Lac de Guéry

Le Mont-Dore (et Orcival, Perpezat, Saulzet-le-Froid)

The Lac de Guéry is presented as the highest lake in Auvergne by the Sancy tourist office, at 1,250 m above sea level (La Montagne: 1,244 m; DREAL: 1,260 m). The DREAL speaks of a glacial overdeepening lake associated with a volcanic dam; the tourist office sees it as a lake dammed by a basalt flow, with overdeepening due to the glacier coming from the Sancy. The figures differ: 22 ha and 11 m depth for the DREAL, 26 ha and 17 m for the tourist office. The same source indicates that at the end of the 19th century, the level was raised by 8 m to bring water to the Mont-Dore power station, which supplies the Capucin funicular. The DREAL reports a first protection measure in 1946 and a listing by order of 27 July 1973. In winter, people come to ice-fish, a practice ‘normally forbidden in France’ according to the DREAL, and to cross-country ski. No legend was found in the sources consulted.

Getting there: 8 km from Le Mont-Dore by the D983; path around the lake of about 1 h 30 to 2 h from the col de Guéry; swimming, boating and bivouacking forbidden (Sancy). Mountain hike, check the weather. Coordinates: Nominatim, single source.

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

Ambient sound