SERRE PONCON LAKE
Presentation
Serre-Ponçon, the sea in the mountains or exoticism at your fingertips! From the beaches to the summits, a multitude of activities are available to you around the Serre-Ponçon lake.
The Serre-Ponçon lake is the largest artificial lake in metropolitan France, one of the largest earth dams in Europe with more than 2800 hectares.
Straddling the Hautes-Alpes and the Alpes de Hautes-Provence, fed by the powerful torrential rivers of the Durance and the Ubaye, the Serre-Ponçon lake is at the heart of the southern Alps. The climatic particularity of the Serre-Ponçon valley lies in an exceptional sunshine which regularly reaches 300 days a year, a destination with exotic colors in a way.
Thanks to controlled development, nature remains omnipresent. The quality of the environment is remarkable and the steep banks guarantee this wild side which makes all the charm of Serre-Ponçon. Indeed, of the 90km of lake shore, only 13km are developed and devoted to tourism development.
The Serre-Ponçon lake is the largest artificial lake in metropolitan France, one of the largest earth dams in Europe with more than 2800 hectares.
Straddling the Hautes-Alpes and the Alpes de Hautes-Provence, fed by the powerful torrential rivers of the Durance and the Ubaye, the Serre-Ponçon lake is at the heart of the southern Alps. The climatic particularity of the Serre-Ponçon valley lies in an exceptional sunshine which regularly reaches 300 days a year, a destination with exotic colors in a way.
Thanks to controlled development, nature remains omnipresent. The quality of the environment is remarkable and the steep banks guarantee this wild side which makes all the charm of Serre-Ponçon. Indeed, of the 90km of lake shore, only 13km are developed and devoted to tourism development.
Visit the Serre-Ponçon lake
To get to know the lake better, several unique and fun places to visit:
To get to know the lake better, several unique and fun places to visit:
- La Maison de l’Eau et des Energies EDF dam in July and August,
- The Muséoscope du Lac, also in Rousset, above the Serre-Ponçon dam, open all year round,
- The Center for Interpretation of Architecture and Heritage, CIAP of Savines-le-Lac within the Le XXth cultural center, dedicated to XXth Heritage which labels the whole village.
- Visit the lake by boat
Focus on nautical activities
Families will particularly appreciate the 9 “Blue Flag” labeled beaches, spread around the lake and pure water that can reach 23°.
The services of the harbor office facilitate nautical practice, the lake offering nearly 1000 rings distributed in the 13 ports and pontoons of the lake as well as 3 refueling stations. The lake is subject to appropriate regulations that respect all practices.
>> Good to know: All boat licenses are authorized on the lake (coastal, river, offshore), you can even pass your coastal license on the lake from May to October! and the launches are free…
From May until October, the sightseeing boats are in operation as well as the Club Nautique Alpin de Serre-Ponçon at the Embrun lake.
During June, all the nautical bases are operational and you will be able to practice all the possible activities:
Rowing, stand up paddle, windsurfing, kite-surfing, canoeing, sea kayaking, catamaran, pedal boat, schooner, jet ski, boat with or without a licence, sightseeing boat and aperitif boat, school boat, towed buoys, skiing nautical, wakeboarding… unless you prefer to fly over the lake in a microlight/seaplane!
Fishing The Serre-Ponçon lake and the Embrun lake are also famous for fishing. The fishermen are also the most assiduous navigators and do not hesitate to launch their boats in the middle of winter to go fishing for whitefish, a fish specific to the large alpine lakes. Serre-Ponçon is particularly renowned for its pike and lake trout, you will also find perch, carp and other white fish there.
>> Good to know: Fishing is authorized all year round on the lake with specific regulations for predators, night carp fishing or trolling. The rivers feeding the lake are all 1st category (mainly populated by trout), open from March to the first Sunday in October. This is an advantage of the Hautes-Alpes, indeed in the other French departments the 1st category closes in mid-September so you have 15 days of additional trout fishing in the Hautes-Alpes! Another advantage, the mouth of the Durance in the lake offers a "no-kill" fishing course that can be used all year round!
Other services for practitioners: a handi-fishing pontoon at the Embrun lake, the fishermen's hut at Les Eygoires in Savines-le-Lac, a community labeled Station Pêche (next to a boat launch) : place of information and multiple fishing activities. Since 2018, the Serre-Ponçon lake has been labeled a passion course by the National Federation FNPF and the Hautes-Alpes fishing federation thanks to its many services and its exceptional site, with a high fish diversity.
Find all the specificities of fishing at Lake Serre-Ponçon on the website of the Hautes-Alpes fishing federation.
Families will particularly appreciate the 9 “Blue Flag” labeled beaches, spread around the lake and pure water that can reach 23°.
The services of the harbor office facilitate nautical practice, the lake offering nearly 1000 rings distributed in the 13 ports and pontoons of the lake as well as 3 refueling stations. The lake is subject to appropriate regulations that respect all practices.
>> Good to know: All boat licenses are authorized on the lake (coastal, river, offshore), you can even pass your coastal license on the lake from May to October! and the launches are free…
From May until October, the sightseeing boats are in operation as well as the Club Nautique Alpin de Serre-Ponçon at the Embrun lake.
During June, all the nautical bases are operational and you will be able to practice all the possible activities:
Rowing, stand up paddle, windsurfing, kite-surfing, canoeing, sea kayaking, catamaran, pedal boat, schooner, jet ski, boat with or without a licence, sightseeing boat and aperitif boat, school boat, towed buoys, skiing nautical, wakeboarding… unless you prefer to fly over the lake in a microlight/seaplane!
Fishing The Serre-Ponçon lake and the Embrun lake are also famous for fishing. The fishermen are also the most assiduous navigators and do not hesitate to launch their boats in the middle of winter to go fishing for whitefish, a fish specific to the large alpine lakes. Serre-Ponçon is particularly renowned for its pike and lake trout, you will also find perch, carp and other white fish there.
>> Good to know: Fishing is authorized all year round on the lake with specific regulations for predators, night carp fishing or trolling. The rivers feeding the lake are all 1st category (mainly populated by trout), open from March to the first Sunday in October. This is an advantage of the Hautes-Alpes, indeed in the other French departments the 1st category closes in mid-September so you have 15 days of additional trout fishing in the Hautes-Alpes! Another advantage, the mouth of the Durance in the lake offers a "no-kill" fishing course that can be used all year round!
Other services for practitioners: a handi-fishing pontoon at the Embrun lake, the fishermen's hut at Les Eygoires in Savines-le-Lac, a community labeled Station Pêche (next to a boat launch) : place of information and multiple fishing activities. Since 2018, the Serre-Ponçon lake has been labeled a passion course by the National Federation FNPF and the Hautes-Alpes fishing federation thanks to its many services and its exceptional site, with a high fish diversity.
Find all the specificities of fishing at Lake Serre-Ponçon on the website of the Hautes-Alpes fishing federation.
