The petrifying fountain

A natural curiosity is unique in the department. Formed by deposits of mineralised water, it features draperies of sparkling formations.
The Fontaine Pétrifiante is constantly evolving. Water and rock are key elements of the Guillestrois region. Here, the mix has created a very special site. In the early 1980s, part of the head broke off. But it is gradually being replenished by the addition of tiny limestone particles. This fragile yet uncanny waterfall is made up of two parts: an aerial water inlet channel ending in a spillway, and a large basin in which insects, twigs and leaves are trapped in the limestone. The Fontaine Pétrifiante is a geological feature resulting from the Durance fault. The fountain water comes from a thermo-mineral spring at around 22°C, rich in gypsum and limestone. When it comes into contact with the air, the carbonate-laden water creates strangely shaped formations that constantly evolve over time....