A Summer Day in Annecy

Before heading into Switzerland this summer, we spent a day in the Haute-Savoie city of Annecy. Bordered by the Alps on one side, it also has a lake, a beautiful Old Town and a great food scene. Here's what we saw and ate in Annecy!

We started our visit with a walk up the hill to Chateau d'Annecy. This castle was finished in the 16th century and restored in the 1950s. It's a steep walk up there but you're rewarded with great views over the Old Town and the mountains.

We then slid our way back down again into the labyrinthine streets of the Old Town and decided we deserved a snack. We stumbled upon Rose des Neiges, a patisserie serving cakes so irresistible looking that we had to try them. I went for a trick-of-the-eye apple made of white chocolate, apple mousse and marmelade, while Patrick had a brioche burger cake with rhubarb jam and orange jelly...

Trick-of-the-eye cakes!

Satisfied with our sweet reward, we wandered the colourful streets nearby.

Annecy is known for its swan-populated canals that flow into Lake Annecy, as well as its cobbled streets and pastel buildings. Even though it was the busiest place we visited in France, that didn't detract from its beauty! Just look at it!

One of the big draws to Annecy for us was the food of Haute Savoie. We booked a tasting menu at L'Esquisse, a Michelin-starred restaurant with an emphasis on using local ingredients and presenting them in a colourful, quirky way.

Our favourite courses:

-local beef with campari and a 'mystery cappucino' of mushroom and potato puree, served in a cappucino mug

--trout with almonds and tarragon

-Savoie tomme cheese

-Octopus with lemon confit and haricot beans (not pictured!)