Lac du Bourget

Lac du Bourget is the largest natural lake that lies entirely within France, about eighteen kilometres long and three and a half kilometres wide, with a depth of up to roughly 145 metres. It fills a deep valley carved by glaciers in Savoie, with the town of Aix-les-Bains on its eastern shore and the limestone ridges of the Dent du Chat and the Revard plateau closing it in. The mountains protect the lake from many winds, and in summer the surface water warms enough to make swimming pleasant, while the colour shifts between deep green, blue and grey depending on the light.

The lake has a long literary history. In 1820 the poet Alphonse de Lamartine published Le Lac, one of the best-known poems of French Romanticism, inspired by his meetings here with a woman he called Elvire. His verses about the water and the passing of time are still learned in French schools, and they brought the lake a reputation as a place for reflection. Aix-les-Bains itself had been a spa since Roman times, and it became fashionable in the nineteenth century, with visitors including Queen Victoria; Napoleon III's links with Savoy after 1860 added to its prestige. This was the Belle Époque spa town whose grand hotels, casino and lakeside promenades survive in part, though the main activity today is outdoors.

On the water, sailing, rowing, kayaking and paddleboarding are common, and a passenger boat service goes from the harbour of Aix-les-Bains to the abbey of Hautecombe on the western shore. The abbey was a burial place of the princes of Savoy, and its church is the main sight on that side. The harbour at Aix is among the biggest on a lake in France. Some beaches offer supervised swimming in summer.

For views, the best choices are the belvederes. From the Col du Chat and the Dent du Chat you see the whole lake below, and the Mont Revard viewpoint, reached by road above Aix, gives a wide look over the water and toward the Alps. The Chambotte belvedere on the western side looks straight down the length of the lake, and the Ontex area is also used as a viewpoint. At the southern end, reed beds and wetlands shelter many bird species, which makes the area interesting for birdwatchers, and professional fishermen still work on the lake.

Trails and a cycle route run along parts of the shore, and the climate makes spring and autumn pleasant for walking. The lake suits families, sailors, cyclists and walkers, and it works well as a day trip from Chambéry or Annecy. In Aix itself the Thermes Augustes, Église Saint-Sacrement and Casino d'Aix-les-Bains give a town-side counterpart to a day on the water.