Lake Place-Moulin
A 155-metre dam in the upper Valpelline
There is nothing natural about Lake Place-Moulin. It is a reservoir, created to generate electricity in the upper Valpelline, in the municipality of Bionaz. The lake stretches out between steep slopes, beneath the peaks along the Swiss border.
The 1965 dam
The dam was completed in 1965. It is 155 metres high. It holds back the waters of the Buthier, the torrent that comes down from the head of the valley and then reaches Aosta. The water in the lake feeds hydroelectric power stations downstream. The project changed the landscape of the Valpelline and brought work and income to the valley.
Ibex and edelweiss
The slopes around the lake have few trees. Ibex are often seen on the rocks and marmots near their burrows. Among the plants are edelweiss and génépi, which grow on poor, stony soils.
Walking along the shore
Several paths start from the dam. The easiest follows the shore of the lake to the far end of the reservoir. It offers views of the water and of the glaciers at the head of the valley. Other routes climb towards the summer pastures and mountain huts.
Fishing or resting
The water stays cold all year round, but fishing is practised here. On the shores, away from the roads, you hear little but the wind and the birds.
