The land of waterfall
The country of Waterfalls
Its geographical setting provides the Haut-Giffre with considerable precipitation. Added to the fact that the geological folds of this limestone massif converge on the valley of Sixt, this created a dense hydrological network that feeds many waterfalls.
The Rouget waterfall or the waterfalls of Sauffaz and la Pleureuse are the best known of Sixt, but you will find many others all around the village.
The Rouget waterfall
Gushing forth in two shelves from a height of 90 m, the Rouget waterfall well deserves the name of "Queen of the Alps" by which it is known. In spring, its flow can become very impressive. It's the "star" of waterfalls around Sixt! As you walk along the many hiking paths, you will discover many others, notably those of the cirque of Fer à Cheval.
The waterfalls of the Pleureuse (the mourner) and the Sauffaz
When you keep going after the Rouget waterfall, above the Lignon, you can discover another classified site: the waterfalls of the Sauffaz and of the Pleureuse. The waterfall of the Sauffaz is fed by the torrent of the small valley of Sales. The waterfall of the Pleureuse owes its name to the fact that its waters come from resurgences resembling running tears.
Other waterfalls
Some of the waterfalls from Fond de la Combe and Nant des Pères at the Fer-à-Cheval are fed by glaciers. Under the Corne du Chamois, beside the Méridienne, one of the highest waterfalls, the Pierrette (also called the Fountain of Gold) has to be mentionned. Beyond them, on the cliffs of the Fer à Cheval: the Joaton, Pissevache, the Lyre (one of the most beautiful), the Genette and, on the same torrent but upstream: Saint-Jacques, then the Citerne, Folly, the Massue... Further downstream, above the village of Brairet, the waterfall of Dard. In the small valley of Fond de la Combe: the Rejon, the Cage, the Scie, the Violon, the Gouille...
 |
Geological and geographical explanatory leaflet of the mountains of Sixt, in a vocabulary accessible to the general public. Illustrated with photos and diagrams.
Leaflet of 32 pages, for sale at the Tourist Office at a price of 3€. |
