Notre-Dame-de-Liesse is the church on Place Notre-Dame in Annecy's old town, founded in the 14th century by the Counts of Geneva as their burial church. Most of what you see today was rebuilt in the mid-19th century in a Roman-inspired neoclassical style, and the rebuilding turned the church around: the old bell tower is one of the few medieval-era survivors.
Notre-Dame-de-Liesse at a glance
- Where: on Place Notre-Dame in the old town, next to the Ancien Hôtel de Ville.
- Built: founded in the 14th century; bell tower around 1530; largely rebuilt from 1846.
- By: the 19th-century church was rebuilt by François Justin.
- What it is today: a Catholic parish church and one of the main churches of the old town.
- Time needed: 15–20 minutes, including a look at the square and its fountain.
From the counts' burial church to a 'Sardinian' rebuild
The church goes back to the 14th century, when Count Amadeus III of Geneva founded it, starting from a small oratory near a hospital. The counts later raised it to the rank of a collegiate church and chose it as their burial place. Around 1530 Charlotte d'Orléans, wife of Philippe of Savoy-Nemours, paid for a large bell tower, and in July 1566 the Holy Shroud was displayed here.
The French Revolution hit hard. In 1793 the choir was demolished to make room for the present square, and what remained of the church was used as a fodder store for the army. From 1846 François Justin largely rebuilt it and reversed its orientation. He worked in the 'Sardinian' neoclassical style that spread through Savoy between about 1830 and 1850, when the region belonged to the Kingdom of Sardinia, with forms borrowed from ancient Roman architecture inside and out.
What to look for
- The bell tower: the tall tower dating from around 1530 is the clearest link to the church's older past.
- The neoclassical facade: clean classical lines in the Roman-inspired style of the 19th-century rebuild.
- The dome: the central dome was renovated in 2007 and can be seen from the Jardins de l'Évêché.
- The stained glass: the windows tell episodes from the church's own history.
- The big bell: the largest bell, called 'La Salésienne', weighs about 5 tonnes.
Liesse, the counts and the square
'Liesse' is an old French word for joy, so the name means Our Lady of Joy. The counts of Geneva are still buried here, a reminder that this was once the dynastic church of the rulers who lived in the castle above the town. Out on the square, which exists only because the old choir was knocked down, stands an obelisk fountain decorated with lions and turtles; it marked the arrival of drinking water in Annecy in the 19th century. The market was also held here before moving to rue Sainte-Claire.
Tips for your visit
- Look at the bell tower first and then at the facade: the contrast shows the two lives of the church.
- It is a working parish church, so visit outside services and keep your voice down.
- Pair it with the Ancien Hôtel de Ville next door and look for the trout on its iron railings.
Nearby
- Ancien Hôtel de Ville: Annecy's old town hall, next to the church, with trout worked into its 1771 iron railings.
- Palais de l'Île: the triangular former prison in the middle of the Thiou, a few minutes' walk.
- Cathédrale Saint-Pierre: the 16th-century church that served Geneva's bishops in exile, a short walk through the old town.
See Annecy with World City Trail
Our Annecy scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 18 minutes of walking. Notre-Dame-de-Liesse is one of the stops, along with the old town hall next door, the Palais de l'Île and Annecy Cathedral. You can play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Annecy.
Play the Annecy scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Annecy →
Play the outdoor escape game in Annecy →
Facts checked in October 2026.