The French Massif Central represents one of the rare occurrences in Europe where lower Pleistocene fossil deposits are associated to a substantial volcanic activity. Thanks to the abundance of volcanic zircons in the differentiated products of the Monts-Dore/Guéry stratovolcano, we were able for the first time to use U/Pb geochronology on zircon to precisely date lower Pleistocene fossil deposits. Zircon, a weathering-proof heavy mineral, was dispersed over the landscape through Plinian eruptions, and quickly reworked in fossil-bearing sedimentary deposits. Five Villafranchian fossil sites in the Upper Allier River valley (French Massif Central) have been precisely dated: Chilhac (MNQ17b, 2.285 ± 0.046 Ma), Mont Coupet (2.274 ± 0.032 Ma), Senèze (reference locality for MNQ18, 2.100 ± 0.029 Ma, confirming the previously determined 2.18–2.10 Ma ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages), Blassac-La Girondie (MNQ19, 1.946 ± 0.029 Ma), and Vazeilles (1.843 ± 0.028 Ma). These new chronological data constrain the duration of the MNQ18 in central France to about 200 ka. The confirmation of an old age for the Blassac-La Girondie deposit indicates that the MNQ19 biozone started significantly earlier than previously thought.

法国地块中部代表了欧洲罕见的地点之一，在那里更新世较低的化石沉积与大量的火山活动有关。得益于Monts-Dore /Guéry层状火山的独特产物中丰富的火山锆石，我们首次能够在锆石上使用U / Pb年代学来精确地记录下更新世的化石矿床。锆石是一种抗风化的重矿物，通过普林尼亚火山喷发散布在整个景观中，并迅速在含化石的沉积沉积物中重新加工。上阿利埃河流域（法国中部地块）的五个 Villafranchian 化石遗址已被精确定年：Chilhac (MNQ17b, 2.285 ± 0.046 Ma)、Mont Coupet (2.274 ± 0.032 Ma)、Senèze（MNQ18 的参考地点，2.1020 ±0 Ma） , 确认先前确定的 2.18–2.10 Ma⁴⁰ Ar/ ³⁹ Ar 年龄）、布拉萨克-拉吉伦特 (MNQ19, 1.946 ± 0.029 Ma) 和 Vazeilles (1.843 ± 0.028 Ma)。这些新的年代数据将法国中部 MNQ18 的持续时间限制在 200 ka 左右。Blassac-La Girondie矿床的证实为老年，这表明MNQ19生物区的启动明显早于先前的设想。