Lac de Pont-de-Salars: our guide to family swimming

A smaller lake, a reservoir born in the 1950s

Lac de Pont-de-Salars is also a man-made reservoir, created by a dam built by EDF at the very beginning of the 1950s, a little after the Pareloup dam. It covers about 190 hectares and is nearly 6 kilometres long, but remains much narrower than its big neighbour. The village of Pont-de-Salars sits right on the lake, and it is precisely this closeness between village and water that gives the place its more village-like character.

A calmer atmosphere, ideal for families

The atmosphere is more village-like and quieter, with two lifeguarded beaches in season on either side of the lake. We also like the fact that the village itself is pleasant to stroll around, with a few shops and a terrace by the water, a good option for combining a swim and a short lunch break without getting back in the car. Its gently sloping banks are more reassuring for unsupervised swimming than those of Pareloup, especially outside the period when the lifeguarded areas are open.

Our practical tips

Allow about 45 minutes by car from the cottage, on a road that climbs gradually up to the Lévézou plateau: do keep a jumper or a windproof jacket in the boot, as evenings cool down faster there than in our valley, even after a sunny day. As for timing, we prefer mornings or late afternoons in July and August, when the low light on the water is at its most beautiful and the beaches are less crowded. Lifeguard cover usually ends in late August: outside the peak summer period, Pont-de-Salars remains our default choice for a family swim, precisely because you can feel at ease there even without lifeguards.

A remark we often make to our guests: don't confuse the Lévézou lakes with Lac de la Selve, towards the Aubrac in the north of the department. Both are roughly the same distance from the cottage, but in opposite directions, on two very different plateaus. On the practical side, we always recommend taking a picnic: the shores have shady areas, often with tables, where it is nicer to settle than to look for a crowded terrace in high summer.