We recently spent some time road-tripping through the French Alps, and of course, we had to add Annecy to our itinerary.
So in this video, we’re taking you along for our day in the city. From the prettiest spots in the Old Town, to what we ate. Mist-try restaurants, Lake Annecy, and a few things we think are actually worth doing if you only have limited time.
But we’re also going beyond Annecy. Because there are some really beautiful towns nearby that we visited during our road trip and think you should add to your trip if you have the time.
Where we were based
For this road trip, we decided to base ourselves in a wooden alpine house in Manigod. A small mountain town in the Haute-Savoie department, about a 30 to 40-minute drive from Annecy. Population: 1,000.
We wanted to be surrounded by mountains and greenery, but still close enough to Lake Annecy. This allowed us to explore the towns around it, while also being within driving distance of places closer to Mont Blanc.
And honestly, we think a place like Manigod makes a great base for a French Alps road trip because you really get the best of both worlds. You can spend your days exploring, then come back to somewhere peaceful and surrounded by nature.
But there was also a really fun coincidence we didn’t know about until we drove into town. Manigod is actually twinned with Le Conquet, a small town in Brittany that we happened to visit on our previous trip, just before this one.
And when we found that out, we obviously had to look into why these two towns, which seem like they couldn’t be more different, are connected. The story is actually pretty amazing, and we tell you all about it below.
↓ Jump to the end to learn about the history of these two towns ↓
A day in Annecy
Annecy is an alpine town in southeastern France in the Haute-Savoie department. It’s famous for its stunning lake, Lac d’Annecy, which by the way is the cleanest lake in Europe. It’s nicknamed “the Venice of the Alps” because of its charming old town with canals winding through it..
Since we were traveling in the area we came to Annecy multiple times at different times of day to experience the lake in different vibes. But here is what we recommend you absolutely have to do if you only have one full day in Annecy. Then we’ll add some other things we recommend doing if you’re staying a little longer.
We usually parked at the paid parking lot by the Prefecture of Haute-Savoie just across Le Pâquier, a huge grassy lakeside park. From there it’s just a couple mins walk to the Old Town and the lake.
If you only have one day in Annecy, you can see most of the main sights just by walking around the Old Town and along the lake. Start in the Old Town and make your way past the Palais de l’Île, the famous old prison sitting in the middle of the river. From here, wander through the colourful streets and canals before heading towards the lake. Along the way, you can also stop at the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, a 16th-century Roman Catholic cathedral.
You can then walk along the Canal du Vassé. A famous man-made waterway that connects Lake Annecy to the Thiou River. It’s one of the prettiest canals in the city, lined with colourful buildings and boats. Cross the Pont des Amours, the famous “Lovers’ Bridge,” for some beautiful lake views.
This gives you a really good overview of Annecy in just one day, without needing to drive around or plan too much.
Boat rike on Lake Annecy
One thing you absolutely cannot miss in Annecy, even if you only have one day, is getting out onto Lake Annecy.
We rented a motor boat three years ago and loved it so much that we decided to do it again this time. You have the freedom to explore the lake at your own pace, and you can stop for a swim whenever you want. Swimming in that water with those views is so refreshing and honestly just so much fun.
You also pay based on how long you use the boat, so you can choose how long you want to be out depending on your itinerary and budget. And one of our favourite things to do was following the bigger boats so we could ride their waves.
Rent your boat here.
If you can we highly recommend you try to see Annecy in the evening when it gets dark. It lights up, full of little restaurants and has an incredible vibe.
What We Ate in and Around Annecy
Chez Ingalls
One restaurant we’ve now been to three times in Annecy is Chez Ingalls, right in the centre of the city.
We actually went here twice on our trip three years ago, and we loved it so much that we knew we had to come back this time. It has such a nice atmosphere, especially if you can get a table on the terrace, which I definitely recommend trying to book in advance.
The terrace is covered in plants and little lights, and it just has such a beautiful, relaxed vibe in the evening. It’s also a very popular restaurant, so definitely book ahead because it fills up quickly.
One thing we would say is don’t arrive absolutely starving. Because they are very busy and the service can be quite slow, so it does take a while for someone to come and take your order and for the food to arrive.
What we ordered…
For drinks, we had a Hugo Spritz and a red vermouth, which were both really fresh and delicious, while the boys just had soft drinks.
For food, we ordered the lamb with vegetables and potatoes, and this was really delicious. The potatoes came separately in this little metal tray. They were sliced and cooked in a really tasty gravy-like sauce, and there was also a delicious sauce with the lamb. The lamb was cooked really well, although the portion was just enough and we felt like there could have been a little more vegetables.
