Sketch map of the Auvergne region and the mountain ranges

The Auvergne is one of the 21 Regions of France. It comprises four départements, Allier (12), Puy de Dôme(63), Cantal(15) and Haute Loire(43). (The numbers are the département numbers and are the first two numbers of postcodes and appear as the last two numbers on car number plates).


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The Auvergne Volcanoes Park ("Parc des Volcans") stretches 120km from north to south and is 395,000 hectares in area. It is situated in the two départements - Cantal and Puy de Dôme. It comprises three distinct extinct volcanic mountain chains and two volcanic plateaux.

The oldest of the volcanic areas is the Monts du Cantal (highest point, Plomb du Cantal, at 1855 metres) with the younger Monts Dore (highest point, Puy de Sancy, at 1886 metres) to the north. Between the two mountainous areas are the two high volcanic plateaux of the Artense and the Cézallier. Even further north are the even younger Monts Dômes, also known as the "Chaîne des Puys" (highest point, Puy de Dôme, at 1465 metres).

Artense

Cézallier

The three mountainous areas are distinctly different in character, reflecting their different ages and the long term effects of glaciation and erosion. Monts Dômes is a chain of distinct volcanic craters and Monts Dore has many distinct craters and crater lakes. Mont du Cantal was a huge volcano and is now characterised by its many and varied peaks and its 26 radial glacial formed valleys.

Much more information on the geological and volcanic history of the Auvergne and Massif Central in general can be found in the website "Cantal Volcanic Views"