The best waterfalls in Occitanie

The Gavarnie Cirque hike is truly unforgettable. This massive glacial cirque, carved out by retreating glaciers, forms a gigantic semi-circular cliff “amphitheatre” about 6 km in diameter, with a vertical drop of up to 1,500 metres. It is also home to the highest single-drop waterfall (Gavarnie Falls) in Europe (423 metres).

We took a bus that passed through several small mountain villages, and after about an hour and a half, we arrived at the site.

The Pyrenees have no shortage of waterfalls, but few actually earn the title of a "great" one. Cascade d'Ars is one that does — a total drop of 246 meters over three tiers, once ranked by 19th-century Pyrenean mountaineer Henry Russell as the most beautiful waterfall in the entire range, rivaling even the famous Cascade de Gavarnie. I hiked it myself recently, and here's what the trail is actually like, for anyone planning the same trip.

Where it is and how to get there

Cascade d'Ars sits in the Ariège department, in the Couserans region of southwestern France, inside the Parc naturel régional des Pyrénées Ariégeoises. Administratively it belongs to Aulus-les-Bains, a small spa village. The trailhead is right at the edge of the village: follow the D8 road toward Col de Latrape for about 200 meters, and the first hairpin bend marks the start, with a signboard at the trailhead. Parking is free but limited — around twenty spots — so in peak season (July–August) it's worth arriving early, though there's overflow parking elsewhere in the village.