Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This post is available in: 
English 
Français (French)
Can I use my motorboat on Serre-Ponçon ?
Motorized boating is allowed, including internal combustion engines, and unlimited power. The speed limit is restricted to 50 km / h and 5 km / h inside the bank strips.
Do I need a special license to drive a boat on Serre-Ponçon?
The maritime (coastal, deep-sea) or fluvial license is valid on the hydroelectric reservoir, with the same limitations in terms of the engine level of boats and away from shelters as the current ones for each of these licenses.
What equipment do I need to use my boat?
The use of a boat on the reservoir requires, as at sea, to have safety equipment required by the regulations. Depending on the size and nature of your boat, you will be claimed: an individual buoyancy equipment, a way to raise on board for a person that felt in the water, a dispositif to stop the propulsion in case of ejection of the driver when the total power of the propulsion engines exceeds 4.5 kW, a conform dispositif against fire, a manual drainage dispositif for non-draining boats or those with at least one living space, a dispositif for towage and mooring.
List of safety equipment on pleasure boats in inland navigation
Is night navigation allowed on Serre-Ponçon?
As the nautical marking has no light dispositifs on a lake area that is subject to a strong evolution of its filling during the year, night navigation is prohibited on the lake. A partial exception is granted to two companies of passenger boats that have the ability to navigate until late evening.
What is a beach gear?
The "beach gear" include all sport gear or non-motorized recreation whose maximum allowable propelling power is less than or equal to 3 Kilowatt (= 4hp) and whose characteristics do not require to be registered by the administration of maritime affairs. This equipment integrate canoes, inflatable boats, pedal boats, etc ...
Beach gear cannot go further than 100 meters from the shore, they must remain within the latter when it is materialized by a line of buoys (spherical yellow buoys of 600 mm diameter) .
How to park a boat on the lake of Serre-Ponçon?
To park a boat on the reservoir of Serre-Ponçon requires a specific authorization for temporary occupation of the public domain. This authorization is given by a lease of mooring, it is managed by a public or private organization. The location of this equipment is visible on the site, from interactive maps that can be achieved on all our pages by clicking on the "small" map of Serre -Ponçon ...
What is tidal range?
The tidal range is the difference in level encountered by the lake of Serre-Ponçon between its filling nominal coast (set at 780 meters GLF) and the level of the destocking. This destocking, managed by EDF, can be the result of the hydroelectric exploitation of the reservoir and the supply of drinking, industrial and agricultural water of Provence. By agreement signed in June 2008 between EDF and SMADESEP, the concessioner of the reservoir is committed to ensure not to exceed 5 meters of tidal range between the 1st of July and the 31st of August , so that it doesn’t go below the coast of 755 meters NGF considered as the minimum coast for tourist exploitation.
To know more on the coast of the lake...
How to prevent water pollution?
I prefer heavy bags or baskets rather than too light bag that can fly away; I carefully fill the fuel tank of my boat, preferably on the dock, and by using a sufficiently large funnel to avoid spilling fuel in the water. On my boat, I use water without detergent, I throw my garbage in spaces reserved for this purpose at land, I prefer, when the size of the boat allows, the mechanical cleaning of boats hulls (manual scraping, sanding ... ) rather than the application of antifouling paints. They contain biocides which may have an impact on the environment. If the size of the boat requires the use of these paintings, please follow the application rates and limit the discharges into the environment (ex: use of tarpaulins to recover the projections of paintings), I use preferably a LPG motor, an electric or four-stroke engine rather than a two-stroke engine for my outboard motor boat. Fuel consumption will be reduced as well as the gaseous and noise emissions.
How to respect the fauna and flora?
I respect the natural environment by avoiding the degradation of sensitive areas, nesting and breeding areas of local fauna: reed beds, banks, small islands, rivers.
I respect the imposed speed limitations around the banks and I keep a reasonable distance to reduce the wake and the too large eddies which result in bank erosion and damage to the vegetation.
How to act to reduce the environmental impact?
I collect the plastic bags floating in the water, I respect the minimum catch sizes and authorized materials, in catching fish below the size limits, I prevent the natural regeneration of species and I reduce the resources.
Which are the security dispositifs and emergency numbers on the lake of Serre-Ponçon?
The organization pattern of first aid on the reservoir of Serre-Ponçon is defined by the prefectural decree No. 2009-176-7 of June 25, 2009. It sets out the modalities of public, and sometimes private, means of intervention for the first aid to people, during the occurrence of a major accident which may cause many victims. It relies on numerous warning means of Serre-Ponçon.
By Telephone or mobile:
• 112 European emergency number
• 18 Firefighters
• 15 Emergency Medical Service (EMS)
• 17 – Gendarmerie - Police
By Radio communication: Maritime VHF Radio Channel 16 "Call; distress, Security". The guard is secured by a control station, managed by the Departmental Operational Centre of Fire and Rescue Services (CODIS 05).
Indirectly, through local representatives of public emergency services :
First Aid posts, Beach surveillance, Boat patrol (Firemen, Gendarmerie, SMADESEP )