Les pertes de la Valserine

The Pertes de la Valserine are in the commune of Valserhône, in the Ain, just upstream of where the Valserine joins the Rhône. Despite their name, this is not a true disappearance of the river underground: it is a narrow canyon cut into limestone, whose walls reach about thirty metres high in places. The water seems to rush in and vanish, as it is hidden at the bottom of this deep cut.

Over time, the current has carved giant's kettles into the rock, those rounded cavities seen along the route. The site has been a protected site since 2 February 1937. Marked paths let you discover it from Bellegarde-sur-Valserine or from Lancrans. The setting mixes cliffs, undergrowth vegetation and fast water, with seasonal opening from spring to early winter.

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