Top 20 Lakes in Haut-Jura

Many lakes in Haut-Jura offer excellent family-friendly options. At Petit Maclu Lake, you'll find easy, shaded paths. Lac de Chalain features three supervised beaches, pedal boating, canoeing, and the Les Lagons aqua park. Lac de Lamoura provides a supervised beach, children's games, and a picnic area with barbecues. Lac des Rousses also has supervised swimming and a water sports center, while Lac de Bonlieu is ideal for family walks and boat rentals.

Yes, the region offers numerous trails. Lac de Vouglans has over 82 km of footpaths. You can find a path around Lac de Chalain suitable for cycling or walking, and a discovery trail around Lac de Lamoura is adapted for people with reduced mobility. Lake Narlay has a charming path through forests and meadows. For more options, explore easy hikes in the region, such as the 'Lac des Rousses — loop in the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut-Jura' or 'Around the lakes of Étival — loop in the Haut-Jura Regional Natural Park', both found in the Easy hikes in Haut-Jura guide.

Lac de Vouglans is a prime destination for watersports, offering motorboating, electric boating, catamaran sailing, pedal boating, canoeing, and swimming. Lac des Rousses also has a water sports center with equipment rental. Lac de Chalain provides opportunities for canoeing and pedal boating.

The lakes boast diverse natural features. Lac de Vouglans is known for its striking emerald-green waters. Lac de Chalain's turquoise waters are due to a geological anomaly. Lac des Rousses and Lac de Lamoura are surrounded by peat bogs, which are Ramsar-certified wetlands vital for biodiversity and home to unique flora like carnivorous sundews. The Three Lakes Viewpoint offers a panorama where you can see a characteristic whitish rim on the lakes, a result of a chemical phenomenon involving chalk.

Lac de Chalain is historically significant, with evidence of Neolithic farming communities and a UNESCO-listed World Heritage site featuring remains of a lakeside town with stilt houses. Lac de Vouglans was formed by the construction of the Vouglans dam, and legend speaks of a submerged 12th-century Chartreuse de Vaucluse abbey visible at its bottom.

Several lakes offer supervised swimming during the summer months. Lac de Vouglans has three sandy beaches (Bellecin, Mercantine, and Surchauffant) with supervised swimming. Lac de Chalain also has three supervised beaches. Lac des Rousses and Lac de Lamoura both provide supervised swimming areas. Additionally, swimming is permitted at Lake Narlay.

Yes, fishing is a popular activity in many lakes. Lac de Vouglans and Lac de Chalain both allow fishing. Lac des Rousses is authorized for fishing trout, pike, and perch. Lac de Bonlieu is also a favored spot due to its fish-rich waters.

Yes, cycling is a great way to explore the area. Over 82 km of cycle tracks surround Lac de Vouglans. A path around Lac de Chalain is suitable for cycling. You can also find gravel biking routes like the 'Shore of Lac de Narlay – Grand Maclu Lake loop' in the Gravel biking in Haut-Jura guide, or road cycling routes such as the 'Lac de Vouglans — loop from Moirans-en-Montagne' in the Road Cycling Routes in Haut-Jura guide.

Lac de Lamoura, as the highest lake in the French Jura, is set in a protected natural environment at the foot of the Massacre forest, ideal for nature lovers seeking calm. The Four Lakes region, including Lake Ilay, Petit Maclu Lake, and Grand Maclu, are valued for their ecological significance, diverse vegetation, and rich habitat for wildlife. Lac de Bonlieu, nestled in a forest, is also popular for contemplation and relaxation.

The summer months (July-August) are ideal for swimming and watersports, with supervised beaches available. Spring and autumn offer beautiful scenery for hiking and cycling, with changing foliage. Winter provides opportunities for snowshoeing around lakes like Lac des Rousses and Lac de Lamoura, though some lakes like Lac des Mortes and Lac Bellefontaine are only accessible on foot year-round.

Yes, the Three Lakes Viewpoint offers a breathtaking panorama of three lakes. You can also enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Lac de Bonlieu from the Belvédère de la Ronde.

Lac de Vouglans stands out as the third largest man-made lake in France, known for its vast size and emerald-green waters. It's a hub for a wide array of watersports and is surrounded by extensive footpaths and cycle tracks, making it exceptionally versatile for active visitors.

Lac de Chalain is the largest natural lake in the Jura, distinguished by its wild natural setting and unique turquoise waters, attributed to a geological anomaly. Beyond its natural beauty, it holds significant historical value with UNESCO-listed remains of Neolithic stilt houses, offering a blend of nature and ancient history.