Lac Chauvet, Volcanic lake in Picherande, France

Lac Chauvet is a crater lake in the Auvergne region with clear water surrounded by forested slopes that rise steeply from the shore. The lake sits at high elevation and is encircled by walking paths that explore its natural surroundings.

The lake basin formed when a volcanic eruption created a depression in the land, which gradually filled with water over thousands of years. This volcanic origin connects it to the broader geological story of the Massif Central mountains.

The lake was the regular fishing spot of three former Puy-de-Dôme deputies, Joseph Planeix, Arsène Boulay and Fernand Sauzedde, along with their parliamentary assistant Michel Charasse. François Mitterrand visited them every year, including during his presidency, accompanied by Anne Pingeot. The lake holds trout, perch, brook trout and especially Arctic char.

The area is accessible year-round, though autumn and spring offer the most comfortable conditions for walking. Wear sturdy shoes, as the paths around the lake can be muddy or rocky depending on recent weather.

On 18 July 1952 the geologist André Frégnale claimed to have photographed an object above the lake; astrophysicist Pierre Guérin found no tampering in the negatives, but a 2016 re-analysis with the Ipaco software concluded it was a hoax made with a clay pigeon photographed from under 10 metres.