Réservoir Saint-Michel, body of water
Réservoir Saint-Michel is an artificial lake in Finistère in Brittany, created in 1937 by a dam. It covers about 500 hectares and is fed by several streams including the Ellez, while a 15 km hiking trail circles the water.
The lake was built between 1929 and 1936 by flooding wetlands and peatlands to create a dam for power generation. From the 1960s until 1985, its water was used to cool a nearby nuclear plant at Brennilis.
The name comes from Saint Michel, a saint venerated in Breton folk tradition. Local people today use this place for fishing and hiking, connecting it with the rural identity of the region.
The lake is best explored on foot or by boat, with parking available in Brennilis. Motorboats are not allowed, but electric boat rentals are available through Auberge du Youdig and reservations are recommended in advance.
The lake was one of the first projects in France to offer electric boats to visitors, long before they became widespread. Today the area around the lake is home to beavers that were deliberately introduced to help manage the lake's ecosystem and surrounding wetlands.
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