| Forez mountains | |
|---|---|
 Location map of Forez mountains in the Massif Central. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,631 m (5,351 ft) atPierre-sur-Haute |
| Coordinates | 45°39′12″N3°48′30″E / 45.653472°N 3.808393°E /45.653472; 3.808393 |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France |
| Parent range | Massif Central |
TheForez mountains (French:Monts du Forez,pronounced[mɔ̃dyfɔʁɛ]) are a mountain range in theMassif Central separating theDore valley from theForez plain. They reach their highest point atPierre-sur-Haute, with an altitude of 1,631 meters.
The Forez mountains are located in thedepartments ofLoire,Haute-Loire, andPuy-de-Dôme. The massif is situated northwest of the city ofSaint-Étienne and southeast ofThiers. It overlooks the Forez plain (to the east) and the Dore valley (to the west).
The base of the Forez mountains consists ofigneous rocks (granites) andmetamorphic rocks (gneiss). The formation of the range occurred during thePaleozoic Era. In theTertiary Period, the Alpine cycle created the current landscape with mountains and valleys. This episode ended with aMiocene volcanic phase. TheQuaternary glaciations then eroded the landscape to give it its present form.[1][2]
The Forez mountains form a diverse natural environment where a marked stratification of different biotopes can be distinguished. The lower stage, ofmountainous type, is formed by relatively densepine forests andbeech andfir forests, interspersed with mountainous agricultural areas, mainly dedicated to livestock farming.[3] Beyond 1,400 meters, this gives way to vast high-altitude plateaus: the "Hautes Chaumes." Thissubalpine stage consists ofmoorlands dotted with peatbogs.[3][4]
Cutlery is a major activity in the northwest of the Forez mountains. Thiers is the cutlery capital of France, and its region, which includes theDurolle valley, is the largest cutlery-producing area in the world.[5][6]
The western slope of the Forez mountain range, in the Puy-de-Dôme department, is part of theLivradois-Forez Regional Natural Park. On July 27, 2011, during the revision of its charter, five communes from the Loire department also joined the park.[7]
