Motorboats are banned on the Lac d'Aiguebelette, and on a calm summer morning you notice the difference straight away: rowers sliding across water so still it mirrors the wooded slopes above, swimmers heading out from small beaches, and no engine noise beyond the occasional car on the shore road. The lake, in Savoie just west of Chambéry, is one of the largest natural lakes in France, and its clean water is among the warmest of the alpine lakes in summer. It hosted the World Rowing Championships in 2015.
The lake lies at the foot of the Montagne de l'Épine, a limestone ridge that separates it from Chambéry, and the A43 motorway passes beneath through a tunnel. The old road over the Col de l'Épine, from Chambéry, climbs in tight bends through forest to the pass and then drops toward the lake, with superb views across the water and the hills to the west. The Col du Mont du Chat, further north, is another climb, steep and narrow, with views over the Lac du Bourget.
The shore road around the lake is narrow and busy in summer, with cyclists, walkers and parking cars, so take it slowly. The surrounding country of the Avant-Pays Savoyard is a gentle landscape of hills, villages and farms, with quiet roads and pleasant views. Spring and autumn are lovely, when the crowds are gone and the light is soft.
The lake has two islands, one with the ruins of a chapel, and the shores are partly protected as a nature reserve, home to birds and plants. Swimming is possible at several beaches, some with an entrance fee in summer. Fuel and services are available in Cognin, seven kilometres away, and Chambéry, a little further, has everything. Le Pont-de-Beauvoisin, to the west, is another option. Lakeside restaurants serve fish from the lake, including perch, and Savoyard dishes such as tartiflette.