Open left ANSI menu. Traveling around France. Around Lake Annecy Cathedral of St. Petra
Annecy (France) is a place of concentration of historical and natural attractions - a city for a quiet family vacation tourists on the shore of a beautiful lake framed by Alpine mountains.
The historical countdown of the city of Annecy begins with a mention in the chronicles of the era of Emperor Lothar (867 AD). During the period of the 10th – 15th centuries, the residence of the dynasty of the Counts of Genevois was located in the city. The transition to the control of Savoy took place in 1401. The annexation to France as part of the mentioned duchy occurred in 1860.
The resort city is located in Eastern France, not far from the Swiss border (about 50 km), being the central part of Haute Savoy.
The department borders Italy. The distance to Grenoble in the south is 85 km, in the north to Geneva 45 km. The area of the city's buildings is about 14 km 2; the Tew city canal runs through the center, which is a natural branch of the picturesque Lake Annecy and connects it with the river. Fie.
Annecy (France), whose attractions are popular among tourists from all over the world, is a town that many call the “Venice of Savoy”. Visitors come here to admire the beauty of the mountains, the serenity of the lake, the tranquility of the canals and the charm of the ancient cityscape, framed by a multitude of flowers.
Distinctive features of the city
Ancient streets paved with cobblestones; houses and castles that emanate history; clean mountain air mixed with the smells of numerous flowers; The picturesque shores of the transparent lake are far from a complete list of the features of Annecy.
Climate
The temperature background in summer is calm: minimum values are not lower than +10 o C, the highest temperature is not higher than +29 o C, there is little precipitation.
It is cool in winter: up to -3 o C, heavy precipitation in November.
Ecology
The lake of the same name is considered one of the cleanest in Europe. It feeds on mountain rivers, the water temperature in summer is 20 - 22 o C above zero. Clean air from the forests surrounding the city, there is a lot of greenery and flowers on the streets.
Population
More than 51 thousand local residents live in the city.
Flora and fauna
Moving along the eastern shore of the lake, tourists at a distance of 12 km from the city find the Roc des Cher nature reserve, one of the largest in the southeastern part of France. Its area is about 70 hectares, located around the mountain that gave it its name, on the slopes of which many species of plants grow (more than 560 species), including oaks and hornbeams.
The vegetation forms the unique microclimate of the reserve. Deer and wild boars live in the foothill forests; swans live freely on the lake and in city canals.
How to get to Annecy
Annecy (France), whose attractions attract the attention of Europeans at any time of the year, is a settlement that is located at the intersection of various routes leading from geographically nearby cities.
By plane
It is only possible to fly to Annecy Airport from Paris Airport. The cost of a flight from Moscow to Paris in economy class is from 12,200 to 22,700 rubles.
By train
Tourists get to the railway station in the center of Annecy by train from the nearest cities:
By bus
There are daily regular buses from Geneva to Annecy, the journey takes about 1 hour, the ticket price is 300 - 400 rubles.
You can get to Annecy, France by bus from Geneva in just 1 hour. The bus ride from Lyon takes about 2 hours, the ticket will cost from 300 to 2000 rubles.
By car
For tourists traveling by car, the travel route passes through the countries: Belarus, Poland, Germany, Switzerland. It is necessary to pay attention to toll highways, parking areas and obey the speed limit.
The shortest route to Annecy from Geneva Airport via a modern expressway by car is just over half an hour. Routes from Grenoble and Lyon airports are within an hour's reach.
Transport Annecy
Tourists explore the historical center of the city on foot; it is more convenient to get to the surrounding castles by local buses.
Buses
To move around comfortably during the day, you need to purchase a travel ticket for 3.1 euros, which will be valid for 24 hours. A single bus ticket costs 1.2 euros.
You can buy a ticket at the city bus station or from the driver along the route. Regular bus services from Annecy run to many cities in Europe.
Taxi
A trip from Annecy airport to the city center when ordering a taxi through the dispatch service will cost approximately 10 euros.
Rent a Car
Several rental companies at the airport offer car rental services starting from 20 euros per day.
Main attractions of Annecy
Annecy has a special attraction - the shady Bridge of Lovers, famous throughout France. This place is considered ideal for dates and quiet romantic walks. The ancient town also attracts tourists with its majestic castles, churches and houses.
