Lake Nantua

Lac de Nantua is a human-sized concentrate of beauty, nestled between vertiginous cliffs. It’s big enough to mesmerize, but small enough to take a leisurely stroll around. You can run, swim and stop here, mesmerized by its changing hues. Thought you knew everything there was to know about lakes? This one still has a lot to teach you.

A glacial gem in the heart of Haut-Bugey

From up here, the view is breathtaking. The 141-hectare Lac de Nantua sparkles in the setting sun, revealing the glacial origin of a lake set like a diamond between high, unstable limestone cliffs. Some forty meters deep, in summer it becomes the ideal setting for water-based leisure activities (swimming, sailing, canoeing and pedal-boating…), instantly transporting visitors to a seaside resort atmosphere. Popular with anglers, particularly for its pike, trout and whitefish, Nantua is first and foremost a mountain lake.

©Lake Nantua as seen from Fècles|J. Pruniaux/Argo/ Haut-Bugey Tourisme

A superb landscape. This lake, surrounded by mountains, offers changing views depending on the position of the sun.

A unique panorama of cliffs and reflections

The size of the lake cannot be measured at first glance… To fully appreciate its charm, it’s best to walk around it, climb up and down, change angles…
From the riverbank, it slips between the trees, hiding behind a curtain of cliffs. From the heights, it spreads out at last, caught between limestone walls, sometimes steel-blue, sometimes deep green, depending on the mood of the sky.

ON FOOT OR BY BIKE Ideas for routes around Lac de Nantua

Touring the lake on foot or by bike is the perfect warm-up before heading higher, to access panoramic views of the cliffs and sparkling waters for unforgettable experiences.

Boating, of course! For relaxation lovers

In summer, the Albert Griot beach on the north shore offers free supervised swimming, with lawn, sand and pontoon facilities. La Colonne beach, on the south shore, also offers moments of relaxation for families and friends.

Did you know? A specialty: quenelle in Nantua sauce

Go and tell a Lyonnais that the quenelle is Aindinoise… But the sauce that goes with it is delicious.

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Nantua, land of trails history and champions

Here, we don’t run to beat a record on Strava or collect medals or necklaces. We run because the terrain demands it. Because the trails of the Station de Trail Haut-Bugey are more than just lines on a map, they’re shaped by the terrain, sculpted by history.

This is also where Xavier Thévenard cut his teeth, before registering his name on the summit of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc three times. He learned to take in the terrain, listen to the mountains and adapt. To run in Nantua is to follow in his footsteps, without pretending to match him, but with the certainty that every ascent, every descent will leave an imprint, somewhere between your legs and your mind.