A PLACE IN THE PLAN
The old-town canals
Follow the Thiou through the old-town lanes and past the Palais de l’Île.
See where it fits →FRANCE / ANNECY
Annecy Itinerary: 2 days
Canals beneath the windows. Mountains beyond the lake. A short stay with time to wander.
Explore Annecy’s old-town canals, the Palais de l’Île exterior and lakeshore gardens, with a possible market morning before travelling onward.
A trip from Alisha & MattPlanned with couples in mind.
Follow the water.
YOUR TIME2 days · 1 night
THE FOCUSCanals · old town · lakeshore
THE BASEBest Western Plus Carlton
THE PACEArrival + exploring + departure
THE EXPERIENCES TO BUILD A TRIP AROUND
Give these places their time
Let the canals lead you to the lake, with a night to enjoy the old town.
A PLACE IN THE PLAN
Pont des Amours & the gardens
Continue into the gardens and across to the lake-facing bridge.
See where it fits →A PLACE IN THE PLAN
Lake Annecy
Leave a little time at the water, with a boat outing as an optional addition.
See where it fits →GET TO KNOW THE PLACE
Take time for Annecy.
Follow the water.
Let the water lead the walk: old-town canals, the Palais de l’Île exterior, then gardens beside the lake. A market morning or boat outing can add to the stay. Neither needs to turn a pleasant overnight into a timetable exercise.
One night gives you an arrival afternoon and evening, then a morning before departure. Reach Annecy early enough for the walk; the lake outing and market depend on your actual arrival, season and weekday.
See how the route fits together ↘
COME ALONG WITH US
Annecy, beside the lake
Our trip footage is a look at the experience at the time. Use the guide for current planning advice.
Watch on YouTube ↗A LITTLE ORIENTATION
Get your bearings before setting out.
One night gives you an arrival afternoon and evening, then a morning before departure. Reach Annecy early enough for the walk; the lake outing and market depend on your actual arrival, season and weekday.
ROUTE DIAGRAM · NOT TO SCALEArrivalBest Western Plus Carlton
Old townCanals + Palais de l’Île
LakefrontJardins de l’Europe + Pont des Amours
Next morningMarket if operating + onward travel
2 DAYS · 1 NIGHT · A SEPARATE VISIT GUIDE
ON THE MAP
Your stops, on the map.
See where the stops sit, then open one for the day plan. Use the numbers to follow the guide; choose your walking route on a street map.
Explore the places in the list below.
Place coordinates: Wikidata , Wikipedia and © OpenStreetMap contributors. Geography: Natural Earth. Select a place for its source.
Your Annecy route and overnight stays
| Day | Route or focus | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ANNECY · ARRIVAL | Best Western Plus Carlton, Annecy. |
| 2 | ANNECY · DEPARTURE | Onward travel. |
THE PLAN
Your Annecy itinerary, day by day
Open a day for the stops and practical advice. Let the plan help you decide where to linger.
2 days · 1 nightA ROUTE TO MAKE YOUR OWN
ANNECY · THE ROUTE
DAY1From the canals to the lake.
ANNECY · ARRIVALChoose the main outing · keep alternatives separate
Settle in before starting a compact walk through the old town.
- Arrive and leave the bagsReach Best Western Plus Carlton and confirm room access or luggage storage. Plan the full transfer if arriving from Geneva Airport.
- Old-town canalsWalk the lanes around the Thiou and Palais de l’Île. Keep an interior visit separate if you want more than the exterior view.
- Jardins de l’Europe and Pont des AmoursContinue to the lakefront for the gardens and bridge. Leave time to sit beside the water.
- An optional lake outingA paddleboat or short boat outing fits only when weather, operating hours and your remaining daylight allow.
- Dinner in the old townChoose somewhere along the walk and return without another transfer.
WHERE YOU’LL SLEEP
Best Western Plus Carlton, Annecy.
DAY2A morning in the old town.
ANNECY · DEPARTUREExploring on foot · leave time to pause
Choose a market visit or one more canal walk before collecting bags.
- Market, if it is a market dayCheck the current old-town market calendar. If it is not operating, use the morning for breakfast and the lanes.
- One final lakeshore pauseKeep this close to the centre and within your departure time.
- Collect bags and continueCheck the current Annecy–Geneva or other onward connection, including local station transfers.
WHERE YOU’LL SLEEP
Onward travel.
GET TO KNOW THE PLACE
Things to See in Annecy
Get to know the main sights before putting them into your day. Open a card for the visit details and its place in the route.
ANNECY · ARRIVAL
The old-town canals
Follow the Thiou through the old-town lanes and past the Palais de l’Île.
