Back Again.

Howard and Tony returned for their third visit since we've taken over but in the 4 days they were with us the weather wasn't kind to them with very heavy rain but they kept at and did land fish so fair play to them. Lumpy put in another appearance and is putting on weight for the winter. Already they are talking about the next trip to us.

Anyone looking to book for 2025 needs to hurry up as April,May, June, August are sold out , we have a week in March, one in July and one the end of August into September and then a couple in October.

                                             Martin and Tom

We were pleased to welcome Martin and Tom who have been waiting a year to get here when they booked last September ! They have been an avid follower of what's been happening at Lac Cimes ever since booking and have already been rewarded withsome good fish, nothing smaller than 33lb. Hopefully a few more to come in the next couple of days !

                                             Anglers In and Out !

It's been busy the last few weeks so we were glad of a couple of spare days to get caught up as there was a tree to cut up in No Carp Corner, grass to cut and all the gite to be deep clean. 

Dave had a lovely week but just missed out on his target, he also had to contend with a very big storm when the lake rose 4 inches in a few hours and during this he had a double take ! so there was a very wet Dave. See you next April Dave.

Next we had great banter with Paul and Matt although it was only a 4 day trip both caught good fish and are returning next year for another few days when I know they will smash it. They just had it very warm so struggled a bit a couple of days.

I think nearly everyone has rebooked so we must be doing something right.

                                                   Good Angling

Danny and his family enjoyed a week with us the last 7 days and managed 14 fish in sometimes difficult conditions as the sun beat down some days.

He read the lake perfectly picked his spots and stuck with them, bite time seemed to be early mornings and half the fish came from the single tree on the road side using a hard light coloured boilie, more success was achieved using a pink one but not much on the yellow this week. Not much happened on the bloodworm bed but it's good to see fish coming from other spots.

We look forward to seeing Danny again next year. Two days off now until we welcome Ian for a few days with us.

                                                     Time Flies.

Where does the time go ? It's now 2 years since we took over Lac Cimes and it has flown by, there has been so many changes to the look of the place and the new fish stock levels are certainly keeping everyone happy.

Last week we had a great family staying with us for 4 nights, Luke, Nicola and family, Pete, Tara and Lucy all enjoyed the hot weather and the pool and hot tub are proving a hit. Luke and Pete both caught good fish with 39lb 10 being the best a new PB for Pete, Luke's best was a 37lb common but he's back soon hoping to smash his PB of 42lb. We had great fun all week and it seemed quiet when they had left !!

              Alan's Out For Revenge.

Alan and Lisa arrived late yesterday for Lisa's birthday week and Alan has to now beat the fish Lisa caught on the last trip here in January when she landed a 51lb fish just a few hours after setting up in -5 degrees conditions. Come on Alan !!

Those who follow us will remember the last trip they had when the camper van broke down and had to be recovered back to the UK. We put them up for a week after a chance meeting in a supermarket. 

                                  A Week Of Weather !

 Andy's few days with us was a mixed bag of weather with some nice warm days and then interspersed with heavy rain. The fish switched on unexpectedly one day with Andy netting 5 fish in 24 hours including Scar ! Overall he enjoyed his stay and learned a lot for any future visits. Eight fish landed in what was very difficult conditions.

Again a really top bloke and great knowledge on how to lure the fish to the areas being fished and excellent fish care. It was a pleasure having Andy on the lake and hopefully we will see him again soon.

           Andy's Off The Mark.

Andy arrived on an early flight from Stansted and after settling in and working out the lake got down to business in more than one way ! Work and fishing. He's off the mark with Spike at over 27lb and a nice mirror followed up a couple of hours later, so a good start to his part week. 

                   Weekend Break

We welcomed father and son Russell and Connor for two days on the lake and both were rewarded with new PB's catching four fish in the two days. Again great guests to have. It's been a quick turn around as Andrew arrives tomorrow for a few days.

                                               Friends Week.

We had friends over from the UK for a week so there was fishing mixed with trips out. Frank and Terry caught a total of 8 fish including 2 over 40 and 1 at 39 and a couple more 30's and 20's. In between sessions there was a very emotional trip to Oradour Sur Glane where on June 10th 1944  643 villagers where killed by the SS including children as young as 4 months old. The ruins of the village remain as it was on that day. Well worth a visit if staying near Limoges.

                                                       Record  Breakers .

Well James, dad Dave and grandson Arthur had a week to remember with all getting PB's and smashing a few other records. Fish everyday in sometimes trying conditions. Hitting the favourite spots worked to start with and then the fish moved towards the middle of the lake. Yellow wafters done the trick at the beginning and then manila bottom baits and finally a snowman  worked in the middle for several fish. Well done to everyone, it could have been more as there were several other runs and fish on. See the catch report page for individaul fish caught.

There were 2 x 50's, 2 x 40's, 8 x 30's, 10 x 20's

See you again next May.

                                   They Keep Coming !

The family are having a great time with already 12 fish landed and now a best of a 51lb3oz mirror, a new PB for James and still 3 full days to go. Trying one rod near the middle seems to be working as it's picked up a couple of fish so far.

                                                         A Family Affair

It's a real family affair this week with Dave son James and grandson Arthur. On the first day James had 3 best at 32lb8oz and Dave started with 2 fish best 27lb so a good start to the week. This is their third visit to us in just over a year. The usual yellow pop ups and wafters are doing the trick all placed over the far bank under the trees and along the road side, the single tree and the stump. Nothing out of no carp corner so far this week.