Religious buildings
The city center is decorated with the massive Gothic Church of Saint-Maurice, founded in 1442 in honor of the patron saint of Annecy and the duchy - Saint Maurice. For two centuries since its founding, it has been the center of local provincial life.
St. Rousseau leads tourists to the stone palace of the 17th century. - the bishop's residence. Nearby is the ancient St. Peter's Cathedral, built in the 16th century. He is famous for the fact that the future educator Jean-Jacques Rousseau sang in the church choir in his youth. Later, in one of his works, he described the patriarchal, rural, measured life of the settlement in which he happened to live in 1728.
On the street Notre Dame is the Notre Dame de Lies church, founded in the 16th century, later destroyed, but restored again in the 19th century. Inside are sculptures of saints and an unusual altar.
A modern building built in the 30s of the XX century. under the leadership of the Sisters-nuns of the Visitacion, it has operated as a basilica since 1951. Colorful stained glass paintings reproduce fragments of the lives of saints Jeanne de Chantal and Francis de Sales, whose remains rest in the basilica in copper sarcophagi with gilding.
Museums
The local history museum with interesting exhibits is located in an ancient castle on a small island in the middle of the canal. The castle-fortress was founded in 1132; it changed many owners during this time; served as a palace of justice, a chamber of accounts and a prison.
On the elevated part of the city there is a castle that belonged to the dynasty of the Counts of Geneva (XII-XVI centuries), the walls and towers of which are made of stone and have a thickness of up to 4 m. For a long time it was abandoned after a devastating fire in the 16th century, but in 1953 it passed into municipal administration, was restored and transferred to the museum.
Archaeological finds, works of ancient and modern art, and antique furniture are exhibited there. On a hill stands the Montrotier castle (XIII-XIV centuries), in which the Florimontin Academy is located. It was founded 28 years earlier than the academy in France. The exhibition features antique carpets, historical costumes, porcelain dishes and products.
Natural attractions
At the point where the canal flows into the lake there is a peninsula, the territory of which is decorated with alleys, beautiful statues, magnificent fountains, numerous benches and boats on the lake.
This park complex is called the Garden of Europe, which began with the planting of trees and shrubs in 1863 (next to the plants there are information signs with names). Not far away on the surface of the lake you can see Swan Island.
Monuments
At the end of the embankment stands a statue of the local famous chemist Claude-Louis Berthollet, who was born in 1748 in Talloires. Carrying out various experiments, he came up with the idea of using the substance chlorine for the process of bleaching the fabric and paper produced. Place Saint-Clair is famous for the Kibere fountain, launched in the 17th century. and still in operation, with the trout heraldic sign above the bowl.
An ancient well (built by knights in the 15th century) next to the street. Carnot attracts tourists with clean cold water, being a place of frequent dates and meetings of local residents. On the cape next to the village. Duigne is the Château de Rufi, built in the 11th century. and privately owned.
Holidays in Annecy
Visiting guests can find places to relax near the city and on its streets to suit every taste.
Shopping
The streets of Saint-Clair and Royal are replete with a large number of shops and boutiques, ready to delight customers with a variety of goods.
Leisure
Over the surface of the lake, from a mountain 1.3 km high, extreme flight enthusiasts often take off; international paragliding competitions are held here.
Catamaran rides are offered on the lake. There are modern sports centers and equipped beaches on the shore.
Interesting places to relax with children
Walking tours around the city with children are interesting and educational; numerous cafes and establishments offering Italian ice cream invite you to relax and have a tasty snack.
Children will be interested in looking at the ancient sundial (1874), made by the hands of the monk Arsen on the edge of the city embankment.
A bus trip (about 10 km west of the city) to Montrotier Castle will allow you to immerse your child in the Middle Ages, look at the rich collection of weapons and armor of knights and strange African and oriental things. An unforgettable trip will be to the mountain observation deck near the city, which is used for launches by paragliders and paragliders.
Events in the city and surroundings
Several significant events are held annually in Annecy:
Excursions
Annecy (France), with its natural landscape to admire, is a city that offers active recreation for visitors. For example, a bicycle tour along the road along the lake (length about 40 km). Beautiful views of the surrounding mountains of La Tournette, Semnoz; forests on slopes; a sandy beach near the settlement of Sevrier will be found on the travel route.
