Are you going on holiday to France? Perhaps you’d like to go rock climbing in the mountains of France. On this page we give you facts & information about the mountains of France.
The geography of France is highly mountainous, with not only some of Europe’s highest mountain ranges being situated within the borders of France, but also a significant proportion of the surface area of France consisting of mountain ranges. There are four major mountain ranges in France. These are listed below.
The Massif Mountain Range in France
The Massif Mountains in France are situated in the heart of the country. This mountain range is the oldest in France with geologists estimating their age at around 300-350 million years. The Massif mountain range in France takes up an area of 91,000 km² which is equivalent to 15% of the total surface area of France. The Massif mountain range is famous for its chain of extinct volcanoes.
The Alps Mountain Range in France
The Alps are probably the most famous mountain range in France, and in fact Europe. The highest peak in the Alps is Mont Blanc, which stands at 4807 meters making it the highest peak in all of Europe. The French Alps stretch along the south eastern border of France from Lake Geneva down to the Cote d’Azur. Snow rests permanently on these mountains in France above the altitude of 2800 meters.
The Jura Mountain Range in France
The Jura Mountains in France consist of gentle limestone rock and are situated north of the French Alps. The Jura mountain range runs for 1700 km along the border with Switzerland just north of Lake Geneva.
The Pyrenees Mountain Range in France
The Pyrenees Mountains are situated in the south west of France and form a natural border with Spain. This mountain range runs from the Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean coast, totaling 450 km. The highest peak in the Pyrenees mountains is 3400 meters.