On the work front progress has been made on the new hot tub area, the new roof has been completed, next guttering and levelling up the floor before installing artificial grass and lighting. I reckon by the end of June we should be finished.

                                        Where Did That Week Go

The last week has flown by and we were sorry our guests had to go as we all had a great time. The weather for the first 3 days were difficult for fishing and then a change in the weather produced some great fish with Andy and Jay achieving new PB's. Andy's best of the week was a 40lb12oz common while Jay bettered his dad with a 41lb14oz fish. This meant an average fish weight over the week of 36lb. We did have a manic afternoon on Thursday when they had 3 takes at once so alarms were going fish being fought so a lot of excitement, then fish were boshing throughout.

After their departure on Saturday it was time to get on with some jobs over the weekend. Firstly we started work on the new hot tub building, the old roof has been removed and the walls cleaned ready for a new roof. Next job was to sort the drains out which have been a bit slow working but with a bit of digging and new pipe work put in place it's now all good. Sunday we decided to have a fish ourselves before resting the lake and managed 2 fish, a 24lb mirror one of the new fish put in January and a 33lb8oz mirror.

With no guests for 2 weeks we hope the fish will spawn and going by the activity today we might be right !

The picture below father like son !!

                                         Lovely New Guests.

This week we welcomes Andy, Marie and Jay for a week with us. Unfortunately the weather wasn't kind to them for the first 3 days but it looks better for the remaining 3 days. At least they have both had some action with Andy first off the mark with a 33lb5oz mirror under the far bank tree line and then Jay followed up with a 32lb15oz mirror and then a 41lb14oz one both were PB's so he's had two soaking's so far. The water temperature is rising slowly and today is 16 so hopefully they get a bit of action soon.

Again we are lucky to have such great guests at Lac Cimes and hopefully they will return in the future.

                   Thank You Olly Glad You Enjoyed Your 4 Days.

                                            More New PB's

We welcomed Rick and Sharon last week to Lac Cimes for a week on the lake and they were rewarded with new PB's as 5 of the 7 fish were above their previous best. The fish caught were 2 at over 40, 3 mid 30's and 2 high 20's. The weather was a bit up and down and the storm on Saturday evening was a bit of a shock as the lake rose a few inches !

The new lodge is proving a big hit especially in the rain. Rick found that wafters were doing the trick in one place and then when he moved positions a snow man done the business.

                                                   A Christmas Present

Wednesday afternoon Olly and Deeanne flew into Limoges where we collected them for their four day stay with us, it was Olly's Christmas present from Deanne.

After walking round the lake looking at the spots to fish and viewing the accommodation it was time to get the rods out.

By the evening the first fish was on the bank a lovely common named spike ! a great start and things just got better each day. He had 20's, 30's, 40's and to top it all a 51lb 4oz mirror a new PB for Olly.

So four successful days and already planning a return trip. The fish started being caught on Pineapple pop ups 12mm and then the three biggest fish were on a 12mm spicy red fish pop up topped with a manila flavoured one. A mixture of maize and pellet in the bait boat with a scattering boilies around each spot done the trick. Sticking to these spots throughout the week was the key to success.

We seem to be so lucky to have fantastic guests each week, thank you Olly and Deanne for making the four days such fun. Give our best to Mike and Trev when you see them and wind them up about not being in the 50 club !!!

                                        Birthday Fish For Dave

It was Dave's birthday on his last day with us and eventually got a fish as a present, a 37lb4oz mirror. This fish was caught by Stan last September at 32lb so has a weight gain of 5lb since then. Dave had another fish later in the night so ended on 13 for his few days with us. He's already planning to return at the beginning of September this year to get that lake record !

We had great fun with Dave, Chrissy and of course Reggie the talking dog ! and extra hands made the pool go up quicker. For those who follows what's coming out , the majority were caught on either yellow pop ups or double corn paste.

As you have read the pool is installed and is now filling so the next job is to start the hot tub building which needs a new roof and quite a bit of other work but hopefully will be completed in the next few weeks.

So looking at what has come out recently and the weight gain of the fish we have definitely made the right choice of pellets and have the correct feeding programme.

                                                  Fish and Houses

Barry ended up fishing a few hours each day after house hunting and landed 3 fish all commons with a total weight of just over 80lb so he was well happy and no doubt be back soon to look at more houses in our area.

After we said goodbye to Barry and Janette it was time to get strimming and grass cutting to get it tidy for Dave's arrival sunday. We also had to get the waders on to remove a few branches that could cause problems if a fish took off into the area, when removing we found lots of old line in the trees , bad casting I reckon !!

                                             Another Good  Review

I would like to thank Sammy and James.

At lac Cimes carp fishery. What a stunning place to stay everything looks brand new ..this has to be one of the best kept places I have ever fished .if not the best .I would highly recommend it to friends and family. And to anyone looking for a family fishing holiday. Very helpful. People. We only stayed for three days. And caught two fish .maybe would have have caught a lot more but the weather was against us. And may be a bit early in the season. I will definitely be going back this year with my partner..

                                                     A Quick Visit

We had Mike and Dave visit us for a few days unexpectedly and what stick they gave each other ! They did manage a couple of mirrors so went away very happy and are looking to return later in the summer. I have never known so much banter on a fishing trip.

Work is just about to start on the new plunge pool and straight after that the new hot tub building so no rest in sight ! We aim to have all projects completed by the end of May.

                                       A First For Lac Cimes

We had Terry and Fay staying over the last few days who had a fun few days and as it was a leap year Fay proposed to Terry who eventually realised what was going  on ( lol ) and said yes ! So congratulations to both, I reckon the stag party should be carp fishing Terry.

With no one here this week it's time to catch up on a few jobs, one being putting in proper beds and new mattresses in the chalet at the swim and if it dry's up tidy up the grass everywhere.

                                                     All Finished

The new swim chalet is now finished and ready for the new season. It is complete with two sleeping area's each with a bed ,sleeping bags and pillows and a large seating area with power points and lights so no need for cold damp bivvies !

Barry and Janette came back for a few more days house hunting and Barry fished between visiting local villages for houses and managed a 25lb8oz stocky caught on a spicy fish pop up.

                                                              Flights.

We now do transfers from Bergerac airport as well as Limoges as there are daily flights from Southampton to Bergerac, there is a small charge for this service. So now you can fly from Manchester, Stansted, Gatwick,  Bristol (June onwards ), Leeds Bradford and East Midlands to either Limoges or Bergerac. I hope this information helps everyone.

                                                  Catch Up

The last few days we've had Jody and Cameron staying with us as Jody had booked a fishing trip for Camerons birthday and he was rewarded with a PB common of 39lb6oz named scar who's been out a few times recently. 

Dave caught a third fish on his last day with us, a great job on the roof, thank you Dave.

With a clear week it's time to crack on with the new building, will keep you posted on the progress !

Due to a cancellation ( they are coming a different week ) we have a week available in march which is at a reduced rate as deposit paid. 

                   Another Very Happy Customer

Just like to thank pally and Ash for all their help this week after a shit start to the french trip we met an amazing couple in a supermarket who helped us out after our camper van broke down in France. They gave us some where warm and comfortable to sleep for a week and an amazing lake to fish although conditions were tough cold and snowing they still gave us the opportunity to try bag some incredible fish. And what an amazing fish I caught first night and only hours after setting up I caught an amazing 50lb 12oz mirror. It was far to cold to get into the water to hold and release the fish but under guidance of the owner we had her on the bank and she was incredible, without all of Sam and James's hospitality and kindness this would never of happened. We now have  an amazing new friendship and cannot wait to go back over for a planned trip to fish and spend some time in the warm weather hopefully catching fish and having an amazing time with them both. Thanks again to them both we really must of had someone looking down on us that day and what a special couple and complex we found in ❤️ Lac Cimes Carp Fishery

                                                    Jobs To Do

Before the season kicks off we have a few jobs that need completing over the next few weeks. We have started repainting the gite with the bathroom completed already. This we have to fit in around bookings for the gite. So bedrooms are next when it's available. The wood has been ordered for the new chalet at the swim so no more sleeping in the bivvies ! We are quite excited by this project as it will be a big improvement in all weathers.

We are looking into having a swimming pool ready for the summer months so another improvement.

The new fish were delivered early January and with the feed going in, the weight will be piling on, again these fish came from true wild virgin stock from a 100 acre lake so they will be hard fighting fish again.

                                              Supermarket Meeting

When doing the weekly shop you don't expect to come back with three new fishermen ! We bumped into Alan, Lisa and Ashley in the Intermarche who spotted our jackets with Lac Cimes on and asked about the fishery as they were looking for somewhere for a few days. They followed us back and couldn't believe their luck, as it was just what they wanted, they set up mid afternoon and by dark Lisa had a 50lb 12 oz mirror on the bank a new PB and then tuesday Alan had a 34lb 5oz mirror and this despite the freezing conditions. So come on Ashley !!

Even luckier was they had the use of  gite  as their camper van struck a machanical problem and had to be recovered.

                                                    A Happy Christmas

We wish all our clients over the last year as well as everyone who's looked at the website and facebook a very happy christmas and tight lines for 2024.

Every guest since we took over has been fantastic company to be with and whether catching fish or not all had fun and enjoyed the surroundings.

We've had some great highlights over the season, a 51lb fish the first week of the season in March, the common record went higher in May, bag totals smashed, to many PB's to mention and the fish are still piling on the pounds ready for 2024 so hopefully see you all again next year.

                                       Water, Water everywhere

We've had a lot of rain the last few days so it was a good job we cleaned all the inlets and outlets Saturday, everything was rodded through and new covers made to stop leaves and sticks finding there way into the inlets and blocking them. The lake has had a good flush through and any leaves on the lake quickly find their way to the outlets. 

The fish were fed again today with the usual mix of pellet, maize and boilies and not long after the fish seemed to be busy as there were quite a bit of fizzing.

The gite is ready for Barry's arrival for his five day trip and the weather looks like it could be quite good for him.

                                             What Are We Doing ?

Well with the season over people ask what do we do for three months. Well I can tell you there's not much time for fishing !

Take the last week, firstly we cleaned the roof of the gite and done a few repairs as well as cleaning the gutters and down pipes. Leaves are always being picked up when weather allows and then on the drive we had three dead trees to cut down and clear but more logs for next winter. All the bivvies have been dried  packed away and all the tackle has been cleaned and put on the racks. Our major on going job is cutting the reeds back around the lake as well as dragging the bottom to remove any snags, after two days we are half way round.

With all the rain all the inlets and outlets need cleaning every day, but all the time we are working we are learning more about the lake and fish movements as they have been busy boshing about every day. We continue to feed our mixture of maize, pellet and boilies so they pile on the pounds.

We still get gite bookings so there's always cleaning and washing to do. So that's been a busy week and more of the same this week but you never know what's cropping up next !

                 Wet, Wet,Wet.

Well it couldn't last, the dry spell has come to an end and we've had rain for three days with more to come. Still the lake has filled and the streams are running. 

