Beaufortain · Savoie · 1,557 m

Lac de Roselend, the Beaufortain’s great lake

Units

Lac de Roselend

6°

1,557 m · 3 km/h

7-day forecast

Day	Lac de Roselend 1,557 m	Wind 1,557 m
Sun 11 Oct	4° / 9°	10 km/h
Mon 12 Oct	4° / 12°	11 km/h
Tue 13 Oct	7° / 14°	14 km/h
Wed 14 Oct	8° / 16°	7 km/h
Thu 15 Oct	9° / 18°	11 km/h
Fri 16 Oct	9° / 15°	9 km/h
Sat 17 Oct	5° / 8°	7 km/h

Weather-model estimates at the stated altitude of each point, not measurements. Source: Open-Meteo, updated every hour.

Lac de Roselend is not a natural lake: it is the reservoir of a large dam built by EDF (the French electricity company), first filled in 1960 above Beaufort. The water covered the alpine hamlet that gave the lake its name; only the chapel, beside the road, recalls the village. All around are the summer pastures of the Beaufortain, the Rocher du Vent and, on a clear day, Mont Blanc.

You get there by car or by bike on the D925 from Beaufort, the road that carries on over the Cormet de Roselend pass (1,968 m) to the Tarentaise valley. It is closed in winter, so the lake can only be visited from late spring to autumn. Swimming is not allowed; people come to walk across the dam, picnic, hike or ride over the pass.

Lac de Roselend in pictures

6 photos

Lac de Roselend in July 2018. Photo: AlpeSnow · All rights reserved
The lake from the Roc du Biolley (August 2024). Photo: Rémih · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Roselend chapel above the lake (August 2021). Photo: Wikihistorian35 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The Roselend dam (September 2016). Photo: Opsylac · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Roselend chapel under snow (2007). Photo: Olivewhite · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Lac de Roselend in July 2018. Photo: Louis Chabert · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lac de Roselend: key figures

Lake altitude (normal water level): 1,557 m
Area: 320 ha (EDF) · 315 ha (water agency)
Capacity: 187 million m³ (EDF) · 185 million (CFBR)
Height of the dam: 150 m
Length of the crest: 804 m
Maximum depth: 150 m in theory, often less depending on how the reservoir is run
First filled: 1960 (first completely full in 1977)
Installed capacity of the scheme: 600 MW (La Bâthie power station)
Altitude of the Cormet de Roselend: 1,968 m

Good to know

The dam combines an arch with a buttressed section; EDF describes it as its largest concrete structure in France by volume (about 940,000 m³). EDF Hydro Alpes, Roselend-La Bâthie hydroelectric scheme
Roselend works together with two neighbouring reservoirs, Saint-Guérin and La Gittaz (13 million m³ each); the water drives the turbines much lower down, at the La Bâthie power station near Albertville. EDF Hydro Alpes, Roselend-La Bâthie hydroelectric scheme
Filling the reservoir flooded the hamlet of Roselend on 6 May 1960, along with 15 of the 54 summer pastures (alpages); about 2,600 workers were employed on the construction site. Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, Roselend dam and site
Leaks on the left bank meant the reservoir had to be filled in stages: it was not completely full for the first time until 1977, after major waterproofing work. CFBR (French Committee on Dams and Reservoirs), Roselend dam monograph (2022)
The Sainte-Marie-Madeleine chapel is the only reminder of the hamlet. The tourist office says it was moved up to the lakeside before the flooding; other sources speak of a chapel rebuilt in 1962. Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, Roselend dam and site

Getting to the lake, parking, boats

From Albertville
D925 to Beaufort (about 35 min), then the same road climbs in hairpin bends to the Col de Méraillet, beside the lake. A steeper variant goes via Arêches and the Col du Pré, then across the dam. Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, getting there
From Bourg-Saint-Maurice
D902 up the Chapieux valley to the Cormet (about 19 km), then down to the lake on the D925. Closed in winter between Les Chapieux and the pass. France Vélo Tourisme, Route des Grandes Alpes by bike: Beaufort – Bourg-Saint-Maurice
From Chambéry
A43 then A430 to Albertville, then the D925 via Beaufort: about an hour to Beaufort according to the tourist office, then the climb to the lake. Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, getting there
Without a car
Train to Albertville, then bus 21 to Beaufort and Arêches. The free summer shuttles of 2026 (4 July – 31 August) went as far as the Saint-Guérin dam, not to Roselend: the last part of the climb is on foot, by bike or by car. Arlysère, Navettes Nature 2026 shuttle timetable (brochure)

Tap a point on the map or in the list to see its description, with a link to get directions from where you are.

