Acknowledgements

With particular thanks to Jean-Yves Gouttebel, President of the Local Council of the Puy-de- Dôme, and to the staff at the University and other experts who have contributed to this project:

Pierre BOIVIN, Benjamin VAN WYK DE VRIES, Eric LANGLOIS, Yves MICHELIN, A unifying

Olivier MERLE, © D. Pourcher

© D. Pourcher François-Dominique de la ROUZIERE, Frédéric TREMENT, regional project Laurent RIEUTORT, Contact details Alain GOURGAUD, Philippe LABAZUY, Institution Christèle BALLUT, Conseil général du Puy-de-Dôme his application proposal These thirty years of sustainable, Hôtel du Département Franck VAUTIER, 24, Rue Saint Esprit for the magmato-tectonic collaborative management of this 63033 Clermont-Ferrand cedex 1 Gérard VERNET, ensemble of the Chaîne des outstanding geological landscape have www.puydedome.fr Dominique DESCOTES, HERITAGE TPuys and the Limagne Fault to be accepted enabled it to preserve its integrity. This Coordinator Bruno PHALIP, onto the World Heritage List has been jointly application proposal to the World Heritage Cécile OLIVE-GARCIA, Dominique ORTH, compiled by the local council of the Puy-de- List aims to unite all the interested parties Head of Project, Direction of Evaluation and Projects Pierre LOISEAU, Dôme, the Regional Natural Park of the and the local population in order to: Email address: [email protected], Volcanoes of the Auvergne (PNRVA), the Telephone: 04 73 42 12 15 - Fax: 04 73 42 21 22 Antonella TUFANO, Philippe ROCHER, University of Clermont-Ferrand and the  make the universal excellence of this Graphic Designer Marc LIVET, local government of the Auvergne region, site more widely known; Rudy MOUTIER with support from the regional government Conseil général du Puy-de-Dôme Christian JAMOT, and the town of Clermont-Ferrand.  allow for social and economic Pierre VINCENT, development within the legal framework set Acknowledgements for photographs Claude BERANGER, The application is part of an ongoing up in 1930 for the protection of classified Eric LANGLOIS, Pierre BOIVIN, Benjamin VAN WYK DE VRIES, Olivier ROQUETANIERE, Olivier MERLE, Laurent MICHON, Denis POURCHER, Jodie WAY, des process to protect and highlight the value landscapes; Pierre SOISSON (cover photograph ), EAVUC, PNRVA, haîne Puys Christine MONTOLOY, Conseil général du Puy-de-Dôme C of this area, which began in 1977 with Gérard COLLIN,  Translation the creation of the PNRVA. In 2000 the favour sustainable local development and Christopher WOOD. Chaîne des Puys was added to the national based on carefully planned tourism; Frances VAN WYK DE VRIES Limagne fault list of Natural Monuments and Sites Printing (following a law established in 1930), then  develop national and international 1,000 copies - Imprimerie Decombat in 2008 it achieved the status of GRAND SITE scientific research on this major DE FRANCE®. volcanological and geological site. July 2010 WORLD HERITAGE © D. Pourcher

(Source: © EAVUC 2009) Application for the magmato-tectonic ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault

2 1 Identification of the Property

4 2 Description

2.a Description of Property 2.b History and development

14 3 Justification for Inscription

3.a Criteria under which inscription is proposed 3.b Proposed Statement of Outstanding Universal Value 3.c Comparative analysis 3.d Integrity and authenticity

22 4 Protection and management

4.a Factors affecting the Property 4.b Protection and management of the Property 4.c Management plan and key indicators for measuring state of conservation Identification Gour de Tazenat

1 ule valley of the Property Sio

Sillon Houiller

1.a Country: France

ASIA EUROPE 1.b Region: Plateau des Limagne NORTH Auvergne Region, Department of the Puy-de-Dôme AMERICA Pontaumur graben ATLANTIC Dômes OCEAN

AFRICA 1.c Name of Property: Magmato-tectonic ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys and the Limagne Fault SOUTH AMERICA

1.d Geographical coordinates to the Limagnefault nearest second: Limagnefault X = 0° 43’ 49,2852’’ - Y = 45° 42’ 4,2012’’ Chaîne des Allier River 1.e Maps and plans, showing the Puys Clermont- boundaries of the nominated property: Ferrand Written description of the boundary of the proposed Property: FRANCE Plateau The magmato-tectonic ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys de Gergovie Massif central and the Limagne Fault is around sixty kilometres from north to south, and around ten kilometres from west to east. The outline is delimited morphologically:

 to the north by the gour de Tazenat, which is the most northerly basaltic maar of the Chaîne des Puys;

 to the east by the fault escarpment which separates the plateau des Dômes, a crystalline horst, from the

Morvan sediments of the Limagne Plain;

 to the south-east by the Monts Dore massif, a Boundaries of the property stratovolcano dating from the end of the Tertiary Altitudes

Chaîne Limagne period which is cut by glacial valleys; Mont-Dore 1,886 m des Puys Limousin massif mont Dore Forez  to the south by the Pavin-Montchal-Montcineyre Cèzallier Velay volcanic complex, which is the most recent Cantal Devez manifestation of volcanic activity in the Chaîne des Margeride N Aubrac Vivaray Puys; Cévennes Causses 1,000 m W E  to the north-west by the Sioule river which initially Escandorgue runs northwards, then turns towards the north-west Lac Pavin S at the Pont-de-Menat.

50 Km

1.f Area of nominated property: 160 m ² 508,55 km 0 5 10 km

Source: E. Langlois, 2 3 CERAMAC, Clermont-Ferrand Plateau de Gergovie Plateau des Dômes

Laschamp lava flow Limagne Fault Lava flow from the puys de la Vache and Lassolas Puy de Dôme Sillon Houiller Lac Pavin

