Photo: Luca Dugaro / Unsplash
About this guide
Annecy lies at the north end of Lake Annecy, considered one of the purest lakes in Europe. Above the old town stands the Château d'Annecy, residence of the counts of Geneva in the 13th and 14th centuries and now a museum; on a rock island in the Thiou sits the Palais de l'Isle, a former prison and courthouse. South of the town rises the Semnoz, known as the "Montagne des Annéciens".
- Difficulty
Balcon du Semnoz: a sporting route; a steep zigzag climb through the forest, with a short technical passage where the path leaves the forest. Cercle du lac: a town walk along the shore.
- Season
Cercle du lac: all year. Balcon du Semnoz: 15 May – 1 November, outside the snow season and depending on the weather; check current conditions with the Lac d'Annecy tourist office.
- Getting there
Cercle du lac: starts on the Quai Napoléon III by the Hôtel de Ville. Balcon du Semnoz: by car via Alby-sur-Chéran, Mûres and Gruffy; park at the Gruffy cemetery.
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Route data checked: October 2026 ·
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Related guides
Sources (7) · last checked October 2026
Route data checked: October 2026
- Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc — route, track, distance, time, difficulty, access, season and opening, history
- Office de Tourisme du Lac d'Annecy (Geotrek, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Tourisme) — access, season and opening
- Ville d'Annecy via Haute-Savoie Mont-Blanc — route, track, season and opening
- Conseil Départemental Haute-Savoie / Tourisme (Cirkwi) — route, elevation, difficulty
- Ville d'Annecy (Apidae record on haute-savoie-tourisme.org) — route
- © OpenStreetMap contributors — access
- BRouter (OpenStreetMap) — track, distance