Cascate di Lillaz

Below the hamlet of Lillaz, the torrent Urtier descends over rock steps in a chain of waterfalls. The sequence includes several cascades and deep basins set among prominent rock strata.

Why it matters

The Urtier's cascade sequence is a geological feature as well as a landscape landmark. The regional record describes a first modest drop, a second major plunge into a deep basin, an intermediate cascade and a third fall. Gorges and hollows excavated over centuries reveal how the mountain stream shapes rock. In winter, freezing cascades have also figured in the region's ice-climbing history.

What to notice

Visible bands in the rock strata frame the falls, while hollows along the channel record the torrent's long erosion of the bedrock.

Context and history

The falls belong to the Urtier, the torrent that drains the upper Cogne basin; their steps formed where hard rock bands resisted the stream's downcutting, excavating the deep gorges and potholes visible today. The site's modern history includes a geological park established alongside the falls. Winter freezing also made the cascades part of the region's ice-climbing history. The hamlet of Lillaz is one of Cogne's frazioni and forms part of its local landscape.