Boats with tourists depart from the pier several times a day for 2-hour excursions along the water surface of the lake. The main attraction, visible from the water on the shore, is the castle of Menton-Saint-Bernard, located on a hill, founded in the 12th century.
They offer a walking tour of the surrounding area - the river gorge. Fje with steep picturesque cliffs. At the beginning there is a bus trip to the village. Poisy, then you will have to walk further. The route is closed between October and March.
Annecy Hotels
Many hotels are open for visiting tourists.
Atipik Hotel Alexandra
Hotel for a budget holiday with standard rooms:
Hotel des Alpes
The hotel is located in the city center, standard rooms:
Hôtel Les Tresoms, Lake and Spa Resort
Comfortable hotel with spacious rooms:
Imperial Palace
Hotel with comfortable rooms and beautiful views of the surrounding area from the balcony:
- located at: Allée de l’Impérial (Emperial Alley), on the shore of the lake in the park, near Avenue. France;
- nearby a zoological garden, a casino and a nightclub;
- indoor swimming pool;
- free parking;
- air conditioner;
- bathroom;
- cost of living for 2 people for one night – 11200 – 12500 rubles.
A remarkable historical hotel in the town of Talloires (eastern shore of the lake) was previously a Benedictine abbey.
What to bring as a souvenir
Annecy offers tourists the opportunity to capture forever memories of their holiday by purchasing souvenirs in local shops:
Annecy (France) - this city has attractions that can satisfy the discerning taste of tourists - lovers of antiquity and a calm, measured holiday in the lap of nature.
Article format: Lozinsky Oleg
Video about Annecy France
Annecy, a fairy-tale city in the French Alps:
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Several thousand years ago, numerous lakes with clean, life-giving water gave birth to a settlement that received the name, or as it is also called Annecy (Latin Annesium). The official founding date is considered to be 876, when the village was first mentioned in documents created during the reign of the French Emperor Lothar.
At various times, the city was the patrimony of the Counts of Geneva (X-XIV centuries), Dukes of Savoy (XV centuries), after the Geneva reforms, bishops moved here and the headquarters of their diocese was established (30s of the 16th century), which significantly increased religiosity population and allows us to raise education to a new level. At the same time, the city is expanding, a castle is being built, and many craft workshops are appearing in the Tew Canal area.
MyrabellaAnnecy became the object of attention of Jean-Jacques Rousseau: in his work “Confession”, published in 1765, he described a quiet and modest life small town, similar to life in the countryside. However, already from the end of the 18th century, a number of events took place leading to the industrialization of this place, and a century later, a tourist infrastructure began to be built in the city, which subsequently affected all types of activities that existed at that time.
Annecy began to develop more actively at the beginning of the last century, population growth and the pace of construction of industrial enterprises increased, and tourism became one of the key industries of the area, which has something to show and offer to discerning travelers.
Temples and palaces of ancient Annecy
Such a rich historical experience and the participation of many original nationalities in the creation of the city simply could not help but be reflected in its appearance. Among the attractions of Annecy in France are legendary architectural monuments, each of which has its own fascinating history. If you are looking around, be sure to check out Annecy! The list of the most popular of them includes such masterpieces as:
- Island Palace Palais de L'Isle;
- Annecy Castle;
- Church of Saint Francis de Sales;
- Cathedral of St. Petra
- Church of Saint-Maurice and many other monuments in the vicinity of the city.
St. Peter's Cathedral in Annecy Martin Stone It is believed that visiting the city and not taking a photo at the palace on the island means wasting time. The structure was built in the 12th-13th centuries on a small island in the middle of the Tew Canal, which flows between the lake and the Fewer River. The originality is that during its construction every centimeter of the island was used; the structure follows its shape, so one of the facades looks like the bow of a sailing ship. The building was conceived as an office for collecting tolls when crossing the bridge, then its good quality, and the fact that it was surrounded on all sides by water, played a role - it became a good-quality prison. However, a century later, the same qualities prompted the community to get rid of the casemate and create a mint in the palace. The building was a residence for the nobility, an almshouse, an orphanage, a drawing school, a gymnasium, and a palace of justice (in fact, that’s why it still bears this proud name, despite its completely mundane functions). Finally, a city bathhouse was almost built in its place, but the beginning of the 20th century became a period of revival of the ancient palace, and it began to be protected as a historical architectural monument.
