Forget couture and fridge magnets – Annecy's finest souvenir comes wrapped in paper. Run by Meilleur Ouvrier de France Pierre Gay since 1935, this tiny cheese shop is a paradise for fromage lovers, with more than 120 carefully curated cheeses, all matured in the spectacular glass-fronted cellar downstairs.

Behind an unmarked door off Passage du Pré Carré, is a playful cocktail bar. Framed paintings along the wall fold down into tables for two, each coming with a small red light to summon a waiter. The menu is largely gin-focused though the bartenders are willing to mix the menu and concoct a new creation. A Saturday DJ  welcomes crowds until midnight with  weeknights feeling more  like an intimate hangout. 

Run by a Vietnamese family on Rue Vaugelas, Mamie Anh draws a lunchtime queue for its bò bún, soft bánh bao, and a vegetarian bánh mì served on a baguette baked in-house. The portions are generous and the seasoning straightforward (bring your own hot sauce if you like things properly Vietnamese-spicy). Take it away for a picnic on the Pâquier lawns or squeeze into one of the few indoor seats. This is a small, unfussy address that locals tend to get protective about and visitors often stumble upon by accident.

Climb the stairs above Rue du Pâquier and the wood-panelled dining room of L'Étage is exactly the kind of Savoyard institution every Alpine town should have. The fondue is properly aged and generous, the cheese-stuffed feuilleté a quiet standout, and the omelette norvégienne the right way to finish a heavy meal. Order the grilled lake-caught trout for a slightly lighter option. We'd recommend booking the upstairs room for atmosphere.