We also ordered the chicken supreme with polenta fries and vegetables, which was nice, but honestly, for the price, we thought the portion was quite small and it was a little disappointing, especially because we’ve always had such a good experience here before.
The boys ordered the veal escalope Milanese-style, which was a much bigger portion, and they said it was delicious.
So overall, we still really enjoyed our meal, but some of the portions were definitely on the smaller side this time.
We decided to skip dessert and instead went into the historic centre for some ice cream, which we actually thought was the perfect way to end the evening. Just walking around, enjoying the atmosphere and seeing Annecy all lit up at night.
Le Balcon du Lac
For my birthday lunch, we went to Le Balcon du Lac. Mainly because we wanted to enjoy the gorgeous views over Lake Annecy while we ate, and the view really is worth it.
If you want one of the best tables, I’d definitely recommend booking well in advance because they allocate the tables according to reservations. Upstairs, the table all the way to the far right is probably the best, or downstairs there are a few tables right along the edge towards the middle. Just avoid the ones by the entrance.
We went for lunch because we wanted to actually see the lake while we ate, so I’m not sure how much of the view you’d get in the evening once it’s dark.
What we ordered…
For food, we ordered the entrecôte with pepper sauce, salad and fries, and this was honestly a 10 out of 10. The steak was so soft, tender and juicy, cooked perfectly, and you could tell it was really good quality. The fries were also thick and delicious, although we did think the pepper sauce could have used a little more pepper.
We also had the escalope with mushroom sauce, cooked vegetables and fries, and the mushroom sauce was really tasty.
And then we ordered a Caesar salad, which was fresh, flavourful and perfect for a summer’s day. We also had an Aperol Spritz, which was really good. And we feel like not every restaurant gets an Aperol Spritz right. Although it was quite small for €10.
For dessert, we tried the blueberry pie, since it’s a popular dessert in the Haute Savoie region, and unfortunately was probably our least favourite thing. It was okay, but it needed a little more flavour for us.
Overall, though, we really enjoyed this restaurant, and I think the combination of the food and that incredible view makes it well worth a visit.
Pizza Cosy
Another place we absolutely loved was Pizza Cosy.
We actually decided to get the pizzas to go and eat them by the lake, which we highly recommend doing if you get the chance during your trip.
What we ordered…
We ordered the Haute-Savoie pizza, which had a creamy base with bacon, thinly sliced potatoes and onions, and then I had the pizza with mozzarella base, mortadella, pistachio pesto and ricotta on top. I also added an extra burrata, but honestly, it wasn’t the best burrata I’ve had, so I probably wouldn’t bother adding it. But apart from that, the pizza was incredible. My brother had the barbecue chicken pizza with an egg in the middle. We all agreed that this was some of the best pizza we’d had in a long time, so we definitely recommend trying it.
The service was also amazing, the girl working there was so friendly.
They have these little ordering machines where you can choose your pizza yourself. I’d actually recommend phoning ahead and ordering before you go, so you can just pick it up when you arrive. We didn’t know what we wanted, so we ordered when we got there, and we honestly didn’t wait more than about 15 minutes.
We then took our pizzas down to the lake and sat on a bench, eating them while watching the full moon over Lake Annecy, which was honestly such a lovely way to end the evening. So if you have the opportunity to grab some takeaway pizza and eat it by the lake, definitely do it. It was one of our favourite little moments in Annecy.
Ice cream truck « Hivernattus Glacier »
Another place we absolutely love is this beautiful vintage ice cream truck right on the shores of Lake Annecy. We actually came here three years ago and loved it so much that we kept thinking about it for the next three years. So of course, we had to come back!
The ice cream is delicious, and the truck itself is so beautiful. Some of our favourite flavours were the ricotta and fig, mango and banana. The passion fruit was also really good, but just be warned, it is VERY sour!
The owner is also so lovely and you can really tell that he loves what he does. And honestly, how could you not, when you get to serve delicious ice cream with a view of Lake Annecy every day?
It is a bit of a walk from the Old Town, but if you’re already walking along the lake, definitely stop here. It’s so worth it!
Food you should look out for in the French Alps
If you’re coming all the way to the French Alps, there are a few things you really should try while you’re here.
For example:
- Reblochon: A soft, creamy French cheese from Savoie. It’s the cheese traditionally used in tartiflette.
- Tartiflette: A hearty baked dish made with potatoes, onions, bacon, and Reblochon cheese. The cheese melts over everything and makes it super creamy.
- Raclette: Melted raclette cheese poured over potatoes, usually served with cured meats, pickles, and onions. It’s very rich and comforting.
