Cathédrale Saint-Pierre

Annecy's old town is a maze of canals, arcaded streets and pastel houses along the Thiou river, and the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre sits a short walk from the water on the Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It is a Gothic church of the early sixteenth century, and its sober facade and interior make a quiet contrast with the postcard views of the Palais de l'Isle and the canals a few streets away. The building stands for the town's religious past, which is closely tied to the story of the bishops of Geneva.

After the Reformation took hold in Geneva in the 1530s, the Catholic bishop of Geneva moved his seat to Annecy, and the town became the base of a diocese that kept the old title. The most famous holder of the title was Francis de Sales, bishop of Geneva from the early seventeenth century, a gentle and widely read writer who was later declared a saint and a Doctor of the Church. Together with Jane Frances de Chantal he founded the Order of the Visitation in Annecy in 1610, and the town remains a place of pilgrimage for people devoted to him. Saint-Pierre, as the principal church of the town, is part of that heritage, and the surrounding streets carry many reminders of it.

The church has a three-aisle plan and tall interior spaces typical of late Gothic in Savoy, with stone vaults and side chapels. Visitors will find altars, statues and paintings of different periods, and the atmosphere is calm and often cool, which makes it a pleasant stop on a hot day. It is open to visitors free of charge, and guided or themed tours, educational visits and concerts are organised at different times, so ask locally if you would like to join one. As this is an active place of worship, be respectful during services.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, for whom the street is named, arrived in Annecy as a teenager in 1728 and was taken in by Madame de Warens, a convert to Catholicism, and he later recalled his stay in the town in his writings. The link gives the area a literary dimension, and walking the lanes around the cathedral lets you imagine the town he knew. The Château d'Annecy rises on the hill above, and the Musée de l'Abbaye and the Musée Chantier are other cultural stops in the area.

It makes sense to combine the cathedral with a stroll through the old town and along the canals, then continue to the shore of Lac d'Annecy, among the cleanest lakes in Europe, where promenades, boat trips and swimming spots await. The Marché d'Annecy, held on certain days in the old town, is a good way to taste Savoyard cheeses such as Reblochon and Tomme. The cathedral suits travellers interested in architecture and religious history, as well as anyone seeking a calm moment in a busy tourist town. Parking is available in car parks nearby, though the old town itself is best explored on foot.