Alps in france on the map. Mountains of france

The predominance of plains and low massifs, the location of powerful mountain systems on the outskirts of France and low passes make its territory convenient for the development of internal and external communication routes. At the same time, the mountain ranges stand up as a kind of barrier on the land borders of France in such a way that France, despite its continental location, is, as it were, cut off from the neighboring lands of Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Germany. This fact largely predetermined its borders precisely along the mountain ranges of the largest mountain ranges in Western Europe. The Alps, Pyrenees, Ardennes, along with the seashores, eventually formed the territory of France in its present form.

The relief of France is characterized by great diversity ... The lowlands and plains of the west and north of France are gradually rising into mountain ranges. The highest of them is the Alps, located in the southeast of France, gradually rising to the border with Italy and Switzerland. It is here that the highest point of France and Western Europe is located - Mont Blanc (4807m.). The southwestern borders of France are also marked by mountain ranges - the mountain range of the Pyrenees. Their height is slightly lower than the height of the Alpine ranges, reaching almost 3500 meters.

In order to better imagine the relief of France and the location of the French mountains in spatial terms, you should take a look at map of mountain ranges of France , which shows all the main mountain ranges of France.

Relief of France on the map:

Most of France underlain by the continental crust, consolidated at the end of the Paleozoic, in the Hercynian tectonic era, and further developed in a platform mode. The exception is French Alps and Pyrenees .

In the Middle Carboniferous, almost all over France, including the Alps and Pyrenees, a mountainous relief appeared ... Through the extreme north-east of the country (department of Hop and Pas-de-Calais) stretches a foothill trough, which forms part of the so-called Coal Canal of Europe; it is filled with a paralytic industrial coal-bearing formation of the Middle Carboniferous (Westphalian), deployed before the Late Carboniferous, and a red-colored detrital formation of the Upper Carboniferous (Stephan) - lower Permian (Otena). Intermontane troughs (grabens of the same age) are known in the Massif Central, in the Alps and at the base of the Paris Basin.

Jurassic Cretaceous, Lower Paleogene formations - shallow marine sediments (sandstones, clays, limestones), a general regression begins from the Oligocene, and marine sediments in the Paris Basin are replaced by continental ones; in the Aquitaine basin, the marine regime persists until the Miocene inclusive. The Alps in the Triassic still represented part of the Epigercyn platform, and at the beginning of the Jurassic rift formation took place here, a basin with oceanic crust arose - part of the Tethys; relics of its crust are represented by ophiolites of the Pennine zone - the innermost zone of the Alps. The ophiolites are overlain by the Lower Cretaceous and Upper Cretaceous-Paleogene flysch "brilliant schists" strata. The outer zones of the Alps belonged to the underwater edge of the European continent; On the Hercynian basement, protruding in the so-called Outer Crystalline Massif, lagoon sediments of the Triassic and shallow-marine Jurassic, Cretaceous and Lower Paleogene occur. The main deformations of the Alps began at the end of the Eocene and continued until the late Miocene. They were caused by the collision of the Adriatic microcontinent (Apulia) with the continent of Eurasia and led to the formation of an extremely complex thrust-thrust structure with a whole system of nappes displaced in the western and northwestern directions.

In the Oligocene - Miocene, between the Alps and the Massif Central, the meridional system of rift grabens of the Sona and Rhone stretches, opening into the Mediterranean Sea; it forms a link in the wider Western European rift system, which also includes the Rhine Graben and extends from the North Sea to the Mediterranean. The Pyrenees are connected to the Alps through the latitudinal fold structures of Provence and the Gulf of Lyon. They also arose on the Hercynian basement protruding to the surface in their axial part in a number of massifs; platform development here continued almost until the end of the Early Cretaceous (Albian), after which on both sides of the Hercynian axis on the thinned continental crust relatively deep-sea troughs arose with the accumulation of a thick sequence of the Upper Cretaceous - Lower Paleogene flysch. At the end of the Eocene, these strata underwent intense folding and thrusting; on the territory of France, the formations of the North-Pyrenean trough were thrust over the Predyrenean trough, filled by the Oligocene-Miocene molasse and closing in the east, bordering the Aquitaine basin.

In the Pliocene, almost all French territory became dry land ; The Armorican, Massifs Central and the Vosges experienced uplift. In the Massif Central, it was relatively most intense and was accompanied by an outbreak of volcanic activity; volcanic apparatus are well preserved in the relief.

