Barrage de Sainte-Croix, Dam in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
The Barrage de Sainte-Croix is a double-curved concrete arch dam on the Verdon river in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. It holds back the Sainte-Croix Lake, the fourth largest artificial reservoir in mainland France, and its power station generates electricity for the surrounding area.
Built between 1971 and 1974, the dam was part of a larger effort to harness the Verdon river for power and water management. Its completion flooded the valley and created the reservoir that now draws visitors to the area.
The dam is a familiar landmark for people living around the lake, and its silhouette appears on local postcards and in the stories of those who watched the valley change. The lake it created has become a gathering place for swimming, boating and family outings, and the dam remains a symbol of how the landscape was reshaped.
The dam itself is not open to visitors, but you can see it from the lake or from the roads that run along the shore. The best views are from the water or from the nearby villages, where you can also find parking and walking paths.
Because the Baudinard gorges are so narrow, the dam stores more water per unit of concrete than any other dam in France. This efficient design is a quiet engineering feat that few visitors notice as they look out over the lake.
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