Lac d'Estenc

Lac d'Estenc sits at roughly 1,780 metres on the Estenc plateau, in the commune of Entraunes in the Alpes-Maritimes. It marks the source area of the Var, the river that eventually reaches the Mediterranean near Nice, and it lies right at the edge of the core zone of the Mercantour National Park, just below the Col de la Cayolle.

What kind of lake is it?

Unlike the glacial tarns scattered across the higher parts of the Mercantour, Lac d'Estenc is man-made: a small hillside reservoir, or retenue collinaire, built in the 1960s on the plateau. It covers only about 0.6 hectares, so it reads more as a pond than a mountain lake, and it is fed by the water rising from the Var's source a short walk away.

The Estenc plateau

The plateau was historically used as summer pasture for the hamlet of Estenc, a settlement once cut off for months at a time by winter snow. Today it works as a gateway to the Mercantour National Park and as the starting point for several walking routes, including a loop across the open grassland with a short detour to the river source itself. The long-distance Grande Traversée du Mercantour (GTM) trail also passes nearby, linking Entraunes to Estenc. The gentle, pastoral character of the plateau contrasts with the steeper, rockier terrain found higher up in the park.

What is there to do at the lake?

A wooden walkway circles the water, with interpretive panels explaining the Var's source and the surrounding landscape. Picnic tables line the shore, and a wheelchair-accessible path runs from the car park at the Relais de la Cayolle hotel down to the lakeside deck — an unusual amenity at this altitude. The lake is also stocked with trout and open to anglers, with the season running from the second Saturday of March to the second Sunday of October; fly fishing, spinning and bait fishing are all permitted, and summer catches tend to be better near the inlets where fresh water enters the lake.

Getting there

Access is via the road that climbs from Entraunes toward the Col de la Cayolle, the same route followed by the Route des Grandes Alpes. The drive up the Var valley is scenic in its own right, and the car park sits directly beside the lake, making it an easy stop even for visitors not planning a long hike.

FAQ

Is Lac d'Estenc a natural lake? No. It is an artificial reservoir — a retenue collinaire — created in the 1960s on the Estenc plateau.

Is this the same lake as Lac des Garrets? No. Lac des Garrets is a separate body of water also located within the Entraunes commune, but it is a distinct site with its own setting.

Can you fish at Lac d'Estenc? Yes. Trout are present, and the fishing season runs from the second Saturday of March through the second Sunday of October.

Is the lake accessible without a long hike? Yes. A car park sits right beside it, and a wheelchair-accessible path connects the Relais de la Cayolle hotel parking area to the lakeside deck.

What else is nearby worth seeing? The source of the Var river is only a few minutes' walk away, and trails across the Estenc plateau lead toward the Col de la Cayolle and the boundary of the Mercantour National Park.