ルセの湖・トップ4

The dam of Lake Zola can be reached via beautiful trails. It was built between 1847 and 1854 and is one of the first arch dams in the world; according to Wikipedia, it may even be the very first. The lake served to supply Aix-en-Provence with drinking water, which was piped there via an aqueduct. A beautiful destination directly from Aix, or from Le Tholonet.

Very worthwhile excursion from Aix, the altitude is worth it!

The Bimont dam, also called the Bimont dam or the Rigaud dam, is an arch dam commissioned in 1952 in the town of Saint-Marc-Jaumegarde, in the Sainte-Victoire mountain, near Aix-en-Provence. It is fed mainly by water from the west branch of the Canal de Provence, which is brought in via an underground gallery and drains off on the right bank just before the dam. It is accompanied by a counter dam located at its foot on the left bank, which collects the spilled water to supply the Marseille-North branch of the Provence Canal.

Very beautiful views of Ste Victoire!

Very beautiful views of Lake Zola and Ste Victoire from the dam

Exceptional site with the lake, the dam and the view of Ste Victoire!

Also nicknamed "lost lake", this dam on the Cause is ideally located at the gates of the city of Aix-en-Provence. It is supplied with water mainly by an artificial underground pipe bringing water from the Verdon via the Canal de Provence and not by the river which is often dry. This explains why we find this turquoise color of the water. Swimming in the Bimont lake is prohibited. It is regularly drained and many fish are thus collected.

The water reservoir of Lake Bimont, the landscape of ocher earth, the pine forests and the unmissable view of the Sainte-Victoire mountain make this trail very pleasant to walk.