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Graian Alps

{{Short description|Mountain range in the western part of the Alps}}

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Graian Alps

| other_name = {{langx|fr|Alpes grées}}, {{langx|it|Alpi Graie}}

| photo =

| photo_caption =

| country = {{hlist|France|Italy|Switzerland}}

| subdivision1_type = Provinces/Regions

| subdivision1 = {{hlist|Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes|Piedmont|Aosta Valley|Valais}}

| parent = Alps

| borders_on = {{hlist|Cottian Alps|Dauphiné Alps|Savoy Prealps|Bernese Alps|Pennine Alps|Po plain}}

| length_km =

| length_orientation =

| width_km =

| width_orientation =

| highest = Mont Blanc

| elevation_m = 4810.45

| coordinates = {{coord|45|50|1|N|6|51|54|E|type:mountain_region:IT_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline}}

| range_coordinates = {{coord|45|30|N|7|10|E|type:mountain_region:IT_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| map_image = Alps location map (Alpi Graie, SOIUSA).png

| map_caption = Graian Alps (in red) within the Alps.
The borders of the range according to
Partizione delle Alpi & SOIUSA

| orogeny = Alpine orogeny

}}

The Graian Alps (Latin:: Alpes Graiæ ; {{langx|fr|Alpes grées}} {{IPA|fr|alp ɡʁe|}}; {{langx|it|Alpi Graie}} {{IPA|it|ˈalpi ˈɡraːje|}}) are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps, and the name of an Antic Rome province.

Etymology

The name Graie comes from the Graioceli Celtic tribe, which dwelled in the area surrounding the Mont Cenis pass and the Viù valley.Il territorio piemontese nel periodo preromano, on-line text on [http://www.leganordavigliana.com/site/uploads/file/IL%20TERRITORIO%20PIEMONTESE%20NEL%20PERIODO%20PREROMANO.pdf www.leganordavigliana.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224648/http://www.leganordavigliana.com/site/uploads/file/IL%20TERRITORIO%20PIEMONTESE%20NEL%20PERIODO%20PREROMANO.pdf |date=2016-03-03 }}

Other sources claim that the name comes from the Celtic Graig meaning "rock" or "stone", literally the Rocky Mountains.{{Cite web |url=http://scans.library.utoronto.ca/pdf/9/29/revueceltiqu03pari/revueceltiqu03pari.pdf |title=Revue celtique de Toronto, Tome III |access-date=2014-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140810014146/http://scans.library.utoronto.ca/pdf/9/29/revueceltiqu03pari/revueceltiqu03pari.pdf |archive-date=2014-08-10 |url-status=dead }}

The name of the Antic Rome province comes from the local celtic god Graius.{{Cite book |last=Puéjean |first=André |title=Les Alpes Grées et Poenines à l'époque romaine |publisher=Nombre 7 |year=2013 |isbn=978-2-36832-032-7 |edition=2nd |location=Nîmes, France |pages=6 |language=fr |trans-title=The Graian and Poenine Alps in Roman times}}

Geography

The Graian Alps are located in France (Auvergne-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 Riparia, Dora Baltea, Orco and Stura di Lanzo, tributaries of the Po.

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

  • the Mont Blanc group (north of the Little St Bernard Pass), including the Beaufortain Massif
  • the Central group (the watershed between the Little St Bernard Pass and the Col du Mont Cenis)
  • the Western or French group,
  • and the Eastern or Italian group, including the Gran Paradiso Massif.

