Chaîne des Puys, Volcanic mountain range in Puy-de-Dôme, France.
Description
The Chaîne des Puys is a volcanic mountain range in Puy-de-Dôme featuring approximately 48 cinder cones, 8 lava domes, and 15 natural craters across central France. The formation runs about 40 kilometers from north to south through the region.
History
The final volcanic eruption in this mountain range occurred around 4040 BCE, ending an active period that shaped the landscape visible today. Thousands of years before that, the various volcanic forms developed gradually through repeated phases of volcanic activity.
Culture
The mountain range earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2018 for representing continental breakup processes visible in its geology. Local communities and visitors connect this landscape to Auvergne identity and its dramatic volcanic past.
Practical
The highest point, Puy de Dôme at 1,465 meters (4,807 feet), is accessible via a rack railway operating daily from Clermont-Ferrand. Multiple hiking trails and viewpoints are scattered throughout the range, offering varying difficulty levels for all visitors.
Did you know?
The volcanic field contains maars, crater lakes formed by groundwater interacting with magma during eruptions and now filled with water. These water-filled features create an unexpected element within this otherwise rocky landscape.
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Puy de Dôme
32.9 km
Vulcania
36.6 km
Puy Pariou
35.7 km
Puy de la Vache
26.2 km
Temple of Mercury
32.8 km
Lac d'Aydat
23.2 km
Puy de Lemptégy
37.3 km
Puy de Côme
34.8 km
Puy de la Nugère
42.6 km
Puy de Lassolas
26.5 km
Grand Sarcoui
37.7 km
Puy de Clierzou
35.1 km
Puy des Goules
37.2 km
Chopine and Gouttes puys
38.1 km
Camp de la Fontaine du Berger
36.4 km
Puy de Vichatel
24.2 km
Le Grand Suchet
34.5 km
Puy de Louchadière
41 km
Manoir de Veygoux
47.1 km
Petit Suchet
34.6 km
Puy de Paugnat
44.5 km
Puy de Chaumont
38.5 km
Puy de Mercœur
27 km
Puy de Jume
40.7 km
Golf des volcans
35.3 km
Puy de l'Enfer
20.1 km
Puy de la Coquille
40.1 km
Puy de Charmont
23.4 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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