Chapelier pond, ENS de l'Ain

Etang du Chapelier in Versailleux is owned by the Fondation pour la protection des habitats de la faune sauvage and managed by the Fédération Départementale des Chasseurs de l'Ain. The pond will be dry by 2022.
The Etang du Chapelier was awarded the "ENS" label by the Département de l'Ain in 2016. Real natural and landscaped jewels of the Ain department, sites with the ENS "Espaces naturels sensibles" label are managed to preserve the biodiversity they host, and developed to be open to the public (with exceptions due to the fragility of the environments).

An interpretation trail and two observatories allow the public to immerse themselves in the heart of a typically Dombist pond.
Etang du Chapelier covers almost 60 hectares.
Classified as a Natura 2000 zone and Hunting Reserve, the pond is managed in the traditional way by the Fédération Départementale des Chasseurs de l'Ain.
It is home to numerous species of birds likely to nest or migrate to the pond, such as scaup, scaup, grebes, coots, herons and egrets.
This large pond with its strong fish farming vocation also plays an important role in the network of large ponds in the Domb region, offering suitable sites for migratory stopovers and waterbird breeding.
Interpretation panels and two observatories are available to visitors along a path that runs along the western bank of the pond. Binoculars or spotting scopes are highly recommended for birdwatching.

Guided tours for groups are available by appointment. For more information on these tours, contact Dombes Tourisme.