Lake Annecy

Lake Annecy, cradled by Alpine peaks, is one of the cleanest lakes in Europe, its turquoise water so pure you can see the bottom. At its head sits the charming old town of Annecy, laced with flower-lined canals and dominated by a castle, earning it the name the Venice of the Alps, a place for swimming, cycling and boating with a mountain backdrop.

Background

The lake took shape about 18,000 years ago, when the large alpine glaciers melted. It covers 27.59 square kilometres, measures 14.6 kilometres by 3.2 kilometres and lies at 446.97 metres. Its average depth is 41 metres and its maximum 82 metres. Small mountain rivers feed it, the Ire, Eau morte, Laudon, Bornette and Biolon, from a catchment of 251 square kilometres, and so does the Boubioz, a powerful underwater spring at a depth of 82 metres. The residence time of the water is 4 years. It drains through the Thiou, which starts in Annecy. If the French share of Lake Geneva is left out, only the Lac du Bourget and Lac de Grand-Lieu are larger among French lakes.

Source: Wikipedia, "Lake Annecy"

The landscape

• The turquoise lake - the clear Alpine lake for swimming and boating.
• Annecy old town - the canal-laced medieval town with its Palais de l'Isle.
• The lakeside cycle path - the flat path around the water.
• The mountain backdrop - the Alps rising around the lake.

When to go

Late spring to early autumn for swimming, cycling and the warm old town; the lake is busiest in summer. A clear day flatters the mountain reflections.

Good to know

It is very popular in summer, so the old town and lakeside are busy and parking difficult. The old town is small, a stroll rather than a day of sights. The water, though clean, is Alpine-cool.

Nearby

Chamonix and Mont Blanc are to the east; Geneva and the Swiss border are close.

Key facts