Lac de Saint-Pardoux

Lac de Saint-Pardoux is a man-made lake in the Haute-Vienne department, in the historic Limousin region of central France, roughly 25 km north of Limoges. Formed by damming the Couze and Ritord rivers, it now covers around 330 hectares, making it the second-largest body of water in Haute-Vienne after Lac de Vassivière. The lake sits at an altitude of about 360 metres and its shoreline is shared by three communes: Compreignac, Saint-Pardoux-le-Lac and Razès.

How did an artificial lake end up here?

Planning for the dam began in 1968, and the valley was flooded in 1976. The lake officially opened to visitors the following year, in 1977. In the decades since, it has grown into one of the region's main leisure destinations, second only to Vassivière in scale and popularity among Limousin's inland lakes.

Is the whole lake open for every kind of water sport?

Not quite — the surface is split into zones so that different activities don't get in each other's way. About 192 hectares are set aside for quieter pursuits such as sailing and pedal boats, 88 hectares are reserved for motorised watercraft, and the remaining 50 hectares are dedicated to fishing. This zoning keeps sailors, anglers and motorboat users out of each other's paths.

What can visitors actually do here?

The activity hub is the Chabannes water sports base, jointly run by the Ligue de l'Enseignement and the local PALL sailing club. From here you can rent canoes, stand-up paddleboards, pedal boats, sailing dinghies, catamarans and funboats, with options suited to complete beginners as well as more confident sailors. The base also runs supervised group sessions — archery, blowpipe shooting, orienteering — and, during school holidays, multi-sport camps for young people that mix water- and land-based activities.

Land-based visitors aren't an afterthought either: there are mountain biking trails, plus rental points for electric scooters and electric skateboards. A standout addition is the wake park at Fréaudour, opened in 2019, which uses a cable lift to tow water-skiers and wakeboarders — no motorboat required, which opens the sport up to a much wider range of visitors.

Where can you swim, and when?

Swimming is officially permitted, and lifeguard-supervised, only in July and August. The lake's three main beaches — Santrop, Fréaudour and Chabannes — each come equipped with picnic tables, a children's play area, showers, toilets and small kiosks selling drinks and ice cream. For visitors who'd rather skip open water, one of the sites also has a swimming pool, in operation since 2017.

Who is this lake best suited to?

Lac de Saint-Pardoux works well for families and active travellers alike. Its combination of open water, surrounding woodland and the gentle Limousin countryside means a visit can be as simple as a day on the beach or as packed as a weekend of sailing, paddling and cycling.

FAQ

How far is the lake from Limoges? About 25 km to the north, making it an easy day trip from the city.

Can you swim in the lake year-round? No — supervised swimming is limited to July and August, though sailing, canoeing and other water sports run for a longer season.

How many beaches does the lake have? Three supervised beaches: Santrop, Fréaudour and Chabannes, each with full visitor facilities.

Is the lake natural? No, it's an artificial reservoir created by damming the Couze and Ritord rivers; the valley was flooded in 1976 and the lake opened to the public in 1977.

What water sports is the lake known for? Sailing, canoeing, paddleboarding and pedal boats, plus cable-tow wakeboarding and water-skiing at the Fréaudour wake park, running since 2019.