UNESCO World Heritage · 2018
Chaîne des Puys – Limagne fault tectonic arena
Natural
WHS ID
1434
Inscribed
2018
Category
Natural
Description
Situated in the centre of France, the property comprises the long Limagne fault, the alignments of the Chaîne des Puys volcanoes and the inverted relief of the Montagne de la Serre. It is an emblematic segment of the West European Rift, created in the aftermath of the formation of the Alps, 35 million years ago. The geological features of the property demonstrate how the continental crust cracks, then collapses, allowing deep magma to rise and cause uplifting at the surface. The property is an exceptional illustration of continental break-up – or rifting – which is one of the five major stages of plate tectonics.
Inscription details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| WHS ID | 1434 |
| Inscribed | 2018 |
| Category | Natural |
| Criteria | (viii) |
| State party | France |
| Transboundary | No |
| French name | Haut lieu tectonique Chaîne des Puys – faille de Limagne |
Protected monuments
| Monument | Commune | Protected |
|---|---|---|
| Eglise Saint-Hilaire de Mer | Mer | 1912 |
| Dolmen dit de la Mouïse | Baccon | 1979 |
| Ligne à voie ferrée métrique le Blanc-Argent (ou B.A.) sur le tronçon Luçay-le-Malé-Argy | Pellevoisin | 1993 |
| Château de Bois Chevalier | Legé | 1952 |
| Eglise Saint-Aubin de Bazouges-sur-le-Loir | Bazouges-sur-le-Loir | 1862 |
| Maison de Simon Poisson | Angers | 1963 |
| Dolmen dit Pierre Chaude | Paulmy | 1911 |
| Ruines du château de Montoire-sur-le-Loir | Montoire-sur-le-Loir | 1862 |
| Château de Malesherbes | Malesherbes | 1965 |
| Eglise de Liez | Liez | 1994 |
| Maison de Poillé-sur-Vègre | Poillé-sur-Vègre | 1928 |
| Théâtre romain (ruines) | Jublains | 1917 |
| Théâtre-amphithéâtre gallo-romain | Gennes | 1986 |
| Le monument aux morts de la guerre de 1914-1918 | La Châtre | 2020 |
| Moulin du Mesnil-sur-Opton | Boutigny-Prouais | 1969 |
Loire appellations
| Appellation | Avg score | Reviews | Color |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sancerre | 89.3 | 554 | White |
| Muscadet Sèvre et Maine | 88.6 | 237 | White |
| Pouilly-Fumé | 89.6 | 153 | White |
| Vouvray | 88.4 | 153 | White |
| Touraine | 86.3 | 85 | White |
| Chinon | 88.7 | 72 | Red |
| Menetou-Salon | 87.3 | 69 | White |
| Crémant de Loire | 87.5 | 54 | Sparkling |
| Val de Loire | 85.6 | 41 | White |
| Saumur | 88.4 | 40 | White |
| Anjou | 87.6 | 36 | White |
| Rosé d'Anjou | 84 | 35 | Rosé |
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Updated: April 14, 2026.