Viewpoint
Car park
Worth seeing
Trailhead
Station

Viewpoint
Roselend dam
You can walk across the top of the dam; the road variant via the Col du Pré runs over the dam itself.
Directions
Car park
Dam site car park
Parking for cars and coaches, toilets, picnic area and restaurant, open in season. No access in winter.
Directions
Worth seeing
Roselend chapel
Beside the Cormet road, above the lake: the only reminder of the hamlet flooded in 1960.
Directions
Trailhead
Plan de la Lai refuge
French Alpine Club mountain hut (refuge) at 1,818 m on the Cormet road, staffed from mid-June to mid-September. Starting point for the Rocher du Vent and its via ferrata.
Directions
Car park
Cormet de Roselend (1,968 m)
The pass towards Les Chapieux and Bourg-Saint-Maurice. Just a car park: no restaurant, no toilets.
Directions
Trailhead
Treicol hamlet
Above the south shore of the lake: the shortest way up to the refuge and Lac de Presset.
Directions
Viewpoint
La Gittaz dam
Small neighbouring reservoir (1,562 m) whose water flows into Roselend.
Directions
Station
Albertville station
The nearest railway station on the Beaufortain side; bus 21 leaves from the bus station next door for Beaufort and Arêches (not as far as the lake).
Directions
Station
Bourg-Saint-Maurice station
The Haute Tarentaise (upper Tarentaise) station, at the foot of the climb to the Cormet via Les Chapieux (about 19 km).
Directions

Things to do at Lac de Roselend

Walk across the dam

The site is free to visit: walk across the top of the dam, information panels in French and English, picnic area and restaurant near the car park.

Dam siteWhen there is no snow

Savoie Mont Blanc, Roselend dam and site

Cycle up to the Cormet

The climb from Beaufort is part of the Route des Grandes Alpes: around twenty kilometres of ascent to the pass, very busy in summer with cyclists, motorcyclists and vintage cars.

D925 and D902When the pass is open

France Vélo Tourisme, Route des Grandes Alpes by bike: Beaufort – Bourg-Saint-Maurice

Roc du Vent via ferrata

An 800 m loop in four sections (Nepalese bridge, tunnel, chimney) above the Plan de la Lai, with a walk-in of about 45 min. Full via ferrata kit is compulsory; guided outings are available with the Beaufortain mountain guides.

Rocher du VentSummer

Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, Roc du Vent via ferrata

Hike in the alpine pastures

From the lake loop to the passes of the Beaufortain, the lake and the Cormet are the starting point for routes of every level: see the hiking guide below.

Lake, Plan de la Lai, CormetSummer and autumn

Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, the Cormet de Roselend

Stay or eat at the mountain hut

The Plan de la Lai chalet, run by the French Alpine Club, offers meals and overnight stays while it is staffed (15 June to 14 September in 2026).

Plan de la LaiMid-June to mid-September

FFCAM (French Alpine Club), Plan de la Lai chalet

Go fishing

The lake is popular with anglers; you need a fishing permit. The rules (dates, catch limits) are those of the Savoie fishing federation.

Lake shores

Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, Roselend dam and site

Worth seeing around the lake

Rocher du Vent. The summit above the lake, with views over Roselend, La Gittaz and Mont Blanc. Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, Roselend dam and site
Pierra Menta. The 2,714 m monolith that gave its name to a famous ski-mountaineering race; legend says it was sent flying there by a kick from the giant Gargantua. France Vélo Tourisme, Route des Grandes Alpes by bike: Beaufort – Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Vallon des Chapieux. On the other side of the Cormet, one of the finest views on the Route des Grandes Alpes. France Vélo Tourisme, Route des Grandes Alpes by bike: Beaufort – Bourg-Saint-Maurice
Lac d’Amour. A small high-altitude lake at the foot of the Pierra Menta, at the end of a long hike. Visorando, Pierra Menta and Lac d’Amour

Hiking guide

6 routes

15.9 km · 505 m ascent · 6 h

Walk around Lac de Roselend

A long loop with no technical difficulty, staying close to the shore, past the chapel and across the top of the dam.

Read the route 8.8 km · 602 m ascent · 4 h 15 min

Rocher du Vent from the Plan de la Lai

A loop up to 2,337 m for a bird’s-eye view of the Roselend and Gittaz lakes, facing Mont Blanc.

Read the route 10.5 km · 3 h

Roselend and Gittaz lakes loop

An easy three-hour loop linking the two reservoirs through alpine pastures and forest.

