Pierre-sur-Haute

Pierre-sur-Haute
Pierre-sur-Haute from Peyre-Mayou.
Highest point
Elevation1,631 m (5,351 ft)
Coordinates45°39′11″N 3°48′33″E / 45.65306°N 3.80917°E / 45.65306; 3.80917
Geography
Pierre-sur-Haute is located in France
Pierre-sur-Haute
Pierre-sur-Haute
France
LocationLoire, Puy-de-Dôme departements, France
Parent rangeForez mountains (Massif Central)

Pierre-sur-Haute (French pronunciation: [pjɛʁ syʁ ot]; Occitan: Pèira sèrra auta)[1] is the highest point of the Forez mountains (1,631 m) in the Massif Central, at the boundary of the Loire (Sauvain) and Puy-de-Dôme (Job) departments. It is also the highest point in the Loire department.[2]

Geology

Pierre-sur-Haute is a mountain composed of gneiss and granite, rocks that are remnants of an ancient mountain range that appeared in the Paleozoic era, 300 million years ago. This ancient Hercynian relief was subsequently leveled during the Mesozoic era due to erosion, resulting in a tabular relief. Following the Alpine orogeny, the Forez mountains were rejuvenated, faults appeared, and this granite block was uplifted (horst). Pierre-sur-Haute is the highest point of this uplifted block.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ "T'es auvergnat "même" si tu ne connais pas l'origine du nom de Pierre sur Haute - France Bleu". ici par France Bleu et France 3 (in French). Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  2. ^ "Loire : ce sommet près de Saint-Etienne est le plus haut du département". actu.fr (in French). 2023-10-14. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
  3. ^ Mottet, Gérard (1999). Géographie physique de la France (in French). Presses universitaires de France. p. 211. ISBN 978-2-13-050263-0.
  4. ^ Rieutort, Laurent (2006). Massif central, hautes terres d'initiatives (in French). Presses Univ Blaise Pascal. p. 11. ISBN 978-2-84516-333-1.
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See also