Lac de Bethmale et la sorcière du lac

Bethmale

At the foot of the col de la Core, in the Couserans, the lac de Bethmale spreads an emerald-green water at 1,074 metres. This colour comes from a karst spring that feeds it from below. The body of water is small, 1.8 hectares, and held back by a dam. It has been open to tourist fishing since 1967: before the road, one had to walk an hour and a half from Ayet. The old people tell why the water has these reflections. According to the legend, a wicked witch lived hidden in the woods and made life miserable for the villagers. One day, exasperated, they climbed towards the col de la Core, pitchforks in hand, to be rid of her. Cornered, she jumped into the lake, swearing never to disappear. Her blue-green dress is said to have remained at the bottom, and it is she who colours the reflections. The name Bethmale would come from Gascon, either ‘beautiful mountain’ or ‘bad valley’. During the Second World War the valley was also a passage to Spain: a monument pays tribute to the smugglers of the ‘Chemin de la Liberté’.

Getting there: Reached by car along the D 17 from Castillon-en-Couserans towards the col de la Core; the lake is on the right of the road. Free parking about 100 m away, quickly full on summer weekends; picnic tables and toilets, no shop or restaurant. No bus goes up to the lake. The tour is done on foot in about 45 min; fishing with a permit (trout).

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound