Excursion to Annecy

A dream world

If you have a few days in Lyon, consider taking at least one to explore the lovely city of Annecy, some two hours away and easily reachable by train. This city's Old Town is a fantastic mediaeval world perfectly preserved with historic churches and palazzos on cobblestone streets and lanes, lovely bridges, and canals crisscrossing the city - all beside a huge lake that lends and even more storybook feel to the whole business. A pair of its key spectacular landmarks are its castle, the Château d'Annecy, the historic residence of the counts of Geneva and now a government building, and the 12th-century Palais de l'Isle, a symbol of the city. In a country of romantic, atmospheric cities and towns, few are more so than Annecy.