Deposit Foundation 1806 (≈ 1806)
Creation in a Dominican convent.
1815
Becoming Royal Haras
Becoming Royal Haras 1815 (≈ 1815)
Capacity increased to 80 standards.
1860
Annex to France
Annex to France 1860 (≈ 1860)
Becoming Imperial Haras.
1880-1885
Construction of new site
Construction of new site 1880-1885 (≈ 1883)
Louis-Joseph Ruphy's plans.
2005
Final closure
Final closure 2005 (≈ 2005)
Restructuring of the National Haras.
2007
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 2007 (≈ 2007)
Protection of facades and roofs.
2013
Purchase by the city
Purchase by the city 2013 (≈ 2013)
Start of the conversion project.
2025
Partial Park Opening
Partial Park Opening 2025 (≈ 2025)
First phase accessible.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
2026
Full Inauguration
Full Inauguration 2026 (≈ 2026)
Open all spaces.
Heritage classified
The facades and roofs of stables 1, 2, 3, 4 of the honorary building, the ride, the houses of the management, the sub-directorate and the adjutants, the reception pavilion, as well as the fence walls, the entrance gate and the gate of honor of the haras, including the plots on which these buildings are built (box BT 35, 17): inscription by order of 22 February 2007
Key figures
Louis-Joseph Ruphy - Architect
Manufacturer of the current site (1880-1885).
Napoléon - Emperor
Founded the deposit in 1806.
Origin and history
The Haras d'Annecy, founded in the 19th century, is part of a national policy to improve equine breeding. Originally installed in 1806 in a Dominican convent under Napoleon, it served as a repository for 24 Savoyard stallions, combining breeding, insemination and sanitary control. After 1815, under Savoy's house, he became a royal Haras with a capacity extended to 80 stallions, then imperial after annexation from Savoy to France in 1860.
Between 1815 and 1880, the original site – the Saint-Dominique barracks – proved too small for the growing population. Despite extensions in 1864, a new project was launched on Rue Guillaume Fichet. The plans of architect Louis-Joseph Ruphy, validated in 1880, resulted in a functional complex ( stables, ride, forge, dwellings) between 1880 and 1885. This site, active 75 years, supplied the army with horses before declining with motorization.
Closed in 2005 as part of the restructuring of the national Haras, the site was bought in 2013 by the city of Annecy for €7 million. An ambitious conversion project was launched in 2018, transforming the 2.5 hectares into a cultural centre (City of animation cinema, gourmet hall) and a landscaped park. Listed as a historic monument since 2007, its rehabilitation includes ecological criteria (geothermal, bio-sourced materials) and a revised budget of €53.8 million.
The work, started in 2022 after geothermal drilling and an archaeological campaign, includes a public consultation in 2020 revealing the Annecians' expectation for friendly and cultural spaces. The landscaped park (1.84 ha), designed as a cool place with modular water mirror and biodiversity, partially opened in November 2025. The complete inauguration is planned in the spring of 2026, marking the transformation of an industrial heritage into a place of urban life.
The historic anchor of the Haras is reflected in its preserved architecture: fronts of stables, rides, pavilions and gate of honour are classified. The current project re-uses original materials (beds of stables) and relies on sustainable water management (rain gardens, 300 m3 waste picker). The City of Animation, with its 400 m2 museum and 332 seats room, builds on the legacy of Annecy's international animated film festival, strengthening the link between heritage and contemporary creation.
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