Gour de Tazenat 2 Description 2.a Description of Property

The structural-morphological The plateau des Dômes framework of the magmato- The plateau is composed of a basement whose tectonic ensemble complex evolution covered the period from the Topographic cross-section of the magmato- tectonic ensemble viewed from the east Palaeozoic to the Cenozoic (see also the section on the (Source: E. Langlois, CERAMAC, Clermont-Ferrand) he magmato-tectonic ensemble of the Background and development). In the Carboniferous, Chaîne des Puys and the Limagne Fault is around 350 Ma, the sedimentary rocks were Tthe result of successive geological events metamorphosed to form gneisses and schists during dating back to Palaeozoic times. These events the Variscan orogeny, which was accompanied by include major dynamic processes such as orogenesis Topographic cross-section of the magmato- thrust faulting. At the same time intense magmatic tectonic ensemble viewed from the north (mountain building), erosion, faulting and activity led to the intrusion of large granitic bodies. A (Source: E. Langlois, CERAMAC, Clermont-Fd) magmatism, and the end product we see today is an second wave of granitic intrusions took place in the impressive scaled-down model of the following Clermont-Ferrand area between 330-280 Ma (the structural geological features, all found within a Royat granite body dates from this event) which limited area: represented the final wave of Variscan activity. From The Sillon Houiller the Permian period, around 250 Ma, the Variscan  an eroded horst – the plateau des Dômes –; topography underwent erosion for around 200 Ma to The 250 km-long Sillon Houiller fault is the largest  a Carboniferous strike-slip fault – the Sillon Houiller –; form the peneplain onto which the Chaîne des Puys tectonic feature which crosses the Massif Central, and  a continental rift – the Limagne Fault –; edifices and their associated deposits were erupted. it separates the non-volcanic western sector of the  a rift graben – the sedimentary Limagne graben –; Decize Le Creusot The substratum outcrops at a number of locations massif from the volcanic sector to the east. Its  a monogenetic volcanic field – the Chaîne des around Clermont-Ferrand, and the planar surface of presence at the surface is marked by the Moulins Puys –. the horst exposes structures which were initially NNE-SSW alignment of discontinous Noyant created at depth, such as the granitic plutons. The Carboniferous pull-apart basins. The Sillon MONTLUCON Chaîne des Puys Plateau des Dômes plateau des Dômes is an uplifted horst between two Houiller formed as the uplift associated Sioule valley St Eloy Sillon Houiller Roanne Plateau de Gergovie tectonic grabens: the Limagne graben to the east, with the Variscan collision gave way to

and the Olby graben, which includes the collapse structures, creating a huge Limoges Limagne Fault Pontaumur CLERMONT- FERRAND Gour de Tazenat Sioule valley, to the west. The horst is up strike-slip fault which can be traced from LYON Lac Pavin Limagne graben to 1,030 m high whereas the Moulins in the north to Décazeville in the St Sauves Mont-Dore Massif Allier river Limagne plain lies at an altitude south, passing close to Saint-Eloy-les-Mines Brassac St Etienne of around 300 m. An E-W and Pontaumur in the Puy de Dôme. The W N cross-section shows that the fault can be detected down to a depth of a few BRIVE Argental Langeac S E profile is asymmetric, with a hundred kilometres, and the associated pull-apart steeper gradient on the eastern side basins are infilled with vegetation from the of the horst, facing the Limagne graben. Stephanian (the end of the Carboniferous, around This is due to a series of closely-spaced 300 Ma). This sedimentary infill bears a record of the Figeac Décazeville tectonic faults on this side giving a steeply various deformations which have affected the region

terraced aspect, combined with erosion of the over the last 300 Ma. Cévennes basin RODEZ sediments from the Limagne plain. On the western Najac side the profile is much gentler. Thus the valleys on ALÈS the eastern slope are both deeper and narrower as a Sillon Houllier strike-slip fault in the Massif Central result of this steeper gradient. (Source: P. Boivin, Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans, Clermont-Ferrand) 0 100 km Topographic cross-section of the magmato-tectonic ensemble viewed Neffiez from the southeast (Source: E. Langlois, CERAMAC, Clermont-Ferrand) Coal basin Sillon Houiller

4 5 0 2 4 km

Faille de Limagne Monts Dore Alps West Montbrison East are predominantly lacustrine, Sillon houiller Limagne graben Bresse Frontal Alpine thrust but the presence of thin Basalte Trachy-andésite Crust layers containing coccoliths 40 Trachy-basalte extension Moho (unicellular calcereous plates Lithospheric Trachyte 80 l er formed in marine conditions) erma osio mantle Th n Ro ot shows that there were at least s o 120 f th brief marine transgressions in e Asthenosphere A the Limagne area. lp 160 s This graben, where the 200 continental crust had been 240 thinned, was the site of intense volcanism, mainly basaltic, km over a period of 30 Ma

A sth SUBDUCTION (from the Oligocene to the enosp flux heric Eocene-Oligocene Quaternary). There are three 2 % 0,5 0 -0,5 -2 % main types of geomorphology present: 100 km Variation in the speed of P-waves  exposed volcanic necks, such as Mount Rognon;

Tectonic model  flat-topped hills, representing (Source: EAVUC, adapted from O. Merle, L. Michon and M. Granet) inverted relief of former valley- confined lava flows, such as the plateau of Gergovie; This major strike-slip fault has influenced the Limagne Fault and graben  rounded hills made up of peperite, such volcanism of the Massif Central, in particular as the puy de Bane. acting as a barrier to the zone of thinned crust The Limagne Fault separates the crystalline horst which, according to the “passive rifting” tectonic from the graben, and represents one of the three model of Olivier Merle and Laurent Michon (2001), major segments of the West-European Rift which The Chaîne des Puys, determined the location of the Chaîne des Puys flank the Alpine mountain chain. The three sectors An intracontinental monogenetic volcanics. are, from east to west, the Eger graben (oriented volcanic field ENE-WSW), the Rhine graben (oriented NNE-SSW) In this model the formation of the Alpine mountain and the grabens of the Massif Central (oriented N-S). The Chaîne des Puys is the most recent chain, resulting from the subduction of the Sedimentary infill in these three sets of grabens is manifestation of volcanism in metropolitan European lithospheric plate, was the prime cause mainly Oligocene in age (35-25 Ma), which shows France. Its activity spanned 95,000 – 7,000 ya Different types of lavas and flows, of the tectonic evolution and volcanism in the that the extension throughout this area was Central part of the Chaîne des Puys (Pleistocene to Holocene in age), which is brief in (Source: E. Langlois, CERAMAC, Clermont-Fd) Massif Central over the last 65 Ma, culminating in synchronous during the Tertiary. The extension geological terms. According to the classification of the formation of the Chaîne des Puys. was directly related to the formation of the Alps, the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Monogenetic volcanic fields rarely exhibit the full chemical range of magma types, and this crustal collision led to tectonic disruption Program the Chaîne des Puys is considered to be Modelled simulations of the tectonics of the region at a distance from the heart of the mountain chain, from basic to evolved, via intermediate dormant, and thus still potentially active, as the compositions. This is because their tectonic indicate the necessity of a vertical discontinuity resulting in the faulting in the granitic peneplain. most recent volcanic activity occurred within the setting generally precludes the formation down to a depth of a few hundred kilometres. This In the Massif Central region, the effects of the last 10,000 years. The volcanic field is relatively of shallow level magma chambers in appears to match well with seismic surveys which Alpine collision were manifested by generalised small (32 x 4 km in the central part), consisting of which magma can undergo differentiation. show a discontinuity down to about 250 km However, geophysical (seismic and uplift accompanied by faulting. The faults led to around 90 well-preserved edifices in a compact beneath the Sillon Houiller fault, but as yet there is the uplift of a crustal block, or horst, now known as aeromagnetic surveys) and petrological alignment from the maar de Beanit in the north to data for the Chaîne des Puys volcanics no confirmation of its presence (O. Merle, pers. the plateau des Dômes, with simultaneous the puy de Montenard in the south. indicate the existence in this region of two com.). downthrow on either side of up to 2,000 m to superposed levels of magma chambers. The create the Limagne graben and the Olby-Sioule There are two peripheral groups which lie 10-20 km deeper level lies towards the base of the crust (between 25-30 km in depth), while the basin. The sedimentary deposits in these basins away to the north and south: the gour de Tazenat upper level is at a depth of around 5-15 km. and the Pavin group, respectively. The Pavin group

