The area of the town ranges in altitude from ; three-quarters of its area are part of a natural reserve and completely uninhabited. The name Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval comes from the shape of the natural amphitheatre which, from above, looks like a horseshoe. Located in the Natural Reserve of Sixt, the Cirque du Fer à Cheval, classified a Grand Site de France is a destination for approximately 500,000 visitors each year. The heart of the village is the parish of the Abbaye. Sixt is divided into 12 parishes, along the two main rivers called Giffre des Fonts also called "Giffre-Haut", and Giffre du Fer à Cheval. The Giffre river, a tributary of the Arve, has its source in Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval, coming from a few hundred waterfalls in the nearby mountains. Four of the twelve parishes are located between the parish of the Abbaye and the Cirque du Fer à Cheval. The seven other parishes are located between the parish of the Abbaye and the Rouget Waterfall, in the upper Giffre valley. Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval is linked to the Samoëns' valley through one sole road. The highest mountain in the village, the Mont Buet reaches. Sixt shares borders with Switzerland and also Chamonix-Mont-Blanc. The village and its is recognized as one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, of which there are only five in all of the French Alps.
Mountain sports
Sixt is a year-round destination for adventurers, walkers, skiers and mountain bikers. There are trails and paths among alpine meadows, forests and waterfalls, including the Cascade du Rouget, "Queen of the Alps” waterfall, a 40-minute walk from the village. Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval is a winter sports resort. Part of the Grand-Massif ski resort, Sixt is a destination for skiers and proponents of other forms of alpine activities. A ski area which enables families of all abilities to access the 265 km of slopes of the Grand Massif resort – from beginner slopes to blue, red, black and off-piste. Sixt owns the longest ski slope of the Alps, which can be accessed from the Grande Platières summit above Flaine. This 14 km "Piste des Cascades" all the way down to Sixt, below, is a gentle blue run through meadows, iced waterfalls and forests, where it is possible to see chamois and alpine ibex.
