Contents
The Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval is the outing everyone in the Giffre valley will recommend. With children it takes a little planning: part of the site has been closed since a rockfall, and the trails are not all the same level. Here is what to know before you load the car.
What the site is really like
The cirque forms a limestone amphitheatre 4 to 5 kilometres across, with walls rising 500 to 700 metres. Above them the summits approach 3,000 metres — the Pic de Tenneverge tops out at 2,989 m. It is the largest mountain cirque in the Alps, and a listed Grand Site de France.
🏔 500,000 visitors a year — at 2 pm in August, you will not be alone
It sits at the heart of the Sixt-Passy National Nature Reserve, created in 1977, which covers 9,200 hectares. Ibex, chamois, marmots, golden eagles and bearded vultures all live here. With binoculars and a little patience early in the morning, children stand a real chance of spotting some.
A word about the waterfalls
The famous “thirty waterfalls” are a snowmelt spectacle: they appear between mid-May and late June. At the height of summer around ten remain. If you come in July or August, come for the cliffs, the river and the walk — not for a wall of water.
The one thing to check before you go: the Fond de la Combe
In September 2025 a major rockfall occurred at the place known as Pas Noir: more than 12,000 m³ of rock, with estimates running up to 30,000 m³. By municipal order, access to the Fond de la Combe sector on the left bank is prohibited as a precaution.
The good news: the heart of the site remains accessible via the right bank, and destinations such as the Bout du Monde, Prazon, the Boret and the Vogéalle refuge can still be reached by alternative routes. In spring 2026 the town hall of Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval published a leaflet setting out a safe family walk (1.5 to 2 hours, very little climbing) with temporary waymarking.
Call the Haut-Giffre tourist office on +33 4 50 34 25 05 the day before you go.— Two minutes that save an hour's drive to find a barrier
Three walks, by the age of your children
With a pushchair or children under 4 — the Frénalay loop
2.5 km, about 45 minutes, almost no climbing. The path is wide and flat, and manageable with an all-terrain pushchair. You circle the cirque with views of the cliffs and the remaining waterfalls. It is short, it is beautiful, and it is more than enough for a first taste.
Ages 5 to 8 — as far as the Prazon refreshment hut
Around 30 minutes' walk from the car park along a track, with very little climbing. The hut makes a natural break, which changes everything with small children: there is a reward at the end. There and back at an easy pace, with stops: 2.5 to 3 hours. This is the best-balanced option for a typical family.
From 8 or 9 — the Fond de la Combe
9 to 10 km there and back, about 300 m of ascent, 3.5 hours of actual walking. The path follows the Giffre, with boardwalks in places. Technically easy, but it is the distance that tires short legs. Continuing to the Bout du Monde, at the source of the Giffre, adds more time again — count on 4 hours round trip. Note: the left-bank route has been closed since the rockfall; ask about the current diversion.
| Route | Who for? | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Frénalay loop (2.5 km) | Pushchairs, under 4 | 45 min |
| Prazon refreshment hut | Ages 5 to 8 | 2.5 to 3 h |
| Fond de la Combe (9-10 km) | From 8 or 9 | 3.5 to 4 h |
Getting to the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval from the Hameau de Flaine
From Flaine you drop back down into the valley, then follow the Giffre valley along the D907: Taninges, Morillon, Samoëns, Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval. Drive through the village, then a further 6 km to the car park at the foot of the cirque, at 930 m. Allow about an hour.
Without a car, the Y94 Cars Région Haute-Savoie line serves Cluses – Samoëns – Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval; the nearest stop to the site is “Le Molliet”. Check the summer timetable before you set off.
Parking, food, and what to pack
The car park sits at the end of the road, facing the cirque. It is chargeable, with a ticket machine on site: around €7 per vehicle. Access to the site itself is free.
For food, there are two options in the area: the Prazon hut and the Chalet du Boret, both open in the summer season. Do not set off relying on them: water, bottles and a picnic in the bag is safer.
What to take: closed shoes (the path is stony), a fleece even in August — the far end of the cirque is shaded and cool — sun cream, binoculars, and something to carry your rubbish home in.
The reserve rules, worth explaining to children beforehand
This is a national nature reserve, not a theme park. The rules are simple and children take them on board well if you explain them in advance: stay on the marked paths, pick nothing, collect no stones, do not feed the marmots. Dogs are allowed on a lead as far as the Prazon hut and banned beyond it. Mountain biking is subject to time restrictions in high season. Drones are prohibited.
One piece of history that works well with children: in 1602 a rockfall buried several hamlets in the valley. A memorial chapel still marks it. The mountain here moves, and that is precisely why sectors are closed as a precaution.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Where | Fer-à-Cheval car park, 74740 Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (alt. 930 m) |
| Access | About 1 hour's drive from the Hameau de Flaine via Taninges, Samoëns, Sixt |
| Price | Site free · Car park around €7 per vehicle |
| Best season | Mid-May to late June for the waterfalls · September-October for quiet and wildlife |
| Best time in summer | Before 10 am — crowds and heat |
| Before you go | Haut-Giffre tourist office: +33 4 50 34 25 05 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval free?
Yes. Access to the site is free all year round. Only the car park at the end of the road is chargeable, at around €7 per vehicle.
Can you go with a pushchair?
Yes, on the Frénalay loop (2.5 km, 45 min) with an all-terrain pushchair. The longer trails need a sturdy pushchair, or better still a baby carrier.
From what age can children do the Fond de la Combe walk?
Technically it is easy, but 9 to 10 km is a long way for young legs. From around 8 or 9, for children used to walking, it works if you take the whole day.
Is the whole site open in 2026?
Not entirely. The Fond de la Combe sector on the left bank has been closed by municipal order since the rockfall of September 2025. The heart of the site remains accessible via the right bank. Check with the Haut-Giffre tourist office before setting off.
When can you see the waterfalls?
From mid-May to late June, during the snowmelt: more than thirty waterfalls then pour down the cliffs. In July and August around ten remain.
One last thing
The Cirque du Fer-à-Cheval with children makes a fine half-day, provided you pick the right route and start early. The rest of the valley is worth the detour while you are there: the Cascade du Rouget, an 80-metre waterfall, and the 12th-century abbey of Sixt are both a few minutes away. See also what to do in Flaine in summer with children and our guide to renting a chalet in Flaine as a family.
Your base camp in the Grand Massif
From the Hameau de Flaine, the Giffre valley is an hour away: Chalet Elodie is your home base for this kind of day out — 4 bedrooms, a garden, a south-facing terrace and the slopes a 2-minute walk away.
Check availability