Dam of Bort-les-Orgues, Hydroelectric dam in Limousin, France
The dam of Bort-les-Orgues is a concrete gravity structure spanning the Dordogne between Corrèze and Cantal, rising 120 meters above the riverbed with a crest extending 390 meters. The reservoir formed upstream feeds several turbines housed within the base.
Work began in 1942 during the Second World War under difficult conditions and took ten years to finish. The facility entered service in 1952 and transformed electricity supply across the region.
Tours show how engineers manage water flow to produce electricity and explain the daily operations visitors might not notice from outside. The control rooms reveal how staff monitor the facility around the clock.
Tours require advance booking at the information center on Avenue de la Gare, and participants must be at least eight years old. Some paths are steep, so sturdy footwear helps during the visit.
The base of the structure is 80 meters thick, forming a massive foundation to withstand water pressure. Inside runs a 55-meter tunnel where limestone deposits have accumulated over the decades.
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