Plan your visit
ANNECY · ARRIVAL
Pont des Amours & the gardens
Continue into the gardens and across to the lake-facing bridge.
Plan your visit
ANNECY · ARRIVAL
Lake Annecy
Leave a little time at the water, with a boat outing as an optional addition.
Plan your visit
MAKE ROOM FOR THISFollow the water.
Follow the water.
Then stop for a while.
The canals lead naturally toward the lakeshore gardens. Leave part of the afternoon for the view instead of turning every bridge into a timed stop.
A GOOD PLACE TO LAND
Find a base
that suits your days.
Start with where you want to spend the evening, then consider the next morning’s journey.
A BASE TO EXPLORE.
These are the overnight stops behind the plan. Ask about arrival time and bags before booking; a useful luggage arrangement can give you more of the day to explore.
A little preparation makes a better day.
Use the links below for current visitor information, then check the details with the people arranging your visit.
KNOW THE PACE BEFORE YOU GO
Make the day fit the visit
Let the canals lead you to the lake, with a night to enjoy the old town.
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Count the whole journey
The arrival transfer and hotel luggage arrangements determine the first afternoon. Keep the centre and lakefront as one walk.
WALKING & CHOICES
Choose the version you will enjoy
Canals, gardens and the bridge give you a complete visit. A lake outing needs another window, rather than replacing the unhurried walk.
BEFORE YOU SET THE DATES
What to arrange first
Set the arrival and onward connection first. Book a lake outing only when the weather and remaining time suit.
THE MAIN DECISION
Start with the parts that set the day
The arrival transfer and hotel luggage arrangements determine the first afternoon. Keep the centre and lakefront as one walk.
YOUR OWN BOOKINGS
Match the details to your visit
Use the linked visitor information for the sites and journeys you choose. Check arrival instructions, entry and any guide or transfer against your actual booking. Meals and optional outings depend on what you arrange.
PICK YOUR SEASON
Annecy, month by month.
Compare average daytime highs and overnight lows to help choose a season and pack for the trip.
Annecy
Reference station: Meythet · 455 m elevation
Average daily highAverage daily low°F
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Warmest average daysJuly
Coolest average nightsJanuary
Plan for the actual outingUse these averages to compare seasons, then check a forecast before packing. They do not show rainfall or guarantee the weather for your dates.
1991–2020 station normals reported to the WMO, via NOAA. High-temperature data ↗ · Low-temperature data ↗ Coastal, city and mountain conditions can differ. These are averages, not a forecast or record extremes.
View the monthly figures
| Month | °F | °C |
|---|---|---|
| January | 42° / 29° | 5.6° / -1.4° |
| February | 46° / 30° | 7.6° / -1° |
| March | 54° / 35° | 12.3° / 1.7° |
| April | 61° / 41° | 16.3° / 5° |
| May | 69° / 49° | 20.3° / 9.2° |
| June | 76° / 55° | 24.2° / 12.7° |
| July | 80° / 58° | 26.5° / 14.4° |
| August | 79° / 58° | 26.1° / 14.2° |
| September | 70° / 51° | 21.3° / 10.7° |
| October | 61° / 45° | 16.3° / 7.2° |
| November | 50° / 36° | 10° / 2.5° |
| December | 43° / 31° | 6.3° / -0.6° |
A NOTE FROM ALISHA & MATT
Choose the visit
that suits you.
Arrange the main visit first. Leave enough of the day to enjoy lunch, walk between stops and reach the next place without a race.
Alisha & MattLet arrival set the walk.
A delayed airport transfer means a shorter old-town loop.
Check the market day.
Market mornings do not happen every day; a café and canal walk still fit the same route.
Choose the lake activity separately.
Check weather, hire conditions and return time before taking a boat.
BEFORE YOU GOA few questions
A few questions
before you go.
How much time does this guide include?
One night gives you an arrival afternoon and evening, then a morning before departure. Reach Annecy early enough for the walk; the lake outing and market depend on your actual arrival, season and weekday.
Can I combine this with the other guides?
Yes. Start with the journeys and hotel nights. An arrival day here can overlap a departure day elsewhere; count that shared travel day once, then give the visits the time they need.
How do we keep a copy?
Use “Save this trip” to bookmark the guide in this browser. For a copy to take along, choose “Print this itinerary”: every day opens for printing, and your device’s PDF option lets you save the plan.
THERE’S MORE TO SEE, TOGETHER.Where shall
Find us on Instagram ↗Where shall
we go next?
Follow along for more places we have been and ideas to help plan your own visit.