The best places to go shopping in Annecy range from local markets in Old Town to modern shopping malls in Centre Ville. The pedestrianised heart of Haute-Savoie's capital city is a joy to explore on foot. It’s also worth travelling a little further than the historic district for a rounded retail experience.

Annecy's independent boutiques offer a wide range of unique goods, while traditional markets are great for shopping like a local. As you choose a few souvenirs to take home with you, you get to learn plenty about local traditions and authentic methods of production. Here are our top picks for where to shop in Annecy and what to buy.

  • 1

    Old Town Market

    Annecy’s largest market

    Old Town Market
    • Budget
    • Shoppers

    Annecy’s Old Town Market takes place 3 times a week in and around Rue Sainte-Claire, one of its main pedestrianised streets. On Tuesdays, it’s characterised by food stalls, while Fridays and Sundays feature stallholders offering a wider range of items.

    The Old Town Market also incorporates a farmers’ market, in which you’ll find local and regional specialities like sausages and cheeses. If you’re self-catering in Annecy, it’s easy to seek advice on recipes and cooking techniques from vendors, as well as samples before you buy. 

    Location: Quai de l'Évêché, 74000 Annecy, France

    Open: Tuesday and Friday, and Sunday from 7 am to 1 pm (closed on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays)

    Map
  • 2

    Rue Royale

    Annecy’s premier shopping street

    Rue Royale
    • Shoppers

    Rue Royale is where you’ll find many of the chain stores that gravitate towards Annecy’s most prestigious retail real estate. Fashion and footwear dominate, with stores such as Etam, Max Mara, and Adidas thriving on the regular footfall.

    The street connects Rue du Pâquier to Avenue de Chambéry. It was originally laid out in the early 19th century but was pedestrianised in the mid-1970s. Though shopkeepers were initially a little unsure when the plans were announced, time has shown that it was a smart decision.

    Location: Rue Royale, 74000 Annecy, France

    Map

    photo by Elisabeth Martin (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

  • 3

    Galeries Lafayette

    Annecy’s branch of the famous department store

    Galeries Lafayette
    • Families
    • Shoppers

    Galeries Lafayette in Annecy is a branch of one of the biggest names in French retail. The flagship store of this impressive department store has stood on the Boulevard Haussmann in Paris for over a century, with around 50 branches scattered across France.

    Inside Annecy's Galeries Lafayette, you’ll find the usual mix of fashion, homewares and other must-have items. An extensive programme of modernisation and renovation in 2022 created an inner street, urban meadow, and green roof terraces, enhancing its appeal as one of the prettiest places to shop in Annecy.

    Location: 25 Av. du Parmelan, 74000 Annecy, France

    Open: Monday–Friday from 10 am to 7.30 pm. Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm (closed on Sundays)

    Phone: +33 (0)4 50 33 82 12

    Map

    photo by Guilhem Vellut (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 4

    Centre Commercial Courier

    A modern mall in the heart of Annecy

    Centre Commercial Courier
    • Food
    • Shoppers

    Centre Commercial Courier is a popular shopping mall in Annecy's city centre. This indoor complex first opened in 2001 but was renovated in 2017, now boasting more than 30 shops encompassing fashion, technology, beauty, homewares, and food.

    You’ll find big names such as H&M, Sephora, Zara, Monoprix, The Body Shop, and Fnac. There are also several onsite eateries, including the New York-inspired Mama Wolf and a Japanese restaurant called Kumo. Centre Commercial Courier is within a short walk of Vieille Ville d'Annecy and Église Notre Dame de Liesse.

    Location: 65 Rue Carnot, 74000 Annecy, France

    Open: Monday–Saturday from 9.30 am to 7.30 pm (closed on Sundays)

    Phone: +33 (0)4 50 46 46 76

    Map

    photo by Guilhem Vellut (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 5

    Bruno Meyer Chocolatier

    Heaven for chocolate lovers in Annecy

    Bruno Meyer Chocolatier
    • Food
    • Shoppers

    Bruno Meyer Chocolatier is a popular chocolate shop in Annecy that was founded in 1985 by Louis and Huguette Meyer. Today, it remains a family business with their son at the helm. The store prides itself in making its own chocolate, caramels, nougat, marshmallow, and fruit jellies. With 115 types of chocolates awaiting closer inspection, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

    Rival chocolatier Au Fidele Berger a short distance up on Rue Royale has been around for even longer. This chocolate shop combined with a bakery and tearoom has been making chocolates, pastries, and macarons on the premises since 1918. Both shops are great stops for those with a sweet tooth.

