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Mounts of Cantal

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Mounts of Cantal
Map showing the location of the Mounts of Cantal in the Massif Central.
Highest point
Elevation1,855 m (6,086 ft) at Plomb du Cantal
Coordinates45°03′32″N 2°45′41″E / 45.058937°N 2.761506°E / 45.058937; 2.761506
Geography
Map
LocationAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
Parent rangeMassif Central

The Mounts of Cantal (or Volcanoes of Cantal; French: Monts du Cantal [mɔ̃ dy kɑ̃tal]) are a mountainous massif in the mid-west of the Massif Central, France, made up of the remnants of the largest stratovolcano of Europe, which was formed from 13 million years ago and last erupted approximately 2 million years ago, reaching estimated heights between 3,500 and 4,000 meters.[1] However, the main part of the volcanic activity was concentrated between 8.5 and 7 million years. Thereafter, the original volcano was largely eroded, massive landslides occurred, and it was further eroded by glaciers and water.[2]

Geomorphology

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Relief map of the Mounts of Cantal

The stratovolcano of Cantal is the widest in Europe. It is roughly circular with a diameter between 50 and 70 km (30–40 mi). Its highest point is the Plomb du Cantal (1,855 m, 6,086 ft), located in the eastern part of the massif. Around 20 valleys have been formed in the range, radiating out from the centre and cutting the basaltic plateau into triangular pieces called planèzes. These valleys were occupied by glaciers during the last ice age, which explains their U-shape.[3]

Topography

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Main summits

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Landscape of the Mounts of Cantal

The mounts of the Cantal are composed of several summits, the best known being:

Economy

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A Salers cow in Cantal pastures

The major part of the economy is concentrated in the agriculture and in particular cattle farming. The local breed of cattle is the Salers cattle, raised for its meat and for its milk (to make Cantal cheese and Salers cheese).[4]

Besides this, there is a winter sports industry in le Lioran, the largest ski resort of the Massif Central.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Europe's largest stratovolcano".
  2. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-05-10. Retrieved 2016-04-16.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Les Monts du Cantal | Parc des Volcans d'Auvergne". Découvrir (in French). Retrieved 2024-04-04.
  4. ^ "AOP Cantal - Association des fromages AOP d'Auvergne". www.fromages-aop-auvergne.com. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  5. ^ à 09h22, Par Geneviève Colonna d'Istria Le 5 novembre 2023 (2023-11-05). "Facture énergétique : le cri d'alarme pour sauver le Lioran, la plus grande station de ski du Massif central". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 2024-04-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

See also

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