Puy de Montchal, Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise

The Puy de Montchal rises to 1407 meters above sea level, featuring a crater with steep slopes covered in conifers and flowering meadows.

The volcano formed through a Strombolian eruption 7000 years ago, making it the most recent volcanic formation in metropolitan France.

The volcano stands within the Monts Dore massif, where local communities maintain traditions shaped by the volcanic landscape of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Visitors can access the volcano via marked trails from Besse, with a round trip taking approximately 90 minutes through the forest.

The crater measures 600 square meters and creates an unexpected clearing within the dense forest, surrounded by sharp edges marked by tree lines.

Location: Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise

Elevation above the sea: 1,407 m

GPS coordinates: 45.48778,2.88333

Latest update: June 23, 2025 11:07