The Doussard nature reserve
xLe Bout du Lac, a classified reserve
The marsh has an area of 80 hectares, and extends around the rivers of the Ire and Dead Water, which flow into Lake Annecy. Their protected banks are home to many beavers.
The nature reserve is fully equipped to be easily visited with the family, without damaging its biodiversity. It is covered by a walk of almost 2 kilometers accessible by wheelchair or with strollers. The path crosses a beautiful variety of landscapes: the banks of the torrents which feed the lake, moors and meadows, pleasant undergrowth, as well as an elevated course in the reed bed, to discover the ecosystem specific to wetlands.
The walk in the reserve
The walk begins on a gravel path of good width and passes by the site, marked with a cross, of the first church of Doussard. The journey continues for people in wheelchairs or with strollers. Walkers who wish can take another, more rugged trail, which starts on the right but will then join the main route.
In the marsh, the promenade is built on stilts. The course follows the current of water to return to the lake. The Beauvivier Tower, the only vestige of a medieval trading port, offers visitors who climb to its summit a magnificent panorama of the reserve and Lake Annecy. The walk ends with a passage around the course of the Dead Water where many beavers live.
The walk in the Bout du Lac reserve is fully marked and punctuated with explanatory panels about the animals to observe and the different characteristics of the environments crossed. The educational path offers sound entertainment for children.
Access to the Bout du Lac nature reserve in Doussard
The Bout-du-Lac reserve is located less than 3 kilometers from the L’Idéal campsite. It is accessible on foot, by bicycle or by car according to your wishes. By car, take the Annecy road in the direction of Faverges and turn left towards Verthier. Turn left again on the road to the old church to reach the parking lot of the reserve. Visiting the reserve is possible all year round and is absolutely free.