The layers studied, parts of banquettes, consist of limnic clayey-silty fine sediments with some intercalated horizons of
shaly coal and lacustrine mud flow rubble. In the lower part of the record the Bornette interglacial has been established.
This is characterised by high values of
Corylus and a significant presence of
Quercus and
Hedera in addition to a wide-spread presence of
Buxus,
Ulmus and
Carpinus. A linkage of this interglacial to the Eemian (MIS 5e) can be considered an applicable hypothesis. Quantitatively, however,
Alnus and
Picea exceed all these thermophytics. However the lower part of Lathuile Gare is also characterised by palynological duplications
untypical of the Eemian, for example two distinct peaks of Corylus linked to a significant decline in Picea in PZ 3 and 5
and higher values of Abies and Picea in PZ 4 and 6. Possibly these duplications can be explained by a rapid sub-aquatic flow
causing a doubling of the beds. In the upper part of the Lathuile Gare record two mean climatic recession periods in the lowest
and the second uppermost section (PZ 9 and 15) were detected with increased values of NAP and
Pinus in PZ 9 and decreased proportions of
Picea in PZ 15. They represent the Chaperon b interstadial and the Lathuile stadial correlated hypothetically with the St. Germain
Ib (MIS 5c2) and the Melisey II (MIS 5b) stadial. The enclosed middle part, the Chaparon c interstadial, revealing similarities
with the St. Germain Ic (MIS 5c1), is dominated by
Picea and
Pinus. Only a few thermophilous taxa occur in the middle of this interstadial in PZ 11.
Keywords Pollen - Banquettes - Northern French Alps - Eemian - St. Germain Ib and c - Melisey II
Communicated by F. Bittmann.