Best Thing to Do in Annecy with Kids In the Summer
This article will tell you what to do in Annecy with kids, from playgrounds, indoor attractions, activities, and day trips.
Looking for things to do in Annecy with kids? Most tourists only pass by for a day, but there are plenty of things to do in Annecy if you choose to spend a few days in Annecy: from lake cruising, bike rides, outdoor playgrounds, castles, to farmer’s markets.
I spent a few months living in Annecy with our two kids and cat and we all loved it, so a few years later I moved back again (basically, I know what I’m talking about!). Annecy is very family-friendly and reason why it’s consistently winning as the best place to raise a family in France.
Also see my other posts on Annecy:
- What to Do in Annecy with Kids in the Winter
- Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Annecy
- Day Trips from Annecy
Best Things to Do in Annecy with Kids in the Summer
Explore Annecy’s Old Town
You might have seen a photo of Palais de l’Isle, as it’s the most famous spot in Annecy. It’s a Medieval palace in the middle of the Thiou Canal that was once a prison, then a royal residence, and an administrative center, before becoming a museum today. You can pay €4 to enter to see an old courtroom, dungeon, prison cells, and chapel.
When you’re taking photos from the bridge right across it, you might want to grab some ice cream from Maison Perriere – it’s hard to miss and the kids will love it. People usually prefer Le glacier des Alpes, but for my kids, I thought Maison had more flavors to choose from.
Annecy is known for its canals and is often called the Venice of the Alps. Annecy’s canals are too shallow for boating but very picturesque. They’re surrounded by colorful old buildings and cobblestone streets, and most little bridges are full of flower boxes. You can see the mountains in the distance as well, which makes it a very pretty town.
Annecy has a few awesome playgrounds with a view. In the heart of the old town, there’s one overlooking a church, but the most famous ones are right next to the Lovers’ Bridge (on each side). My kids love the pirate ship there. Both are pretty busy almost at all times, but enclosed and partially shaded.
Visit the Farmer’s Market
Annecy has a fantastic street market in the old town, all over the old town. The Annecy street market is every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from 7am–1pm. Make sure to get some of the local Reblochon cheese and some nougat.
My kids are big fans of the cookie guy who recently started adding even versions with Dubai chocolate inside.
There’s also another market, more of a “local secret”. It starts at Gallerie Lafayette and spreads around Av. de la Plaine, and the smaller streets around this market are only open on Saturday.
Paraglide
If you’re adventurous ones, I strongly recommend you booking a paragliding session above Lake Annecy, as Annecy is the most famous paragliding site in Europe.
It’s one of the best ways to see the entire region from above and to enjoy unique views of the lake, and surprisingly, even kids as young as 3 years old can try it out in tandem mode.
The paragliding session usually starts from Forclaz pass (Col de Forclaz in French) or the small town of Talloires, and it should be booked in advance.
See Lover’s Bridge
Pont des Amours is a famous bridge on the edge of Lac d’Annecy that spans the Vassé canal and connects the Jardins de l’Europe with the old town.
The bridge has two great views. One look at the lake itself with mountains in the background, and if you turn around, you’ll enjoy a tree-lined canal with wooden boats moored on each side (the best view, especially in the autumn!).
If you’re coming with kids… You won’t fail to notice that many ducks and swans are hanging out in the area. They won’t nibble, but might come very close.
Picnic in the Jardins de l’Europe
If the weather is nice, you’ll see a ton of locals enjoying their day at the park. There are lots of grassy spots to sit with boardwalks overlooking the lake. Just pick some cheese and bread from the market and go ahead.
There’s even an old wooden Carousel from 1871 for kids to ride, and on weekends, there’s usually a lady renting some pony bikes for kids and people selling drinks and ice cream.
Take a Boat to the Lake
While there are bigger boats taking tourists around the lake I suggest a smaller self-operated boat.
Right off the Jardins de l’Europe there are multiple people renting boats and pedal boats on this stunning blue lake of Annecy. Lake Annecy is France’s 3rd largest lake and regularly receives accolades for being the freshest and cleanest lake in Europe.
Pedal boats are about €25 for 30 minutes and motorized boats run about €65. Some even have slides or diving boards attached. Most are kids and pet-friendly. We took our cat for a ride once!
See Chateau d’Annecy
It’s a 13th-century castle in the heart of Annecy, located on a hill above the town. Nowadays, it’s a local sculpture, art, and nature exhibit of animals and fish that are found around the lake.
Taste Haute Savoire cuisine
Annecy is in the middle of the French Alps – a place known for incredibly cheesy, hearty alpine delights. Try some traditional alpine fare like raclette, baked reblochon, fondue, and tartiflette.
Le Freti and L’Etage are both great restaurants to enjoy these French alpine classics. Just to note, you must book a table and if you’re going with kids bring snacks while you wait. The service at Le Freti is very slow and we often wait about 30 minutes to even get drinks, so be mindful.
Award-winning Pierre Gay is one of the best-known fromageries in town, but in all honesty, you can get the best cheeses at the market.
Stroll Along Promenade du Thiou
If you want to escape the crowds for a bit, the Promenade du Thiou is a nice, easy walk through the old town of Annecy along the crystal blue Thiou River. At just 3.6 km in length, this is actually one of the shortest rivers in France!
The trail is bike and stroller-friendly too and I never saw a tourist there-only locals, many of whom are fishing.