6 7 Educational and Scientific Aspect

he study of the Chaîne des Puys in the The birthplace of volcanology 18th century laid the foundations for Ta new scientific discipline, now known The foundations for the scientific study of as volcanology. In addition to this, a number volcanoes were laid down in the Auvergne during of internationally renowned experiments and the 18th and 19th centuries, making this region a scientific discoveries have taken place in this region, historical centre for the emergence of the new which still remains an important educational site. discipline of volcanology.

Jean-Étienne Guettard (1715–1786) Jean-Etienne Guettard, curator of the Natural History collection of the Duke of Orléans, was the first to publicise the volcanic nature of the Chaîne des Puys. In 1752 he published a Memoir on the various mountains of France which he interpreted as having been volcanoes, based on the association of form and process. This was the first geomorphological approach to landscape. In addition he proposed that these mountains were potentially dormant rather than extinct, which  Basalt: provoked perhaps the greatest controversy in the history of geology. 8 Chaumont, 11 Fraisse, 14 Traversin;  Trachybasalt: 1 Louchadière, 2 Jumes, 4 Coquille, 7 Gouttes, 9 Goules, Abraham Werner (1749-1817) & James Hutton (1726-1797) 15 Petit puy de Dôme, 16 Nid de Poule;  Trachyandesite: In the second half of the 18th century the scientists allied themselves to one of two 5 Nugère, 12 Pariou; opposing groups, the Neptunists and the Plutonists. The Neptunists were led by the  Trachyte: German, Abraham Werner, who argued for a sedimentary origin (either marine or 3 Chopine, 6 Sarcoui, 10 Clierson, 13 Petit Suchet lacustrine) for basalt, while the Scot, James Hutton, led the Plutonists and interpreted the lavas as having initially been molten basement material which was subsequently thrown out of volcanic craters and solidified as it cooled. The Chaîne des Puys range, looking north from the puy de Dôme, (Source: © EAVUC 2009)

Nicolas Desmarest (1725-1815) has the youngest deposits of the Chaîne des Puys, profiles, making it possible to distinguish and th dated at around 7,000 ya. The majority of edifices recognise different lava types through the The naturalist, Nicolas Desmarest, spent time in the Chaîne des Puys at the end of the 18 century, and increased the number of volcanic edifices recorded from the three identified by Guettard to are classed as monogenetic, following the landscape, as shown in the figure above. Thus this over sixty. He drew up the first geological map of the Chaîne des Puys and Monts Dore Massif, which terminology of Alfred Rittman (1962), as they are volcanic chain, whose human scale allows it to be was published in 1780. He belonged to the Plutonist camp, and he succeeded in demonstrating that the basaltic features observed were not marine in origin, but primary lava features. He identified the product of a single, generally ‘short’ eruption observed without difficulty, contains in miniature three volcanic ‘epochs’: recent, older, and oldest volcanoes. His application of stratigraphic and (a few days to a few months duration). They an exceptional range of all the major volcanic geomorphologic principles to the study of a volcanic terrain was very innovative. represent an exceptional grouping of varied phenomena: volcanic forms, showing very little erosion due to Déodat de Dolomieu (1750-1801) their young age in geological terms.  ‘primary’ edifices: cones, domes, protrusions, tuff rings, maars, crater lakes; Dolomieu was a geologist and mineralogist who compared the volcanic activity of the Chaîne des Puys to molehills in which the mole “works away underground and pushes earth, taken from a Using the international nomenclature (I.U.G.S., Le  eruption structures: nested craters, breached layer underneath, out onto the fields at the surface” (1798). During his trips around the region Maitre, 2002), the Chaîne des Puys volcanics have he showed that the different volcanic rocks came from different sources, which he placed craters, twinned craters, collapse craters, feeder been grouped into four principal types which are beneath the granite layer, rather than being a direct result of granitic fusion as had previously pipes, dykes; been postulated. This represents the first coherent model for the composition of the Earth. recognisable in the field: basalts, trachybasalts, trachyandesites and rhyolites. The chemistry of  specific volcanic features: fissure volcanism, the rocks is alkaline and weakly potassic, and valley-confined lavas, inverted lava plateaus, small Léopold von Buch (1774-1853) flood basalts, lava tumuli, emptied volcanic necks; overall there are almost no breaks in the “Would you like to see volcanoes? Go to Clermont rather than Vesuvius or Etna”. Thus spoke the differentiation series from alkali basalt to quartz-  volcanic deposits: ash, lava flows, pyroclastic German geologist, Leopold von Buch, who justified his statement by explaining that the products bearing trachyte, passing through hawaiites, of these active Italian eruptions hid what lay underneath, whereas at Clermont the volcanic deposits. products flowed/fell onto the adjacent plain. Von Buch travelled widely, his destinations including mugearites and benmoreites. These different Vesuvius, the Alps, the German mountains, the Scandinavian islands, the Hebrides and the compositions give rise to characteristic edifice Canary Islands. He came up with a theory in 1802 to explain the origin of domes and other craterless volcanoes after visiting the Auvergne. He broadened this hypothesis by introducing the notion of the structures being ‘uplift craters’ (1819), and publication of this work proved contentious enough, once again, to divide the European geological community.

8 9 George Poulett Scrope (1797-1876)

The Englishman, Scrope, after studying the volcanic rocks of Vesuvius, Etna and the Eiffel region, visited the the Auvergne several times in the 1820’s, culminating in the publication of his classic Memoir on the geology of Central France, including the Volcanic formations of Auvergne, the Velay and the Vivarais (1827), illustrated with his own maps and engravings. The revised edition was published under the title The Geology and extinct Volcanoes of Central France in 1858, and became very popular.

Maurice and Katia Krafft (1946-1991 and 1942-1991)

In the 1980’s it was the dream of the famous volcanologists, Maurice and Katia Krafft to create a European volcanology museum in the heart of the Chaîne des Puys. This became a reality in 2002 with the opening of Vulcania, a European centre for Volcanology, which Aerial view of the Chaîne des Puys seen from the north, with the Limagne Fault hidden by clouds houses a large part of their private collections. (Source: J. Way)

An important site for other natural Ongoing research and physical sciences Throughout its long history, the Chaîne des Puys the lead in most of the recent work on the region, has continued to be the focus of numerous research and coordinates the projects deriving from around In addition to the volcanoes, numerous scientific clouds derive from two main weather systems: one projects, mainly under the guidance of the ten international collaborations. discoveries and experiments have been carried out from the maritime westerly winds originating in Laboratoire Magmas et Volcans at Clermont- in the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault region, the Atlantic, the other from north/northeasterly Ferrand, of which the Volcanology group has taken and it remains a reference site for scientific winds originating in the relatively more polluted monitoring and teaching purposes. north and central Europe. These contrasting weather systems give rise to varied meteorological University Country of origin Topic  Pascal and atmospheric pressure: and environmental conditions. The importance of One century before Guettard’s discovery of the this site was emphasised in 2008 by the purchase United Kingdom / Lavas from the puy de Côme: study of the structure and Edinburgh / Reykjavik dormant volcanoes, the French mathematician, of a wind tunnel for research purposes, which Iceland texture of the lava flows doctor, philosopher and theologian, Blaise Pascal, allows clouds (water droplets and ice crystals) to Edinburgh United Kingdom Inverted relief, erosion and uplift around the Chaîne des Puys carried out his famous vacuum experiment be sampled in small quantities under natural between the summit of the puy de Dôme and the conditions. New Mexico Highlands United States Dyke intrusions and lava flows at Royat and Lemptégy town of Clermont-Ferrand. This experiment aimed Sweden / Incorporation and dissolution of xenoliths at Beaunit and  Uppsala / Durham to shed light on the concepts of pressure and a Magnetic reversals: United Kingdom Lemptégy vacuum, and was based on the work of Torricelli on The head of the Observatory of the puy de Dôme Evolution of basaltic scoria cones: relationship between the atmospheric pressure. from 1900 – 1909, professor Bernard Bruhnes, Arizona United States emplacement of lava flows and the growth of scoria cones discovered the presence of magnetic reversals  Recording station for absolute gravity and preserved in the Earth’s rocks. In 1905 Bruhnes Tucuman Argentina Morphometry of the Chaîne des Puys the Observatory on the summit of the Puy de carried out observations on local volcanic rocks Comparison of the volcanoes of the Chaîne des Puys with those Prague Czech Republic Dôme: which enabled him to prove that lava was capable of the Bohemian Massif The measurement of ‘absolute gravity’ is vital in of recording the Earth’s magnetic field. He was Structure of the tephras deriving from the scoria cones of the the detection of movements of the Earth’s crust thus able to show that the polarity of the magnetic Gant Belgium Chaîne des Puys and its internal structure. The puy de Dôme is a field had reversed several times in the past. The site for the recording of reference measurements current polarity is towards the north, and carries due to its central location within France, its the international term of the ‘Bruhnes period’. In distance from the ocean and the important 1967 N. Bonhommet and J. Babkine discovered gravimetric difference between the base station that the lava flows of Olby and Laschamp in the (Cézeau) and the summit, where there is a Chaîne des Puys had retained the record of a recent difference in altitude of over 1,000 m for a magnetic anomaly in which there was a partial horizontal distance of 10 km. reversal of the magnetic field, which had not previously been recognised elsewhere. This unusual  Meteorology: phenomenon is now known as the ‘Laschamp This discipline has an ongoing link with the summit event’, and has since been identified at five other of the puy de Dôme, whose altitude makes it an points in the world in sediments of marine or Left: acid maar, lac Pavin. Right: dome of the puy Chopine enclosed by the cresent-shaped cone of the puy ideal place from which to observe clouds. The lacustrine origin. des Gouttes(Source: © EAVUC 2009)

10 11 2.b History and development c. th Millions of years STRATIGRAPHIC COLUMN 18

The geomorphological variety present within the c.

QUATERNARY Homo sapiens nd 2 magmato-tectonic ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys 2

PLAISANCIAN Glaciations eruption? Next

PLIOCENE ZANCLIAN Homo habilis 6 and Limagne Fault results from the combined MESSINIAN Proto-humans 4,500

TORTONIAN Formation Alps effects of the main structural processes which Graben

SERRAVALLIAN of the Red Sea interact on the Earth, namely orogenesis, erosion, Mantle melting and magma formation LANGHIAN Subduction HOLOCENE 7,000 BURDIGALIAN of India ALPINE period Late rifting and volcanism. The major stages in this lac Pavin Birth of modern volcanology

AQUITANIAN under Asia Eruption 23 region are as follows:

CHATTIAN Anthropoides 10,000 27 Limagne Fault STAMPIAN OLIGOCENE 34 CÉNOZOIC  Continental collision in the Palaeozoic which 11,000

BARTONIAN Separation ago years 10,000 0 AD Present time 39 LUTETIAN of Australia created the Variscan rocks (metamorphic and Pyrenees Chaîne des Puys

EOCENE YPRESIAN and Antarctica granitic rocks of Carboniferous and Permian age, PALEOGENE NEOGENE Puy de Dôme THANETIAN Expansion 32,000 Magma Chambers Construction of the Temple of MercuryConstruction of the Temple

of the mammals Middle ALPINE period 350-250 Ma) which now form the basement to the

PALEOCENE DANO-MONTIAN QUATERNARY

65 Sillon Houiller MAESTRICHTIAN Extinction 72 Chaîne des Puys; 40,000 CAMPANIAN of dinosaurs provenance from an unknown Tephra 83 SANTONIAN and  Formation of the Sillon Houiller fault, after the 95,000 CONIACIAN ammonities UPPER PLEISTOCENE

88 volcano Lemptégy TURONIAN Primates Variscan folding, which cuts across the Massif 91

CENOMANIAN Formation of activity paroxysmal Second 95 Central from north to south, passing close to ALBIAN the North Sea

107 excursion Laschamp APTIAN Pontaumur. Basins along the fault were infilled CRETACEOUS Start of activity in 114 activity paroxysmal First BARREMIAN 114 with vegetation-rich sediment at the end of the des Puys Chaîne the HAUTERIVIAN