    Location: 4 Pl. Saint-François de Sales, 74000 Annecy, France

    Open: Tuesday–Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)

    Phone: +33 (0)4 50 45 12 08

    Map
  • 6

    Chapellerie Pochat

    A long-established traditional hat maker in Annecy

    Chapellerie Pochat
    • History
    • Shoppers

    Chapellerie Pochat is a hat shop in Annecy’s Place Notre Dame. At the end of WWII, newlyweds Andrée and Jean-Pierre Pochat were on their honeymoon in Annecy when they stumbled upon a milliner’s shop that had graced Rue Filaterie for over 4 decades. They were so enamoured they bought the place, which is called Burdin’s.

    Later, they moved the business over to Place Notre Dame and rebranded it as Pochat. Though the enterprising pair retired more than 20 years ago, Chapellerie Pochat is still flourishing and retains a vintage vibe.   

    Location: 23 Place Notre Dame, 74000 Annecy, France

    Open: Monday from 10 am to 7 pm, Tuesday–Saturday from 9.30 am to 7 pm (closed on Sundays)

    Phone: +33 (0)4 50 51 07 41

    Map

    photo by Guilhem Vellut (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 7

    Annecy Flea Market

    A place in Annecy where you can grab a preloved bargain

    Annecy Flea Market
    • Budget
    • Shoppers

    The Annecy Flea Market sets up once a month in the centre of the city. The market is also known as Brocante d’Annecy, with around 150 to 200 stalls lining the streets along the Thiou River.

    Wander past vendors touting antique skis, retro milk jugs, butter moulds, well-worn cowbells, and vintage cheese-making gear. The Annecy Flea Market is also a great place to pick up paintings, furniture, silverware, pottery, and textiles. The best finds are usually snapped up by lunchtime, so get there early in the morning.

    Location: Between Rue de la République and Salle Pierre Lamy, Annecy, France

    Map
  • 8

    Aushopping Grand Epagny

    A sprawling out-of-town complex

    Aushopping Grand Epagny
    • Food
    • Shoppers

    Aushopping Grand Epagny is a spacious shopping mall about 10 km from the centre of Annecy. It's anchored by an Auchan hypermarket, with several well-established stores like Yves Rocher, Promod, Naf Naf, Swarovski, Mango, and Leonidas.

    Dining-wise, Aushopping Grand Epagny hosts many popular restaurant chains such as Flunch and Columbus Cafe. There’s plenty of free parking but you can easily get there by public transport. Onsite amenities include free Wi-Fi, baby-changing facilities, and a photo booth.

    Location: Centre Commercial Auchan - Rue du commerce, 74330, France

    Open: Monday–Saturday from 9 am to 8 pm (closed on Sundays)

    Phone: +33 (0)4 50 24 24 24

    Map
  • 9

    Marché de Noël d’Annecy

    Annecy’s magical Christmas market

    Marché de Noël d’Annecy
    • Couples
    • Families
    • Photo
    • Shoppers

    Marché de Noël d’Annecy is when Annecy goes all out for the Christmas holiday, putting on special events and illuminating Old Town with fairy lights throughout December.

    Around 80 wooden chalets cluster around Église Saint François de Sales and Église Saint Maurice, 2 of the old town’s most handsome churches. They spill out into the surrounding streets, selling local produce, handcrafted wood carvings, and homemade decorations. You can find more vendor huts and an ice rink outside the Centre Comercial Courier. 

    Location: Rue Saint-Maurice, 74000 Annecy, France

    Phone: +33 (0)7 81 04 49 76

    Map

    photo by Guilhem Vellut (CC BY 2.0) modified

  • 10

    Poterie Savoyarde Le Tetras

    A Savoyard pottery retailer with a link to the past

    Poterie Savoyarde Le Tetras
    • Shoppers

    Poterie Savoyarde Le Tetras is a boutique in Annecy selling ceramics. Its name means ‘Black Grouse’, a bird commonly found in the nearby mountains. It was also a frequently used motif on traditional Savoyard pottery.

    Though Poterie Savoyarde Le Tetras in its present incarnation was opened in 2005, the owner’s grandmother actually ran a pottery shop in the 1920s. You can pick up a beautiful pot, jug, or fondue set bearing a picture of a cow, some Edelweiss flowers, or perhaps something as simple as a heart. They don’t offer shipping services, so save room in your suitcase if you plan to take a piece back home.

    Location: 2 Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 74000 Annecy, France

    Open: Daily from 10 am to 7 pm

    Phone: +33 (0)4 50 23 27 45

    Map
Julia Hammond | Contributing Writer