Explore Lac de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès along a lakeside path, across a suspension bridge and through a range of water sports. Saint-Gérons also has a historic church complex. The landscape and local history thus offer two different sides of the destination.
Lakeside path, lake and bridge
The Tour de la presqu'île de Rénac circular trail runs along the shores of Lac de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès. Along the way, enjoy beautiful views of the lake, the rocks and the EDF dam. With a little luck, you may spot waterbirds, black kites or cormorants on the route.
Lac de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès is 13 kilometres long, covers 563 hectares and is considered the second-largest artificial lake in the Auvergne. It fills the former valley of the Cère. The Himalayan suspension bridge crosses the lake at a height of 124 metres and connects the beaches of Espinet and Rénac. It is open every day throughout the year, free of charge; check local conditions before setting out.
Water sports and activities by the lake
Rénac beach has a marina, a snack bar and water sports facilities. Facilities and activities may vary by season. Rénacland rents out pedal boats for four people, with or without a slide, as well as individual and group stand-up paddleboards for up to eight people. Also available are two-seat canoes and kayaks, jet skis, which require a licence, and boats that do or do not require a licence. Check current operating and rental conditions before your trip.
Jet skiing, beach volleyball and supervised swimming are also available at Lac de Saint-Étienne-Cantalès. Lifeguard supervision is seasonal; check when it is available before swimming.
On the peninsula by the lake, Rénac Aventure offers ten high-ropes courses with a total of 140 activities for children and adults at least 90 centimetres tall. The Tyro-Lac course includes two zip lines, each more than 135 metres long, that run across the lake. Check the provider’s current opening hours before visiting.
Church and dam heritage in Saint-Gérons
Saint-Gérons church was once a priory church and has retained its original layout: a rectangular nave, a projecting bell-tower porch and a straight-ended choir. Inside is a 17th-century high altar reredos featuring a statue of Saint Gérons, which can still be admired there today. The building’s design and furnishings give a visit to the church a tangible historical dimension. A reredos is an ornamental screen behind an altar.
The Saint-Étienne-Cantalès dam is also part of the area’s history: inaugurated in 1945, it fundamentally changed the appearance of the commune of Saint-Gérons. Together with the former priory church, this story illustrates two different historical aspects of the destination.
Discover more destinations: Saint-Martin-Valmeroux, Pleaux, Montsalvy, Lafeuillade-En-Vézie, Polminhac, Boisset, Saint-Illide, Saint-Étienne-De-Maurs
For the broader travel overview: Cantal.
