Lac d'Annecy - Rhône-Alpes, France
Posted by: 
denben
N 45° 53.914 E 006° 07.610
32T E 277120 N 5086792
Annecy is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It lies on the northern tip of Lake Annecy (Lac d'Annecy).
Waymark Code: WMJ7M2
Location: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Date Posted: 10/07/2013
Views: 42
Only 40 kilometers south of Geneva, Switzerland and north of the French Alps, Annecy is a medieval town whose origins can be traced back to the 14th century.
Today Annecy has developed into a small city offering every modern-day convenience but within the old town visitors are carried back to another time. Charming homes and stores in pastel colors line cobble streets and follow man-made channels regulating the inflow and outflow of the lake’s water. It is due to these channels that Annecy has become known as the “Venice of Savoie”.
The original town developed around the castle residence of the town’s rulers, first the Counts of Geneva and later the Dukes of Genovese-Nemours. The Annecy castle is one the town’s primary tourist attractions and combines a variety of architectural styles, illustrating its transformation from medieval functionality to French Renaissance elegance. Today the castle is home to an extensive collection of religious sculptures, landscape paintings and alpine furniture. It also regularly welcomes modern artists with temporary exhibitions and serves as a special venue for select musical events.
The Palais de l'Ile (Island Palace) is Annecy’s oldest structure and dates back to the 12th century. Originally a fortified house owned by a succession of aristocrats, the stone triangular structure jutting into the Thiou canal eventually served as a prison for more than 6 centuries. During World War II it was used by the Nazis to detain resistance fighters. In 1986 the modern Annecy History Museum was officially opened and present visitors are free to visit the building’s small cells, chambers and dungeon complete with shackles and vintage graffiti.
Lake Annecy is the third largest lake in France. It is known as "Europe's cleanest lake" because of strict environmental regulations introduced in the 1960s. It is a popular tourist destination known for its swimming and water sports.
See our gallery of 8 pictures.
Source: (
visit link)