Graian Alps

Graian Alps
French: Alpes Grées, Italian: Alpi Graie
Highest point
Peak Mont Blanc
Elevation 4,810.45 m (15,782.3 ft)
Coordinates 45°50′1″N 6°51′54″E / 45.83361°N 6.86500°E / 45.83361; 6.86500
Geography
Countries France, Italy and Switzerland
States/Provinces Rhône-Alpes, Piedmont, Aosta Valley and Valais
Range coordinates 45°30′N 7°10′E / 45.5°N 7.17°E / 45.5; 7.17Coordinates: 45°30′N 7°10′E / 45.5°N 7.17°E / 45.5; 7.17
Parent range Alps
Borders on
Geology
Orogeny Alpine orogeny

The Graian Alps (Italian: Alpi Graie [ˈalpi ˈɡraːje]; French: Alpes Grées [alp ɡʁe]) are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps.

Etymology

The name Graie comes from the Graioceli Celtic tribe, which dwelled in the area surrounding the Mont Cenis pass and the Viù valley.[1] Other sources claim that the name comes from the Celtic "Graig" meaning rock/stone, literally the Rocky Mountains[2]

Geography

The Graian Alps are located in France (Rhône-Alpes), Italy (Piedmont and the Aosta Valley), and Switzerland (western Valais).

The French side of the Graian Alps is drained by the river Isère (Tarentaise valley) and its tributary Arc (Maurienne valley), and by the Arve. The Italian side is drained by the rivers Dora Baltea, Orco and Stura di Lanzo, tributaries of the Po.

The Graian Alps can also be divided into the following four groups:

Peaks

The main peaks of the Graian Alps are:

Mont Blanc group

Aiguille d'Argentière above the Saleina Glacier
Aiguille du Midi
Name metres feet Name metres feet
Mont Blanc 4,810.45[3] 15,782 Aiguille du Tacul 3,438 11,280
Mont Maudit 4,471 14,669 Pointe d'Orny 3,274 10,742
Dôme du Goûter 4,331 14,210 Grandes Jorasses 4,205 13,797
Mont Favre 3,259 10,693 Aiguille Verte 4,127 13,541
Tour Sallière 3,227 10,588 Aiguille de Bionnassay 4,066 13,341
Pointe de Léchaud 3,127 10,260 Dent du Géant 4,013 13,166
Mont Buet 3,109 10,201 Aiguille de Tré la Tête 3,911 12,832
Mont Ruan 3,078 10,099 Aiguille d'Argentière 3,902 12,802
Pic de Tenneverge 2,982 9,784 Aiguille de Triolet 3,876 12,717
Aiguille du Belvédère (Aigs Rouges) 2,966 9,731 Aiguille du Midi 3,843 12,609
Crammont 2,737 8,980 Tour Noir 3,836 12,586
Pointe des Fours 2,719 8,921 Aiguille des Glaciers 3,834 12,579
Pointe du Colloney 2,692 8,832 Mont Dolent 3,823 12,543
Catogne 2,599 8,527 Aiguille du Chardonnet 3,822 12,540
Mont Joly 2,527 8,291 Aiguille du Dru 3,754 12,316
Brevent 2,525 8,284 Dômes de Miage 3,688 12,100
Pointe de Sales 2,494 8,183 Aiguille du Tour 3,540 11,615
Aiguille de Varan 2,488 8,163 Aiguille du Grépon 3,502 11,489
Mont Chetif 2,343 7,687 Aiguille des Charmoz 3,442 11,293

Central group

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Pointe de Charbonnel 3760 12,336 Grande Aiguille Rousse 3482 11,424
Aiguille de la Grande Sassière 3751 12,306 Granta-Parey 3473 11,395
Uia di Ciamarella 3676 12,061 Roc du Moulinet 3469 11,382
Albaron 3638 11,936 Aiguille Pers 3451 11,323
Pointe de Ronce 3618 11,871 Cima dell' Auille?? 3446 11,306
Levanna 3619 11,874 Pointe de la Galise 3345 10,975
Bec de l'Invergnan 3608 11,838 Pointe de la Traversière 3341 10,962
Tsanteleina 3606 11,831 Ormelune/Pointe d'Archeboc 3283 10,771
Bessanese 3597 11,801 Signal du Mont Iseran3241 10,634
Croce Rossa 3566 11,703 Grand Assaly 3174 10,413
Punta d'Arnas 3540 11,615 Torre d'Ovarda3075 10,089
Rocciamelone 3537 11,605 Dôme de Val d'Isère 3033 9951
Punta Chalanson 3530 11,582 Uia di Mondrone 2964 9725
Grande Traversière 3495 11,467 Monte Unghiasse 2939 9643
Testa del Rutor 3486 11,438 Monte Civrari 2302 7553

