Mont Denise, Volcanic summit in Haute-Loire, France
Mont Denise rises to 892 meters between Espaly-Saint-Marcel and Polignac, with distinctive basalt columns reaching about 20 meters high. The area mixes volcanic formations with meadows and forests crossed by maintained hiking trails.
In 1844, archaeological excavations on the southern slope uncovered human fossils later known as Denise Man. This discovery made the area important for understanding early human settlement in central France.
The mountain connects to the starting point of the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route near Puy-en-Velay, which has shaped the region for centuries. This passage draws pilgrims from across Europe who follow ancient paths through the local landscape.
The mountain offers maintained hiking trails across meadows and forests with views toward Puy-en-Velay Cathedral and Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe rock. Plan to visit on foot and allow time for the climb and to explore the rock formations around the summit area.
The mountain hosts seven bat species in the Denise cave, with six designated as conservation priorities in European wildlife programs. These creatures use the cave systems for shelter and make the location an important refuge in the region.
Location: Auvergne
Location: Haute-Loire
Elevation above the sea: 890 m
GPS coordinates: 45.05813,3.85455
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:46
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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