Annecy sits at the northern tip of its lake, about 45 km south of Geneva, with an old town built along the canals of the Thiou, the short river that drains the lake. The town is small, the lake is the main event: clear enough to swim in from public beaches, ringed by a cycle path and by mountains that make it one of the busiest paragliding spots in France.
There are no country-guide entries for Annecy, so this page covers the whole visit: the old town, the château, the lake by boat, bike and on foot in the water, the gorge and the castle nearby, a flight and the animation film festival. One note for late 2026: the lake level fell so low this autumn that since 23 September the cruise boats leave from Sevrier instead of Annecy's quays.
Walk the canals of the old town to the Palais de l'Isle
Vieille ville, Annecy
2 hours with the museumNo booking needed
Follow the canals of the old town to a 12th-century prison shaped like a ship's prow, on its own island in the river.
What it is
Annecy's old town follows the Thiou, the short river that drains the lake, and its arcaded streets and footbridges run along the canals between the lake and the Sainte-Claire quarter. In the middle of the Thiou, on its own island, stands the Palais de l'Isle, a 12th-century fortified house shaped like a ship's prow. It controlled the only crossing over the river and served for centuries as a prison and courthouse; today you can visit the old courtrooms, cells and chapel, with a permanent exhibition on the history and architecture of the area.
How to do it
Entry costs €4, or €5 in July and August. From June to September it opens 10:30 to 18:00, and from October to May 10:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 17:30.
Good to know
It is closed on Tuesdays.
Time needed
2 hours with the museum
Best time
Early morning or dusk, for the canals without the crowds
Climb to the Château d'Annecy for its museum and views
Musée-Château d'Annecy
1.5 hoursNo booking needed
Climb to the castle of the Counts of Geneva for regional art and a terrace looking over the old town's roofs to the lake.
What it is
On the last rocky spur of the Semnoz above the old town, the Château d'Annecy was the residence of the Counts of Geneva from 1219, after they had to leave Geneva, and later of the Savoie-Nemours dukes. The town bought it in 1953, restored it and turned it into a museum: regional art and furniture, temporary exhibitions and the Observatoire Régional des Lacs Alpins, on the ecology of the Alpine lakes. The terrace looks over the old town's roofs to the lake.
How to do it
Entry costs €6.50, or €7 in July and August, and a joint ticket with the Palais de l'Isle costs €8 (€9 in summer); under-12s go free. The hours match the Palais: 10:30 to 18:00 from June to September, a lunch break the rest of the year.
Cruise Lake Annecy from the Grand Lac to the Petit Lac
Lake Annecy
1 to 1.5 hoursNo booking needed
Cruise past steep wooded shores, castles and villages, into the wilder southern half of the lake with its reed beds.
What it is
From the water you see why the lake is famous: steep wooded shores, the Dents de Lanfon and the Tournette above Talloires, and castles and villages along the banks. The Compagnie des Bateaux runs commented sightseeing cruises from March to November.
How to do it
The one-hour Découverte loops around the Grand Lac, the northern half, for €19 for adults and €13.50 for children aged 4 to 12; the 90-minute Évasion carries on into the Petit Lac, the wilder southern part with its reed beds, for €22. Tickets are sold at the blue kiosks on the quai Bayreuth and the quai Napoléon, and boarding closes 15 minutes before departure.
Good to know
One thing to check in late 2026: the lake level fell so far this autumn that from 23 September the cruises moved to Sevrier, on the west shore, so confirm where you board before you go.
Time needed
1 to 1.5 hours
Best time
Late afternoon, when the light warms the mountains
Half a day, 4 to 5 hours with stopsNo booking needed
Ride a traffic-free old railway line down the west shore, with swims at the beaches on the way round the lake.
What it is
The full loop of Lake Annecy is about 40 km, and most of it is easy riding. The west shore follows the voie verte, a traffic-free path on an old railway line through Sevrier, Saint-Jorioz and Duingt, where it passes through a short tunnel, to Doussard at the southern end.
How to do it
From Annecy, head down the west shore on the voie verte to Doussard, then come back along the east shore. Allow two and a half to three hours of riding, or four to five with swims and stops; bring a swimsuit for the beaches on the way, such as Saint-Jorioz. Several shops in Annecy hire classic and electric bikes; an e-bike makes the east side easy.
Good to know
The return along the east shore is hillier and partly on roads: about 3 km between Talloires and Menthon-Saint-Bernard share the main road, with a steep descent, so take care there or turn back the way you came.
Swim in clear mountain water a short walk from the centre, from a free town beach with the best view down the lake.
What it is
Annecy's two town beaches, Albigny on the north-east shore by the Impérial Palace and the Marquisats on the west shore south of the centre, are free, with lawns, showers, toilets and cafés nearby. Albigny is the larger beach, with a long lawn and the best view down the lake to the mountains.
How to do it
The Impérial car park is the closest, but it fills early, so walk or cycle along the lake front from the old town.
Good to know
Lifeguards watch the bathing areas in July and August, roughly from 11:00 to 19:00; outside those hours and months you swim at your own risk. The lake is deep and cold away from the shore, so stay within the marked zones.
Walk a footbridge clinging to the rock 25 metres above a torrent, in a canyon so narrow that daylight barely reaches the water.
What it is
About 11 km west of Annecy, at Lovagny, the Fier has cut a slot canyon so narrow that daylight barely reaches the water. A footbridge built in 1869 by the Annecy architect Marius Vallin and listed since 1943 clings to the rock wall for more than 250 metres, about 25 metres above the torrent, past giant potholes scoured by the water and the Mer des Rochers, a jumble of boulders. Marks on the rock show past floods, including one 24 metres up in January 2018.
