Complexe hydroélectrique du Pouget : Usine de pompage du lac de Bage
The Bage dam and pumping station link the Pareloup and Pont-de-Salars lakes. This facility forms part of the Pouget hydroelectric complex alongside 8 other dams.
Commissioned in 1952, the Bage dam is a central element of the vast Pouget hydroelectric complex. Standing 28 meters high on the Bage stream, it plays a key role in the supply of water to Lac de Pareloup, thanks to the pumping station located at the foot of the dam. This same pumping station is capable of bringing water up to the plateau from an altitude of almost a hundred meters, thanks to 2 "pumps".
The power required for this technical feat is equivalent to that produced by the Alrance hydroelectric plant further downstream.
The building's typical 1950s architecture, with its large bay windows and monumental appearance, bears witness to Aveyron's hydroelectric industrial heritage. The site underwent a major renovation and safety project in 2015, and today continues to contribute to the production of renewable energy, while offering the general public the chance to delve into the heart of its human and technical history.
Tours must be booked in advance.
Bookings and information from the "Lévézou Attractivité Tourisme" agency on 05 65 46 89 90 or tourisme@levezou.fr
In season: weekly visits (Rates: 5?/pers, 3? for children under 12).
Off-season: group visits by prior arrangement for groups of 10 or more (price: please contact us)
To find out more: a black-and-white film dating from 1952, shot during the construction of the dams, is freely available at the Lévézou Attractivité Tourisme agency in Pont de Salars from 9am to 12:30pm and from 1:30pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday out of season, and from Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 12:30pm and from 2pm to 6pm in high season.
