Le Bout du Lac, a classified reserve

The marsh has a surface area of 80 hectares, and extends around the Ire and Eau Morte streams, which flow into Lake Annecy. Their protected banks are home to an exceptional natural heritage, with many beavers and other remarkable animal and plant species, as in most nature reserves.

The nature reserve is fully equipped for easy family visits, without harming the flora and fauna or its biodiversity. There’s also a 2-kilometre boardwalk accessible to wheelchairs and baby carriages for family outings. The trail passes through a beautiful variety of landscapes: the banks of the torrents that feed the lake, moorland and meadows, pleasant undergrowth, and an elevated reedbed trail to discover the wetland ecosystem. Wetlands (ponds, marshes, etc.) are often classified as sensitive natural areas and registered with the Conservatoire d’Espaces Naturelles de Haute Savoie.

A walk in the reserve

The walk begins on a wide gravel path and passes the site, marked by a cross, of Doussard’s first church. The journey continues for people in wheelchairs or with baby carriages. Walkers who wish to do so can take another, more rugged path, which starts off on the right but then rejoins the main itinerary.

In the marsh, the walkway is built on stilts. The route follows the current of the water back to the lake. The Beauvivier tower, the only vestige of a medieval trading port, offers visitors who climb to its summit a magnificent panorama of the reserve and Lake Annecy. The walk ends with a passage around the Eau Morte course, home to numerous beavers.

The walk through the Bout du Lac reserve is fully signposted, with information panels explaining the animals to be observed and the different characteristics of the environments we pass through. The educational trail offers children a variety of audio activities.

Access to the Bout du Lac nature reserve in Doussard

The Bout-du-Lac reserve is less than 3 kilometers from L’Idéal campground. It can be reached on foot, by bike or by car. By car, take the route d’Annecy towards Faverges and turn left towards Verthier. Turn left again onto the old church road to reach the reserve parking lot. Visits to the reserve are possible all year round and are absolutely free. And don’t miss out on a hike in the Massif des Bauges regional nature park!

All locations