Cascade de La Lyre

Cascade de la Lyre is one of the waterfalls pouring down the cliffs of the Cirque du Fer à Cheval, the largest glacial cirque in the French Alps, within the commune of Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval in Haute-Savoie. Fed by a stream draining the western face of Pointe de la Finive, it drops in several distinct stages down the limestone wall, fanning out into thin parallel strands that resemble the strings of a lyre — the source of its name.

Where exactly is it located?

The waterfall sits inside the Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval nature reserve, part of the Giffre massif. Its water originates high on the western flank of Pointe de la Finive and works its way down the rock face in a multi-tiered fall before reaching the valley floor. It's one of roughly thirty waterfalls that spill simultaneously from the cirque's cliffs during snowmelt season, together forming the amphitheater-like curtain of water the site is known for.

Why is it called "the Lyre," and what makes it different from its neighbors?

Rather than dropping as a single solid column, the lower section of Cascade de la Lyre splits into multiple thin threads that fall side by side across the rock, an effect that visually recalls harp or lyre strings. It's often mentioned as one of the more visually distinctive falls in the cirque. It's worth being clear that this is a separate waterfall from both Cascade du Rouget and Cascade de la Pleureuse, which sit closer to the reserve's entrance and have their own separate character — they are not alternate names for the same fall.

When is the best time to see it?

The cirque's waterfalls, Cascade de la Lyre included, run fullest from mid-May through the end of June, when snowmelt from the higher slopes feeds the streams at their peak. Later in summer, as the snow reserves run out, flow drops noticeably across most of the cascades, and some of the thinner ones can shrink to little more than a trickle.

What happens to it in winter?

During the winter months the water freezes into an ice formation that draws ice climbers. The Fer à Cheval cirque, including routes near Cascade de la Lyre, is a recognized ice-climbing destination in Haute-Savoie, though winter access calls for proper equipment and experience given the avalanche risk and changeable conditions on the cliffs.

How do you get there?

The starting point is the main car park of the Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval nature reserve, from which marked trails lead into the valley, including routes toward Fond de la Combe and onward to Bout du Monde near the source of the Giffre river. The waterfall itself is best viewed from the valley floor or from higher panoramic trail sections — there's no path that climbs directly up to the base of the fall, since the terrain around the cliffs is steep and protected as part of the reserve.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cascade de la Lyre the same as Cascade du Rouget? No. They're two separate waterfalls within the same cirque — Rouget sits closer to the reserve entrance and is one of the better-known falls, while La Lyre drops further along, fed by the slopes below Pointe de la Finive.

Can you hike right up to the waterfall? It's mainly viewed from the valley floor or from panoramic trail sections; the ground around the cliffs themselves is steep and protected as a nature reserve.

How tall is the waterfall? Sources describe a drop measured in the hundreds of meters, spread across several stages — it's a multi-tiered cascade rather than a single vertical plunge.

Is it visible year-round? Not in the same form. It runs fullest in spring and early summer, weakens through summer, and freezes into an ice wall in winter.