A UNESCO-recognised tectonic showcase of volcanoes, rifting and inverted relief in central France.
Chaîne des Puys - faille de Limagne
The Chaîne des Puys - faille de Limagne is a natural region in the Puy-de-Dôme department of central France, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018 under the official name Haut lieu tectonique Chaîne des Puys - faille de Limagne. The site is recognised for its exceptional geological value, bringing together, in a relatively small area, a young volcanic chain, a major continental rift fault, and a striking example of inverted relief. Overlooking the city of Clermont-Ferrand and the Limagne plain from the west, the protected property anchors one of the rare natural World Heritage Sites in metropolitan France.
The landscape is shaped by a long geological story that begins with the erosion of an ancient mountain belt and continues with the collapse of the Limagne graben during the Alpine orogeny. The faulting weakened the overlying crust, allowing magma to rise and produce the iconic alignment of about eighty monogenetic volcanoes known as the Chaîne des Puys, including the prominent Puy de Dôme. Younger erosional forces, combined with regional uplift, have exposed older lava flows now standing high above the surrounding terrain as the inverted relief of the Montagne de la Serre.
Beyond its geological significance, the site is closely tied to the volcanic identity of the Auvergne region. It sits inside the Parc naturel régional des Volcans d'Auvergne, and its identity influences local architecture, mineral water production, spa traditions, and outdoor recreation. The Puy de Dôme itself is labelled a Grand Site de France, while nearby attractions such as Vulcania and the open-air Volcano de Lemptégy bring the region's volcanic story to a wide audience.
