# Sedimentary dynamic of the Aptian-Albian deposits in the Paris Basin, from Wessex (UK) to Aube (France)

Rémi Deschamps, Justine Briais, Christine Souque, Eric Lasseur, Perrine Mas, Florence Seguin, Benjamin Brigaud

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Rémi Deschamps, Justine Briais, Christine Souque, Eric Lasseur, Perrine Mas, et al.. Sedimentary dynamic of the Aptian-Albian deposits in the Paris Basin, from Wessex (UK) to Aube (France). 18ème Congrès Français de Sedimentologie, 2022, Brest, France. hal-05294737

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Submitted on 23 Nov 2025

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# SEDIMENTARY DYNAMIC OF THE APTIAN-ALBIAN DEPOSITS IN THE PARIS BASIN, FROM WESSEX (UK) TO AUBE (FRANCE)

Rémy Deschamps *<fnref n="1" />, Justine Briais <fnref n="2" />, Christine Souque <fnref n="1" />, Éric Lasseur <fnref n="2" />, Perrine Mas <fnref n="3" />, Florence Seguin <fnref n="4" />, Benjamin Brigaud <fnref n="3" />

On the western European plate, the Aptian-Albian interval is a turnaround period between the late Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous extension linked to the Atlantic rifting and the beginning of the Africa-Eurasia convergence during the late Cretaceous. Despite the Cenozoic inversion, this tectonic evolution in the Aptian-Albian period is well recorded in the Anglo-Paris basin. This study aims to better understand and reconstruct this period with regional correlations based on field and well-log analysis in the Paris, Wessex and Weald basin. The basin has recorded a complex evolution inherited from the Variscan orogen that controlled the sub-basins subsidence evolution during the Jurassic and Early Cretaceous extension (Mansy et al., 2003). Different phases of extension occurred during Late Jurassic, affecting the Weald and the Paris sub-basins separated by the Dieppe-Hampshire persistent high inherited from Variscan thrusts faults.

In the Anglo Paris Basin, the latest Jurassic to Early Cretaceous sedimentation shifted from carbonate platforms to continental and shallow water clastics, with a rearrangement of the catchment and sink areas caused by the resuming extension. These deposits are made up of sandstones interbedded shales that range from dominantly continental deposits (i.e., Berriasian to Middle Aptian strata) lying unconformably above the Upper Jurassic carbonates, to shallow marine deposits (from late Aptian to Cenomanian), recording a major transgression. The Aptian-Albian strata are affected by the reactivation of the inherited structures with shifts of the depocenters due to subsidence variations:

- The Lower Aptian and lower part of the Upper Aptian are marked by an extension phase in the Channel with a large depocenter in the Wessex basin infilled by a large deltaic system whereas the Paris basin is in a low subsidence setting with continental deposits. The Artois high, separating the Paris to the Weald basins, was probably exposed (lack of Lower Aptian deposits).

- The latest Aptian is marked by a regional angular unconformity (Ruffell, 1991; Guillochaeu et al., 2000) recording the transition between the rift and the sag phase of the North Atlantic system, on top of which the "Sables Verts" were deposited in a shallow tidal dominated platform in the Paris Basin, correlated to estuarine deposits of the "Sandrock Fm." in the Wessex Basin, and to condensed levels in the Artois high (revealing low sediment input from this massif).

- Following this large-scale unconformity, subsidence patterns are reorganized during Latest Aptien - Lower Albian. South England (Wessex) becomes an emerged area of fluvial bypass (Monk's Bay/Carstone Fm.), whereas the Paris Basin records estuarine to deltaic sedimentation within Lower Albian (Sables des Drillons) (Sévenier et al., 2016). The deepest facies are recorded within phosphate rich condensed levels in the southeastern part of the basin (Amédro et al., 2021).

- During the Middle Albian, a major flooding occured at basin scale. The Wessex basin records a sharp transgression with the Gault offshore clays deposition. In the Paris Basin, shallow marine shorefaces of the "Sables de Frécambault" developed, fed by the Armorican massif relieves up-lifted during Biscaye opening, passing distally to offshore shales in the southeastern part of the basin.

- The Upper Albian deposits above the Gault clays record an overall shallowing from offshore to a shallow tidal platform in the Wessex Basin below the Cenomanian chalk, whereas in the Paris Basin, no terrigenous input nor angular unconformity is observed, the Upper Albian is marked by a progressive increase of carbonate content before the deposition of the Cenomanian chalk separated by a flooded condensed offshore section over the Artois persistent low subsidence area. These sedimentary records highlight a common history marked by Early cretaceous geodynamics which led to relieves rejuvenation (Devon, Armorican massif), subsequent terrigenous influx and an overall low subsidence. Although different records highlight variation in subsidence distribution/ evolution and sedimentary input, particularly with large depocenter in the channel and varying terrigenous input with time coming from Devon and Armorican massif.

**Mots-Clés :** Aptian, Albian, Anglo, Paris Basin, sedimentary dynamic

<footnote n="1">¹ IFP Energies nouvelles – IFP Energies Nouvelles – France</footnote>

<footnote n="2">² Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM) – France</footnote>

<footnote n="3">³ Géosciences Paris Saclay – Université Paris-Saclay – UMR8148 – France</footnote>

<footnote n="4">⁴ Université de Cergy Pontoise – Université Paris-Seine – France</footnote>

<footnote>*Intervenant – remy.deschamps@ifpen.fr</footnote>