Tourists go to Paris, Nice, and other French cities all year long. In the summer, the beaches of the French Riviera are packed, and in the winter, the ski slopes of the Alps are full. But many people from other countries don’t stop to see the lakes of France.
Visit one of France’s lake resorts to take a vacation like the French. Families and other people who want to slow down will enjoy the calm atmosphere. People on vacation can feel calm and refreshed because of the peaceful scenery.
On vacation, people can do things like get some fresh air and do things outside, but they can also go sightseeing.
Along the shores of many lakes are cultural attractions like castles and quaint villages.
There are beautiful Lakes in France. Some of the most amazing places to visit are at high altitudes in the French Alps, the Pyrenees, the Vosges Mountains, and the Auvergne region.
With our list of the best lakes in France, you can find out about some of the most popular lake spots and plan a great trip.
When, where, or how Lac du Salagou was made in the Languedoc region of southern France was not up to Mother Nature. the Salagou River was dammed up in the 1960s, the lake was made. When people look at the lake, they see a nice contrast between the blue water and the reddish-orange soil around it. You can drive around the Lakes in France, but if you have time, walking or biking around it is a better way to enjoy its beauty. Around the lake are hills, and behind it are neat fields. People who like to sunbathe in the open like to go to the lake.
2.Lac de Guéry
In central France, the Auvergne region has a landscape that is different from anywhere else in the country. This rough area of volcanic mountains, forests, and crater lakes is protected by the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne. The Lac de Guéry is hidden in the volcanic Monts Dore, which are part of the Parc Naturel Régional des Volcans d’Auvergne. The lake stands out as a very special place because it is high up, surrounded by trees, and has deep blue water.
Nature lovers, people who like to be outside, and people who want peace and quiet will enjoy the unspoiled natural environment. At Lac de Guéry, you can go hiking, fishing, or just sit in nature and think. It’s a great place to get a wide view of the Chaine des Puys and the Massif du Sancy in the distance. On the lake, you can’t swim or take a boat out, and the area isn’t really set up for tourists. There is only one hotel and a parking lot for cars. At the Auberge du Lac de Guéry, guests can stay in elegant, rustic-chic rooms and eat gourmet food. The auberge has both a fancy restaurant with traditional food from the area and a more casual bistro with a terrace next to the Lakes in France.
Gaube Lake is a beautiful lake with two names. Gaube means “lake” in Gascon, so Lake Lake is the real name of this pretty lake. This Lake is in the French Pyrenees, and its glacial blue water is surrounded by the highest mountains in the range. Most people come here to see the views, especially of Vignemale, the highest peak in the French Pyrenees. The hike to this small alpine lake takes about an hour, but you can get there faster if you take a cable car from the Bridge of Spain.
The Lac de Gaube is not built up for tourists because it is a protected natural area. During the summer, only one restaurant, the Hôtellerie du Lac de Gaube, is open. There is a traditional rustic dining room, as well as a more casual brasserie, and there are also tables outside by the lake.
4.Lac du Der
The Lac du Der is a great place to watch birds in the beautiful Champagne region of northern France. The lake is a Réserve Nationale de Chasse et de Faune Sauvage, which means it is a National Hunting and Wildlife Reserve. Its protected ecosystem has made it a good place for over 200 bird species to live, including some that are rare or endangered. Swans, white-tailed eagles, goldeneyes, and other migratory birds can be seen by bird watchers.
Aside from watching birds, you can also go boating and cycling at the Lac du Der. There is a bike path right next to the lake. The Lac du Der has six sandy beaches with lifeguards on duty in July and August for people who like to swim.
In the nearby towns of Giffaumont-Champaubert and Chatillon-sur-Broué, there are a number of places to stay. Le Clos du Vieux Moulin is a campground in Chatillon-sur-Broué that has six hectares of forest and is well-equipped. There are also other accommodations and a lakeside campground, Camping de la Cornée du Der, in Sainte-Marie-du-Lac-Nuisement.
History fans Lakes in France should stop in the town of Brienne-le-Chateau to see the excellent Musée Napoléon, which is all about Napoleon Bonaparte (open year-round every day except Mondays, with reduced opening hours in the off season). There are also a few hotels in this town.
The city of Reims is about an hour and a half away by car. It is known for its many cultural attractions, such as a beautiful Gothic cathedral from the 13th century that is on the UNESCO list. There are a lot of hotels to choose from in Reims, so there is something for every kind of traveller.
5.Lac de Sainte Croix
The 5th largest lake in France is not as old as many of the other lakes in France. In fact, it didn’t exist until the Sainte-Croix dam was built across the Verdun River in 1973. This lake, on the other hand, was not made by anyone. It looks just like its little sisters. Lac Sainte-Croix is surrounded by hills and forests, and it has sandy beaches with swimming areas and lifeguards. A lot of people go to the lake to kayak, sail, or windsurf. Only boats with electric motors are allowed on the lake. Sailboats and boats that are moved by people are not allowed.
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie is one of the Most Beautiful Lakes in France. It is less than 10 km from the lake. Around 700 permanent residents live in a small community of charming old buildings with pastel-colored shutters and red-tiled roofs. These buildings are grouped together on the slopes of rocky limestone hillsides. The village is full of hotels, gites, and bed and breakfasts, as well as small shops and restaurants run by locals.
