Formed by damming a river valley in Haute-Loire, Retenue de Lavalette is a medium-sized public reservoir covering 198 hectares and one of the more significant fisheries in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Species include Carp, Catfish, Pike, Perch, Zander, Tench and Bream — with carp fishing the primary attraction for travelling anglers.
Night fishing is not permitted at Retenue de Lavalette, so plan accordingly. Regarding boats: Electric motors only. Overnight bivouac camping is authorised, ideal for multi-day carp sessions.
Retenue de Lavalette is 416 miles from Calais. For UK anglers willing to make the drive into Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes — one of France's most varied fishing regions, with venues ranging from Alpine lakes to lowland reservoirs — the fishing is well worth it.
Filter by species, size, night fishing, boats and bivvy. Find venues near Haute-Loire and across all of France.
Retenue de Lavalette holds carp, catfish, pike, perch, zander, tench, bream. Carp fishing is the primary draw for visiting UK anglers, with fish present throughout the venue.
Join to unlock full rules, night sectors, access notes and local camping spots for Retenue de Lavalette and over 4,000 French venues.
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 du Puy-en-Velay) before fishing. French fishing regulations can change seasonally.
Haute-Loire is home to numerous fishing venues accessible to UK anglers. PiscaMaps covers lakes, reservoirs, rivers and canals across all Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes departments, with full rules, species and access information for each venue.
Other public fishing venues near Retenue de Lavalette on PiscaMaps: