(A) Correlation chart of the Bartonian to Aquitanian deposits from the North-Montpellier, Alès-Saint-Chaptes and Vistrenque basins, and inferred ages. Biostratigraphy scale is based on mammal reference levels (M.Z.). Ages from North-Montpellier and Alès-Saint-Chaptes basins are based on fossil mammal and charophytes biostratigraphy. The chronostratigraphic framework from the Vistrenque basin is based on U-Pb datings on carbonate minerals, Sr and S isotopes and pollen-based climatostratigraphy (Semmani et al., 2023). Dominant palaeoenvironments and lithologies of the formations are indicated. White areas correspond to non-depositional and erosional hiatuses. The Priabonian interval from Alès-Saint-Chaptes basins is documented in Lettéron et al. (2018, Lettéron 2022) and North-Montpellier basin stratigraphy is based on Séranne et al. (2021). (B) Benthic foraminiferal oxygen isotope curve (smoothed curve over 20ka in blue, smoothed curve over 1Ma in red; after Westerhold et al., 2020) reflecting the global climate evolution and Priabonian to Chattian regional palaeoclimate characterization (according to Fauquette et al., 1998a) recorded in southern France basins (Semmani et al., 2023). (C) Evolution of the regional tectonic setting from the late Eocene to earliest Miocene in southern France. The hatched area represents an uncertainty in the time interval separating successive tectonic stages. Pollen sample locations (after Semmani et al., 2023): 1: Euzet Hill, 2: Serre de Cauvel 3; 3: Maruéjols-1 798m; 4: Montchamp; 5: Vauvert-1 well 3200m; 6: Gallician-9 well 2530m; 7: Gallician-1 well 1648m.