A medieval old town on a river that leaves the cleanest big lake in the Alps. Three days, planned around the buses and the season.
Photo: Tournasol7, CC BY-SA 4.0
Annecy is a town built on a river that is only 3.5 kilometers long. The Thiou drains the lake straight through the old town, which is why the canals are so clear and why Annecy gets called the Venice of the Alps. The counts of Geneva made the castle here their main residence in 1219. After the Reformation closed Geneva to its Catholic bishop, Annecy became his seat, and Francis de Sales ran the diocese from here in the early 1600s. The town joined France only in 1860, with the annexation of Savoy.
Three days is the right length because Annecy has two halves that need separate days. The old town is tiny and takes one day, with time left for the castle and a long dinner. The lake needs two: one for the west shore by bike and boat, one for the east-shore villages. The gorges and mountains are fourth-day extras.
Day one is the old town, from the Palais de l'Isle to the castle and the Pâquier at dusk. Day two is the west shore of the lake by bike and boat, as far as Duingt. Day three is the east shore: Talloires, Menthon-Saint-Bernard and its castle, and the basilica above town for sunset. Start on a Friday: the old-town market runs Tuesday, Friday and Sunday mornings, the Menthon castle opens only Friday to Sunday outside summer and school holidays, and the Sunday buses to the east shore are the thin ones, so day three works best as the last day. Our France page has the wider picture. Most visitors fly into Geneva, which we cover in 5 days in Geneva, and the high Alps sit behind Annecy in 5 days in Chamonix and 5 days in Megève.
Every stop from the plan below, colored by day. Pick a day to see its route.
The Friday market, the Palais de l'Isle, the canals, the cathedral and the castle, then dusk on the Pâquier and a proper cheese dinner.
A ride on the old railway path to Sevrier and Duingt, a lake-fish lunch, a boat cruise and a swim or a sunset at the city beaches.
The bus along the east shore to Talloires and Menthon-Saint-Bernard, a lunch by the lake, the castle, then the basilica above town at sunset.
The old town is small enough to cross in ten minutes, so the day is about slowing down. Start at the market while it is busy. The museums close on Tuesdays and, from October to May, from 12:30 to 14:00, so plan around that.
The market fills the pedestrian streets of the old town, around the rue Sainte-Claire, every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday from 7:00 to 13:00, all year. It is the quickest introduction to the Savoie larder: cheese, dry sausages, honey, bread and the fruit of the season.
Buy cheese, a sausage and a loaf for a picnic by the lake, or just have a pastry and a coffee under the arcades. Go early, because it winds down by noon.
The Palais de l'Isle is the most photographed building in Annecy, a stone ship moored in the Thiou. It started in the 12th century as a fortified house on a rocky island that controlled the one crossing of the river, and the toll that went with it. Later it became a court and the town prison, and it kept that role until the French Revolution and again in the Second World War. It was nearly demolished before being listed as a monument in 1900.
Today it holds a small exhibition on the architecture and heritage of Annecy, and you walk through the old courtroom, cells and chapel. The building matters more than the display, so look at it from the bridges first, then go in if it rains.
Walk the Thiou from the Palais de l'Isle to the quays. The river's almost constant flow is what made the old town: craftsmen set up on its banks from the Middle Ages, and the canals later powered textile and paper mills. Look along the water from the Pont Morens, then follow the arcaded rue Perrière under the castle rock.
One old shop is worth a stop: Glacier des Alpes, at number 16, has made ice cream since 1966 and lists more than 50 flavors, from lavender honey to candied chestnut.
A few minutes' walk from the canals, the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre began as a convent church built before 1526. When Geneva turned Protestant, the chapter of Saint-Pierre in Geneva took refuge here, and Francis de Sales served as bishop in the 17th century. In the Revolution it became a temple of the Goddess of Reason, and the bell tower was partly knocked down in 1794 and rebuilt in 1828. It became a cathedral in 1822.
Step in for the calm and the baroque art. It doesn't need an hour, but it explains why Annecy was a Catholic bastion next door to Calvin's Geneva.
The castle sits on the rock above the old town, and you reach it by the pedestrian ramp that climbs from near the Palais de l'Isle, about three minutes away. The counts of Geneva made it their main residence in 1219, and later dukes reworked it into the mix of medieval fortress and Renaissance mansion you see in the courtyard. It served as a barracks, burned in 1952, and the city bought it in 1953.
