Day 2. Annecy: Venice of the Alps & Lake Annecy Guide

Annecy is a stunning French Alpine town known as the "Venice of the Alps" for its crystal-clear canals, colorful medieval buildings, and mountainous setting, centered around the crystal clear water of Lake Annecy. We spent two wonderful days here during our travels.

On dusk walking the canals in Annecy

Arriving in the Heat: Geneva to Annecy

We landed in Geneva after an easy 7 hour flight from Dubai, and the moment we stepped outside it was humid and very warm, like we’d stepped into a Queensland summer. Mid‑thirties heat in Annecy wasn't heard of as we were expecting mid twenties and dressed for it. Anyway can't complain, it could have been wet and windy as we waited now for our BlaBlaBus to Annecy.
When planning our trip we talked about taking the train, but there was too much juggling around with connections and around three hours getting there wasn't appealing. The bus ended up being better quick and simple, and before we knew it we were getting off at Annecy station. From there, it was just a five‑minute walk to our accommodation in the old town.

What I hadn’t remembered was that the apartment sat on the third floor with no lift. Sixty-six  spiraling steps later we reached the door with our bags, our legs were aching, but there was still another bag at the bottom and Leanne looked in no hurry to get it.

Flowers adorning the windows in old Annecy

The Sixty-Six Steps and a Studio with Character and Charm

Inside it opened into a spacious, beautifully decorated studio apartment—full of character yet comfortable enough for the two of us. A full kitchen, small dining area made it practical, while its location in the old town meant everything was at our doorstep and the lake just a short walk away.

After unpacking, we set off to explore. We wandered through narrow cobblestoned streets, eventually making our way down to the lake. The day was hot, tourists crowded the cafés, and verandahs offered just enough shade to escape the sun.

One of the many bridges in Annecy

Annecy itself is breathtaking—a village perched on Lac d’Annecy (Lake Annecy), framed by the Alps, which must look magical under winter snow. Cobblestone lanes and 13th-century buildings line every street, while arched bridges draped with flower baskets create a picture-perfect setting. Settled around 3400 BC and later part of the Roman Empire by 1 BC, its history is easy to imagine as you stroll along the canals.

Busier than I expected, the crowds weren't too bad and at the lake, large trees provided generous shade, with couples and families relaxing on the grass, admiring the Alps across the water

Lake Annecy

The "Leopard Seal" Incident

The day was humid and hot, so I told Leanne that I was going for a swim in the lake. We walked around the lake a little to where I saw people swimming, as most other areas were filled with small paddle boats with slippery slides hanging off them, families enjoying their day out on the water, and couples sitting under the canopy of large trees in the park that lined the lake, all trying to keep cool.

There is a stone wall that forms the bank of the lake, so it’s about a four‑foot drop before you actually get into the water. You have to sit and slide yourself in (why wouldn’t they put in ladders?). Of course, people watch as you contemplate your fate like previous swimmers must have faced. So as I dropped into the water—CRUNCH—straight onto jagged stones. With gritted‑teeth, I waded out toward the middle as though everything was fine and nothing had happened. People couldn’t see the pain on my face, and my feet were anxiously patting around searching for sand of some sort. When I finally reached an area with minimal rocks, I submerged ever so gracefully and screamed out a bunch of swear words until I’d exhausted my lungs of oxygen, only to re‑emerge like nothing had happened. I swallowed the pain and swam around the lake for a good while, admiring the views around me. The water was perfect for swimming, and I was surprised by how warm it was.

Getting out was going to prove more difficult than getting in, as I needed to climb this galvanised structure that took you from the water to the footpath. I kept looking for a ladder of some sort—which would make perfect sense in this ideal setting—but I guess this structure of steel and bolts was it.

I watched kids scrambling up it like playful monkeys, all while I circled like a shark with mathematics running through my head, but no formula came to mind for how to get out. I circled again as a few more teenagers scurried up this dangerous structure that didn't make any sense why it was here, when I suddenly stopped—behold, a lady around my age and size was about to attempt her fate. Good. I watched as she placed her foot on a narrow piece of submerged, angled steel and grabbed another piece above her head while lifting herself up. Then another step with the other foot, a twist of her body for another handhold… and then her husband or boyfriend quickly rushed over, clearly seeing she wasn’t going to make it. He grabbed her by both arms and hoisted her onto the footpath, where she flopped like a squid, rolled sideways, got to her knees and walked away. I was amused and started giggled to myself—as this was going to be me!

