Lac de Lavalette lies between Lapte and Saint-Jeures, covers 220 hectares of water surface and has been awarded the “Aire Respirando” designation. The grounds of Lac de Lavalette also include an arboretum.
Those who choose Lapte as a holiday destination may want to rent a holiday apartment.
Water and leisure
At Lac de Lavalette, free supervised swimming is available in July and August. The Base de loisirs du lac de Lavalette in Lapte has an outdoor playground with leisure and sports facilities.
The lake offers catamaran sailing, pedal boating, windsurfing, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and trips on an electric boat. There are also facilities for bicycles and mountain bikes, as well as opportunities for hiking, trail and running activities, and fishing.
The Espace Loisirs Orientation at the Base de loisirs du lac de Lavalette comprises four orienteering courses between the forests and the shores of the largest lake in Haute-Loire.
Culture
The Église Saint-Jean de Lapte was built between 1888 and 1896 by the architect Ernest Tracol, replacing a medieval castle chapel from the 12th century. Its bell tower is 51 metres high, making it the tallest in the Haute-Loire département.
The Église Saint-Jean de Lapte houses a 17-metre-high Foucault pendulum weighing just under 80 kilograms, which makes it possible to observe the Earth's rotation. The pendulum can be viewed by prior reservation.
Hiking
PR523 Le balcon du Velay is an easy, signposted circular hiking trail that begins at Lapte Town Hall, runs below the church of Lapte and then leaves the village towards the north. The trail is 5.8 kilometres long; the walking time is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 88 metres of descent and 87 metres of ascent.
Other places: Beaulieu, Solignac-sur-Loire, Saint-Bérain, Ouides, Puy-En-Velay, Montagnac, Malvières, Saint-Arcons-D'allier.