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To the east of the river. Rhone ridges pile up French Alps , which represent the western part of the highest mountain range in Western Europe - the Alps, with average heights of mountain peaks of 3.5-4 thousand m. The northern mountain ranges are especially grandiose - Savoy Alps crowned with white caps of snow and glaciers dazzlingly sparkling in the sun.

Formation (mountain building process) of the Alps was an episodic process that began about 300 million years ago. In the Paleozoic era, the supercontinent Pangea was formed by a single tectonic plate that formed from several plates during the Mesozoic era, and the ancient Tethys Ocean (on behalf of the Greek sea goddess Tephis) stretched between Laurasia and Gondwana during the Jurassic period.

Folded structure of the Alps created mainly by movements of the last 50 million years, which in geology are called alpine folding. The highest - the axial zone of the Alps is composed of ancient crystalline (gneisses, mica shales) and metamorphic (quartz-phyllite shales) rocks, characterized by a wide distribution of mountain-glacial relief and modern glaciation. The total area of ​​glaciers is over 4,000 km2. Glaciers and permanent snows drop to 2,500-3,200 meters. To the north, west and south of the axial zone, there are zones of limestone and dolomite of the Mesozoic and younger flysch and molasse formations of the Predalps with a mid-mountainous and low-mountainous relief.

A transverse valley between Lake Constance and Lake Como Alps are divided into higher Western alps (altitude up to 4807m, Mont Blanc) and lower and wider Eastern Alps (height up to 4049 m, Mount Bernina).

It should be noted that in the French tradition, instead of the unified Western Alps, it is customary to distinguish Western and Central Alps ... In this model, the boundaries between the three parts of the Alps practically coincide with the state ones: The Western Alps end up mainly in France , Central - in Switzerland, and Eastern - in Austria.

It should be said that there is another division of the Alps into areas separated by passes and river valleys. At the same time, many researchers in their own way indicate the boundaries of such areas, which is why these alpine areas overlap. There are several such areas on the territory of France: Maritime alps (the highest point is Mount Argentera, 3297 m), Provencal Alps (Tete de l "Estro (2961 m)), Cot Alps (Monte Viso (3841 m)), Alps Dauphiné (Bar des Ecrins (4103 m)), Graian Alps (Mont Blanc (4807 m)), located on the territory of 34.2 thousand sq. Km.

Western French Alps (Prealps) composed of sedimentary rocks, mainly limestone. Karst rocks are widespread in the Prealps. In the Prealps (Krol) there is one of the deepest karst caves in the world, up to 658 m deep. Railways and highways leading to Italy and Switzerland are laid through relatively low passes (1800-2100 m).

The eastern part of the French Alps is higher. Hard crystalline rocks prevail here. It is here, in the French Alps, on the border with Italy, that the highest point of Western Europe is located - Mont Blanc , whose height reaches 4807 m. Powerful glaciers with an area of ​​2 thousand square meters descend from Mont Blanc. km. The centuries-old activity of ice, snow and melt water has led to the strong dissection of the French Alps. The grandiose ridges and rocky massifs are separated by deep and wide valleys with steep slopes, which attracts an increasing number of tourists who love active recreation in the form of skiing and paragliding. Under Mont Blanc and Mont Cenis, tunnels more than 10 km long each have been laid.

Pyrenees, Pyrenees mountains (Spanish Pirineos, French Pyrenees) - mountain system in the South-West of Europe (in Spain, France and Andorra). The Pyrenean mountain range is an important natural border separating the Mediterranean from Central Europe. It stretches from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea for approximately 450 km; width up to 110 km (in the central and eastern parts), maximum height up to 3404 m (Aneto peak in the Maladeta massif, Spain).

As a result of mountain building movements (mainly of Alpine age), the ancient Hercynian core Pyrenees was raised to a considerable height, and the overlying sedimentary strata were crushed into steep folds, forming in places overthrust faults. For relief Pyrenees a combination of medium-altitude flat-topped massifs and folded rectilinear-elongated ridges is characteristic. In the highest parts of the mountains, which were subject to Pleistocene glaciation, the relief acquired alpine forms. Modern glaciation (total area of ​​about 40 km2) is concentrated in Central Pyrenees , composed mainly of crystalline rocks - granites, gneisses, as well as shales, sandstones.

