Serre Ponçon Swim Challenge 12km & 20km - Hassle Free Package

A rare and unique opportunity for a long distance swimming challenge at altitude. The magnificent Serre Ponçon lake is one of the largest artificial lakes in western Europe at 20km long and situated at 800m of altitude in the stunning southern French Alps. 

The Serre Ponçon Swim Challenge is a premium point to point open water swimming event to swim the length of the magnificent Serre Ponçon Lake with 12km and 20km swim distances possible.

This package is designed for swimmers and supporters who want the independence of choosing their own swim distance and kayak support arrangements, while leaving the accommodation, local transfers and practical event logistics to us.

With 3 nights in a choice of local accommodation, local transport, local tips and insight, this hassle-free package gives you the practical support you need around the event. Your swim ticket is selected and added at checkout, according to your chosen distance or team format, so your final price reflects the exact challenge you are entering.

All you need to do is arrive prepared and focus on your swim! Have a look at the swimming routes here.

Swim Challenge and Hassle-Free Package Highlights:

• Fully supported open water swim
• Dedicated safety kayak, radio and Restube provided as part of your event ticket
• Choice of accommodation to suit your budget
• Swim at altitude for optimal training for a long distance sea-level Channel swim
• Stunning mountain scenery at every stroke
• Average water temperature around 18°C - 20°C
• 300 days of sunshine per year so high probability of good weather for your swim

Safety:

Long distance open water swimming, especially of this distance, is an exceptional undertaking and your safety is our first priority. Every swimmer, will be allocated a kayak, Restube, radio and whistle and will need to bring their own support person or hire a professional kayak support person (available at checkout). The support person will be the person giving you feeds and hydrating you during your swim and will be kayaking next to you throughout the swim to survey your safety. They are backed up by a team of professional lifeguards and first aiders on motorised boats who will be patrolling the swimmers and ready to step in at a moment's notice. For the 20km swim, you have the option to swap support person at the 12km arrival point. 

Swimmers will be required to wear a Restube for the swim (provided by the organisation) and will need to come equipped with green waterproof adventure lights attached to your swim hat so that you can be seen at all times in the water. The kayak support person needs to bring a head torch, ideally with a red light option. The motorised safety boats are also lit.

If you do not have your own kayak support person, we can arrange one locally for you, subject to availability. This is added at checkout.

Please note: kayak support is compulsory for solo swimmers. If you are not bringing your own kayaker, you must add hired kayak support to your booking.

Weather & Conditions:

The lake is situated in the southern French Alps and boasts a Mediterranean climate with cooler evenings. The region records an average of 300 days of sunshine per year so there is a very high probability of perfect weather. The weather pattern of the lake is generally very stable in July with calm, flat water and clear skies at night and most of the day. Towards the end of the day as the warm air rises in the mountains, the wind picks up and the lake can become more agitated. On very hot days this can result in a heat storm at the end of the day, after your swim.

We have carefully chosen the dates to fall just outside of the main French school holiday season so the lake is quieter and with an early morning start to experience the full calm of a night swim and then feel the sun on your back as it rises.

Who Will Love this Trip?

If you love open water swimming and are up for a challenge then this is for you. 12km and 20km open water swim are both serious challenges and should not be attempted without proper training. Whether you are thinking of doing the 12km or 20km, we recommend you start training well in advance with a properly co-ordinated training plan so you are confident your body will manage up to 10 hours of endurance swimming.

As the lake is at 800m, this swim is also a great training opportunity for Channel swimmers as there will be a light effect of altitude compared to swimming at sea level.

Itinerary

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We have arranged a pick up and drop off transfer from the town of Chorges or Embrun (depending on your accommodation option) which is well served by a variety of train and bus links from the major airports and TGV fast train stations.

BY TRAIN / BUS: 

All the accommodation options are near villages on the Gap to Briançon SNCF train line and we will advise you where to get off depending on where you are staying. There are direct train links to Gap and Briançon from Grenoble TGV station or Marseille TGV and  there is also an overnight sleeper train from Paris to Gap.

There is also a regular coach service which operates from Aix-en-Provence TGV directly to Gap. 

You can plan your train journey using the Oui SNCF website. This works from all major European cities. We can also help you with this.

BY PLANE:

The nearest airport is Marseilles (MRS). From Marseille airport there is a regular coach service directly to Gap every two and a half hours from where you can get the train towards Briançon and your village stop. Otherwise you can get the airport shuttle to the main Marseille St Charles train station and get the Briançon train from there, alighting at your recommended stop.  Plan your journey using this website.

Please ask us about transport options when you enquire as we have become pros on getting people to this beautiful region!