119 LOWER VALANGINIAN Flowering plants Carboniferous (Stephanian, 300 Ma); 11-3 Ma 11-3 Ongoing uplift, heat flux still higher than average, ongoing mantle melting mantle ongoing average, than still higher flux heat uplift, Ongoing 2 Million years ago 2 Million years

BERRIASIAN des Puys: Chaîne activity in the Last known Cantal volcanism Cantal volcanism 130  Destruction of a Mesolithic site by the puy Chopine PORTLANDIAN Formation 200 Ma of erosion starting from the Permian NEOGENE

KIMMERIDGIAN of the Sedimentation 140 and continuing through the Mesozoic period, which 15 Ma OXFORDIAN South Atlantic

150 Rifting CALLOVIAN Birds completely modified the Variscan topography. By 158 MESOZOIC

BATHONIAN Mantle uplift the end of the Mesozoic there was a peneplain CENOZOIC 30 Ma 170 of volcanism Onset Early ALPINE period

BAJOCIAN Massif Central in the 178 AALENIAN which forms the current Plateau des Dômes; 181 JURASSIC Sedimentation

TOARCIAN PALEOGENE 35 Ma

189  Limagne Fault PLIENSBACHIAN Pangea Uplift and rejuvenation of this plateau in the

195 division to leading 40 Ma LIASSINEMURIAN DOGGER MALMsouth due to MIOCENE the formation of the Pyrenees 201 HETTANGIAN the Alps the 204 First mountains, and to the east due to the formation of Uplift of Onset of rifting of rifting Onset

RHETIAN ago 65 Million years FOLDING mammals Austria Rifting : Formation of the Limagne Fault and graben and Fault Limagne of the : Formation Rifting des Puys Chaîne of the creation the and Mantle melting KEUPER the Alps (Palaeocene – Eocene – Oligocene); Fault Limagne the 220 Pyrenees and Sillon Houiller Graben

MUSCHELKALK Break-up of Pangea CRETACEOUS

233 TRIASSIC BUNTSANDSTEIN First  245 Dinosaurs Period of extension and crustal thinning related THURINGIAN SAXONIAN Glaciation to subduction beneath the Alps (West European AUTUNIAN Conifers PERMIAN 290 rifting), leading to the break-up of the granitic STEPHANIAN S MESOZOIC WESTPHALIAN Reptiles basement and the formation of the Limagne graben JURASSIC (Source: B. Van Wyk de Vries, Laboratory Magmas et Volcans, Clermont-Ferrand) Laboratory Magmas et Volcans, de Vries, Wyk (Source: B. Van NAMURIAN Early Alpine period Uplift led to the initiation of to the east due a mountain chain the African, to the collision between Spanish and European plates. 320 (Oligocene, 35-25 Ma); VISEAN Insects TOURNAISIAN CARBONIFEROUS  Sedimentation and marine incursions into the 360 Eruption

FAMENNIAN Amphibians ergne HERCYNIAN v

FRASNIAN Limagne graben, with the region lying close to sea TRIASSIC 375

GIVETIAN Au

level; COUVINIAN Ferns 385 EMSIAN Appalachians Asturias Brittany Acadia the  Granite

DEVONIAN End of rifting (25 Ma), thereby avoiding full

SIEGENIAN Bony Fish ago 245 Million years

continental break-up and the installation of a new of

GEDINNIAN

400 Sillon Houllier Formation of the Plateau des Dômes peneplain Formation LUDLOVIAN Land chain mountain Variscan of the Erosion PALEOZOIC sea; 600 WENLOCKIAN plants Collision the mountain chain PALEOZOIC Large-scale faults cut faults Large-scale SILURIAN LLANDOVERIAN  418 Chaîne des Puys volcanism, which is located CARBONIFEROUS

ASHGILLIAN Glaciation history

425 CARADOCIAN outside the zone of crustal thinning (Pleistocene to l 438

LLANDEILIAN Jawless fish ca Asthenosphere Crust Holocene, 95,000 – 7,000 years ago). Lithosphereic mantle LLANVIRNIAN Before Formation of the basement of the Formation Continental collision, with ocean, closure of the former of the leading to the formation mountains. Due to the Variscan intensity of the collision there was a degree of continental crustal melting leading to the creation of granitic bodies within the crust, and eruptive activity volcanoes. of huge 470 existed ARENIGIAN mountains Variscan of the Formation Orogenesis: NWEWE CALEDONIAN 475 ORDOVICIAN TREMADOCIAN 495 the Auvergne POTSDAMIAN Geologi ACADIAN Shelled Geological timescale

animals Baikal Ardennes Scotland (Source: International Commission on stratigraphy, UISG)

