Hotel Le Cottage

Visit the small city of Annecy, known as the 'Venice of the Alps', its canals, the old town and historical churches. The most famous buildings are the Palais de l’Isle and the Basilique de la Visitation above Old Annecy with a free exhibition of bells (usually from mid-May onwards).

The area was also associated with the French Resistance, the British agent Odette operated locally and the story of the Plateau de Glières, where resistance fighters were based and there was a big battle is told in the Resistance Museum.

The village of Talloires on the Eastern side of the lake was built around an 11th century abbey. The most well known castles in the area were built by the Dukes of Savoy including Annecy, Menthon-Saint-Bernard and Montrottier.

There's a flat cycle path around Lake Annecy and this scenic ride follows the outline of the lake with fantastic views across glistening water and towards pretty villages, castles and mountain peaks. The path also goes along to Albertville on an old rail track.

Visit the Bout de lac Nature reserve and enjoy woodland, meadows and marshes, and there's even an old tower giving an elevated view. The paths in the hills around Talloires offer great intermediate hiking and a chance to discover summer-time Alpine nature at it's best. Visit the Cascade d’Angon waterfall and the Roc de Chère Nature Reserve.

This impressive promontory above Talloires bay does not immediately look accessible for walkers, but it has trails throughout, a golf course and a restaurant. A day out exploring the Roc de Chere and Menthon Saint Bernard is a great way to spend a day of your holiday. Menthon Saint Bernard is also home to the Chateau de Menthon, an 11th century gorgeous castle.

There are many friendly and local cafés to choose from, all offering good coffee with croissants, as well as beer and cold drinks. 
There are a huge number of eating options, from humble to two Michelin stars, in and around the lake and the city itself. It's also worth going to Annecy and catching the market on Fridays. Talloires also has a local market on Thursdays (usually held 19 June to 26 Sept).

Lake Annecy has some great festivals throughout the summer season and we've listed a few of our favourites below. Please be aware that some events are ticketed and may need to be booked and paid for in advance, event dates are approximate and should be checked before booking.

• Annecy Fête du Lac firework festival (usually held around the 1st of August)
• Annecy International Animated Film Festival (usually held early to mid June)
• Talloires Music Festival with fireworks (usually held around late Aug)