Lac de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès, Artificial reservoir in Saint-Étienne-Cantalès, France.
Lac de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès is a 562-hectare artificial lake in the Cantal, the largest artificial lake in Auvergne, formed by the Saint-Étienne-Cantalès dam built across the Cère valley between 1939 and 1945 by Forces motrices du Cantal. Its shoreline is deeply indented, with numerous islands and peninsulas, and the Château de Viescamp stands at the water's edge. A long pale bridge on upright piers crosses one narrow arm of the dark water.
Construction of the arch dam was completed in 1945, reaching about 69 meters high and fundamentally reshaping the regional landscape. The structure powers a hydroelectric station that continues to supply energy to the area.
The lake's name comes from the commune of Saint-Étienne-Cantalès, where the Cère was dammed; the reservoir is also called lac du Ribeyrès after the hamlet of Pers. Four leisure bases give access to the water: Rénac, Les Ouilhes, Saint-Étienne-Cantalès and the Espinet peninsula. The château de Viescamp stands at the water's edge.
Three supervised swimming areas operate during summer at Puech des Ouilhes, Rénac, and Espinet, each with parking and easy water access. Several boat launch sites are spread around the perimeter for those wanting to venture onto the water.
The lake's shoreline is dotted with small beaches and launch points at Ribeyrès, Puech des Ouilhes, Espinet and Rénac, each giving onto a different arm of the drowned Cère valley. Because the reservoir fills a branching valley, its outline changes constantly as the water level moves.
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