Annecy International Animation Film Festival

Mornings begin early with screenings, badge pickups, and industry meetings around Bonlieu venues and nearby market spaces. By midday, people break for fast lunches in the old town before heading back into competition programs, creator talks, and shorts programs, with queues thickening as the afternoon goes on. Evening is when the city tilts toward premieres and the lakefront open-air screening area, where the mood loosens and the festival feels shared by professionals, students, and locals at once. In the middle days, the schedule gets tight, the lines get longer, and every missed connection between venues feels more expensive, so the smartest days leave breathing room between one must-see screening and the next.

Annecy festival eating is built around short gaps between screenings and the pull of the lake in the evening: coffee and French pastries before an early session, a crêpe or quick Savoyard plate between Bonlieu venues and the old town streets, then gelato or a glass of wine after the open-air screening lets out.

Must Try:
• Savoyard dishes
• crêpes
• gelato
• French pastries
• wine

The biggest price jump is lodging within easy walking distance of Bonlieu venues and the lakefront during June 21-27, especially across the middle days. A leaner trip means staying a bit farther out and walking or using local buses into the center, then focusing on selected screenings instead of stacking the day from morning to after dark. Mid-range visitors can justify a room near the old town streets to cut down on lost time between sessions and meals. Higher-spend trips come with central hotels, fuller screening access, and the freedom to book around competition premieres and late-night lakefront plans without worrying about the trip back.

Pick one venue cluster at a time instead of trying to bounce all day between Bonlieu venues, the lakefront open-air screening area, and old town streets. Put your non-negotiable screenings in first, then leave blank space for queue overruns, chance recommendations, and a real meal. If you want the lakefront screening, head there with time to spare rather than treating it like a casual last-minute add-on. Keep a portable charger, a light layer for late sessions by the water, and one backup film choice for every high-demand slot.

Most problems here are the ordinary festival ones: phones and wallets left exposed in screening queues, crowded stretches between Bonlieu venues and nearby streets, and tired late-night walks after the final session. Keep your bag zipped in waiting lines, give yourself extra time for major premieres so you are not rushing, and sort out your route home before settling in at the lakefront open-air screening area. Around the busiest middle days, patience matters almost as much as planning.

Annecy is one of the most important animation festivals in the world. It shapes careers, industry deals, and the way the medium is discussed across both art and commerce.

Annecy International Animation Film Festival is a strong pick for travelers who want a festival that feels inseparable from Annecy. • Quick Facts • Location: Annecy, France • Season: June • Main Draw: open-air screenings and competition premieres • Attendance: thousands of professionals and fans • Atmosphere: playful, international, and creatively charged • For edition-specific timing and key days, see the Key Days section.

Festival window: June 21-27, 2026 • Opening days: June 21-22, 2026 • Peak period: around June 24, 2026 • Closing stretch: June 26-27, 2026