CAMBRIAN GEORGIAN 600

12 13 3.b Proposed Statement of Outstanding 3 Justification Universal Value for Inscription The serene beauty of the landscape of the Chaîne Thus the site comprises an eroded mountain des Puys is composed of around 90 small volcanic basement, a Carboniferous strike-slip fault, a normal edifices whose diversity contrasts with that fault and a monogenetic volcanic field. 3.a Criteria under which normally associated with a monogenetic, aligned volcanic field. There are three factors which are The geological eminence of this magmato-tectonic inscription is proposed used to define a volcanic province: age, chemistry ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys and the Limagne and structural context. The Chaîne des Puys Fault has been recognised since the 18th century. It he proposed property corresponds to  Criterion vii: presents a unique combination of these three has subsequently aroused interest in the scientific several aspects of criteria (vii) and (viii) Areas of exceptional natural beauty characteristics. community on an international scale, and is one of Tof the Operational Guidelines for the  The numerous individual, vegetated edifices of the birthplaces for modern volcanology and Implementation of the World Heritage Convention: the Chaîne des Puys together form a harmonious The Chaîne des Puys ensemble is distinguished by an historical science. Far from having exhausted and picturesque landscape, their linear alignment unusual and paradoxical association of a boundary subject matters for research, the complex geology of highlighted by the Limagne fault which runs fault, the Limagne Fault, with an alignment of the Chaîne des Puys continues to attract researchers parallel, and means that they dominate the volcanic edifices which appear to parallel it, despite from around the world, and is also a valuable adjacent plain. the fact that classic tectonic scenarios have the learning ground for school children and the general magma rising where the crust has been public. In addition to the volcanism, numerous  Criterion viii: preferentially thinned. In addition, all the basic scientific discoveries and experiments have taken Significant on-going geological processes in volcanic forms are represented in the Chaîne des place in this region. the development of landforms Puys, this uniqueness being due to the differentiated  The Chaîne des Puys represent a type of nature of the lava which has given rise to the visual Conclusion variation in the shapes of the volcanoes. This landform which is unusual in western Europe. In The Chaine des Puys, which comprises a large chemistry, which is outstandingly rich given the addition they display almost the entire range of number of volcanic edifices grouped together geodynamic continental rift context, results from a lava compositions, which is rare given the within a relatively restricted geographical area, complex system of magma chambers. However, it is geodynamic setting, and constitute overall an aligned parallel to the Limagne Fault, is an the arrangement of the edifices within the Chaîne exceptional example of the major volcanic impressive example of intra-continental fissure des Puys which qualifies it for international status: phenomena. volcanism, all the more outstanding for the numerous volcanic fields exist world-wide, but they intact nature of the volcanoes and the freshness  Criterion viii: are either made up of randomly dispersed edifices, of the rocks. It also serves as a model in Significant geomorphic or physiographic or, if there is an alignment, then the edifices are which the large-scale dynamic processes of features almost exclusively strombolian cones, which are the continental formation and break-up can be seen,  This magmato-tectonic ensemble is effectively a most widespread volcanic forms in the world. Such and due to its easily accessible and observable scale-model for structural geology, enabling the volcanic fields are found in Mexico, China, ‘human scale’ the Chaîne des Puys is not fundamental geomorphological principals involved Madagascar and Spain, but none of them comprise just a beautiful landscape, but provides a in the development of topographic forms such a regular alignment, nor show such variety, first class magmato-tectonic, educational and (morphogenesis), as well as the make-up of density or freshness as that of the Chaîne des Puys. epistemologic site. The geological qualities of the continents, to be observed in a small area, covering This volcanic chain, which is on a human scale, in proposed site, linked to ongoing scientific a period of 350 Ma. effect demonstrates in miniature an outstanding research and educational development, range of all the classic volcanic phenomena and their correspond to criterion (viii), which calls on associated products. Taken individually these sites ‘  Criterion viii: to be outstanding examples representing phenomena are not exceptional, but it is their Major stages of earth’s history major stages of earth’s history, including the concentration into one volcanic episode which  Historically important site in the development record of life, significant on-going geological makes this property exceptional. of scientific research, where the experiments and processes in the development of landforms, observations carried out have enabled the discipline or significant geomorphic or physiographic The Chaîne des Puys is also rich in terms of of volcanology to be defined and progress through features’. In addition the notable natural beauty geodynamics. The major processes which explain the intensive work on volcanic forms and terrestrial of the landscape has inspired writers and the structure and nature of the earth’s crust are processes. There is still vigorous research and artists, and has attracted famous visitors from The perfect crater of the puy Pariou, a strombolian cone combined within a relatively small area (around (Source: P. Soisson) educational work centred on this property. the 18th century onwards (criterion vii). 508 km2): orogenesis, erosion, rifting and volcanism.

14 15 Jeju Jeju of Korea Republic 3.c Comparative analysis Island Tunnels Volcanic and Lava Network of Network tunnels lava and shield stratovolcano and parasitic scoria cones a built above hotspot

The unique Chaîne des Puys site, set in a  are at the edge of tectonic plates rather than geodynamic context which is itself unique, is being in an intra-continental setting; Spain outstanding in terms of: century Park  Teide are polygenetic or centred around a large, main th National Accessible volcanic ensemble located within a limited relatively geographical area, volcanological history of the 19  volcanology; edifice rather than in a monogenetic field like the Vocanic landscape island arc, stratovolcano, subduction zone  structural setting; Chaîne des Puys.  scientific research. There are rare examples of individual monogenetic Area edifices, but the majority of this type of structure Pitons Saint Lucia Management Management The IUCN thematic study (World Heritage Volcanic landscape island arc, subduction zone occurs in ‘fields’. Monogenetic fields are often Volcanoes: A Thematic Study, 2009, n°8), which found as secondary structures on the flanks of aims to guide future inscriptions on the volcanic stratovolcanoes: sites list, distinguishes several volcanic ist L classifications, mainly based on the nature and  large-scale shield volcanoes such as Mount Halla Italy ge Islands Aeolian a Reference site Reference volcanology, for its name gave to 2 eruptive styles, highly site important volcano for surveying eruptive style of the volcanic provinces on the island of Jeju in the Republic of Korea; Volcanic archipelago: subduction volcanism Stratovolcanoes

(polygenetic/stratovolcano or monogenetic), the erit  strombolian cones such as Mount Etna in Sicily, lava chemistry and resulting flow reliefs, as well on which there are 250 small monogenetic cones; d H as the geotectonic environment and geostructural orl context. On the basis of these characteristics  in the centre of calderas where there is a ‘rift Niger Ténéré (In danger W Natural Air and since 1992) Reserves a large number of volcanoes can be eliminated from zone’ formed of a series of linear faults, such as on Cenozoic volcanism its notable for intrusive and complexes erosion features the this comparative study, notably those which: Teide volcano, Tenerife, Spain. on d e of b Russia ri c Volcanoes Kamchatka Huge volcanic Huge peninsular resulting from subduction, wide variety of and volcanoes Active forms. stratovolcanoes and seismicity ins

y ad lre Japan a Shiretoko Typical island of arc chain stratovolcanoes: subduction volcano systematics sites

ry a New Park Zealand tern National a Tongariro Large active Large chain volcanic a length of over 2,500 km, essentially andesitic stratovolcanoes u Q the

States States Park United with Hawaii

National Volcanoes Type volcanic site: birthplace of classic research methods and volcanological terminology 2 most active stratovolcanoes in the world: changing landscape Emblematic of hotspot volcanism rison a Congo Park Comp (In danger Republic of Virunga Democratic since 1994) National Associated with the East African Rift, an of a example but major fault, located directly on the fault, the following classic tectonic model Intra- continental volcanic ensemble, but of composed 9 active stratovolcanoes 

Map of the intracontinental monogenetic volcanic fields l (Source: Conseil général du Puy-de-Dôme) l a a c ing ing e d d c ni d n n tion tures lue lities n a a ca c ien a a ca eption c va ol u u s V q d utst utst stru e Exc O O

