Canals, a stone prison and a bridge for lovers: Annecy as a game
The Annecy scavenger hunt is a self-guided city game you play on your phone: you walk from the lakeshore into the old town, solve a riddle at each landmark by looking closely at what is in front of you, and unlock the stories and legends behind it. Lakeshore and old town sit so close together that the 10 stops and 2 km need barely 18 minutes of walking, which leaves almost all of the roughly 2 hours for riddles, legends and looking at the water, and the game begins at whatever moment you choose to open it.
Highlights include the Pont des Amours, the statue of the chemist Claude Louis Berthollet, the view over Lake Annecy, the Palais de l'Île on its island in the Thiou, Notre-Dame-de-Liesse and Saint-Pierre Cathedral. Annecy is small and flat, and its canals, bridges and arcaded streets make it a town you can see entirely on foot.
- Durationabout 2 hours
- Walkingabout 18 min · 2 km
- Stops10
- LanguagesEnglish, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch
Riddles between Lake Annecy and the Thiou, from the Pont des Amours to the Pont Morens
Clues on bridges and church fronts
In Annecy the puzzles are set into what you pass: the railings of the Pont des Amours, the statue of a chemist by the lake, the pointed island walls of the Palais de l'Île. A careful look and a bit of logic do the job, and no reading up beforehand is required.
A kiss, a bleach and a bishop in exile
Solved riddles unlock Annecy's tales: the custom that couples who kiss on the Pont des Amours stay together, how Berthollet's work with chlorine gave France its eau de Javel, and why the bishops of Geneva moved to Annecy during the Reformation. Prefer listening? Rather watch the swans on the canals than read? The audio narration will tell you the tales of the old town instead.
2 km, mostly along water
Barely 18 minutes of walking take you from the lakeside gardens past the town hall and into the old town, where the route follows the Thiou from bridge to bridge. The streets are short and level, and Google Maps keeps you on track between stops.
Fondue in the arcades, a rest on the Pâquier
Since nothing is timed, you can break for a Savoyard lunch under the arcades or stretch out on the lakeside lawns of the Pâquier, then pick up the riddles later that day or the next. Along the way the app also tips a few local spots for food and shopping.
See the route and attractions →
How it works
- Book online Choose the number of players. Your booking reference arrives by email straight away.
- Get the app Download the World City Trail app from the App Store or Google Play and enter your booking reference.
- Play when you like Start whenever you are ready, walk at your own pace and pause any time. No guide, no fixed schedule.
Day trippers from Geneva, lake holidaymakers, families and groups
A half day from Geneva or the Alps
Annecy lies about 35 km from Geneva, and in around 2 hours the game covers the lake, the island palace, the churches and the canals that earned it the name Venice of the Alps. That leaves the rest of the day for a boat on the lake or the drive back to the mountains.
Kids who like castles in rivers
Children are usually taken with the Palais de l'Île, a stone fortress shaped like a ship that once held prisoners, with the lovers' bridge and with the view of the mountains across the lake. An adult joins every team, and with just 18 minutes on foot nobody runs out of steam.
Teams on an Alpine offsite
Teams of up to 5 compete side by side, every player following on their own phone, and groups can be sent off from the Pont des Amours at short intervals. The Pont Morens in the old town makes a compact finish line for comparing results, and the tickets are the only thing you book.
Good to know
- Bring a charged smartphone with mobile data; a power bank helps.
- No entry tickets needed: everything happens outside the buildings. Going inside is optional and paid separately.
- Family friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Not suitable for wheelchair users and difficult with strollers.
- Teams of up to 5 work best; bigger groups split into several teams, one ticket per player.
- Every purchase helps support stray cats and dogs in Greece.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
Heleen– France –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Een leuke puzzeltocht die je langs mooie plekken in Annecy brengt. De puzzels zijn erg eenvoudig en goed te doen met kinderen vanaf 6 jaar.
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Leuke voettocht door Annecy. Je word er nogcwat wijzer van ook
Viola– Switzerland –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Spannende Informationen, gute Route, witzige Rätsel
Switzerland –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Very good way to explore the city
Netherlands –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Cristina Beltran– Spain –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Ha estado bien y entretenida. Te va explicando la historia de la ciudad. Lo bueno q puedes ir a tu ritmo, parar y ponerte en marcha cuando quieras.
United Kingdom –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Ronald Wayne– United States –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Germany –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Adrian– Switzerland –
Collected on GetYourGuide
Die Bedienung der APPs war nicht sehr einfach und die F?hrung zu den Punkten war leichter sehr schlecht.
Robyn– Australia –
Collected on GetYourGuide