HISTORY OF A VOLCANO
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| Le Puy Mary
Puy
Mary, with its “horn-type”* pyramidal
shape is an emblematic peak in the Monts du
Cantal. It proudly dominates the other peaks,
domes and rocky outcrops that make up the largest
volcano in Europe. The name itself, Puy Mary,
comes from Marius, Saint Austremoine’s
disciple and Cantal’s first evangelist.
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"Puy Mary" SMPM
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As
a dome* of around 6.5 Ma, made from a build-up
of viscous lava at the top of the supply pipe*,
Puy Mary reminds us of a tumultuous and fascinating
past. Its pyramidal shape is the result of glacial erosion.
From its summit at an altitude
of 1787 metres, Puy Mary offers a breathtaking panoramic
view of seven glacial valleys
radiating out like a star: Santoire, Petite Rhue,
Mars, Maronne, Aspre, Bertrande and Jordanne. An orientation
table enables you to identify the surrounding relief
and even to see Mont Blanc on clear autumn days. Landscape
architects are not mistaken: “The purity and magnitude
of this setting belong to another world, another time.”
Alain Mazas (landscape architect holding a government
diploma).
The Puy Mary massif is
an exceptional spot of national renown (close to 600,000
visitors from 15 June to 15 September on this protected
site), offering a range of activities: walks and hiking,
mountain biking, sport and leisure pursuits, relaxation
and exploration. |
"Puy
Griou et Griounou" SMPM |
"Plomb
du Cantal"Sylvia Bonal |
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Le Puy Griou
Puy
Griou, a rocky dome reaching an altitude of 1690 metres,
possesses an impressive relief including scree-covered
slopes. It towers above the Cère and Jordanne valleys.
Puy Griou is made of phonolites,
a rock that characteristically splits up into 3 to 5
cm thick slabs that emit a resonant sound when hit (“phono”
= sound – lithe = stone, the stone that sounds!).
This rock was used as Lauze*
to cover the roofs of local dwellings. |
Le
Plomb du Cantal
The top of the Plomb mountain
is a former lake of lava now solidified
and set off by the erosion of its sides. As a remnant
of the most recent volcanic activity in the Cantal (3
million years old), Plomb is the culminating point in
the Cantalien massif at an altitude of 1855 metres.
It is the second highest
peak in the Massif Central behind Puy de Sancy (1885m
in the neighbouring Puy de Dôme department).
The Lioran resort, at the foot of the Plomb massif,
provides a range of summer and winter activities: skiing,
hiking, ice skating, etc. The ski lift takes to the
orientation table at the top. |
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