Things to Do in Annecy: 12 Top Highlights & Hidden Gems

Our Top 3 Hotel Tips for Annecy

Before we get into the most beautiful sights, here are three hotel tips for Annecy at every price point:

The Most Beautiful Sights in Annecy

Annecy sits right in the French Alps — so you’ll find not only great attractions in the city itself, but also some seriously stunning spots out in nature.

All Annecy Highlights on One Map

To give you a better overview of where everything is, we’ve marked all the key places to visit in Annecy on a map.

Lac d'Annecy

Annecy sits on the stunning mountain lake Lac d’Annecy. For us, the lake is absolutely the real highlight of the city — and for nature lovers, it’s one of the most remarkable must-sees in France.

The view across the lake is simply breathtaking. That turquoise water is something you’d otherwise almost only expect in the Caribbean. It’s crystal clear, and in summer you can swim here wonderfully.

From October to June, though, the water is definitely too cold for a dip.

For a mountain lake, Lac d’Annecy is also surprisingly large. Going all the way around it means covering 38 kilometers.

Palais de l'Île

The ultimate Instagram spot in Annecy: the Palais de l’Île, also known as Palais d’Isle.

The palace sits in the heart of Annecy, right in the middle of the Thiou River.

Stand on the bridge in front of it and it’s immediately obvious why Annecy is also called the Venice of the Alps.

If you want to do more than just photograph it, you can also tour the palace — it used to be a prison, and today it’s a museum.

Admission to the Palais d’Isle costs 4 euros. The Annecy Museums website has all the details.

Château d'Annecy

Another well-known landmark is Annecy Castle.

It sits on a small hill above the city and houses a history museum. The exhibition tells you a lot about the city of Annecy, though the castle building itself isn’t covered in great depth.

From the castle garden, you also get a lovely view of the lake.

Admission costs 5.60 euros. The Château d’Annecy is closed on Tuesdays.

Pont des Amours

The Pont des Amours — also known as the Bridge of Love — is a small pedestrian bridge over the Canal du Vassé in Annecy.

Crossing the Pont des Amours is simply a must on any trip here!

It connects the beautiful park Jardins de l’Europe with the large green space and waterfront promenade Le Pâquier d’Annecy.

The waterfront promenade is perfect for a leisurely stroll, and there’s plenty of room on the lawn for kids to run around.

Annecy's Old Town and the Cathedral

Annecy’s old town is a genuine attraction in its own right. It’s full of charming alleyways with colorful buildings and little canals winding through them.

Because the historic center is so wonderfully compact, you can take in all the highlights in about an hour.

One standout in the old quarter is the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre. The church was built in the Gothic style and you can visit it free of charge.

Our Insider Tips for Annecy

We also have a few under-the-radar picks that you won’t find in every travel guide. Here are three genuine local favorites for things to do in Annecy!

Plage Municipal in Sévrier

The water in Lac d’Annecy is so clear and clean that you just want to jump right in.

There are plenty of beautiful beaches along the lake. Our off-the-beaten-path pick for the best one is the Plage Municipal in Sévrier.

The beach is about five kilometers from Annecy. It’s a pebble beach, so water shoes are recommended.

In summer, it’s a wonderful spot for swimming, and there’s a great play area for kids.

Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard

Honestly, we find this fairy-tale castle in the village of Menthon on Lac d’Annecy more impressive than the one in Annecy itself.

Because the Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard isn’t right in Annecy, many tourists miss it completely — which makes it a great lesser-known spot.

It was even the inspiration for the castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.

In summer, you can tour the Château de Menthon. From November to March it’s closed to visitors.

Admission costs 12 euros. More details for your visit are on the Château de Menthon website.

Fête du Lac

Every year on the first Saturday of August, Annecy hosts the Fête du Lac — and it’s a real spectacle.

A breathtaking fireworks display takes over the lake, with stunning light effects and water shows lasting over 70 minutes!

It’s one of the largest fireworks displays in all of Europe, drawing around 200,000 visitors each year. Hugely popular in France, it’s still surprisingly under the radar internationally.

One more tip for a cool event: Annecy celebrates a traditional Venetian carnival in February or March. To live up to the nickname “Venice of the Alps,” locals dress up in Venetian-style costumes for the occasion.

The Best Day Trips and Activities in Annecy

A hiker’s paradise and great day trips — there’s so much to do in Annecy. Here are our top recommendations for activities.

Hiking in Annecy

There are an incredible number of hiking trails around Annecy. Here are our three favorite hikes for every fitness level.

#1 For Experienced Hikers: La Tournette

The hike to the La Tournette summit is the ultimate trail you can do at Lac d’Annecy — and also one of the most challenging.

La Tournette is located to the southeast of the lake near the small village of Talloires and stands 2,351 meters tall.

If you already have hiking experience, have no fear of heights, and are comfortable climbing over 1,000 meters of elevation, don’t miss this summit.

If heights make you nervous or you’ve rarely hiked at altitude, skip this one — it’s no easy stroll.

The ascent includes a short scrambling section, though it’s perfectly manageable without any special equipment.

Getting to the La Tournette Hike

The trailhead is at the restaurant Le Chalet De L’Aulp. Nearby is the Parking de Preverel — arrive early to secure a spot.

