The secret waterfalls of France

Far from the major sites, France hides hundreds of waterfalls that guidebooks forget: falls of a few metres at the bottom of a Vosges dell, tall Pyrenean waterfalls reached on foot, giant's kettles in the Jura, torrents of the Vanoise or tufa streams of the Doubs.

This selection of 24 little-known waterfalls takes you from the Vosges and Alsace to the Ariège Pyrenees, via the Jura, the Doubs, the Alps and Poitou. Most are reached by short, easy walks through quiet forests.

Their flow varies greatly: favour spring or the period after heavy rain, check access with the local tourist office and respect private property and the places themselves.