Annecy – Venice of the Alps

Annecy – The Venice of the Alps – as the city is also called, is located north of the lake of the same name, which means it is in France, very close to Italy and Switzerland. In the course of its history, Annecy has always had to share the seat of power with Geneva and Turin, but has retained many signs of this rule, more precisely the presence of the Counts of Geneva, as can be seen, for example, from the island tower (tour de l’île) or the castle. According to businesscarriers, Annecy is a city located in the south-east of France.

As far as religions are concerned, Annecy was and is always opposite to Geneva. The religious charisma of the city from the time of the Counter-Reformation against Calvinist Geneva helped Annecy to have numerous monasteries and churches. Not all of them were preserved, mainly due to the destruction during the French Revolution, but the spiritual presence in Annecy remained. Saint-François de Sales, Bishop of Geneva, who as a historical figure is inextricably linked to the history of Annecy, made the city famous with the first house of the Order of the Visitation.

The beautiful lake, as a witness of this five thousand year old history, is today a symbol of a nature that has been rediscovered and respected. It has also become, along with the mountains, historical buildings and monuments, the most important part of the city’s tourist attraction.

Note
Information that applies to the entire country in which the city is located, e.g. on currency, entry regulations, health issues, etc., can be found under France.

Name of the city	Annecy
Name in German	Annecy
Country	France
Location	Annency is located in the south-east of France, in close proximity to Geneva.
Landmark of the city	Lake Annecy
Function of the city	Capital of the Haute-Savoie department
Area	13.65 km²
Population	approx. 128,000
Ethnicities	In France, a survey of the distribution of ethnic groups is usually not customary.
Languages	French
Religions	In France, a survey of religious affiliation is not customary due to the secular form of government.
National currency	Euro (1 € = 100 cents)
Rivers	Thiou (in town) Fier (a little north)
Elevations or mountains	The city is surrounded by mountains: Massif des Bauges (with the Semnoz and the Roc des Boeufs) and Massif des Bornes (with the Tournette – 2351 meters -, the “Teeth of Lanfon”, Mont Veyrier and Mont Baron)
Lakes in or near the city	Lake Annecy
Official homepage	www.ville-annecy.fr
Tourist center	Office de Tourisme d’Annecy Center Bonlieu 1, rue Jean Jaurès74000 AnnecyWeb: www.lac-annecy.com
Telephone code with country code	0033 – (0) 4 – participant number
Time	CET or CEST (Central European Summer Time) in summer
Line voltage, line frequency	230 V and 50 Hz
License plate of France	F.

Annecy: City History

Recent research has shown that Annecy’s history dates back to 3100 BC. Signs of a littoral (bank) village were found under the lake opposite Annecy-le-Vieux. In the Gallo-Roman period there was a small village with around 2,000 residents at the current location. Boutae was the Latin name given to Annecy by the Romans. Numerous remains from this period have been found, so that today we know exactly where the forum and the basilica were. Remnants of the thermal baths can still be seen at 36, avenue des Romains. In the 6th century the banks of the Thious and later in the 12th century the mouth of the lake were populated. This is how Annecy-le-Neuf came into being in the Middle Agesfirst mentioned in a paper from 1107.

Annecy was later subject to the Duchy of Geneva and became the capital of the dukes when they were hunted down in the 13th century because of serious conflicts with the bishops of Geneva. After the end of the Geneva family in 1394, the last representative of which was Robert of Geneva, the antipope Clement VII, the duchy became the property of the House of Savoy (Maison de Savoie) in 1401 under the reign of Amédée VIII (first Count from Savoy).

With the triumph of Calvinism in Geneva in the 16th century, Annecy became the bishopric and refuge of the fleeing Catholic brotherhoods in 1535. It also became the starting point of the Counter-Reformation led by François de Sales. For this reason, Annecy has been referred to by numerous historians as the Rome of the Savoy. The Notre-Dame de Liesse church, the Lambert house and the Saint Pierre cathedral all date from this period.

During the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era, the city was part of the Mont-Blanc department. At the time of the restoration, Annecy came back into possession of the House of Savoy (Maison de Savoie).

In 1860, after the incorporation of Savoy into France, the city became the capital of the new Haute-Savoie department.