Puy des Goules, Extinct volcano in Orcines, France

Puy des Goules is an old effusive Strombolian volcano just north of the col des Goules, reaching 1,146 m. Its regular crater is 40 m deep according to the French source and 30 m according to the Italian one. On the cone's edges, bare patches expose reddish scoria where vegetation clings against the west winds, while the sheltered western crater interior is covered with shrubs.

Puy des Goules is a former effusive Strombolian-type volcano that, according to the sources, appears never to have emitted a lava flow. It lies just north of the Col des Goules in the Chaîne des Puys, within the Massif Central, and rises to 1,146 metres. Its cone retains a very regular crater, and reddish scoria shows through on parts of the bare rim.

The volcano is also called Montgoulède, a name used alongside Puy des Goules. Its crater has stayed open because sheep graze the volcanoes of the Chaîne des Puys, keeping scrub from closing over it. The rim shows reddish scoria where vegetation struggles against the west winds.

Multiple hiking trails lead to the summit, where visitors can take in views of the crater and surrounding landscapes. The routes are accessible on foot, with varying difficulty levels for different abilities.

The crater nearly disappeared under vegetation, but sheep grazing on the volcanoes keep it open, so its regular bowl stays visible. On the cone's edges, bare patches expose reddish scoria where vegetation struggles against the west winds, while the sheltered western interior of the crater is covered with shrubs.