Work still continue's and we have completed the clearing of the bank in front the house, another job ticked off the list, but there are plenty more to do. One of the biggest is the building of a new lakeside wooden lodge to replace the old open sided cover, at least this will be a bonus when the weather is bad and it won't means you don't have to sleep in the bivvies !

We have more dead trees to cut up in the woods, still firewood for next year.

We will keep you updated as we make progress.

                                               A Free Week.

After a hectic few weeks it's good to have a break to give the lake a rest and for us to catch up on some jobs. We've spent the day clearing a few branches from the lake edges which turned out with me getting a soaking !! I was cutting branches from the boat hanging onto trees when the boat moved and I ended up in the lake LOL !.

In 2024 we will be joining forces with Enigma Baits who are a company going places run by two entrepreneurs. The boilies and feed will be available in the UK and France so give them a try you won't be disappointed, we will keep you updated on all the product's available.

Weeks continue to be booked up for 2024 which is great so we must be doing something right. I might get a few hours fishing tomorrow if it's a half decent day as the lake looks in fantastic condition, we have a few jobs in the gite to do but should be able to fish aswell.

                                           Cheeky Session.

 What a couple of smashing blokes Stan and Mark, great fun to host and they both said they learnt a lot from their first visit to the lake so will be more prepared for their next trip to us in a years time.

After dropping them off at the airport I sneaked in a session on the lake and got rewarded by landing a 37lb 11oz common just before midnight, again on a pineapple pop up.

Today we welcomed back regulars father and son Ron and Barry for a week, hopefully they will get into a few over the next few days with the pressure due to drop.

We still have a prime week available 19th to the 27th of October as well as a week in November at a very reduced rate.

                                             Stan and Mark

Yesterday we welcomed Stan and Mark to Lac Cimes and it looks like it could be a fun week again. We showed them round and pointed out all the favourite places to try for a fish and i am sure it won't be long before they are into a fish as they have already had a good run. 

Howard and Tony our last guests have already been in touch about dates for next year so the diary for 2024 is filling up nicely, where as this time last year we were looking to our first clients on board. Our target remains the same not to fish the lake continually so the fish get a rest at least one week a month.

Tue, Oct 3 at 4:16 PM

Ryan Wales

2 reviews·6 photos

5 days ago

NEW

Me and a friend had a weeks stay at Lac Cimes and I can't speak highly enough about the place, the fishing and the owners; James and Sammi!
Between us we managed a good head of 20's, 30's and two 40's. Each fish was in pristine condition and fought like monsters!
The lake was exceptionally well maintained as was the gite, however we spent most of our time in the bivys and under the pergola which were provided along with any other tackle and equipment which you might need.
James and Sammi were fantastic hosts, You can tell both are very passionate about their business and as far as hospitality was concerned nothing was too much trouble, they brought us from and to the airport as well as other little errands to different shops.
James has fantastic fish knowledge and knows the lake inside out and won't hesitate to put you on the spots if you are struggling.

Wether or not it's your first and 100th trip to France I cannot recommend this venue highly enough.

Review

Tom Jenkins

Years Angling:5+PB:Carp38lbs

Lac Cimes truly is an incredible place. Sammi and James were fantastic to my friend and I from our initial enquiry to arriving at, fishing, and leaving Lac Cimes. Both were on hand for airport transfer, shopping, and any fishing-related advice you might have – let alone their pleasant company! James knows the lake like the back of his hand and will almost certainly put you on fish. To come away with several 20s, a few 30s and a couple of 40s (biggest 47lb) is testament to their knowledge of the lake, fish, and how to snare them – their care and respect for the fish keeps them in immaculate condition. The lake itself is a gem, set in beautiful woodland and full of various features to offer variety in fishing tactics. The facilities were spot on. The gite was equipped with every essential – a welcome package upon arrival comprising a few beers certainly places any apprehension around catching at ease – and the peg was pristine, with fixed bivvies and a pagoda to shelter from those unpredictable though at times welcome storms. We will most certainly be back and look forward to catching up with James and Sammi. The most welcoming, generous, and friendly hosts.

                                          Over The Rainbow

After the heatwave of last week the storms arrived in earnest with torrential rain sunday evening with at least 25mm falling in an hour. This all delayed Henry and Pat's departure as their flight home was delayed by an hour, it was good having my brother over as it helped catch up on some jobs. 

Tom and Ryan have got off to a good start catching four fish and they still have four days to go, the best being 40lb 12oz common and they managed to capture a complete rainbow over the lake the morning after the storm.

The local Quest managed to dig through the main water pipe when clearing the roadside ditches so we were off water for most of the day but I must give credit to them, when the repairs were finished everything was immaculate.

                                                   A Bit Behind

Its been a busy few days so got a bit behind with up dating the news page. 

Ian an Simon had a tough week with the sun out and temperatures in the high 30's still they both caught some good fish with both getting big common's. As Ian said one common spends more time on the bank than in the lake !! 

We had family arrive for a weeks stay which has been good for us, lots of laughs and catching up on news from the UK.

Mike returned for a couple of days and managed a couple of nice fish including a common of 37lb 6oz , again conditions not ideal being very warm and he's already planning next years trip.

Then today we welcome Tom and Ryan for a week so hopefully it cools down a bit !

                                                             One Year

Well where has the time gone, it's a year yesterday that we arrived at Lac Cimes to start our new adventure in France. We have had ups and downs which we expected in the first year and learned a lot and still learning ! 

We have had wonderful guests from our first last September, Ian and Simon who are back again in a couple of weeks, to Dan and Phil and families who left saturday and everyone in between. 