16 17 no ca ol v to a t S Bishoftu Polygenetic Polygenetic edifices and Tancitaro edifices polygenetic Mousa Alli edifices Polygenetic Rangitoto Ankara a 2 2 2 2 Are 200 km x 250 km, 50,000 km 90 x 55 km 2,000 km km 120 30 km in length 400 km 21 km in length 21 29 km in length 45 x 2-8 km integrity & e Age d Pleistocene – Holocene minor morphology, Unaltered exploitation through quarrying, but limited by the establishment of the Garrotxa Park National Holocene, date of last eruption unknown Integrity not known Holocene Integrity not known Pliocene – Pleistocene: ancient and eroded volcanoes Oligocene – Pliocene morphology preserved Well despite their age Holocene, date of last eruption unknown Integrity not known Holocene non-vegetated Young, morphology From the Pleistocene to historic eruptions 1943-1952): (eg. Paracutin integrityunequal of site preservation Holocene fresh volcanism, Young morphology 12 Pleistocene volcanoes Pleistocene volcanoes 12 preserved + 2 very well old volcanoes 300 years years) Pleistocene (140,000 to Holocene (600 years) Altered site: the majority of been partially the cones have exploited for or entirely extraction of their products Pliocene - Pléistocene - Holocene The majority of the volcanoes fieldin the Eifel are old and very eroded Protection and management: Park Geopark and National Reserve Nature wi d worl s d fiel ersity c v ni i ca D ol Mainly scoria cones and Mainly flows,lava but there are also small shield domes, lava volcanoes, maars and ring cones scattered within the province Limited: basaltic scoria flowscones and lava Limited: scoria cones, flowslava Limited : basaltic scoria flows,cones, lava dammed lakes Phonolitic domes, scoria flows,cones, lava tuff rings, caldera (Laacher See), maars Limited: basaltic scoria flowscones and lava Limited: scoria cones and maars, the latter filledmostly by lakes Limited: scoria cones and small shield volcanoes Limited: basaltic scoria flowscones and lava Maars, shield volcanoes and scoria cones (no domes) Limited: scoria cones and maars, the latter filled mostly by lakes Scoria cones with flows, domes, trachytic explosion craters c v es c er monogeneti b

ifi l d a e

Num of ontinent Tens of scoria cones and Tens maars 240 edifices spread over three volcanic provinces: East, West and High Eifel Around ninety edifices Around twenty fiveAround twenty edifices More than 1,400 lava More than 1,400 exit points (edifices and flows without cones) Around thirty edifices Fourteen cones Several tens of cones Several (from satellite photos – little precise information as the site has not been studied) well Around fourty edificesAround fourty Around fifty edifices Tens of scoria cones and Tens 3 maars Around thirty cones (from satellite photos – little precise as the site information has not been well studied) a-c intr

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u ent ent rison M G Au New Ea ritre U U D a Mi ol (T (T E of W V oring B Comp 

18 19 The only site which is really comparable on a worldwide scale is Itasy on the island of Madagascar. Itasy is Volcanic features identified as poorly Characteristics of the Chaîne des Puys a much older massif (Oligocene to Pliocene, 27.9 – represented or missing by the IUCN and Limagne Fault site 2.86 Ma), whose geodynamic context remains unclear  (possibly intra-continental) and poorly studied Alexander McBirney and Jacques-Marie Bardintzeff, in the 2nd edition of their work, Volcanology (2000) cite Fissure volcanoes (J. CHOROWICZ, J.M. BARDINTZEFF, G. RASAMIMANANA, the Chaîne des Puys as a type example of a fissure P. CHOTIN, C. THOUIN, J.R. RUDANT: An approach using system SARS ERS images to relate extension fractures to volcanic vents: examples from Iceland and Madagascar,  In the region of the Pavin group there are pillow basalts formed under the ice of the Sancy and Mont Dore Tectonophysics, 1997). There are striking similarities volcanoes, a perfect example of a passage zone between the two sites, such that Itasy has been Tuyas, hyaloclastic rocks (hills which are volcanic in  origin, formed during sub-glacial eruptions) Many hydrovolcanic characteristics associated with nicknamed ‘The Chaîne des Puys of the Indian Ocean’ frozen soil, such as the collapse of the Gravenoire, the (R. BATTISTINI: Le massif volcanique de l’Itasy, Annales hyaloclastites of Roca Neyra, the pepperite intrusions at Châteaugay (rootless cones) de Géographie, 1962; S. MONTAGNAN and E. PONS, Le

Massif Central de l’Itasy, Réunion University, 2008).  The Chaîne des Puys, the Cézalier and the pre-Mont Dore Over a length of around 30 km, and covering an area of Continental Flood Basalts can be considered as a small-scale flood basalt province: all around 400 km2, the equivalent of the central part of the the characteristics are united here, with a reduced volume Chaîne des Puys, there are some 90 edifices, comprising  The pyroclastic flow deposits originating from the puy scoria cones and their lava flows, trachytic domes and Chopine, Killian and the trachy-andesitic maar of Pavin, and the ash-fall deposits from the puy de Nugère, have explosion craters varying in age from the Oligocene to Large ash flows and ignimbrite sheets/plateaus covered several thousand hectares in the Limagne basin, the Pliocene. As in the Chaîne des Puys, the pelean as well as creating small pyroclastic flow plateaus in the domes are concentrated in the central zone. Another Chaîne des Puys similarity is that the explosion craters are the last  Intrusive landforms: inverted relief of Gergovie, physical expression of volcanic activity (cf. Pavin lake Intrusive landforms (exposed in relief due to erosion) exposed chimneys and dykes at Lemptégy, eroded lava in the Chaîne des Puys). However, even though the flows from the puy de la Vache at St-Amande-Tallende morphology is representative of similar activity, the  The Chaîne des Puys is an elevated basaltic plain with Itasy volcanics are much older, and therefore relatively Basaltic plains silicics (trachytic domes), and shows a complex more eroded, and have been the subject of very few intermingling of compositions and morphologies. Provides Silicic volcanic field publications. a geological model with numerous and varied characteristics including plateaus, volcanic fields and a rift

 An impressive ability to fill several  The Chaîne des Puys magmato-tectonic ensemble is aligned parallel to the Limagne boundary fault, which it of the existing gaps in the World Heritage Continental rifts Volcanoes List appears to follow despite the former not being in the zone of crustal thinning

The thematic study carried out by the IUCN, entitled  Historically and internationally renowned for its ‘World Heritage Volcanoes: A Thematic Study (IUCN Iconic sites aesthetic, scientific and educational qualities, the Chaîne World Heritage Studies, 2009, n°8), highlights (p.32) des Puys has all the requirements for an iconic volcanic site the gaps which should ideally be filled in order to achieve  Intra-continental monogenetic field which is a balanced Volcanoes List. outstanding in the number of edifices (more than 90), Monogenetic volcanic fields their variety (all the classic volcanic forms are The Chaîne des Puys contains several of the features represented), their good state of preservation, and their alignment, located in an overall rich geological setting signalled as important but missing from the World Heritage Volcanoes List, which aims to represent the full range of volcanic phenomena in areas which are accessible to the general public. 3.d Integrity and authenticity

This region has been the object of long-term, united activities practiced within the property need to be management, and its preservation is ensured reconciled with the protection of this potentially Pelean dome (puy de Dôme) in the background, with through the limitation of housing and control of vulnerable landscape in order for it to retain its a scoria cone with nested craters in the foreground erosion. This has enabled the original forms of the beauty. (puy de Côme) (Source: D. Pourcher) volcanoes to be conserved. Nevertheless, the many

