In the late Jurassic the microcontinent Iberia broke away from the European plate and the Valais Ocean was formed between the two plates. Both Piemont-Liguria and Valais Oceans were never large oceans such as today's Atlantic Ocean. What they might have been like is the opening below the Red Sea, continuing down through Africa, forming the Great Rift Valley. Eventually, a new ocean will cut through east Africa as the rift develops, dividing a large section of land from the main continent.