48 hours in Annecy
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes/2022
© julien leiv
On the shores of the eponymous lake and encircled by the Alps, Annecy sees a year-round mix of chic tourists and equally chic residents.
The people of Annecy are drawn to the natural riches that surround them, and can take advantage of a high-quality range of restaurants and artisans, both in town and in the surrounding chic lakeside villages such as Veyrier and Talloires, home to some of the region's leading chefs: Yoann Conte and Jean Sulpice, both of whom trained with Marc Veyrat.
From Annecy, mountain lovers can ski at Le Semnoz, some fifteen kilometers away, or in the Aravis resorts of La Clusaz, Le Grand Bornand or Manigod, which can be reached via Thônes, half an hour's drive away.
The starting point for our gourmet itinerary is simply the train station. You cross the Place de la Gare and then, via the Square de Verdun, you come to Rue Vaugelas, a busy shopping street. Follow it to its junction with esplanade du Lac (A), for a prime first view. Behind the restaurant La Ciboulette, you'll notice a small passageway leading to two lively bars, and a little further on, a good wine cellar: La Bouchonnerie.
We then return to the beautiful old rue du Pâquier, with its galleries under the arches and its fine 18th- and 19th-century bourgeois houses.
