Photo : Evann73 / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)
Lac d'Aiguebelette
Lake Aiguebelette covers 545 hectares at the foot of the Épine mountain, in Savoie, about ten kilometres from Chambéry. The third-largest natural lake in France by size, it is renowned for the emerald colour of its waters and its preserved setting, spread across five communes (Aiguebelette-le-Lac, Lépin-le-Lac, Saint-Alban-de-Montbel, Novalaise and Nances).
Rare for a lake of this size, it belongs largely to private owners (including the de Chambost family) and to EDF, and the ban on petrol-engine boats for several decades has made it a favoured place for rowing, open-water swimming and paddleboarding. The site has been a Regional Nature Reserve since 2015 for the richness of its ecosystem.
The tour of the lake, partly developed as a greenway, lets you discover several beaches and coves, while local legend has it that its name, meaning "fine little waters", evokes the clarity of its water fed by underlake springs.
