Schematic synthesis of present-day deformation and driving processes in metropolitan France and Western Europe. Red (resp. orange) crosses show the styles and relative amplitudes of well-constrained (resp. probable) present-day horizontal deformation from earthquake focal mechanisms and geodetic data. Black dashed lines and arrows show the large-scale NW-SE horizontal compression from far-field tectonic forces. Blue dashed line shows the area impacted by Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) from the Alpine ice cap. Curved green arrow shows the area affected by the European slab tear and associated mantle dynamics. Orange shadings show areas affected by long-term erosion (red–yellow = fast–slow).