Palace of the Old Golden Island - Palais de Lisle in France Frans Berkelaar Unfortunately, the Second World War forced these walls to remember the lamentations of the prisoners; it again became a prison, but even after the war it did not lose popularity. At the end of the last century, it was restored a second time and still enjoys the sympathy of travelers.
City castle complex
Built in the 12th century in the capital of the County of Geneva, Annecy Castle received the status of a count's residence, as befits a building of this type. Its foundation was a fortress that stood on this site for about four centuries. Fires raged in it several times, but the castle was always restored. During the period when it was owned by the Dukes of Savoy, the most beautiful tower of the Perrière complex was erected. The fortress's defenses improved, which, however, did not prevent the French army from capturing it at the beginning of the 17th century, turning it first into a barracks and then into a warehouse.
Silex In the end, the castle, which fell into disrepair, became a refuge for the poor and homeless. The dark streak for him was interrupted only in the middle of the last century, when he was taken under protection as a historical monument. The buildings were put in order and today an interesting museum collection is housed here, which invites visitors to enjoy the unique spirit of exhibits that have a long history. The area around it has been transformed, it is surrounded by many beautiful public gardens, restored, although not as large, but no less interesting historical sights. From the walls of the castle there is a panoramic view of the city of Annecy and a picturesque view of the lake of the same name.
See the beautiful places of Annecy in this wonderful video!
Annecy attractions: Alpine Venice
This is what Europeans often call this city, and they are partly right. Three rivers and many canals, houses surrounded on all sides by water, involuntarily refer us to the Italian miracle on the water. Looking at the colorful photographs of the sights of Annecy, France and many European countries praised the town with an apt expression, calling it “the most beautiful French village.”
View of Lake Annecy in France Dingy Lake Annecy provides enviable competition for the architectural delights of the settlement. Its picturesque surroundings delight many tourists who, having once been here, return to admire the beauty of the lake again and again. Travelers are offered almost three thousand hectares of crystal clear water, 15 km long and up to 3 km wide, surrounded by incredibly beautiful slopes and cliffs covered with forests. It is considered the cleanest body of water in the world, because its origin in ancient times is due to the glaciers of the Alps, the melt waters of which filled and continue to fill the bowl of small mountain rivers and streams.
Dmitry Dzhu On the shores of Annecy, beach holidays are organized for city residents and its guests, because the air temperature in July-August reaches +27 degrees, and the water warms up to +24. The abbey on the shore of the lake, where the monks previously lived, has been converted into a comfortable hotel. The beginning of August is marked by an influx of tourists wanting to admire an interesting holiday, accompanied by fireworks and shows on the water.
Romantic places in Annecy
The small town simply breathes romance, thanks to its medieval architecture, picturesque streets and parks. This feeling is also emphasized by the Pont de Amour - a bridge over the canal where lovers make appointments. Couples try to walk along it different generations, those who have their whole love story ahead of them, and those who have something to remember for a long and happy life together.
Pont de Amour - a meeting place for couples in love Dingy Not far from the junction of the canal and the lake, a park in the English style was laid out in 1863, called the “Garden of Europe”. Visitors are simply fascinated by the unique landscape design, sculptural compositions, and amazingly beautiful vegetation. You can learn about the origin and type of trees from the information signs at each of them. An island has been created in the park lake where snow-white swans live and tourists can enjoy their majestic beauty and grace. The park itself has several attractions, for example, on the embankment the first sundial with a gnomon has been preserved - a column invented by the Capuchin monk Father Arsen.
Relaxation area in the park of Annecy Guilhem Vellut Often excursion routes, which are formed in Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon, include a visit to Annecy. But, having set foot on the streets of this city, many tourists prefer to stay here for several days, fortunately, this desire is facilitated by the entire surrounding environment: many comfortable hotels, cafes, restaurants, casinos that will solve the problem of accommodation, food and evening leisure. Well, during the day in Annecy there is always something to admire.
At the foot of the Alps, covered with snow caps on the border of Switzerland and France, there is the resort of Annecy. Annecy is the center of the Haute-Savoie department. The department is adjacent to Italy from the east, and Switzerland from the north. Thus, French and Italian cultures are intertwined here; Annecy has been part of France only since 1860. Annecy is located 85 km north of Grenoble, 45 km south of Geneva. The population of the city itself is 50 thousand people, and with agglomerations there are more than 200 thousand.
