Photo : Rensi sur Wikipédia allemand / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Orgues de bort les orgues
The Orgues de Bort rise on the east face of the Puy de Bort, above the town of Bort-les-Orgues, in the Corrèze, near the boundary with the Cantal. They are made of phonolite, a volcanic rock that contains blue to blackish haüyne crystals. On cooling, the lava contracted into polygonal columns, hence the name volcanic organ pipes.
The flow dates from the Miocene and is linked to the great Cantal volcano. Spread over about 1,500 metres and about 80 metres thick, it had filled a valley floor. Erosion then brought out this hard rock, which now forms a crest: this is a relief inversion. The site, at about 750 metres' altitude, overlooks the Dordogne valley and offers a wide panorama. On the left side, a climbing area offers 29 routes graded 3c to 6b. Listed since 1933, the site is also a type 1 ZNIEFF.
