Lake Gentau in the French Pyrenees Apr 5, 2026

Lake Gentau in the French Pyrenees

Ever wondered what a high-mountain lake looks like before the hikers arrive? At over 1,940 metres above sea level, Lake Gentau sits quietly in the Pyrenees of south-west France, its cold waters reflecting granite slopes and shifting clouds. Reached on foot from the Ossau Valley, the lake has long been a pause point for shepherds and walkers crossing these summer pastures. Look up and you will spot the dark volcanic shape of Pic du Midi d"Ossau nearby. Why does that peak matter? For centuries it served as a natural landmark guiding travellers through the mountain passes between France and Spain. Today it sits near the western boundary of the Pyrenees National Park. On calm days the surface turns mirror-still, reflecting sky, rock and the sharp outline of the Ossau peak. Not a bad reward for a mountain walk.

© MICHAUX Stéphane/Hemis.fr/Alamy

palette

Today in History

Apr 5, 2024The Bahamas
Apr 5, 2025Gaztelugatxe islet at sunset, Basque Country, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 12, 2024Arches National Park, Utah, USA
Apr 27, 2024Leucistic Annas hummingbird
Dec 12, 2025Spotted poinsettia
Sep 22, 2025Aspen trees, Fishlake National Forest, Utah, United States
Dec 1, 2023Jasper National Park, Canada
Sep 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
Dec 5, 2025Maya site of Copán, Honduras
Nov 3, 2024Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatán, Mexico
Oct 14, 2025Village of Oia, Santorini, Greece
Jul 12, 2025Thomsons gazelles
Feb 8, 2024Mount Hood, Oregon, USA
Oct 26, 2023Schönbrunn Palace Park, Vienna, Austria
Feb 22, 2025Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, United States
Sep 16, 2023Splügen Pass, Switzerland
Jun 3, 2025Bicycles on a bridge in Utrecht, Netherlands
Sep 21, 2023Inside the Nobel Peace Centre, Oslo, Norway
Jan 1, 2024Red fox
Jan 4, 2026Kings Mountain, Chugach Mountains, Alaska, United States
Mar 21, 2026Letea Forest, Danube Delta, Romania
Jun 11, 2025Greater flamingos
Dec 25, 2025Reindeer, Lapland, Finland
Nov 23, 2023Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands
Dec 21, 2025Dawn light through frosty trees, Sweden
Jan 9, 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
Feb 2, 2024Alpine marmot
Mar 1, 2025Aurora borealis over Spirit Island on Maligne Lake, Canada
Sep 8, 2024Abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou
Sep 7, 2025Gdańsk, Poland
Feb 12, 2024Galápagos tortoise
Jun 2, 2024Ploumanach Lighthouse, France