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LakeQuality

Lakes in Belgium

Find lakes in Belgium: 77 designated lake bathing waters classified under the EU Bathing Water Directive. 61 are rated Excellent for 2025.

The same country also has official phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi for 1 named lakes, sampled 2023. Those are nutrient and clarity readings, a different measurement from the Directive's bacteria class.

Updated 2025

Excellent: 61Good: 13Poor: 1Not classified: 2

Lake map

Map shows 78 lakes with coordinates

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Best-rated lakes to swim in Belgium

Officially classified Excellent for the 2025 bathing season, ranked by how often that class has held. Full best-lakes list →

  1. Beringen Paalse PlasExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  2. Berlare NieuwdonkExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  3. Brugge Sint PietersplasExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  4. Gent Blaarmeersen PeuterspeelkreekExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  5. Gent Blaarmeersen Strand-BadzoneExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  6. Gent Blaarmeersen ZwemsportzoneExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  7. Geraardsbergen de GaversExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  8. Hoogstraten de MostenExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  9. Houthalen-Helchteren de PlasExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  10. Jabbeke Klein StrandExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  11. Kasterlee de Hoge RielenExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  12. Kasterlee Korte HeideExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  13. Kinrooi de Steenberg (Maas)Excellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  14. La Vallée du RabaisExcellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons
  15. Lanaken Sonnevijvers (Grote Vijver)Excellent · Excellent 11/11 seasons

Every rated bathing water in Belgium

Named lakes

LakePlaceTotal phosphorusChlorophyll-aSecchiYear
De Gavers Lake—83 µg/L1.9 µg/L1.8 m2023

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Frequently asked questions

Which lakes in Belgium are best to swim in?
61 of 77 designated bathing waters in Belgium are rated Excellent for 2025 under the EU Bathing Water Directive. That class measures E. coli and intestinal enterococci only — it is not a safety clearance.
Is it safe to swim in Belgium lakes?
The official class is a bacteriological rating, not a safety clearance. It does not cover algal blooms, nutrients, water clarity, currents, or depth. Conditions change after heavy rain. Check local signage and the operator's current notices before entering the water.
How is lake water quality measured in Belgium?
1 named lakes in Belgium have official phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi from the Flanders Environment Agency (VMM), via UNEP GEMS/Water, 2023. These are the authority's own measurements, shown as reported.
Whose ratings do the Belgium lake pages show?
The publishing authority's own. Pages for lakes in Belgium show the values and classes that authority reports, with the season or year each was taken.

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Best lakes in Belgium

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Where to stay near Belgium

Lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Belgium — live availability from Booking.com, Vrbo and Expedia.

Top-rated places to stay near Belgium

Prices for Sep 25–27, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

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Source: European Environment Agency (EEA), Bathing Water Directive. CC-BY 4.0.

UNEP GEMS/Water Global Freshwater Quality Archive v3 (OPEN / CC BY 4.0). Surface total phosphorus, chlorophyll-a, and Secchi from 2016 onward. Published as the authority reports it.

Monitoring: the Flanders Environment Agency (VMM), via UNEP GEMS/Water.