Peaks in France, Italy and Switzerland lie in the "Houillière zone", which consists of basement with sediments from the Mesozoic Era. High "massifs" with external sedimentary cover are more common in the Western Alps and were affected by Neogene Period thin-skinned thrusting whereas the Eastern Alps have comparatively few high peaked massifs. Similarly the peaks in Switzerland extending to western Austria (Helvetic nappes) consist of thin-skinned sedimentary folding that detached from former basement rock. COUNT 3
QSN1 What area do peaks in France, Italy, and Switzerland lie in?  ANS1 Houillière zone QSN2 What are more common in the Western Alps? ANS2 High "massifs" QSN3 When compared to the Western Alps, what area has few high peaked massifs? ANS3 Eastern Alps