Welcome to Annecy
Welcome to Annecy – The city between lakes and mountains
Annecy is a city of south-eastern France, capital of the Haute Savoie department in the Rhone Alpes region. The city is about 35 kilometres south of Geneva and lies on the northern tip of the Lake Annecy. At first, Annecy was the capital of the county of Geneva. During the French revolution of 1789, France conquered the Savoy region and Annecy became part of the Mont Blanc department. It was returned to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1815 but was sold back to France in 1860. Annecy is famous for the mountains which border the city: Le Mont Veyrier, Le Semnoz, La Tournette and the Parmelan, but also for the Lake Annecy and Annecy Castle which attract a lot of people every year. The city centre is quite rich and there is a lot of activities to do as sport, shopping, concerts and exhibitions.
Information and facts
Night-life
Annecy is definitely the place to be for night-life, thanks to the great variety of pubs, bars and vibrant clubs, attracting young and energetic people. Most of the venues are open till 4-5 AM, so a long night out is guaranteed.
If you like to have a drink, feel free to go to the Captain Bar in the old town or the Finn Kelly's Pub. Moreover, there is a lot of night clubs such as Le Garage or Bull which are very popular in the city.
Shopping
On Saturdays, in the centre of the town, the streets are filled with stalls selling antiques and other fripperies.
To enjoy your day of shopping, you will find shops in the main streets which are Carnot Street, Someillier Street and Vaugelas Street. Moreover, there is a shopping centre called Courier near Carnot Street.
Sightseeing
One of the main attraction of the city is the Lake Annecy. It is the second largest lake in France and it is well-known for the quality of its water which is the clearest in Europe.
The Palais de L'isle is probably the building that attracts more photo shootings in the city. It was built on the 12th century and used to be a prison. It was classified as a Historical Monument in 1900. The building is situated in the centre of Thiou canal where you will find numerous café and shops. This place is impossible to miss because of its location in the heart of the city centre.
Another important building is Annecy Castle. It was built between the 12th and 16th centuries in order to become the residence of the Counts of Geneva. It was abandoned in the 17th century because of the recurring fires but was it was restored and converted into a museum when the town of Annecy acquired the castle in 1953.
Time
Standard time zone: UTC/GMT +1 hour
Climate
The climate in Annecy is a humid subarctic continental climate with cool summers and no dry season. In the summer months, Annecy takes benefit from a warm temperate climate with rainfalls such as summer storms.
Public transportation
Annecy railway station offers connections with Paris, Lyon or Geneva.
The public transportation service is called SIBRA.