Lac des Settons
Montsauche-les-Settons, France
A 19th-century reservoir in the forests of the Morvan, with beaches, a lakeside path and campsites. A cool, green stop on a hot summer day.
Lac des Settons lies in the Morvan Regional Nature Park at an altitude of about 586 m. The reservoir was created between 1854 and 1861, and the dam was inaugurated in 1858. It was built to regulate the water level of the Yonne and to allow timber to be floated down to Paris. The lake is up to 3.5 km long, no more than 20 m deep and has a shoreline of more than 13 km. After the dam was listed in 1937, the area developed into a leisure destination, and the first campsite opened in 1956.
In summer you can swim at supervised beaches, hire canoes and pedal boats at the leisure base, or take a boat trip to see the wooded shores. The path around the lake is about 15 km long and takes roughly four hours on foot. Allow half a day to a full day; on hot summer days the shore is busier. For motorhome pitches, ask the local tourist office (as of October 2026).
- Nearest town
- Montsauche-les-Settons, France
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 47.1900, 4.0600
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, July and October. Cold, short days in January–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Getting there
- France: Motorway tolls. Tolls on most autoroutes; the limit drops to 110 km/h in rain. Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Camping Plage du MidiCampsite1 km from Lac des SettonsTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWi-Fi
- Camping Les MésangesCampsite1 km from Lac des Settons · 100 pitchesTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowedWi-Fi
- Ambiance MorvanCampsite9 km from Lac des Settons · 4 pitchesTentsCaravansShowersToilets
- Les SoulinsCampsite13 km from Lac des Settons · 34 pitchesTentsCaravansElectricityShowersToiletsWi-Fi
- Les Îles ChaumardCampsite13 km from Lac des SettonsTentsCaravansElectricityShowersToiletsWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Aire CAMPING-CAR PARK de Château-ChinonMotorhome stopover17 km from Lac des Settons · 18 pitchesMotorhomesElectricityDrinking waterToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowed
All campsites in France · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Lac des Settons?
Lac des Settons is in Montsauche-les-Settons, France, at GPS 47.1900, 4.0600. It is about 32 km from Autun.
Can you camp near Lac des Settons?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Camping Plage des Settons, about 0 km away; within 25 km there are 30 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Lac des Settons?
Lac des Settons is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Chablis, Vézelay and the Morvan and Grands Crus, granite forests and monastic calm – by motorhome through Burgundy from Dijon to Auxerre.
What is there to see near Lac des Settons?
Places worth a stop nearby: Vézelay Basilica (39 km), Fontenay Abbey (56 km), Hospices de Beaune (62 km) and Château du Clos de Vougeot (68 km).
When is the best time to visit Lac des Settons?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April, July and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)