Top 5 Lakes around Saint-Michel-De-Chaillol

For families and recreational activities, the Plan d'Eau du Champsaur is an excellent choice. It offers supervised swimming, a sandy beach, water slides, pedal boats, and a playground. You'll also find mini-golf, a treetop adventure course, and picnic areas. Another option is Plateau de Libouze, which has accessible picnic tables, and Lac de l'Aulagnier, a pretty mountain lake also suitable for family outings.

Yes, for an easy hike, consider the Lac de Barbeyroux. It's an artificial lake set in a wild landscape, accessible via an easy 5 km round-trip hike. You can find a moderate running route that includes this lake: Lac de Barbeyroux loop from Chaillol 1600.

The region boasts several high-altitude lakes. The Lacs de Pétarel are perched at 2,090 meters, offering stunning colors with the Valgaudemar valley and its peaks in the background. Another iconic high-altitude lake is the Grand Lac des Estaris, located at 2570 meters, which can be reached relatively easily using ski lifts followed by a short walk.

For more strenuous and contemplative hikes, the Lacs de Crupillouse and Lac de Cédéra in the Upper Champsaur, within the Écrins National Park, involve over 1000 meters of elevation gain and offer a wild mountain landscape. You can explore challenging hiking routes in the region via the Hiking around Saint-Michel-De-Chaillol guide.

Absolutely. The trails surrounding the View of Lake Jaussauds, which is a reservoir in the mountains, are passable by mountain bike. You can find various MTB trails in the area through the MTB Trails around Saint-Michel-De-Chaillol guide.

The best time to visit the high-altitude lakes is generally during the summer and early autumn months (June to September) when the snow has melted, and trails are clear. For example, the Lacs de Pétarel can still have snow in mid-May, making access difficult. Lower-altitude recreational lakes like Plan d'Eau du Champsaur are enjoyable from late spring through early autumn.

While a bit further afield, the expansive Lac de Serre-Ponçon is a significant attraction in the Hautes-Alpes region. As the largest dammed lake in Western Europe, it offers a vast playground for all sorts of water activities, including windsurfing, paddleboarding, boat rentals, and swimming in its turquoise waters.

At the Plan d'Eau du Champsaur, you'll find a wide range of amenities including a restaurant, first-aid post, picnic areas with barbecues, a playground, mini-golf, and various sports courts. Parking is available for a fee during supervised swimming hours.

Yes, the Cycle route and Jaussaud Basin offers superb cycling through undergrowth with magnificent views, including the Jaussaud Basin. You can find more cycling options in the region by exploring the MTB Trails around Saint-Michel-De-Chaillol guide.

Visitors particularly enjoy the diverse experiences offered by the lakes, from the vibrant colors of high-altitude natural lakes like Lacs de Pétarel with their stunning mountain backdrops, to the breathtaking views of reservoirs like View of Lake Jaussauds. The combination of recreational opportunities and serene mountain contemplation is highly valued.

Parking availability varies by lake. At the popular Plan d'Eau du Champsaur, parking is available for a fee, especially during supervised swimming hours. For high-altitude lakes, access might involve parking at trailheads, and for some, like the Grand Lac des Estaris, ski lifts can reduce the walking distance from parking areas.