Annecy

Annecy has no sea, but in summer its lake does much the same job. Lake Annecy is one of the cleanest lakes in Europe, clear and green-blue, and by July the surface water reaches about 22-24°C. Within town, the Albigny and Marquisats beaches are grassy lawns with short strips of shingle and jetties. Around the shore, Sevrier, Menthon-Saint-Bernard, Talloires and Doussard have small village beaches.

The season is short. Swimming really works from late June to early September, and outside that window the water is cold and the beaches empty. On hot weekends the lawns fill early. People come for a summer of lake bathing, not a sand-and-surf beach vacation.

The cooking here is Savoyard, built for cold evenings: tartiflette, fondue, raclette and croziflette, made with Reblochon, Tomme and Abondance from the surrounding valleys. The lake gives féra and Arctic char, usually served pan-fried with butter. Savoie whites such as Apremont and Chignin go with both. Market mornings in the old town fill the arcaded streets with cheese, charcuterie and produce stalls, and they are the best food experience in Annecy.

The old town's canal-side terraces mostly serve the same cheese-heavy menu to visitors, and the quality varies. Better cooking is found in the lakeside villages, including some acclaimed gastronomic tables at Talloires and Veyrier. Beyond regional food the range is narrow, and in summer the melted cheese can feel out of season.

Annecy's main sight is the old town itself. Arcaded streets and pastel houses line the Thiou and Vassé canals, and the Palais de l'Isle, a twelfth-century fortified house on an island in the river that once served as a prison, is one of the most photographed buildings in France. Above it stands the Château d'Annecy, the former seat of the Counts of Geneva, which holds a museum of regional art, Alpine life and the lake. Smaller sights include the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre and the hilltop Basilica of the Visitation.

The heritage is charming but small, and an unhurried day covers it. The town is also known for its international animation film festival.

Evenings in Annecy mean a drink on a canal-side terrace in the old town or a glass of wine by the lake after dinner. A few pubs, wine bars and cocktail bars stay open later, helped by a student population, and there are one or two small clubs. In summer the lakefront and old town are lively until late. For the rest of the year the town is quiet by midnight, and serious going out means a trip to Geneva or Lyon.

Mountains rise straight from the shores of Lake Annecy, and this is the town's real strength. Trails climb from the edge of town to Mont Veyrier and Mont Baron for views over the whole lake. The Semnoz, the Parmelan and the Tournette offer longer days of mountain hiking, and the Bauges regional park lies to the south. The Col de la Forclaz above Talloires is one of the great paragliding launch sites in Europe, and on a fine day the sky over the lake fills with canopies.

A flat cycle path follows the old railway along the western shore, and road cyclists come for the Alpine passes. The lake is ideal for paddleboarding, kayaking, rowing and sailing. In winter the Aravis resorts of La Clusaz and Le Grand-Bornand are under an hour away, and the Mont Blanc massif is within easy reach for a day.

Geneva is under an hour by road, with its lakefront, old town and international museums. Chambéry, the old capital of the Dukes of Savoy, and the lakeside spa town of Aix-les-Bains are each a short train ride south. Chamonix is about an hour and a quarter by car and makes a full day out in a mountaineering town under Mont Blanc.

Closer to home, the lake villages of Talloires and Menthon-Saint-Bernard are easy outings, the latter with its fairy-tale château. The medieval flower village of Yvoire on Lake Geneva and the spa town of Évian are about an hour away. Lyon, one of the great food cities of France, is about two hours away and makes a long but rewarding day.

Annecy is an easy, safe town for a family. The old town is small and flat enough for pushchairs on most streets, and the lakefront parks, Le Pâquier and the Jardins de l'Europe, have space to run around. In summer, children are happy with the lake beaches, pedal boats, lake cruises and the flat cycle path along the shore. Nearby mountains add summer toboggan runs, gentle walks and treetop adventure courses.

What Annecy lacks is attractions made for children: there is no zoo, aquarium or theme park of note. Outside summer the lake loses much of its appeal for children, and in July and August the crowds on the beaches and in the old town can be tiring.

Within town, Annecy is easy: the old town, the lakefront and the station are all within a short walk of each other, and local buses fill the gaps. Bikes are a natural way to explore, with a dedicated path running along the western shore to the south end of the lake, and lake boats link several shore villages in summer.

Beyond the lake the picture changes. Buses do reach the villages and the Aravis resorts, but trailheads, mountain passes and outings such as Chamonix are far simpler by car, and many visitors who come for the mountains hire one. Summer traffic around the lake can be heavy.

Shopping in Annecy is mostly about food and small pleasures. On market days the old town fills with stalls, and Savoyard cheeses, sausages, génépi and local honey are the things worth carrying home. Rue Sainte-Claire and the streets around it mix independent boutiques, cutlery and kitchenware shops and outdoor gear with plenty of souvenir shops. The newer town centre has the usual French chains. There is no luxury street or design scene to speak of, so serious shoppers head to Geneva.

Annecy is an expensive town for its size. In summer, lakeside hotels and old-town rooms fill up and charge resort rates, and being close to wealthy Geneva keeps prices high all year. Eating out costs what it does in prosperous French resorts. Much of what visitors come for is free, though: the lake beaches, the parks, the cycle path and the mountain trails. Shoulder seasons and self-catering apartments make a stay noticeably easier on the budget.

Bonlieu, the town's national stage by the lake, is the centre of performing arts in Annecy. Through the season it runs a year-round programme of contemporary theatre, dance, circus and concerts, which is respectable for a town of this size. Summer brings a classical music festival and outdoor concerts, and the Fête du Lac in August puts on a large fireworks show over the water. Opera, major orchestras and a regular jazz or live-music circuit mean a trip to Geneva or Lyon.

Annecy is good for unwinding, mainly because of its pace: mornings by the water, slow lunches in lake villages and quiet evenings. Spa culture is limited to hotel spas, several of them in calm lakeside settings around Talloires and Veyrier, and the town has no public baths of its own. For real thermal bathing, the historic spa town of Aix-les-Bains is a short trip south, and the thermal baths at Saint-Gervais at the foot of Mont Blanc are about an hour away. In July and August the crowds make the town noticeably less calm.