Annecy is a town in the Haute-Savoie region of eastern France, on the shores of lac d'Annecy.

Pont des Amours en Annecy - Bridge of Love in Annecy

Annecy is a candidate for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Administration

Annecy is a commune of the Haute-Savoie département, in the Rhone-Alpes région. It is the préfecture of the département.

History

Located between Genève and Chambéry, its history between the 10th and 19th centuries was strongly affected by that of the two towns. Starting as the capital of the county of Geneva, after the demise of the counts of Geneva, it became integrated into the house of Savoie in 1401. In 1444 it was set up by the princes of Savoie as the capital of a region covering their possessions of Genevois, Faucigny and Beaufortain. With the triumph of Calvinism in 1535 it became the capital of the contrareformists. During the French revolution it became attached to the department of Mont Blanc, whose capital was Geneva, and after the Reformation it was returned to the house of Savoie. In 1860 it became the capital of the Haute Savoie.

Geography

• Population: 52 100 (in 1999), agglomération of Annecy: 135 000
• Altitude: 448 m

Annecy is situated on the north of lac d'Annecy and occupies a strategic location on routes between Italy, Switzerland and France.

Miscellaneous

Annecy rue Carnot

Annecy hosts two annual film festivals:

• Le festival du film d'animation (June)
• festival du film italien d'Annecy (October)

• Cran-Gevrier near Annecy is home to the 27th Battalion of the Chasseurs Alpins.
• Annecy is twinned with Bayreuth, D, Cheltenham, UK and Vicenca , I

External links

• Annecy town website: [1] (French)
• Le festival du film d'animation: [2]
• festival du film italien d'Annecy: [3]
• Homepage of the Annecy 2014 Olympic bid