Lakes in Aveyron
A fishing lake at the campsite: the Lake of Bannac
Next to the campsite, the lac de Bannac is a great fishing spot for the Lot and Aveyron departments.
This private lake is managed by the fishing associations of Villefranche de Rouergue and Carjac. The concession is granted to them by the town halls of Martiel and Laramière in the Lot. This artificial lake is fed by several sources which constitute one of the rare wetlands in the environment of the Causses du Rouergue and Quercy.
The lake has a surface area of 22 hectares in a superb and very healthy environment of hundred-year-old oaks. Here, charm, nature, space are kings, and while walking there, you will be able to believe you are alone in the world!
The access is free for our campers, who must have the fishing card of the National Federation of France. You will be able to book it on the internet, before or during your stay at the camping Martiel. And you will also have the opportunity to buy equipment and bait nearby, in Villefranche de Rouergue.
From numerous species of fish populate the waters of the Aveyron lake, trout, black-bass, tench or pike, some of nice size! We also find carps and fishing competitions are regularly organized there, as well as fishing initiations for the youngest.
Lake Aveyron is not only interesting for fishing, it is also a stopover for migratory birds and in its south-eastern part, a reserve for many species of birds. We will not name them all since more than a hundred of them have been listed by the Ligue Protectrice des Oiseaux (LPO) of the Lot!
Lakes to fish in Aveyron
Aveyron is an ideal department for fishing. It is crossed by four main rivers: Aveyron, Tarn, Lot and Viaur. You will also find artificial lakes Aveyron, retained water by dams EDF, the five lakes of Lévézou.
- La Lac de la Selve (or de Maury), the lake of Sarrans and the lake of Montézic, for their part, are located at the northern tip of the department of Aveyron, in deep valleys, on a tributary of the Lot, the Truyère, more than two hours from Villefranche de Rouergue. Often classified in 2nd category, except the lac de la Gourde in 1st category, they offer a diversity of possible types of fishing, from sport fishing to night fishing. There are also small natural lakes that are not EDF dams, such as the lac de Bannac, next to the campsite.
- Lake Pareloup, the largest of the Lévezou lakes, is famous for pike fishing, but you can also find perch or pikeperch.
- The lake of Pont-Salars is famous for carp fishing at night. Its whitefish population is very strong.
If most of the Aveyron lakes are also open to swimming and water sports, the lake of Bage and the lake of Bannac are exclusively reserved for fishing, perfect places for the fisherman looking for tranquility. Trout, perch, carp and white fish are present.
The lakes to swim in Aveyron
The nearest is in the Lot; the Tolermo lake has a beach with supervised swimming, playgrounds and picnic areas, and water sports.
The three largest lakes of Lévezou are equipped for swimming and water sports, you will have the opportunity to practice many water activities in the middle of nature. All three of them have supervised beaches during the summer period with children’s playgrounds, picnic areas, restaurants and parking lots:
- The beach of Vernhes (Blue Flag) and the beach of Arvieu-Pareloup (equipped for people with reduced mobility) at the lake of Pareloup.
- La plage des Moulinoches and la plage des Rousselleries and its nautical base at the lake of Pont-Salars.
- Granouillac beach and Le Meyrac beach (accessible for people with reduced mobility) at the lake of Villefranche-de-Panat.
If the lakes of Aveyron do not attract you, you can also enjoy the calm of a campsite with a swimming pool.
In the Lot too, it is not a lake but a vast loop of the river. The plan d’eau de Cajarc is located on the Lot a few minutes from the Lac aux Oiseaux campsite. Well equipped for the watersports, you will be able to practice water skiing, jet-ski, canoeing down the Lot river, paddle, pedal boat, surf bike (bike on water), and boat without permit.
Some wild unattended beaches also coexist on the shores of the lakes in Aveyron. You can also find unsupervised bathing spots on the riversides of the Viaur, Lot or Aveyron, a few kilometers from the campsite. Or maybe you prefer to swim in a supervised swimming pool in July and August, in a campsite on the banks of the Aveyron lake?
Top 5 lakes of Lévézou in Aveyron
The five lakes of Lévezou are artificial Aveyron lakes located on the Lévézou plateau in Aveyron. They attract fishermen as well as swimmers and lovers of nautical activities. Created by EDF, they are used to power hydroelectric power stations. These five lakes in Aveyron, at an altitude of between 600 and 1100 meters, can be discovered about an hour’s drive south from our site. Enjoy the wild nature of these medium mountain lakes of Occitania by staying at a campsite on the lakeside in Aveyron.
- The lake of Pareloup : At one hour and a quarter of car from Villefranche de Rouergue, it is the one that deserves a visit during your stay with us, at the campsite at the edge of a lake Aveyron Lac aux Oiseaux. It is located on the plateau du Lévézou at more than 800 meters altitude, between Canet-de-Salars in the north and Salles-Curan in the south. The campsite is located near the large artificial lake of Pareloup whose very particular shape is due to the steep sites surrounding it. Its waters are retained by the Pareloup dam, on which you can circulate by car.
With its 130 kilometers of coastline, it is the 5th largest artificial lake in France the 5th largest artificial lake in France. There are two islands, peninsulas and several beaches and harbors. - The lake of Pont-de-Salars : The lake of Pont-de-Salars is a very long lake: about 6 kilometers long and 200 meters wide maximum. It is located between Pont-Salars and Le Vidal, about 20 kilometers southeast of Rodez. It is a lake famous for fishing.
- The lake of Villefranche-de-Panat : This lake of 4 kilometers long and 500 meters wide is located north of Villefranche-de-Panat. It was formed on a tributary of the Tarn, the Alrance, and is frequented by fishermen.
Two other, less known lakes are exclusively reserved for fishing.
- The lake of Bage : with its 53 hectares, it is located between the largest lakes of Pont-Salard and Pareloup and the lake of Gourde. The latter, located northwest of the lake of Pareloup, is the smallest of the plateau of Lévezou.
- Tolermo lake : located at 530 m of altitude, the Tolermo lake covers 38 ha. It is ideal for fishermen and walkers with its paths and its health trail. In summer, enjoy its beach with supervised swimming, its playgrounds and picnic areas, its water sports such as: slides, pedal boats, bicycles, electric boats.