Peaks

The main peaks of the Graian Alps are:

=Mont Blanc group=

Image:Saleina.jpg above the Saleina Glacier]]

Image:Aiguille-du-Midi-summer.jpg

class="wikitable"
Name

! metres

! feet

Mont Blanc

| 4,810.45{{cite web |title=Mont Blanc shrinks by 45cm in two years |date=2009-11-05 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230214082228/https://www.smh.com.au/environment/mont-blanc-shrinks-by-45cm-in-two-years-20091106-i0kk.html |archive-date=2023-02-14 |url-status=live |url=http://www.smh.com.au/environment/mont-blanc-shrinks-by-45cm-in-two-years-20091106-i0kk.html}}

| 15,782

Mont Maudit

| 4,471

| 14,669

Dôme du Goûter

| 4,331

| 14,210

Grandes Jorasses

| 4,205

| 13,797

Aiguille Verte

| 4,127

| 13,541

Aiguille de Bionnassay

| 4,066

| 13,341

Dent du Géant

| 4,013

| 13,166

Aiguille de Tré la Tête

| 3,911

| 12,832

Aiguille d'Argentière

| 3,902

| 12,802

Aiguille de Triolet

| 3,876

| 12,717

Aiguille du Midi

| 3,843

| 12,609

Tour Noir

| 3,836

| 12,586

Aiguille des Glaciers

| 3,834

| 12,579

Mont Dolent

| 3,823

| 12,543

Aiguille du Chardonnet

| 3,822

| 12,540

Aiguille du Dru

| 3,754

| 12,316

Dômes de Miage

| 3,688

| 12,100

Aiguille du Tour

| 3,540

| 11,615

Aiguille du Grépon

| 3,502

| 11,489

Aiguille des Charmoz

| 3,442

| 11,293

Aiguille du Tacul

| 3,438

| 11,280

Pointe d'Orny

| 3,274

| 10,742

Mont Favre

| 3,259

| 10,693

Tour Sallière

| 3,227

| 10,588

Pointe de Léchaud

| 3,127

| 10,260

Mont Buet

| 3,109

| 10,201

Mont Ruan

| 3,078

| 10,099

Roignais

| 2,995

| 9,826

Pic de Tenneverge

| 2,982

| 9,784

Aiguille du Belvédère (Aigs Rouges)

| 2,966

| 9,731

Crammont

| 2,737

| 8,980

Pointe des Fours

| 2,719

| 8,921

Pointe du Colloney

| 2,692

| 8,832

Catogne

| 2,599

| 8,527

Mont Joly

| 2,527

| 8,291

Brevent

| 2,525

| 8,284

Pointe de Sales

| 2,494

| 8,183

Aiguille de Varan

| 2,488

| 8,163

Aiguille Croche

| 2,487

| 8,159

Mont Chétif

| 2,343

| 7,687

= Central group =

Image:Rocciamelone.jpg]]

class="wikitable"
NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Pointe de Charbonnel376012,336Grande Aiguille Rousse348211,424
Aiguille de la Grande Sassière375112,306Granta-Parey347311,395
Uia di Ciamarella367612,061Roc du Moulinet346911,382
Albaron363811,936Aiguille Pers345111,323
Pointe de Ronce361811,871Pointe de la Galise334510,975
Levanna361911,874Pointe de la Traversière334110,962
Bec de l'Invergnan360811,838Ormelune/Pointe d'Archeboc328310,771
Tsanteleina360611,831Signal du Mont Iseran324110,634
Bessanèse359711,801Grand Assaly317410,413
Croce Rossa356611,703Torre d'Ovarda307510,089
Punta d'Arnas354011,615Dôme de Val d'Isère30339,951
Rocciamelone353711,605Pointe de Tierce29739,754
Punta Chalanson353011,582Uia di Mondrone29649,725
Grande Traversière349511,467Punta Lunella22727,454
Testa del Rutor348611,438Monte Civrari23027,553

It also includes Roche Michel at 3429 m.

=Eastern group=

class="wikitable"
NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Gran Paradiso406113,324Grand Nomenon351311,444
Grivola396913,022Mont Tout Blanc343811,280
Herbétet377812,396Punta Sengie340811,182
Torre del Gran San Pietro369212,113Punta Lavina330810,854
Ciarforon366512,025Rosa dei Banchi316410,381
Roccia Viva365011,976Becca di Nona314210,309
Becca di Gay362311,887Punta Pousset30469,994
Monte Emilius355911,677Monte Colombo28489,344
Punta Tersiva351311,526Monte Marzo27509,023

