Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,000 years, these central mountains are separated from the Alps by the north-south trending Rhone River Basin.
The following départements are generaly considered as part of the Massif: Allier, Ardèche, Aveyron, Cantal, Corrèze, Creuse, Haute-Loire, Haute-Vienne, Loire, Lot, Lozère and Puy-de-Dome.
The following régions are part of the Massif: Auvergne, Limousin. Part of the following régions are in the Massif: Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrenees, Rhône-Alpes.
The largest cities are Clermont-Ferrand and Saint-Étienne.
Mountains include: Puy-de-Dôme
Plateaus include: Larzac
See also: Geography of France