Annecy

Annecy: history & character

Annecy, founded as a Gallo-Roman village below the castle of the Counts of Geneva in the 12th century, became the capital of Savoy in the 16th century when Duke François de Sales established his seat here. The 1860 sale of Savoy by Napoleon III tied the city to France; 19th-century romantic tourism (Lamartine stayed here) earned it the nickname 'Venice of the Alps'. The Thiou and Vassé canals threading through the Vieille Ville, the triangular Palais de l'Île, and the Pont des Amours form the most-reproduced postcard image in France after Mont-Saint-Michel. For travellers with a dog, Annecy is one of France's most complete dog destinations: a 15-min walkable Vieille Ville, dog-tolerant Savoyard brasserie culture by default, a lake with crystal-clear water (Class A) safe for dogs to drink, a flat 42 km cycle path right around it, and the Semnoz forest at 1 699 m directly south with 50 km of off-leash trails. Geneva is 40 min by direct TER.