The Lac de Montbel is a

reservoir A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...

which is a popular location for fishing, watersports, and swimming. It is located 4km west of

Chalabre Chalabre (; Languedocien: ''Eissalabra'') is a commune in the Aude department in southern France. The capital of the Quercorb region, it is a relatively unspoilt ''bastide'' with shady streets and quiet alleyways. The local industry died ...

, to the north of

Sainte-Colombe-sur-l'Hers Sainte-Colombe-sur-l'Hers (, literally ''Sainte-Colombe on the Hers''; Languedocien: ''Santa Colomba d'Ers'' or ''Santa Colomba d'Èrs'') is a commune in the Aude department in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aude ...

, on the border between the Ariège and

Aude Aude ( ; ) is a Departments of France, department in Southern France, located in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region and named after the river Aude (river), Aude. The departmental council also calls it " ...

département In the administrative divisions of France, the department (, ) is one of the three levels of government under the national level (" territorial collectivities"), between the administrative regions and the communes. There are a total of 101 ...

s'' of southwestern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. The flooded hillsides are still evident when the water level drops, revealing tree stumps and the thick sticky clay (

marl Marl is an earthy material rich in carbonate minerals, Clay minerals, clays, and silt. When Lithification, hardened into rock, this becomes marlstone. It is formed in marine or freshwater environments, often through the activities of algae. M ...

) so typical of the Ariège. On quiet hot summer days the water takes on a beautiful turquoise colour which is very photogenic. The area is relatively undeveloped, and quiet and privacy are a great attraction. From some of the lake, the mountains of the

Pyrenees The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...

are visible in the background. Other lakes for swimming near Montbel include Lac de la Cavayère and a smaller one at Pradelles-Cabardès. The dam which created the reservoir was built between 1982 and 1985.

Notes

References

External links

Lac de Montbel on AriegeNews (French)
Lakes of Aude Lakes of Ariège (department) {{Aude-geo-stub