French Lake - La Valdore

[shooter]

http://www.valdore.com/Eng/Accueil%20gb.htm

 

Has anyone ever been to these lakes? Any info would be much appreciated, or, if anyone knows of any similar day ticket lakes in the Northern area of France, no more than 2 hours from Calais / Boulogne-sur-mer.

 

Many thanks.

[j_s]

Look very nice and quite a reasonable price as well!

 

This could be a good venue for a/The Fish in budgie was arranging

[mpbdsnu]

I shall be there in 6 weeks and 4 days time

[shooter]

Interesting to see how you do in a few weeks, I was hoping to go out at the start of May but due to how nice it does look I will probably go sooner.

[Nutshell]

I may be wrong but I do believe that a few of the guys from the Fishing Magic site went there recently? Check their carp forum.

[mpbdsnu]

Err, yeah we did!

 

7 of us went and we all blanked. We were on lake 2, on swims 13 to 16 - I was on 16. Too cold and just were'nt having it. But to be honest I was'nt trying that much - next time eh!

 

Made it more of a social than anything - right good laugh we had too!

 

I'm trying out Lake 1 next time (swim 7), and taking a mate from work - it will still be a social of sorts but we are sharing a swim (most swims on there are double swims) and so will be working at it.

[Bryan Andrews]

Malcolm

 

I'm off to Val Dore at the end of April with my Nephew. We're booked in swim 16 and 9.

 

Is either 9 or 16 big enough to have two of you fishing it? I'd originally booked with a mate but he pulled out after I'd paid the deposit, so am taking my Nephew instead and I'd prefer to fish with him for a while.

 

Can I ask a few questions

 

What distance is there between the fishing spots on 9 and 16? i.e. if we fish in seperate swims are they close enough for me to keep an eye on him?

 

whats the depth like at that end of the lake?

 

Did you try the food from the cafe, is it okay?

 

Any other comments gratefully received

 

Cheers

 

Bryan

[mpbdsnu]

Hello Brian.

 

Swims 9 & 16 face each other, and there is approx 170 metres (memory?) from bank to bank.

 

I did not walk around, so I cannot say regarding swim 9 but both are single swims. Swim 16 is big enough for two bivvies, however, space would be limited for two anglers to fish. Having said this, in swim 16 there is a very small bay to the left where a couple of rods could be placed. But you would have to be very quiet and perhaps bivvy up further away. The margins there can be productive, but beware the bird-life, they dive on one's baits constantly!

 

Out in front of me in 16 the depths varied from 4ft to around 9ft. Gravel, silt, and odd tiny pockets of weed, but then, I did go at the start of December so any weed growth will shortly be sprouting up - but I thinks its limited.

 

We got the bloke on site to do us some burgers and chips for our social on the second night, and he drove it round when he'd done them. He speaks superb English (better than mine). No probs with these! He serves coffee and beers and has a few riggy bits for sale, but there is a supermarket not too far, and in the other direction out of the gate there is a village with a few shops - so you can get bread and so on. But I think he will get you bread if you ask.

 

A word of warning, there has been a spot of trouble there in the past, so now he insists on taking anglers passports from them for the duration of their visit. He locks them away in a safe, so they are secure. This is so if there's any trouble he has names etc for the Gendamarie! I think it was an isolated incident though!

 

You can drive to every swim, however, with swim 16 i had to park my car short and carry my gear over a small bridge which amounts to 3 or 4 railway sleepers - tread carefully if its wet especially - first time over it - I slipped and smacked my jaw (no it ain't funny).

 

You can walk round to the left of lake 2 through a wooded bank and there is a railway line to the left - only about 4 or 5 trains a day though.

 

I have a pic of part of swim 16 but its not very good - will email it to you if you wish?

 

Think thats about all, don't hesitate to ask if theres anything else mate.

 

[ 12. February 2005, 09:59 AM: Message edited by: mpbdsnu ]

[mpbdsnu]

By the way Brian, what date are you actually travelling out at the end of April, and for how long?

[Bryan Andrews]

I'll be out there between 23 and 30th April. Counting the days down.

 

Thanks for the info.