In the Folds of the Earth: French Prealpine Geomorphological Landscapes

Abstract

The French Prealps constitute the Western margin of the Alpine range. They are composed of about 20 distinct massifs. Their geomorphological landscapes are typical of sedimentary folded relief, but the combination of several physical and human factors introduces nuances and diversity between the Northern and Southern Prealps as well as between the Prealpine s.s. and Subalpine massifs. In 2012, the Prealps host the four French members of the European and Global Geoparks Network. One of them, the Bauges Massif Regional Nature Park, is taken as the example of archetypal subalpine folded and karstified relief, famous for its perched synclines, its caves, and its karst waters which supply the two largest natural lakes in France. At last, Mont Granier, in the Chartreuse Massif, is presented as one of the major geomorphosites of the Northern Prealps, which offers many scientific interests regarding the rock failure of 1248, karst development, and associated paleontological remains of cave bears.