Paladru lake

If Lake Paladru is a magnificent playground with swimming, fishing and all water activities on its beautiful blue waters, it is the surrounding hills which will offer you the most beautiful views! Meet on the paths, departing from the towns around the lake, with a wide choice ofhiking routes, trail routes and mountain bike routes, which will lead you to magnificent panoramas as well as to the discovery of local heritage. For a walk on the banks of the lake, take the Greenway which connects Charavines to Paladru.

The first essential place is the Archaeological Museum of Lake Paladru (MALP), opened in 2022 in Paladru. It is a wonderful showcase for all the riches found during underwater archaeological excavations, all these objects, real treasures which will allow you to discover the history of the first inhabitants on the shores of the lake.

Then, a stone's throw from the lake, discover the Tithe Barn with its remarkable framework which hosts a rich and varied program every year from May to September: exhibition, workshops, guided tours and its unmissable ‘Festival Les Nuits Hors la Grange’!

If you are a gourmet, to taste or discover local products, several possibilities are available to you: the local know-how shop at the Tourist Office in Charavines, the markets, directly from producers or finally the restaurants 😉

Finally, the lake is only about fifteen minutes from Voiron, birthplace of the famous green liqueur, the famous alcohol-free and sugar-free Antésite drink, the succulent Bonnat chocolates….

Nestled in the hollow of beautiful green hills, Lake Paladru is a little hidden, perhaps you have even passed nearby without knowing it or seeing it?!

Less than 1 hour from Grenoble, Lyon, Valence and Chambéry (by car), the blue lake is easily accessible via the A48 exit no. 9 Péage de Rives or via the A43 exit no. 10 Péage des Abrets.

To better locate it and find out how to get there, go to our page ‘How to travel around'.

To enjoy swimming, go to one of the 4 beaches where swimming is supervised: Montferrat Beach, Charavines Beach, Le Pin Beach and Municipal beach of Paladru.

Please note that only Charavines beach is free for all.

Outside of these sites and their surveillance periods, for your safety and by prefectural decree, swimming is prohibited.

You can come to Lake Paladru for free and park your car for free. For the camping-cars a parking and service area is accessible to Charavines or the family Montferrat campsite.

There is a charge for supervised swimming on the beaches of Montferrat, Paladru and Le Pin. You will also have to pay a navigation fee for an outing with your paddle, canoe, boat or windsurf. Find detailed information on our pageNavigate in freedom'.

It is difficult to answer this question, because as the saying goes ‘as many men, as many different opinions’!

However, the beaches are not alike and each have their own particularities:

- Paladru municipal beach : it is a large grassy area which will accommodate your towels and foutas, there are some shaded areas but bringing your parasol is strongly recommended on sunny days. For swimming, you will walk on pebbles (water shoes can make the experience more comfortable) and the water quickly gets deep. The +: nautical rentals (paddle, pedal boat, etc.), restaurant, Archaeological Museum of Lake Paladru 50m away.

- Montferrat beach : it is also a beautiful space but the grass area is smaller, so to lie down comfortably on the pebbles, carpets or mattresses will be your allies! Here the swimming area, also with pebbles, offers you a gentle slope ideal for families with young children :) Children who will enjoy a beautiful playground and a volleyball court. Parasol essential to protect yourself from the sun. The +: rental of deckchair and parasol pitches, restaurant, campsite.

- Le Pin beach : the beach is more intimate, less extensive than its neighbors to the North, it nevertheless offers a beautiful expanse of grass for lounging. A few lime trees will offer you a little shade, but parasols and other light sun-blocking equipment are recommended. As for swimming, here too your feet will tread on pebbles after going down the few steps to the water. Note that depending on the height of the lake (often high at the start of the season) there may not be a small pool. The pros: restaurant with beautiful terrace and 180° view of the lake, snacks and drinks at Charly’s at the entrance to the beach.

- Charavines beach : the beach welcomes you over a large area, either grass or pebbles (fine to medium) with little shade until the end of the afternoon, parasols recommended! The swimming area here offers a really gentle slope and shallow water swimming. You will also find pebbles there but also lake chalk (no, no it's not mud) which can provide a strange sensation between the toes... The +: the beach restaurant and its beautiful terrace, proximity to shops and other restaurants in the village.

La lake greenway, on the east bank, is accessible by bike, on foot, by scooter, by rollerblader and allows a safe stroll along the lake. It is in the Bois d'Amour, just after Charavines, that you will enjoy the most pleasant strolling space: at the water's edge, below the road, in the shade of the trees, where benches and platforms are there to offer you a very pleasant contemplative break.

Or get some height on marked trails on foot or by bike, the hills around the lake are home to numerous routes and routes.

Feel free to contact our teams for personalized advice, by telephone on 04 76 93 17 60 😉