CARP fishing at LAC DU DER : Instructions for use
- fabduhamel
- 19 juin
- 13 min de lecture
Among France's legendary carp fishing lakes, the Der is the largest, covering 4,800 hectares when full, an area half the size of Paris.
Created in 1974 after several years of renovation work, it has become twenty years later a Mecca for carp fishing, with a reputation that extends beyond its borders.
Its history
1910: Paris suffers a terrible flood. In 1924, the capital is once again flooded. It was then decided to build a water retention basin to regulate the flow of the Seine via its tributaries.
The first lake, covering an area of 450 ha, was created in 1938: the Champaubert reservoir. We now call it ‘le vieux Der’ (the old Der).
Other lakes were subsequently created to regulate the waters of the Seine.
In 1949, a second lake was created, the Lac de Pannecière (520 hectares) in the Nièvre department.
1966 saw the creation of the Lac d'Orient (Seine reservoir) in the Aube department (2,300 hectares).
It later transpired that these lakes were not sufficient. Therefore, France's largest artificial lake was built, giving rise to today's Lac du Der-Chantecoq (Marne reservoir). But to do so, 3 villages needed to be razed to the ground, the 350 inhabitants relocated, some graves moved to another place and over 1,200 hectares of forest destroyed...
The church in Chantecoq was demolished. The church in Nuisement-aux-Bois was dismantled and reassembled in the Musée du Der in Sainte-Marie-du-Lac.
The only building of the 3 villages to have remained intact is the church at Champaubert-aux-Bois, which stands on land raised above the lake.
In 1990, two lakes were also created alongside the Lac d'Orient: the Lac du Temple (1840 ha) and the Lac Amance (480 ha). Both of them form the Aube reservoir lake.
The Lac du Der, which has 77km of shoreline, is made up of 3 basins:
The main basin, which has a high tidal range, the North basin, which has a surface area of 160 ha and whose water level varies little, and finally the South basin, which has a surface area of around 250 ha and whose water level also varies little.
Thanks to two intake canals that bring in water from the Marne and Blaise rivers, the Lac du Der is at its highest level in June so that it can release water in the event of a drought on the Seine. Then, via two return canals leading to the Marne and Blaise rivers, it is gradually lowered until December, when the level is at its lowest, so that it can receive water from tributaries of the Seine, such as the Marne, in the event of flooding. It prevents the people of Paris from being flooded.
Since its creation, the Lac du Der has become a major stop-off point for migratory birds, such as the grey cranes that descend from the Nordic countries in autumn towards Spain and Africa (they return in spring). The lake then becomes a dormitory-stopover for the birds, attracting countless enthusiasts who come to observe these animals.
The lake has also become a popular tourist destination, welcoming 1.2 million visitors every year.
And finally, since the 1990s, the Der has gained an international reputation for carp fishing. It is also well known for its impressive pike population.
How is carp fishing managed at Lac du Der ?
Many carp anglers are critical of the way carp fishing is managed at Lac du Der, as the night stations appear to be expensive and run like a private lake.
The Lac du Der is a private lake! However, it is open water, fed by two rivers (the Marne and the Blaise) via two feeder canals.
Management of the lake has been entrusted to U.F.A.P.P.M.A, Union des Fédérations et Associations pour la Pêche et la Protection du Milieu Aquatique (Union of Federations and Associations for Fishing and Protection of the Aquatic Environment), which was created in 1973 specifically for this purpose. At the time, it was called Union des Fédérations et Associations Agréées de Pêche et de Pisciculture Riveraines du Réservoir-Marne (Union of approved fishing and fish farming federations and associations along the Marne reservoir).
The UFAPP's head office is at ‘LA MAISON DES PÊCHEURS’, at the Giffaumont-Champaubert nautical station, where the secretariat issuing lake fishing permits is located.
As far as carp fishing is concerned, 35 posts have been created for night fishing. 2 in the North Basin, 9 in the South Basin and 24 in the Big Basin.
They all require advance booking, but there are always places available before autumn. From September onwards, it's much more complicated, and in any case, the ‘best spots’ are very rarely available.