=Western group=

class="wikitable"
NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Grande Casse385512,648Pointe de l'Échelle342211,227
Mont Pourri377912,398Bellecôte341711,211
Dent Parrachée369712,129Pointes de la Gliere338611,109
Grande Motte365311,985Pointe de Méan Martin333710,949
Dôme de l'Arpont360111,808Roche Chevrière325210,669
Dôme de Chasseforêt358611,765Aiguille Rouge322710,584
Aiguille de Péclet356611,700Pointe de la Réchasse322310,575
Aiguille de Polset353811,608Petit Mont Blanc de Pralognan26858809
Pointe de la Sana343611,273Mont Jovet25638409

Passes

File:Col du Petit Saint Bernard 090922.jpg]]

File:Col de l'Iseran 2.jpg]]

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.

class="wikitable"
namelocationgrouptypecolspan=2|elevation (m/ft)
Col de la Brenva

| Courmayeur to Chamonix

MB

| snow

| 4,333

| 14,217

Col de Triolet

| Chamonix to Courmayeur

MB

| snow

| 3,691

| 12,110

Col d'Argentière

| Chamonix to Orsières

MB

| snow

| 3,516

| 11,536

Col de la Grande RousseRhêmes Valley to ValgrisencheCsnow350011,483
Col de Talefre

| Chamonix to Courmayeur

MB

| snow

| 3,484

| 11,430

Col de GebroulazModane to MéribelWsnow347011,385
Col de MonelCogne to LocanaEsnow342811,247
Col de Miage

| Les Contamines to Courmayeur

MB

| snow

| 3,376

| 11,077

Col du Géant

| Chamonix to Courmayeur

MB

| snow

| 3,371

| 11,060

Col du Grand ParadisCeresole Reale to ValsavarencheEsnow334910,988
Col du CharforonCeresole Reale to ValsavarencheEsnow333110,929
Col de TeleccioCogne to LocanaEsnow332610,913
Col du Chardonnet

| Chamonix to Orsières

MB

| snow

| 3,325

| 10,909

Col de LauzonCogne to the ValsavarencheEbridle path330110,831
Col du BouquetinBonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'IsèreCsnow330010,827
Col de St {{not a typo|Grat}}Valgrisenche to La ThuileCsnow330010,827
Col du Tour

| Chamonix to Orsières

MB

| snow

| 3,280

| 10,762

Fenêtre de Saleinaz

| Saleinaz Glacier to Trient Glacier

MB

| snow

| 3,264

| 10,709

Col de l'HerbetetCogne to ValsavarencheEsnow325710,686
Col du CollerinBessans to BalmeCsnow320210,506
Col du Grand EtretCeresole Reale to ValsavarancheEsnow315810,361
Col de BassacRhêmes Valley to ValgrisencheCsnow315310,345
Col du CarroBonneval-sur-Arc to Ceresole RealeCsnow314010,302
Col d'ArboleCogne to BrissogneEsnow313710,292
Col de la GolettaVal d'Isère to the Rhêmes ValleyCsnow312010,237
Col de RhêmesVal d'Isère to the Rhêmes ValleyCsnow310110,174
Col de la Grande CassePralognan to TermignonWsnow310010,171
Col de SeaBonneval-sur-Arc to Forno Alpi GraieCsnow308310,115
Col de l'AutaretBessans to UsseglioCfootpath307010,073
Col de GirardBonneval-sur-Arc to Forno Alpi GraieCsnow30449987
Col RossetValsavarenche to the Rhêmes ValleyCbridle path30249922
Col d'ArnasBessans to BalmeCsnow30149889
Col de la GaliseCeresole Reale to Val d'IsèreCsnow29989836
Col de SortValsavarenche to the Rhêmes ValleyEbridle path29679735
Quecees de TignesVal d'Isère to TermignonWsnow29409646
Col della NouvaCogne to Pont CanaveseEbridle path29339623
Col de Breuil

