What is the highest mountain in France’s Massif Central?

Puy de Sancy is the highest mountain in France’s Massif Central.

Puy de Sancy reaches 1,885 metres (6,184 feet), making it the highest point in the Massif Central and the highest mountain in mainland France outside the Alps and Pyrenees. It is in the Auvergne region, within the volcanic landscapes of the Massif des Monts Dore.

The mountain is an eroded stratovolcano, and its summit area is shaped by ancient volcanic activity and later glacial erosion. Two major rivers, the Dordogne and the Dore, have sources on or near the mountain. A cable car and walking routes make the summit one of the best-known high points in central France.

Puy de Sancy is often confused with Puy de Dôme, a more famous volcanic landmark near Clermont-Ferrand. Puy de Dôme is an important regional symbol but is lower, at 1,465 metres. The Massif Central is not a single narrow range; it is a large elevated region containing several volcanic and crystalline mountain groups.