Annecy or Marseille?

Marseille offers far more for swimmers. There are the broad Prado beaches for an easy family day, the Catalans and the Corniche inlets for a quick dip, and above all the turquoise Calanques, which feel like a small expedition. The Frioul islands add more coves, though the mistral can chill the water overnight.

Annecy has no sea, but its lake is clean and clear, and in high summer it gets about as warm as the Mediterranean. Bathing here means grassy lawns, jetties and small village beaches at Talloires or Menthon, and the season really lasts only from late June to early September.

Marseille gives you more range at the table. Bouillabaisse in a Corniche fishing harbour is the set-piece meal, while panisses, wood-fired pizza and North African bakeries keep everyday eating varied. The spice shops and market of Noailles and the morning fish sellers on the Vieux-Port show a port city fed from all round the Mediterranean.

Annecy cooks for the mountains: fondue, tartiflette, raclette and lake char, with Savoie whites to drink. The old-town markets are the highlight and a few lakeside tables at Talloires and Veyrier aim high, but the choice is narrow and melted cheese can feel heavy in July.

The gap here is wide. Marseille is the oldest city in France and spreads its heritage across a working city: the hilltop basilica, the port forts, the MuCEM, the lanes of Le Panier, the crypts of Saint-Victor and the Château d'If. That fills several days.

Annecy's appeal is the picture rather than the depth. The canals, the arcades and the island-bound Palais de l'Isle are lovely, and the château museum covers Alpine life, but an unhurried day sees most of it.

Marseille is the place to go out. Cours Julien and La Plaine fill with graffiti-covered bars, small music venues and pavement tables until late, and warehouse electronic nights and summer rooftop parties give it a club side. Some central streets feel edgy late at night, so a taxi home is sensible.

Annecy's evenings are a drink on a canal-side terrace or by the lake. Students keep a few bars open later, but outside summer the town is quiet by midnight.

Both have outstanding landscapes, but Annecy has the edge because the mountains work in every season. Trails to Mont Veyrier and the Semnoz start from town, paragliders launch from the Col de la Forclaz, the lake suits kayaks and sailing, and in winter the Aravis ski slopes and Mont Blanc are close.

Marseille's strength is the Calanques national park within the city limits, with white limestone ridges, famous sport climbing, sea kayaking and diving around Riou. Summer heat and fire closures cut into the walking season, so spring and autumn suit it best.

Marseille is the stronger base. Aix-en-Provence and Cassis are close, Arles and Avignon are easy by train, and the Luberon villages, Les Baux and the Pont du Gard fill longer days, so a week could be spent on Provence alone.

Annecy's outings lean towards lakes and mountains: Geneva and its museums, Chamonix under Mont Blanc, Chambéry, Yvoire on Lake Geneva and the spas of Évian and Aix-les-Bains. Lyon is possible but makes for a long day.

Annecy is the more relaxed choice with children. Its small, flat old town, lakefront parks, pedal boats, the shoreline cycle path and mountain treetop courses make simple, safe days, though July and August crowds can wear everyone out.

Marseille works best if you stay near the south. The Prado beaches, Parc Borély and boat trips to the Château d'If please children, but steep streets, traffic and noise make the centre tiring. Neither city has a major zoo or theme park.

Both are manageable, in different ways. Annecy is compact: station, old town and lake are a short walk apart, a bike path runs down the western shore and summer boats link the villages, but trailheads and Chamonix really call for a car.

Marseille has metro and tram lines and small ferries across the Vieux-Port and out to the beaches. Its sprawl over hills and bays means slow buses to the Calanques and driving in the centre is stressful.

Neither is a fashion destination, but Marseille offers more to browse. Green cubes of Marseille soap, santon figures from Le Panier workshops and the fabrics and teas of Noailles make good souvenirs, and Rue Paradis and La Joliette cover the chains.

In Annecy the best buys are edible: Savoyard cheese, sausage, génépi and honey from the markets. Rue Sainte-Claire adds cutlery and outdoor gear, and for anything more serious people go to Geneva.

Marseille is the easier place on the wallet. Street food from Noailles, pizza and market snacks are cheap, transport costs little and several museums charge modest entry, though rooms by the port rise sharply in summer.

Annecy charges resort rates in summer, and its closeness to Geneva keeps prices up all year. The lake, parks and trails cost nothing, and a self-catering apartment out of season helps a great deal.

Marseille has the fuller stage. The art deco Opéra runs a real season, La Criée stages serious drama in the old fish market and the Friche la Belle de Mai mixes dance and concerts. The city also has deep roots in French hip-hop and world music, with the Fiesta des Suds in autumn.

Annecy rests on Bonlieu, a respectable national stage for theatre, dance and circus, plus summer classical concerts and the August fireworks of the Fête du Lac. For opera you have to go to Geneva or Lyon.

Annecy is better for switching off, mostly because of its pace: slow lake mornings, long lunches in the villages and calm hotel spas around Talloires. Proper thermal bathing is close at hand in Aix-les-Bains and Saint-Gervais.

Marseille offers a few neighbourhood hammams and hotel spas in a loud, dense city. Its quiet moments are a long harbour lunch on the Corniche.