Gorges de l'Arly, Natural canyon between Flumet and Notre-Dame-de-Bellecombe, France
The Gorges de l'Arly is a narrow canyon in the Savoie department where the Arly River flows between steep rock walls. The walls rise on both sides of the water and form a tight passage through forested slopes.
Glaciers carved the canyon during ice ages and cut the valley deep into the rock. Meltwater continued the erosion and deepened the passage over thousands of years.
In the 19th century, spring snowmelt enabled the transportation of 5000 logs through the Arly River, supporting local forestry activities.
The road through the canyon runs close to the rock walls and closes often during rockfall events. Visitors should check traffic notices and travel during warmer months when the route is more stable.
The rock in the canyon contains micaschist and coal seams that erode easily and release new material into the river constantly. This composition makes the canyon more prone to erosion than other valleys in the area.
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