Good morning all

This may be of some/no interest (delete as appropriate) to some/all! This year the large Central Brittany artificial lake, Guerledan, is being drained. Work has already started on this project which will last until September. 2 possible points for you to consider (i) The project is forecast to attract huge numbers of visitors over the summer period - no-one is quite sure how many but some estimates say up to a million visitors in total. It is expected that there will be large numbers of touring vehicles of all kinds so camp-sites etc might be fuller than usual. (ii) Anyone in Central Brittany might find it an interesting site to visit. This draining may be the last ever - at least for many many years, so something of a one-off and perhaps worth a visit.

We are off down there this morning and may post a pic or two later. It is a bit cooler and greyer here today compared to previous days, so will hope pics will turn out OK.

The official site is : http://www.lacdeguerledan.com/

More info :

L'assèchement du lac de Guerlédan (Côtes-d'Armor) doit permettre à EDF de faire des travaux d'entretien sur le barrage. La dernière vidange complète remonte à 1985. (Drying out of lake enables EDF to carry out maintenance work on the dam. Last done in 1985).

Jusqu'à fin mars. Abaissement progressif du niveau du lac. (Until the end of March, continuous lowering of lake water-level)

Avril. Vidange, avec l'ouverture des vannes du fond du barrage. (April, emptying with opening of valves at dam bottom)

De mai à octobre. Lac asseché. EDF va réaliser les travaux de maintenance et de rénovation du barrage. (May to October, lake is dry and EDF does its thing)

14 mai. Début des visites guidées au fond de la vallée. Tous les week-ends et jours fériés. 2 € et gratuit jusqu'à 12 ans. (14th May. Start of guided visits to lake-bed every week-end and on public holidays. Free, if like most EribaFolk you are under 12 years of age. Otherwise, 2 euros each.

11 juillet. Arrivée du Tour de France à Mûr-de-Bretagne, à proximité du lac. (11th July - Arrival of the Tour de France at near-by Mur de Bretagne). This, says David, is a terrific spectacle. Not to be missed if you are in the area..

À partir de novembre. Remplissage naturel de la retenue d'eau. (From November - refilling of lake with rainfall)

Début 2016. Remise en service de la centrale hydroélectrique et réintroduction de 13 tonnes de poissons. (Beginning of 2016 :Electricity generation resumes. 13 tons of fish introduced into lake. Supply your own chips, please).

Regards from David