Belledonne

The Belledonne range is approximately {{convert|60|km|mi|abbr=on}} long by between {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide and runs from roughly {{coord|45|03|N|5|48|E}}, {{convert|16|km|mi|abbr=on}} south-south-east of the city of Grenoble, in a north-easterly direction (actually 35 degrees) for {{convert|65|km|mi|abbr=on}} to roughly {{coord|45|33|N|6|17|E}}, near the town of Aiguebelle. The highest point is the Grand Pic de Belledonne, {{convert|2977|m|ft|abbr=on}}.

The range is delineated by several valleys which lie at relatively low altitude, including the Grésivaudan Valley (which carries the Isère) on the west, the river Arc to the north and the Romanche to the south. The range counts dozens of peaks over {{convert|2500|m|ft|abbr=on}}, more than 10 glaciers, and many alpine lakes, the highest of which is over {{convert|2400|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.

Geologically, Belledonne is a concatenation of ranges which are not physically separated; from north to south, these are: the Grand Arc, the Lauzière, the Sept-Laux, Belledonne proper, and the Taillefer.{{cite web| url=http://www.geol-alp.com/belledonne/index_belledonne.html |title=Chaîne de Belledonne (au sens large) Structure hercynienne et constitution du socle |work=Géologie et paysages dans les Alpes françaises |publisher=Maurice Gidon, professeur de géologie à l'Université scientifique et médicale de Grenoble | language= French|accessdate=7 August 2006 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20060910152358/http://www.geol-alp.com/belledonne/index_belledonne.html| archivedate= 10 September 2006 | url-status= live}}

Belledonne is a crystalline range. It initiated as a Paleozoic peneplain which was covered by Mesozoic sediments, then raised and tilted during the Tertiary uplift of the Alps and subjected to glacial erosion during the Quaternary. As a result of its geologic history, Belledonne alternates jagged peaks with gentle slopes.{{cite web |url=http://www.isere-environnement.fr/pages/ENS_CartePaysage_item/id/5924 |title=Isère Environnement Belledonne |accessdate=24 January 2001 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051015114655/http://www.isere-environnement.fr/pages/ENS_CartePaysage_item/id/5924 |archivedate=15 October 2005 }}

Belledonne overlooks the fairly flat Isère Valley ({{langx|fr|link=no|Grésivaudan}}) which lies only {{convert|220|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level near Grenoble. Hence, all alpine vegetation zones are represented:

• Hill zone: coppices of Downy oak on South facing slopes ({{langx|fr|link=no|adret}}), hornbeam, common maple.
• Montane zone: beech, birch, aspen, English oak, sycamore maple, goat willow, then fir and spruce.
• Subalpine zone: moors and sparse stands of spruce, mugho pine, stone pine, and silver birch.
• Alpine zone: grassland, scree and rock.

A significant feature is the Belledonne Balcony ({{langx|fr|link=no|Le Balcon de Belledonne}}), a terrace or plateau some 30 km long on the western side of the range that provides a relatively level area intersected by narrow ravines eroded by rivers taking runoff from the snow levels higher up. The Balcony has supported diverse livestock-raising and other agricultural activity for a considerable period of time, and its Southern part is now effectively an upscale suburb of Grenoble.

File:Grand Pic de Belledonne.jpg.]]

File:Grande Lance de Domene.jpg, seen from Biviers.]]

File:Glacier freydane.jpg

The most spectacular glacier in Belledonne is the {{langx|fr|link=no|Glacier de Freydane}}, which is noted for its crevasses.

• Glacier de la Sitre
• Glacier de Freydane
• Glacier de l'Amiante
• Glacier du Rocher Blanc
• Glacier de la Combe Madame
• Glacier de l'Argentière
• Glacier d'Arguille
• Glacier du Puy Gris
• Glacier du Gleyzin
• Glacier de Claran

