Lac de Panthier, lake in France

Lac de Panthier is an artificial lake near Commarin featuring sandy beaches and two wooded hills that frame the shoreline. The water body covers a large area and is surrounded by natural vegetation.

Lac de Panthier was built from 1830 by Ponts et Chaussées engineer Jean Bonnetat during construction of the Burgundy Canal, with works carried out by contractor Claude Leblanc of Arnay-le-Duc. It was filled with water in 1836 and enlarged in 1866 by engineer Henry Bazin. Its earth dam runs over 1.1 km and holds back 14 m of water, storing 8,050,000 m³.

The site hosts nesting areas for water bird species that breed and rest here throughout the year. Walking around the shoreline offers chances to spot these birds in their natural habitat.

The lake lies at the meeting point of Vandenesse-en-Auxois, Créancey and Commarin; the southern shore and almost all open water belong to Vandenesse-en-Auxois. The western bank on Créancey side has reed beds and clumps of trees, and in summer the falling water level exposes a band of vegetation around the shore. The earth dam is over 1.1 km long and holds back 14 m of water, storing 8,050,000 m³.

Part of the lake is set aside for fish breeding and nesting, and cormorant numbers are controlled by shooting under quotas set each year by prefectoral order, as in 2012 after 800 kg of fish died. Scaring operations are carried out only by the federal guard, ONEMA and ONCFS.