An island prison, a castle on the hill, a lake by electric boat

Annecy's old town is a short tangle of canals between the castle and the lake, all walkable from Sainte-Claire. The lake is the rest of the day, and I'd do it without the car.

1. Start at the Palais de l'Île

The Palais de l'Île sits on an island in the Thiou, and its oldest parts are 12th-century. It's closed on Tuesdays. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month from October to May; the next one listed is 6 December 2026.

2. Climb to the castle for the roofs

The Château d'Annecy was home to the counts of Geneva and has held a museum since 1956. It shares the free first Sundays, and the view over the roofs is the reason I'd climb.

3. Cross the lake on Le Savoie

The Compagnie des Bateaux's all-electric Le Savoie runs as a bus on the water to Sévrier, Duingt, Talloires and Menthon, and takes bikes if you book. The office is at 2 place aux Bois.

4. Take the 20 to La Brune beach

In July and August Sibra's line 20 runs along the east shore and stops at Barattes for Plage de la Brune. It's the normal bus fare.

5. Reach Talloires by water this autumn

The east-shore road through Talloires is shut 24 hours a day until 18 December 2026 for rockfall work. That makes the boat the obvious way in.

6. Ride the S4 up the Semnoz

From 1 July to 31 August line S4 climbs from Annecy station to the Semnoz every day, and a mountain bike rides for €6. I'd take it rather than drive the hairpins.

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Reblochon, féra and three market mornings

1. Shop Rue Sainte-Claire on a Tuesday

The old-town market runs Sunday, Tuesday and Friday, 07:00–13:00. Tuesday is the food day; Friday and Sunday add clothes.

2. Do Saturday on boulevard Taine

The boulevard Taine market is a Saturday food market, 07:00–13:00. Park underground at Bonlieu, not on the boulevard.

3. Eat tartiflette once

Reblochon, potato, lardons and onion in one dish. It's the Savoyard default on every menu here; one portion is enough for the trip.

4. Ask where the féra was caught

Féra is the lake whitefish on Annecy menus. I'd ask where it came from before ordering it.

5. Take diots and a Reblochon home

Diots are Savoyard sausages, usually cooked in white wine. With a Reblochon from the market they're the picnic.

The market is where I'd eat; the lakefront terraces are where you pay for the view.

Christmas by the canals, animation in June, fireworks in August

1. Plan December around the market

The Christmas market runs from 29 November 2026 to 4 January 2027, according to the departmental tourist board. Park at a P+R on weekends.

2. Book June early for animation

The International Animation Film Festival ran 21–27 June 2026. The 2027 dates aren't published yet; book rooms as soon as they are.

3. Skip the car for the Fête du Lac

The 2026 lake festival and fireworks were on Saturday 1 August. For 2027 only "August" is out. Lawn tickets in 2026 ran from €9 at the Marquisats to €18 on the Pâquier, as listed.

The herds come down from the alpine pastures in October; the 2027 date isn't published.

Savoy's capital, Geneva's bishops, French since 1860

1. Credit Savoy, not France

The counts of Savoy took Annecy in 1401, and it was Savoy's capital from 1434 to 1659.

2. Thank Calvin for the bishops

When Geneva turned Protestant, its bishopric moved to Annecy in 1535. Francis de Sales was bishop here from 1602 to 1622.

3. Count it French only since 1860

Savoy went to France under the Treaty of Turin in 1860, and Annecy became capital of Haute-Savoie. In 2017 it swallowed five neighbouring communes.