No road cuts across Belledonne. The Pas de la Coche pass, between Belledonne proper and the 7 Laux range, is the only natural break point in the range, and is the only point below {{convert|2000|m|ft|abbr=on}} on the Belledonne ridge (the main water divide between the Isère and the Romanche). Most other passes are not much lower in elevation than their neighboring peaks. At the turn of the 20th century, Joseph Paganon, a minister in several French governments, pushed for linking Laval to the Rivier-d'Allemond by road through the Pas de la Coche. That roadwork started but eventually stopped after Paganon's death at an elevation of {{convert|1336|m|ft|abbr=on}} on the Gresivaudan side, while work never started on the steeper other side (Eau d'Olle).{{cite book | author=Pascal Sombardier | title = Randonnées au cœur des Alpes |year=2002 | publisher=Glénat | isbn=978-2-7234-3997-8}} Before the automobile era, locals frequently used this pass to go from Gresivaudan to the Eau d'Olle valley, or to continue to the Maurienne valley via the Glandon pass. Hannibal may have passed the Pas de la Coche when he crossed the Alps with his army.{{cite book | author=Geoffroy de Galbert | title = Hannibal en Gaule | publisher=Editions de Belledonne | year = 2006 | isbn = 2-911148-65-7}}

File:Lac Achard 2.jpg

File:Le lac Achard en Octobre.jpg

File:Belledone Lake.jpg

File:Lac noir and lac blanc in grande Valloire valley.JPG

Belledonne and its lakes have played a major role in industrializing hydroelectricity production as early as 1869 thanks to pioneer Aristide Bergès and his paper mills which tapped water from lake Crozet.{{cite web | url = http://www.isere-annuaire.com/musees/musee_villardbonnot.htm | title = Musée de la Houille Blanche | language = French | accessdate = 12 January 2009 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090221174732/http://isere-annuaire.com/musees/musee_villardbonnot.htm | archivedate = 21 February 2009 | url-status = dead }}

There are 4 main ski resorts in Belledonne,{{cite web | url=http://www.isere-annuaire.com/ski_station/belledonne.htm | title=Stations de ski Isère Belledonne | language=French | accessdate=2 February 2009 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216104608/http://isere-annuaire.com/ski_station/belledonne.htm | archivedate=16 February 2009 | url-status=dead }} from South to North:

• Chamrousse
• Le Collet d'Allevard
• Les Sept Laux
• L'Espace Nordique du Barioz

The origin of the name is not clear. The phrase belle donne means beautiful women in Italian. It does not appear to mean that in Arpitan, and since Arpitan is the ancient regional language, would have been a more likely source of ancient names than Italian. Nevertheless, from one angle the highest peak, the Grand Pic du Belledonne allegedly looks like a woman holding a baby. Other suggested derivations are from the Celtic donne meaning valley, hence beautiful valleys, or indo-European bal, meaning elevated rock, which evolved into bel, then belle. It is difficult without evidence to determine the validity of these derivations.

The mountains are home to marmots, chamois, ibex mountain goats and grouse. Reportedly, wolves have returned since 1998, coming from Italy and the press regularly echoes complaints from shepherds about wolves attacking their sheep.{{cite news | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/this-europe-shepherds-despair-as-wolf-packs-drive-sheep-to-suicide-649379.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102235941/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/this-europe-shepherds-despair-as-wolf-packs-drive-sheep-to-suicide-649379.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=2 November 2012 |title=Shepherds despair as wolf packs drive sheep to suicide |work=The Independent |location=London | date=25 July 2002 | accessdate=24 January 2009 | first=John | last=Lichfield}}

The ibex had completely disappeared from Belledonne. Early 1983, 13 females and 7 males were brought in from Switzerland and by spring 2002, their population had risen to 900 heads.{{cite web | url=http://www.bouquetin-des-alpes.org/populations/belledonne/belledonne.htm |title=Population de Bouquetins du Massif de Belledonne |language = French | date=25 June 2007 | accessdate=24 January 2009 | archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090107055400/http://www.bouquetin-des-alpes.org/populations/belledonne/belledonne.htm| archivedate= 7 January 2009 | url-status= live}}

File:Sunset on Grand Pic de Belledonne.jpg|Sunset on Grand Pic de Belledonne

File:Moonrise on Grand Pic de Belledonne.jpg|Moonrise on Grand Pic de Belledonne

File:Grand Pic de Belledonne.jpg|Grand Pic de Belledonne seen from the West

File:Grand Pic De Belledonne.jpg|Clouds clear up and reveal Grand Pic de Belledonne

The Alps Geology site is an excellent source for geological information on the Belledonne Range and on all of the French Alps.

{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}{{Massifs of Western Alps}}

Category:Mountain ranges of the Alps

Category:Mountain ranges of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Category:Western Alps