Our take
A proper lake of 562 hectares stretching 13 km along the old Cère valley: supervised swimming in July and August on three beaches, sailing, paddleboarding, water skiing, and a Himalayan footbridge between the Rénac and Espinet beaches.
A 562-hectare reservoir lake on the Cère: supervised beaches in July and August, sailing, paddleboarding and water skiing.
An EDF reservoir lake in the Cantal, built in the 1940s on the Cère: 562 hectares, one of the biggest artificial lakes in Auvergne. Equipped for swimming (the beaches of Rénac and Espinet at Saint-Gérons, and Puech des Ouilhes at Lacapelle-Viescamp, supervised in July and August), sailing, water skiing and pedalos, with a water sports base at Lacapelle-Viescamp, mountain bike trails around, a campsite and rentals. A Himalayan footbridge links the beaches of Rénac and Espinet.
Why we love it
- The beaches of Rénac and Espinet at Saint-Gérons, and Puech des Ouilhes at Lacapelle-Viescamp, supervised in July and August
- Big enough for sailing, paddleboarding and water skiing
- The Himalayan footbridge between the Rénac and Espinet beaches
Top tip
For supervised swimming in July and August, you have a choice: Rénac or Espinet at Saint-Gérons, linked by a Himalayan footbridge, or Puech des Ouilhes at Lacapelle-Viescamp. Around the lake, you can also hire boats and electric bikes.
Before you go
- At Puech des Ouilhes, a path on stilts, accessible to everyone, goes round the peninsula for about 2 km
- At the Puech des Ouilhes water sports base, you can hire sailing boats, windsurfing boards, paddleboards, canoes and motorboats in summer
- At Puech des Ouilhes, a paddling pool and a floating pool fed with lake water, with supervised swimming in July and August
Weather for the next 3 days
Today
14°/5°
9 mm · 19 km/h
Tomorrow
15°/2°
dry · 4 km/h
Tue 27
18°/9°
dry · 13 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 de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès, France
15150 Lacapelle-Viescamp
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Around Lac de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès
3 spots in and around Lacapelle-Viescamp, enough to build your day.
A place to see, a night to spend?
Hotels, gîtes and B&Bs within 20 km of Lacapelle-Viescamp. Availability and online booking.
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