Events

• April: A cozy village festival is held, a great place to bring the family. Rides and vendors are abundent, along with the great french cuisine. The festival lines Lac Annecy and is very peaceful and beautiful.
• June : One of the biggest animation festivals is held in Annecy (6 days)
• July : Noctibules festival during the nights (4 days)
• The first week-end of August is the Lake Festival (Fête du Lac) with attractions around the lake and a great fireworks. This event brings more than 100'000 spectators.
• October : "Descente des Alpages" or "Return from Alpine Pastures". Occurs once a year on the second Saturday of October. This is a traditional farmers' festival with local music, food and entertainment. See pictures from this festival

Annecy is a popular day trip from nearby Geneva, Switzerland (bring your passport for the border crossing).

Geneva is the nearest major international airport and is well served from across Europe and beyond. A little further away is Lyon, a full international airport, and Grenoble, which is focussed on low cost and winter flights [2]. Both are about a one-hour drive by car or bus. The airport at Annecy only has flights to Paris.

Annecy has a number of local artisan shops as well as many European chain boutiques.

There is a market (marché) each Sunday morning in the pedestrian streets of the medieval city. Le marché is an open air market with the freshest fruits and vegetables.

For between meals try the Italian ice cream shops, favored by the locals, located on the numerous pedestrian-only by-ways that weave the city and river together.

Another suggestion is the brioche (sweet roll) and other goodies to be found at the boulangeries (bakeries) in town.