The medieval origin of the city can be easily judged by the appearance of the old part:
A classic mountain-lake resort, called the Venice of Savoy due to the presence in the city center of the Canal du Thiou, connecting the lake and the Fieux River (the canal is a natural branch of Lake Annecy towards the Fieux River):
Medieval Palace on the Island
The most popular place in Annecy is a small island in the middle of the canal, where there is a medieval castle that grew right out of the water:
It is called the Palace on the Island (Palais de L`isle). Its history is as follows - in the 12th–13th centuries it belonged to the owners of the island, vassals of the counts of Geneva. Then for some time it served as the princely residence of Helen of Luxembourg (wife of Jean, Count of Geneva), the palace of justice, the chamber of accounts, and was even a prison. Due to the position in the middle of the canal and the surrounding comfort, in fact, the charm of this place is formed. Well, the age, of course, is impressive - the palace-castle was built in 1132 and has not been significantly updated since then. Inside it now houses the Annecy History Museum with a local history exhibition.
Castle of the Counts of Geneva and Rue Saint-Clair
Also, the main attraction of the city is the castle of the Counts of Geneva, standing on a hill (built from the 12th to the 16th centuries). View of the castle from the pier and embankment:
This is the junior branch of the future House of Savoy. The huge Queen's Tower (the thickness of the walls reaches 4 and a half meters) is one of the oldest parts of the castle and dates back to the 13th century.
The castle was often subject to fires in the 17th century. was abandoned. Later served as a barracks. But in 1953 it was finally seized by the city authorities and restored. Inside there is the Museum of Modern Art and a local history museum - archeology, Savoyard folk art, paintings, furniture. The Perrier Tower has a popular science collection (an aquarium with fish from the lake, a model of the lake and mountains, fishing gear). This is the oldest part of the castle (1445) with walls four meters thick.
At the foot of the castle is Rue Sainte-Claire with many shops and a romantic medieval gate:
Church of St. Mauritius, Bishop's Palace and St. Peter's Basilica
In the city center, opposite the city hall, stands the Church of Saint-Maurice (1442) in the spirit of “Savoyard flaming Gothic”. The style, strictly speaking, is characteristic of Savoy, since it differs from the “flamboyante classique” in its massiveness.
This is an old Dominican church built in the 15th century. Its location on the St. Dominic Canal is one of the most picturesque. In the choir there is a painted (imaginary) grave of Philibert de Montu (1458) - advisor to the Savoy and Burgundian dukes, a local nobleman. There is a fresco above it. The church chairs with backs date from the end of the 18th century, and the throne held by the colossus dates from 1715. The Church of St. Maurice occupies a central place in local life in the 15th and 16th centuries. Professional corporations and powerful families built chapels. You can see the draper's scissors on the window frame of the second chapel to the right of the church. Saint Maurice is the patron saint of Annecy and Savoy.
In general, Annecy is generous with its churches - a walk along Rue Rousseau will lead to the Bishop's Palace (XVII century) and St. Peter's Cathedral (XVI century), where Jean-Jacques Rousseau sang in the choirs in his youth.
By the way, in 1765–1770, in his Confessions, Rousseau described the intimate and quiet life of a small town, still quite rural, which he met in 1728.
Annecy is a pedestrian city, at most cycling. You can walk around everything on your feet at a pleasant pace in a maximum of three hours. There is no shortage of bars and cafes, there is also a casino, and Italian ice cream is popular. The entire modern part of the city is concentrated on the northern side of the peninsula.
Lovers' Bridge and Garden of Europe
Annecy is like the Alsatian town of Colmar or a corner of Strasbourg. But there is still an allusion to Venice - this is a small Bridge of Lovers (Pont des Amours) across a canal, almost covered by shady trees. The bridge was named so because lovers usually made dates on it:
And at the place where the canal flows into the lake, on the peninsula, there is a magnificent park, the Garden of Europe (Jardin d’Europe) with alleys, fountains, statues, benches and boats:
In autumn the forest looks more wonderful than in other seasons:
The Garden of Europe is a park in the English style, planted in 1863. You can find out the name of the tree by the small signs located next to the trees. The artificial Swan Island is located in the lake. At the edge of the embankment there is a gnomon (signpost), which is a sundial, which was developed in 1874 by the Capuchin father Arsen. Next comes the statue of Claude-Louis Berthollet (1748–1822), an eminent chemist born in Talloires; He was the first to use chlorine to bleach paper and fabrics.