- Kir Savoyard: A French drink made with chilled white wine and blackcurrant liqueur. It’s light, fruity, and refreshing. Almost like a rosé, but with more of a berry flavour. Many different regions have their own version of this drink by using their own signature local ingredients.
Best Nearby Towns To Visit
Yvoire
We really wanted to visit this town because we heard it was one of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and now we know why. Yvoire, about a 1h and 20 min drive from Manigod and 1 hour drive from Annecy, is located on the shores of Lake Geneva, or Lac Léman on the French side. It’s the same lake, just a different name!
We parked at the Medieval City parking and walked down towards the port called Ancien Port de Plaisance d’Yvoire. The walk down is stunning and the port with crystal clear water, little boats and the Chateau d’Yvoire in the background is something you cannot miss. From there we recommend walking through Rue de l’Eglise by the church and wandering through all the little streets. The buildings are full of plants and flowers and everything is so cute. It felt like a fairytale.
From there you can make your way to the main port and take a boat to Switzerland which you can see on the other side of the lake. You can go to Nyon, Lausanne or Geneva. Boats leave approximately every hour. Check schedules and prices here.
Where we ate in Yvoire
For lunch, there are many restaurants with a view of the lake in Yvoire, but none were really calling us because what we really wanted was to find some food at a boulangerie and have a picnic on the lake. We ended up finding one called Le Paniere, there are many of them in France, and got this delicious tomato tartlet, some fresh sandwiches and ready made salads, some freshly baked croissants and some very tasty pastries. We recommend the mille feuille, it was perfectly flaky, creamy and not too sweet.
Talloires
Talloires is known as the “Pearl of Lake Annecy” and is located just 30 minutes from Annecy.
This was our first time exploring Talloires. We didn’t even know it existed when we visited Annecy 3 years ago! We spotted the beautiful Hotel Abbaye de Talloires right on the water in the Baie de Talloires, and we were saying how wonderful it would be to stay there for a few nights. You can even arrive at the hotel by boat, which would be so cool!
The village is full of beautiful houses, sophisticated upscale restaurants looking over the lake, tons of history, dating back over a thousand years. And because the bay faces west, it gets beautiful, warm sunlight throughout the afternoon.
Expect a much slower, more relaxed pace. It’s the perfect mini day trip if you want to experience the lake without the crowds.
Chamonix
Another town we visited in the French Alps was Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, or just Chamonix. We visited a few years ago and absolutely loved it, so we really wanted to come back this time. Especially because we wanted to visit Rose du Pont.
Rose du Post, Chamonix
Rose du Pont is such a cute pink restaurant right along the canal, with the prettiest little planter boxes outside. We parked just outside the historic centre and followed the signs towards the centre, which made it really easy to find.
We didn’t have much time because we came later in the day, so we just stopped for a drink. Mom and I both ordered a Kir Savoyard, which is a popular drink in the Haute-Savoie and Savoie regions. It’s made with white wine and berry liqueur, so it’s really fruity and delicious. Almost like a rosé, but with more of a berry flavour.
The restaurant itself is beautiful, with two levels and really gorgeous vintage, eclectic and sophisticated decor. If you do visit, we definitely recommend sitting inside by the window overlooking the water. The outdoor seating is cute, but you don’t get quite the same view. There’s also a little balcony upstairs that looks over the water. It would be such a nice spot if you’re visiting as a couple or just with two people.
We did really enjoy coming back to Chamonix. We will say that visiting at the end of August was extremely busy and also very hot, which took away from the experience a little bit. Next time, we would love to come in winter when the mountains are covered in snow, and hopefully outside of the busiest times.
Related Read You’ll Love…
If you’re planning a French road trip, make sure you read our Road Tripping in France 101 post next, because we show you all the rules on the road you need to know if you’re driving, how to use public transport, budget-friendly travel tips and the best places to visit if it’s your first time.
Safe travels!
Want more insider road trip hacks and get to see behind-the-scenes of our travels?
If you’re not already on the list, sign up to our weekly newsletter to stay updated, plus we share super useful travel tips!
The Joining of Manigod & Le Conquet
There’s actually a pretty sweet story behind why Manigod is twinned with Le Conquet in Brittany.
It all started in the late 1960s, when a family from Le Conquet came to the mountains on holiday. During their stay, a violent night storm hit the mountains. They ended up staying with a family in Manigod, who welcomed them into their home. They loved the area and the welcome they received so much that they started bringing young people from Le Conquet here for snow holidays.
Over the years, this grew into regular exchanges between the two towns. Children from Le Conquet visiting the mountains and children from Manigod going to the coast.
The friendship became official in 1995, and the two towns have continued their exchanges ever since — basically creating a little connection between the French Alps and the Atlantic coast.
Leave a Reply