We are meeting our kids in Geneva in May, but will arrive a few days early and want to stay in one town and rest/enjoy exploring. Annecy and Chamonix have been suggested as they are beautiful and close to Geneva. Which would be the best choice, and why?
Thanks!
Posted by
Moncton NB
1404 posts
Depends on your level of activity. I would simplify it as:
- Annecy being a very nice town on a beautiful lake; maybe better if you are looking for a more sedentary holiday, to settle, go to a cafe, sit by the lake, relax;
- Chamonix being the hub of a network of exciting alpine activities like hiking and cable cars.
That is simplifying, of course. Both have aspects of the other.
Us, we thought Chamonix was one of the highlights of all of our European adventures. As a tourist we would go to Chamonix. But Annecy is probably a nicer place to live.
Posted by
Upstate NY, USA
1069 posts
I just did both in Sept and yes, def different vibes, previous post really nails it. Both towns are beautiful!
Posted by
West Coast
423 posts
I can offer my experience- what about both?
I ended in Chamonix on the RS MyWay Alpine Europe tour in mid-June in 2024. Then I used the BlaBla bus to Annecy for two days, then on to Lyon for the plane back to the US.
Chamonix was stunning! Mid- June and there was an actual blizzard underway at the top of the cable car. One couple went up anyway. The clouds rolled back and forth all day, rain off and on, obscuring but then revealing the mountains.
So I would suggest at least 2 full days there, for flexibility due to the weather. There's lots of cafes, restaurants and shops and a lovely stroll along the river. It's also only 1 and 1/2 hours to Annecy from the Chamonix train/bus stops/station. So you could still go to Annecy, even as a day trip?
It was about a 15 minute walk from the Annecy stations to the center of the pedestrianized Old Town. There really isn't much to see/do as far as history besides the beautiful buildings along the river. I used the RS self-guided walk and it was only about 45 minutes.
It was also SO crowded. I don't know if it would be less so, in May. At night it was lovely and peaceful, so maybe you could consider staying overnight. There's boat rides or paddle boats for the lake- I opted to rent a bike. It seems to be a base for day trips to the surrounding region. You might look at those if they better suit your interests than the more outdoorsy options in Chamonix.
Have a wonderful trip!
Posted by
SoCal
2262 posts
As someone who actually disliked Annecy, I'll chime in: Chamonix. Much more to do, whether it be golf, hiking or visiting the glacier. Less expensive IME. Better food. Others likely disagree.
My reaction to Annecy was that it has a small, scenic old town that is wall to wall with tourists, a pretty lake, and overpriced food and drink. The hike up to the old castle (Musée-Château d'Annecy) is excellent exercise, though.
Geneva is great, though expensive. Make sure you visit the International Red Cross headquarters and the archeological site underneath the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Genève.