How to do it
The site opens daily from 15 March to 15 October, 09:30 to 18:15, and to 19:15 from mid-June to the end of August, with last entry an hour before closing. Adults pay €6 and children aged 7 to 15 pay €3.
Good to know
Dogs and pushchairs are not allowed, so bring a baby carrier.
Visit the Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard above the lake
Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard
1.5 hoursNo booking needed
Visit the towers that appear in every photo of the lake, where tradition places the birth of the saint behind the St Bernard dogs.
What it is
On a rocky spur 200 metres above the east shore, the towers of the Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard appear in every photo of the lake. A first fort stood here in the 10th century; the present buildings date from the 13th to the 19th century, finished in a neo-Gothic style. Tradition says Bernard of Menthon, the saint who founded the hospices of the Great and Little St Bernard passes and gave his name to the dogs, was born here around 1008, and the same family still lives in part of the castle.
How to do it
Adults pay €12 and children €6, with €3 more for the garden and terraces.
Good to know
In 2026 it opened from 1 April to 12 November: daily from 10:00 to 19:00 in July, August and early September, and otherwise on Friday to Sunday and public holidays from 13:00 to 18:00.
Time needed
1.5 hours
Best time
A summer morning, or a weekend afternoon in spring and autumn
Paraglide over the lake from the Col de la Forclaz
Col de la Forclaz, Talloires-Montmin
15 to 50 minutes in the air, about 2 hours in allBook ahead
Run off the slope strapped to a pilot and hang over the lake among dozens of wings, then land in the fields at Doussard.
What it is
The Col de la Forclaz, a road pass above Talloires on the east side of the lake, is one of the busiest paragliding take-offs in France, and on a good day dozens of wings hang over the water.
How to do it
Tandem schools take you up to the take-off, strap you in and run you off the slope; you land in the fields at Doussard, at the southern end of the lake. A short introductory flight lasts 10 to 15 minutes and starts at about €95 with the local schools; longer flights of 40 to 50 minutes cost from about €160. Book a day or two ahead in summer.
Good to know
Schools fly roughly from April to October, depending on the weather, and a flight is moved if the wind is wrong. Bring layers: it is cooler at the take-off than in town.
Time needed
15 to 50 minutes in the air, about 2 hours in all
Best time
April to October, in the morning or late afternoon
Catch the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June
Annecy
One evening to a weekBook ahead
Watch animation outdoors by the lake as studios from Pixar to Aardman bring new films to one of the oldest festivals of its kind.
What it is
Every June, Annecy hosts one of the oldest and biggest festivals devoted to animation, created in 1960, and studios from Pixar to Aardman come to show their new films and work in progress. Alongside it runs MIFA, the animation industry's market. The town joins in with outdoor screenings by the lake in the evenings.
How to do it
The 2027 edition is set for 13 to 19 June; in 2026 the festival moved to 21 to 27 June to avoid the G7 summit held in Haute-Savoie. Competition screenings and premieres need an accreditation or tickets from the festival, which sell out early for the big titles.
Good to know
Book accommodation months ahead, because festival week fills every hotel in and around Annecy.
Direct TGVs from Paris Gare de Lyon reach Annecy station in under four hours, and regional trains link it with Lyon, Chambéry and Geneva. Geneva airport is the nearest, about 45 km north, with coaches and transfers to Annecy. By car, the A41 motorway passes the town.
Getting around
The station, the old town, the château and the lake front are all within a 15-minute walk. Sibra buses serve the town and the villages along the lake. The best way round the lake itself is the cycle path along the western shore, with bike and e-bike hire in town. In summer, parking near the lake is scarce and expensive, so leave the car at your hotel.
How many days
In must30's view, two or three days. One for the old town, the Palais de l'Isle, the château and an evening walk along the lake; one on the water, with the bike loop or a cruise and a swim; a third for the Gorges du Fier, the castle of Menthon-Saint-Bernard or a paragliding flight.
When to go
June to early September is the season for swimming, boats and outdoor life, with lifeguards on the town beaches in July and August, when the town is at its busiest. The animation film festival fills Annecy in mid-June, from 13 to 19 June in 2027. Spring and autumn are calmer and still good for cycling, though some sights run shorter hours, and cruises sail from March to November.
Where to base yourself
The old town and the streets between the station and the lake put everything on foot, at a price in summer. Annecy-le-Vieux, on the north-east shore, is quieter and close to Albigny beach. For a lake holiday rather than a city break, stay in a shore village such as Sevrier, Talloires or Menthon-Saint-Bernard and come into town by bike or bus.
Questions travellers ask
Can you swim in Lake Annecy?
Yes. The town's beaches at Albigny and the Marquisats are free, with showers and toilets and lifeguards in July and August, roughly 11:00 to 19:00. Around the lake, some village beaches, such as Menthon-Saint-Bernard's, charge in summer.
How long does it take to cycle around Lake Annecy?
The loop is about 40 km and takes two and a half to three hours of riding, or four to five with swims and stops. The west shore follows a traffic-free cycle path; on the east side, about 3 km between Menthon-Saint-Bernard and Talloires run on the main road.
Are the Lake Annecy cruises running in autumn 2026?
Yes, but because of the very low water level, the Compagnie des Bateaux moved its sightseeing cruises from Annecy to Sevrier from 23 September 2026. Check the departure point when you book; the cruises normally run from March to November.
How do I get from Geneva to Annecy?
It is about 45 km, under an hour by road on the A41. From Geneva airport, take a coach or a transfer; there are also regional trains from Geneva to Annecy station.
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