14 heavenly bathing spots in the mountains!

Pyrénées-Orientales

#1 – Lac de Matemale at Les Angles

For a refreshing swim, Lac de Matemale, at an altitude of 1,500 metres, has a water temperature generally between 19°C and 23°C. The lake has a number of beaches, some of which are equipped with diving boards, much to the delight of children. You can also enjoy a wide range of sailing activities (Optimist, 420, funboard, caravel, catamaran), as well as pedalos, canoes and kayaks.

Haute-Savoie

#2 – Biotope lake in Combloux

This swimming area in the heart of the village, facing Mont Blanc, not only offers breathtaking panoramic views. It’s also the first ecological lake open to bathing in France. There’s no need for chlorine or salt here, as the 1,500 m² of water is naturally regenerated by some 10,000 aquatic plants, while the water is heated by the sun’s rays, with a water temperature that fluctuates between 19°C and 26°C. Access is limited to 700 entries per day to allow the plants to do their work.

Hautes-Alpes

#3 – Lake Serre-Ponçon

The largest reservoir in France (and second largest in Europe), with 1.2 billion cubic metres of water, the Lac de Serre-Ponçon (780 metres above sea level) is fed by the Durance and Ubaye rivers. EDF makes every effort to ensure that the lake is filled to capacity at the start of summer. The small 12th-century chapel of Saint-Michel (destroyed in 1692 but rebuilt shortly afterwards) sits on an island in the middle of the lake, much to the delight of photographers. Serre-Ponçon offers every imaginable water sports activity: windsurfing, kitesurfing, water skiing, towed buoys, wake-boarding, sailing, motorboating, etc.

Vosges

#4 – Lake Gérardmer

Situated at an altitude of 660 metres, this lake is 2,200 metres long and 760 metres wide (covering 115 hectares) and is the largest in the Vosges. A fisherman’s paradise, it is home to rare species such as freshwater burbot and isoetes. Swimming is supervised from June to September. Other activities include windsurfing and sailing, as well as rowing, canoeing, kayaking, pedal-boating, electric boats and diving. You can take a boat trip around the lake (April to October) or walk along a 6km path.

Savoie

#5 – Lake Aiguebelette

Smaller than Le Bourget or Lac d’Annecy (its Savoie counterparts), Lac d’Aiguebelette (545 hectares) nevertheless has some serious assets to offer. Nestling at an altitude of 360 metres, deep in the Montagne de l’Epine, close to the Chartreuse Regional Nature Park, it is “an emerald pearl set in a jewel case of mountains”, as Henry Bordeaux once wrote. Bathers will appreciate its tranquillity – motor boats are banned – and its warm waters (up to 28°C!). Packed with fish, it’s a favourite with anglers and top sportsmen and women alike, with its international rowing base hosting the world championships in 2015.

Jura Mountains

#6 – Lake Vouglans

At 35km long, this is France’s third largest man-made lake. Lookouts, sandy beaches and hiking trails allow you to contemplate its wooded shores and plunge your gaze into this immense expanse of turquoise water. In some places, the banks have been landscaped to offer magnificent sandy beaches and water that can reach 24°C in summer. Three marinas and various tourist accommodation areas (campsites, holiday villages, leisure centres) have transformed the lake into a veritable inland sea. You can choose from a wide range of activities, including swimming, boat trips, sailing, water-skiing, fishing, horse riding, climbing, canoeing, pedal-boating, hiking or mountain-biking around the lake, jet skiing and rowing.

Haute-Savoie

#7 – Lake Annecy

Lake Annecy (446 metres above sea level) is 14.6 km long, between 800 and 3,350 metres wide and has a perimeter of 38 km. It is the second largest glacial lake in France (after Lake Bourget). It is reputed to be one of the cleanest lakes in the world, thanks in particular to the construction of 66 pumping stations and 6 wastewater treatment plants from the late 1950s onwards. It remains Annecy’s main source of drinking water. The average water temperature in July is 22°C, and there are no fewer than 12 beaches around the lake. Traditional water sports (sailing, water-skiing, pedal-boating, kayaking, etc.) can be practised here, as well as more unusual activities such as stand-up paddleboarding!

Jura Mountains

#8 – Lac des Rousses

Located at the bottom of the Val de l’Orbe, at an altitude of 1,059 metres, this 97-hectare lake is one of the highest in the French Jura. It is home to a whole range of lake life that thrives above and below its surface: fario trout, pike, perch, tench, roach, whitefish and chub. Major tourist development work was also carried out in 2009, including a swimming and water sports area, an outdoor shower and water point, grassed terraces and a boules pitch.

Savoie

#9 – Lac du Bourget

According to legend, this lake was created by the cries of an angel who was asked by God to leave the Northern Alps. From a more scientific point of view, it is of glacial origin. Among other things, it was formed when the Rhône and Isère glaciers collided and carved out the Val du Bourget depression, which filled with water after the last ice age around 19,000 years ago. It is the largest natural lake in France: 18 km long, 1.6 to 3.5 km wide, with an average depth of 85 metres (maximum 145 metres). Located at an altitude of 240 metres, its average temperature is 23°C in July, rising to 26°C. It has been awarded the “France Station Nautique” label, a guarantee of efficient organisation in terms of reception, accommodation and leisure activities. There are plenty of water sports activities on offer: sailing (16 marinas around the lake), rowing, canoeing, fishing, diving, water-skiing, wakeboarding, windsurfing and diving.

Isère

#10 – Lake Monteynard

Situated at an altitude of 500 metres, at the gateway to the Trièves but just 25 minutes from Grenoble, Lake Monteynard is THE spot in Isère for windsurfing and kite-surfing. Dominated by the Sénépy mountain, it was created by the construction of an EDF dam in 1962. Its turquoise waters stretch for almost 20km. You can also enjoy catamaran sailing, canoeing, water skiing and wakeboarding. If you’re feeling contemplative, you can opt for a cruise on the lake. Your children will love the Treffort water sports centre, with its safe paddling pool and waterslide.

Haute-Savoie

#11 – Lac des Ilettes in Sallanches

Massif du Sancy

#12 – Lac des Hermines at Besse

This man-made lake, situated at an altitude of 1,350 m, enjoys a beautiful panorama in the heart of the Sancy. With a surface area of 14 hectares, it is possible to swim in July and August (supervised bathing) and to relax on a sandy and grassy beach.

Haute-Savoie

#13 – Lac du Pontet in Les Contamines-Montjoie

Located at the heart of the Le Pontet leisure park, this lake offers 500 square metres of supervised swimming in a 30-hectare protected area. For sunbathing, you can choose between the lawn or the sandy beach. Fancy getting active? You can hire rowing boats and pedalos, or try your hand at the many activities on offer in the park: trampoline, acrobatic course, mini-golf, inflatable structures for children, etc…

Alpes de Haute-Provence

#14 – Val d’Allos water park

A real oasis of coolness in the mountains, the leisure park is set in a mountain setting and is a great place to spend a pleasant moment of relaxation and leisure. The leisure park, bathed in the sunshine of the Southern Alps, is the ideal place to cool off and sunbathe!

And for the more curious, come and discover the new activities to try out in the mountains this summer.