There are various playgrounds on the way with sitting areas, and bridges spread out along the tree-shaded trail. It’s best to start at Parc de l’Île Saint-Joseph.
Bike Around The Lake
Annecy is very bicycle-friendly with various dedicated bike paths and trails that will take you all around the town and lake with gorgeous scenery.
This 35 km paved greenway follows the old route of a railroad that connected Annecy with Albertville and stops in smaller villages along the way like Sévrier, Saint-Jorioz, Duingt, Lathuile and Doussard.
You can rent a bike from many shops in Annecy, including trailers for toddlers. As the kids are 2.5 and older, an electric bike with a longer cushioned back for the kids to sit on are what locals
If you bike to Veyrier-sur-Lac (about 5 km) you can enjoy a mini promenade and there’s a restaurant called Le Pecheur. They serve fantastic fish – highly recommend it!
Some people would say there are beaches on the way, but it’s more of a spot to sit – the closest one is near Hotel Imperial. The only sandy beach of Lake Annecy is Saint Jorioz.
If you fancy biking to the other side of the lake, L’Oasis – Sevrier is a great spot to stop for lunch or a drink. It’s right on the lake in a quiet area.
Explore Annecy le Vieux
Annecy le Vieux is a different part of town (it’s not the old town – that’s Vieille Ville!). It’s a residential area raised up on a hill overlooking the rest of the lake.
It has a nice park with a view, old buildings and churches, some restaurants & bars, and is a nice place for a stroll if you want to change the scenery.
Parc Animalier de la Grande Jeanne
Parc Animalier de la Grande Jeanne is a wildlife park located in the town of Les Ollières, which is about a 20-minute drive from Annecy and on the way to Le Semnoz, a local ski area during the winter.
Wildlife: The park is home to a variety of animals, including deer, wolves, lynx, and many others. It’s a great opportunity to see these animals up close and learn about their behavior and habitats.
For kids, there are several interactive exhibits and activities, including a petting zoo and a playground full of hideouts.
Take the kids to Criq Parc
Criq’Parc is the cutest adventure eco-park for younger kids where toddlers can have fun. It’s full of treetop mazes, trampolines, zip lines, and even a sled attached to a zip line.
There are things to do for all ages, as there’s even a corner for the smallest toddlers. Right next to it, there’s a park by the lake where you can picnic and relax.
Reach Ultimate Heights at Acro’Aventures Talloires
The closest treetop adventure park to Annecy is right by the place where paragliders are launching from. It has adventure courses suitable for all ages and levels, and kids as little as 100cm tall can try it out.
My younger is 4 and did a kids course with an adult, while the 6-year-old tried the medium course, and while he was fine, I was feeling slightly scared because it was high. We absolutely love this spot, and what I mean by that is myself, included, not just my kids.
Belvédère du Roc de Chère
If you’re up for a short hike without needing to go far, head to the other side of the lake. It’s an easy walk with no people in sight.
Day trip from Annecy to Chamonix
Another advantage of Annecy is its practical location in the Alps region, close to the French-Swiss border and not far from Italy. There are so many day trips from Annecy!
From Annecy, you can access lots of great destinations in only a few hours’ drive, which makes Annecy a great starting point for a road trip. That’s what we loved about it the most!
The Annecy Lake Festival (seasonal)
Another must-see for locals and tourists is the Annecy Lake Festival. This amazing pyrotechnic show takes place every year on the first Saturday of August and is the biggest in Europe.
Fireworks are shot off from Lake Annecy, and stands are built everywhere around Paquier so everyone can enjoy it. There are around 46,000 paid seats, but of course, you can view it from anywhere around the lake
For more info and seat booking, you can have a look Annecy official website.
Grandes Medievales d’Andilly (Seasonal)
France is known for spectacular historical performances (nothing can beat Puy du Fou). Grandes Medievales in Andilly is a big Medieval festival that offers shows as well as music, random situational performances, and lectures. It’s a fun place to spend the day, even if you don’t speak French – my husband doesn’t and he still enjoyed himself.
Hi! Since you have lived in Annecy, could you recommend some of the better neighborhoods to live if you have children? Could be anywhere in and outside of city centre. Visiting now and would like to narrow our search. We’re looking to move here next year with our boys. Thank you!
Absolutely, but I’ll also be real as I’m not sure you’re aware: finding a rental in Annecy is insanely difficult. In fact, 90% of landlords or agencies will not rent to you unless both you and your spouse are employed by French companies (not freelance) AND be past the 6 months probation period of your work contract AND you still need a guarantor who’s French AND make 3x the rent per person which simply isn’t possible as rents are high, plus these days many want at least one spouse to work in Switzerland since many commute so also rental prices can be Swiss – even when the apartments are available on seloger, leboncoin and bienici they don’t care and agents won’t even work with you – just to warn you. So even French nationals moving into the city have to often buy straight away, because renting is mission impossible. That said, can’t be picky because it’s tough to find anything and most people are surprised that they need to live in AirBnbs :/
That said, are you planning on doing public schools or private? Many expats like Annecy le Vieux because it’s close to the international private school (although they’re moving to Sevrier next year), but it’s also expensive to live there and spots at that school are even harder to get than a rental. The only place I said I’m not a big fan of (and locals tell me the same thing) is the area near the train station.