guide
Nicknamed the “little Canada of the Limousin”, Lac de Vassivière spreads over around 1,000 hectares of water amid conifer forests and hills, straddling the Haute-Vienne and Creuse departments. With its peninsulas, its sandy beaches supervised in summer and its island devoted to contemporary art, it is one of the most beautiful swimming lakes in central France.
Here is what you need to know to make the most of it: the beaches, Vassivière Island, water sports, walks and campsites by the water.
| Information | At a glance |
|---|---|
| Where | Between Haute-Vienne and Creuse, about an hour from Limoges |
| Surface area | Around 1,000 hectares |
| Supervised beaches | Auphelle, Broussas, Pierrefitte, Vauveix and Nergout |
| Lifeguard cover | July and August, in the afternoon |
| Not to miss | Vassivière Island and its contemporary art centre |
| Activities | Swimming, sailing, paddleboarding, canoeing, pedalos, hiking, mountain biking |
Vassivière is an artificial lake, created in the 1950s when a hydroelectric dam was built across the Maulde. By flooding the valleys, the water carved out a landscape of bays, peninsulas and islets, at the heart of the Millevaches en Limousin regional natural park. This setting of forests and moorland earns it the comparison with the great Canadian lakes.
Five developed beaches are supervised in July and August, generally in the afternoon:
The water is pleasant in the height of summer, but it stays cooler than on the plains because of the altitude, around 650 metres. Before you go, check the water quality results published by the ARS.
At the centre of the lake, Vassivière Island is entirely devoted to contemporary art and landscape. It houses an international art centre, in a building designed by the architect Aldo Rossi, and a sculpture wood where some sixty works line the paths. The walk through the woodland, with viewpoints over the lake, is open all year round. You can reach the island on foot or by little train from the Auphelle shore.
The lake is excellent for sailing, with several watersports centres offering courses and hire of dinghies, catamarans and windsurfing boards. You can also hire paddleboards, kayaks, pedalos and small electric boats to explore the coves. In season, pleasure boats let you discover the lake effortlessly.
Anglers can catch pike, zander, perch and trout, with a suitable fishing permit.
A waymarked trail runs all the way round the lake, through forests, moorland and shorelines. You can walk it in stages, or ride it by mountain bike. The surrounding Millevaches plateau offers further walks through peat bogs, springs and granite villages.
Our selection lists several lakeside campsites in Haute-Vienne and in Creuse. In Peyrat-le-Château, Camping Les Deux Îles is the closest to the Auphelle beach and the island. On the Creuse side, Camping Les Chenauds, in Saint-Junien-la-Bregère, offers a very natural setting, around twenty minutes from the lake.
Vassivière is a lake apart: supervised beaches for families, an island of contemporary art unique in France, and a forest setting that feels a world away. Come in summer for swimming, or in the late season for the autumn colours and the tranquillity. And take the time to explore the Millevaches plateau, one of the most unspoiled areas in France.
Campsites marked “Partner” are Aimer Camper members and are shown first. All results match your search.
