Annecy is busy enough year-round, but the seasons feel quite different. Summer (June–August) is the lake season — warm enough to swim, every cycle and pedalo on the water, and the most crowded streets and beaches. The Animation Film Festival in June and the Fête du Lac in early August are the two single biggest weekends.
Autumn (September–October) is the best time for hiking — clearer air, brilliant colours in the lakeside forests, restaurants suddenly bookable. Winter (December–March) shifts focus to the surrounding ski resorts; the town itself is cold and grey with a chance of snow, but the Christmas market and the savoyard restaurants are at their proper season. Spring (April–May) is quiet and unpredictable — the lake is too cold to swim but the wildflowers are out and prices are at their lowest.