We would like to thank everyone who has helped us get this project off the ground to family and friends and the many people who have given advice and encouragement.

Work continues as we make improvements to the fishing and surroundings and we have many plans for the future. Also in the house we have now decorated 5 rooms so just a couple more to do before we start on the gite in the winter.

It's been great seeing people's faces light up when they get a PB, like Luke who achieved 4 including a 51lb fish and this was in March. Already six have confirmed bookings for next year and the others are just working on dates. We've even got a confirmed booking for 2025 !!

We like to give everyone the best experience possible and nothing is to much trouble, whether it's a lift to the town or just some advice on locating fish ! 

                          New Guests

The past week we have had Tim and Pauline staying with us in the gite and they have combined visiting local places like Oradour-sur Glane, Nexon and local markets with some fishing . The weather has cooled quite a bit to what it was, but it's still warm decorating again !! Longing to get another session in at the carp, might squeeze one next week as we have no guests although we do have a lot of jobs to do from deep cleaning the gite to cutting all the grass.

                             Updating

We have been busy updating some of the equipment as some bits and pieces were a bit past it. So we have purchased new slings, digital scales, new landing nets and some really nice rods and reels complete with pods and alarms, so no excuses now ! Any profit we make is being reinvested into the fishery to make it the best we possibly can as said before new stock has already been ordered for the winter.

                                                      A Quiet Week

With Adam returning home sunday and no guests till the weekend plus  Sammi being back in the UK for a week it was time to catch up on a few urgent jobs around the lake. Adam had a mixed week, what with the diversion of his flights and the weather changing daily it wasn't easy fishing although many other local lakes found the going tough as well, still he had a few fish and he has booked another week in July. 

July gaps are now filled so there is a space at the end of August and then a two week gap in October to fill.

We have been so lucky with our guests all have been easy to get along with and are true sportsmen and we would like to thank everyone if you have booked a week  with us or even just had a look at us, your support is appreciated. 

The 2024 diary is open and starting to fill so start thinking about that next trip to France, we are planning more improvements to make your stay even more fun.

                           Reminder

The 14th of July to the 23rd of July is still up for grabs nine days for the price of seven or just book the amount of days you require contact us for more details.  A good deal is available , the lake is not being fished the 2 weeks before as someone is renting the gite for a few days.

                                                     Cancellation

Due to a serious family illness to one of our repeat guests they have had to cancel so if anyone is looking for a week we have the following dates free, July 14th to July 23rd so you can pick between these dates. We wish them a speedy recovery and will see them at Lac Cimes soon.

Also we are offering day tickets on the weeks we have no guests as we have noticed very few lakes give this opportunity.

 Ian's other 3 fish from his week, the beard gets shorter !!

                                                            Let Down

It's annoying when you book someone in on trust and then they let you down, no phone call, email or message. It cost us a weeks money which is vital to us in our first season so it looks like we might have to change our policy in the future. Someone else could've taken the week which makes it worse but never mind you live and learn.

On a better note, thank you Ian and Christine for the lovely review and we look forward to your return in September to get more PB's !

Ian sent us some fantastic pictures of the night sky over the lake, I know he stayed up some nights just to get pictures of the Milkyway. You just don't realise what's out there until you see pictures of this quality. It's just not about the fishing at Lac Cimes we want everyone going away having a special memory of their trip.

We look forward to welcoming Adam next week so the fish will have had a fortnight's rest to get over spawning which should benefit him. Pop ups seem to be doing the trick either coconut, pineapple or almond.

                                                             Resting

With no fishermen this week the lake has had a rest and the fish can complete their spawning  in peace something they started a couple of weeks ago when it was warmer. It's given us the chance to clear three more trees around the lake which had died before they fell in the lake. The grass has been cut again, it really does grow quicker than in the UK ! 

We've got a group of french guests for one night friday and then it's a busy morning cleaning before our fishermen arrive saturday.

On another subject it's great that friends from the UK follow what's happening at Lac Cimes like Andrew and his family, who were great followers of our blog we done on the estate. Thank you for the card it was a lovely surprise.

So although the lake got a rest we never !!

Welcome

Today we welcomed Ian and Christine back to Lac Cimes, they were our first guests when we took over last August so we know we were going to have a fun week ! After picking them up from the airport and having something to eat Ian got the rods out and got set up and was fishing by 8-30pm, by 10-3o there was a mirror in the sling weighing 35lb so an excellent start to the week, picture to follow. 

Hopefully the weather will improve as the week goes on and the wind drops and the sun emerges from behind the clouds.

                                                            Internet

Last week we had fibre optic internet connected so it will improve your connection, we've tested it at the gite and lake and there is a good signal everywhere, so another improvement completed.

We have a free week until Ian and Christine arrives next Monday so it's a good chance to catch up on the jobs around the lake although it looks like it's a wet week. 

The water temperature had just got to over 70 and the fish last night started to show, lots of sploshing and cruising around. I might even get a session myself !

                                       Another Satisfied Customer

Thu, May 4 at 8:58 AM

Just back from our 3rd visit to Lac Cimes, this being the first under the new owners James & Sammie & I must say what fantastic hosts they were!

The weather was very hit & miss & the lake didn’t warm up much to get them feeding but all in all a very good week landing us 6 quality carp the biggest at 36lb.

Will definitely be booking again for next year need to get the home page picture back!!😂😂😂😂😂.

Once again many thanks James & Sammie, great hosts & great hospitality!

PS. Acko says hello! 😂😂

Howard and Tony

                                                      Goodbye, Hello

After a week with us Howard and Tony headed for home, real top blokes and never seen the gite left so tidy ! They have already enquired about another trip. 

