Annecy – my top tips for a weekend at Lac d’Annecy

Less than 40 kilometres from the Swiss border, Lac d’Annecy is not only one of the largest lakes in France, but also a charming Alpine town on its shores. Annecy boasts a privileged location and offers the perfect combination of savoir-vivre and nature experiences. If that’s not an excellent destination for a weekend trip!

These were my thoughts in January 2020. And now – exactly two years after this weekend trip to Annecy should have taken place, we are finally on our way to the capital of the Haute-Savoie region. In spring 2020, we did not cancel the accommodations that had already been booked or did not demand the return of the deposits that had long since been made, but had them deposited as credit for a later date. After all, our timing at the second attempt is perfectly matched to the wonderful spring weather. And yes: the bright blue sky suits Annecy particularly well!

Stroll through the pretty alleys of the old town, linger in the Jardin de l’Europe, pedal around Lake Annecy by bike, climb one of the many peaks around the lake or enjoy a fine meal – in Annecy, connoisseurs and active people alike get their money’s worth. Where you can dine particularly finely, sleep well and enjoy the best view, you can find out in the following lines with my top tips.

1. Take a stroll through the streets of Annecy’s old town

On market days, the cobblestone streets of Annecy’s old town are full of life. The weekly market takes place all year round on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and is a paradise for those who want to stock up on local delicacies (especially cheese!). But we don’t immediately plunge into the hustle and bustle, but examine the pretty old town scenery with the “Château“, the former prison “Palais de l’Isle“, the pastel-colored stone houses and the Thiou flowing calmly in between from the Quai Eustache Chappuis. Then we follow the northern, narrow quay upstream to Rue de la République. Here, one restaurant lines the other – the majority of them, I think, fall into the category of “classic tourist traps“.

The more promising eateries are hidden in the old town alleys south of the Thiou. It’s best to let yourself drift through the alleys by your nose. In any case, include a detour to the castle high up in your city tour. It should be noted that the castle closes for two hours at noon (from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.) and during this time the viewing platform is not accessible. Alternatively, there are also one or two beautiful views over the rooftops of the old town from the Escalier du Château.

2. Stop for lunch at the Conza restaurant

Despite the many places to stop for refreshments and the fact that you can also eat well at the market, we reserved a table for lunch in advance. Luckily! The Conza restaurant is inconspicuously located in the façades of the Faubourg Sainte Claire.

However, the owner couple Sandra & Léo do not have to draw attention to themselves loudly and shrillly, but prefer to convince their guests with fresh, creative market cuisine at a fair price (3-course menu for 34 euros). Alternatively, we noticed the Vinistrot on the Rue Perrière during the tour.

3. Spend a few hours in the Jardin de l’Europa

Actually, we wanted to make a stop at an ice cream parlor on the way from the old town to the Jardin de l’Europe after lunch. If the quality of the ice cream shops can be deduced from the length of the queue in front of them, then “Glacier des Alpes” would be in first place – closely followed by the “Ice Palace“. However, since the three-course lunch menu at Conza turned out to be more sumptuous than expected, I have to pass at this point with an effectively tested judgment. With or without ice cream, a picnic blanket or a book, the Jardin de l’Europe is definitely worth a stop on sunny days. The picturesque park is located directly on the shores of Lake Annecy. The so-called “Pont des Amours“, which is one of Annecy’s most popular photo spots, connects the Jardin de l’Europe with “Le Pâquier” – another extensive park in Annecy.

4. Pedal around Lake Annecy by bike

Even though Annecy, with around 130,000 inhabitants, is not a small town by Swiss standards, the old town centre, which is well worth seeing, is comparatively compact. The sights of Annecy can be counted on one hand and you can easily visit most of them within one day. This leaves enough time to explore the surroundings. And it’s just as worth seeing as Annecy itself.

One of the most popular activities is the so-called “Tour de Lac d’Annecy“. The bike tour leads in almost 40 kilometers on a mostly flat route once around Lake Annecy. The route is mostly off-road on separately guided cycle paths. However, there are also sections where the bikes are guided on the road due to the limited space available – which is definitely not pleasant! On the way, you can admire the magnificent mountain scenery from all angles.

If you feel like going on a bike tour, it’s best to ask your accommodation first if free rental bikes are offered. Alternatively, there are various bike rental stations in Annecy (e.g. Cyclable Vieille Ville).

5. Stop at the Auberge du Père Bise

Around Lake Annecy there are some great accommodations in the immediate vicinity of the lake. The Auberge du Père Bise in Talloires has more than 100 years of hospitality tradition. From 1903 onwards, the Bise family managed guests here. As early as 1937, the Auberge du Père Bise was considered a gourmet restaurant, and in 1951 Marguerite Bise was awarded three stars in the Michelin Guide.

After being run by the Bise family for over a century, Maison Père Bis passed into the hands of Magali and Jean Sulpice in 2017. They invested in a “rejuvenation cure” and even if the Auberge du Père Bise looks rustic at first glance, it presents itself as contemporary fresh inside. A highlight – in addition to the fantastic location with lake access – is the great spa with an indoor pool under homely beams as well as an outdoor jacuzzi, sauna and steam bath.

6. Book a table at the Jean Sulpice restaurant

At the Auberge du Père Bise, you can stop for lunch or spend a whole weekend. We opted for an intermediate option and checked in for one night. Of course, not without reserving a table at the Jean Sulpice restaurant – the hotel’s two-Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant. Jean Sulpice from Savoyard earned his first Michelin star at the young age of 26. Before taking over Auberge du Père Bise in 2017, he ran a 2-star restaurant in Val Thorens.

