Lake Annecy, Natural lake in Haute-Savoie, France.
Lake Annecy is a body of water in Haute-Savoie that stretches between mountain ranges south of the town of Annecy and is surrounded by eight municipalities. The water is clear and the shores provide access to several bays, beaches, and villages along its entire coastline.
The basin formed around 18,000 years ago when alpine glaciers retreated and left water in a depression between the mountains. In medieval times, the Counts of Geneva fortified some shores and later small fishing villages appeared, which have since grown into larger communities.
The name comes from a Latin word for the settlement on its shore, which evolved over centuries into today's Annecy. Locals often swim as early as late spring because the shallow bays warm faster than the deeper main body.
A cycle path follows almost the entire shore and connects public swimming spots where you can swim in summer. Parking is available in several villages around the shore, though northern sections tend to fill up in summer.
The Boubioz spring feeds the lake from a depth of 82 metres, and its cold water rises from below the surface. The lake's overflow leaves through the Thiou, which runs through Annecy and joins the Fier before reaching the Rhône. The lake's only island, the Île des Cygnes, is artificial and lies opposite Annecy.
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