Annecy, FranceTalloires
Abbaye de Talloires
Lakeside Benedictine abbey
Lakeside Benedictine abbey
Built for seventeenth-century Benedictine monks, this waterfront inn centres on unhurried Alpine days and swims off the private lake pontoon.
“Further up the lakeshore, you’ll find Abbaye de Talloires, a four-star hotel that was originally built as an abbey in the seventeenth century.”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
A seventeenth-century Benedictine monastery preserved as a protected national monument on Lake Annecy.
Remarkable
Operating as Lake Annecy's first waterfront inn since 1862, hosting painters and writers.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
The hotel, a converted Benedictine monastery from the days when the French monastic life was a scandalously plush one, is set at the edge of a pristine lake in the French Alps.
Somewhere quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Talloires bay sits right outside the grounds, with a village jetty for boat hires and trails climbing into the mountains.
The rooms
Rooms retain exposed timber beams and antique oak furniture. The classified Prior's Room keeps parquet floors laid in 1681.
The sauna and hot tub
A whirlpool bath heated to 37 degrees sits under timber rafters, and the wood-panelled sauna looks toward the lake.
The spa
Treatment rooms under the abbey eaves use Thalgo marine skincare, beside timber-clad lounges lit by skylights.
Restaurant Gastronomique
Chef Yohei Hosaka serves eight-course tasting menus beside arched lake windows, or outdoors under a shaded linden arbor.
At the table
Seasonal lunches are served under mature trees on the gravel terrace, and out on the wooden deck along the water.
How it began
Pope Clement X elevated the monastery to a Royal Abbey in 1674. Construction began in 1681, a date still carved above the entrance.
Annecy
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.