It extends in the heart of the Lorraine Regional Nature Park. Madine Lake serves as a water reservoir for the city of Metz, as a wildlife reserve, and as a recreational area. It covers 2,718 acres (1,100 ha) under the supervision of Natura 2000 and the National Office for Hunting and Wild Fauna (ONCFS). With global warming, the lake has become a propitious site for the wintering of aquatic and migratory birds, such as ducks and common cranes. It is possible to watch them from the Pointe aux Chênes ornithological observatory.