Southeastwards shearing in the western Maures, witness of syn-exhumation nappe tectonics?

In the Maures massif, the structures synchronous with the regional metamorp hism were partially overprinted by strong normal shear zones during the lat e orogenic extension. However, the cartography of mylonitic foliation and a ssociated stretching lineation and the microstructural analysis allow the l ocalisation of two major thrusts with southeastwards motion, located at the bottom of the lithotectonic units. Geochronological constraints relate thi s: nappe tectonics to the Visean. The structure of the Western Maures and i ts: relationship with northwestwards and southeastwards tectonics are discu ssed through two possible models. (C) 2000 Academie des sciences / Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.