Welcome to our page dedicated to sailing conditions on Lac de Serre-Ponçon.
Whether you're a boater, a sailing enthusiast, a windsurfer, or simply looking for an unforgettable nautical experience, it's essential to know the rules and recommendations that guarantee safe and environmentally-friendly navigation.
Here you'll find a comprehensive overview of the rules, safety tips and equipment you need to make the most of your experience on the water.
Regulations and inter-prefectoral decree
Pleasure boating and sports and tourist activities on the Serre-Ponçon reservoir and Embrun lake are regulated by the inter-prefectoral decree of June 2024.
This decree is the result of consultation between government departments, SMADESEP and representatives of the reservoir's professionals and users. It defines the general terms and conditions of use (articles 3 to 5), the allocation of water sports activities (articles 6 and 7), as well as specific requirements for certain activities (articles 8 and 9).
General terms and conditions Security
- The Lac de Serre-Ponçon is a man-made reservoir subject to fluctuations in water levels that alter its initial appearance: boaters, beware of unmarked shoals that may appear depending on water level; swimmers, walkers and fishermen, beware of slippery banks and uncertain, muddy bottoms.
- Mountain lakes: thunderstorms can be sudden and violent.
- Don't overestimate your strength, depending on your activity and weather conditions. A minimum of training is essential.
- Respect the maximum number of passengers on board, and check your safety equipment and the condition of your boat before sailing.
- Underwater diving is authorized under certain conditions in Baie des Lionnets.
- Protect the environment, bring back your garbage, don't damage the banks, respect riverside property.
Navigation at night
Since 2018, night navigation is authorized under certain conditions:
- The water level must be between 774mNGF and 780mNGF,
- Appropriate lighting must be in place:
- Heads of public pontoon channels (Bois vieux, La Bréole, Saint Vincent les forts, Port Saint Pierre, Chanteloube, Baie Saint michel, Prunières, Barnafret, Gendarmerie, Chanterenne, Chadenas),
- Public pontoons,
- Water catchment at Sauze du lac,
- 13 cardinal marks,
- Preferential passages under the Savines le lac bridge.
The speed limit is 25km/h at night and 60km/h during the day. In the bank strip, speed is always limited to 5km/h.
Equipment safety
Navigation equipment
Classified as "exposed inland waters", you must take on board :
- for each person on board, personal buoyancy equipment, or, if actually worn, a protective suit or equipment ;
- one or more mobile fire-fighting equipment conforming: in the case of marked boats, to the boat manufacturer's recommendations (normally included in the owner's manual); in other cases, to the provisions of article 245-5.32 of division 245;
- a manual draining device for boats that are not self-bailing, or those with at least one habitable space. This device may be fixed or mobile;
- a device for towing and mooring, comprising at least one mooring point and a mooring line suitable for both functions;
- a mooring line with anchor appropriate to the size of the boat. However, boats with a light displacement of less than 250 kg may be exempted from this requirement, under the responsibility of the skipper;
- an individual light or waterproof torch.
A decree dated October 1, 2023, amending the decree of November 23, 1987 on ship safety (division 240) introduces two new obligations for users: the obligation to wear a circuit breaker on board outboard-powered vessels with helm control or remote control, as well as on personal watercraft (PWC - jetski), and the obligation to wear neoprene equipment with a minimum thickness of 2 mm for users - driver and passenger(s ) - of personal watercraft (find out more on the website of the secretariat in charge of the sea: https://mer.gouv.fr/materiel-de-securite-des-navaires-two-new-important-requirements-to-improve-safety
Equipment for windsurfers, canoeists, kayakers and paddleboarders
- personal protective buoyancy equipment worn at all times, or a wetsuit or protective equipment ;
- an individual means of identification
Documents required for navigation on Lac de Serre-Ponçon
Boat registration What are the current regulations?
Do you own a vessel intended for inland navigation? Registration of your boat will vary according to its length and power:
- For boats with a hull length of less than 2.5 meters, no registration is required, regardless of engine power or means of locomotion.
- For boats with a hull length of between 2.5 and 5 meters, registration depends on power: if it is equal to or greater than 4.5 kilowatts, registration is compulsory, but optional if it is less than 4.5 kilowatts, or if only human power is used.
- For boats with a hull length of between 5 and 20 meters and fitted with a motor, registration is generally compulsory.
For further information, please visit our website:
https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/R56365
