Massif Central

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Massif Central
View of Puy de Sancy, the highest peak in the Massif Central
Highest point
Peak	Puy de Sancy
Elevation	1,886 m (6,188 ft)
Coordinates	45°31′42″N 2°48′51″E / 45.52833°N 2.81417°E / 45.52833; 2.81417
Naming
Native name	Massís Central (Occitan)
Pronunciation	UK: /ˌmæsiːf sɒ̃ˈtrɑːl/, US: /mæˌsiːf -, - sɛnˈ-, məˌsiːf sɑːnˈ-/[1][2][3] French: [masif sɑ̃tʁal] Occitan: [maˈsis senˈtɾal]
Geography
Country	France
Regions	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitania
Range coordinates	46°N 3°E / 46°N 3°E / 46; 3

The Massif Central (French pronunciation: [masif sɑ̃tʁal])^[4] is a highland region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaus. It covers about 15% of mainland France.

Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,000 years, these central mountains are separated from the Alps by a deep north–south cleft created by the Rhône river and known in French as the sillon rhodanien (literally "Rhône furrow"). The region was a barrier to transport within France until the opening of the A75 motorway, which not only made north–south travel easier, but also opened access to the massif itself.