Lake Annecy

Lake Annecy Lac d'Annecy
With labels for towns and mountains
Location	Haute-Savoie
Coordinates
Primary inflows	Ire, Eau morte, Laudon, Bornette and Biolon
Primary outflows	Thiou
Catchment area	251 km²
Basin countries	France
Max. length	14.6 km
Max. width	3.2 km
Surface area	27.59 km²
Average depth	41 m
Max. depth	82 m
Water volume	1,124.5 mio m³
Residence time	4 years
Surface elevation	446.97 m
Settlements	Annecy (see list)

Lake Annecy (French: Lac d'Annecy) is a perialpine lake in Haute-Savoie in France.

It is the third largest lake in France, after the Lac du Bourget and Lac de Grand-Lieu, if the French part of Lake Geneva (which is also partly in Switzerland) is excluded. It is known as "Europe's cleanest lake" because of strict environmental regulations introduced in the 1960s. It is a popular tourist destination known for its swimming and water sports.

The lake was formed about 18,000 years ago, at the time the large alpine glaciers melted. It is fed by many small rivers from the surrounding mountains (Ire, Eau morte, Laudon, Bornette and Biolon), and from a powerful underwater source, the Boubioz, which enters at 82 m depth.

Towns and villages around the lake

• Annecy
• Annecy-le-Vieux
• Doussard
• Duingt
• Lathuile
• Menthon-Saint-Bernard
• Saint-Jorioz
• Sevrier
• Talloires
• Veyrier-du-Lac

A cycle path goes partially around Lake Annecy past Sevrier and St Jorioz to Ugine. It has an aim to reach Albertville. The lake is around 14 km long.

• 

  View of Lake Annecy from Talloires.

• Paul Cézanne 148.jpg

  Paul Cézanne. Le lac bleu, 1896.

• 

  Lake Annecy, with the mountains of Dents de Lanfon, Lanfonnet and La Tournette in the background.

See also

• Faverges
• Montmin
• Chevaline killings

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: 

Further reading

• Jean-Daniel Stanley and Thomas F. Jorstad, Direct Sediment Dispersal from Mountain to Shore, with Bypassing via Three Human-Modified Channel Systems to Lake Annecy, SE France (2004) Vol 20 (4) Journal of Coastal Research pp 958 – 969 JStor.

External links

• Official website of Lake Annecy (tourism information center)
• Association of the Friends of the Old Annecy (French)
• Best Cycling Climbs from Lake Annecy
• Lake Annecy City

• Jean-Daniel Stanley and Thomas F. Jorstad, Direct Sediment Dispersal from Mountain to Shore, with Bypassing via Three Human-Modified Channel Systems to Lake Annecy, SE France (2004) Vol 20 (4) Journal of Coastal Research pp 958 - 969 JStor.