Annecy is one of the most stunning places we have ever been, so if you’re heading there soon, get excited! In south-eastern France, Annecy sits on the edge of Lake Annecy and has a reasonably small population of just under 130,000. The lake is surrounded by mountains meaning the whole area is extremely picturesque. The main city also has canals running through the streets with beautiful French buildings on either side. Whether you’re spending a day in Annecy or staying for longer, you’ll soon see why it truly is one of the most beautiful cities we’ve ever visited.
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Getting There From Geneva
One of the best things about Annecy is that it’s only 35km from Geneva, Switzerland. Also a beautiful town on a lake surrounded by mountains, Geneva is worth a visit if you’re ever nearby. While Geneva is the closest major town to day trip from, you could also day trip from Lyon, the ski town of Chamonix or other small nearby French towns.
We visited from Geneva with Flixbus and the trip was only 50 minutes each way. There’s about 8-10 trips a day and they cost roughly between €7 and €20 each way. The bus stop in Geneva is called “FlixBus Arrêt de bus, Genève” on Google Maps. In Annecy, it’s only a 15 minute walk through the town to the lakes edge from the bus and train station.
It really is very doable and lovely day trip destination! However if you want to enjoy it slower, it’s also a gorgeous place to spend a night or two. If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can also book this half day trip from Geneva with Get Your Guide. It includes the 1 hour coach each way, a 45 minute guided tour, then 2 hours of free time:
How to Spend a Day in Annecy
The City
A day in Annecy is going to be pretty relaxed and very beautiful. Most of the streets are on roads, but some of them are smaller streets that weave around the Thiou canal. The buildings around the canal are so beautiful and there’s so many things to take photos of. However, the most famous building in Annecy is Palais de I’Île, which is situated in the middle of the canal. It’s an old medieval castle and prison that is now a history museum. It’s what you’ll see in most photos of Annecy because it’s so picturesque. The bridges on either side of the island are great places to take photos.
In the main town are heaps of lovely restaurants, cafes and shops. There’s also some supermarkets and lots of hotels if you want to stay for a night or two. There are so many lovely places to eat, so it’s hard to recommend specific ones, but there is one you must go to. Right next to Pont Perrière, which is the bridge looking out to Palais de I’Île, there is a café called Maison Perrière. You’d think that somewhere so close to a tourist attraction wouldn’t necessarily be great. However this place has some of the best ice cream we’ve ever had and has 74 different flavours!
We highly recommend grabbing some ice cream here and wandering along the canal because it was such a lovely part of our day in Annecy.
Museums
During your day in Annecy you can visit the museum in Palais de I’Île. It is open 10:30am to 6pm every day except Tuesday, although it is closed between 12:30-2pm from October to June. The museum takes visitors through the history of the building, and you can also visit some of the old prison cells. It also has exhibits on different architectural movements. Tickets to this are either 4€ or 5€ depending when you visit, but there’s also a combined ticket with the nearby museum/ castle. This combined ticket is 6.50€ or 7€ depending on season. The museum/ castle has exhibits on regional heritage with objects, art and sculptures and scientific information on the nearby lake.
The Lake
One of the best things to do during a day in Annecy is spend some time by Lake Annecy. The lake is roughly 14km long, 3km across and 82 meters deep at the deepest point. The most amazing thing about the lake is that it is surrounded by the most beautiful hills. It is a beautiful place to sit by or walk along and make sure to admire how crystal clear the water is. A great place to sit by the lake is the “Jardins de l’Europe” which is a free garden with lots of trees and space to relax.
If you’re into water sports, lake Annecy is a great place to do some. Because of the surrounding hills, the water gets a fair amount of wind, so water skiing, windsurfing and sailing are quite popular. You can hire paddle boards, boats and, canoes and kayaks to enjoy the beautiful clear water from above. If you’re interested in fishing, it’s also a great place to do that and you can get a one day fishing license here for €21.50. Lastly, if you’re into bike riding, there are over 130km of riding trails in the area. The most popular one is the loop around the lake which is roughly 40km.
Of course there’s also some great tours you can do in and around the city. This 1 hour segway tour is a great way to see the city, the lake and more in a fun way. If you’re an adrenaline junkie, this is a guided canyoning tour a 30 minute drive out of the city. Lastly, you can also cruise on the lake and here is just one cruise company you could choose.
Final Thoughts
A day in Annecy is the perfect amount of time to see and enjoy this beautiful city. It’s so easy to get to Annecy from Geneva, either by yourself or as part of a tour. Once there, the city is small with great shops, restaurants, museums and a wonderful ice cream place. Make sure to spend some time by the lake as it’s super relaxing and the water is so clear (genuinely some of the clearest water we’ve ever seen!). If you’re after some adventure, there’s so many water sports you can do as well as tours in the area.
Whatever you end up doing, you are going to have a wonderful time and quickly see why it’s one of our favourite places we’ve ever visited.
To see more about our day trip to Annecy, check out our vlog: