Filter by species, size, night fishing, boats and bivvy. Find venues near Saône-et-Loire and across all of France.
Lac de Varennes-les-Mâcon is a compact 19-hectare natural lake in Burgundy offering solid carp and pike fishing from the bank, with night sessions permitted for dedicated carpers. Located 346 miles from Calais, it's an excellent mid-trip destination if you're touring the region, with decent populations of carp, tench, bream and perch to target. You'll need to contact AAPPMA de Saône-et-Loire before your visit to confirm night fishing permissions and obtain your local fishing licence.
Night fishing at Lac de Varennes-les-Mâcon is authorised under Saône-et-Loire regulations. Night carp confirmed — this lake is on the Saône-et-Loire 2026 night carp parcours list. Season: 1 March–31 December. Vegetable baits/boilies only. Immediate release. Source: peche-saone-et-loire.fr/ou-pecher/les-etangs/
Bivouac & overnight camping is permitted at Lac de Varennes-les-Mâcon under standard French fishing law — one rod, within 10m of the water, no open fires.
Required permits & cards: Saône-et-Loire card (CHI/EHGO/URNE). Night carp all year.
Managed by AAPPMA de Saône-et-Loire. Always verify current rules with the AAPPMA before your session — regulations can change seasonally.
Lac de Varennes-les-Mâcon holds carp, pike, perch, bream, 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 Varennes-les-Mâcon — you will also need to be affiliated with AAPPMA de Saône-et-Loire. Licences are available online before your trip.
Join to unlock full rules, night sectors, access notes and local camping spots for Lac de Varennes-les-Mâcon and 96,200+ venues across France, Belgium, Netherlands, UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Czechia.
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 Varennes-les-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 Saône-et-Loire is included in the purchase process. Annual, weekly and daily licences are all available online. Lac de Varennes-les-Mâcon is 346 miles from Calais — plan for a full travel day from Calais.
Night fishing is permitted at Lac de Varennes-les-Mâcon — always check the current rules with AAPPMA de Saône-et-Loire 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.
Other public fishing venues near Lac de Varennes-les-Mâcon on PiscaMaps: