Mont Denise, Volcanic summit in Haute-Loire, France
Mont Denise rises to 892 meters in elevation between Espaly-Saint-Marcel and Polignac communes, featuring basalt organs reaching 20 meters in height.
In 1844, archaeological excavations on the southern slope of Mont Denise led to the discovery of human fossils, now known as the Denise Man.
The mountain paths connect to the starting point of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route, which begins in the nearby town of Puy-en-Velay.
The summit provides observation points of Puy-en-Velay Cathedral and Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe rock through maintained hiking trails across meadows and forests.
The mountain houses seven bat species in the Denise cave, with six of them designated as conservation priorities in European wildlife protection programs.
Location: Auvergne
Location: Haute-Loire
Elevation above the sea: 890 m
GPS coordinates: 45.05813,3.85455
Latest update: June 23, 2025 11:08
France features a notable variety of protected natural areas, showcasing the country’s geological and ecological richness. From Lake Allos in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to the underground rivers of Padirac in Dordogne, from the mountain ranges of Savoy to the limestone formations of the Ardèche gorges, each region displays landscapes shaped over millennia of natural evolution. This collection gathers sites where nature is expressed freely: primary forests, karst systems, high-altitude lakes, moving dunes of the Atlantic coast, and rock formations carved by erosion. These areas provide diverse ecosystems, home to species adapted to different environments, from Alpine flora and fauna to dune communities and underground cave biodiversity. Each natural site in this selection serves as an open-air laboratory where geological processes, ecosystem dynamics, and living adaptation to local conditions can be observed. These sites invite discovery of authentic landscapes, removed from human impact, where geological time is evident in every rock formation and glacier valley.
Statue de Notre-Dame de France
2.7 km
Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe
2.4 km
Château de Polignac
1.3 km
Église Saint-Laurent du Puy-en-Velay
2.3 km
Basilica Saint-Joseph-de-Bon-Espoir d'Espaly-Saint-Marcel
1.4 km
Chapelle Saint-Clair d'Aiguilhe
2.5 km
Pannessac Tower
2.5 km
Statue of the Marquis de Lafayette
2.5 km
Église Saint-Martin de Polignac
1.5 km
Couvent de la Visitation du Puy-en-Velay
2.6 km
Château de Cheyrac
2.3 km
Hôpital général du Puy-en-Velay
2.6 km
Pont de Roderie
2.6 km
Fontaine des Tables
2.6 km
Hôtel de Monteyremard
2.7 km
Hôtel de Miramon
2.6 km
Logis des Rousson
2.6 km
Hôtel Jerphanion-Cambacérès
2.7 km
Hôtel de La Battut
2.7 km
Golf du Puy en Velay
2.1 km
Église de l'Exaltation-de-la-Sainte-Croix de Ceyssac
2.7 km
Pont d'Estrouillas
2 km
Maison de Guillaume Obrier
2.7 km
Maison, 51 rue Pannessac
2.6 km
Logis des Alix
2.6 km
Immeuble, 24 rue des Tables
2.7 km
Immeuble, 26 rue des Tables
2.7 km
Logis des frères Michel
2.6 kmReviews
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