Top 10 culinary specialities in Annecy

The region around Annecy in Haute Savoie is renowned for its generosity and ancient recipes. Above all, for its plates brimming with Savoyard cheeses and other hearty hot dishes, served in a large dish to share. It’s not for nothing that the gastronomy of Annecy and its region has conquered the rest of France. The delicacy and generosity of Savoyard cuisine make it an essential part of our winter evenings.

The strong, mouth-watering smell of local specialities is an invitation to sit down and eat! Smell the dried and finely sliced charcuterie. The countless cheeses and sometimes the tender, delicate flesh of fish caught in the lake.

In the kitchen, the locals know how to sublimate the products of the landscapes they love so much. A breathtaking landscape of valleys, lakes and snow-capped mountain pastures. It’s this diversity, and above all these contrasts, that give rise to Annecy’s rich gastronomy.

Annecy’s culinary specialities have contributed enormously to the town’s development as a tourist destination. Just step into a traditional restaurant to get a taste of this great cuisine!

What to eat in Annecy Our selection of 10 Annecy specialities

If you’re a honey-lover, Annecy is like heaven. Look at the superbly varied landscapes that surround the town. The natural areas are so vast and full of flowers that they encourage abundant honey production, another speciality of Haute Savoie. A symphony of textures – liquid, solid or creamy – and a wide range of aromas are waiting to be discovered. Succumb to the mild sweetness of acacia honey, the character of chestnut honey or the complexity of local fir honey during your holidays in the valley or the Alpine mountains.

1 Raclette

If there’s one dish the French look forward to, it’s winter raclette! This medieval dish is made with melted cheese, potatoes and an assortment of cold meats, onions and gherkins. Away from the frying pans, the cheese of a ‘real’ raclette is melted directly on the wheel, then scraped and topped with a garnish of potatoes, onions and gherkins. A warm and convivial dish par excellence, raclette is best served with a good Savoyard white wine such as Roussette de Savoie.

2. Fondue Savoyarde

Here’s another Savoyard must-try. Luckily, fondue can be eaten all year round. We particularly recommend it in winter, as it’s a very hearty dish to share. For the same reason, this dish is quite expensive. Savoyard fondue requires an astronomical amount of quality cheese made from the milk of cows that graze in the Annecy region. The cheeses are then blended, with the addition of garlic and white wine. The mixture is served in a pot, and small pieces of bread are dipped in it.

3. Crozets

Crozets are delicious little flat pastas, recognisable by their square shape. Made from buckwheat, wheat or barley flour, they get their distinctive flavour from being dried very slowly at a low temperature. They are cooked in the “croziflette” style, with onions, bacon and cheese au gratin. There are several flavour variants, such as blueberry or génépi.

4. Tartiflette

A French favourite, this cheese and potato gratin is a winter favourite. In one dish, lardons, onions and a generous amount of Reblochon cheese are added. The generous preparation is baked in the oven or pan-fried. With ingredients like these, tartiflette feels like it’s come from far away. Especially when served piping hot, just after cooking!

5. Diots & Pormoniers

Make way for meat with these miniature pork sausages known as “diots”. You’ll find them cooked with white wine and onions to accompany crozets. Several flavours of diots are available, usually plain or smoked. Their neighbours, pormoniers, are also made from pork, with spinach, chard, leeks and aromatic herbs.

6. Savoyard charcuterie

Savoyard sausages, dry-cured hams, ham nuts… There are so many local varieties that the list seems endless. That’s why Annecy is the perfect place to discover Alpine charcuterie. Charcuterie platters are often accompanied by warm specialities brimming with mountain cheese. Otherwise, the meat is an integral part of the dish!

7. Gâteau de Savoie

Even if it doesn’t always have a light, fluffy texture, the gâteau de Savoie is now a widespread delicacy. It’s a simple cake made from flour, cornflour, sugar and eggs. Nothing more, nothing less! It’s the stiffly beaten egg whites that give the cake its light texture. Notice how the Savoy cake is not completely cooked to preserve the clarity and finesse of its crust covered with flaked almonds. A slice of Savoy cake can be enjoyed on its own or with warm applesauce.

8. La Saint-Genix

You’ll find this in most of the typical bakeries in Annecy and the surrounding area. Saint-Genix is a sourdough brioche filled with red pralines. It was made in 1880 by the Labully family in Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers, on the border between Savoie and Isère. Its soft, airy crumb and crunchy pralines make it an excellent snack. You’ll succumb to its greediness and buttery taste, with the sweetness of the red pralines.

9. Chocolate Truffles

Although invented in Chambéry, chocolate truffles are a very popular sweet in Annecy. These mouth-watering morsels are made from dark chocolate, liquid cream, butter and a hint of vanilla. The chocolate dough is hand-rolled in cocoa powder. Don’t hesitate to share a packet when you visit Annecy-le-Vieux.

10. Roussette de Savoie wine

These typically Savoyard white wines are served in most Annecy restaurants. Their sweet, subtly acidic aroma and low alcohol content can quickly lead to one glass too many! Be careful when tasting these alcoholic beverages. Savoy wine is essentially white, with a tangy flavour and low alcohol content. Red wines, on the other hand, are made from Mondeuse grapes. For an overview of the grands crus, head for the altesse grape variety, including the famous “Roussette de Savoie” appellation. A story to discover…