Top 17 Lakes around Crenans

For swimming and a wide range of water sports, Lac de Vouglans is an excellent choice, offering activities like sailing, pedal boating, and water-skiing across its 35-kilometer stretch. Lac de Chalain, known for its turquoise waters, also features three equipped beaches with supervised swimming and options for canoeing, kayaking, and sailing. Lac Saint-Point and Lac de Clairvaux are also popular for swimming and various water activities, with Lac de Clairvaux holding a Blue Flag label for water quality.

Yes, several lakes are ideal for families. Lac de Clairvaux, with its sandy beach and gentle slopes, is very family-friendly and offers a diving platform. Lac de Chalain also has equipped beaches with supervised swimming. La Fratte Viewpoint and View of Lac de Vouglans are also noted as family-friendly spots, often with easy access and scenic views. Lac Genin is also known for its family-friendly leisure activities in both summer and winter.

Lac de Chalain and Lac de Clairvaux are notable for their historical significance. Both have UNESCO-listed archaeological sites nearby, featuring vestiges of lakeside towns from 5,000 years ago, including ancient houses on stilts. The Vouglans Dam itself is an impressive feat of engineering, forming the third-largest artificial reservoir in France.

The region around the lakes offers extensive opportunities for hiking and mountain biking. Lac de Vouglans has 82 kilometers of footpaths, and Lac de Chalain offers trails with panoramic views, such as from the Fontenu viewpoint. Lac Saint-Point, Lac Genin, Lac de Lamoura, and Lac des Rousses all feature hiking and mountain biking trails. For more specific routes, you can explore the MTB Trails around Crenans or Cycling around Crenans guides.

Yes, the View of Lac de Vouglans is wheelchair accessible and offers beautiful views directly from a parking lot. La Fratte Viewpoint provides superb views of the turquoise lake and forest from a secured platform, accessible by a small path.

In winter, Lac Genin transforms into a snowy playground, offering cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating (when frozen), and even ice diving. Lac des Rousses can also freeze over, becoming an open-air ice skating rink, and serves as a departure point for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails. Lac Saint-Point is near the Metabief ski resort, allowing for alpine and cross-country skiing, and dog sledding.

Lac de Lamoura, the highest lake in the French Jura, is a protected natural site known for its tranquility and exceptional diversity of flora, including peat bogs and wild orchids. Motorized boats are forbidden, preserving its peaceful atmosphere. Lac Genin, often called 'the Little Canada of Haut-Bugey,' is another magnificent combe lake in a protected natural setting, ideal for quiet appreciation of nature.

Lac de Chalain is famously known as 'the big blue' or a 'blue lagoon' due to its stunning turquoise waters, attributed to a unique geological anomaly. Lac de Vouglans is characterized by its emerald-green color, which is of natural origin, due to calcite grains attaching to phytoplankton. Lac Genin's clear waters reflect the deep green of surrounding fir trees and meadows, giving it a 'Little Canada' feel.

Many popular lakes and viewpoints offer convenient parking. For instance, the View of Lac de Vouglans is accessible directly from a parking lot. Specific parking availability can vary by location and season, so it's always advisable to check local signage upon arrival.

Lac de Vouglans is the third-largest artificial reservoir in France, stretching for 35 kilometers with an impressive 130-meter high dam. Its emerald-green waters are set in an unspoiled environment surrounded by forests. It's a hub for a vast array of water sports, extensive hiking and mountain biking trails, and popular fishing spots, making it a versatile destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Yes, fishing is a popular activity in several lakes. Lac de Vouglans is particularly known for fishing, especially in Zone A, which is reserved for anglers seeking carp, pike, and zander. Lac de Chalain, Lac Genin, and Lac de Lamoura also offer fishing opportunities. Lac des Rousses is rich in trout, pike, and perch.

The lakes around Crenans offer activities year-round. Summer (June to August) is ideal for swimming, water sports, and hiking, with supervised beaches available. Spring and autumn provide pleasant temperatures for hiking and enjoying the changing foliage. Winter transforms some lakes into snowy landscapes, perfect for ice skating, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing, especially at Lac Genin and Lac des Rousses.

Lac de Chalain, often called 'the big blue' or 'blue lagoon,' stands out for its stunning turquoise waters, making it one of the largest natural lakes in France. Beyond its beauty, it's unique for its UNESCO-listed archaeological sites, featuring ancient lakeside dwellings. It offers a blend of natural beauty, water activities, and historical intrigue not found in the same combination elsewhere in the region.