Lake Monteynard-Avignonet is an artificial water reservoir on the Drac river in the department of Isère, which supplies a hydroelectric power plant.

It is located at an altitude of about 500 metres, 25 kilometres south of Grenoble and 10 kilometres from La Mure. It extends over a length of about ten kilometres, and has an average width of 300 metres, with a maximum depth of 115 metres. The lake covers an area of 6.60 km2 (657 hectares). The lake is bounded by the canyons of the Drac and the Ebron. It separates the valleys of Trièves and Matheysine. The lake is overlooked by the little train of La Mure.

Water sports

This lake is often windy, which is why it is very popular with water sports enthusiasts. It has a fairly well-developed water sports base and offers a variety of activities for the most sporty, such as water skiing, canoeing and paddling. It is also an important fishing site, as it has a great richness of fish (great variety of species).

Himalayan footbridges

Two Himalayan footbridges have been built to complete the tour of the lake. One is on the Drac, the other on the Ebron.

The footbridges cross the two rivers that feed Lake Monteynard-Avignonet: the Drac and the Ebron. Vertiginous, they overlook the lake from 45m to 85m and are 180m long for the Ebron footbridge and 220m for the Drac footbridge. Crossing them is therefore an unusual and sensational experience, but it is done in complete safety! The footbridge tour allows you to discover magnificent views of the lake and the surrounding peaks, while walking on a pleasant forest trail.

Hiking

Lake Monteynard is the perfect place for a hike with family or friends. The tour of the lake is easily accessible on foot (about 12.5 kilometres) and very little vertical drop (400 metres of positive drop). From May to October, a boat connecting Mayres-Savel to Treffort (reservation required), will allow you to complete a complete tour of this magical place. If the boat connection is not provided, it is quite possible to return to the starting point by the same path.

Walking around Lake Monteynard offers a splendid view of all the surrounding mountains. You will be able to observe the massifs of L'Oisan, Vercors and Belledonne. In the fall, the hike takes on orange, yellow, red and extraordinary colors, worthy of the most beautiful Canadian forests.

How to get there

If you wish to discover Lake Monteynard, there are two options: direction Treffort or direction Mayres-Savel, respectively 36 kilometres and 50 kilometres from Grenoble. However, from Grenoble, we advise you to park in Treffort, because of its proximity but also because of the accessible car parks (the one at the nautical base and the Vignes car park) which are much larger than in Mayres-Savel.

By car, from Grenoble, take the bypass towards the Oisan ski resorts (A 480 then A 51 - follow Gap/Sisteron/Nice) then take exit 13 towards Lac du Monteynard/ Treffort.