Six big lakes, granite outcrops, and dense forest strung across a regional park that most Parisians drive straight past on the way to somewhere else. Swim at a Pavillon Bleu beach, sleep by the water, ride or hike a genuinely serious trail network.
The Parc naturel régional du Morvan is the closest genuine mid-mountain landscape to Paris — granite hills, deep forest, and six large lakes built as reservoirs in the 19th and 20th centuries, now the region's main summer draw. The park's own tourist office pitches it as "2h30 from Paris (200 km)" from its northern edge; Lac des Settons itself, near the park's heart, is closer to 250–260 km from central Paris and reviewers call it "the peace of mountain lakes 250 km from Paris." From Meudon-la-Forêt that lands at roughly 260 km and 3–3.5 hours on N-roads through Auxerre, Avallon and Saulieu — no autoroute needed for most of it, and hardly any tolls. It's genuinely one of the better regions near Paris for hiking and mountain biking: the GR13 crosses the whole massif, and the Grande Traversée du Morvan (GTMC) is a serious, well-signed long-distance MTB route running the length of the park.
Sources: Morvan Sommets et Grands Lacs — getting here, Tripadvisor review, Lac des Settons, La Grande Traversée du Morvan à VTT, Parc du Morvan — GR13
Drive down via Auxerre and Avallon (the A6 shaves time if you want it, but the N-roads through the Yonne and Nièvre countryside are pleasant and toll-free). At 97% SOH the realistic range is 330–370 km, so 260 km one-way is within reach on paper — but the Morvan's rolling hills eat more energy than flat autoroute driving, and you'll want charge left over for exploring and the drive home. Tesla has a Supercharger at Avallon, roughly on the route and about 35–40 km short of Lac des Settons — a sensible 20–30 minute top-up stop before continuing into the park, and a near-mandatory one before heading back to Paris.
Arrive at Lac des Settons — a 367-hectare artificial lake held back by a stone dam built 1854–1858, with a 14 km shoreline and forested banks. Swim at the Plage de la Base Nautique des Branlasses (Pavillon Bleu-labelled, sand and grass, showers, WC, lifeguards mid-June to September, pédalo/sailing/canoe rental) or the quieter Plage du Midi near the dam. Water runs 22–25°C in summer. Free parking is available near the beaches but fills fast — aim to arrive before 11am in high season.
Walk or ride the marked 14–15 km loop around Lac des Settons (flat, mostly car-free, doable on the bike). For more distance, pick up a stretch of the GR13 (the long-distance trail crossing the whole Morvan massif) or a section of the Grande Traversée du Morvan à VTT, a signed multi-day mountain-bike route running the length of the park — genuinely rare to find this density of maintained trail this close to Paris. If you want a change of lake, Lac de Pannecière (the largest reservoir in the park) and Lac de Saint-Agnan are both short drives away and quieter than Settons in peak season.
Treat yourself to a real Morvan/Burgundy specialty: jambon persillé du Morvan, a cold terrine of ham set in a white-wine, garlic and parsley aspic — a genuinely regional dish, not a tourist invention. A 350g jar from a Morvan producer (Antoine Sabatier, sold via Saveurs de Bourgogne) runs €6.50 (€18.57/kg) — buy it at a local producer or market in Montsauche or Château-Chinon and eat it as a proper picnic splurge with bread and a Bourgogne Aligoté, instead of your usual cooked-in-the-boot meals.
Sources: Baignade au Lac des Settons, park4night — Lac des Settons parking, Aire de la Baie de la Faye, Camping Chalets Settons — 2026 prices, Jambon persillé du Morvan, Saveurs de Bourgogne
Last swim or paddle, then charge back up at Avallon on the way out before the run home — don't skip it, since 260 km back-to-back with a depleted pack and hillier terrain is tighter than the outbound leg.
Bike loaded inside per the Car Camping & Bike Guide — front wheel off, no range hit. The Morvan is a legitimately strong mountain-biking region: the Grande Traversée du Morvan (GTMC) is a signed, multi-stage long-distance MTB route crossing the whole park, and there are shorter loops around every lake, including the easy 14–15 km tour of Lac des Settons itself if you just want an easy spin between swims.
| Category | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tolls (mostly N-roads, optional short A6 stretch) | ≈ €0–8 |
| Charging (Avallon Supercharger, out + back) | ≈ €15–20 |
| Lodging, 2 nights (Camping Chalets Settons, 2 adults + car) | €30–38 |
| Water sports rental (pédalo/canoe, optional) | ≈ €10–20 |
| Splurge meal (jambon persillé du Morvan, picnic-style) | ≈ €7–10 |
| Food, self-cooked (rest of trip) | ≈ €20–30 |
| Total | €75–130 |