Night fishing is open from the last Friday in March to the last Friday in October due to the low water level at this time of year. In the south basin, however, the stations are open until the second Friday in November (the water level varies slightly).
For pegs 33 and 35 (in the southern basin), there is a specific closure between the last Friday in May and the first Friday in September because they are right next to the beaches.
When the weather is fine, there are a lot of pedaloes, kayaks and sailing boats in the southern basin. Pedaloes and kayaks tend to skirt the banks, lifting the markers, which can be a real pain. It is preferable to sink the lines if the bottom allows (no stumps or other obstacles).
Fishing peg reservations open on 1 July of the previous year. In other words, if you want to fish in 2026, you will have to reserve your peg from 1 July 2025. Not before.
From 1 to 7 July, bookings can only be made by e-mail. After that, you can book either by email or telephone (contact details at the end of the article), or directly at the Maison des Pêcheurs in Giffaumont-Champaubert.
You will be asked to pay a deposit of half the cost of the booking within the following month. Otherwise, the booking is cancelled.
Night fishing takes place from noon on Friday to noon on the following Friday. Fishing cards and payment for the second part of your booking can be picked up at the Maison des Pêcheurs in the port of Giffaumont-Champaubert.
Price list
That's what a lot of people criticise. Personally (and this is just me), I'd rather pay for a huge lake with exceptional carps than pay the same price for a private lake of just a few hectares and overpopulated with carp. But I'm not judging, everyone does what they want as long as they enjoy fishing. That's what’s important.
The advantage of such rates is that you pay for peace of mind. You don't arrive, after hours of travelling, wondering if there's going to be room, or if the peg you want is available.
The second advantage, and not the least, is that it limits the number of anglers (which is already very large). Given the number of XXL carp, fishing pressure would be even more intense. It would be hellish at the water's edge.
Anyway, let’s go back to the main topic.
To fish for carp at night on Lac du Der-Chantecoq, you need 2 fishing cards.
The first one is the federal card that you all have if you fish in the public domain. You don't need an inter-federal card, the ‘major’ card is sufficient even if you live at the other end of France. The important thing is the CPMA stamp because, as a reminder, the lake is open water.
If you don't have this card, you can buy a weekly pass from a local AAPPMA for €36 (2025 prices).
The second card is the Lac du Der day fishing permit, which will cost €95 per person in 2025.
Once you have these fishing permits, you can ‘rent’ a night fishing peg (by reservation). The cost of the post (for 1 or 2 anglers maximum) is €280 for a week (in 2025). If there are 2 of you, that works out at €140 per person.
To sum up, if you already have a federal card, it will cost you :
375€ if you are alone (95€ + 280€),
235€ per person if there are 2 of you ((2x95€ + 1x280€)/2).
If you come back during the year, you don't need to buy a day fishing licence. You will only pay for the night fishing.
If you don't book in advance, count €25 per night if you're alone (or €170 for the week), or €40 per night if there are two of you. You will also need a day fishing permit.
The services on offer
The Maison des Pêcheurs offers a range of services:
Free battery recharging, bottles of ice, water, ordering bread the day before, various actions to avoid you moving too much (to be arranged directly with the secretariat).
The Maison des Pêcheurs has a shower and toilet block, as well as a fridge (available in the morning).
Appâts-Baits offers you:
A whole range of baits for your sessions on the lake: boilies, cooked seeds, pellets, but also everything that you will find on the website appats-baits.com
The prepared seeds are sold in 10 or 30 litre buckets that you can keep. It is essential to order your cooked seeds a week before you collect them, as they are prepared to order.
By appointment, you can collect your order from the warehouse.
Or I can bring it to the Maison des Pêcheurs on Friday morning when you collect your night fishing permit. All I ask is that you place a minimum order of €50, with free transport.
During the week, I can deliver to your peg (car access only) for orders of at least €50. You will be asked to pay €5 for the journey (free for orders over €100). Orders must be placed at least 2 days before delivery.
You will find the prices on the page entitled ‘If you come to the Lac du Der’.
Getting to the swims :
There are 22 swims accessible by car and 13 others accessible only by boat.
There are numerous boat launches all around the lake.
