Filter by species, size, night fishing, boats and bivvy. Find venues near Saône-et-Loire and across all of France.
Lac des Prés Saint-Jean is a compact 24-hectare natural lake in Saône-et-Loire offering solid carp potential alongside pike, perch, bream and tench — ideal for a focused bank-fishing trip away from the crowded waters. Night fishing is permitted for carp anglers, though you'll need to confirm current conditions with AAPPMA de Saône-et-Loire beforehand. Located 318 miles south of Calais, it's well-positioned for a deeper Burgundy expedition. Essential: obtain your French fishing licence and contact the local AAPPMA to confirm night-fishing rules and any seasonal restrictions before planning your trip.
Lac des Prés Saint-Jean is 318 miles from Calais. For UK anglers willing to make the drive into Bourgogne-Franche-Comté — a region renowned among UK carp anglers for its quality stillwater fishing — the fishing is well worth it.
Night fishing at Lac des Prés Saint-Jean is authorised under Saône-et-Loire regulations. Night carp confirmed — Lac des Prés Saint-Jean (Chalon-sur-Saône, 24ha, AAPPMA La Gaule Chalonnaise) is explicitly named in the Saône-et-Loire arrêté. Season: 1 March–31 December. Bank fishing only. Vegetable baits/boilies only. Silure and sandre strictly prohibited at night. Immediate release — no keep-sack. Carpe >60cm: no live transport. Source: peche-saone-et-loire.fr (Arrêté 2026-0031-DDT) Source: peche-saone-et-loire.fr/ou-pecher/les-etangs/lac-des-pres-saint-jean/
Boat fishing: Boats are permitted at Lac des Prés Saint-Jean. Urban leisure lake — boats permitted. Verify motor restrictions.
Bivouac & overnight camping is permitted at Lac des Prés Saint-Jean 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 des Prés Saint-Jean 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 Prés Saint-Jean — 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 des Prés Saint-Jean 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 Prés Saint-Jean, 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 des Prés Saint-Jean is 318 miles from Calais — plan for a full travel day from Calais.
Night fishing is permitted at Lac des Prés Saint-Jean — 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 des Prés Saint-Jean on PiscaMaps: