The evolution and origin of the European Cenozoic Rift System (ECRIS) is a matter of debate for several decades (e.g., Tapponnier, 1977; Bergerat, 1987; Ziegler, 1992; Michon et al., 2003). This rift system was characterized by the development of several grabens in the Pyrenean and Alpine forelands and by a magmatic activity starting at the K/T transition. Dèzes et al. (2004) propose an additional reappraisal and interpret the ECRIS formation and the associated volcanism as resulting from the Alpine and Pyrenean collision and the emplacement of a mantle plume at depth below western Europe. Our remarks on this paper will be focused on three different topics which make the final conclusions of Dèzes et al. (i.e., origin of the extension in the ECRIS) highly questionable.