Rock folding

The Arpenaz waterfall is the 3rd highest waterfall in France (270 m) and has been classified as a protected natural site since 1991 due to its geological importance. Rock folds deforming the geological structure can be seen around the waterfall and on the mountain range above the Ilettes lakes. These are known as schists, representing a type of rock rather than a specific type of natural stone. The schist rocks include irregular, textured and layered rocks. These folds are witnesses to Alpine orogenesis: the collision of tectonic plates that created the Alps.