Annecy old town: Palais de l'Isle, canals and château

Annecy’s old town is best visited without a map: follow the canals, pass under the arcades, look up at the colourful façades. It’s one of the best-preserved medieval centres in the Alps, and the setting is as much postcard as living scene, with its shops, cafés and market.

The route in a few steps

• The Palais de l’Isle: set on an islet in the middle of the Thiou, shaped like a ship’s prow. A residence, courthouse and then prison since the 12th century, it’s now a museum and the town’s emblematic silhouette.
• The Thiou and Vassé canals: the lanes alongside them, flower-filled in summer, form the photogenic heart of the old town.
• The Pont des Amours: between the Jardins de l’Europe and the Vassé canal, the town’s most romantic bridge.
• The Château d’Annecy: former home of the Counts of Geneva, it overlooks the rooftops. Its museum and terrace give a sweeping view over the old town and the lake.

The market

Three mornings a week (Tuesday, Friday, Sunday), the old town turns into one of the finest markets in the Alps: Savoie cheeses, charcuterie, fruit and vegetables, all under the arcades. The best place to put together a picnic before the beach.

Visit with a guide or as a game

A guided tour brings out the history behind the stones: the golden age of the counts, the floods of the Thiou, life on the canals. For families, treasure hunts on a medieval theme turn the walk into an adventure. Here’s our selection from our partner.

Good to know

All year round. The old town is worth visiting in any season; it’s magical under snow in December, with the Christmas market.

Early morning or evening. In the middle of a summer day the lanes are packed. Early on, the light and the calm are unmatched.

On foot only. The centre is pedestrian: leave the car in a park-and-ride lot.

Allow half a day. More if you add the château and a terrace break by the water.

See also in Annecy

After the lanes, the open air: the lake and its beaches or the lake loop by bike. Back to the destination: Annecy.