Lac de Chalain
| Lac de Chalain | ||
|---|---|---|
|
||
| Geographical location | Jura , France | |
| Tributaries | underground inflow | |
| Drain | Bief de l'Œuf → Ain | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 46 ° 40 '14 " N , 5 ° 47' 37" E | |
|
||
| Altitude above sea level | 486 m | |
| surface | 2.3 km² | |
| length | 2.7 km | |
| width | 1.1 km | |
| Maximum depth | 32 m | |
The Lac de Chalain is a lake in the western part of the French Jura in the Jura department , around 20 km east of Lons-le-Saunier . It lies at 486 m on the parish of Fontenu and covers an area of approximately 2.3 km². The lake is 2.7 km long and a maximum of 1.1 km wide. Its greatest depth is 32 m.
geography
The Lac de Chalain lies in a characteristic valley basin on the western edge of the Jura high plateau of Champagnole . The lake is surrounded on three sides by steep, around 100 m high slopes, some of which are limestone cliffs; However, there is an alluvial plain on the east bank, so that the steep slope is set back a little here. To the west, the basin opens up to the broad valley of the Ain , which flows here in a north-south direction. The Lac de Chalain is of glacial origin and is separated from the Ain Valley by a terminal moraine . It has no significant above-ground inflow, but is fed underground with water that seeps into the small Jura lakes Lac du Vernois and Lac de Narlay on the karstified high plateau around 10 km east of Lac de Chalain. This fact could be proven on the basis of marking experiments. Despite the lack of an above-ground inflow, the mean retention time of the lake water is only around 10 months based on the calculations. At the north-west end of the lake, near Marigny , it drains via the Bief de l'Oeuf. Its hydropower is used to generate electricity.
history
The shores of Lac de Chalain were settled very early. When the water level sank very low due to a dry period in 1904 , traces of a prehistoric settlement were found on the west bank. Excavations have unearthed numerous items from a riverside settlement that was inhabited from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age (around 4000 to 750 BC). The finds, including a well-preserved dugout canoe , are now exhibited in the archaeological museum in Lons-le-Saunier.
Since the Middle Ages there has been a hunting lodge on a small hill on the eastern edge of the lake. Ownership of the extensive property changed several times. In the course of time, however, the no longer inhabited building gradually fell into ruins and fell victim to a fire in 1945.
tourism
The Lac de Chalain has been owned by the Jura department since the 1950s. A tourism center with a campsite and leisure facilities was built on the flood plain on the eastern shore of the lake. Especially in summer the lake is an attraction for water sports enthusiasts and hikers from the near and far. Two pile dwellings were reconstructed on the west bank. There are also beautiful views of the Lac de Chalain from the rocky slopes.
Web links
- Lac de Chalain (French)