THE COUMIAC MARBLE QUARRY
Mountainous terrain
in Cessenon-sur-Orb
Opening hours and services not guaranteed
-
Of a very high quality, the marble was used to decorate prestigious buildings such as the White House in Washington or the House of France in Rio de Janeiro.
On the geological aspect, the recording of the crisis characterizing the end of the primary era is particularly remarkable within the layers that outcrop in the Coumiac quarry, which is why the latter was selected in 1989 in Washington by the International Committee of Stratigraphy to become a world reference of the Frasnian-Famenian...Of a very high quality, the marble was used to decorate prestigious buildings such as the White House in Washington or the House of France in Rio de Janeiro.
On the geological aspect, the recording of the crisis characterizing the end of the primary era is particularly remarkable within the layers that outcrop in the Coumiac quarry, which is why the latter was selected in 1989 in Washington by the International Committee of Stratigraphy to become a world reference of the Frasnian-Famenian limit.
This geological site, which has become an international reference, is the remarkable witness of a crisis that affected all marine species 365 million years ago.
The classification of this site as a Regional Nature Reserve will be integrated into the network of geological reserves to illustrate the geological history of our department and to ensure its durability in view of its heritage, scientific and educational values.