Roselend Dam, Buttress dam in Beaufort, France
Roselend Dam is a double-curvature arch-buttress dam in Beaufort, Savoie. Its pale grey concrete face carries evenly spaced buttresses running from the crest to the base, and the 804-metre crest road is bordered by a low parapet. The structure stands 150 metres high and holds back Lac de Roselend.
Construction began in 1955 to a design by Coyne et Bellier. The reservoir filled in 1960, submerging the alpine hamlet of Roselend, whose name probably comes from a 10th-century landowner, Rozelindus. The power station came online in 1961 and the dam was completed in 1962; compensation from EDF helped found the Beaufort dairy cooperative.
The chapel relocated before the valley flooded now stands near the shore. The former village and alpine pastures rest beneath the water where mountain farmers once lived and worked.
A path runs along the crest of the structure and offers views over the lake and surrounding peaks. Access is generally open, though the site can be less comfortable during thunderstorms or strong winds.
The reservoir holds around 187 million cubic meters and feeds a power station through a 13-kilometer tunnel. The drop to the turbine reaches about 1250 meters and delivers a powerful water pressure.
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