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Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon is a 19-hectare natural lake in Burgundy offering solid carp prospects alongside pike and bream, with the bonus of permitted night fishing for dedicated anglers. Located 349 miles south of Calais, it's easily reachable for a week-long trip and allows boats for exploring the venue. You'll need an AAPPMA licence from the Mâcon federation to fish here.
Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon is 349 miles from Calais. For UK anglers willing to make the drive into Bourgogne-Franche-Comté — a region renowned among UK carp anglers for its quality stillwater fishing — the fishing is well worth it.
Night fishing at Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon is authorised under Saône-et-Loire regulations. Night carp confirmed — Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon (Mâcon AAPPMA, 19ha) is explicitly named in the Saône-et-Loire arrêté réglementation page. Season: 1 March–31 December. Bank fishing only. Vegetable baits/boilies only. Silure and sandre strictly prohibited at night. Immediate release — no keep-sack. Carpe >60cm: no live transport. Source: peche-saone-et-loire.fr (Arrêté 2026-0031-DDT) Source: peche-saone-et-loire.fr/ou-pecher/les-etangs/graviere-de-varennes-les-macon/
Boat fishing: Boats are permitted at Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon.
Bivouac & overnight camping is permitted at Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon under standard French fishing law — one rod, within 10m of the water, no open fires.
Managed by AAPPMA de Mâcon. Always verify current rules with the AAPPMA before your session — regulations can change seasonally.
Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon holds carp, pike, perch, 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 Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon — you will also need to be affiliated with AAPPMA de Mâcon. Licences are available online before your trip.
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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 Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon, you need a valid Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence), available online at cartedepeche.fr before you leave the UK — affiliation with AAPPMA de Mâcon is included in the purchase process. Annual, weekly and daily licences are all available online. Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon is 349 miles from Calais — plan for a full travel day from Calais.
Night fishing is permitted at Gravière de Varennes-lès-Mâcon — always check the current rules with AAPPMA de Mâcon before your session, as night carp regulations can change seasonally and vary by sector on larger waters.
Saône-et-Loire is home to numerous public fishing venues. Browse all venues in Saône-et-Loire or explore all of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.
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.
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