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In geology, a 'nappe' is a large sheetlike body of rock that has been moved far from its original position. Nappes form during continental plate collisions, when folds are sheared so much that they fold back over on themselves and break apart. The resulting structure is a large-scale 'recumbent fold'. The term stems from the French word for tablecloth.
Nappes or nappe belts are a major feature of the Alps of Europe. The concept was developed by the geologists who unraveled the complex tectonic history of the Alps. The Austroalpine nappes of the eastern Alps consist of a series of three thrust faulted ''nappe stacks'' which overlie the three older Penninic nappes in this very complex system.