Puy de Crouël, Dormant volcano in Clermont-Ferrand, France
Puy de Crouël is a dormant volcano on the eastern edge of Clermont-Ferrand, rising to about 427 meters (1,400 feet). It is built from pépérite, a volcanic rock formed when ancient lava cooled in a lake-covered landscape millions of years ago.
The Puy de Crouël formed between 15 and 20 million years ago, during a period when the surrounding land was covered by shallow lakes. Ancient tombs from the Bronze Age were found at its base, showing people have lived near this hill for thousands of years.
The site is reached from Rue Senèze, near the crematorium, where parking is available. The round trip on foot is about half a mile (1 km) and takes roughly an hour on a path of moderate difficulty.
Scientists once found bitumen mixed into the rocks here and believed it came from underground volcanic activity. It was later understood to have come from the remains of ancient sea life, left behind when a prehistoric sea covered this part of France.
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