Chopine and Gouttes puys, Twin volcanic peaks in Puy-de-Dôme, France

The puys Chopine and des Gouttes are two nested volcanoes in the Chaîne des Puys. The puy des Gouttes, 1,134 m high, is a horseshoe-shaped ring of scoria open to the north, with gentle outer slopes cut by radial ravines and steep inner walls. Inside it rises the puy Chopine, a trachyte dome 150 m high and 600 m across at its base, reaching 1,181 m.

The puy des Gouttes is a scoria cone built 44,000 years ago, according to the French Wikipedia; the Italian version gives 30,000 years. Around 6550 BC a violent eruption opened a maar crater that destroyed part of the cone, leaving a crescent open to the north. A viscous trachyte spine then rose to form the puy Chopine, dated to about 9,500 years ago.

The name Chopine appears in records as Campina in 1313 and Choupina in 1370. The two peaks are climbed on foot from the surrounding pastures, and the granite slab on the south flank of the puy Chopine, 250 m long and 200 m wide, is a landmark to look for on the way up.

A marked hiking trail with blue blazes guides visitors over both peaks and takes about 2 hours to complete. The terrain is fairly exposed, so weatherproof clothing and sturdy footwear are advisable.

The two peaks are joined by a ridge that lets hikers move continuously between both crater structures in a single walk. This connecting feature sets them apart from other volcanoes in the region.