Fournaise, Piton de la (France): Recorded Eruptions and Historical Activity

Piton de la Fournaise is an active shield volcano located in France, standing at an elevation of 2,632 meters in an intraplate or oceanic crust tectonic setting under 15 kilometers depth. According to the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program, the volcano has a recorded history encompassing 198 confirmed eruptions. The timeline of activity stretches from early isotopic records dating back to 2795 BCE through contemporary reported observations up to 2026 CE.

Overview of Recorded Eruptions

The official record for Piton de la Fournaise documents 198 confirmed eruptions with varying degrees of explosivity and observation methods. The earliest recorded events in the collection include uncalibrated radiocarbon-dated activity around 2795 BCE (with a start year uncertainty of 130 years) and 2765 BCE (with a start year uncertainty of 145 years and a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 5.0). As observation techniques evolved from ancient isotopic methods to historical reports, the frequency of documented eruptions increased significantly, particularly across the 19th and 20th centuries CE.

Eruption Frequency Across Centuries

Historical documentation and scientific dating methods reveal irregular distribution patterns across centuries. The confirmed eruption counts by century span multiple eras:

• 28th century BCE: 2 eruptions
• 18th century BCE: 1 eruption
• 2nd century CE: 1 eruption
• 5th century CE: 1 eruption
• 6th century CE: 1 eruption
• 10th century CE: 1 eruption
• 14th century CE: 1 eruption
• 15th century CE: 1 eruption
• 16th century CE: 1 eruption
• 17th century CE: 5 eruptions
• 18th century CE: 29 eruptions
• 19th century CE: 53 eruptions
• 20th century CE: 73 eruptions
• 21st century CE: 28 eruptions (through the 2026 records)

Historical Observation Methods and Activity Areas

Early records rely on isotopic techniques such as uncalibrated 14C dating. Later historical events rely on direct human observations and reported activity. For instance, an eruption in August to December of 1812 occurred at the summit and above Piton de Crac with a VEI of 2.0. Similarly, an eruption in July 1901 took place on the northeast flank above Piton de Crac, also recording a VEI of 2.0. Recent documentation includes an eruption starting on February 13, 2026, and ending on March 31, 2026.