Eastern group

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Gran Paradiso 4061 13,324 Punta Tersiva 3513 11,526
Grivola 3969 13,022 Punta Foura 3410 11,188
Herbétet 3778 12,396 Punta Sengie 3408 11,182
Torre del Gran San Pietro 3692 12,113 Punta Lavina 3308 10,854
Ciarforon 3665 12,025 Rosa dei Banchi 3164 10,381
Roccia Viva 3650 11,976 Becca di Nona 3142 10,309
Becca di Gay 3623 11,887 Punta Pousset 3046 9994
Monte Emilius3559 11,677 Monte Marzo 2750 9023

Western group

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Grande Casse 3855 12,648 Pointe de l'Échelle 3422 11,227
Mont Pourri 3779 12,398 Bellecôte3417 11,211
Dent Parrachée 3697 12,129 Pointes de la Gliere 3386 11,109
Grande Motte 3653 11,985 Pointe de Méan Martin 3337 10,949
Dôme de l'Arpont 3601 11,808 Roche Chevrière 3252 10,669
Dôme de Chasseforêt 3586 11,765 Pointe de la Réchasse 3223 10,575
Aiguille de Péclet 3566 11,700 Petit Mont Blanc de Pralognan 2685 8809
Aiguille de Polset 3538 11,608 Mont Jovet 2563 8409
Pointe de la Sana 3436 11,273

Passes

The main passes of the Graian Alps are shown in the table below. The group in which the pass is located is indicated with "MB" for Mont Blanc group, "C" for Central group, "E" for Eastern group, and "W" for Western group.

