The history of the barrage begins in 1919 with the first study of the development of the Orne and its tributaries.

Over the 4 km of the St Aubert Gorge the bed of the river drops an exceptional 40 metres.

The narrow entry into the gorge coupled with a splendid natural basin widening out upstream permitted the planning of an ambitious reservoir scheme.

The lake at Rabodanges holds 6 million cubic metres and covers 95 hectares.

The barrage, 160m long and 17m high, can be seen from the view point on the right bank of the Orne, with access by a path on the left entering the site.