Lac de Villefranche-de-Panat is a medium-sized public reservoir in the Tarn department of Occitanie, covering 169 hectares (416-acre) of open water. The water holds Carp, Catfish, Pike, Perch, Zander, Tench, Bream and Black Bass, making it a draw for UK carp anglers heading to France.
Night fishing is permitted at Lac de Villefranche-de-Panat — Year-round (Aveyron border). Regarding boats: Electric motors only. Bivvy camping is permitted under standard French law.
Lac de Villefranche-de-Panat is 475 miles from Calais. For UK anglers willing to make the drive into Occitanie — a region of warm summers and excellent coarse fishing, particularly for carp and catfish — the fishing is well worth it.
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Lac de Villefranche-de-Panat holds carp, catfish, pike, perch, zander, tench, bream, black bass. Carp fishing is the primary draw for visiting UK anglers, with fish present throughout the venue.
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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 de Villefranche-de-Panat / FDAAPPMA 81) before fishing. French fishing regulations can change seasonally.
Tarn is home to numerous fishing venues accessible to UK anglers. PiscaMaps covers lakes, reservoirs, rivers and canals across all Occitanie departments, with full rules, species and access information for each venue.
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