Lac de Bastan inférieur, Glacial lake in Hautes-Pyrénées, France.
Lac de Bastan Inférieur is a glacial lake set in the Néouvielle massif at about 2140 meters elevation, covering roughly 1.8 hectares with a maximum depth of 13 meters. The water is clear and cold, surrounded by rock faces and alpine meadows that define this high mountain setting.
The lake formed during the last Ice Age when glaciers carved the landscape and created a natural cascade system linking three lakes in the Bastan group. This glacial work shaped the distinctive terrain visible today.
The name Bastan comes from the traditional vocabulary of the Aure Valley and remains part of how locals refer to this corner of the mountains. The lake and its neighbors are woven into the identity of the region and shape how people understand this part of the Pyrenees.
The lake can be reached by a marked trail from the Artigusse parking area at about 1590 meters, following the GR 10 path through the nature reserve. The climb takes several hours and is best done in dry conditions since the ground can become slippery.
The water holds brown trout that thrive surprisingly well at this elevation, making the lake a place where nature sustains itself. Mountain pine trees grow on the surrounding slopes while marmot colonies shape the alpine ecosystem.
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