Cirque de Gavarnie

It was described by Victor Hugo as "the Colosseum of nature" due to its enormous size and horseshoe shape resembling an ancient amphitheatre.

The largest is La Brèche de Roland, at 2,800 metres (9,200 ft) above sea level.

[1] According to legend, its sheer walls were cut into the mountain by the sword of the hero Roland, nephew to Charlemagne.

The Cirque de Gavarnie's uniquely immense size was likely caused by repeated cycles of glacial scraping over millions of years.

[1] A number of rare plants and animals live on the peaks at the upper rim of the Cirque de Gavarnie, protected on both the French and the Spanish sides by national parks.