Overview
Many of the lakes along the Alps are formed by a dam and are used to collect water for hydroelectric power stations. This one in Val d’Ayas is different: it is absolutely natural, fed from beneath the ground. It is immersed in a peatland environment of tranquil charm, where toads and lizards have always coexisted with reeds and water lilies, amidst the Scots pines and downy oaks that colour the surrounding slopes.
From the car park for the Lake – which is indicated a short distance from Villa-Nabian, in the municipality of Challand-Saint-Victor – begins the Challand Art trail, a pathway featuring a series of attractive works made from natural materials, such as earth, leaves, wood, stone and iron.
The Challand Art trail forms a section of Path 11, which, if desired, can be followed to the Col d'Arlaz along the Balteo Trail. The latter is a much longer hiking route, ending in Saint-Vincent.
