Tourist information:
Annecy, nicknamed "the Venice of the Alps", is a nice town with various tourist attractions. Bordered by its famous lake, Annecy is fortunate to be surrounded by majestic mountains. It also has a rich architectural heritage, diverse and perfectly preserved which gives off a unique charm.
Historically, Annecy has all the strengths to attract people and wealth: lakes, rivers, mountains and plains. Annecy was first inhabited during the Gallo-Roman era (there are some remains) but it really began to grow during the Middle Ages, thanks to its proximity to the city of Geneva. It was also named as favorite city in the county of Geneva and became part of Savoy when Geneva was attached to the House of Savoy in the fifteenth century.
Later, Annecy was also nicknamed "the Rome of the Alps" for its Episcopal importance. It was also a stronghold of the Calvinist reformation and even became the residence of Bishop Angelo Giustiniani and then of Francis de Sales, a native son who was bishop of Geneva in residence at Annecy in the early seventeenth century. Francis de Sales laid the foundation for a strong reform of the clergy.
Annecy suffered during the French Revolution, precisely because of its religious importance. It then developed around the industrial basin of the Thiou river.
The old town of Annecy, where tourist sites are concentrated, is best explored on foot. In a small area, we discover the canals symbolizing the city, old buildings of gray stone, the old prison surrounded by water, the Middle Ages castle but also hidden and vaulted passages and a whole tangle of full of charm houses.
Heading towards the lake, you reach a large green esplanade, the Paquier, ideal for walks and naps under the sun. It is also the location of the small marina, and further, the beaches of Annecy.
