4 Perfect Days in Annecy

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Quick Takes

  • 🏔️ Do a hike. Even short trails (like up to Église Saint-Bernard de Menthon) deliver unreal views.
  • 🚲 Book e-bikes early. If your hotel offers free ones, reserve ASAP, they go fast.
  • 🛶 Plan a full water day. Boat, kayak, or sail, Annecy is best from the lake.
  • 🍴 Michelin scene is strong. If fine dining is your thing, make reservations in advance, summer books up.
  • 🥖 Don’t sleep on simple eats. Sandwich + pastry + lake view = peak Annecy.
👉 Skip the story, take me to the Itinerary

Where to Stay in Annecy

Before my trip, I thought I had to stay walking distance from  Old Town Annecy, but that’s not exactly the case. You’ll only need one day to explore the old town itself, so don’t stress about being within walking distance of the canals.

Instead, pick a place that matches your travel style,  whether it’s a 5-star resort, a lakefront hotel, or a cozy Airbnb, and make sure there’s a nearby bus stop. Public transportation around Annecy is easy and reliable, so you can still get anywhere without needing a car.

We stayed at L’Imperial Palace, which had gorgeous lake views, a spa, and easy access to both town and nature. But there are plenty of other great options around the lake, especially if you’d rather wake up to the mountains or be closer to hiking trails.

Hotel

Day 1 – Arrival and Old Town

We took the train from Paris to Annecy, which was easy, scenic, and direct. From the station, we grabbed a taxi to our hotel (quick 10 minutes).

After checking in, we walked into Old Town Annecy,  about a 15-minute walk along flower-lined canals. It’s often called “the Venice of France”, but I think it’s better than Venice, Italy, cleaner, calmer, and surrounded by mountains instead of sinking gondolas.

We stopped every few minutes to take photos (and mini photo shoots, of course). For lunch, we went to La Fermette and had their famous baguette “rocket sandwich,” it was amazing.

After a few hours of exploring, we headed back to the hotel for the spa and sauna, watched the sunset over Lake Annecy, and had dinner at Bouillon Bernadette, a relaxed, inexpensive French spot outside the main tourist area. Great food and zero pretension.

Tip

  • 🥖 Grab lunch at La Fermette — the rocket sandwich is worth the hype (and cheap by Annecy standards).

Day 2 – Hiking and Talloires

We started the morning planning to hike Cascade d’Angon,  but we ended up doing our own route and wandered all the way to Saint Germain Church in Talloires, which was beautiful and quiet.

Tip: Don’t take a taxi — ours was €60 one way (painful). You can easily take Bus Line 20 toward GARE QUAI NORD, which is about €2 and super easy.

View from the Church

In Talloires, we found a Tennis Club overlooking the lake, a dream for tennis lovers like my friend Lauren (Talloires Tennis Club). So check it out if you want a tennis and lake vacation! The town itself is very cute, and well worth a stroll and looked to have some amazing restaurants. 

We took the bus back to Annecy, grabbed another sandwich (this time from Bouillon Bernadette, not as good as La Fermette), and walked through town again before heading to the sauna and spa.

Dinner that night was at La Brasserie at the hotel, it had a live singer and a beautiful view. 

Tip

  • 🚌 Skip the taxi — the bus to towns like Tailloires or Sain-Bernard, where you can start a hike from just a couple of euros and runs regularly.
  • 🍓 Pack snacks or grab coffee in town before heading out, once you’re on the trail, there’s not much nearby.

Day 3 – Castles and Boats

We started the day at Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard, a real-life fairytale castle perched above Lake Annecy. On certain days, it’s only open for private tours, which happened when we went, so we skipped the paid option and explored the grounds instead. If you’re planning to visit, check ahead for public tour days so you can see the inside.

From there, we wandered through nearby vineyards and took a short hike up to Église Saint-Bernard de Menthon. The trail is well-marked, not too difficult, and rewards you with gorgeous views of the lake and surrounding mountains.

View from the Vineyards below the Chateau

Then we headed back to Annecy for our boat ride around the lake, which we booked through L’Impérial Palace. The water is so clear it looks fake, and cruising past mountains and chalets felt straight out of a painting. This was our favorite part of the full trip. Make sure you get out on the lake if you can!

