This small and incredibly charismatic city is known as the City of Flowers, also known as Savoy’s Venice and Alpine Rome. People go there who dream of a measured rest and picturesque nature. This article is about Annecy, France.
Annecy is located in the eastern part of France. It is located among the majestic Alps, on the shore of the picturesque lake of the same name. The Tioux River passes through Annecy, connecting the lake with the Fier River, which forms the north – western border of the city.
The town is really small, its area is slightly less than 67 km2.
Most of the local population is French by nationality.
What to see and do in the city
You can list the wonders of the atmospheric city of Annecy in France, which attracts tens of thousands of tourists, endlessly. But it will be much more interesting to enjoy them by going to this city on vacation. You won’t be bored in Annecy, but it is advisable to plan your route in advance.
The city tourist office is located at 1 rue Jean Jaures, website — https://www.lac-annecy.com/.
Walk through the streets of the old quarters
One of the main places to visit in Annecy is the old quarters, located in the heart of the city. Lovers of beautiful landscapes will be enchanted by narrow stone-paved streets with pastoral houses and lots of flowers, ancient castles and churches. You can walk along the main street of the historical part of the city, Rue Ste-Claire, or along the streets of Rue Perriere and Rue de de L’Ile-there are beautiful arcade houses with shops.
The Old Town is also well known for its many restaurants and cafes serving French cuisine. Enjoy the view of the snow-capped Alpine Mountains in the cozy restaurant with a cup of aromatic coffee.
And in Annecy there are many canals with small bridges, which, like living lace, surround ancient buildings. And you can even take a boat ride along these channels.
Island Palace (Le Palais de I’Île)
In the middle of the Tioux River, on a small mound island, stands the miniature L’Isle Palace, which can be seen in many advertising photos of Annecy and this region of France.
This structure was built in 1132, and until 1320 it was used as the headquarters of the administration of the county of Geneva. Then there was a prison, and after the French Revolution and until 1865, a mint worked within its walls.
In 1900, the castle of L’Isle was registered as a historical monument of France. It is now owned by the Annecy Municipality and is partially open to the public.
The island palace has the shape of a parallelepiped divided into 3 parts-these parts are connected to each other by bridges. Behind the thick walls of the palace are many rooms and halls.
- Address: 3 Passage de L’Ile, 74000 Annecy, France.
- Веб-сайт: http://musees.annecy.fr/Palais-de-l-Ile.
- Opening hours: from October 1 to May 31-from 10: 00 to 12: 00 and from 14: 00 to 17: 00; from June 1 to September 30-from 10: 30 to 18: 00. The palace is open all days except Tuesdays.
- A ticket for adults costs 3.90 euros, for children from 12 years-2.00 euros. Admission is free for children under 12 years of age.
St. Peter’s Basilica (Cathédrale Saint-Pierre)
The oldest element of St. Peter’s Basilica is the crypt, built in the 5th century. It has an architectural style of the Romanesque period, inside there are statues and relics related to the history of Annecy and its religious heritage. The crypt is open to tourists.
The main building of the cathedral was built in the XIII-XVI centuries. It is designed in the Gothic style, its strict beauty is emphasized by elements of the Early Renaissance. The facade is decorated with arches with picturesque stained glass windows and a Gothic rosette.
There are also a lot of interesting things inside: frescoes, old paintings.
- Address: 8 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 74000 Annecy, France.
Church of Our Lady of Exultation (Église Notre Dame de Liesse)
Another significant building of the Old Town is the Church of Our Lady of Rejoicing. In the middle of the XIX century, the building was restored, only the bell tower of the XII century remained in its former form. Therefore, the church looks somewhat eclectic, combining Romanesque and neoclassical styles.
Above the triangular pediment of the main facade is a large gilded statue of Our Lady. The interior space seems a little gloomy and heavy: there are several powerful columns, sunlight enters through the dome and stained-glass windows with images of scenes from the Bible.
- Address: Passage Notre Dame, 74000 Annecy, France.
Chateau d’Annecy (Musee-Chateau d’Annecy)
The Castle of Annecy, which rises above the Old Town, was created in the XII-XIV centuries as the residence of the Counts of Geneva. From the 17th century to the middle of the 20th century, the castle was used as a military barracks, and in 1953 the city authorities bought it from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces.
In 1959, the castle was recognized as a historical building, now it houses a museum. It presents visitors with various exhibitions and collections related to regional heritage, archaeology, medieval sculpture, landscape painting, contemporary art and animated films.
An observatory has been located in the castle tower since 1993.
- Address: 1 Place du Chateau, 74000 Annecy, France.
- Сайт: http://musees.annecy.fr/Musee-Chateau.
- The museum is open daily according to the following schedule: from October 1 to May 31-from 10: 00 to 12: 00 and from 14: 00 to 17: 00; from June 1 to September 30 – from 10: 30 to 18: 00.
- The full ticket price is 5.60 euros, admission is free for children under 12 years of age, after 12 years-3.00 euros.
- During the period from October 1 to May 31, on the first Sunday of each month, everyone is allowed to visit the museum free of charge.
Basilica of Visitation (Basilique de la Visitation)
The Catholic basilica of the Visitation Monastery was built in the 1930s. The building is designed in a rather free neo-Romanesque style, the three-nave hall is located on a crypt with low arches. In the nave there are columns, for the creation of which blue marble was used, in the apse – an interesting enamel mosaic.
In two side aisles there are sarcophagi made of gilded bronze with the relics of venerated saints.
Adjacent to the basilica is a 72-meter-high monumental bell tower, completed with a 7-meter bronze cross. The bell tower has 38 bells, the largest – Marie Francoise-has a weight of 4 tons. The bell tower is recognized as a monument of French history.
- Address of the attraction: 11 Av. de la Visitation, 74000 Annecy, France.
