No matter what time of the year you decide to visit this city, the "Venice of the Alps" will let you capture the beauty of its history and nature in each season. Many towns close to Annecy house winter sports resorts and open their doors in winter, so if you're interested in coming to the region for skiing on the French side of the Alps, you should definitely choose the cold season. Otherwise, if cold and skiing are not your thing, consider planning your trip in spring: even if summer means the best days in terms of weather (also, the lake is at its warmest), it is also when tourism is at its peak, so you'd do better coming in spring to enjoy the city on foot and admire the beautiful flowers blooming all along the canals.
Annecy also has a bustling cultural scene, whose offer covers the whole year. The two main summer events are the Lake Festival (www.lac-annecy.com/fete-et-manifestation/1/209349-fete-du-lac.html), a spectacular pyrotechnic show over the lake, and the International Animation Film Festival (www.annecy.org), held respectively in August and June. If you come in the fall season, don't miss the chance to see the "Déscente des Alpages": every year in October, farmers take their livestock down from the mountains to the streets of the centre, where a number of artisans and farmers display and sell their products, and folk bands play all day. Another popular occurrence is the Venetian Carnival, which is very similar to the one in Venice and takes place between February and March. Finally, also in winter, the iconic Annecy Christmas Market (www.marchedenoelannecy.com) in the old town, held between the end of November and the beginning of January, is a must-see for visitors, who love to stroll along the canals in a magical atmosphere, and enjoy delicious local food or handicrafts.
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