Our take
Vichy's urban lake, created on the Allier. Sport in summer (rowing, sailing, paddleboarding), walks in every season, open views of the spa centre.
Vichy's lake: rowing, sailing, paddleboarding and a 6 km loop round the lake on foot or by bike. Supervised swimming at the Célestins beach from 1 July to 31 August in 2026.
Lac d'Allier is Vichy's big, mirror-like stretch of water, right in the heart of the spa town. This artificial lake of 120 hectares, 2.5 km long, was created in 1963 thanks to the Pont-barrage de l'Europe, a bridge-dam that holds back the Allier between Vichy and Bellerive. It made Vichy a stronghold of water sports: rowing on an international course, sailing, water skiing and paddleboarding, around the multi-sport centre. The banks continue as walks, from the Parc Napoléon III to the left bank. You can't swim there freely, but the Célestins beach, laid out on the bank, offers supervised swimming in summer (in 2026, from 1 July to 31 August, from 11:00 to 19:00, subject to water quality).
Why we love it
- A 120 ha urban lake in the heart of Vichy, created in 1963
- An international rowing course in the middle of town
- The Célestins beach and the banks laid out as walks
Top tip
Walk or cycle round the banks, from the Parc Napoléon III to the left bank. For supervised swimming, head to the Célestins beach in summer. Our favourite moment: sunset over the water from the banks on the Vichy side.
Before you go
- Follow the left bank, on the Bellerive side, for the most open view of Vichy
- Avoid late mornings at weekends if you come by bike, it gets very busy
- The full loop is about 6 km, on wide paths, accessible by wheelchair on the left-bank side
Weather for the next 3 days
Today
17°/7°
1 mm · 21 km/h
Tomorrow
15°/4°
dry · 10 km/h
Tue 27
22°/7°
0 mm · 10 km/h
Source: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). General lowland forecasts, to be cross-checked with specialist mountain forecasts at altitude.
Practical info
- Address
- Lac d'Allier, France
03200 Vichy
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Around Lac d'Allier
44 spots in and around Vichy, enough to build your day.
Where to eat close by
L'Hippocampe
4.7Vichy · 1.1 km away
Bar Le Drop
4.3Vichy · 1.1 km away
Grand Marché de Vichy
4.2Vichy · 1.2 km away
Where to stay nearby
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