We found out the benefit of having gaps between bookings as we were able to move our next guests Barry and Ron's arrival a day due to a strike by air taffic controllers and they can still have a full week as we don't have another booking until the 15th so it was brilliant to be able help them out. 

The water temperature is going up, as today it was 68 degrees fahrenheit where as last week it never got above 64.

Today a familiar marker for where it was a great catching point for the carp came down, the silver birch had been breaking down slowly recently but today it was down so it has now been hauled out the lake and cut up.

                                                       A Good Start.

Howard and Tony started with a 6lb 8oz tench and then a 36lb8oz common carp a real short fish but very wide and deep, both fish came from under the trees on the far bank , a regular catching place. A scopex 20mm boilie done the trick. The weather looks to improve for the rest of the week and hopefully more fish will follow. Howard and Tony have fished the lake many times before so understand how it all works where the gravel area's are and the shallow feeding places are so are looking forward to the rest of the week. So it's been good to have more information passed on, it all helps us build a better picture of the lake and help us know what else we need to do to improve it.

                                                      New Guests

This evening we welcomed our guests for this week Howard and Tony and we hope they have tight lines throughout the week. I think this could be another fun week as we have a mutual friend in Acko! It's a small world when you think we have moved over 500 miles south and a completely unknown guest books a week with us and chatting on the way back from the airport and it turns out we know a lot of the same people through football.

The lake looks good and the fish are moving more as the water warms up. We are still discovering things about the lake and the surrounding grounds, like finding more pipes that help fill the lake and in the woods there are overflow pipes and ditches that all need clearing. Still we will keep you posted on the progress.

                    Extra Availability

September 24th to October 1st has become available if anyone is looking for a week, the lake usually fishes well in september and october.

                                                        Rain Rain Rain !

Our guests for the last five days had awful weather for the last two of those days but it seemed to make the fish come alive with everybody going away with PB's although Dave's was some what different ! In five days 8 good fish came out and it could have been more with James loosing a good fish when the reel jammed and Dave having a couple more bites. The glass recycling dustbin was continually being filled !! Still another satisfied customer who we look forward to seeing again.

Now a deep clean of the gite as it's let out again for a one night stay of another repeat client so we must be doing something right.

                                                          New Guests

 We welcomed our new guests James, Darren, Dave, and family for 5 days fishing and enjoyment. I can see us having loads of fun with this group, the boys have already started catching a few small fish while the carp anglers have all got set up and started looking forward to catching a lump hopefully !! Although they got a good tench out.

We get more worried about them catching than the guests, the lake looks picturesque with the grass all cut the cowslips emerging and the trees are getting greener by the day. The newly planted trees have taken well and some have buds on, so all our hard work and improvements are starting to pay off.

Sam's tan is coming on with these warm days!

                                             A Quick Fishing break.

The last couple of days we've had a lovely couple join us for a fishing break and it was all about the rest and the fishing was a bonus !! Alan managed a 27lb common late sunday night which was an old warrior of a carp and the first time we had seen this particular fish caught, and Victoria enjoyed her time on the bank reading. This couple had a lot of experience running carp lakes and B&B's so it was a pleasure to chat with them and they passed on a lot of valuable information to help improve the Lac Cimes experience and it was great to hear when they left tonight they wish to return again later this season. Everyone who fishes with us we want your feed back so we can improve in the future. A picture of the fish will be sent so we can add it to the growing list of different carp caught.

                                      Work Continues

As the weather warms there is still plenty of work to catch up on until our next guests arrive next weekend. We continue clearing our way through the wood cutting up fallen timber and cutting the ivy away from the trees. Our aim is to have a nice woodland walk for people to use with plenty of wild flowers introduced and bird boxes for the nesting birds. The trees are already coming out in leaf !

The water temperature is rising and so are the fish as they get more active. It was good to secure another booking for this season so the gaps are filling up , we have a three week gap at a prime time if anyone is looking or know anyone looking for a week.

As it got quite warm today 22 degrees I reward myself with a couple of hours on the bank.

                                                  Friends

This week we've had friends Frank, lucy and Terry staying with us all helping to do a few odds jobs and fitting in some fishing although the weather has been a bit changeable. The fish have been active evenings sploshing about but they have proved difficult to make contact with. We took them to Limoges to Pacific Peche and Decathlon both good fishing tackle shops as well as taking the girls to the town.

We had a major problem with the drains this week but luckily it's all sorted now although not the most pleasant job!

Just a couple of weeks to let now to complete our target for bookings for 2023 and we have started to receive bookings and enquires for 2024. So get in quickly if you want a week !!

                                                 A Crazy Morning

Well what a crazy end to Lukes week with us with two more fish both PB's again and the first 50 of the new season both well deserved. It started with a 43lb4oz common which is a lake record common and then with him packing all his gear away the alarm went off again with a 51lb1oz mirror I am still buzzing and I am sure Luke is as well travelling home. The best bit for me was it was on my reel which is over 50 years old ! A good old mitchell.

 We Are Ready.

 After weeks of work we have got everything ready for our first guest of the new season. We look forward to welcoming Luke tomorrow and we hope he has a safe journey down to us. Yesterday we fed again a mixture of cooked maize, pellets and creamy boilies so another 7kg gone in. 

 The gite is all ready and the heaters are on ! 

 It's amazing when we look back all what we have done since taking over so i hope everyone will notice the difference although we still have a lot more to do. Some of the plans are to clear the undergrowth in the woods to allow the wild flowers to thrive although this is a long term project. We hope to plant a better barrier of trees on the east side of the lake. The drive and parking area needs some attention as well. We also intend to add 2 monsters next winter which we have already ordered.

