Lac Pavin, Volcanic crater lake in Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise, France.
Lac Pavin is a crater lake with a nearly perfect circular shape spanning around 800 meters across and filled with deep blue-green waters. The lake sits within steep volcanic walls and reaches depths of approximately 92 meters.
The lake formed around 6,900 years ago through a phreatomagmatic eruption, representing the most recent volcanic activity on mainland France. This explosive process created the distinctive crater shape that remains visible today.
The name comes from the Latin word 'pavens', meaning terrible, reflecting old stories locals tell about mysterious creatures believed to inhabit the depths.
A well-maintained path circles the entire lake, providing multiple viewpoints across the water and surrounding forest from different angles. The walk is manageable on foot and allows visitors to experience the landscape from various perspectives around the shore.
The water below 60 meters depth never mixes with the upper layers, creating distinct chemical and biological zones throughout the lake. This layering allows rare organisms to survive in conditions specifically adapted to these isolated depths.
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The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes area has lakes from very different beginnings. Large lakes that formed from glaciers, like Lake Bourget or Lake Annecy, appeared after the glaciers in the Alps melted. They have deep water surrounded by mountains. In the Massif Central, volcanic lakes sit in old craters,...
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