ANNECY FAQ`S
Annecy is serviced by three airports: Geneva Airport (nearest major international airport), Lyon-Saint-Exupery Airport (also served by international flights, and Grenoble-Isère Airport (serviced by low-cost carriers and charter flights). The Annecy Airport only has flights to Paris.
If you have not booked a private transfer with us then you have a few options. From Geneva airport, Bus T72 operated by Transalis runs between Genva Airport and Annecy with an estimate journey time of 1 hour and 30 minutes. A one-way bus ticket will cost around €10.50 if you purchase online or around €12.60 onboard. By car, it is about a 35 minute drive.
From Lyon-Saint-Exupery Airport there is one daily TGV train that goes to Annecy (station name: Lyone-Saint Exupery TGV). The journey by train is just under 2 hours. Alternatively, there is a bus operated by OUIGO between Lyon airport and Annecy with a journey time of about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Another bus services operated by Transdev Haute-Savoie is available and is more frequent, the travel time is about 2 hours.
Grenoble-Isère Airport offers a shuttle bus betweenvGrenoble-Isère Airport and Grenoble railway station operated by Actibus. From Grenoble railway station you can take the train to Annecy. The Annecy railway station is situated in the center of town and offers many servies to connect to your final destination such as taxis and buses.
Trains operating in and from this station: High speed trains (TGV), Regional trains (TER)
Services: SNCF rail agents, Facilities for disabled persons, Lost and found, Waiting rooms, Tourist Information Office, Toilets, Luggage trolley, and an ATM.
The Annecy railway station is just 0.6 miles from Lac Annecy. The station has parking, bike parks, a bus station and bus connections to nearby ski resorts and major cities of the region. There is also a taxi rank outside the station, or you can order one by calling 33 (0) 4 50 45 05 67.
A taxi stand can be found at the Annecy train station. Or you can order one by calling 33 (0)4 50 45 0567.
Is Annecy a walking city?The best way to explore the old town and the lakeshore is on foot. The town of Annecy itself is a bustling town and it is a great city for walking. The medieval part of Annecy that adjoins the lake is traversed by the river Thiou. The narrow old streets with `hidden` passages offer a maze of shops, bars and restaurants, with some parts pedestrian only. This is a great area to explore on foot.
There are also many walking and hiking trails on the mountains around the city. The tourist information office provides maps and information for local trails.
Driving is a good option, especially if you hope to explore more than just the town of Annecy, but bear in mind that you won`t need a car to get around in Annecy as the town is best seen on foot.
There are plenty of parking lots in the city center and parking is easy to locate. Street parking is another option, but can be hard to come by and they are metered. One of the best places to park is Hotel de Ville (underground).
Buses: Buses run from 6am to 8:30pm. A single ticket costs about €1.40, a day pass is around €3.70, or a booklet of 10 tickets costs €10.50.
Taxis: There is a taxi rank at the Annecy train station.
Cycling is one of the most popular sporting activities in Annecy and a great way to explore the area. There are cycle routes all around Lake Annecy that cyclist can use and the countryside and landscape these paths go through are spectacular. Biking is also a greatway to discover the small towns nearby in the Alps such as Thônes, La Clusaz, Le Grand-Bornand, Menthon St. Bernard, Duingt, Faverges.
The circumference of Lake Annecy is around 30 miles and a cycle pathway takes you right around most of the lake`s picturesque shores. Most of the routes are fairly flat making it an easy ride for cyclist young and old.
There are also several cycling climbs that go uphill into the mountains around the lake. These cycle routes that climb will appeal to the more adventurous and energetic cyclist.
Annecy is avery safe place to travel with little crime at all. Theft happens every once in a while but that`s about it. Of course the normal rules apply - keep wallet/purses in a secure pocket (not back trouser pocket), don`t leave cameras and bags lying around unattended, and don`t take many of your valuables.
Can I pay/tip in US dollars?The currency used in Annecy is the euro (€), USdollars are not accepted. You can get euros in different banks opened from Monday to Saturday and automatic cash points opened 24 hours a day.
We recommend that you exchange a small amount of cash prior to your trip, enough for a cab ride or basic spending on arrival. It is also useful to remind your bank and credit card company that you will be travelling to make sure your cards will work while in France. We recommend you record all your credit card numbers, as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen.
Under the euro system, there are seven notes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euros. Notes are the same for all countries. There are eight coins: 1 and 2 euros, plus 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents.
Annecy, like elsewhere in France, a service charge is always included in the bill. If you are particularly pleased with the service, you may certainly leave a few extra euros on the table. But this additional tip is neither expected nor necessary.
For more information about tipping visit: Tipping in France
The best seasons to travel here are spring and autumn. The hotel deals come at a much lower price and many popular events can be enjoyed in this season. If crowds do not bother you much, then summer is the best option when the area boasts beautiful weather and longer days. July is the peak month of tourism when the town gets inundated with visitors.
During the months of May - September you will experience pleasant weather with a nice average temperature. On average, the warmest monthis July and the coolest is January. August is the wettest month and April is the driest. The winter months (January - March) the climate is very cold, averaging in the low 40sF.
French is the official language spoken in Annecy. You may come across people who speak English, but this is not always the case. Annecy is a little town that`s very popular with English speaking visitors along with many others. Hotel and restaurant staff in Annecy likely speak enough that you can communicate your order or check into your hotel, but it`s always polite to at least try the local language. We suggest you get a good English-French guidebook and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.
What is the food like?Heavily influenced by Swiss cuisine, the food in Annecy is hearty. One of the highlighted foods of the area is freshwater fish: the arctic char, perch and trout. This is also cheese heaven, as the city is in four designated production areas: Gruyère, Emmental de Savoie , Emmental français est-central and Tomme de Savoie.
Raclette Cheese is one major cheese in the area. This is a delicious Swiss dish that basically consists of a round cow`s milk cheese melted in front of an open fire. It is then scraped onto your plate and eaten with potatoes, dried meats, gherkins and pickled onions.
Annecy has a fine selection of French and Savoyard restaurants, plus various Italian, Asian and Middle Eastern options. Numerous eateries can be found on the quays on both sides of the Canal du Thiou; rue de l`Île, rue Ste-Claire and rue du Faubourg Ste-Claire, south of the canal; and pedestrianised rue du Pâquier, north of the canal.
Annecy`s nightlife offers you lots of trendy and popular bars. Good music, tasty drinks, high-tech dance clubs and rock bars, there is always something happening to fit every mood.
The winding streets of the Vieille Ville (Old Town) contain plenty of charismatic little wine bars, plus a few pubs which cater to the younger and livelier crowd. You`ll also find fairs and carnivals around this area in the warmer months. A calmer alternative is an evening of theater or dance at the Theatre d`Annecy.
There are many boutiques lining the narrow stone-paved streets. Annecy has a number of local artisans shops as well as many European chain boutiques. There is a large and modern mall that can be found in the newer part of the city. Also, Courier, is a large shopping center in the middle of town with a wide variety of stores.
There is a market each Sunday morning in the pedestrian streets of the medieval city. The market is an open air market with colorful fresh fruits and vegetables. There are also various markets taking place throughout the week that sell an array of fresh foods and market wares.
Emergency dial 112
Hôpital Centre Hospitalier: 1 Avenue Trésum, 74000 Annecy, France, Tel. +33 04 50 88 3398