Start of studies 1968 (≈ 1968)
Launch of studies for the artificial lake.
1976
Watering
Watering 1976 (≈ 1976)
First filling of Lake Saint-Pardoux.
1977
Lake Inauguration
Lake Inauguration 1977 (≈ 1977)
Official opening to the public.
2006-2007
Early emptying
Early emptying 2006-2007 (≈ 2007)
Sediment security and curing work.
2011
Acrobatic Park in the Forest
Acrobatic Park in the Forest 2011 (≈ 2011)
Opening of the park on the Santrop site.
2017
Aqualudic swimming pool
Aqualudic swimming pool 2017 (≈ 2017)
Inauguration of the pool in Santrop.
2019
Nautical ski lift
Nautical ski lift 2019 (≈ 2019)
Inauguration of Lake Wakepark in Fréaudour.
2020
Walkway
Walkway 2020 (≈ 2020)
Connection between Santrop and Chabannes.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
Véronique Maleval - Researcher
Author of a thesis on the lake (2010).
Origin and history
The Maison du Lac de Saint-Pardoux is a building located on the main site of Santrop, on the edge of the artificial lake of Saint-Pardoux, Haute-Vienne. This lake, created between 1968 (start of studies) and 1977 (inauguration), is the second largest body of water in the department after Vassivière. It covers 330 hectares, divided between water sports, fishing and motor sports. The Maison du Lac plays a central role in welcoming visitors, providing them with information on regional activities and products.
Lake Saint-Pardoux, fed by Couze and Ritord, has been studied for its morphological evolution, mainly due to the rapid erosion of its banks. In the 2000s, polemics emerged regarding a localized radioactivity rate, linked to the extraction of uranium by Cogéma (now Areva) and the natural presence of this ore in the region. Security work and early discharge in 2006-2007 addressed this problem, with regular controls confirming standards levels since then.
The Santrop site, where the Maison du Lac is located, is the tourist heart of the lake. It offers an aqualudic swimming pool, an acrobatic park in the forest, equipped beaches, and summer entertainment such as concerts or fireworks. Nearby, the sites of Chabannes (water sports and collective accommodation) and Fréaudour (camping and water skiing) complete the tourist offer. A pedestrian bridge, inaugurated in 2020, now connects Santrop to Chabannes, facilitating travel between sites.
The lake is also a place for scientific studies, as evidenced by Véronique Maleval (2010)'s thesis on its sedimentary and morphological evolution. Despite his young age, he has become a major tourist hub in New Aquitaine, attracting visitors for his landscapes, nautical activities and preserved natural surroundings.