Getting there by bus from Annecy is quite involved. Take bus line 60 from the Gare d’Annecy to the Les Granges stop.

From there, transfer to line F1 and ride to the Col de la Forclaz stop. It’s then a one-hour walk to the trailhead. Note: Line F1 only runs during the summer months.

Tickets cost 2 euros from the bus driver, and your ticket is valid for transfers.

#2 For Active Vacationers: Col des Sauts

If you don’t need to go quite as high but still want a great view of the lake, we’d suggest the hike to Col des Sauts.

The summit sits at 1,120 meters elevation and offers a fantastic panorama.

What’s great about this hike is that you can start on foot directly from Annecy, with the first few kilometers taking you along the lakeshore.

The hike is 13 kilometers round trip, with approximately 730 meters of elevation gain.

The start of the ascent is behind the bakery Au Puits Savoyard 2, just before the village of Chavoire.

#3 For Everyone: Semnoz

If mountain climbing isn’t your thing but you still want to enjoy a beautiful vista, head up to the Semnoz mountain.

You’ll find a wide variety of long and short hikes here and can soak in a stunning mountain panorama.

Semnoz is also a great outing if you’re on a family vacation with kids, thanks to a fun summer toboggan run.

The easiest way to get there is by car. You can park at the Parking Luge Semnoz — a great starting point for exploring the area.

Buses only run regularly up to Semnoz in winter. Check the Sibra website for current routes and schedules.

Guided Tour of Annecy

To get to know the city better, we really recommend taking a guided tour in Annecy. You’ll pick up cool facts about the place that you’d probably never find on your own.

A seriously fun option is the Segway tour. If you’ve never ridden a Segway before, this is the perfect chance to give it a go.

Book the Segway tour through Annecy

Cycling at Lac d'Annecy

Cycling is one of the most popular things to do in Annecy — you can ride along the lake and explore the surrounding area with ease.

For example, you can do a full loop around the lake — that’s 38 kilometers in total.

If you prefer a more relaxed pace, cycle to the Plage Municipal in Sévrier (about five kilometers) or to Menthon-Saint-Bernard (about ten kilometers).

Our top pick for renting bikes is the Véloc rental shop. It’s a little tucked away in Annecy, but you’ll get bikes there at an excellent price-to-quality ratio.

For two hours you pay just 10 euros.

Day Trip to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc

Annecy is not far from the highest mountain in Europe: Mont Blanc.

If you’re spending a few days here, a day trip to the village at the foot of the mountain is absolutely worth your time: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.

From Chamonix, you can take the cable car up to the Aiguille du Midi. This summit sits at around 3,800 meters elevation, giving you an up-close view of Mont Blanc.

Bring a jacket — it’s noticeably colder at the summit than in the town below.

By car, it takes about one hour to reach Chamonix.

If you’d like to plan an overnight stay in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, we recommend the Appart’hôtel Bellamy Chamonix.

General Tips for Annecy

#1 Getting to Annecy

You have several options for getting to Annecy. From Lyon and Grenoble, you’re in Annecy in two hours by train or 1.5 hours by car.

Annecy also works really well as a day trip destination from larger cities in France or Switzerland.

From Geneva, it’s just 45 minutes by car. Geneva is also home to the nearest major airport for Annecy — making it a great base if you want to do a half-day trip to Annecy.

Half-day trip to Annecy from Geneva

#2 Getting Around Annecy

Annecy is quite small — around 125,000 residents — so you can easily explore all the main points of interest on foot.

For day trips around the lake, you can use a car, a bicycle, or the bus.

You can rent bikes affordably at the Véloc rental shop in Annecy.

Annecy’s bus network is well developed — in theory! Unfortunately, that’s really only true during the summer season from July to September and the ski season from December to February.

During the shoulder season, many bus lines don’t run at all. Check the schedules ahead of time on the Sibra website.

Buy your ticket from the driver. Tickets cost 2 euros.

#3 The Best Time to Visit Annecy

We recommend visiting Annecy in July, August, and September. It’s sunny and warm, and there’s so much to do.

The water in Lac d’Annecy is warm enough for swimming, and when you hike to a summit you’ll usually be rewarded with clear blue skies.

Because Annecy sits at around 450 meters above sea level, it doesn’t get too hot even in summer, and evenings cool down pleasantly.

Since the mountains around Annecy offer excellent skiing, a trip from December to February is also totally worthwhile.

During the shoulder season, there isn’t a whole lot going on. It’s neither especially warm nor is there enough snow for skiing — so we wouldn’t particularly recommend traveling then.

#4 Weather in Annecy

Thanks to its high elevation in the mountains, the weather in Annecy is quite different from many other parts of France.

Nights are noticeably cooler than days. As early as September, you can expect nighttime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), while during the day you can still walk around in a t-shirt at 20°C (68°F).

In summer, temperatures rarely climb above 30°C (86°F) — making Annecy a great escape from the scorching heat found elsewhere.

From December to March, temperatures quickly drop below freezing, and Annecy is often blanketed in a pretty layer of snow.

Water Temperature at Lac d’Annecy

From June to August, the water in Lac d’Annecy warms up to over 20°C (68°F), so you can comfortably jump in. If you’re a bit hardier, September still works too.

In winter, the water temperature plunges to near 0°C (32°F).