About 2 hours by car from Lyon, you can visit Annecy. I knew the name of the city, but because I’m not a local, I had never been there and didn’t exactly know what there was to see. My colleagues swore that I had to go to the lake! Since I’ve been planning to leave the region and go back to Toulouse, I thought that I would make the trip to see Annecy before my departure. Last February, a friend drove me there, even though it’s supposed to be prettier during Spring.
Spending An Afternoon In Annecy
How To Go To Annecy?
You can go to Annecy by car. From Lyon, it’s about 1 hour and a half, but it depends on traffic. It actually took us 2 and a half hours when we drove there. My friend, who regularly makes the trip to see her parents, told me it was unusual.
Once you’re there, there are several parking lots or spaces in the city. To avoid searching for a space, we paid to enter a parking lot right in the center. For one afternoon, we ended up paying less than 4 euros, so that was totally worth it.
If you do not wish to drive, you can also reach Annecy by train. From Lyon, it’s not too long and not too expensive. Had I been alone, I would have traveled by train.
Visiting With A Local
My friend, Sophie, had lived for a while in Annecy before moving to Lyon. She guided me through the streets of the city, showing me the main sites and telling me how different it looks during Summer. During Winter, you can walk easily in the squares and streets, but during Summer, there are tables everywhere to satisfy the crowd of tourists. Annecy is a bit victim of its success, because everybody told me to avoid coming during Summer, as there are too many people.
Annecy is really charming, with its canal and its colorful houses. You can even visit the castle at the top of the hill (for a small fee). The city looks a bit medieval and has a lot of character. Signs are placed in front of the important buildings to give you some information. It might be worth having a guide to know more about Annecy and its history.
Why Is Annecy’s Lake So Popular?
Because it’s gorgeous! It’s surrounded by mountains and a big park, so it’s perfect for a picnic, a walk by the water, a boat trip… And it’s very romantic. There’s even a bridge called “Pont des amours” (bridges of loves).
We were there at the beginning of February and the weather was grey, but there were a lot of people. Sophie was surprised. The truth is that, even in Winter, the lake is a very beautiful and peaceful place. As we were sitting on a bench, I felt a calm that I usually associate with Japan. Not too many noises, a crisp weather but not too cold, the mountains in the background, the lake and some ducks in front of us.
An afternoon was enough to see most of the city, but if you want to enjoy a restaurant, a museum, the castle or a boat trip, I think it would be best to spend the day in Annecy. Also, there are several other sites in the mountains you can visit.
Note that every Summer, at the beginning of August, they do an impressive fireworks show. It’s expensive, but I’ve been told it’s worth the price.
To see more photos of France, you can visit the gallery France.
