An easy and refreshing walk to the superb waterfall and its source. The site is accessible all year round and is particularly spectacular after periods of heavy rain or melting snow.
The waterfall is located in the forest, in a small valley. It is accessible on foot only. The nearest parking lot is the "Parking de la Cascade du Pissieu" (in the commune of Le Châtelard, on the road connecting the hamlets of Attilly and Le Villaret). Allow 1 hour for the round-trip walk.
Directions: From the Pissieu waterfall parking lot, the starting point is indicated by a sign. A path leads up the valley, passes near a guinguette (formerly a water martinet), and continues to the waterfall. A good trail with little elevation gain or loss. Return via the same route.
Other starting points are possible: from the parking lot of the Lescheraines leisure center, along the lac (allow 2 hours round-trip); from the main town of Le Châtelard (allow 2 hours round-trip). It is also possible to do a loop: starting from the Pisseu waterfall car park, passing by the waterfall then climbing to the heights and returning via the Chatelard lake (2 and a half hours).
Pissieu Waterfall forms just downstream from a source into which most of the rainwater and snow-melt drains into off the Margériaz Plateau. It is created from a karst resurgence of water from the so-called "Vauclusian source"; i.e. the largest source of resurgence water in the whole of France. Beneath the entrance to the source, a submerged underground network plummets to a depth of 50 metres before making its way back up towards the Margériaz Plateau.
Up to now, 79km of underground networks have been identified under the Margériaz Plateau, including the 'Tanne du Cochon' network, which has an elevation difference of 825 metres between its starting point on the plateau and its resurgence at Le Pissieu.
Directions: From the Pissieu waterfall parking lot, the starting point is indicated by a sign. A path leads up the valley, passes near a guinguette (formerly a water martinet), and continues to the waterfall. A good trail with little elevation gain or loss. Return via the same route.
Other starting points are possible: from the parking lot of the Lescheraines leisure center, along the lac (allow 2 hours round-trip); from the main town of Le Châtelard (allow 2 hours round-trip). It is also possible to do a loop: starting from the Pisseu waterfall car park, passing by the waterfall then climbing to the heights and returning via the Chatelard lake (2 and a half hours).
Pissieu Waterfall forms just downstream from a source into which most of the rainwater and snow-melt drains into off the Margériaz Plateau. It is created from a karst resurgence of water from the so-called "Vauclusian source"; i.e. the largest source of resurgence water in the whole of France. Beneath the entrance to the source, a submerged underground network plummets to a depth of 50 metres before making its way back up towards the Margériaz Plateau.
Up to now, 79km of underground networks have been identified under the Margériaz Plateau, including the 'Tanne du Cochon' network, which has an elevation difference of 825 metres between its starting point on the plateau and its resurgence at Le Pissieu.
- TipsTwo other acesses : park at the Outdoor Activities Centre in Lescheraines and make your way up to the waterfall via the lakes and pathways alongside the Chéran river (1 hour more), or, you can also make your way up to the waterfall from the village centre in Le Châtelard by crossing over the Chéran river by the 'Picot' bridge.
You can continue the walk by following the source of the waterfall up the 'Savoyarde' discovery walk via Le Villaret, Rossillon and Les Iles du Chéran
Don't miss the other geosites to discover such as the 'Tannes et Glacières' trail and the Tanne du Névé / Porte Cochère caving hike.
More information on hiking routes can be found in the guidebook section
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All year round daily.
