The Great Lakes of Champagne, made up of 4 reservoir lakes, are today much more than just technical tools for regulating the flow of the Seine, they have become a real tourist destination rich in remarkable and protected biodiversity.
The Lakes
These reservoir lakes are artificial, they were created in order to minimize flooding in Paris during the twentieth century, especially following the significant floods of the Seine in 1910. The first lake created was Lac d’Orient, commissioned in 1966. Today it is entirely dedicated to swimming and sailing. Motor activities are practiced on Lake Amance, which is one of the two bodies of water forming the Aube reservoir lakes with Temple Lake. A junction channel exists between these two lakes, but for all that the Temple Lake is dedicated to the discovery of nature. The most important lake of the Great Lakes of Champagne in terms of area is the Lac du Der, inaugurated in 1974 and which is fed by the Marne. With its 4,800 hectares, it is the largest artificial lake in Europe.
Fauna and Flora
Within the Great Lakes of Champagne, the fauna and flora are remarkable. You can observe more than 250 species of birds already recorded, including 130 species breeding within the territory. This natural heritage is recognized at the national level with the National Nature Reserve of the Orient Forest (created in 2002), at the European level thanks to the Natura 2000 network, but also internationally thanks in particular to the Ramsar Convention.
