Photo : Rémih / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Cascade du Rouget
The Cascade du Rouget is in Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, in Haute-Savoie, in the Giffre valley, at about 1,000 metres' altitude. It is fed by the Sales torrent, which then joins the Giffre des Fonds. It is formed of several successive falls, and it is at snowmelt, when the flow is strongest, that it is most impressive: the water then bounces violently off the wall.
It is locally called the queen of the Alps. It was named the most beautiful waterfall in France in 2009, and the site is listed. It is, with the nearby Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval, one of the two major tourist sites of Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval. A small road lets you get close to it easily.
By popular tradition, it is credited with virtues of fertility and vitality: the old folk are said to have offered bottles of its water to newlyweds, although nothing confirms it scientifically. Take care nearby: the strong flow and slippery rocks have already caused accidents, so it is best to stay on the planned facilities and ask the tourist office.
