Orient Forest Regional Natural Park, Natural park in Aube, France.
The Orient Forest Regional Natural Park is a woodland reserve in Aube that includes three artificial lakes: Lac d'Orient, Lac du Temple, and Lac Amance. The park contains trails for walking, water areas for recreation, and habitats for wildlife throughout its forest landscape.
The park was formally established in 1970 after three lakes were built during the 1960s as a flood control measure. The reservoirs were designed to protect Paris and surrounding areas from rising water levels during heavy rains.
The park's name comes from the Forêt d'Orient woodland at its centre, and its administrative seat is in Piney. The three reservoirs are fed and drained by canals linking them to the Seine and Aube, and the Lac d'Auzon-Temple has a nature reserve, while the other two lakes are heavily used for tourism and sport.
The Maison du Parc in Piney serves as the main visitor center where you can get maps and information about the trails. Wear sturdy shoes since most paths go through forests and around the lake edges.
The three reservoirs were built to regulate the Seine and Aube: they hold back floodwater that would otherwise reach Paris and release it in dry periods to keep navigation going. Lac d'Orient opened in 1966, while Lac d'Auzon-Temple and Lac Amance followed in 1990.
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