Lac du Rotondu, Glacial lake in Venaco, France

The Lac du Rotondu sits at 2321 meters elevation within the Monte Rotondu massif, surrounded by granite mountain slopes. Its clear waters provide a striking contrast to the rocky peaks that frame it.

The lake is of glacial origin, lying at 2,321 m in the Monte Rotondo massif, which rises some 300 m above it. Its outlet is the ravine of Monte Rotondo, which joins the Manganello stream at 1,350 m. It is the largest natural lake in Corsica, 425 m long and 225 m wide, and the second deepest, after Lake Capitellu.

Shepherds have long used these high meadows around the lake to graze their animals and produce cheese in mountain huts. This way of working with livestock remains part of everyday life in this remote corner of the mountains.

Reaching the lake requires a substantial uphill hike from the Restonica Valley along marked trails. The route passes through rocky terrain and mountain passages, so be ready for steep sections.

The lake is the largest natural lake in Corsica, measuring 425 metres long and 225 metres wide, and the second deepest on the island at 35 metres, behind Lake Capitellu. It freezes for about seven months a year. On IGN maps it appears as Lavu Bellebone, after the Belle e Buone sheepfolds on the southern slope of Punta alle Porte.