15 km from Méjannes-le-Clap, at the foot of the village of La Roque-sur-Cèze, ranked among the “Most Beautiful Villages in France,” the Cèze River has carved out channels and cavities that join together to form crevasses.
This is how the spectacular Sautadet waterfalls were formed. The river rushes into cavities carved into the limestone rock, forming water holes, potholes, and cauldrons. Over a few dozen meters, its level drops by 15 m.
These giant potholes are cylindrical cavities (some several meters in diameter) carved into the rocky riverbed by the swirling movement of pebbles. These limestone rocks are 5 million years old...
This site, which is really beautiful, is a popular swimming spot that attracts lots of people in summer. Be careful though, swimming is not allowed in the waterfalls because it's really dangerous. The strong currents and whirlpools created by the uneven terrain regularly cause accidents, sometimes fatal, among careless swimmers. The waterfalls are also known as “the Devil's Leap.”
Swimming is safe a little further downstream.
Above the waterfalls, you can see the foundations of a mill, built in 1881. On the left bank, a diversion canal carved into the rock is also a pleasant place for children to swim.
The name Sautadet refers to the Greek mythology of the Leap of Hades (god of the underworld). A local saying also goes, “At La Roque, the devil gets his comeuppance.”
Tourist Office
4, route de Pont-Saint-Esprit
30630 Goudargues
Tel.: +33 (0)4 66 82 30 02
http://tourisme.gardrhodanien.media/
Translated with DeepL.com
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