Étang de Laurenti, Mountain lake in Ariège, France.
Étang de Laurenti is a mountain lake in the French Pyrenees sitting at around 1900 meters elevation, surrounded by pine forests and rocky slopes. The water sits in a remote basin framed by steep terrain on all sides.
The basin formed during the last ice age through glacier movement, which shaped the landscape of the Donezan region. This glacial carving created the steep walls and deep form that the lake still holds today.
The lake represents a significant element in the Pyrenean mountain heritage, with local shepherds using the surrounding pastures for generations.
Access requires a hike with some hundred meters of elevation gain on marked trails that takes several hours round trip. The paths can be slippery, especially in wet conditions, so sturdy footwear is important.
The Laurent stream feeds the lake from above and flows out from it, maintaining a delicate balance in this high-altitude setting. This water system is part of a larger network of mountain streams moving through the region.
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