Continental France and Belgium during the Early Cretaceous: paleoweatherings and paleolandforms

During the Early Cretaceous, successive tectonic phases and several sea level falls brought up the exondation of the main part of Western Europe and the development of thick 'lateritic' weathering. This long period of continental evolution ended with the Upper Cretaceous transgressions. During this period, the exposed lands displayed a mosaic of diverse morphologies and weathered landscapes. The bauxites are the most spectacular paleoweathering features, known for long in southern France. Recently, new residual outcrops have been identified, trapped in the karstic depressions of the Grands Causses. Other bauxitic formations, containing gibbsite, have also been recognised coming with the Clay-with-Jurassic-cherts in the southeastern border of the Paris Basin. These bauxitic formations overlay Jurassic limestone and are buried beneath Upper Cretaceous marine deposits. The recognition of bauxites up North to the southern Paris Basin significantly widens the extension of the Lower Cretaceous weathering features across the region.