namelocationgrouptypeelevation (m/ft)
Col de la Brenva Courmayeur to Chamonix MB snow 4,333 14,217
Col de Triolet Chamonix to CourmayeurMB snow 3,691 12,110
Col d'Argentière Chamonix to Orsières MB snow 3,516 11,536
Col de la Grande Rousse Rhêmes Valley to ValgrisencheCsnow 350011,483
Col de Talefre Chamonix to CourmayeurMB snow 3,484 11,430
Col de Gebroulaz Modane to MéribelW snow347011,385
Col de Monel Cogne to LocanaE snow342811,247
Col de Miage Les Contamines to CourmayeurMB snow 3,376 11,077
Col du Géant Chamonix to CourmayeurMB snow 3,371 11,060
Col du Grand Paradis Ceresole Reale to ValsavarencheE snow334910,988
Col du Charforon Ceresole Reale to ValsavarencheE snow333110,929
Col de Teleccio Cogne to LocanaE snow 332610,913
Col du Chardonnet Chamonix to OrsièresMB snow 3,325 10,909
Col de Lauzon Cogne to the ValsavarencheE bridle path330110,831
Col du Bouquetin Bonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'IsèreC snow330010,827
Col de St Grat Valgrisenche to La ThuileC snow 330010,827
Col du Tour Chamonix to OrsièresMB snow 3,280 10,762
Fenêtre de Saleinaz Saleinaz Glacier to Trient GlacierMB snow 3,264 10,709
Col de l'Herbetet Cogne to ValsavarencheE snow 325710,686
Col du Collerin Bessans to BalmeC snow 320210,506
Col du Grand Etret Ceresole Reale to ValsavarancheE snow 315810,361
Col de Bassac Rhêmes Valley to ValgrisencheC snow315310,345
Col du Carro Bonneval-sur-Arc to Ceresole RealeC snow314010,302
Col d'Arbole Cogne to BrissogneE snow313710,292
Col de la Goletta Val d'Isère to the Rhêmes ValleyC snow312010,237
Col de Rhêmes Val d'Isère to the Rhêmes ValleyC snow 310110,174
Col de la Grande Casse Pralognan to TermignonW snow 310010,171
Col de Sea Bonneval-sur-Arc to Forno Alpi GraieC snow 308310,115
Col de l'Autaret Bessans to UsseglioC foot path307010,073
Col de Girard Bonneval-sur-Arc to Forno Alpi GraieC snow 30449987
Col Rosset Valsavarenche to the Rhêmes ValleyC bridle path 30249922
Col d'Arnas Bessans to BalmeC snow 30149889
Col de la Galise Ceresole Reale to Val d'IsèreC snow29989836
Col de Sort Valsavarenche to the Rhêmes ValleyE bridle path29679735
Quecees de Tignes Val d'Isère to TermignonW snow 29409646
Col della Nouva Cogne to Pont CanaveseE bridle path29339623
Col de Breuil Bourg-Saint-Maurice to La Thuile MB snow 2,879 9,446
Col de Garin Aosta to CogneEfoot path 28689411
Collarin d'Arnas Balme to UsseglioC snow 28509351
Colle della Finestra Rhêmes Valley to the ValgrisencheC foot path28479341
Fenêtre de Champorcher Cogne to ChamporcherE bridle path28389311
Col Vaudet Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise to the ValgrisencheC foot path28369305
Col de Bardoney Cogne to Pont CanaveseE snow 28339295
Col de Chaviere Modane to PralognanW foot path28069206
Col de la Leisse Tignes to TermignonW snow27809121
Col de l'Iseran Bonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'IsèreC road27699085
Ghicet di Sea Balme to Forno Alpi GraieC foot path 27358973
Col de la Sachette Tignes to Bourg-Saint-MauriceW foot path27298954
Col du Palet Tignes to Moûtiers or Bourg St MauriceW bridle path26588721
Col du Mont Ste Foy to the ValgrisencheC bridle path 26468681
Col du Nivolet Ceresole Reale to the ValsavarencheE road26418665
Colle della Crocetta Ceresole Reale to Forno Alpi GraieCbridle path26368649
Col de la Platiere Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to MoûtiersW bridle path 26008531
Col du Mont Tondu Les Contamines to CourmayeurMB snow 2,590 8,498
Col Ferret Courmayeur to OrsièresMB bridle path 2,533 8,311
Col de la Vanoise Pralognan to TermignonW bridle path 25278291
Col de la Seigne Les Chapieux to CourmayeurMB bridle path 2,512 8,242
Col de Susanfe Champéry to Salvan MB foot path 2,500 8,202
Col du Bonhomme Contamines to Les ChapieuxMB bridle path 2,483 8,147
Col de Sageroux Sixt to ChampéryMB foot path 2,413 7,917
Col des Encombres Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne to MoûtiersW bridle path 23377668
Col d'Anterne Sixt to ServozMB bridle path 2,263 7,425
Col de Balme Chamonix to the Trient ValleyMB bridle path 2,201 7,221
Little St Bernard Pass Aosta to MoûtiersC road 21887179
Mont Cenis Modane to SusaC road 20836827
Col de la Madeleine La Chambre to MoûtiersW road19936509
Colle Checrouit Courmayeur to the Lac de CombalMB bridle path 1,960 6,431
Col de Voza Chamonix to Les ContaminesMB bridle path 1,675 5,496
Col de la Forclaz (F) Chamonix to Saint-Gervais MB bridle path 1,556 5,105
Col de la Forclaz (CH) Argentière to Martigny MB road 1,520 4,987

Nature conservation

The western group contains the Vanoise National Park, established in 1972 and covering 1250 km²;[4] the eastern group contains the Gran Paradiso National Park, the oldest Italian national park.[5] Also on the Italian side is located the Parco Regionale del Monte Avic, a nature park of 5,747 ha established by Regione Valle d'Aosta.[6]

Maps

See also

References

  1. Il territorio piemontese nel periodo preromano, on-line text on www.leganordavigliana.com
  2. Revue celtique de Toronto, Tome III
  3. Mont Blanc shrinks by 45cm in two years
  4. Les chiffres clés du Parc national de la Vanoise, National park official web-site www.parcnational-vanoise.fr (accessed on April 2012)
  5. Il parco compie 90 anni, National park official web-site www.pngp.it (accessed on April 2012)
  6. Parco del Mont Avic, home page on www.montavic.info (accessed on April 2012)

External links

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