Supplied mainly by the River Cure, it is situated in the heart of Morvan Regional Natural Park.

The reservoir was intended to regulate traffic on the Yonne River and help allow timber rafting to Paris.

The first surveys date back to the time of Louis XVI, but these were never completed.

The dam was constructed from granite rocks, hauled by cattle from the Breuil-Chenue forest, which was 15 mi (24 km) away from the lake.

Around 1920, the lake lost its main function since timber was no longer rafted to Paris due to wood's replacement by coal as a fuel source.