--- title: "Lac des Settons, Morvan: Lakeside Walk and Activities" description: "A Morvan lake at 586 metres, dammed in the 1850s to float wood to Paris. Allow 2 hours to half a day, about 1 h 30 from Beaune with a private driver." url: https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/lac-des-settons lang: en updated: 2026-09-30 generated: 2026-10-08 image: https://www.cote-privee.com/og/things-to-do/lac-des-settons.png --- # Lake Settons (Lac des Settons) > Lake Settons: a granite-dammed lake in the heart of the Morvan, built to float firewood to Paris. Lake Settons is in Montsauche-les-Settons (Nièvre), 1 h 03 by road (80 km) from Beaune. Allow 2 hours to half a day · Private driver from Beaune: €225 one way for the whole car, up to 4 guests. The Lac des Settons lies at 586 metres in the heart of the Morvan, ringed by forests and small wooded islands. It was created in the 1850s to send timber down the rivers to Paris. Today it is a quiet place for walking, sailing and fishing, and one of the great lakes of the Morvan. ## Key facts - Type: Nature & viewpoints - Where: Montsauche-les-Settons · Nièvre - Location: 60 km west of Beaune · Nièvre - Coordinates: 47.1822, 4.0644 - 1 h 03 from Beaune - Allow 2 hours to half a day - Montsauche-les-Settons - From Beaune: ≈ 1 h 03 · 80 km - €225 one way from Beaune with a [private driver](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Getting there - [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver): 1 h 03 by road (80 km), €225 one way for the whole car. Coming by train or plane? [Transfers from stations and airports](https://www.cote-privee.com/transfers) Estimates per vehicle for up to 4 guests, tolls included. Your price is confirmed when you book. ## History Studies for a dam began under Louis XVI but came to nothing. André Dupin, member of parliament for the Nièvre, revived the project. Work started in 1854 and the dam was blessed on 13 May 1858. It is 20 metres high and built of granite blocks, hauled by oxen from the forest of Breuil-Chenue, 15 km away. Further works followed in 1861, after water damaged the structure. The lake was built to regulate navigation on the Yonne and to float logs to Paris. Loose logs were released on great surges of water, stopped at Arcy-sur-Cure, then bound into rafts 100 metres long at Cravant. Coal ended the trade, and the last timber floated in 1924. The site of the dam was protected in 1937, and the first campsite opened on its shores in 1956. ## What you will see The lake covers 366 hectares, with a shoreline of more than 13 km. A marked path runs all the way round the lake, and other trails head off into the forest. In summer a sailing school and a leisure base offer sailing, canoeing and rowing, and boats can be hired. Anglers come for pike and trout. Stop by the granite dam to see the work of the 1850s builders. ## Planning your visit Allow two hours for a walk and a drink by the water, or half a day on the full lakeside loop. The lake is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Beaune and combines well with Saulieu or the Maison du Parc at Saint-Brisson. Water sports run mainly in summer. Check with the Morvan park tourist office for opening times of activities. ## Did you know? Logs from the Morvan were cut to a standard length of 1.14 metres and stamped at each end with their owner's mark before being floated towards Paris. ## Around Lake Settons What to combine with Lake Settons on the same day, nearest first. ### Châteaux - [Château de Ménessaire](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-menessaire) (8 km away): A Morvan castle under glazed-tile roofs, with a rediscovered 17th-century painted ceiling and guest rooms. - [Château de La Roche-en-Brenil](https://www.cote-privee.com/chateaux/chateau-de-la-roche-en-brenil) (24 km away): A moated château on the edge of the Morvan, saved from demolition by the writer Charles de Montalembert. ### Things to do - [Morvan Regional Nature Park (Parc naturel régional du Morvan)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/parc-naturel-regional-du-morvan), 11 km away: Burgundy's little mountain of granite, forests and lakes, with its park headquarters at Saint-Brisson. - [Museum of the Resistance in the Morvan (Musée de la Résistance en Morvan)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/musee-de-la-resistance-en-morvan), 11 km away: The story of the Morvan maquis, told in the heart of the forests where they fought. - [Basilica of Saint-Andoche, Saulieu (Basilique Saint-Andoche)](https://www.cote-privee.com/things-to-do/basilique-saint-andoche-saulieu), 17 km away: A Romanesque church on the old Paris to Lyon road, famous for its carved capitals. ## Questions about Lake Settons ### How far is Lake Settons from Beaune? Lake Settons is about 1 h 03 from Beaune by road (80 km). With a private driver, the trip from Beaune starts at €225 for the whole car, up to 4 guests. ### How long does a visit to Lake Settons take? For the visit, allow 2 hours to half a day. ### Can a private driver take us to Lake Settons? Yes. Your driver collects you in Beaune or at your hotel in an electric Polestar 2 (up to 4 guests), waits while you visit and plans the rest of the day with you. The driver speaks English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Arabic. → [Private driver from Beaune](https://www.cote-privee.com/private-driver) ## Book - [Book a driver here](https://www.cote-privee.com/book?service=driver&place=sight:settons): €225 one way from Beaune · up to 4 guests ## Sources - --- Canonical page: