Plage des Marquisats

Plage des Marquisats occupies a central position on the western shoreline of Lac d'Annecy, tucked into the city of Annecy at 2 Rue des Marquisats, about a ten-minute walk from the famous old-town canals. The beach is a predominantly grass-and-lawn strip rather than a sandy shore, leading to a shallow pebble-and-gravel edge where the extraordinarily clear lake begins. Water clarity is a hallmark of Lac d'Annecy — the lake consistently meets the highest EU bathing water standards, and at Marquisats the pale gravel bottom amplifies the characteristic turquoise-green hue visible even in overcast light. The beach is considerably more intimate than the larger Plage d'Albigny to the north, and its proximity to the old town gives it a slightly more local, neighbourhood feel. Younger Annecy residents and students tend to congregate here alongside families. The lawn area supports picnicking, sunbathing, and informal ball games; the supervised swimming zone is demarcated by buoys and monitored by lifeguards in July and August. Showers and toilet facilities are available on-site, and the adjacent sports facility at Roul'ma Poule rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, making Marquisats the informal base for lake watersports within the city. The beach has direct access to the lake promenade cycling circuit, a 41-kilometre path that rounds the full perimeter of Lac d'Annecy. Parking in the immediate vicinity is limited; a public car park on Boulevard du Fier provides overflow capacity. The atmosphere at Marquisats is more relaxed and slightly less tourist-heavy than Albigny: a place where local residents come for a post-work swim or a morning jog. In the evenings during summer the lawn transforms into an informal gathering point with picnicking groups. The lake warms from mid-June and typically reaches 21°C by August.