Read the route 22.4 km · 1,212 m ascent · 9 h 50 min

Presset hut and lake from the Cormet

A big, demanding loop from the Cormet to Lac de Presset, at the foot of the Pierra Menta.

Read the route 28.1 km · 1,375 m ascent · 8 h

Pierra Menta and Lac d’Amour

A very long loop with easy mountaineering terrain, via the Combe de la Neuva, Lac d’Amour and the Col du Grand Fond.

Read the route 9.4 km · 634 m ascent · 4 h 30 min

Mont des Acrays via the Passage de la Charmette

A ridge loop above the Saint-Guérin and Roselend dams, with Mont Blanc opposite.

Read the route

Rules to know

Swimming and unsupervised water sports are prohibited on the lake. Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, Roselend dam and site
The level of a hydroelectric reservoir can change quickly, at any time: slippery banks, cold and deep water. Respect the yellow signs and the red buoys, and do not settle anywhere you cannot quickly move back from. EDF, safety near hydroelectric facilities (2023)
The site is free to visit when there is no snow; the inside of the dam is not open to visitors. Savoie Mont Blanc, Roselend dam and site
The Cormet road is closed in winter by order of the Département (the Savoie county council): for winter 2025-2026, it closed on 31 October 2025 at 5 pm between the Font des Sausses (D925) and Les Chapieux (D902). A new order sets the reopening in spring. Savoie Département, order 25-AT-2228 (winter closure)
Fishing: the lake is popular with anglers; a fishing permit (carte de pêche) is required (rules from the Savoie fishing federation). Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, Roselend dam and site

A webcam or a forecast cannot tell you whether a beach has lifeguards, a boat is running or a road is open: check with the official sources.

Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, Roselend dam and site Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, the Cormet de Roselend Savoie Département, traffic orders EDF Hydro Alpes, Roselend-La Bâthie hydroelectric scheme FFCAM (French Alpine Club), Plan de la Lai chalet

When to go, and our tips

Roselend cannot be visited in winter: the road is closed as soon as the snow arrives. The tourist office gives the site as open from mid-May to mid-October; depending on the year, the Cormet opens between late May and June and closes around the end of October. Check the Département’s traffic orders before you set off. Savoie Département, traffic orders
In June and early July, snowfields can still cover the high paths (Rocher du Vent, passes around the Pierra Menta). Visorando, Le Rocher du Vent
From 1 November to 31 March, winter tyres or equipment (chains, snow socks) are compulsory throughout Savoie. Arêches-Beaufort tourist office, getting there
In summer the lake road is narrow and busy with cars, motorbikes and bikes: set off early, and park only in car parks. Visorando, short walk along the shore of Lac de Roselend

Your questions

Lac de Roselend: frequently asked questions

Can you swim in Lac de Roselend?

No. The Arêches-Beaufort tourist office says swimming and unsupervised water sports are strictly prohibited. It is a hydroelectric reservoir: the level can change quickly and the water is cold and deep.

When is the road to Lac de Roselend and the Cormet open?

From late spring to autumn. The road is closed in winter by order of the Savoie Département (for winter 2025-2026, from 31 October 2025 at 5 pm) and reopened by a new order in spring, usually between late May and June. Check the Département’s traffic orders before you set off.

Can you get to Lac de Roselend without a car?

Only part of the way: train to Albertville, then bus to Beaufort or Arêches. In 2026, the free summer shuttles went up to the Saint-Guérin dam, but no line went all the way to Roselend.

Can you visit the Roselend dam?

You can walk across its crest and explore the site freely, with information panels. The inside of the dam is not open to the public.

How high is Lac de Roselend?

1,557 m at normal water level, according to the dam monograph by the French Committee on Dams and Reservoirs (CFBR). The Cormet de Roselend, at the end of the road, is at 1,968 m.

Sources

Text written for AlpeSnow and last reviewed on 11 October 2026, based on the sources below (mostly official French pages, in French). Webcam images belong to the credited operators; each photo shows its author and licence (Creative Commons for those from Wikimedia Commons, resized for the site); the forecast is the Open-Meteo model at the lake’s altitude.

Lac de Roselend, the Beaufortain’s great lake

7-day forecast

Lac de Roselend in pictures

Lac de Roselend: key figures

Good to know

Getting to the lake, parking, boats

Roselend dam

Dam site car park

Roselend chapel

Plan de la Lai refuge

Cormet de Roselend (1,968 m)

Treicol hamlet

La Gittaz dam

Albertville station

Bourg-Saint-Maurice station