Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval, Natural limestone cirque in Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, France.
The Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval is a natural limestone amphitheater in Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval in the French Alps. Near-vertical rock walls surround the valley floor in a closed horseshoe shape, creating a dramatic bowl-shaped valley.
Glaciers during the last ice age carved this horseshoe-shaped valley out of the surrounding rock. After the ice melted, flowing water and erosion continued to shape the steep walls that stand today.
The horseshoe-shaped formation inspired its French name, and it has long attracted explorers and walkers drawn to this remote mountain setting. Visitors today gather here to witness the raw geological drama created by vertical rock faces rising from the valley floor.
This site is best explored on foot, with walking trails of varying difficulty available. The best time to visit is after spring snowmelt, when water sources are accessible and paths are dry.
In June, over thirty waterfalls transform the rock faces into a flowing curtain when snow melts from higher elevations. This natural display exists for only a few weeks each year.
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