Photo : Christian Ferrer / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lac du Salagou
Created between 1964 and 1969 by building a dam on the Salagou, this reservoir lake of 750 hectares formed in the heart of the Lodévois, a region marked by the "ruffes": dark red argillites dating from the Permian, about 280 million years ago, which give the landscape the look of a Martian desert contrasting with the deep blue of the water.
The site is also known for its extinct volcanoes, such as the crater of the neighbouring Cirque de Mourèze, and for its many fossils visible in the open on the banks. The tour of the lake, about 20 km of tracks and paths, is made on foot or by mountain bike and offers changing views of the red hills, vineyards and the villages of Liausson, Celles and Octon.
In summer, the lake lends itself to swimming, sailing and windsurfing thanks to two water-sports bases, while the ghost village of Celles, abandoned in the 1960s when the lake was filled and then gradually repopulated, adds an unusual note to the visit.
