquoise lake from the ramparts.
 

From there, follow steep cobbled streets lined with higgledy-piggledy peach and pink townhouses to the iconic Palais de l’Isle. Almost encircled by the canalised River Thiou, this triangular stone fortress has been prison, mint and courthouse in its time, and today it’s open for tours of its cells, courtyard and chapel. Looking for a classic Annecy selfie? Pose on the flower-swathed Pont Perrière straddling the river in front of this much-loved Annecy landmark.

• Departs Centre Culturel Bonlieu – Forum, 1 Rue Jean Jaurès, 74000 Annecy
• Mar–Aug Tue, Thur and Sat 10:30am
• 90 minutes

One of the best things to do in Annecy is eat out. You can take your pick from Michelin-starred establishments with lake and mountain views that are every bit as sublime as the gastronomy, or sample the produce of Haute-Savoie’s terroir at some of the best places to eat in Annecy – the inviting auberges and bistros lining the River Thiou. With a robust cuisine traditionally based on produce from livestock grazing alpine pastures, signature regional dishes showcase charcuterie, cheeses and seasonal vegetables. Raclette (the Savoyard take on cheese fondue served with potatoes) or tartiflette (creamy Reblochon cow’s cheese, potatoes and pork lardons) both make hearty, comforting meals. Freshwater fish straight from Lake Annecy is another popular choice, with féra (similar to trout) and omble chevalier (char) – both of which thrive in deep, cold waters – simply served poached, grilled or tartare.
 

Accompany your sumptuous feast with a sparkling Crémant de Savoie wine produced in the vertiginous vineyards of the Haute-Savoie, and be sure to sample the local génépi, a strong digestive made from herbs that thrive in the southern Alps.

If the dates of your stay coincide, another of the most enjoyable things to do in Annecy is have a good rummage around the monthly brocante (flea market). Taking up every nook and cranny along charming Rue Sainte-Claire in the Vieille Ville – which has been a trading and bartering hub since the Middle Ages – the market is manna to vintage enthusiasts hoping to find the occasional hidden treasure among the bric-a-brac stalls.
 

In addition to the patterned crockery sets, gilded antique clocks and carved wooden armoires, many of the items on sale reflect Annecy’s unique relationship with the mountains. Hopefully, you’ll come across pre-loved skis or snow shoes, vintage cowbells, wooden moulds used for shaping cheese and watercolours featuring Haute-Savoie’s alpine scenery. And if you do uncover something that appeals, try a little courteous haggling with the stallholder; you may walk away with the bargain of the century!

• Rue Sainte-Claire, 74000 Annecy
• Last Sat of the month 8am–6pm

It’s a cliché but there really is something for everyone to enjoy activity-wise around Lake Annecy. Summer sees families with young kids biking along the waterfront cycle path or swimming off the grassy urban beaches at Albigny and Impérial – the latter has water slides and paddle-boat hire – while teens paddle boards and kayaks along the shoreline. There are several waterside hubs where you can take water-skiing, jet-skiing and windsurfing lessons as well as rent all the gear, or you can try your hand at the hottest craze of the moment, wing foiling – a sort of high-octane windsurfing with the board attached to a blade that cuts through the water.
 

If adrenaline-inducing sports are not for you, you can still discover the lake on a cruise. Boat excursions depart regularly from Quai de la Tournette or Quai Napoleon III, and you have a choice of vessel from open-top steamers to sustainable electric craft. For something a bit different, hop aboard the vintage wooden yacht Espérance III and set sail over the calm waters backed by spectacular mountains.

In summer, the city and its environs becomes a natural playground for extreme sports. Parasailing over the lake behind a speedboat is one of the most popular things to do in Annecy, and you can also join organised white-water rafting or hydrospeed expeditions through the dramatic steep-sided Montmin Gorge, with descents for all skill levels amid superb mountain scenery.
 

If that’s not got your heart rate dancing, how about seeing the stunning alpine scenery from above? Thanks to its microclimate with consistently rising thermals, Lake Annecy is a paradise for paragliding. There are several high-altitude take-off points around the lake that operate tandem flights for novices, including Semnoz – at its 1,700-metre/5,577-feet peak you can spot Mont Blanc in the distance – and Mont Veyrier, from where you can soar over the jagged limestone Dents de Lanfon to glimpse the lake far below.
 

And of course, you can base yourself in Annecy hotels for skiing and boarding breaks, with winter resorts like Montmin-Col de la Forclaz, La Clusaz or Le Grand-Bornand around 45 minutes’ drive away. Several swanky ski towns including Chamonix and Megève are also accessible in under 90 minutes.

Whether you’re visiting for the cultural heritage of the Vieille Ville, dining on local delicacies or having sporting fun with the family, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to unforgettable things to do in Annecy; the city’s beauty is sure to earn a special place in your heart. If you’d like to know about another enchanting and unusual French city, have a look at what you can do in Dijon.