The UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Chaîne des Puys–Limagne Fault Tectonic Arena (Auvergne, France)

Abstract

The tectono-volcanic ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys and the Limagne fault, which is part of the West European rift, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2018 as the Chaîne des Puys–Limagne fault tectonic arena. This site includes (1) the western normal border fault of the graben (the Limagne fault), (2) the shoulder of the graben (the granitic Plateau des Dômes) on which lies a Quaternary volcanic alignment (the Chaîne des Puys), and (3) an inverted relief resulting from erosive action around a Pliocene volcanic lava flow (the Montagne de la Serre). It is shown that, when viewed in a global tectonic context, these structural and volcanic features can be described as a natural scale model, allowing everyone to understand the processes in operation at depth in a continental rift. The property is an inhabited environment that counts 30,000 inhabitants and traditional activities such as pastoral farming and agroforestry. Following its inscription on the World Heritage List, the challenge for the coming years is to coordinate conservation, sustainable development and international stature in the site.