- The basilica is open every day from 8: 00 to 18: 30.
Lake Annecy (Lac d’Annecy)
Annecy is not only the second largest inland body of water in France, but also the cleanest lake in Europe. Lake Annecy is located in the picturesque Alpine foothills. It is surrounded by mountains to the east, west and north, and only on its southern side is a large valley.
The lake is more than 27 km2 and 80 meters deep, formed 18,000 years ago when large-scale Alpine glaciers were melting. Now it is fed by numerous small rivers that start in the nearest mountains, as well as the powerful Bubyoz River, which breaks through from an 82-meter depth directly below it.
Lake Annecy in France is considered a real gem of the Savoy Alps and is a popular place for beach holidays. Two beaches — Plage la Brune and Plage Municipal-have been awarded the Blue Flag. There is a lot of entertainment there, especially in summer: swimming, diving, water skiing, sailing, boating, fishing, flying over the water, cycling and hiking along the coastal territory.
Gardens of Europe (Jardins de l’Europe)
The Gardens of Europe is a beautiful, well-kept park on the shores of Lake Annecy.
During the Middle Ages, this place was a swamp with small islands, surrounded by a high stone wall. When the plague was raging, infected people were settled in this area. Only in the middle of the 19th century, the wall was destroyed, and the swampy area was turned into a beautiful park, literally in a year more than 600 trees and 1000 shrubs were planted there.
Now the gardens of Europe are a real pride of citizens, included in the list of cultural heritage of France. There you can walk along well-groomed paths, rent a boat and take a ride on the lake. Yes, on the territory of the park there is a reservoir, on the shore of which there is a pier designed for 270 seats.
In addition, in the gardens of Europe there is one of the few surviving monuments to Napoleon III-a memorial plaque from 1863. Another outstanding monument located in the park is an elegant bronze statue of the French chemist Claude Louis Bertolet, created by the talented sculptor Carlo Marochetti.
You can get to the Gardens of Europe by crossing the Bridge of Love.
Bridge of Love (Pont des Amours)
One of the most popular tourist spots in Annecy is the pedestrian Bridge of Love, which spans the Vasse Canal between the Paquier Meadow and the Gardens of Europe. The grand opening of this cast-iron structure, designed by Gaspard Froioufa, took place in 1907.
Lovers come to the bridge to hang iron padlocks on the railing and so “fix” their feelings. And yet, according to an urban legend, if lovers kiss while standing on a bridge, they will be together all their lives.
There is another version of how the name Pont des Amours appeared: previously, expensive prostitutes often gathered there.
Be that as it may, this famous city of Annecy is interesting at any time of the day: both in bright sunlight and in the evening twilight of lanterns.
Where to stay in Annecy
There are many good options for living in this city. for example:
- there are many hotels and guest houses on the shores of Lake Annecy – this is a great place for those who want to enjoy the beautiful views;
- Avenue de Geneve is the central street of Annecy, where many hotels of different comfort levels and price categories are located;
- Parc des Glaisins – there are several hotels in this area outside the city, surrounded by greenery and overlooking the mountain peaks.
Prices for accommodation vary depending on the location of housing, service and comfort, and time of year. Approximate prices for a double room per night are as follows::
- apartments: 50-150 euro;
- 3* hotel: 60-150 euros;
- 5* hotel: 150-400 euros.
It is better to book your accommodation in advance, especially during the high tourist season.
How to get to Annecy from Geneva
The nearest international airport to Annecy is located in Geneva, and it is from there that tourists usually come to this French small town. You can go by bus or train.
There is a direct bus service from Geneva Airport to Annecy. On weekdays, the first flight is at 6:00, the last at 21: 00-a total of 15 flights per day. There are fewer flights on weekends. The exact schedule is available on the website of the carrier company Transedev (https://www.transdev.com/en/). The fare is 10.50 euros, the journey time is about 2 hours.
There is also a direct Flixbus service from Geneva itself several times a day. The journey time is 50 minutes, and the ticket price starts from 5 euros.
If you go by train, then from the airport you first need to get to Geneva, Switzerland by train Geneve Cornavin. And in Geneva, you need to take the train in the direction of Annemasse all the way to Annecy. The total travel time is about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Interesting facts about Annecy
- In 1960, the International Association of Animated Films ASIFA was founded in Annecy. Since then, the city has organized an International Animated Film Festival every year in June. This festival is one of the most prestigious in the field of animation, it attracts moviegoers from all over the world. The main prize of the Kristall Film Festival is awarded in the following categories: short films, full – length films, and TV cartoons.
- The city is a well-known winter sports center. Annecy hosted the 1968 Winter Olympics, and the Second Winter World War Games were held in 2013. Annecy has also been selected to host the 2023 Alpine Skiing World Cup.
- In 2012, Annecy was going to host the Biathlon World Cup, but this was prevented by the warm weather and the absolute absence of snow. As a result, the stage was held in Hozfilzen.
- The city of Annecy applied as a candidate to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. But this application was rejected, and the games were held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
- Every year, on the first Saturday of August, Annecy hosts the largest and most impressive pyrotechnic show in Europe, known as the Festival of the Lake (Fete du Lac). The audience is shown a real fairy tale created by fireworks displayed on the surface of the lake, millions of light and laser streams. Accompanied by beautiful music, this fairy tale lasts for an hour and a half.
- Annecy is home to the famous Musee des Beaux-Arts d’Annecy. This museum houses more than 6,000 works of art by local artists and craftsmen from all over the world.
- Every year, for 2 days at the end of February, the city turns into a fairy tale: locals in costume outfits and masks, bright processions, music, fun. This is the time of the Venetian Carnival.
- Annecy, France, is also known for its pastries and gelato ice cream of various flavors