Usually Iberian mountain system divided into three large regions: the Atlantic (Western), Central (Aragonese) and Eastern (Mediterranean) Pyrenees. Geographically, today the region of the Pyrenees includes the following departments in France: Aude, Ariege, Haute Garonne, Haute (Eastern) Pyrenees and Atlantic Pyrenees. In Spain, these are the Basque Country, Navarra, Lleida, Huesca, Girona and Catalonia.

V Atlantic (Western) Pyrenees belonging to France and Spain, the mountains are gradually rising from west to east. Western Pyrenees - medium-altitude mountains, composed mainly of Mesozoic limestones with separate massifs of crystalline rocks.

Aragonese (Central) Pyrenees belong to Spain. This is the highest part of them; the highest peaks of the Aneto region (3404 m), Monte Perdido (3348 m), Vinmal (3298 m) are located here. The most accessible slopes of the Aragonese Pyrenees lie in Spain. The Somport Pass (1632 m) connects Spain with France. Slightly to the south, in the Huesca region, the Sierra de Guerra mountains stretch parallel to the main ridge, this is the southern border of the Pyrenees. From the south, the Aragonese Pyrenees are almost always bathed in sun, the mountains are steep and precipitous, and small wooded valleys stretch between them.

Eastern, or Mediterranean Pyrenees , ridges and massifs, the slopes of which are covered with pine forests, hollows, belong mainly to Spain and partly to France. Here they are separated by the dwarf, entirely Pyrenean state, the principality of Andorra. The Eastern Pyrenees are ridges and massifs of crystalline rocks, sandstones, limestones, dissected by intramontane basins with flat bottoms.

Pyrenees mountains and foothills in France - one of the most picturesque regions of the country: green mountains in the west give way to snowy peaks and dry foothills in the east, the population is also heterogeneous - there are Basques, Gascons, Catalans, and representatives of small peoples of Europe. And at the same time, in comparison with the same Alps, the nature here is pure and untouched, there are extensive protected areas, but there are practically no fashionable and always seething resorts of the Alpine type, and those that are are small, cozy and oriented for the most part not only for skiers, but also for fans of other types of outdoor activities. At the same time, the western slopes of the mountains abut the coastal resort areas of the Spanish Basque Country and the French Silver Coast, and the eastern ones go to the warm Mediterranean coast. As a result, in Pyrenees you can find conditions for almost any type of recreation, which attracts many tourists here, primarily the French and Spaniards themselves, who visit the Pyrenees en masse, coming here, most often, in their own cars for 1-2 days to admire the mountain landscapes.

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Central French massif (le Massif Central) located in central and southern France. Occupies an area of ​​85 thousand square kilometers. and is located in several regions of France: Auvergne, Burgundy, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, South-Pyrenees and Rhone-Alpes. In the north, it smoothly passes into the flat terrain of the Paris Basin, and in the north-west and west - into the Aquitaine Lowland. Moreover, in the southwest and in the east it has common borders with the largest mountain ranges of France - the Pyrenees and the Alps, respectively. It is separated from the Alpine mountain range by a deep valley, and from the Pyrenees by the Languedoc plain.

Length Central French massif from north to south - about 450 kilometers, from west to east - 350 kilometers. The highest altitude of the Massif Central is 1885 meters (Mount Sancy). There are other peaks exceeding an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level: Plomb du Cantal (1855 m) - the highest point of the Cantal department and the Cantal mountains; Puy Ferrand (1854 m), located near the summit of Sancy; Puy du Rocher (1813 m); Puy Brunet (1806 m); Puy de Peyre Arce (1806 m), the second highest peak in the Cantal mountains.

Higher and more dissected are the central regions of the massif, in which basalt plateaus with cones of extinct volcanoes alternate with plateaus and meridionally elongated river valleys. In the northwest and north, the massif gradually decreases and turns into low plateaus. In the south of the Central French massif there is a karst plateau, in the southeast and east there are a number of mountains and plateaus with steep, highly dissected slopes. Here, the Massif Central is characterized by maximum heights (up to 1700 m) - mountains cévennes , which drop abruptly to the flat terrain of the Rhone Valley and the Languedoc Plain.

It is characterized by hilly relief with traces of former volcanic activity, especially in its central part - Auvergne. Here you can observe numerous giant cones (craters) of extinct volcanoes, which over time turned into lakes or vast lava fields. Due to the geological activity in the past, the Central French Massif is famous for its mineral springs - Vichy, Mont-Dore, La-Bourboule and others. The volcanic regions of the Central French Massif are distinguished by the fertility of soils developed on igneous rocks.

