Devès massif
The Devès is a vast basalt plateau in the Velay mountains of the Massif Central, located in Haute-Loire, forming a natural region of France. It reaches its highest point at Mont Devès at an altitude of 1,421 meters.
Toponomy
Devès is an Occitan term that refers to a "forbidden forest, protected," meaning it is not exploited.Geography
Location
The Devès is bordered to the west by the upper Allier valley and the Margeride mountains, to the north by the Livradois mountains, to the northeast by the Meygal massif, and to the east by the upper Loire valley and the Vivarais mountains.Geology
The Devès massif, which is more of a high plateau, is one of the three volcanic massifs of Velay, the other two being the Mézenc massif and the Meygal.It is the largest basalt plateau in the Massif Central. The first eruptions are dated to 6 million years ago, but most of the volcanic activity occurred between 3.5 and 0.6 million years ago, with two peaks at 1 and 2 million years ago.
The surface of the plateau is covered with scoria cones of Strombolian origin. Some of these cones still retain their craters, similar to some maar craters, which are depressions occupied by spontaneous vegetation adapted to wet environments. The most emblematic of the plateau are Lac du Bouchet, the narces of La Sauvetat, and the Limagne marsh. The others are called "gardes." There are about 150 of them, forming either a chain of small forest-covered hills along a north–south axis or appearing as features in the middle of fields. Most have been cultivated at their base, leaving a forest cover at their summit or rocky outcrops.
Main summits
- Mont Devès, highest point of the massif at
- Mont Recours,
- Mont Tartas,
- Mont Farnier,
- Rang de la Garde,
- Champ Vestri,
- Mont Long,
- La Durande,
- Mont Maillon,
- La Vesseyre,
- Rocher de la Fagette,
- Montchaud,
- Montpignon,
- Mont Burel,
- Suc de Combret,
- Côte Rousse,
- Le Pouzat,
- Montjus,
- Suc de Miceselle,
- La Garde de Tallobre,
- La Garde des Ceyssoux,
- Mont Briançon,