The Legend of the Etang de Lers

About 15 kilometres from Massat, in the mountains dominated by the Mont Béas, lies the étang (lake) de Lers, the source of the Courtiniou river, which flows into Arac, which joins the Salat, a tributary of the mighty Garonne. Since ancient times, and perhaps as far back as prehistory, vast pastureland has extended over these mountains and tradition has it that a village once occupied the site of the current lake.

However, a curse was called down upon the village by a wandering beggar who was refused hospitality as he passed through the village during a summer celebration.

After having been rejected by the villagers, the beggar carried on along the path to the Col d'Eret (Col Dret) and soon met a poor shepherd and his daughter, who welcomed him into their humble hut.

The ragged man gave them a terrible warning: "The people of the village pushed me out, and for that the gods' will demonstrate their anger. All will be swept away--only you and your daughter will be spared. But you must avert your eyes from the sight, or you will immediately turn to stone."

As the man had predicted, a crash of thunder was followed by torrents of water. An enormous avalanche of of earth and stones came away from the side of the mountain and engulfed the houses and inhabitants. It stopped the normal flow of streams, which filled in the depression to form the Etang de Lers.

But at the moment of the cataclysm, young Pascaline couldn't contain her curiosity, turned around to look, and instantly turned to stone. Not far from the lake, on the path leading to the Col d'Eret, you can see her form frozen forever in the rockface.

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Today theEtang de Lers is a popular destination for tourists and inhabitants alike, in winter for the cross-country ski station, in summer for trout fishing, and year round for walking and picnicking.

Access: from St Girons or Tarascon, take the D618 to Massat. At the village take the road to Port de Lers/Etang de Lers. From Vicdessos, take the D18 towards the Port de Lers (closed in winter). From Aulus-les-Bains, take the D8 direction Col d'Agnès (closed in winter).