Gignoux Lake

Gignoux Lake (2329 m above sea level), also known as the Seven Colors Lake, is located in France in the Provence-Alps-French Riviera region at the border with the Susa Valley (Piedmont) territory. The lake is in the French department of the Upper Alps, to the east of Mount Chenaillet (2650 m a.s.l.) and to the north of the Cerveyrette Valley.

Characteristics
The lake covers an area of about 2 hectares. The Cima Saurel (2449 m a.s.l.) and the Mount Gimont (2648 m a.s.l.) form the northern side of the lake and are part of the border with Italy. The lake is set in an arid landscape with a view of Cervières (1620 m a.s.l.), the Chaberton (3 131 m a.s.l.) and the Fonts Valley.

Geology of the lake
Gignoux Lake is located in a habitat formed by scree and moraine. With basalt and gabbro outlining an oceanic crust, a sign of a deep (3,000 m) and ancient ocean (150 million years ago): the Ligurian Tethys also called the Piedmont-Liguria Ocean (a paleo-ocean).

Fauna and flora
The site has 14 important plant species. Among these, 4 are protected nationally and 7 only in the Provence-Alps-French Riviera region:
 * Mud sedge (Carex limosa) -
 * Sweet grass (Hierochloe odorata) -
 * Aethionema thomasianum -
 * Lesser Bladderwort (Utricularia minor) - -
 * Water pesse (Hippuris vulgaris) -
 * Berardia (Berardia subacaulis) -
 * Rolland's bulrush (Trichophorum pumilum) -
 * Artemisia atrata -
 * Androsace septentrionalis -
 * The Alpine mock privet (Chamorchis alpina) -
 * Alpine water lentil (Potamogeton alpinus) -
 * Cardamine Plumieri (Cardamine plumieri) -
 * Two-stemmed carex (Carex diandra) -
 * Alpine rush (Trichophorum alpinum) -

Fauna of the territory
Among mammals, the most present species is the deer. Among nesting bird species, there are the Common Quail, the Ortolan bunting, the rock partridge and the black grouse.

Other works

 * Wikimedia Commons contains images or other files about Gignoux Lak