The main water reservoirs on the route.
With 10% of the electricity consumed, hydroelectricity is France's second-largest source of electricity after nuclear power, and the leading source of renewable electricity. Much of this energy is produced by dams, which create reservoirs by retaining part of the water in the rivers on which they are built. On Route des Grandes Alpes®, discover the great Alpine dams and the great lakes they have created.
The Roselend dam and lake
Located in the Beaufortain region of Savoie, the Roselend dam, 149 m high and 804 m long, is considered one of the most beautiful dams in the Alps. Its turquoise lake, created when the dam was impounded in 1962, covered mountain pastures and the hamlet of Roselend, with the exception of the chapel of Ste Marie Madeleine. In return, the dam's construction helped maintain economic activity at a time when rural exodus was the dominant phenomenon.
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Tignes dam and Lac du Chevril
Located in the Savoy region of France, and almost 300 m wide, it is the highest hydroelectric dam in France, standing at 180 m high. Its wall is adorned with a fresco entitled "Le Géant", depicting Hercules, the hero of Greek and Roman mythology. The construction of the dam, involving over 5,000 workers, was a human drama. To the very end, the inhabitants of the old village of Tignes resisted, but were unable to prevent its submersion in 1952.
The Mont Cenis dam and lake
Inaugurated in 1970, this Savoyard dam, 1,400 m long and 120 m high, holds back the waters of Lac du Mont-Cenis, which you pass between the pass of the same name and the Italian border. Here, on this 2000 m high plateau, the panorama is sumptuous. If you want to discover the history of the pass, don't miss a visit to the Musée de la Pyramide, surrounded by its alpine garden.
Grand'Maison dam and lake
The most powerful dam in France, it is one of Europe's newest large dams. Located upstream of the Romanche valley, between the Belledonne and Grandes Rousses massifs, in the Isère département, it was commissioned in 1987. Its measurements are exceptional: 550 m long, 140 m high, for a storage capacity of 140 million m³ of water, around a hundred of which results from the annual snowmelt.
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Serre Ponçon Lake and Dam
On the border between the Hautes-Alpes and Alpes de Haute-Provence regions, it is one of Europe's largest earth dams. At 123 m high and 600 m wide, the Serre-Ponçon dam is one of France's most powerful hydroelectric power stations. Established on the Durance, downstream from its confluence with the Ubaye, it has been a water tower since its construction in 1959, profoundly altering the landscape of the Alps and Provence for over half a century.
The Chambon dam and lake
Located in Isère, between Bourg d'Oisans and the Col du Lautaret, it was impounded in 1935. Standing 90 m high and 137 m long, it is located overlooking the resort of Les 2 Alpes, and has been awarded the "Patrimoine du 20ème siècle de l'Isère" label.
EDF Hydrelec Museum
In the heart of the Oisans, on the shores of Lac du Verney, a little downstream from the Grand'Maison dam and on your route, the EDF Hydrelec Museum invites you to experience the magical story of water becoming electricity. A permanent collection of exceptional collectibles and spectacular machinery brings to life a breathtaking industrial adventure.
