The Venice of the French Alps — where Europe's cleanest lake reflects a 12th-century island palace, flower-strewn canal bridges, and snow-capped peaks in a watercolour palette that photographers have called the most photogenic town in France
Annecy (130,000; metro 220,000) is an Alpine town in Haute-Savoie, gateway to Lake Annecy — one of the cleanest lakes in Europe, fed by alpine springs, clear to 12 metres and swimmable throughout summer. The Vieille Ville (Old Town) sits at the point where the lake drains into the Thiou River; its cobbled streets, flower-bedecked bridges, and the triangular Palais de l'Isle castle on a river island make it one of the most photographed towns in France. The Château d'Annecy commands the hillside above; paragliders land regularly in the old town square; Mont Blanc is visible on clear days from t…
Annecy was the capital of the County of Geneva (later annexed to Savoy) from the 13th century and grew around its lakeside castle and weekly market. The Protestant reformer John Calvin studied in Annecy in the 1530s — the city remained Catholic after the Reformation and became a base for Counter-Reformation activity, producing Saint Francis de Sales (1567–1622), the Bishop of Geneva-in-exile who is the patron saint of journalists and writers. The region was part of the Duchy of Savoy until 1860, when a referendum delivered Savoy (along with Nice) to France under Napoleon III in exchange for F…