Gavarnie Falls

Gavarnie Falls (Grande Cascade de Gavarnie) is a high mountain waterfall located in the Cirque de Gavarnie in the French Pyrenees, within the Pyrenees National Park. It is one of Europe’s most prominent waterfalls and a landmark of the region.

The main drop is commonly given as about 422 meters in total, with water plunging from the rim of the glacial cirque and fed by snowmelt and mountain streams. The waterfall is set within the dramatic Cirque de Gavarnie, whose steep limestone cliffs form a natural amphitheatre several hundred meters high.

The falls and surrounding cirque formed through glacial erosion and ongoing seasonal runoff, and the site has long been a destination for hikers and nature observers. The area has been part of national park protections to conserve its geological and ecological features.

Gavarnie Falls is located in the Hautes-Pyrénées department of southwestern France, close to the Spanish border and accessed from the village of Gavarnie at the base of the cirque. The site sits in a high-mountain setting within the Pyrenees National Park.

• Height: The Grande Cascade de Gavarnie has a total vertical drop often cited at about 422 meters, making it one of the highest waterfalls in mainland Europe and France.
• Access: Best approaches are on foot from the village of Gavarnie and the nearby car park; the route into the cirque is a well-marked mountain trail of moderate difficulty.

What to See #

• Cirque de Gavarnie: A glacial amphitheatre known as the Cirque de Gavarnie, a steep-walled natural bowl that channels multiple cascades into the principal fall.