La Bastide de Moustiers is a restaurant and inn created by the famous French chef Alain Ducasse. People who like fine food will want to eat there. This cosy place to stay and eat is tucked away among fields of lavender and olive trees. The beautiful scenery of the Alpes de Haute Provence can be seen from a shaded outdoor terrace. The restaurant’s menu of classic Provencal dishes changes with the seasons and is based on fresh ingredients from the property’s vegetable garden.
6.Lac de Madine
The Lac de Madine is a popular place for French families to go in the summer because it has water sports and other things that kids can do. Parents can take their kids paddle boating or to the Aqua Parc Madine for a fun day of swimming, playing games outside, and going down waterslides.
The Lac de Madine is in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional de Lorraine in the Lorraine region. It is surrounded by the gentle hills of the Côtes de Meuse. The lake is about 45 kilometres from Metz and about 60 kilometres from Nancy.
The Lac de Madine is the source of water for the city of Metz. It is also a wildlife reserve and a place to go for fun. There are many hiking trails, bike paths, and a sandy beach where people can swim and where lifeguards are on duty.
People who like being outside will love the water sports at Lac de Madine. People can take sailing lessons, rent a paddleboat, or go on a guided canoeing trip.
Around the Lakes in France, there are a lot of different places to stay, from four-star hotels to cosy cabins and rough campsites. A youth hostel is an option for younger travellers. Most families like the gites (farmhouse accommodation).
7.Lac de Serre-Poncon
When you drive along Lac de Serre-Poncon in southeastern France, you’ll see rocky mountains that drop steeply into the water. In other places, this man-made lake is surrounded by gentle hills. Lac de Serre-Poncon is one of the largest man-made Lakes in France. It was built in the 1960s as part of a project to stop flooding. Some villages had to be flooded so that the lake could be built. Along the lake, you can camp, and swimming, windsurfing, and sailing are popular activities. People who have been to this beautiful lake before say not to go in September because the weather is so unpredictable.
8.Lac d’Aiguebelette
The Lac d’Aiguebelette is a gem of the Savoie Mont-Blanc region. Its clear emerald waters and green mountain setting make it a sight to behold. The lake is peaceful because it is in a rural area, and fishing is popular there because it is clean.
Around the green, rolling hills that surround the lake are quaint country villages, and the banks have small boathouses and houses on stilts right on the water. Tourists are especially interested in the few towns on the Lakes in France peaceful shores that have nice beaches with good facilities.
In the town of Saint-Alban-de-Montbel is a grassy beach called Plage du Sougey. It has a restaurant, a snack bar, and parking. Families like that there is a lifeguard on duty in the summer and a playground for kids.
9.Lac du Bourget
Lac du Bourget is an Alpine lake in the French Alps that is known for its beautiful setting and cultural attractions. It is surrounded by heavily wooded hills. Aix-les-Bains is a world-famous spa town that looks out over the calm waters of the lake. It has been a place to go for healing vacations since the Belle Epoque.
At the Lac du Bourget, visitors can now get spa treatments and do other fun things. Along its shores, there are about a dozen beaches, most of which can be reached by bus. Le Bourget du Lac and the town of Chatillon have well-equipped beaches that are great for swimming, boating, and other water sports.
On the shores of Lake Bourget are a number of important buildings, such as the Chateau de Chatillon and the Chateau de Bourdeau, a romantic castle with turrets that was once home to Queen Victoria and is now a hotel and restaurant.
Other View Of Lac du Bourget
Most people come to see the Abbey d’Hautecombe, a Cistercian abbey built at the lake’s edge in the 12th century. This beautiful abbey, which is a Historic Monument, has a church in the Neo-Gothic Troubadour style that is full of amazing works of art. The Abbaye d’Hautecombe is open to the public and has temporary shows. The church is where Mass is held. Le Bourget du Lac, a small village with two Michelin-starred restaurants, is a highlight for food lovers. The Lamartine restaurant is run by a family. It serves modern French food in a stylish dining room or on a terrace overlooking the lake.
The Atmospheres restaurant serves food that is in season and from the area. The dining room and patio both have views of the lake. The Lac du Bourget is France’s largest natural lake, and its ecosystem hasn’t been changed by building. This protected area is home to a large number of birds, such as ducks, herons, and cormorants. People who like to do things outside can plan a vacation here. The lake is a great place to go boating and do water sports for fun.
10.Lac d’Annecy
Lake Annecy in the Savoie region is a great place to go on vacation because it has a happy vibe. You can walk or ride a bike along a paved path that goes around the lake, eat at a restaurant by the water, or rent a boat to go out on the water. You don’t have to worry about getting sick if you swim in the lake. Lake Annecy is known as Europe’s cleanest Lakes in France because it has to follow strict rules about the environment. Visitors give it high marks for its clean water. One of France’s biggest lakes, Lake Annecy, is a beautiful place. It is surround by mountains and towns, such as beautiful Annecy, which is also called the “Venice of the Alps.”
Nature lovers love the beautiful Alpine scenery, and people who like water sports like the lake’s clean, clear turquoise waters. You can swim and do water sports like sailing, canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding at Lake Annecy. By boat, you can see more of Lake Annecy at your own pace. On many of the tourist cruises, a French-speaking guide talks about the sights around the lake.
From its shores, Lake Annecy also has a lot to offer. Along the lake’s edge are large sandy and grassy beaches with great amenities like public bathrooms, showers, picnic areas, volleyball courts, and places to rent lounge chairs. People walk and ride bikes along a 43-kilometer path along a lake. To bike around the whole lake takes about three hours.
