Filter by species, size, night fishing, boats and bivvy. Find venues near Var and across all of France.
Lac de l'Arèna is a scenic 29-hectare Provençal lake offering solid carp fishing alongside pike, tench, and bream in a beautiful southern French setting, 568 miles from Calais. Night fishing is permitted here, though you'll need to book in advance, and the venue welcomes both electric boats and float-tubes for exploring deeper swims. You'll need a valid French fishing licence and must register with the local FDAAPPMA 83 before fishing.
Night fishing at Lac de l'Arèna is permitted but with restrictions. Night carp in Var requires specific prefectoral authorisation on designated parcours. Check current authorised sites at pechevar.fr before fishing at night. Source: pechevar.fr
Bivouac & overnight camping is permitted at Lac de l'Arèna under standard French fishing law — one rod, within 10m of the water, no open fires.
Required permits & cards: Var card (CHI). Online peg reservation mandatory. No-kill.
Managed by FDAAPPMA 83 / Fédération Pêche Var. Always verify current rules with the AAPPMA before your session — regulations can change seasonally.
Lac de l'Arèna holds carp, pike, perch, tench, bream, black bass. 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 l'Arèna — you will also need to be affiliated with FDAAPPMA 83 / Fédération Pêche Var. Licences are available online before your trip.
Join to unlock full rules, night sectors, access notes and local camping spots for Lac de l'Arèna 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 (FDAAPPMA 83 / Fédération Pêche Var) 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 l'Arèna, you need a valid Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence), available online at cartedepeche.fr before you leave the UK — affiliation with FDAAPPMA 83 / Fédération Pêche Var is included in the purchase process. Annual, weekly and daily licences are all available online.
Var is home to numerous public fishing venues. Browse all venues in Var or explore all of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
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 Lac de l'Arèna on PiscaMaps: