During this period there were many climatic cycles. Some of these cycles resulted in extensive glaciation. The summits and the planezes of the Cantal, Cézalier and Artense would have appeared as the Icelandic ice caps today. The glaciers comprehensively remodelled the volcano, leaving a landscape of ridges, deep valleys and the planezes of the present day.

The Cantal probably underwent six glacial periods of the Quaternary period. These were separated by periods when the ice totally melted. The latter glaciations cleared all traces of the previous ones except in some areas near Aurillac. The glaciers remained in the valleys until 13000years BC. About 10000 years ago the climate began a progressive warming until it became close to today’s climate.