Looking for day trips from Geneva we took a trip to to the beautiful city of Annecy often referred to as the Venice of the north.
Annecy lies about 35 kms from Geneva on the edge of Lake Annecy (Lac d’Annecy), France’s third largest lake and supposedly it’s cleanest. The Lake is fed from an underground aquifer and a number of alpine rivers so the water is crystal clear. The lake is ringed by mountains so it’s quite picturesque.
The city of Annecy has an enchanting old section which lies below the walls of the Château d’Annecy astride the Thiou river. Cafe’s and restaurants line the edge of the river and in the centre connected by small bridges is the boat shaped Palais de l’Isle. The tiny castle in the middle of the river has been an administrative headquarters, a courthouse, a mint, and a prison in former times. Around the area are lots of clothes boutiques, charcuteries, boulangeries, bars, restaurants and cafe’s. Such a picturesque area, Annecy with its rivers and canals has been described as the Venice of the Alps
Around Lake Annecy are lots of beautiful parks, cycle ways and walks. There’s also heaps of boats of all sizes offering all sorts of tours. The lake is about 14 km’s long. Around the lake are lots of small villages and towns including, Annecy-le-Vieux, Doussard, Duingt, Lathuile, Menthon-Saint-Bernard, Saint-Jorioz, Sevrier, Talloires, and Veyrier-du-Lac. The little villages are great places to stop and have a coffee or drink, take a photo or just enjoy the view. With the mountains in the background it’s a beautiful ride around the lake.