Inside is a regional museum with lake archaeology, medieval sculpture and landscape painting. The museum of animated film, for which Annecy is famous, now sits in the new Cité internationale du cinéma d'animation at the Haras, near the lake (Tuesday to Sunday 10:00-18:00, 9 EUR). The better reason to come is the view from the terraces over the roofs to the lake.
Finish on the lake edge. The Pâquier is the big lawn beside the water, and the Pont des Amours, officially the Passerelle du Jardin public, links it to the Jardins de l'Europe. Locals renamed it long ago; the legend says a couple who kiss in the middle stay together for life. The cycle path to the south begins here.
At dusk the whole town seems to walk past, and it costs nothing.
Le Fréti, at 12 rue Sainte-Claire, has served cheese since 1974 and is open every day. It is big and touristy, but it does the dishes you came for: fondue in many variants, raclette from the wheel, and hot cheese in a loaf of bread.
Share a fondue or raclette with a carafe of Savoie white. If cheese is too much, ask for the dish of the day.
The lake is long and thin, 14 kilometers by about 3, and the west shore has the flat cycle path. Rent a bike in town by nine and return it by evening. In autumn 2026 the boats board at Sevrier, right on the path, so the plan fits together.
The Voie Verte starts at the Pont des Amours and follows the west shore on the bed of the old Annecy-Albertville railway. In all it is 33 kilometers, closed to cars. You will not need more than the first 12 kilometers.
Sevrier is about 5.5 kilometers out, a flat 20 minutes or so, and the path then runs beside the reedbeds with the mountains ahead. A normal bike is enough because the path is flat; an e-bike only matters if you push on past Duingt toward Doussard.
Duingt is where the lake narrows to a strait between the large and small lake. It is a village with a beach, a church and the ruins of a castle on a rock that once guarded the route from Annecy toward the Tarentaise valley. Below it, the Châteauvieux estate sits on a peninsula that was an island in the Middle Ages. It is much quieter than Annecy.
Have a coffee on the beach. Line 15 runs from here back to the station if your legs say no (about 30 minutes).
The fish of the lake are the point of a lakeside lunch: omble chevalier (Arctic char), féra (a lake whitefish) and perch. Look for a place in Duingt or Saint-Jorioz that names the fish on the menu.
For a dedicated fish restaurant, La Cuillère à Omble in Doussard is listed with char, féra, crayfish, perch and pike, open 9:00 to 22:00 in the tourist office's 2026 listing. It is a few kilometers beyond Duingt, so it suits a longer ride or a car.
The Compagnie des Bateaux runs commentary cruises: the one-hour Discovery tour of the big lake (19 EUR) and the 1h30 Evasion that covers the whole lake (22 EUR), from 1 March to 30 November. From 1 December to 28 February there is a 1h15 Heart of the Lake cruise (20.50 EUR). Boarding closes 15 minutes before departure, and an English commentary is available by QR code.
With the lake unusually low, the company has boarded at the Sevrier pier instead of the town quays since 23 September 2026. That is a this-season change, so check which pier is in use. The reason to go is the shoreline and the mountains seen from the water.
Ride or walk back to the beaches on the east side of town. Marquisats and Albigny are free; the Impérial charged 4 EUR in summer 2026. That year lifeguards were on duty from 4 July to 31 August (11:00-19:00, Impérial from 10:00); outside those dates you swim at your own risk. In July and August they are packed by noon.
Out of season they become a promenade: sit on the stones, return the bike and watch the light go.
The east shore is the one with the villages, the castle and the road along the water. Line 20 runs from Annecy to Menthon (about 21 minutes) and Talloires (about 35 to 40), but on Sundays it runs roughly every 90 minutes, so check the return times in the Sibra app before you settle down for lunch.
Talloires sits under the cliffs on the east shore. A Benedictine priory was founded here in the early 11th century and became a royal abbey in 1674; today it is a hotel. Paul Cézanne stayed six weeks at the abbey in the summer of 1896, and Mark Twain stayed there too.
Walk down to the little port, around the point and back through the lanes. The beauty is the setting: a small harbor with the lake in front.
Eat near the port. Look for lake fish, or a Savoie classic such as diots (local sausages) with crozets (small squares of pasta). Prices at the water's edge run high, so the plat du jour (dish of the day) is the sensible order.
The Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard stands on a rock above the lake and looks like something from a children's book, which may be why people say it inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. The same family has lived in it for nearly 1,000 years. Tradition places the birth of Saint Bernard of Menthon here, the founder of the Great St Bernard hospice, though the dates are disputed. The present building is a medieval fortress remodeled in the 19th century in Gothic revival style.
The visit is a guided tour of about 45 minutes through the chapel, kitchen, library and the countess's room, and then the terraces, which are the best part. Tickets are sold only on site.
Walk down to the lakefront after the castle. Menthon has a small port and a lakeside promenade, gentler than Talloires. Line 20 takes you back to the station in about 21 minutes.
Back in town, climb to the Basilique de la Visitation on the Crêt du Maure, a spur of the Semnoz that overlooks the old town. The Order of the Visitation was founded in 1610 by Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal, and the basilica holds their bodies in two gilded bronze sarcophagi. It was built from 1922 to 1930 and consecrated in 1949.
Come for the terrace at sunset, with the town, the castle and the lake below.
Finish with the dish every mountain restaurant sells: tartiflette, potatoes, onions, lardons and Reblochon melted on top. It looks medieval, but in its modern form it comes from the ski resorts of the 1980s, helped by a cheese-promotion campaign. That doesn't spoil it after a day outdoors. Have it with a green salad and a glass of Roussette de Savoie.
Three days cover the town and the lake. With a fourth, these are the best additions, nearest first, from a gorge to the high Alps.
A narrow canyon cut by the Fier torrent, with a walkway fixed to the rock about 25 meters above the water, built in 1869. Open daily 15 March to 15 October (6 EUR, 3 EUR for ages 7-15) and closed the rest of the year, so it is a spring-to-autumn plan. No dogs or strollers.
Getting there: About 12 km west of Annecy by road (around 18 minutes); a Sibra line 22 bus reaches Lovagny a few times a day, then you walk to the entrance
Official website
The ridge behind the town, with a viewpoint and viewing table at the Crêt de Châtillon (1,702 meters). A walking and cycling spot in summer, a small ski and snowshoe area in winter, when the road may need snow tires or chains.
Getting there: About 20 km south of the center, around 30 minutes by car; no regular bus in autumn (the summer line S4 ran 1 July to 31 August 2026)
Official website
The pass above Talloires gives the classic view of the lake and is a well-known paragliding site. A car-or-taxi trip, best on a clear day.
Getting there: About 20 km by road from Annecy (35 minutes), above Talloires; no bus in the current timetable
Geneva has its own old town, lake and museums, planned day by day in our 5 days in Geneva guide. Bring a passport or ID card.
Getting there: 47 km north, 45 minutes by car, about 90 minutes by train on the Léman Express
A chalet village and ski resort, better as a night away than a day trip. Our 5 days in Megève guide covers it.
Getting there: About 80 km and 65-70 minutes by road on the A41 and A40 via Sallanches, open all year. The shorter way, about 60 km over the Col des Aravis, can need chains or close in winter
The valley under Mont Blanc deserves more than a day: see our 5 days in Chamonix guide.
Getting there: About 98 km east, around 75 minutes by road
Annecy eats Savoie: cheese, potatoes, pork and the fish of the lake, with a few French basics for breakfast. These are the dishes to look for.
Potatoes, lardons, onions and Reblochon baked until the top goes brown. The modern recipe dates from the 1980s, when the Reblochon producers promoted it to sell more cheese.
Where to try it: Traditional restaurants in the old town and on the east shore.
A half wheel of cheese heated and scraped over potatoes, charcuterie and pickles. Winter food, but restaurants serve it all year.
Where to try it: Cheese restaurants such as Le Fréti, which serves it from the wheel.
The local soft cheese made from raw cow's milk in Haute-Savoie, with its own AOC designation. Camembert belongs to Normandy; here, Reblochon is the one to buy.
Where to try it: The Tuesday, Friday and Sunday market in the old town.
Diots are Savoie sausages, often cooked in white wine with onions. Crozets are small squares of pasta, usually buckwheat. Plain and filling.
Where to try it: Savoie restaurants; also on the dish of the day in the lake villages.
A light sponge cake said to date from the 14th century and Count Amédée VI of Savoy. A plain, good partner to coffee.
Where to try it: Boulangeries and pâtisseries across town.
The regional appellations: Vin de Savoie, Roussette de Savoie and the sparkling Crémant de Savoie. The whites suit cheese.
