Grand Lac, Lake in Clairvaux-les-Lacs, Jura, France
Grand Lac is one of the two lakes of Clairvaux, in Clairvaux-les-Lacs, Jura, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It covers 64 hectares at an altitude of 525 metres, with an average depth of 7.8 metres and a maximum of 20 metres. Its northern shore holds prehistoric lake-dwelling sites discovered from 1869, dated between 3000 and 1000 BC.
Around 6,000 years ago, early communities built villages on stilts over the water at this site, leaving behind wooden tools, seeds, and bones that archaeologists have since uncovered. In 2011, these ancient lakeside settlements were officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The lake's beach has held the European Blue Flag since 2007, and first received it in 2005. Swimming is supervised from late June to early September. Three campsites border the water: Le Grand Lac, La Grisière and Le Fayolan.
Swimming is supervised from late June to early September. Three campsites border the lake: Le Grand Lac, La Grisière and Le Fayolan. A diving tower with boards at 2.50 m, 5 m and 7.5 m stood south of the beach from 1947 until June 2022.
The lake's stilt-village remains were found in 1869 and dated to between 3000 and 1000 BC; excavations north of the lake stopped in October 2009 for lack of funding. The site joined the UNESCO World Heritage list on 27 June 2011 with 110 other Alpine pile-dwelling sites.
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