A 45-hectare artificial lake impounded in 1964, bordered by the promenade around the lake, the racecourse, Forestland, Minigolf leisure park, Esplanade du Lac (media library), Centre Nautique, Sentier des planètes, petanque courts, picnic areas...
"The marshes of Divonne, well known and appreciated by hunters and fishermen, represented an unattractive area for our resort; this was all the more regrettable because of their location, on the Franco-Swiss border, at the very entrance to our city.
Numerous attempts had been made, but to no avail, to reclaim the land and turn it into farmland.
Favourable circumstances enabled Mr. Jean Debaud's talent to find its happy expression, and the town to put together the financial and administrative conditions for an undertaking which, at the outset, seemed out of all proportion to its possibilities and means. Work began in 1961, under the technical direction of Mr. André Longchamp, a Ponts et Chaussées engineer, and continued under excellent conditions thanks to the efforts of Entreprise Tramier.
By 1964, the lake had been impounded. Work and landscaping of the entire area was completed in 1965, which was a real record when you consider that the lake covers almost 45 hectares and is 3.50 m deep.
Total expenditure was 5,508,708.98 Francs. Some of the gravel extracted was used for work on the Geneva-Lausanne freeway.
This lake has transformed the character and life of our city by its appearance, its possibilities and its attractiveness.
