Morvan


The Morvan is a mountainous massif lying just to the west of the Côte d'Or escarpment in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. It is a northerly extension of the Massif Central and is of Variscan age. It is composed of granites and basalts and formed a promontory extending northwards into the Jurassic sea.
It is the smallest mountain area in France in terms of landmass covered, as well as the lowest, with a maximum altitude of 901 metres at Haut-Folin.

Geography

The Morvan is located across the Côte-d'Or, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire and Yonne departments in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central-east France.
At its heart nowadays is the protected area of Morvan Regional Natural Park.
Its main town is Château-Chinon, Nièvre on the D978 road between Nevers and Autun. Several of its valleys have been dammed to form reservoirs.

History

In World War II, just north of the demarcation line, the Morvan was an important hub for the French Resistance which had several Maquis in the area.

Music

The Morvan has a strong musical tradition. It uses musical ideas from many other cultures and combines them to make its own.