13 Amazing Things to Do in Annecy, France’s Lakeside Gem

As soon as we took our first stroll through the colorful center of Annecy, we knew that we’d be smitten for life.

Tucked away in a small corner of France, just south of Geneva, you’ll find the walkable, canal-covered, lakeside-located and mountain-surrounded Venice of the Alps–and what a stunning place it is.

Bordered by the cleanest lake in Europe and boasting a city center worthy of a painting, discovering all the fun things to do in Annecy is, without a doubt, an excellent use of a few days.

It’s also quite a bargain compared to its neighbors, though admittedly, the bar couldn’t be much higher when its neighbor in question is Switzerland!

Looking for your next getaway in the Alps?

Here are all the best things to do in Annecy!

The Best Things to Do in Annecy, France

Stroll around Lake Annecy (Lac d’Annecy).

Just steps away from Annecy’s storybook-worthy Vieille Ville (Old Town) sits the absolutely stunning Lake Annecy, which is easily one of the top places to visit in Annecy!

Crystal-clear and known as Europe’s cleanest lake, no trip to Annecy is complete without strolling along these shores.

When you’re deciding what to do in Annecy, be sure to put a visit to Lake Annecy at the top of the list!

Hit the water and enjoy views of Lake Annecy from a boat!

Not content to simply look at Lake Annecy?

From renting a paddleboat to enjoying a dinner cruise and everything in between, there is no shortage of ways to enjoy a boat ride in Annecy!

… Or go swimming, or biking, or paragliding…

Looking to get your heart pumping on and around Lake Annecy?

If you’re visiting during the summer, swimming in the lake and biking along the trails that border it are deservedly popular, along with adventurous day trips like canyoning in nearby Angon Canyon.

If you’re looking for a way to really get your adrenaline pumping when visiting Annecy, paragliding is also very popular here!

Feel like royalty at the Château d’Annecy.

What would a fairytale town be without a castle?

The lovely Château d’Annecy dates back to the 12th century and once served as the home to the Counts of Geneva.

Today, it’s an art and history museum with a regional focus. It’s also, importantly, home to a beautiful view over Annecy!

Hours and ticket prices vary seasonally, and you can check updated information on the castle’s website.

Indulge in the delectable local cuisine of the Haute-Savoie region.

With its Alpine culture and location that brushes right up against Switzerland, it should come as no surprise that the food in Annecy tends to be 3 things: heavy, scrumptious, and full of cheese.

This, of course, is an absolute delight to experience (though you may want to consider eating lightly most of the day and splurging on one meal in the afternoon or evening–this food fills you up!).

Be sure to try fondue, tartiflette (potatoes, cheese, onions, bacon), baked reblochon, and raclette (a fantastic cheese that is often served by scraping it out of the wheel at your table).

If you’re looking for restaurant recommendations in Annecy, we had a delicious tartiflette lunch at Le Freti, and though we didn’t order the raclette, the one that was delivered to the table next to us looked phenomenal.

Want to make sure you sample the best dishes of the Haute-Savoie region without having to order large portions of this all?

If so, this popular food tour will leave you both full and with new knowledge about Annecy’s local cuisine!

Book your Annecy food tour today!

Taste all the regional cheeses.

Annecy is home to some absolutely delectable French cheeses, and an Alpine cuisine that shows them off at their best.

In between stuffing your face with all the specialties in town, be sure to stop by a fromagerie or two to stock up on souvenirs!

Award-winning Pierre Gay is one of the best-known fromageries in town, and we highly recommend that all cheese lovers add a stop here to their list of fun things to do in Annecy.

The smell of the shop alone would make it worth a visit!

Be sure to wander past the busy front room into the back room of the shop, where you can look down and see wheels upon wheels of cheese aging underneath your feet.

Wander through Vieille Ville.

Annecy’s Old Town is ridiculously beautiful.

Canals, small bridges lined with blooming flowers, and tiny shops with wares spilling out into the picture-perfect streets are all common sights as you make your way from cobblestone lane to cobblestone lane.

Add in the smell of fresh-baked breads and croissants that wafts down the street each morning, and you have a combination that makes a walk through Vieille Ville, even without a particular destination in mind, one of the best things to do in Annecy.

We loved sipping our (expensive for what it was, but still) coffee in one of the cafes lining the canal each morning in Annecy, and considered the slight upcharge to be well worth the chance to savor such a magnificent location.

Want to make sure you find all the prettiest corners in Annecy fast? If so, walking tours like this are a great option!

Steal a smooch on Lover’s Bridge (Pont des Amours).

Visiting Annecy with your beloved?

Add a trip to Lover’s Bridge to your list of things to do in Annecy!

Legend says that couples who kiss in the middle of the bridge will experience eternal love.

Romance aside (and the romance is lovely), the views of Lake Annecy, the Jardins de l’Europe, and Vieille Ville from the bridge are worth seeing as well!

Stock up on fresh food (and other goodies) at the market.

Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday mornings are market mornings in Annecy, and if you can, definitely plan your trip to Annecy to coincide with at least one of the market days!

On these days, the streets and even the bridges throughout Old Town swell with stalls hawking their wares, and if you hope to add a little shopping to your list of what to do in Annecy, this is the best time to do it!

Tuesday is the smallest market of the week, with just food up for grabs, while on Fridays and Sundays, hard goods like clothes and other textiles are also available.