Where to try it: Any restaurant; ask for a local white by the glass.
An herbal liqueur of the Alps, made from an Artemisia plant and related to absinthe, drunk as a digestif after a heavy meal.
Where to try it: Restaurants and food shops in the old town.
Melted cheese and bread, the Savoie version of the Swiss fondue, made with local cheeses such as Beaufort, Gruyère de Savoie, Emmental de Savoie or Abondance.
Where to try it: Le Fréti on rue Sainte-Claire, a large cheese restaurant open since 1974.
Arctic char, a cold-water fish found in the Alpine lakes including Annecy, and féra, a milder lake whitefish. The two fish to order beside the lake.
Where to try it: Lakeside restaurants in Duingt, Talloires and Doussard; La Cuillère à Omble in Doussard is a dedicated fish place.
The French breakfast: a croissant, a baguette for the picnic and a brioche for the road.
Where to try it: Any bakery with a queue in the morning.
Annecy is compact, but where you sleep sets how you spend your evenings. Book early for July and August, and expect lower prices in winter.
Best for: First-timers who want the canals at the door
The most atmospheric location, steps from the market, the castle and the restaurants. The catch is noise, prices and the crowds in summer, plus stairs and no parking.
Best for: Buses, trains and the airport shuttle
Sibra buses 15 and 20 start from here, and the old town is about a 10-minute walk. It is less pretty and a good value base for the lake day.
Best for: Cyclists and swimmers
Close to the cycle path and the beaches, with quieter streets than the center. The catch: you depend on a bus or a bike in the evening.
In Map Drop the countries of Europe fall one at a time and you drop each into its place - France is one of the pieces.
The practical stuff that makes the first day in Annecy easier.
France uses the euro and cards work almost everywhere. Service is included in menu prices, so a tip is optional; rounding up a coffee or leaving a few euros after a good meal is normal. Hotels add a small tourist tax per person per night.
Sibra runs the local buses. A single ticket is 2 EUR and lasts an hour. Buy it in the app, by SMS (send BUS to 93 740), at the machines at the station, or from the driver (cash or cheque only), and validate it when you board. Line 15 reaches Duingt in about 30 minutes and runs every 20 to 40 minutes on a Saturday; line 20 reaches Menthon in about 21 minutes and Talloires in 35 to 40. On Sundays both run far less often, so check the return time.
In autumn 2026 the lake was very low, so boats board at Sevrier instead of the town quays (since 23 September). Check bateaux-annecy.com for the current pier. Cruises run 1 March to 30 November, with a shorter winter cruise from 1 December to 28 February.
The Gorges du Fier close from 15 October to 15 March, and the Menthon castle shuts after 12 November until spring. Some Talloires places close and the boats sail a reduced schedule. The old town stays open, and the tourist office agenda lists the Christmas market dates. Sunset is around 17:00 in December, so do outdoor things first.
You don't need a car for this plan, only for the Col de la Forclaz and the Semnoz. Old-town parking is limited. In the mountains, winter tires or chains are required from 1 November to 31 March.
France sets its clocks back on the last Sunday of October, after which sunset falls to around 17:30. English is widely understood in the tourist trade, but bonjour before any request goes a long way. Sockets are type E, 230 V. If you come through Geneva, carry your passport or ID.
Yes. One day for the old town, one for the lake by bike and boat, and one for the east shore and its castle. A fourth day adds the Gorges du Fier, the Semnoz or the Col de la Forclaz.
Yes, in summer. Lifeguards watched the city beaches (Marquisats, Impérial, Albigny) from 4 July to 31 August in 2026. Marquisats and Albigny are free, the Impérial charged 4 EUR that year, and the water is cool even in July.
By road it takes about 45 minutes. By public transport, count about 90 minutes. See our 5 days in Geneva guide for the airport side.
It is a tourist town, so expect resort prices. A cheese dinner runs about 25-50 EUR, a one-hour cruise 19 EUR, the castle 6.50 EUR. The market, two of the beaches and the cycle path are free.
No. The old town is walkable, buses reach Duingt, Menthon and Talloires, and you can cycle the west shore. A car only helps for the Col de la Forclaz and the Semnoz.
Walk the old town, visit the castle and the Palais de l'Isle, take the short winter cruise, eat fondue, and look for the Christmas market. The Semnoz is the nearby ski area.
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