Dinner that night was at Le Riva, the hotel’s restaurant inside the casino. Walking through the casino to get to dinner was a bit bizarre, and unlike the hotel’s other restaurant, there’s no lake view. The food was just okay, definitely not the best Italian we had on the trip, and for the price, I’d skip it next time.

Tip

  • 🏰 Check opening hours for Château de Menthon-Saint-Bernard — some days are private tours only.
  • ⛴️ Book a boat tour, rent a sailboat, or kayak — you have to get out on the water while you’re in Annecy!

Day 4 – Biking Around Lake Annecy

We spent our last day exploring by electric bike (a must, the regular ones would’ve been brutal). We circled Lake Annecy, stopping in Talloires and Saint-Bernard-de-Menthon, each with its own postcard-perfect charm. 

We rented bikes from VĂŠlo-Golf Annecy (just a two-minute walk from our hotel). Heads-up: the hotel offers bikes for free, but they only have five, so if you go that route, book early.

We took the route along the lake for the views, but parts of it merge into car lanes, a little sketchy at times. The mountain-side path, on the other hand, has a full bike lane and feels much safer.

That evening, we had dinner at Le Chalet in town. Cozy atmosphere, great food, and the perfect spot to watch the sunset over the town.

Then we headed to Geneva for our flight the next morning. We had a car, so we drove (about 45 minutes), but you can also take public transport from Annecy to Geneva,  direct buses run every 45–50 minutes with tickets around €5–€10, or you can take the train to Paris, depending on where you’re flying out from.

🚴‍♀️ Tip

  • ⚡ Book e-bikes or your tour early if they’re included with your hotel, most properties only have a few available and they go fast.
  • 🚲 For postcard-perfect views, follow the lake route through Talloires and Saint-Bernard-de-Menthon, the scenery is unbeatable. But for a dedicated bike lanemountain side.

Dining in Annecy: Michelin Moments

Annecy punches way above its weight when it comes to fine dining, for a relatively small town, it has an impressive number of Michelin-starred restaurants. While I personally leaned into cozy local spots and lakeside views (and, okay, a lot of sandwiches 🥖), food lovers could easily plan an entire trip around the culinary scene here.

If you’re a foodie or just love a beautifully plated meal, here are a few standouts worth considering:

  • Le Clos des Sens (3⭐) – The culinary crown jewel of Annecy. This restaurant focuses on local, sustainable ingredients, think lake fish, herbs, and vegetables grown in their own garden. It’s elegant, artistic, and the kind of place you book months in advance. It is also a 5 star hotel! 

  • Auberge du Père Bise – Jean Sulpice (2⭐) – Located in Talloires right on the lake, this restaurant is as much about the view as the food. If I was going to pick one it would probably be this, when I passed it, it looked amazing and its a bike ride away from Annecy.  It is also another 5 star hotel!

  • Esquisse (1⭐) – A chic spot right in the heart of Annecy that’s perfect for modern fine dining without leaving town. Expect beautifully plated, creative dishes with seasonal ingredients and warm service.

If Michelin dining is your thing, Annecy is a perfect place to indulge. But honestly? The simple stuff,  raclette, pastries, and baguette sandwiches was just as memorable. Whether you’re sipping wine by the lake or grabbing a €6 sandwich from La Fermette, you’ll eat well here.

My Overall Recommendation: Where to Splurge and Where to Save

💸 Where to Splurge vs. Save (Annecy)

Splurge

  • 🏨 Lake-view stay. Pay extra for a balcony, Annecy is all about soaking up that scenery.
  • 🛶 Do something on the lake. Private boat, kayak, or sailing, seeing Annecy from the water is the highlight.
  • 🍽️ Treat yourself to one Michelin meal. If fine dining is your thing, Annecy delivers, remember to book ahead.

Save

  • 🥖 Picnic over pricey meals. Grab baguette sandwiches from La Fermette, cheap and delicious.
  • 🚲 Use bikes or public transport to reach Talloires and Saint-Bernard-de-Menthon instead of taxis.
  • 🥾 Go hiking (and pack snacks). The best views are free, save your euros for lake time.

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