The southern part of the Massif Central is composed of thick limestone strata, forming Kos plateau ... This is a karst area, where depressions, dips, caves and deep gorges cut by river beds are quite common. The largest rivers are, Dordogne,. They all begin their journey precisely on the slopes of the Massif Central, which, to some extent, is the ancestor of many famous rivers in France.

Belongs to the regions of France with a predominance of urban population (about 60% of the region's population is concentrated in thirty cities-agglomerations, which cover a quarter of its territory). There are also quite large cities in France, such as Clermont-Ferrand, Saint-Etienne and Limoges. In addition, thanks to a favorable climate and a developed transport network, the population of smaller towns is growing in the region, which are gradually turning into major centers of social and economic life in the region: Rodez (more than 49,000 inhabitants), Brive-la-Gaillarde (58,000) and Le Puy-en-Velay.

Southeastern part Central French massif it includes the Cévennes mountain range, which can be distinguished into an independent mountain range, because the relief here has a slightly different characteristic, the nature and age of education. Here, steep mountain slopes are most often found, the age of which is somewhat lower than that of the main "volcanic" part of the Central French massif, which in turn affects both climatic conditions and the development of infrastructure, which are somewhat different.

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The mountains in France are the southeastern edge of the Massif Central and, at the same time, its highest part. The Cévennes stretch from southwest to northeast for 150 kilometers. They are composed mainly of granites, gneisses, phyllites, shales, and in some places - volcanic rocks. The summit surface is plateau-like, the southern and eastern slopes abruptly drop off to the Rhone lowland, forming step faults; the northern and western slopes are gentle, turning into lowlands, separating from the main part of the Central French massif.

act as a watershed between the rivers of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Many of the main rivers of France originate in the Cévennes: the Allier, s, belonging to the Atlantic Ocean basin, and the Du, Tave, Ardèche, Sez, Gardon, which flow into the Mediterranean Sea. The Cévennes are divided by the Giers Valley into southern and northern.

They split into numerous mountain ranges: Montagne Noir (peak de Nord peak 1210 m), Mont de l'Epinouz (1126 m), Lacou (1266 m), Garrigues (943 m), Lozere (peak di Finiel 1702 m), Margeride (peak Mont de Randon 1554 m), Vivare (peaks Gerbier de Jonc 1562 m and Mezen 1754), Cuaron (1061 m) and Vele (1423 m). consist of the mountain ranges of Lyonne (937 m), Beaujolais (1012 m) and Charolais (774 m) and are much less high than the southern Cévennes. In the southern Cévennes, igneous rocks predominate; granites and crystalline schists, with the exception of the Garrigues Mountains, composed of sedimentary rocks of the Jurassic system. In the northern Cévennes, the southern part is formed by granite rocks, and the northern one by limestones of the Jurassic system.

The economic life of the population of the Cévennes region is largely based on green tourism and small-scale farming, mainly engaged in raising cattle. The construction of the mountain slopes has contributed in the past to the construction of terraces for the cultivation of grapes, olive trees, chestnuts and mulberry trees. The Cévennes were once the center of silk production, and many medieval mills are still landmarks of the local landscape.

Skiing in the Cévennes was not widespread, because snow cover in this region is unstable and, despite the mountainous terrain, is short-lived due to the low amount of precipitation in winter. However, there are also two well-known small ski resorts in the Cévennes, equipped with snow cannons, which help to compensate for the uneven snow cover of the pistes. These are the Prat Peyrot resort on the southern slopes of Egual and the Blémard resort on the northern slope of Mount Lozere.

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The mountains located on the border of France and Switzerland, in the northwest of the mountain ranges of the Alps, are crescent-shaped and almost exactly repeat the configuration of this mountain range. The length of the mountain range is 340 km. The highest point is the Crêt de la Neige mountain, which rises 1720 meters above sea level. The Jura Mountains are a natural barrier not only for two neighboring states, but also for climatic zones. Sami Jura mountains characterized by the harsh semi-continental climate of the highlands, despite their modest altitude parameters. The complex geology of mountains makes this area a reference model for many geological disciplines. That is why the Jura Mountains gave their name to the Jurassic Geological Period.

