The giant mineral monument of Mont Blanc has soared into the sky for millions of years. It subjects living organisms to extreme conditions, violent winds, sheer rock faces, polar temperatures and raging avalanches.

The Loire is one of Europe's last free-flowing rivers, one of the few whose banks have not been developed and confined by man. As the seasons change, its water level rises and falls and the morphology of the river-bed alters.

Breakers have been crashing onto the Atlantic coast for thousands of years. It is a mineral world of earth, rock and water, swept by raging winds.

The ancient upland forests of Western Europe are living monuments. They are home to a wealth of plant and animal species: large mammals and microscopic insects live side by side beneath the tall trees.

The garrigues and steppes of the Mediterranean are home to some startlingly exotic wildlife.