. "Massif Central"@en . "1886.0"^^ . . "The Massif Central (Occitan: Mass\u00EDs Central / Mass\u00EDs Centrau) is an elevated region in south-central France, consisting of mountains and plateaux.Subject to volcanism that has subsided in the last 10,000 years, these central mountains are separated from the Alps by a deep north-south cleft created by the Rh\u00F4ne River and known in French as the sillon rhodanien (literally \"the furrow of the Rh\u00F4ne\").The region was a barrier to communication until the opening of the A75 motorway, which not only made north-south travel easier, but also opened up the Massif Central itself.The Massif Central is situated in the middle of southern France and it covers 15 percent of the country."@en .