Filter by species, size, night fishing, boats and bivvy. Find venues near Cher and across all of France.
Étang Bernot is an 18-hectare reservoir in central France offering solid mixed fishing for carp, pike and tench in a quieter setting away from the major tourist routes (288 miles from Calais). Bank fishing only with day-time hours enforced by local AAPPMA rules, making it ideal if you're combining carp sessions with pike and perch sport. You'll need an AAPPMA day ticket from Saint-Amand-Montrond — contact the local association before travelling to confirm current access and regulations.
Night fishing at Étang Bernot is not permitted. Night carp not confirmed on this lake. Cher's authorised night carp venues are: Étang du Puits, Étang de Précy, Étang de Quincy, Étang des Grèves (Belleville), Étang des Trois Biches (Chezal-Benoît), Étang des Tailles Rondet (Venesmes). Source: federationpeche18.fr/la-reglementation/peche-a-la-carpe/ Anglers must leave the bank before dark.
Bivouac & overnight camping is permitted at Étang Bernot under standard French fishing law — one rod, within 10m of the water, no open fires.
Managed by AAPPMA de Saint-Amand-Montrond. Always verify current rules with the AAPPMA before your session — regulations can change seasonally.
Étang Bernot holds carp, pike, perch, tench, bream. Carp are the primary draw for visiting UK anglers. All carp should be handled with care and returned promptly. A landing mat and unhooking mat are essential kit for any carp session.
A valid Carte de Pêche is required to fish Étang Bernot — you will also need to be affiliated with AAPPMA de Saint-Amand-Montrond. Licences are available online before your trip.
Join to unlock full rules, night sectors, access notes and local camping spots for Étang Bernot and 96,200+ venues across France, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Czechia.
2nd Category water. Carp/coarse: open all year. Pike: 25 Apr 2026–31 Jan 2027 (closed Feb–Apr). Zander/Perch/Catfish: all year. Pike season as above.
Always verify current rules with the local AAPPMA (AAPPMA de Saint-Amand-Montrond) before fishing. French fishing regulations can change seasonally.
France is the closest mainland European fishing destination for UK anglers. The Channel Tunnel (Folkestone–Calais, ~35 min) is the fastest crossing, while P&O Ferries (Dover–Calais, ~90 min) offer good value for heavy kit. Most northern French venues are within 2–4 hours of Calais; southern venues require a full day of driving.
A Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence) is required for all freshwater fishing. Buy online at cartedepeche.fr before you travel. Annual, weekly and daily options are available and include your AAPPMA affiliation for the selected department.
To fish Étang Bernot, you need a valid Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence), available online at cartedepeche.fr before you leave the UK — affiliation with AAPPMA de Saint-Amand-Montrond is included in the purchase process. Annual, weekly and daily licences are all available online. Étang Bernot is 288 miles from Calais — plan for a full travel day from Calais.
Cher is home to numerous public fishing venues. Browse all venues in Cher or explore all of Centre-Val de Loire.
France offers outstanding fishing year-round. The main coarse close season applies to some rivers (typically January–March for certain species), but still-water carp fishing on private and AAPPMA-managed lakes is available throughout the year. Spring (March–June) is the classic French carp season, with fish actively feeding and moving into shallow margins. Summer nights (June–August) are ideal for big-fish sessions on the large public reservoirs and rivers. Autumn (September–November) is particularly productive on the Auvergne and Languedoc lakes as temperatures drop. The Loire and Saône river systems produce excellent catfish sport from June through September, while the Dordogne and its tributaries fish well for chub, barbel and trout from spring through autumn.
Other public fishing venues near Étang Bernot on PiscaMaps: