Lac d’Aiguebelette is one of the best-kept secrets in the French Alps. Just 15 minutes from Chambéry by motorway and less than an hour from Lyon, this small emerald lake — framed by the limestone cliffs of the Épine ridge — is one of the warmest natural lakes in France, one of the cleanest and one of the most beautiful. It is also almost completely unknown to international visitors. While Annecy and Lac du Bourget draw summer crowds from across Europe, Aiguebelette remains essentially local — which is exactly what makes it worth the detour.
One important practical note: unlike Annecy and Lac du Bourget, Lac d’Aiguebelette is privately owned. Swimming is restricted to the seven designated beaches — it is not permitted to swim from the eastern “wild shore” (côte sauvage) or from private banks, even though some visitors attempt it. All seven beaches are paid entry during summer (June to late August), with prices ranging from €2.50 to €6 per adult depending on beach and day of the week. Most beaches become free after 7pm — an excellent time for a lakeside picnic in the summer evening light.
Practical information: access and prices
Entry prices
In summer (June to late August), all beaches charge entry. Prices are low and serve to regulate access. Expect to pay between €2.50 and €6 per adult, depending on the beach and day of the week (weekends are slightly more expensive). Children under 12 receive reduced rates. Five of the seven beaches become free entry after 7pm — La Crique and Saint-Alban Plage are the exceptions. An evening visit from 7 to 9pm, with the lake catching the last of the light and the crowds gone, is one of the finest free experiences in the French Alps.
How to get there
The lake is most easily reached by motorway — 15 minutes from Chambéry, 45 minutes from Grenoble and around 45 minutes from Lyon. In peak summer, the lakeside road can become congested: arriving before 11am or after 6.30pm avoids the worst of the traffic. It is also reachable by train: the Chambéry–Saint-André-le-Gaz line stops hourly at Lépin-le-Lac, and less frequently at Aiguebelette-le-Lac, both within 1 km of the beaches. Taking a bike on the train and cycling between the beaches is a genuinely good option.
The 7 beaches of Lac d’Aiguebelette
The seven beaches are listed from north to south, all on the western shore. All have lifeguarded swimming areas in summer, shower facilities and boat or paddleboard rental. Several also have snack bars and children’s play areas.
1. Plage de la Crique — private beach near the motorway exit
Almost directly at the motorway exit, La Crique is a small private beach with shaded lawns, a snack bar (salads, crêpes) and pedalo and paddleboard hire. It is the most convenient first stop if arriving from the motorway — park, pay and you are swimming within minutes. Unlike the municipal beaches, it does not become free after 7pm.
💰 Price: €4 per adult on weekdays, €5 at weekends (reduced rates for under-8s). Does not become free in the evening.
📍 Find on Google Maps
2. Plage de Pré Argent — large family beach
On the commune of Novalaise, Pré Argent is a well-equipped family beach with shaded areas, a bar, snack food, children’s play area and parking. The swimming area is large and lifeguarded from June to August. One of the better options for families with young children. Free from 7pm like most municipal beaches.
💰 Price: €2.50 per adult on weekdays, €4 at weekends (reduced rates for under-12s). Free after 7pm.
📍 Find on Google Maps
3. Plage du Bon-Vent — the alpine lagoon feel
Also in Novalaise and similar to Pré Argent, Bon-Vent is a family beach with children’s play equipment, an excellent swimming area and shaded lawns. Pedalo and paddleboard hire available. A snack bar operates in summer. The beach is adjacent to the lake’s national rowing centre — you may well see training sessions on the water. The swimming area has a particularly attractive layout, with clear water and a good depth gradient. Free from 7pm.
💰 Price: €2.50 per adult on weekdays, €4 at weekends (reduced rates for under-12s). Free after 7pm.
📍 Find on Google Maps
4. Saint-Alban Plage — the most fully equipped beach
The most developed of the seven beaches, Saint-Alban Plage has a gently sloping swimming area, a premium zone with sunbeds and parasols, a water slide, splash play area for young children, a volleyball court and the full range of boat, paddleboard and kayak hire. The most complete family beach on the lake — and the one that works best with younger children who want activities beyond swimming. Note: Saint-Alban Plage was closed in 2025 — check current status before visiting.
5. Plage du Sougey — our favourite beach on the lake ⭐
Our top pick. The Sougey is the most naturally beautiful of the seven beaches — approached from a large free car park via a path that descends through woodland, with a first glimpse of the lake’s colour that never fails to impress. At the bottom: all the usual facilities (boat hire, showers, children’s play area, shaded lawns) plus a tree climbing park (accrobranche) and a Huttopia campsite directly adjacent. The two small islands in the middle of the lake are easily reachable by paddleboard from here — one of the best lazy afternoon activities in the area. A restaurant at the top of the access path serves food all day. Our strong recommendation: come after 7pm for the free evening entry, bring a picnic and stay until the light fades.
💰 Price: €2.50 per adult on weekdays, €4 at weekends (reduced rates for under-12s). Free after 7pm.
📍 Find on Google Maps
6. Plage de Lépin-le-Lac — lake views to the south
At the southern end of the lake, near the entrance to the canal and close to the two islands, Lépin-le-Lac beach offers a sand and pebble shoreline with shaded areas, boat hire and a lifeguarded swimming area until 6pm. A snack restaurant operates on the beach in summer. Less shade than the northern beaches, and slightly more stony underfoot — but the swimming zone is beautiful and the southward view along the lake is excellent. One of only two beaches accessible directly by train from Chambéry (hourly service, 1 km walk from the station).
💰 Price: €2.50 per adult on weekdays, €4 at weekends (reduced rates for under-12s). Free after 7pm.
📍 Find on Google Maps
7. Plage d’Aiguebelette-le-Lac — the village beach
On the south-eastern shore, close to the charming village of Aiguebelette-le-Lac, this small beach faces east — catching the morning sun. Showers, boat hire and a handful of lakeside restaurants border the beach. It is the most intimate and most local-feeling of the seven, with a relaxed village atmosphere. Reachable by train (Aiguebelette-le-Lac station), though the service is infrequent — the Lépin-le-Lac station is generally more practical.
FAQ — Lac d’Aiguebelette beaches
Swimming is only permitted at the seven designated beaches — it is not allowed from the eastern wild shore or private banks. Five of the seven public beaches become free entry after 7pm daily in summer. The summer evening light on the western shore is excellent at this hour, making a lakeside picnic after 7pm one of the best free activities on the lake.
Prices vary by beach: between €2.50 per adult on weekdays (most municipal beaches) and €6 per adult at weekends at La Crique. Children under 12 pay reduced rates. Most beaches are free after 7pm.
The Plage du Sougey is our favourite — the most naturally beautiful setting, the best access to the lake’s two islands by paddleboard and a good adjacent restaurant. For families with young children, Saint-Alban Plage (when open) is the most fully equipped, with a water slide and splash play area.
No — dogs are not permitted on the beaches at Lac d’Aiguebelette for hygiene reasons.
Most beaches offer paddleboard, kayak and pedalo hire. If you bring your own equipment, you must pay a lake access fee at the Maison du Lac near the motorway exit. Motorised boats are not permitted on the lake — which is one of the reasons for its exceptional water clarity.
Lac d’Aiguebelette is one of the warmest natural lakes in France — its relatively small size and good sun exposure mean the water reaches 24–26°C at the surface in July and August, and around 20°C in June. Significantly warmer than Lake Annecy or Lac du Bourget at the same time of year.
👉 Read also: Best beaches on Lake Annecy · Best beaches on Lac du Bourget · French Alps in June