What do a panorama of the Hautes-Alpes mountains, hikers, fishermen and swimmers have in common? A lake located above that of Serre-Ponçon, at 1,452 meters.
Guillaume Faure – Today at 18:20 | updated today at 18:26
On this summer morning, the sun is not yet fully shining. But, on the edge of a national forest, the lake of Saint-Apollinaire has already put on its postcard clothes where the surrounding peaks are reflected in the water. But is he really leaving them? “It’s a paradise on earth here,” smiles Régine Reboul. There is the landscape, the tranquility… This place gives off an energy. When you are near the 5,900 m2 of the glacial lake, overlooking the 28 km2 of Serre-Ponçon, you are in the “neighborhood” of the sixty-year-old, who has lived here for nine years and manages the Bistro Saint-André where you meet campers, hikers and swimmers.
“It’s a source of pride, a jewel, a setting, our little extra. In winter, we talk about it as “little Canada””, abounds Daniel Bey, the mayor of Saint-Apollinaire, 196 souls at the last census – double in summer. The municipality of Hautes-Alpes has taken over the management of the campsite for two seasons and is planning developments in the fall of 2023: trail accessible to all, redone pontoons, less visible parking… With the desire not to compromise with a philosophy of the places: “Tranquility, serenity, well-being, rest”. Bathing, unsupervised, is done in responsibility. And no dogs, thank you: they must be kept on a leash.
“My parents told me about a small campsite somewhere…”
What motivated Olivia and Baptiste, two Manosquins from a group of four adults and five children? “It’s accessible, there aren’t many people and it’s very natural,” says Baptiste. They went to the lake, on foot, from a family chalet located an hour and a half away, in Réallon. “I came there when I was little, at their age,” smiles Olivia, referring to the children. And 30 years later, we’re back. In the distance, mountain bikers and hikers continue to parade.
“Don’t tell them where it is!” “laughs Lars, who came with his partner Frederyka and his daughter Lena from the Netherlands. But how did he know that Saint-Apollinaire existed? This lake of which he appreciates “a good temperature”, “magnificent views” and a more moderate flow of summer visitors. “My parents used to come here. They had told me about a small campsite somewhere…” The Dutchman found traces of this parental memory. Swimming first, then hiking.
However, the lake is no stranger. The Vosges Sarah and Jonathan, with their sons Eden and Marceau, discovered it on the Internet. “It seemed wilder to us, more family-oriented, less crowded. Bingo: on the road between Gérardmer and the Mediterranean, they found the tranquility they were looking for. “It is sure and certain that it pleases, observes Régine Reboul. It’s a magical place. »
Even Greg LeMond came to fish there
Also ask the Béraud family, who have been in the village for several generations. “People from the department and the Gapençais basin have always come to Lake Saint-Apollinaire for a picnic,” says Josiane, the mother. She shares an anecdote: even the American cyclist Greg LeMond, three-time winner of the Tour de France, went there to fish. His son Frédéric also highlights the daily beauty of the town and its lake. Beware, however, that tourism does not distort the place.
Enjoy gently is the mantra wanted at the Bistro Saint-André. Régine Reboul limits the number of covers to 25. “People work all year round. It’s not to tell them: “Hurry up, there’s another service!”. “On her terrace, she would like the summer holidays to be divided by zone. The municipal team, for its part, has already taken measures to guard against excessively anarchic bivouacs. Finally, the quality of bathing water is checked by the Regional Health Agency.
All this, Guilhem, from the height of his four years, does not worry about it. “The more mountainous character and less mass tourism”, seduced Anne, her grandmother. But for the boy with his feet in the water, other “inhabitants” have his full attention. “I came to see the fish, because I am a specialist in river and lake animals,” he enthuses. Stocked at regular intervals, the lake is indeed a place for fly fishing in no-kill. “There are also white-clawed crayfish, a species protected and monitored by the Écrins park”, adds Daniel Bey. At Saint-Apollinaire, quality of life is truly an objective for everyone.
Access: in the village, take the D509T, to park in the dedicated car parks. Or get there on foot from the town… casting a curious eye in front of the sculptures by the artistic ironworker Élie Huriez, to be observed from the road in a private individual’s garden.
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