Puy de Sancy (, ; oc, label=

Auvergnat or (endonym: ) is a northern dialect of Occitan spoken in central and southern France, in particular in the former administrative region of Auvergne. Currently, research shows that there is not really a true Auvergnat dialect but rather a va ...

, Puèi de la Crotz , ) is the highest mountain in the

Massif Central The (; oc, Massís Central, ; literally ''"Central Massif"'') is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France. Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,0 ...

. It is part of an ancient stratovolcano which has been

inactive Inactive is a TRPV channel in invertebrates Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a groupin ...

for about 220,000 years. The northern and southern slopes are used for

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow. Variations of purpose include basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee ( ...

, and a number of

cablecar Cable car most commonly refers to the following cable transportation systems: * Aerial lift, such as aerial tramways and gondola lifts, in which the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable ** Aerial tramway ** Chairlift ** Gondola lift *** Bi ...

s and skilifts ascend the mountain. Skiing has been practised on the mountain since the early 20th century. Two local priests traversed the Puy de Sancy on skis in 1905. In 1936, a cable car link was built from Mont-Dore to one of the needles just below the summit. In December 1965, a cable car accident injured ten passengers and killed seven others.

Super-Besse Super Besse is a winter sports resort located in Massif Central, France. Geography Super Besse located in the commune of Besse-et-Saint-Anastaise (''Parc naturel régional des volcans d'Auvergne'' in the department of Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne) ...

is another ski resort, located on the southwestern slope. The valley to the north is also the source of two streams called ''Dore'' and ''Dogne'', which unite to form the

Dordogne Dordogne ( , or ; ; oc, Dordonha ) is a large rural department in Southwestern France, with its prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and the Pyrenees, it is name ...

, which flows through the nearby

spa town A spa town is a resort town based on a mineral spa (a developed mineral spring). Patrons visit spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. Thomas Guidott set up a medical practice in the English town of Bath in 1668. He ...

of Mont-Dore and on to the Gironde estuary. Puy sancy sud

References

Sources

* .

External links

The Sancy Ski Area
{{Authority control Landforms of Puy-de-Dôme Inactive volcanoes Landforms of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Massif Central Mountains of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Pleistocene volcanoes Stratovolcanoes of Metropolitan France Tourist attractions in Puy-de-Dôme