Organ recital times

Every Wednesday in July and August well-known organists come to play the historic Cathedral organs

Lake Fireworks Display

This is the traditional major event of the summer season
It takes place every year on the first Saturday of August

A little history; the Emperor Napoleon III and the Empress Eugenie were guests of the town of Annecy from August 29 to 31 1860 on the occasion of the celebrations to mark the union of Savoie and France
The town organised in their majesties' honour a night celebration on the lake which is the origin of the traditional Lake Fireworks Display

During the evening, from sunset, tens of thousands of spectators gather on the Paquier facing on to the Lake to watch and listen to a gigantic "Pyromusical" show which for an hour and half, without interruption, brings together fireworks, music, words, lights and lasers
The magic of water, music, and pyrotechnics make the Lake Fireworks Display more and more famous each year: 40,000 advance entry tickets are sold for the stands and on the grass, and 150,000 people watch the event from the lake shores, the mountains round about or the hundreds of boats gathered beyond the fiireworks zone. Annecy Summer Festival For a fortnight in August these classical music concerts take place in the prestigious surrounds of the Castle and the Imperial Palace Hotel
They are accompanied by international standard musical master-classes

Cross-lake Swimming Event

Each year on August 15 the cross-lake swimming event is held either over 1000m from the beach of the Imperial Hotel or 2500m from the Petit Port, for both qualified and non-qualified swimmers
This is one of the oldest events in Annecy (73rd edition in 2004), with, as usual, more than 800 top-class swimmers.

Lake of Annecy Triathlon

This competition over Olympic distances (1500m swimming, 40 km cycling, 10 km running) is organised every year at the end of August by the Hydrocyclopeds Club

The Gentleman Cyclist Race

This is a cycling race around the lake for teams of two held in September- a long-running traditional event

Festival of Italian Cinema

The most important festival of Italian cinema in France has taken place in Annecy for 20 years at the end of September or beginning of October.
Under the Presidency of Ettore Scola, it allows the public to meet big Italian stars and especially to see films not yet in the cinemas.
This was how even before the premiere Annecy was able to see Begnini's "Life is Beautiful", later awarded the special prize at Cannes
The Sergio Leone Prize is awarded to the best film in competition.

Return from the Alpine Pastures

Popular celebration which brings back to life every second Saturday in October the descent of the herds from the mountains in the autumn. It includes a parade of Alpine animals, musical and folklore groups and demonstrations of traditional trades.
Over the years what was originally a traditional local celebration has become a tourist event on a national scale mixing traditional aspects of Alpine life and the beautiful colours of autumn on the mountains around the lake.

Antiques and Second-hand Show

Every year in October 10,000 visitors, art and antiques-lovers, come to this Show run by professionals coming from all over France. It is organised by ms expo.

contact : ms expo
tel : __04 50 64 45 06
fax : _.04 50 64 21 53
e-mail msexpo@wanadoo.fr
web www.antiquaires-contact.com 

St Andrew's Fair

Since the Middle Ages on the first Tuesday of December the town centre has been transformed into a huge market where thousands of people look for bargains from 1100 street-sellers

"Christmas in the Alps"

During December numerous events are organised all over the town to create a Christmas atmosphere: the Christmas Market, concerts, illuminations, monumental sculpture shows, cruises with story-tellers, guided tours with chocolate-tasting.