Geomorphology of the Évettes alpine glacial landsystem: documenting the legacy of the Little Ice Age in the Western Alps, France

The end of the Little Ice Age (LIA) in the nineteenth century triggered glacial retreat across the Northern Hemisphere, leaving behind sediment-landform assemblages that preserve records of glacier behavior. Advances in high-resolution topographic data enable detailed analysis of these morphosedimentary records and their connection to glacial dynamics. This paper presents a geomorphological map of the Évettes Glacier forefield in the Western Alps, France. The mapping was produced using 10 cm resolution UAV photogrammetry and 40 cm resolution LiDAR datasets. Moraines, erratic boulders, glacial flutes, bedrock grooves and lineations, kames and other outwash deposits were mapped across over 1000 features, representing a comprehensive post-LIA retreat sequence. The geomorphological record indicates that the retreat of the Évettes Glacier was punctuated by stages of readvance and stillstand. The exceptional preservation and diversity of landforms suggest fast-flowing glacier dynamics and establish the Évettes landsystem as a key reference site for understanding alpine glacier behavior.