Lac de Pareloup, Reservoir in Prades-Salars, France
Lac de Pareloup is a reservoir in the Aveyron department that spreads over gentle hills and is lined with forested shores. Its branching arms reach into several valleys, creating sheltered coves alongside more open water surfaces that ripple in the wind.
The dam was built between 1950 and 1952 as part of a hydroelectric project on the Lévézou plateau, meant to meet energy needs after the Second World War. Its completion transformed the landscape fundamentally, turning several valleys into a connected body of water.
The name comes from the Pareloup region, whose rolling landscape now lies beneath the water and remains visible only along the shores. Fishing spots dot the shoreline, where locals cast lines for pike and perch while sailboats glide between the coves.
The shore road winds around much of the lake and leads to several beaches with parking areas and basic restrooms. Weekends in July and August see the beaches fill up early, so a morning visit works best.
Four rivers flow into the lake, including the Vioulou and the Alrance, forming a network of tributaries that gathers water from a wide catchment area. This system supplies drinking water to the town of Rodez and feeds a hydroelectric plant at the southern end of the dam.
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