Discover what lies beneath the surface of Lake Charance thanks to this amazing floating exhibition, available to the public until November 4.
Romain Patoux, a free diver photographer, immersed himself in this sanctuary – usually off-limits to diving – to reveal to the public the species it harbors. Among them are the white-clawed crayfish, threatened in Europe after the introduction of its American cousin and also due to increasing freshwater pollution. In this protected area of Lake Charance, the species lives in harmony with others and flourishes freely.
In partnership with the town hall of Gap, Romain Patoux set up a rather original exhibition: 30 photos are placed on about fifteen small weighted boats that float on the lake and drift with the wind. Thus, walkers and joggers can discover a world teeming with life that they pass by every day without knowing it, and which had been hidden from them until now.
« I discovered freshwater diving much later than scuba diving, explains Romain Patoux, it’sstrange, more anxiety-inducing, darker, but life is indeed present and abundant. But it is also very threatened. It’s a different atmosphere one must get used to, but really captivating! Approaches are done differently, and even if the research areas are more limited, the visibility sometimes makes shooting very complex. My universe is water, whether salty or not. The creatures living in it fascinate and obsess me. »The exhibition « The Depths of the Lake » is accessible free of charge to the public until November 4, 2020. Domaine de Charance – Botanical Park – Hautes Alpes – GAP (05000)