The lake of Castillon in the Verdon Gorges
The lake of Castillon (in French: lac de Castillon) is 8 km long with a surface area of 500 hectares, and located near Castellane city at an altitude of 880 m. The lake has two dams at its southern end: one called the Barrage of Castillon, and the other is called the Barrage of Chaudanne.
The lake is 100 meters deep, holds about 150 million meter-cube of water, of which 85 million meter-cube is reserved exclusively for agriculture, but the beauty of its banks attracts thousands of tourists every year.
In 1948, when the Barrage of Castillon became functional, the inhabitants of the Castillon village were forced to leave their homes forever because the village was fully swallowed by the water! The former road N212 was also fully submerged. In fact, even today, when the level of water decreases, one can see the former “Julien Bridge”!
Many water sports and related activities are available at the lake: canoeing, kayaking, sailing, wind-surfing, water skiing, water scooters, pedal boats. Information on different outings on the lake can be found at the boating centers and through the boat rental agents.
The boating centers and boat launches are located in the two villages of Saint Julien du Verdon and of Saint André les Alpes. Well marked hiking trails surround this beautiful lake, and life guards keep a close watch from the lake’s shore to ensure a safe trip for all visitors.
As you can see, the Sainte Croix lake is not far!
Here are a few videos of the lake of Castillon…Enjoy!
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