I circled one last time, wondering if, when I got myself into this predicament like the lady before me, Leanne would come and lend me a hand. I shook the thought from my mind because I could see her on a park bench in the distance, admiring the views. I was on my own. I approached the structure as though I’d done this many times before. The lady before me had the right idea, and there was no graceful way to do this unless you were a teenager—and not a 61‑year‑old, ever‑so‑slightly overweight man.

So I followed her exact moves which I had memorised, One last toehold with the left foot and I'm out of the water, where I throw myself belly‑first onto the path, and immediately look up and lock eyes with passersby.

There I was, like a leopard seal floundering on the banks of Lake Annecy, but I had done it, and I was proud as I—the seal—stood upright and made my way to Leanne, who was immersed in her nature study. I didn’t care, I was the chicken‑strip boy from Oz.

Busker on the Pont des Amours bridge

Day 3 in Annecy: Pastries, Baguettes, and Canals (13th August)

We wanted an early start to capture some photos of this lovely village before the tourists arrived, so by 7:30 we were out of bed and strolling the cobblestone streets all while beating both the crowds and the morning heat. The canals and streets looked their best in the morning light, everything looked so clean and new. After numerous photos, we seemed to have aimlessly wandered into the newer part of Annecy. There, we found a café just opening its doors and the aromas of fresh pastries filled the small street while customers were lining up for their morning pastries and espressos. We quickly claimed a bench seat and table out front and had a simple breakfast too, pastries and coffee—and I have to admit, the coffee was slightly better than what we'd had in Dubai

Palais de I'Île

Leanne downloaded an audio tour of Annecy, which promised detailed descriptions of the famous or interesting sights. It didn’t last very long and we’d already explored most of the town and ended up going back over the same sights, and at eight euros it wasn’t really worth it. Before arriving we had tried to book a free walking city tour, but unfortunately the only available day, which was today, wasn’t in English.

By mid-morning we’d seen most of what we wanted and the crowds were beginning to gather. Restaurants and little cafés were filling up fast, so we headed to the famous Annecy boulangerie, La Fermette. Leanne had discovered this place when researching our trip and we'd been looking forward to a proper French baguette—a crusty foot-long roll, soft inside, filled with Jamón, creamy French cheese, lettuce, tomato, and olive oil infused with herbs. It's as though fifty other people had the same idea. Now I'm not one to wait in line and was getting itchy feet to find another, however I persevered and held ground, the line was moving quick enough and soon we were at the counter placing an order. At just six euros (AU$10.50), it was delicious and absolutely worth the wait.

Young locals artist and their view

Later in the day we stopped at a local bar at the northern end of the village, that had seating under massive oak trees along the canal, we rested our legs and enjoyed a couple of ice cold drinks. The canal was opposite and had a gravel walkway that led to the water, from here people sat on a small brick wall and dangled their legs in the crystal clear water, while some took their dogs for a swim.

Dining in Annecy: Bream, Pork, and Cigarette Smoke

That evening we dined at a lovely French restaurant nearby called Brasserie l’Abbaye. I ordered a pork cutlet with mushrooms, salad, and chips, while Leanne enjoyed grilled bream with vegetables. Both meals were very nice and went well with stale cigarette smoke wafting in from the patrons outside at their tables. I still can’t get used to Europeans smoking while having a meal but apparently it’s perfectly normal. Another thing I’ve noticed with their meals: Europeans don’t go overboard with sides. In Australia we tend to pile on as much as possible. If I had ordered a pork cutlet at home, it would have a large serving of mash potatoes, gravy, peas and probably dice carrots all overlapping the sides of the plate. But here, the plating up feels more restrained, you might call—simplistic.

It was time for a drink, it was 12 O'clock somewhere

Annecy truly shines at night. Walking along dimly lit paths that crisscross the canals was a highlight. The amber glow of the street lamps and their reflections on the water, people chatting, and shops opening for the evening—it all brought this storybook village to life.

Annecy was the perfect launching pad to spend a few days unwinding before continuing our trip toward the Alps. We highly recommend it and August is the ideal month, though this summer was unusually warm, keeping the temperatures a little higher than expected.

Photos Canal du Vassé in Annecy