are located on the territory of 2 countries: France and Switzerland. From an administrative point of view, the Jura mountains (Massif du Jura) are located within three regions of France and nine French departments: Burgundy-Franche-Comté (departments of Doubs, Jura, Saône-et-Loire and Territory of Belfort), Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (departments - Ain, Isere, Haute-Savoie and Savoy) and Grand Est (Haute Rhine department). In Switzerland, the Jura mountains (Massif du Jura) are located on the territory of eight cantons: Argau (Canton d "Argovie), Basel-Land (Canton de Bâle-Campagne), Bern (Canton de Berne), Jura (Canton du Jura), Neuchâtel" (Canton de Neuchâtel), Solothurn (Canton de Soleure), Vaud (Canton de Vaud) and Zurich (Canton de Zurich). Jura mountain range continues in Germany with two limestone plateaus of moderate height: the Swabian Albs, located in Baden-Württemberg, and the Franconian Jura, located in Bavaria.

Strongly depends on the relief of the massif. Here you can find areas with a humid mountain climate, as well as with a typical continental. Temperature changes in summer in relation to winter are very significant. Cold temperatures and rainfall increase with altitude. Precipitation is observed in abundance throughout the entire mountain range and rarely falls below 1,000 mm per year. The wettest areas are the high Jura mountains with an altitude of over 1400 meters above sea level, where more than 2000 mm of precipitation often falls per year. From the eastern part of the Jura massif, it is characterized by a slightly lower amount of precipitation. In winter, at an altitude of over 800 meters above sea level, precipitation falls in the form of snow. However, during warm winters, permanent snow cover is only established above 1400 meters. In terms of temperatures, the Jura is divided into two main regions: the southwest, where the climate is characterized by mild and humid winters and hot summers, and the northeast, where cold winters and cool summers are noted. Temperatures can vary greatly depending on the season and from one location to another. Some valleys are exposed to the influence of the "cold bowl", where the absolute record of the Jura cold was recorded in the town of Brevin, Switzerland, -41.8 gr. (1987). Within the French Jura, the absolute cold record was recorded by the Meteofrance service in the city of Mout, and was -36.7 ° C (January 13, 1968). In the same city, a record heat for the French Jura was also recorded: the air temperature reached + 35.7 ° C (July 31, 1983).

Northern regions of the Jura belong to the main European watershed, separating the rivers of the Rhone and Rhine basins. The southwestern region has only a local watershed related to the Rhone. Venozh, Walserina, En and Du belong to the Rhone basin; the Bir, then the Tsil and others, flowing into the Aara belong to the Rhine basin. There are large lakes: Neuchâtel and Biel, but most of the region's lakes are quite small (for the most part they are trough lakes with monotonous shores, such as Lake Saint-Pointe in the Doubs river basin and Zhu lake in the Orba basin).

Economic life of the population in the Jura region revolves around agriculture, mining and several manufacturing industries. Agriculture is developed mainly in the valleys of mountain bottoms and foothills, on which, among other things, grapes and nuts are cultivated. The Jura mountain range is being mined with the aim of extracting building stone (Zolothurn marble), lithographic slate, gypsum, rock salt, asphalt (in Val Travere), brown iron ore, marl and clay. The region has a low population density. Only the industrial highlands of Vaadt and Neuchâtel, as well as the fertile plateaus of the Jura mountains, are more densely populated. In addition to agriculture, cattle breeding and mining, the main sources of income are the production of iron and steel goods in the French departments of Jura and Doubs, the manufacture of watches in the Vaadt, Neuchâtel and Bernese Jura and in the French department of Doubs, the manufacture of toys near Saint-Croix, cement production and processing vermouth in Val Travere, glass and papermaking in the Bir valley.

Skiing in the Jura has not become widespread, because snow cover in this region is unstable and, despite the mountainous terrain, is short-lived. However, this does not mean that this kind of sports recreation is not offered here. The main attractions for tourists here are horseback riding, cycling and hiking, snowshoeing downhill.

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Vosges mountains - a mountain range located in northeastern France, parallel to the Rhine, on the west bank. The Vosges are located north of Belfort, near the Moselle springs, directly by high steep mountains, without connecting spurs with the Jura, and stretches north to the headwaters of the Lauter River. The total length of the Vosges mountain range, including the northern spurs located in Germany, reaches 830 km with a width of 40-60 km. Like the Black Forest in Germany, the Vosges drops abruptly to the Rhine valley, on the other hand, it slowly descends to the Lorraine plateau, crossed by numerous chains of hills. The Vosges are composed mainly of granite, gneiss, variegated Triassic sandstone, red Permian wood, porphyry, melafir and conch limestone.

