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Voykit pocket guide · France
Annecy
Give Annecy 2 nights: one full day for the old town and lake, one for the lake loop or a mountain. In July it is packed; go in June or September.
Annecy is a small Alpine city on a clean lake, 45 km from Geneva and about 40 km from Chambéry. The old town is compact and walkable in half a day; the lake, the 36 km cycle path and the surrounding peaks are what fill a second day. It works as a 2-night stop between Geneva and the French Alps, or as a base for Chamonix and the ski valleys.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Jun, Sep
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds and heat), Jan (some museums closed)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | €2–4 |
| Cheese dish (fondue or raclette) in a restaurant | €18–28 |
| Ice cream in the old town | €3–5 |
| Boat cruise, one hour | from €13.40 |
| Museum entry (Palais de l'Isle / castle) | €3–5.50 |
| Bike hire, one day | €15–25 (check) |
| Train Annecy → Lyon Part-Dieu | about €33, 2 h |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GVA · Geneva
- Nearest major airport, about 45 km; direct shuttle buses to Annecy station, roughly 1 hNearest major airport, about 28 mi; direct shuttle buses to Annecy station, roughly 1 h
- LYS · Lyon-Saint Exupéry
- About 1 h 30 by road; train via Lyon Part-Dieu
- CMF · Chambéry Savoie
- Small regional airport; Annecy's own airport has no commercial flights
Typical fares
- Geneva → Annecy bus
- about CHF 32 return, about 1 h
- Annecy → Chambéry train
- about €10.60 one-way, about 1 h
- Annecy → Lyon train
- about €32.90, about 2 h
Get around
The centre is walkable end to end in about 25 minutes. Buses (Sibra network) cover the suburbs and lake villages; a single ride is cheap and a day pass is worth it if you make three or more trips. Bikes are the best way to reach the far shore: the lakeside path runs about 36 km with lanes on almost all of it. Taxis are limited at night.The centre is walkable end to end in about 25 minutes. Buses (Sibra network) cover the suburbs and lake villages; a single ride is cheap and a day pass is worth it if you make three or more trips. Bikes are the best way to reach the far shore: the lakeside path runs about 22 mi with lanes on almost all of it. Taxis are limited at night.
See and do
Known for
- Canal-side old town and Palais de l'Isle
- Lac d'Annecy and its beaches
- 36 km lakeside cycle path
- Fondue and raclette
- June animation film festival
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chamonix | Car or bus via the A41 and A40, about 80 kmCar or bus via the A41 and A40, about 50 mi | 1.5–2 h |
| Geneva | Léman Express train from Annecy station, roughly hourly | About 1.5 h |
| Chambéry | TER train, frequent | About 1 h |
| La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand | Car or seasonal bus into the Aravis valleys | 40–60 min |
| Yvoire | Car around the lake, about 60 kmCar around the lake, about 37 mi | About 1 h |
Sleep
- Old town (Vieille Ville)
- Canals, Palais de l'Isle and restaurants on foot; noisier and pricier, book early for summer.
- Station and Courier area
- Train and bus stations, supermarket and mall; 10–15 min walk to the canals, best for one night with bags.
- Lakefront (Quai Jules Philippe to Albigny)
- Beaches, boat piers and the start of the cycle path; hotel rates peak in July and August.
- Annecy-le-Vieux and the north shore
- Quieter, cheaper rooms, 10–20 min by bus or bike from the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-SYON seel voo PLEH |
| A table for two | Une table pour deuxewn TAH-bluh poor DUH |
| Where is the lake? | Où est le lac ?oo eh luh LAK |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-YAY par KART |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- July and early August are the busiest weeks; the old town and lakefront fill up and hotel prices jump.
- The Museum of Animated Film is closed until at least 2026: check before you plan around it.
- Lake water is cold outside July–September; beaches are free but some have paid sections.
- Cross-border buses and trains to Geneva need your passport; checks are not frequent but possible.
- Mountain weather changes fast above the tree line: carry a shell even on a clear morning.
Annecy is a low-crime city; the real risks are cold lake water, fast-changing mountain weather and pickpockets in the July crowds around the canals.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Annecy yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Canal-side old town and Palais de l'Isle
- Lac d'Annecy and its beaches
- 36 km lakeside cycle path
- Fondue and raclette
- June animation film festival
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ville d'Annecy (official): www.annecy.fr/
- Annecy Mountains tourist office: en.lac-annecy.com/
- SNCF Connect (trains): www.sncf-connect.com/
- Wikivoyage: Annecy, revision 5289763 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5289763
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Annecy
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Annecy; the US, UK, Canadian, Australian and Irish embassies are in Paris, with consulates in Lyon and Geneva (check).
Service is included by law in French restaurants; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/annecy). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.