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:

Sep 7, 2025Gdańsk, Poland
June 12, 2026European bee-eater, Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, Cádiz, Spain
Dec 28, 2024Green sea turtle, New Caledonia
Mar 14, 2024Wat Phra Ngam, Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
Oct 31, 2025Bran Castle in Bran, Brașov, Romania
Feb 16, 2024Pyrrhuloxia bird
Apr 30, 2025Iguazu Falls seen from Paraná, Brazil
Oct 6, 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
Apr 24, 2026Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Aug 5, 2024Lavender field, Hertfordshire, England
Jan 10, 2025Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
Apr 9, 2026Sgwd yr Eira waterfall, Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, Wales
Sep 15, 2025Black-winged stilts, France
Nov 8, 2023West Indian manatee mother and baby
Oct 22, 2024Palazzo Zuccari, Rome, Italy
Jan 4, 2026Kings Mountain, Chugach Mountains, Alaska, United States
Feb 26, 2026Grand Canyon and the Colorado River, Arizona, United States
Oct 3, 2026Brown bear in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA
May 13, 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
Jan 23, 2024Maldives
Feb 27, 2025Polar bear cub, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
May 12, 2026Atlantic puffins, Wales
Apr 8, 2024European hedgehog
Mar 21, 2024Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda
Dec 12, 2025Spotted poinsettia
Nov 16, 2024Wadden Sea coast, Friesland, Netherlands
Jan 29, 2024Golling Waterfall, Salzburg, Austria
Sept 5, 2026Green-crowned brilliant hummingbirds in Costa Rica
May 27, 2024Baia del Silenzio in Sestri Levante, Italy
Nov 3, 2024Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve, Yucatán, Mexico