Jean Sulpice focuses entirely on local products and a variety of herbs in his menu creations. The menu is surprisingly light, fresh and reduced (without being “too reduced”) even by French standards, and thus meets my taste exactly.

You can choose from a tasting menu with 6 or 8 courses (à 235 / 275 euros). Cheaper (but certainly also excellent quality) is the second restaurant of the house – the 1903. There, a 3-course menu costs 59 euros.

7. Take a nice circular walk to the Belvédère du Roc de Chère

The slightly longer stopover in Talloires is worthwhile not only because of the culinary delights (the breakfast at the Auberge Père Bise is also excellent), but also because of the opportunity to explore the surrounding nature on foot. From the Auberge du Père Bise, an entertaining two-hour circular hike leads through the “Roc de Chère” nature reserve. Due to its ecological diversity, the small forest area has had a protected status since 1977. Here on this sun-drenched, wind-protected and topographically steeply rising slope edge, two different plant worlds meet – the alpine flora and the Mediterranean flora. The hike then leads gradually from the lakeshore up the limestone slopes to the “plateau”, which is almost 150 metres higher. In addition to the diverse flora and fauna, you can of course also marvel at the fantastic panorama on the way.

The ascent has one or two steeper passages in store. Good footwear is therefore mandatory!

8. Stroll through the Bout du lac d’Annecy nature reserve

At the southern end of Lake Annecy, there is another nature reserve to explore: the Réserve naturelle nationale du Bout du Lac d’Annecy. There are hardly any meters of altitude here – only those who want to enjoy the view from the old fortress tower have to overcome a few steps. The walking paths through the nature reserve can therefore also be mastered to a large extent with a pram or with older people who are no longer quite so “sprightly” on foot. For a round through the nature reserve – at a leisurely pace – about an hour is to be calculated.

By the way, right next to the nature reserve there are two campsites with lake access.

9. Admire the sunset from La Maison Bleue

After our first gastronomic stopover at the Auberge du Père Bise, we chose another special culinary “stop” for the second night. In what is now “La Maison Bleue” in Veyrier-du-Lac, Marc Veyrat once cooked, who was the first chef to be awarded the highest score (20 out of 20 points) by Gault Millau. In 2010, the Breton Yoann Conte took over the business and gave it his very own signature. La Maison Bleue is smaller than Auberge Père Bise. In addition to the room, the restaurant area and the outdoor terrace, there is also an outdoor sauna, a jacuzzi and the lake as a swimming opportunity (also possible in March – I tested it). But what both accommodations can score 100% with is the view of the magical sunsets behind the hills of Lake Annecy.

10. Bei Yoann Conte am Lac d’Annecy dinieren

While in my opinion a stay at the Auberge du Père Bise is worthwhile regardless of the restaurant reservation at the Jean Sulpice restaurant, I would recommend an overnight stay at La Maison Bleue only in combination with a dinner at the 2-star restaurant “La Table de Yoann Conte”. Here, too, “sur place” offers an alternative to fine dining with “Le Roc”.

The tasting menu at Yoann Conte is not a series of excellent dishes, but effectively a through-composed experience for the senses of taste and smell. And if the wine accompaniment is worthwhile anywhere – it’s here! It is also special that Yoann Conte does not “entrench” himself in the kitchen, but walks casually back and forth between the tables throughout the evening and chats with the guests. At first I was irritated by it, or rather it seemed incredibly arrogant to me. But in the course of the evening I had to revise my first impression.

Menu prices vary and can be viewed on the website. At least 300 euros per person must be calculated. The number of courses and ingredients are not listed in advance because, as Yoann Conte explains to us, this would limit the kitchen crew too much. He prefers to use fresh, deliverable or (in his own garden) products and not to have to “run” after the products listed on a menu.

11. Enjoy the view of Annecy from the Col des Sauts

From Veyrier-du-Lac you can also go on various hikes. A veritable altitude training is offered by the ascent to Mont Baron. For this purpose, almost 700 meters of altitude have to be overcome from the lakeshore to the disused cable car station. If you are travelling by car and could save a few metres in altitude, you can drive up to the hikers’ car park at the “Col du Pré Vernet” via a winding, tarred forest road that is partly covered with potholes and from there head for the “Col des Sauts” viewpoint on foot. The round trip takes 60 to 90 minutes. The ascent is quite steep and leads over stony, rooted terrain. I recommend good footwear here as well. In terms of views, however, this entertaining tour is definitely worth it!

Practical tips for your trip to Annecy

• Annecy is part of the binational Léman Express rail network and can be reached from Geneva in just under 90 minutes by train (journey from Zurich to Annecy takes 4:44 h by train with 1x change). The villages around Lake Annecy are accessible by bus. You can check the connections on the website of the SIBRA (Transports urbains de l’agglomération d’Annecy).
• If you are going to Annecy by car, I recommend heading for the centrally located Parking Bonlieu. This is located within walking distance of the old town.
• In my opinion, a visit to Annecy is particularly recommended in spring and autumn. But a detour to Annecy can also be worthwhile in summer, as there are also more alpine peaks waiting to be explored around the lake (which are definitely still snow-covered in spring).
• Another special feature of Annecy is the Venetian Carnival. This has been held annually since 1996 on the weekend after Shrove Tuesday.
• Both the Auberge du Père Bise and the Maison Bleue are member properties of Relais & Châteaux. Overnight rates start at 300 (Maison Bleue) or 320 (Père Bise) euros. If you are planning your visit during the week, check the restaurant opening hours in advance. The Michelin-starred restaurants are not open every day of the week.
• Le Clos des Sens is another outstanding Michelin-starred restaurant (3 Michelin stars) in the immediate vicinity of Annecy. In 2020 we also had a reservation here. At the moment (at least the restaurant) seems to be booked almost all the time.