Vosges can be conditionally divided into two parts: southern, higher, and northern. The average elevation of the southern Vosges is 950 m. Not far from the beginning of the chain, north of the Belfort Passage, rises Mount Borenkopf (1074 m), the dome-shaped peaks of Giromany, or Balen d'Alsace (1274 m), and Balen de Cervance (1216 m This group of mid-altitude mountains is adjoined by the chain of Fosilles stretching to the west, so named for its sickle shape. The Fossilles connects the Vosges with the Langres Plateau. Further, the chain rises to the dome-shaped peak of the Grand Ballon, the giant of the Vosges (1423.7 m), then the mountains Storkenkopf (1366 m) and Rotenbachkopf (1316 m.), Altenkraekopf (1277 m.) , small picturesque lakes are widespread here.

Northern Vosges below the southern ones. The highest point is Mount Rocher de Mutzig - 1,010 m. Slightly lower is Mount Donon (1,009 m). The Northern Vosges are gradually lowering, and at the wide Saverne Pass they are only 380 m in height, and further north they gradually pass into the Lorraine Plateau with a height of 220 to 320 meters above sea level.

Vosges climate unstable, and just like in the Jura region, it strongly depends on the relief of the massif, as well as on the weather conditions formed in the Alps. The Vosges are marked by abundant rainfall, which affects the region's well-developed river network. The western slopes, which are dominated by the eastern masses from the oceanic coast, are occupied mainly by forests and pastures. At the same time, on the eastern slopes of the Vosges (Alsace), continental air masses have a noticeable effect, which makes it possible to cultivate vineyards in these areas, which are distinguished by a dry and warm climate.

In the Vosges there are practically no large industrial enterprises, as well as large cities. The largest cities are Colmar and Mulhouse. There are also several very small towns with industrial enterprises of local caliber. A large production in the Vosges was never opened, thanks to which the wild nature has been preserved here in good condition. This is one of the few places in Western Europe where roe deer, wild boars, deer live in the wild, and 60% of the territory is covered with forests.

The low level of urbanization, in turn, contributes to the tourist attraction of the Vosges. The Central and Southern Vosges are an internationally renowned resort area and an all-European winter sports center. Regional Natural Park "Northern Vosges" - a protected area included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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High and Low Ardennes ... The High Ardennes lie to the north of the Urth River, here you can find the highest peaks, reaching heights of over 600 m. The highest point of the Ardennes is also located here - Signaal van Botrange (694 m). Another peak is located in the north of the Luxembourg province - Baraque de Fraiture (652 m). The Low Ardennes are found in the southwest, in the southern provinces of Hainaut, Namur and Luxembourg, and in western France. It is dominated, as a rule, by low mountains and hills, up to 500 meters above sea level. Geologically, the Ardennes deserve a lot of attention; from the Cambrian deposits up to modern formations, here you can find sediments of all geological systems, of which others are represented very fully and very well.

As well as the Vosges, they are distinguished by a large degree of forest cover. Forests, mostly deciduous (oak, beech, ash, aspen), less often spruce, adorn the mountain slopes, covered with a thicker soil layer; elsewhere there are only pastures, bushes, as well as wastelands and swamps. Only in the north and west, where the Ardennes merge with the plains, is agriculture possible. The deep, in places narrow, rocky valley of the Meuse between Mezieres and Namur cuts through the entire Ardennes from south to north. The same transverse valleys form Urta and Sure (Ourthe, Sure). Agriculture is also developed in the valleys.

Climate in the Ardennes due to the terrain and height - more precipitation falls here than on the adjacent plains (in winter, the snow cover lasts up to several weeks a year). In the Ardennes, the influence of the sea decreases slightly, here the climate becomes more continental, although here, too, frosty and snowy winters are rare. The average January temperature for the Ardennes is slightly lower - 1 degree; and in general, the region is characterized by 120 frosty days a year. The average July temperature is + 14 degrees. The annual rainfall in the Ardennes, where wet winds are trapped by the mountains, reaches 1,500 mm.

Very important industrially. They are used as a source of building stone. In addition, deposits of roofing shale, iron, zinc and lead ores have been discovered and developed. Particularly rich in minerals are the northern regions of the region, between Luttich and Valenciennes, which are rich in coal deposits that support Belgium's industrial activities.

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