Bathing lake

Franzsee

Franzseebad (Mariensee)

A beautiful natural lake in the northwest of the Region Hannover

Please note:

Swimming is currently not permitted
(as of May 4, 2026)

The Franzsee has been used as a swimming lake since 1934. After a period of management by the municipality of Neustadt, the Franzsee Initiative e.V. took over responsibility in 1997 to preserve the lake as a swimming area. A wise decision, as the body of water, with its reed beds and water lily bays, has largely remained in its natural state. An idyllic spot enjoyed not only by families but also by young people, who play in the water with large inner tubes or paddle out to the pier on the opposite shore. Equally popular are the Bobby boats and the water trampoline.

Read the results of the bathing water analysis

Franzsee can be reached via the Leineradwanderweg or RegionsRoute 7 of the FAHRRADREGION Hannover. As part of the Garden Region initiative, the Franzsee Initiative has signposted the Mandelsloh-Amedorf circular hiking trail and installed two viewing platforms.

Infrastructure

Water area:
Swimming area with a dock, separate non-swimmer zone with a slide, separate wading pool with a slide; the water quality is good

Amenities:
Restroom, shower, changing room, lawn with mature trees; sauna

Activities:
Table tennis, basketball, volleyball, soccer; playground with a slide, tires, sandbox, and a mud table with a water pump; camping is allowed, but registration is required

Dining:
Kiosk offering light meals and partially covered seating; a barbecue area is available, but reservations are required

Interesting facts about lifeguards, watercraft and more

Other Activities:
Events by the Lake: Holiday Pass Activities, "Camping with Vampires," Lunch and Splash, Talk by the Lake, Italian Night (see the Franzsee website)

Barbecue/Camping:
Use of the barbecue area, including furniture, flat rate of €20.00
Camping for children per night, including admission: €5.00
Camping for adults per night, including admission: €7.50
Tent rental, SG30 (size 5 x 6 meters, no floor): €30.00

Lifeguards are always on duty during opening hours;
parking spaces are available

Franzsee Profile

The reservoir has a marshy character, with stands of reeds and patches of water lilies. The Seegraben, which flows into the Leine, runs through the lake. The body of water is surrounded by fields, meadows, and woods.

The Department of Health, as the responsible authority, conducts regular tests of the bathing water at the swimming area. The first water sample is taken before the start of the season. During the swimming season, from May 15 to September 15, samples are taken once a month. The water is tested for the indicator bacteria Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci. These results are published here and on the Lower Saxony State Health Office’s bathing water portal, among other places.

If the authorities become aware of the occurrence of mass proliferation of blue-green algae, the water is tested for blue-green algae and, if necessary, an official warning of acute occurrence of blue-green algae is issued. If large quantities of toxic blue-green algae are detected, a bathing ban is issued and published on site and on the internet.

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