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Lac de Cerin is a compact natural lake in the Ain region offering a peaceful day-fishing venue for carp, pike, perch and tench across its 11-hectare expanse, sitting around 396 miles south of Calais. The intimate setting and day-only fishing make it ideal if you're seeking a tranquil, lower-pressure fishery away from busier French lakes. You'll need a valid French fishing licence and AAPPMA permit from Bas-Bugey before casting out.
At 396 miles from Calais, Lac de Cerin requires a longer journey from the UK, but Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes — one of France's most varied fishing regions, with venues ranging from Alpine lakes to lowland reservoirs — rewards the trip.
Night fishing at Lac de Cerin is not permitted. Night carp not authorised on this lake. Ain's 2026 arrêté only covers specific designated venues (Lac de Barterand, Étangs du Comte, de la Rica, Plan d'eau de Glandieu, La Malourdie casiers 3/4/10, Plan d'eau de Cormoranche, plus Ain/Rhône/Saône river sections). Source: federation-peche-ain.com/parcours-carpes-de-nuit/ Anglers must leave the bank before dark.
Boat fishing: Boat access is restricted at Lac de Cerin. All boats and watercraft are explicitly banned. AAPPMA Bas-Bugey règlement on cartedepeche.fr states: 'Les barques même pour l'amorçage de la carpe sont interdites (float tube interdits)'. Both thermal and electric motors are also expressly prohibited per the same règlement: 'Les moteurs thermiques et électriques sont interdits'. The lake measures only ~70m × 40m (Wikipedia), making navigation physically impractical in any case.
Required permits & cards: No extra permit identified for Lac de Cerin itself. The lake is managed under the standard AAPPMA Bas-Bugey membership/carte de pêche (available via www.cartedepeche.fr or www.aappma-bas-bugey.fr). Note: for Lac de Barterand (same AAPPMA), a 'timbre bateau' of €37/year is required for embarcation use, but this is irrelevant as boats are banned at Cerin. No day permit or supplementary lake permit mentioned for Cerin specifically. Carpe no-kill is also explicitly forbidden: 'La pratique du NO KILL est interdite, toutes les prises doivent être conservées'.
Managed by AAPPMA Bas-Bugey. Always verify current rules with the AAPPMA before your session — regulations can change seasonally.
Lac de Cerin holds carp, pike, perch, tench. 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 Lac de Cerin — you will also need to be affiliated with AAPPMA Bas-Bugey. Licences are available online before your trip.
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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 Bas-Bugey) 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 Lac de Cerin, you need a valid Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence), available online at cartedepeche.fr before you leave the UK — affiliation with AAPPMA Bas-Bugey is included in the purchase process. Annual, weekly and daily licences are all available online. Lac de Cerin is 396 miles from Calais — plan for a full travel day from Calais.
Ain is home to numerous public fishing venues. Browse all venues in Ain or explore all of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.
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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