Les belle fenêtres…pretty windows… we discovered them everywhere we looked in the gorgeous city of Annecy bordering the French Alps.
Annecy is one of those towns where you feel completely surrounded by the beauty of France – majestic châteaus, flower-lined canals, and a crystal-blue lake that extends as far as the eye can see. And then there are those pretty windows on seemingly every corner you turn. Sometimes it’s the small details that capture the heart of a place.
After spending 5 days in Annecy, you catch yourself thinking, I could live here… I could really live here. I already had my favorite café, boulangerie, and mid-week bistro picked-out. Not to mention our 4 trips to renowned pâtisserie Philippe Rigollot … and let’s just forget about all these other charming distractions, a trip to this pastry-heaven is reason enough to visit Annecy.
Les belle fenêtres…pretty windows… we discovered them everywhere we looked in the gorgeous city of Annecy bordering the French Alps.
Annecy is one of those towns where you feel completely surrounded by the beauty of France – majestic châteaus, flower-lined canals, and a crystal-blue lake that extends as far as the eye can see. And then there are those pretty windows on seemingly every corner you turn. Sometimes it’s the small details that capture the heart of a place.
After spending 5 days in Annecy, you catch yourself thinking, I could live here… I could really live here. I already had my favorite café, boulangerie, and mid-week bistro picked-out. Not to mention our 4 trips to renowned pâtisserie Philippe Rigollot … and let’s just forget about all these other charming distractions, a trip to this pastry-heaven is reason enough to visit Annecy.
Annecy is a stone’s throw from the Swiss border, and after we had a quick look at the real estate prices, we realized we weren’t the only love-sick tourists in town. Think Côte d’Azur …lake-side.
I contemplated how to transform myself into a well-heeled investment banker from Geneva, but ultimately felt content to know that our dear Annecy is just a short TGV-ride away and likely to become one of our favorite vacation destinations.
And with the regional specialities consisting of cheese, cheese, and more cheese… washed down with a side of sausage & potatoes, I think I’m more than happy with that plan. Eating a heaping plate of tartiflette in the middle of summer? … priceless.
Belle Provence Travels 
Oh my, Tuula, what an exquisitely beautiful place!! No wonder you fell in love with it. 🙂 I’d love to explore every single street. 🙂
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That a place like this actually exists is enough to make me believe in fairy tales. Beautiful! Thank you for brightening my day with this post.
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If possible, can you share your favorite places to stay, eat, etc. since I plan on visiting Anncey in the Spring. I was there many years ago and still remember it quite fondly.
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Hi Kathy,
Well, we ate in a lot of places! But our favorite was Les Ecuries de Pre Carre… and the table next to us said to was a real local favorite (and it was filled with locals both times we went) so I thought that was a good sign… Also, we didn’t have a chance to go there, but right next door is another fantastic place called La Ciboulette, one Michelin star with a lunch menu at 35 euro. One to try for sure!
For the hotel, we stayed at Hotel des Marquisats about a 10 minute walk from the center with a view of the lake. We nice staff and a small spa that costs 8 euro (each) to use. Well worth the price, we had a nice steam and sauna, bliss!
Good luck with your trip-planning and enjoy beautiful Annecy! Tuula
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Isn’t it wonderful to discover places that just immediately make you take a deep breath and just relax. I hope that you get to travel to Annecy often-
Velva
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In Nice for a month, researching and writing, we are off to Lyon and Annecy for a few days next week. Thanks so much for the restaurant suggestions ~ great timing!
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What a great blog! I have just stumbled across it while researching my first Europe trip. We love the look of Annecy and would like a ‘restful’ few nights there. Do you think 3 nights is enough?
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Hello Samantha, thank you for your kind comment and you will absolutely love Annecy, it’s a beautiful city! And yes, 3 nights would be good (although you could spend many more if you would like to take advantage of all the “nature” activities around the town). The best part for us was just hanging around the old city center – for a nice, long lunch – and then strolling around the lake. You can also take quick boat tours, leaving every 15 mins or so and different points along the lake. Bon voyage!
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