Demoiselles Coiffées de Pontis, Rock hoodoo formation in Pontis, France
The formation comprises approximately fifty rock columns, each capped by larger stone blocks resting on narrow pedestals of conglomerate material in the French Alps near the artificial lake of Serre-Ponçon.
These geological structures formed from Würm glaciation moraines, composed of heterogeneous, non-stratified conglomerate materials shaped by erosion over tens of thousands of years during and after the last ice age.
Local tradition interprets these geological formations as ladies wearing elegant hats, a reference preserved in the French name Demoiselles Coiffées used throughout the Serre-Ponçon region.
Marked trails from Pontis village provide access to observation points offering different perspectives of the columns, with interpretive panels explaining the geological processes and protective measures implemented to preserve the formations.
Each column maintains its form through the protective capstone, which prevents erosion while mineral salts cement the underlying conglomerate material, stabilizing the structure against weathering for centuries until the cap eventually falls.
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