Filter by species, size, night fishing, boats and bivvy. Find venues near Var and across all of France.
Lac des Escarcets is a 120-hectare Provençal lake offering solid carp fishing alongside pike, bream and tench in a scenic southern French setting—well worth the 559-mile journey for a change of scenery. Night fishing is permitted for carp anglers, though you'll need to confirm current regulations with AAPPMA du Var beforehand, and bank fishing only means accessible swims even during peak season. You'll need an AAPPMA du Var day or season ticket to fish—pick one up locally or check their website before arrival.
Lac des Escarcets is 559 miles from Calais. For UK anglers willing to make the drive into Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur — a stunning region with mountain lakes, large reservoirs and excellent carp fishing in the south — the fishing is well worth it.
Night fishing at Lac des Escarcets 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
Boat fishing: Boat access is restricted at Lac des Escarcets.
Bivouac & overnight camping is not permitted at Lac des Escarcets.
Required permits & cards: Verify local access rules.
Managed by AAPPMA du Var. Always verify current rules with the AAPPMA before your session — regulations can change seasonally.
Lac des Escarcets 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 des Escarcets — you will also need to be affiliated with AAPPMA du Var. Licences are available online before your trip.
Join to unlock full rules, night sectors, access notes and local camping spots for Lac des Escarcets 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 des Escarcets, you need a valid Carte de Pêche (French fishing licence), available online at cartedepeche.fr before you leave the UK — affiliation with AAPPMA du 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 des Escarcets on PiscaMaps: