Retenue de l'Escale is a medium-sized public reservoir in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, covering 85 hectares (211-acre) of open water. The water holds Carp, Pike, Perch, Zander, Tench, Bream and Black Bass, making it a draw for UK carp anglers heading to France.
Fishing at Retenue de l'Escale is restricted to daytime hours only. Regarding boats: Bank fishing only. Bivvy camping is permitted under standard French law.
At 512 miles from Calais, Retenue de l'Escale requires a longer journey from the UK, but Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur — a stunning region with mountain lakes, large reservoirs and excellent carp fishing in the south — rewards the trip.
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Retenue de l'Escale holds carp, 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 Verdon Colostre / FDAAPPMA 04) before fishing. French fishing regulations can change seasonally.
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is home to numerous fishing venues accessible to UK anglers. PiscaMaps covers lakes, reservoirs, rivers and canals across all Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur departments, with full rules, species and access information for each venue.
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