At the North Basin, there is only one boat launch, but the two night carp fishing pegs are accessible by car.
If you still want to access this boat launch, you will need to buy a key (price 2024: €6.50) from the Maison des Pêcheurs to open the access gate. Note that this key will always be the same if you return in subsequent years.
There are 3 boat launches in the south basin. The one on the Braucourt cove is the closest to the only 2 boat access pegs (pegs 4 and 15). However, this launch also requires a key (different to the one for the North basin) to open the barrier.
Another solution, if you don’t want to buy a key, is to launch the boat at Giffaumont, not far from the Maison des Pêcheurs but further away from the swims.
There are a certain number of launching points in the main basin.
For pegs 20 and 38, you can access the boat descent from the Larzicourt peninsula. Please note that you will need a key to open the access gate (this can be purchased from the Maison des Pêcheurs).
You can also ask APSAP for permission to park on their campsite and access their boat launch without a key.
For pegs 5 and 41, you can go to the one in Nuisement, which requires the same key as for the barrier on the Larzicourt peninsula.
For peg 43 which is located on the cornea of the Der, many people launch at the port of Giffaumont-Champaubert (near the Maison des Pêcheurs). It's quite a distance but it's practical. Alternatively, you can go to the Braucourt peninsula or Nuisement. The latter requires a key to open the gate.
I can only advise you to choose the launch according to the direction of the wind, especially if it's strong. Obviously, with the wind at your back, it's much better, especially as we're only allowed to use electric motors. But remember to check the wind at the end of the session for the return journey...
For pegs 8, 9 and 10, you can launch either at the port of Giffaumont-Champaubert, on the Braucourt peninsula or at La Brèche.
For swims 18 and 19: launch from the breach (no barrier, so no key required).
To sum up, you'll need the same key to access the boat launches on the Larzicourt and Nuisement peninsulas. And another key to access the boat ramp on the south basin side of the Braucourt peninsula.
Don't forget to bring several batteries to last the week: the journey to the station, the return journey to the boat launch, lots of trips to and from the peg to remove the lines and fight with the fish....
I would also draw your attention to the fact that at the end of the season, if the lake is too low, some launches are impassable. Check with the Maison des Pêcheurs to make sure you're not making a trip for nothing.
The Giffaumont boat ramp is available all year round.
Specific rules for carp fishing
Here are the rules, which you can also find on the UFAPP website :
"-It is forbidden to fish at night using animal baits, live fish, dead fish and all artificial lures.
-At night, it is strictly forbidden to navigate on the entire stretch of water and to fish from a boat.
-Daytime boating is authorised using an electric motor only, as an internal combustion engine is strictly forbidden in the fishing zone.
-Other fish caught during the night period defined in article R 236-18 of the French Rural Code must be returned to the water alive as soon as they are caught. No killing is compulsory.
-For safety reasons and to avoid disturbing other anglers, it is forbidden to stretch lines more than 100 metres away.
-Lines must be strung perpendicular to the bank and on the water.
-A maximum of 4 rods per angler is permitted.
-The individual shelter of neutral colour is tolerated only on the courses of night.
-Stay within the limits of the stand.
-Tie your dog to the peg.
-Markers are compulsory.
-Dormitory boats are forbidden on night stations.
-It is forbidden to bivouac in a fishing boat on the lake, on the boat launches or on the banks of the lake.
-Night boating is prohibited on the lake.
-Respect legal fishing hours.
-Fishing on the islands and shoals is prohibited.
-Fishing on the boat launches is prohibited.
-Swims for 2 anglers maximum.
-Park your car properly in the car parks and do not park on the banks of the lake below the maximum level.
-Do not light fires on the ground.
-Close rubbish bags.
-Bury your faeces.
-Respect other lake users."
Failure to comply with these rules will result in a warning, exclusion or verbal proceedings.
The survival of night fishing for carp depends on compliance with these rules.
It is imperative to have the obligatory safety equipment in the boat.
Gendarmerie checks may be carried out (lifejacket, oars, bailer, etc.).
Fish population :
You will no doubt be familiar with the famous ‘humpback’ carps that were in the lake until the early 2000s. They made the reputation of Der-Chantecoq because they were so numerous. Week-long sessions resulting in the capture of countless carps were common. The tonne of carp caught was sometimes reached when all the favourable conditions were met.
On the other hand, their weight hardly exceeded the mythical bar of the time: 20kg (44 lbs).
There were a few common carps in the lake but, unlike today, they were very much in the minority.
Unfortunately, a large number of fish died, considerably reducing the stock.
This was followed by numerous restocking operations, notably with common carp, which have enormous growth potential, especially as the lake is very rich in natural food.
Today, the carp population is totally different to the 90s. The 20kg mark is fairly common and the mythical ‘new’ 30kg mark is passed several times a year.
At present, the majority of the fish are common carps, but over the last few years some have been restocked with mirror carps, some of which have magnificent scales. The future promises some great catches!
To our delight, a few of the original humpback mirrors are still present.
Another change over the last 20 years has been the omnipresence of wels catfish, which only leave when there is no more bait on the bottom.
The 2 metres bar is no longer rare on the lake and promises titanic battles.
As far as white fish are concerned, you're likely to be bothered mainly by tench, some of which weigh more than 5 kg.
Bream are also huge, but less of a nuisance.
Crayfish are also present, but not in large numbers, as the wels catfish love them and the carps look after the juveniles.
Any fishing tips ?
There's no mystery about it : you need to spend some time on the water at the start of your session to get a good feel for the area and select the most promising spots. If you only spend an hour probing, there's a problem...
Algae is everywhere, but clean spots are not uncommon.
"Don't put all your eggs in one basket". Test spot baits, heavier baits, seeds, boilies, etc, until you find what works best.
At certain times of the year, it's best to fish with 24mm boilies to limit the number of times the huge tench cleans the spots.
Creamy, spicy, meaty or fruity boilies work without a problem. Meaty ones are very effective but, remember, there are plenty of wels catfish...
When fishing is very difficult for a number of reasons, including scorching hot weather and no wind, spot-fishing with tiger nuts often helps decide a carp into a trap.
Mixtures of small seeds such as the ‘Complete Menu’ or the ‘Frenzy Menu’ quickly attract small white fish, which are quick to start eating. Carps, which are opportunists, will inevitably be attracted by this high level of feeding activity.
These mixes have the ability to keep the carps on your spots for a long time as they will have difficulty ingesting them (the particles being so small).
So don't ignore them...
The major difficulty with booking the previous year is that you don’t know the weather in advance.
If you arrive in a week when there's a heatwave and no wind, it's going to be very complicated to catch even one carp. However, it's not impossible, as it regularly happens that you can fish for 6 days without catching a single carp and on the last evening, it’s the jackpot.
I wish you excellent sessions at Lac du Der-Chantecoq, where you could well catch the carp of your life!
Fabrice.
Useful addresses :
For fishing on Lac du Der :
La Maison des Pêcheurs,
Presqu'ile de Rougemer 5 Chemin des Milleperthuis,
51290 Giffaumont-Champaubert
Tél : 03.26.72.63.43
For your baits :
Appâts-Baits
24 rue des bois,
51290 Sainte-Marie-du-Lac-Nuisement
Tél : 07.86.94.11.42
Fishing shops :
"Au bord du lac"
Route de Champaubert-aux-bois,
51290 Eclaron-Braucourt-Sainte Livière
Tél : 06.46.55.11.14
DIS Marine (USHIP Lac du Der)
03, chemin des petites prêles,
51290 Giffaumont-Champaubert
Tél : 03.26.72.62.13
For food shopping :
Proxi
7, place Pelletier,
52290 Eclaron
Tél : 03.25.94.74.99
Bakeries :
Les Délices de Chloé
3, place Pelletier,
52290 Eclaron
Tél : 03.25.06.97.61
Au Havre de pains
2 bis, rue du jeu de paume,
51290 Arrigny
Tél : 03.26.74.39.67
L'atelier de Laurent
Rue du Grand Der,
51290 Giffaumont-Champaubert
Tél : 03.36.73.35.17
Aux pains du Der
38 rue du lac,
51290 Giffaumont-Champaubert
Tél : 06.33.56.75.59
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