natural wonder
Lake Annecy
Europe's purest lake, a dazzling turquoise jewel framed by the French Alps and the charming pastel-hued old town of Annecy.
6 km · about 10 min drive
Rhône-Alpes, France · Europe
Annecy is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Seynod, 6km from Lake Annecy.
Annecy is a town located in Rhône-Alpes, France. With a population of 49,232, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Annecy sits in France, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Paris time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Annecy to your route.
Annecy (US: AN-ə-SEE, ahn-SEE; French: [an(ə)si] ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy, 35 kilometres (22 mi) south of Geneva, Switzerland.
Nicknamed the "Pearl of the French Alps" inRead more
Raoul Blanchard's monograph describing its location between lake and mountains, the town controls the northern entrance to the lake gorge. Due to a lack of available building land between the lake and the protected Semnoz mountain, its population has remained stable, around 50,000 inhabitants, since 1950. However, the 2017 merger with several ex-communes extended the population of the city to 128,199 inhabitants and that of the urban area to 177,622, placing Annecy seventh in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Switching from the counts of Geneva's dwelling in the 13th century, to the counts of Savoy's in the 14th century, the city became Savoy's capital in 1434 during the Genevois-Nemours prerogative until 1659. Its role increased in 1536, during the Calvinist Reformation in Geneva, while the bishop took refuge in Annecy. Saint Francis de Sales gave Annecy its advanced Catholic citadel role known as Counter-Reformation. The annexation of Savoy merged the city to France in 1860.
Sometimes called "Venice of the Alps", this idyllic and touristic representation comes from the three canals and the Thiou river, which passes through the old city. The city experienced an industrial development in the 19th century with silk manufacturing. Some of its industrial legacy remains today with the headquarters of NTN-SNR bearings, Salomon and Dassault Aviation.
From the end of the 20th century, Annecy developed tourism around its lake summer facilities, winter resorts proximity and cultural attraction with its castle renovation and fine art museum opening in 1956 and the Animated Film Festival since 1963, hosted in Bonlieu's cultural centre. The municipal environmental policy managed to keep 40.3% of green spaces, and the city was awarded the "Golden Flower" in 2015, given to the nine most-flowered French cities.
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Annecy offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Annecy is located in Rhône-Alpes, France, Europe. The coordinates are 45.9088 latitude, 6.1257 longitude.
Annecy has a population of approximately 49,232 people, making it a town in France.
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Full driving guide for France8 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Europe's purest lake, a dazzling turquoise jewel framed by the French Alps and the charming pastel-hued old town of Annecy.
6 km · about 10 min drive
mountain pass
A 1,486 m pass between La Clusaz and Flumet with a tiny chapel at the summit and a postcard head-on view of Mont Blanc framed by alpine pastures.
27 km · about 30 min drive
mountain pass
A fearsome Jura mountain climb with four different approaches, all featuring extreme gradients up to 22% on narrow forest roads popular with cycling purists.
29 km · about 35 min drive
waterfall
Known as the 'Queen of the Alps,' this dramatic 90-meter double waterfall cascades down a cliff face in Haute-Savoie.
48 km · about 55 min drive
mountain pass
A 1,968 m Beaufortain pass whose road skirts the turquoise Lac de Roselend reservoir: one of the most photogenic climbs of the Tour de France and the Route des Grandes Alpes.
48 km · about 55 min drive
mountain pass
A challenging Tour de France climb in the Savoie Alps at 1993m, with long, winding approaches through pastoral valleys and dense forest.
56 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
The legendary Alpine resort town nestled at the foot of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest peak at 4,808 meters.
58 km · about 65 min drive
natural wonder
Western Europe's highest peak at 4,808 meters, a snow-capped giant straddling the French-Italian border in the Alps.
58 km · about 65 min drive
April to October
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