Unlike in some smaller towns and villages, Annecy’s market is year-round. You can confirm the schedule here.

Picnic in the Jardins de l’Europe.

Designed in the 19th century, this beautiful, English-style garden borders Lake Annecy, and is the perfect place to stop and relax while exploring.

… Or even to have a picnic made up of all the treats you bought at the market!

Step inside Annecy’s gorgeous cathedral.

Dating to the 16th century, the Annecy Cathedral (officially the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d’Annecy) is a gorgeous stop when exploring the best places to visit in Annecy.

Blending Gothic and Renaissance architectural styles, it features the soaring stone ceilings and stunning stained glass that you might expect from a 500-year-old church… plus a unique twist!

The Thiou Canal runs directly underneath the Annecy Cathedral, which is quite remarkable!

Head to Rue Royale (outside the cathedral), and you’ll be able to spot where the water disappears under the building.

Admire the most famous view in Annecy at the Palais de l’Isle.

If you’ve seen one photo of Annecy, it’s probably of Palais de l’Isle.

This tiny, castle-like structure is located on a tiny island in the middle of the Thiou River is Annecy’s best-known building.

While the structure has served many purposes since it was built in the 12th century, it is perhaps most notorious for being a prison.

The Palais de l’Isle acted as a prison during times as far apart as the 13th century and World War II, and at many points in between!

Today, there’s a small museum inside (most people spend under an hour). You can check hours (they change seasonally) and updated ticket prices here.

Get out of town and explore the French Alps–and beyond.

While Annecy is arguably a more common place to day trip to than from (day tours of Annecy from Geneva are particularly popular), for those lucky enough to base themselves in Annecy like we did, there are lots of places to explore outside the city’s boundaries!

If you’re looking for other towns and cities, some of the best day trips from Annecy include Chamonix, Chambéry, Lyon, and Grenoble, along with Geneva (though I have to admit Geneva isn’t my favorite city, as much as I adore Switzerland).

Prefer to take to the mountains?

Consider renting a car and heading out to stunning places like Le Semnoz, Col de la Forclaz, Menthon-Saint-Bernard (and its château), Le Grand Bornand, and so many more.

If you do plan to rent a car (we kicked off a France road trip from Annecy and highly recommend it), we recommend searching for your rental car through Discover Cars, which will allow you to sift through all your options and choose the right car for you based on price, the reputation of the company that is renting it, and the terms of the rental contract.

Shop rental cars for your trip to Annecy today!

Where to Stay When Visiting Annecy

When deciding where to stay in Annecy, the biggest thing to consider is location the location… which is worth paying for!

While prices might push you into staying outside of Vieille Ville, the closer you can get, the better.

If you’re not staying within walking distance of Vieille Ville, make sure to choose a property with excellent links to the city’s bus system.

Here are a few great options for places to stay in Annecy:

Budget

Ace Hotel — Crisp, clean, modern, and comfortable: Ace Hotel makes the perfect base for budget travelers in Annecy.

Though the 3-kilometer walk to Vieille Ville is less than ideal, consistent bus service to the area makes Annecy’s top attractions easy to access from the Ace Hotel.

Check rates & book your stay at Ace Hotel!

Mid-range

Hotel du Palais de l’Isle — The hotel with the absolute best view in Annecy… is also affordable on a midrange budget!

This gorgeous hotel overlooks Annecy’s famous Palais de l’Isle and is literally in the perfect location for exploring the city.

Pair that with comfortable rooms and solid reviews, and it’s hard to imagine a better place to stay in Annecy!

Check rates & book your stay at Hotel du Palais de l’Isle!

Luxury

Les Loges Annecy — Located in the heart of Vieille Ville, these beautiful, self-catering apartments will allow you to truly live in the lap of luxury.

You’ll spend your stay just steps away from the best things to do in Annecy, while also having a beautiful retreat to rest in during your getaway.

Check rates & book your stay at Les Loges Annecy!

How to Get to + Around Annecy

Annecy is small enough that it doesn’t have its own airport, but it’s not terribly complicated to reach.

The closest airport to Annecy is in Geneva (yes, you can visit two different countries when heading to Annecy!), and another solid option is to fly into Lyon.

From there, you can take a bus, train, or rental car to Annecy itself.

We personally took a Flixbus from Geneva to Annecy and found it a simple and affordable process.

The bus took about an hour and dropped us off at the Annecy train station.

The train station is located at the edge of Vieille Ville, just a 10-minute walk through the historic center to the Palais de l’Isle.

Once you’re settled in Annecy, you’ll find that Vielle Ville and the immediate surrounding neighborhoods are entirely walkable.

If you’re staying further from the center, the SIBRA bus system is very useful (Annecy doesn’t have trams or a metro).

If you’d like to get outside to enjoy some of the area’s smaller villages, adventure sports, or hiking trails, you may want to consider renting a car!

Read More About Visiting France (and Switzerland)

If you found this Annecy travel guide helpful, we’d love to continue to be part of your trip planning process here on Our Escape Clause!

You can browse all of our France articles here (we have dozens!), our Switzerland articles here, or check out these guides:

• 21 Epic Places to Visit in the South of France
• 17 Spectacular Places to Visit in Switzerland (+ Map!)
• Secret Paris: 31 Off the Beaten Path Spots + Exciting Hidden Gems
• 17 Best Things to Do in Colmar, France
• The Many Charms of Cassis, France: Things to Do + Guide