Causses

The Causses are a group of limestone plateaus (700–1,200 m) in the Massif Central. They are bordered to the north-west by the Limousin and the Périgord uplands, and to the east by the Aubrac and the Cévennes. Large river gorges cut through the plateau, such as the Tarn, Dourbie, Jonte, Lot and Aveyron. Causse is an Occitan word meaning "limestone plateau".

Causses

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Causse Méjean in Massif Central, Cévennes National Park, France
Location	Massif Central, France
Part of	The Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape
Criteria	Cultural: (iii)(v)
Reference	1153rev
Inscription	2011 (35th session)
Coordinates	44°9′N 3°15′E
Location of Causses in France

Arranged from the north-west to the south-east, the following plateaus are found:

• the Causses du Quercy:
  • the Causse de Martel (Lot)
  • the Causse de Gramat (Lot)
  • the Causse de Limogne (Lot)
  • the Causse corrèzien (Corrèze)
• the Grands Causses:
  • the Causse du Comtal (Aveyron)
  • the Causse de Sévérac (Aveyron)
  • the Causse de Sauveterre (Lozère)
  • the Causse Méjean (Lozère)
  • the Causse Noir (Aveyron)
  • the Causse Rouge (Aveyron)
  • the Causse du Larzac (Aveyron and Hérault)
• notable smaller causes (“petite causses”) nearby
  • Causse de Mende
  • Causse de Blandas
  • Causse de Changefège
  • Causse-Bégon

Many sites on the Causses are included in Natura 2000, notably the Parc Naturel Régional des Grands Causses on the Larzac, Méjean, and Noir plateaus. The Causses and the Cévennes, Mediterranean agro-pastoral Cultural Landscape was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2011.[1]

• 
  A doline in the causse de Sauveterre, Lozère.
• 
  Beige Limestone from the Causse in Lozère.