                We Are Getting There.

With the season fast approaching we are nearly ready, today we cut all the grass and have tidied up round the parking area which needed doing as it dosen't give a good impression when you first pull in. Everything behind the swims has been cut back so everyone will get more sun when it appears ! 

All the gravel area's have been weeded today as well, the gite is ready after recent guests. The path around the lake is finished and another job we are doing as we go round everywhere is clearing the ivy from the lovely oak trees which are at least 100 years old.

So Luke we are looking forward to seeing you next weekend, I think we are more excited than you are.

                                                                           Latest update

Firstly the week that was available at the start of May has now been taken but there are still weeks available see availability page.

We've been flat out preparing for the  new season so we can offer the best experience possible. The gite has been busy lately with several one night stays all very impressed by the accommadation provided giving us excellent scores of nines and tens.

 The feeding of the fish has been stepped up slightly as we've had a warmer spell and the fish are definitely more active.

 It's hard to believe it's six months since we arrived to start our new adventure in France. The shock of redundancy after 33 years service hit us hard at the time but infact looking back it done us a favour as we now have a better way of life and not working 80 hours a week ! Although it hasn't been easy at times we've got through it and were told we would face a lot of problems in the first year. We have completed a massive list of jobs around the lake, in the gite and our house but we still have plans to implement.

We would like to thank everyone who has booked with us we really appreciate each booking and will go out of our way to make your stay an enjoyable one. Also thank you to the 4000 who have looked at the website please just bare us in mind for the future, we understand there is a lot of excellent venues out there and everyone is looking for different things. Times are hard for everyone at the moment but if we can help out we will.

 Tight lines everyone.

                                           Extra Dates Available

We've had a guest had to change the week he was coming to later in the year so we have extra availability in May. So if you know anyone looking for a week we have the following dates now free.

May the 1st to the 14th and the new date is the 27th of May until the 15th of June so just pick the days you want from the above as we are flexible on arrival and departure and don't fish the lake continually.

We have been busy preparing for guests with the purchase of another bivvy as well as more decorating. 

The new fish seemed to have settled in well and we are just starting to increase the feed going as they get more active as the last few days we have seen the fish come to the surface several times.

I have just completed new racking for rods, beds, chairs, bivvies etc all made from bamboo, why not use whats free !!

The Work Continues.

The work around all the property continues, most of the work around the lake has been completed, just a bit of tidying up to do. The weather has helped us catch up a bit and at least when it's dry I am not decorating !

We still have work around the gite to do to improve it further as well as the parking area. The woods all need a good sort out but this is all for the weeks when we've not got guests fishing. 

It's great we've got a few regular followers seeing what we get up to each week as there is always another job to do, at the moment we are looking for a ride on mower. 

We are just trying to get three more bookings for the season this would give us two for most of the months of the summer so if anyone knows anyone looking for a week , we would like to secure one more in May, September and October and if we can do a November week it would be a bonus.

New Stock Arrived At Lac Cimes.

We've had a very busy week at Lac Cimes with new stock arriving at the lake , here are just a few of the fish that went into the lake with fish to 30lb, beautifully marked common and mirror carp. We have named a couple, one is the Spooner and another is big Frank !

Another job we have been on is putting a track along the south side of the lake which was a bit dodgy to say the least with all the tree roots and it being on a camber.

As well as this we've had guests arriving to stay in the gite which was a last minute booking.

It's Snowed At Lac Cimes

We had a dusting of snow last nightand going round the lake early we could track what had visited us last night. A fox had come from behind the gite and went up and down the north bank, a pheasant had been busy as well strutting his stuff and a coypu had crossed the road to visit us.

It's a good job we ordered new heaters for the gite yesterday !!

Available Dates For 2023

We have the following dates available for this season,

April 15th to April the 22nd

May 1st to May the 14th

June 4th to june the 15th

August 18th to September the 3rd

September 11th to October the 1st

October 10th to October 30th

All of November

                                    Christmas Greetings To Everyone

We are back at Lac Cimes after 2 weeks in England and it's nice to be back in our home. We have now completed our long stay visas for staying in France. The whole of 2022 has been a time of highs and lows, what with redundancy after 33 years service and so having to move house as the house went with the job, loosing someone very close to me and then we had the high of finding our property in France but then had to deal with everything that goes with moving to France ! Then the blow of Sam's passport not being back in time to come with me straight away. 

The best thing that happened in 2022 was our marriage, we had a brilliant day with just a few family and close friends.

We've had to deal with a lot of other things since taking over the lake but at last we hope we have turned the corner and have now got some bookings for 2023 but we still have availability if anyone is still looking for a venue for next year.

So a merry christmas to everyone and lets all hope for better times.

Gite Updating.

We decided to improve the gite even more after our reviews for comfort on booking.com dropped from 10 to 8 so a new mattress has been installed. We also put some new lighting in the other bedroom, this room will also need updating soon when the budget will allow although we have already improved the bedding. 

The maize was cooked up to mix with the pellets and then the fish were fed in the usual places. 

The bookings for next year are slowly filling which is encouraging and we've just announced we have special winter deals for the next three months.

The days seem to fly by and we've not had chance for a fish lately !

This weeks news

It's been another busy week at Lac Cimes with three different groups booking the gite so we've had a lot of cleaning and bed changing to do but we are getting into a routine now and each of us know our jobs like Sammi does the beds and I do the toilets ! The good thing is the reviews and scores have been excellent with us getting 10's and 9.5'.

