Lake Annecy
Lake Annecy, Europe’s cleanest lake, is a popular summer destination for families, couples and singles alike, with a wide variety of accommodation and villages to stay in. Although the city of Annecy is the largest, the villages dotted around the lake provide a much more private atmosphere, with those on the East side being generally more expensive, catching the afternoon sun, while those on the West side of the lake provide more camping grounds and less summertime events and activities.
The lake
The lake itself is sourced by mountain streams and by a deep spring at the Annecy end of the lake, which alone provides 30% of the water in the lake. The resulting fresh and clean water of Lake Annecy is home to activities all year round. Unsurprisingly, most sane people will only brave the water in summertime, when the temperature of the lake can reach the mid- to high-twenties. At least one person, in her eighties, swims across the lake and back each day of the year according to locals, while the student divers prefer the comfort of their dry suits in winter.