Other horizons

Halfway between the Larzac plateau and the Mediterranean, you'll find a huge lake surrounded by an exceptional landscape of vibrant African colours, a land of red soils and volcanoes.

The man-made Lac du Salagou was filled in 1968, and was constructed to limit the rise in water level of the Hérault when it is in spate and act as a reservoir for irrigation purposes; it quickly became a venue for leisure activities and a major tourist site, which is now officially classified. The site, with its vast stretch of water, its hills furrowed with canyons and its basalt columns, is a visual spectacle whose originality is accentuated by its red soils, known as ruffes in the local dialect. Windsurfing, fishing and mountain biking attract visitors throughout the year.

« That's the miracle of it: the combination, in one section of a 1875 acre valley, of such a range of rare and beautiful things. It took human genius to create something from these elements of such rare and novel beauty, with the help of nature, which understands how to bring so many contrasts together in a harmonious whole. Each season of the year, and each hour of the day, brings with it the surprise of a new transformation. » - Max Rouquette

To find out more: www.clermont-herault.com