Vichy water sports area

THE RIVER ALLIER
IS ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING WILD RIVERS IN EUROPE

VICHY, A WATER SPORTS AREA OF 100 HECTARES

Bordered by parks and running through the centre of Vichy, is the "plan d’eau" a 100 hectare lake made by damming the river Allier. It is on the migration routes for fish and birds, providing a natural environment site for both refuge and reproduction. The species which can be seen using the fish pass, when the observatory is open during the summer, include salmon, sea trout, shads or river herrings, and eels. The "plan d'eau" is also called the Lac d’Allier, the Allier Lake, which you can walk around crossing the two bridges, and where you can chill out and relax. It also hosts a number of major watersports competitions each year, including rowing, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing, and motorised watersports, etc.

Length: 2.5 km
Width: 170m at the widest part
Surface Area 100 hectares
Location: near to the parks, the town centre and the VICHY CÉLESTINS SPA HOTEL.
Homologation: approved as an official international site for rowing, canoeing and kayaking, with 6 x 2,000m long lanes between the Pont de l'Europe bridge, upstream (start) and the Pont-Barrage, downstream (finish).

VICHY, THE "LAC D'ALLIER", ITS BEACHES AND BOARDWALKS

Depending on how you feel, whether you like jogging, cycling, inline and roller skating, walking or just relaxing, you can do it all on the walk round the "plan d’eau". At 5,890m long, it incorporates a range of different environments. The right bank of the Allier is fitted out with a landscaped boardwalk and pathway all the way through Vichy, catering for relaxation and leisure activities. The new Promenade, Parks and Beaches section prolongs the Lac d’Allier Esplanade from the Rotonde Restaurant to the Célestins beach, in a splendid mix of wood planking, sand, white concrete and nature. Winding through the parks, it respects its environment, and is split to both overlook and run alongside the river. When you walk along, whether during the day or the evening, its bars, restaurants, new terraces, the beach and play areas, encourage you to stop, have something to eat and drink, enjoy the sunshine and different activities, or simply chill out!

The Allier "Plan d'eau" is just down from the VICHY CÉLESTINS SPA HÔTEL (Vichy - France), and runs alongside the Park Napoléon III.

WATER SPORTS FESTIVAL

The festival is organised by the Vichy Yacht Club, and has on its programme a sailing demonstration for beginners using the Optimist dinghy, water skiing, wakeboarding, canoeing, kayaking, sailing etc. For further information on this event, which takes place each year at the end of June, please contact the Yacht Club Base Nautique - Boulevard de Lattre de Tassigny - 03200 VICHY.

WATER SPORTS

Sailing and rowing: Daily surveillance and rescue cover from 11am to 7pm.
Swimming: The Plage des Célestins beach area is open during July and August.