EUROPE’S SECRET LAKES
5
B E ST FOR SE R ENI T Y
LAKE THUN, SWITZERLAND
Few nations do lakes and mountains with quite the panache of Switzerland. Thun is a beautiful medley of the two: a calm, deep-blue finger of water nearly 11 miles long that’s fed by the meltwater from the Bernese Alps, which surround it. Here, you’re among some of the region’s most iconic peaks, with the imposing, snow-capped trident of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau (all around 4,000 metres in altitude) off to the south east. Rising to the south is the ‘Swiss pyramid’, the neatly Tobleronic mountain of Niesen. Reached by funicular railway, the 2,362-metre summit offers a view of the lake in its entirety, while the adjacent 11,674 steps play host each summer to one of the world’s most gruelling running races. Another good vantage point is 12th-century Spiez
Castle, set on a vineyard-draped peninsula that slopes down to the water’s edge and serving as a focal point for concerts and art displays in summer. Adjacent is a little marina and an expansive open- air lido ensconced in parkland. Thun itself, a handsome medieval town, sits at
the head of the lake, with the busier Interlaken off to the east. It’s best to base yourself at one of the characterful hotels along the shore and do all your sightseeing by boat; this is quintessential slow travel, courtesy of a restored belle époque paddle steamer that plies the lake’s waters.
HOW TO DO IT: Hotel Seepark, in Thun, has a three-night stay from £537, B&B, including spa entry.
seepark.ch Boat tours are run by BLS Schifffahrt.
bls-schiff.ch
6
B E ST AL L - ROUND E R
VASSIVIÈRE LAKE, FRANCE
Vassivière Lake is, surprisingly, man-made. With its densely wooded shores and amorphous shape — all probing peninsulas, secluded coves and forested islands — it feels like it’s always been this way. In fact, the lake was created in 1950 as part of a hydroelectricity project to help rebuild French industry in the wake of the Second World War. Sprawling yet intimate and as cultured as it is sporty, it attracts a broad cross-section of visitors to this unhurried tranche of central France. Vassivière Island, set in a lake and connected
to the mainland by a causeway, is home to the International Center of Art and Landscape — showcasing the work of local sculptors and painters — as well as a handsome chateau and a conical lighthouse designed by postmodern Italian architect Aldo Rossi. A quintet of beaches is spaced evenly around its serrated shoreline, and these serve as hubs for a range of activities, including kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, stargazing and pike fishing. The trails that trace the shoreline through a landscape protected from development and denudation via natural park status are particularly popular in spring, when the landscape is freckled with wildflowers.
HOW TO DO IT: Vassivière has a selection of gîtes and chalets near the beaches of Broussas and Vauveix, sleeping four to six people, from €50 (£43) a night. Limoges, which has direct flights to the UK, is a 75-minute drive away.
stayinvassiviere.com
THREE MORE Lakes to explore
Clockwise from top: Lake Thun is framed by the Niesen, nicknamed the ‘Swiss Pyramid’; St Beatus Caves is a network of limestone caves carved out over thousands of years by underground streams; the International Center of Art and Landscape is an open-air gallery located on Vassivière Island
PERUĆA LAKE, CROATIA Created in the 1950s through strategic damming, Peruća traces the Cetina Valley through an overlooked region approximately 30 miles inland from Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. Rowers like it for its length (almost 11 miles), while cyclists and walkers come here for the paths around its perimeter. Pick a campsite pitch by the lakeshore for a scenic, back-to- nature experience.
LAKE ORTA, ITALY Hiding in plain sight just a few miles west of the enduringly popular Lake Maggiore, quiet, intimate Lake Orta has managed to hold back both the crowds and excessive development. The wooded hills that surround this Piedmont beauty are home to characterful towns such as Orta San Giulio, and there’s even a Lake Bled-like islet with a church at its centre, rising from the water.
LLANGORS, WALES Watersports and wildlife are the two attractions drawing visitors to this mile-wide hook of water in the sparsely populated Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. It’s a great spot for those learning to sail, while the shallow waters make it a haven for birdlife. Folklore also swirls around the lake — myths of submerged cities, magical birds and monsters lurking in the depths.
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER – LAKES & MOUNTAINS COLLECTION 15
IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; ALAMY
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