Massif Central

Massif Central, large upland area, south central France, covering about one-sixth of the area of France. It reaches a high point of 1,886 m (6,188 ft) atop Puy de Sancy. Major sections include the Auvergne, in the center, a region of ancient lava flows and eroded volcanic necks (puys); the Causses, in the southwest, underlain mainly by limestone; the rugged Cévennes, in the southeast, overlooking the Rhône-Saône Valley and the Midi section of southern France; and a series of low, rolling plateaus in Limousin, in the northwest. Saint-Étienne, Clermont-Ferrand, and Limoges are major industrial centers. Besides heavy industry, the region supports sheep and goat raising, dairy farming, and coal and kaolin mining. Several major hydroelectric facilities also are here, notably on the Cère, Dordogne, Lot, Tarn, and Truyère rivers.