20 21 Protection 4.b Protection and management 4 and management of the Property Ever since the end of the 19th century, with the  Ministerial order of 1972: Inscription of the discovery of the ruins of the Temple of Mercury on Chaîne des Puys onto the List of Classified Sites; the summit of the puy de Dôme during the building 4.a Factors affecting the Property  work associated with the construction of the October 1977: Official creation of the Regional meteorological observatory, increasingly extensive Natural Park of the Volcanoes of the Auvergne; ince the property already carries a  Preservation of the landscape protections have been put in place for the Chaîne  national classification, there are strict The value of the Chaîne des Puys lies in the fact that 26 September 2000: classification of the des Puys and Limagne Fault region. rules in place to prevent any major change the shapes of the volcanoes are manifestly clear Chaîne des Puys as a Natural Monument by S ministerial decree (following the law of 1930); to the landscape. However, as for all landscapes, it thanks to being located in a relatively open landscape,  1889: Classification of the remains of the is not possible to guarantee the permanence of the and the views are magnificent either from the Temple of Mercury as a historic monument;  Since 2005: Campaign to promote the value of natural equilibrium. For this site there are three summits of the puys themselves, or from more distant  1933: Classification of the summit of the puy de the Chaîne des Puys; main threats which need to be guarded against: the viewpoints. The upkeep of these open areas, which are Dôme (following the law of 1930); loss of its visual identity, physical degradation and threatened with falling into disuse due to the decline  2003-2008: Campaign to achieve the designation risks inherent to the nature of the geology. of agriculture/pasturage in the region, is strategically  Ministerial orders of 1959 and 1962: of Grand Site for the puy de Dôme; important for the overall beauty of the property. Classification of the puys de Lassolas and de la  15 January 2008: attribution of the title Vache; Crater and base of cone GRAND SITE DE FRANCE® to the puy de Dôme. are clearly visible  Upkeep of the physical integrity During the 19th and 20th centuries the Chaîne des Puys was industrially exploited for its volcanological deposits, which has impacted on the physical integrity of certain of the smaller puys. There are still three 4.c Management plan and key active pouzzolane quarries in the Chaîne des Puys, spread over two sites: indicators for measuring state  one quarry in the puy de la Toupe, in the commune conservation of Aurières;  two quarries in the puy de Tenusset, in the In the framework of this World Heritage The base of the cone has commune of Saint-Ours-les-Roches. Property project the people involved disappeared, but the with the planning and science of the site crater remains  at various institutions, as well as those visible Erosion Due to the strongly porous nature of the volcanic soils, representing users of the site, have and the material of which they are made up, these contributed to the setting up of a soils are very susceptible to wind erosion when they strategic management plan for the dry out, or to liquefaction when they become too wet. Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault They are also degraded by the tourists who pass over ensemble. Almost the entire property is them, and those whose sports or hobbies take them contained within the Regional Natural into the Chaîne des Puys. A widespread publicity Park, and it is additionally protected by Complete invasion of the cone campaign has been launched to inform people of a Forestry Charter, by the fact that it by vegetation; all that the threats from erosion, and extensive work has coincides with a Natura 2000 zone, can be seen is a wooded hill been underway since 2006 to stabilise paths and and because it contains classified or endangered areas, carried out by the Regional Natural inscribed sites. The management plan Park of the Volcanoes of the Auvergne. which covers the whole of the proposed property focuses on four main themes: governance, landscape, tourist potential and knowledge of the property,

incorporating in addition various The basaltic maar of Tazenat, on the northern margin Process by which the inherent landscape is projects launched by different project of the Chaîne des Puys masked by vegetation managers. (Source: D. Pourcher) (Source: PNRVA)

22 23 Type of Means of Groups Frequency Objectives Sources monitoring evaluation involved of checks

1. Governance of the property

Evolution of the Meet regulations urban planning for the management Local government of the document; of the region; fight Local Auvergne region (State agricultural, excessive reforestation government of Evaluating services); body responsible pastural and of the landscape; the Auvergne; Annual countryside usage for agricultural interests in forestry matters; preservation and property the department; groups elimination of black improvement of the manager working with/on the land spots in the quality of the countryside landscape

Maintaining Reconciliation of traditional practices Regional Natural Park of the Number of meetings Property the varied land and the cohabitation Volcanoes of the Auvergne Annual with those involved manager usages of land usages in (PNRVA) the property

2. Knowledge of the property

Improve and bring Universities; laboratories; Scientific activity Number of theses, up-to-date the Regional Natural Park of the Property related to the published articles Annual scientific findings and Volcanoes of the Auvergne manager property and conferences data for the property (PNRVA)

Photo referencing; satellite photos; Preserve and monitoring the Overseeing the improve the Regional Natural Park of the urban occupation Property evolution of the landscaped Volcanoes of the Auvergne Annual and land use; manager landscape qualities of the (PNRVA) supervising property quarries; monitoring vegetation cover

Number of Encourage the publications aimed sharing of information at the general with the general National body for education; Sharing public; number of public, and improve Regional Natural Park of the Property information with Annual exhibitions, their understanding of Volcanoes of the Auvergne manager the general public conferences and the processes involved (PNRVA) classes for the in the preservation public of the patrimony

3. Ensuring durable tourism

Direct the majority Management of Number of Local Council (Conseil général), of people to tourist information information points, PNRVA, Regional Delegation managed areas of points and signed pathways, for Tourism, Regional Property the property, Annual individual information boards Committee for the Development manager thereby protecting information boards and multilingual of Tourism and the more vulnerable in the property information leaflets departmental tourist agency areas

Managing the Monitoring the Local Council, PNRVA, Regional Evolution of the entry-points to the number of tourists, Delegation for Tourism, Regional number of tourists property and and evaluating Property Committee for the Development Annual visiting the counting the their impact on the manager of Tourism and the property throughflow of integrity of the departmental tourist agency people property

4. Evolution of the landscape

Defining the number Inform the general of locations which Local Council; Regional public while Management of the require sign-boards; Natural Park of the Property respecting the Annual sign-boards emplacement and Volcanoes of the Auvergne manager integrity of the integration of sign-boards (PNRVA) landscape into the landscape

Fight against erosion, channel formation and soil degradation: drain emplacement, Number of Regional Natural Park of the Evolution of slope re-vegetation, Property landslips, and Volcanoes of the Auvergne Annual profiles elimination of manager erosion channels (PNRVA) off-path detours, improved understanding of countryside-users

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