Torsade de Pointes, domaine public, via Wikimedia Commons
Waterfalls · Haute-Loire
Cascade de la Beaume
The Beaume waterfall offers one of the most striking geological spectacles of the Haute-Loire, the water pouring in several parallel threads over a wall of basalt organ pipes inherited from the Velay's past volcanic activity. This prismatic column organisation, typical of slowly cooled lava flows, gives the fall an almost architectural regularity, reinforced by a natural basin that collects the water at the foot of the wall. The site, in the commune of Solignac-sur-Loire south of Le Puy-en-Velay, perfectly illustrates the volcanic heritage that shapes the landscapes of the Velay.
