Our take
An almost perfectly round maar, 600 m across, edged by a beech wood whose trees are sometimes 200 years old.
An almost round crater lake at an altitude of 1,166 m: 63 m deep, 600 m across. The lake is private (no swimming), but the path under the beech trees is more than enough for a good walk.
A crater lake at an altitude of 1,166 m, in the Sancy, in the commune of Picherande. An almost circular maar: 63 m deep, 52 hectares, 600 m across, partly filled in by glacial moraines. All around, a beech wood where some of the trees are over 200 years old. Private lake: swimming, fishing and boating are not allowed. You enjoy the shore, not the water. You can't walk all the way round, but a path runs through the beech wood for a pretty walk.
Why we love it
- An almost circular crater, 600 m across and 63 m deep
- The beech wood on the shore, with trees over 200 years old
- A basaltic maar about 15,000 years old, partly filled in by glacial moraines
Top tip
From Picherande, take the D203 towards Besse for about 5 km, then turn right. Vehicles are not allowed at the lake: leave the car in the car park. The site is private, so stay on the path.
Before you go
- Dogs allowed, on a lead.
- Car park before the lake, reached by the D203 from Picherande: vehicles are not allowed in
- You can't walk all the way round: follow the path that crosses the beech wood
- The lake is private: you enjoy it from the shore, there's no swimming
Weather for the next 3 days
Today
9°/1°
9 mm · 33 km/h
Tomorrow
11°/1°
dry · 12 km/h
Tue 27
16°/9°
0 mm · 21 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 Chauvet, 63113 Picherande, France
63113 Picherande
What visitors say
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Around Lac Chauvet
4 spots in and around Picherande, enough to build your day.
Where to eat close by
Where to stay nearby
Volcan'Hostel
4.9Picherande · 5.0 km away
€Résidence Le Bois de la Reine
4.0Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise · 5.5 km away
Hikes nearby
Waymarked routes within 15 km, GPX track included.
On foot
On footHikes around Lac Chauvet
On footOn foot
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