Information on Lava Tubes in the Auvergne, France

Bob Mehew

Well-known member
I am about to depart on a holiday in the Auvergne and one of the guide books I am consulting (Auverggne by P Cattermole, Classic Geology in Europe Series No 2) makes references to several lava tubes.  I have one reference to Maison de la Pierre by Volvic but this appears to be a stone mine. The second is on the south east flanks of the Grand Sarcoui near Orcines for which there is a photo of the entrance on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/emmanuel-lattes/4404316101/# .  The third in on the eastern flanks of Pay de Montchal near Murol for which I can find no information on the web.

Does anyone have any english text information on these or other lava tubes in the Auvergne?
 

Bob Mehew

Well-known member
Nothing of significance and definitely no lava tubes.  I did see one exposure of a lava which pointed to a potential for lava tubes to be formed and an interesting entrance to a simple chamber formed by a steam explosion within an aa (clinker) flow.  There are a range of dug passages around the area now used for activities like cheese stores.  I need to find some time to write up what little I did see, hopefully sometime in 2014! 
 
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