Summer holidays in the mountains: Angles, Matemale lake, France

Photo: Irina Rybalchenko

Matemale Lake is an artificial lake (dyke dam) in the Pyrenees of 223 ha.

Located at an altitude of 1,541 meters in the town of Matemale, in the Pyrénées-Orientales department (Occitania region).

Matemale is a French commune, located in the west of the Pyrénées-Orientales department in the Occitanie region. Historically and culturally, the commune is in the country of Capcir, a high plateau made up of an ancient glacial basin squeezed between the granite Carlit Massif of Carlit and Madrès.

Exposed to a mountain climate, it is drained by the Aude and various other small rivers. Included in the Catalan Pyrenees regional natural park, the town has a remarkable natural heritage: three Natura 2000 sites (the “Madres-Coronat massif”, the “Madres-Coronat massif” and “Capcir, Carlit and Campcardos”) and seven natural areas of ecological, fauna and flora interest.

Matemale is a rural commune which has 278 inhabitants in 2021, after having experienced a sharp increase in population since 1975. Its inhabitants are called Matemalois or Matemaloises.

The lake supplies the Escouloubre hydroelectric plant, it also regulates the course of the Aude river.

Located at 1,500 meters above sea level, the Matemale lake has a water temperature between 19 ° and 23 ° C. Some beaches are equipped with diving boards. Here you can also practice a multitude of sailing disciplines (Optimist, 420, funboard, caravel, catamaran), pedal boats, canoes and kayaks.

The Angles in winter

The Angels resort equipped with modern chairlifts (16 seats, 6 and 4 seats) and snow cannons. This is an area of all types of sports: alpine skiing, snow park, cross-country skiing etc.

The Angles in summer

A chairlift will take you to 2,100 m to the peak of Canigou. Don’t forget your mountain bike, your paraplane or just go hiking to the peaks of Mount Llaret, Roc d’Aude or Pérics.

Open from 9:15 am to 5:15 pm every day from July 7 to September 2, 2018 and September 23, 2018.

Animal Park vision – all year round. Visiting hours in summer from 10/07 to 31/08: 9h to 18h (last entries); in winter from 9h to 17h.

Visiting time: small circuit, 1h / 1500m, large circuit of 2h / 3500m

Price: 14 € for adults, 12 € for children (free for children under 4 years old).

Fishing in the mountains

See here Pyrenees travel guide

See here France travel guide

See here Spain travel guide

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