Lac des salettes

Lac des Salettes is a man-made lake in the commune of Mormoiron, at the foot of Mont Ventoux in the Vaucluse department of Provence. Built in the 1980s, it is one of the few spots in the region where visitors can swim for free in summer, surrounded by a sandy beach and a pine forest.

Is Lac des Salettes a natural lake?

No — it was created by human hands. In 1984, the municipality of Mormoiron decided to transform this stretch of land, previously covered by forest on the edge of the village. Workers built a dam and excavated roughly 30,000 cubic meters of earth and sediment, carving out the basin that would become the lake. It officially opened to the public in 1988 and has since grown into one of the most popular outdoor spots around Mont Ventoux.

How big is the lake and what surrounds it?

The water itself covers about 2 hectares, while the wider site — including the beach and surrounding green space — spans roughly 5 hectares. Taken together with the neighboring vallat de Marqueton ravine, the whole area reaches nearly 29 hectares, which was granted Environmentally Sensitive Area (Espace Naturel Sensible) status in 2019. Pines and willows line the shore, offering shade during the hot Provençal summer, and the beach itself is sandy underfoot.

Can you swim there?

Yes, and swimming is the main reason people come. In July and August, lifeguards supervise the beach from noon to 7pm. It is one of the rare inland spots in Vaucluse offering free, supervised swimming, drawing around 25,000 visitors over the summer season.

What else is there to do besides swimming?

The area around the lake offers more than a beach day. Hiking trails, an orienteering course, and mountain-biking paths all start from here, and a treetop adventure park called Ventoux Aventure sits tucked among the trees nearby. One distinctive feature of the surroundings is the colored sand — white, yellow, orange, and red in varying shades — visible along paths that wind through the nearby hills, where the landscape mixes vineyards from the Ventoux appellation with olive and cherry orchards.

How do you get there, and what should you know before visiting?

Entry to the lake itself is free, but parking is paid: 5 euros for 10 hours, or 35 euros for a longer stay. Restrooms are available near the trailhead. Because Mont Ventoux — nicknamed the Giant of Provence — looms so close, its silhouette stays in view for almost the entire time spent at the water's edge.

FAQ

Is Lac des Salettes a natural lake? No, it is an artificial reservoir built between 1984 and 1988 after the municipality of Mormoiron constructed a dam and reshaped the site.

Is swimming safe there? In July and August, lifeguards watch over the beach from noon to 7pm, making it one of the few supervised inland swimming spots in Vaucluse.

Do you have to pay to get in? Access to the lake is free; only parking is paid (5 euros for 10 hours, or 35 euros for longer stays).

What can you do besides swim? Hiking, mountain biking, orienteering, and the Ventoux Aventure treetop adventure course, plus nearby trails through colorful ochre-tinted sands.

How close is it to Mont Ventoux? Lac des Salettes sits right at the foot of Mont Ventoux, within the commune of Mormoiron, so the mountain stays visible from nearly anywhere along the shore.