Finally i finished the leak in the lake, as the level rose with the stream now running again i found another one so it took a bit of digging out and sand bagging and then back filling to complete the job. Talking of leaks we've been up on the roof stripping of a large area and then repairing it in between the rain storms.

Lake repairs.

Today we said goodbye to our guests who arrived midweek who both caught fish the best being a 39lb common and a 30lb mirror as well as a few smaller fish, two real gents and sportsmen and left the gite immaculate. 
I spent the rest of the day repairing a small leak in the lake I noticed a few days ago, only a trickle but it needed attention, when finished you wouldn't had known any work had been done. 
Sam put her touch on the gite deep cleaning as we always do between guests and brand new bedding again! Having several sets of towels and bedding takes the pressure off her. 
So another busy day and never got to fish !

A very satisfied customer

We stayed at Lac Cimes mid September 2022 as the first guests of James and Sammi in their new venture. How fortunate we were, the weather was ideal & conditions perfect, as was the fishing with 4 PB's - 2 PB mirrors & 2 PB commons. We can honestly say the hospitality and genuine nature of our hosts was exceptional, nothing was too much trouble & we couldn't have been looked after any better. Our thoughts on anything that could be improved upon were also requested, duly noted & appreciated. This was our third visit to Lac Cimes and we can sincerely say our hosts made our stay the best, always available when needed to assist with any request with a smile, yet never intrusive. Lovely place and hosts, immaculate hard fighting fish all combined to make our stay a fantastic one. The non fishers did a little exploring to Chalus which is a lovely little village within walking distance, albeit along the road for a short part. Also Limoges is definitely worth a visit with lots on offer, James went over & above to drop off & collect. A big thank you to our hosts, a great place and holiday we thoroughly recommend. We will be back. 😊

Helping Out

We had a call to see if we could help with allowing two chaps with a few days fishing as they had booked in on another local lake and after 2 days without any hot water or proper beds etc they decided to call it a day and look for somewhere else and we were only to happy to oblige. Father and son, Ron and Barry are a lovely couple of chaps with Ron in his eighties! Barry set up and within a couple of hours had a common 39lb and Ron was happily float fishing missed a few bites and then got a cracking perch. Happy days. Just hope they get some sort of refund from the other place.

Dangerous trees

Today we started taking down trees that are quite dangerous as they are leaning towards the house. But it is good for firewood! We have several more to do that are over hanging the gite, one or two might need expert tree surgeons as they are quite large oaks and chestnut's. 
The weather was better than expected so we managed to keep going all day and although the lake looked perfect for fishing we managed to ignore the temptation to finish the job we had started.

Bookings

Bookings for next year are starting to come in for 2023 we have 3 weeks booked up now with a couple more just to firm up on dates. So don't delay if you want a specific week in case it goes ! 

Updating The Gite,

Sam has been busy updating the gite with completely new bedding throughout, curtains and towels and the bathroom has been redecorated so it's all fresh for new guests. Talking of new guests we have had a few overnight stays and have a couple more due next week which keeps us ticking over until fishermen arrive next season. Our first guests left  a really good review scoring us all tens !! 
The electric gates are now working how they should after needing some serious attention making the property more secure for us and our visiting guests.
Around the lake we continue to improve the bank for fishing and the levels have gone up due to some heavy rain the weekend. Crayfish are still being trapped as we struggle to control numbers. Every day we see huge carp leaping out the water especially around the bloodworm bed and kingfishers are sighted daily. 
We still have availability for fishing throughout October and November at special rates. Bookings are now being taken for 2023 and we have a confirmed party for next October!!

Simon and Ian's week's fishing.

Our guests have now departed after a successful week's fishing and wish Simon, Michelle, Ian and Christine safe journeys home. 
Simon managed 8 fish with a personal best common of 36lb 8oz and a personal best mirror of 47lb 6oz as well as two more over 40lb. 
While Ian achieved personal bests as well with a common of 37lb 13oz and a PB mirror of 45lb 12oz, as well as other mirrors over 27lb. 
We couldn't have asked for nicer guests for our first visiting party. All were good fun and enjoyed their stay at lac Cimes despite difficult fishing conditions at times. More pictures to follow soon of all the fish.

News from Lac Cimes.

Each week we will update this page with catch reports, weather conditions and general news from Lac Cimes.

Its been a busy week at Lac Cimes with a lot more clearing up being done with Henry's help as we prepare for our new guests arriving Friday and Saturday. The huge carp have been leaping out the water evenings which is exciting to watch. 
We had a huge thunderstorm last night with a heavy deluge of rain which has given the lake new life. We still have availability for October and early November whether it's for fishing or just an autumn break. Thank you for visiting the site and please do so again, for now au revoir!!

This week we welcomed brother Henry and his wife Pat who's come over to help with a few jobs and a spot of fishing! After landing at Limoges airport which is the easiest airport in the world to get through, land then within minutes you are in the van heading for lac Cimes ! After a relaxing evening Henry was up exploring the lake and couldn't resist a flick with a rod before breakfast and within an hour he had hooked a monster carp which he played for 10 minutes before the hook slipped out but we did get some good sightings of it and to think he was only going for a few roach ! So then it was onto bank clearing. More to follow.

We are now settling in well and getting the house how we want it, although at the moment we are lacking comfortable seating!!

The dogs are loving their new freedom although when we have guests they are confined to one area of the garden.

We have been dealing with all the French bureaucracy since moving in but are getting there, and learning the language!!

We are looking forward to welcoming more guests next week.