(French.) A limestone plateau in the southeastern part of the central massif of France characterized by closed depressions, caves, and avens (jamas); a number of such plateaus in and around the basin of the river Tarn constitute Les Grandes Causses. This region was considered by Cvijic to exemplify karst development intermediate between holokarst and merokarst [10]. Synonym: (French.) causse; (German.) (Kalkstein Plateau), Causse; (Greek.) karstikon oropedion; (Italian.) altopiano carsico; (Russian.) izvestnjakovoje karstovoje plato; (Spanish.) altiplano carstico; (Turkish.) kirectasi duzlugii; (Yugoslavian.) krski plato, kraski plato.