Visitacion Church
Annecy in 1460 was officially the capital of the County of Geneva, and in 1536, after the victory of the Calvinists in Geneva, the Geneva diocese, the canons of St. Peter, and nuns moved here. From 1602 to 1622 the bishop was Francis de Sales, who led the Counter-Reformation movement. As bishop, Francis strengthened the religious and intellectual character of the city, which became a small Catholic stronghold in relation to Protestant Geneva. Subsequently, the Vatican canonized him. The Visitation Basilica is dedicated to Saint Francis and Saint Jeanne de Chantal, whose relics are preserved in this altar.
The Visitacion sisters settled in the monastery in 1911. The construction of the church, which has a functioning bell tower, was completed in the early 1930s. It was consecrated in 1949 and has been operating as a basilica since 1951. Inside the cathedral there are stained glass windows depicting the lives of Francis de Sales and Jeanne de Chantal. They are both buried in sarcophagi made of gilded copper.
Lake Annecy
Lake Annecy (area 2759 hectares, length 14.6 km, width 0.8–3 km, depth up to 82 m) must be described separately.
It is officially considered the cleanest in the world. Its temperature in summer is approximately +20... +22 °C. The lake was formed about 18,000 years ago, after the melting of Alpine glaciers. It is fed by many small mountain streams. On the first Saturday in August, Annecy hosts a grand Lake Festival with fireworks and water shows, and this is the peak of the tourist season - about 250 thousand people come to Annecy. All this began in 1860, when Napoleon III came here to “celebrate” the annexation of Savoy to France. Annecy also hosts an animation festival (6 days in June).
On the eastern shore of Lake Annecy in the town of Talloires there is a former Benedictine abbey (now a hotel).
Popular excursions around Annecy are on the lake by boat and by bicycle along the lake shore. Castles and mountains
In addition to exploring the city itself, a stay in Annecy certainly includes active recreation in the immediate surroundings. The first most popular excursion is on the lake by boat. In summer they usually depart 6 times a day, lasting 2 hours. The most noticeable thing that can be seen from a boat on the coast is the towers of the Chateau de Menthon-Saint-Bernard on a 200-meter hill:
The first wooden fortress appeared here around the 10th century, and the modern structure was founded in the 12th century.
The second option is to go along the lake by bicycle (the full circle is 40 km). The closest mountain to the east is La Tournette, 2351 m, it is visible in the distance in the photo of Visitacion, to the south are the Montagne du Semnoz mountains, there are several belvederes and forests. There are sandy beaches near the village of Sevrier in the southern part of the lake.
The Fie River Gorge (Gorges du Fier) with cliffs under 90 meters - also a good choice for excursions in nature, but on foot:
To get to the gorge, you need to take a bus to Poisy. It should be noted that from October to March the gorge is closed to the public; this is a typical summer excursion.
Montrottier Castle on a hill (Chateau de Montrottier, XIII-XIV centuries) belonged to another branch of the Menton family (now it belongs to the recreated Florimontin Academy, founded 28 years before the French Academy):
In good weather you can see Mont Blanc from there. In the castle you can see collections of porcelain from all over the world, costumes, and carpets.
The privately owned 11th-century castle Chateau de Ruphy is picturesquely located at the very tip of the cape near the village of Duignes:
On the first Saturday of August, Annecy celebrates the Lake Festival - a show on the water with fireworks. The Jazz Festival takes place on the second and third weekends in July.
If we move into the category of impressions and sensations, then Annecy has a certain magic of calm, which is highly recommended for people tired of stress. All together: streets, bridges, lanterns, walking alleys, passages, lake, canal and views of the surrounding mountains, has an almost psychotherapeutic effect. Annecy is more of a summer than a winter resort. In January, even the lawns here remain green, and the lake is not covered with ice.
You can get here from Lyon, Grenoble or Geneva by train (1–2 hours), many trains also come from Paris (Gare de Lyon, 3.5 hours).