| Bourg-Saint-Maurice to La Thuile

MB

| snow

| 2,879

| 9,446

Col de GarinAosta to CogneEfootpath28689411
Collarin d'ArnasBalme to UsseglioCsnow28509351
Colle della FinestraRhêmes Valley to the ValgrisencheCfootpath28479341
|Fenêtre de ChamporcherCogne to ChamporcherEbridle path28389311
Col VaudetSainte-Foy-Tarentaise to the ValgrisencheCfootpath28369305
Col de BardoneyCogne to Pont CanaveseEsnow28339295
Col de ChaviereModane to PralognanWfootpath28069206
Col de la LeisseTignes to TermignonWsnow27809121
Col de l'IseranBonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'IsèreCroad27699085
Ghicet di SeaBalme to Forno Alpi GraieCfootpath27358973
Col de la SachetteTignes to Bourg-Saint-MauriceWfootpath27298954
Col du PaletTignes to Moûtiers or Bourg St MauriceWbridle path26588721
Col du MontSte Foy to the ValgrisencheCbridle path26468681
Col du NivoletCeresole Reale to the ValsavarencheEroad26418665
Colle della CrocettaCeresole Reale to Forno Alpi GraieCbridle path26368649
Col de la PlatiereSaint-Jean-de-Maurienne to MoûtiersWbridle path26008531
Col du Mont Tondu

| Les Contamines to Courmayeur

MB

| snow

| 2,590

| 8,498

Col Ferret

| Courmayeur to Orsières

MB

| bridle path

| 2,533

| 8,311

Col de la VanoisePralognan to TermignonWbridle path25278291
Col de la Seigne

| Les Chapieux to Courmayeur

MB

| bridle path

| 2,512

| 8,242

Col de Susanfe

| Champéry to Salvan

MB

| footpath

| 2,500

| 8,202

Col du Bonhomme

| Contamines to Les Chapieux

MB

| bridle path

| 2,483

| 8,147

Col de Sageroux

| Sixt to Champéry

MB

| footpath

| 2,413

| 7,917

Col des EncombresSaint-Michel-de-Maurienne to MoûtiersWbridle path23377668
Col d'Anterne

| Sixt to Servoz

MB

| bridle path

| 2,263

| 7,425

Col de Balme

| Chamonix to the Trient Valley

MB

| bridle path

| 2,201

| 7,221

Little St Bernard PassAosta to MoûtiersCroad21887179
Mont CenisModane to SusaCroad20836827
Col de la MadeleineLa Chambre to MoûtiersWroad19936509
Colle Checrouit

| Courmayeur to the Lac de Combal

MB

| bridle path

| 1,960

| 6,431

Col de Voza

| Chamonix to Les Contamines

MB

| 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

Image:2006-08-06 31.jpg.]]

The western group contains the Vanoise National Park, established in 1972 and covering {{cvt|1250|km2}}Les chiffres clés du Parc national de la Vanoise, National park official web-site [http://www.parcnational-vanoise.fr/fr/connaitre-le-territoire/chiffres-cles.html www.parcnational-vanoise.fr] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121095139/http://www.parcnational-vanoise.fr/fr/connaitre-le-territoire/chiffres-cles.html |date=2012-01-21 }} (accessed on April 2012) the eastern group contains the Gran Paradiso National Park, the oldest Italian national park.Il parco compie 90 anni, National park official web-site [http://www.pngp.it/ www.pngp.it] (accessed on April 2012)

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.Parco del Mont Avic, home page on [http://www.montavic.info/ www.montavic.info] (accessed on April 2012)

Maps

See also

References

  • {{EB1911 |wstitle=Alps |volume=1 |pages=742–743}}

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20071203205039/http://www.supervht.com/Gran%20Paradiso.htm Ascents in Gran Paradiso group] - Czech and English
  • [http://www.summitpost.org/area/range/325269/graie-alps.html Graian Alps on Summitpost] - English

{{Western Alps}}{{SOIUSA sections of the Alps}}{{Authority control}}

Category:Mountain ranges of the Alps

Category:Mountain ranges of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Category:Mountain ranges of Italy

Category:Mountain ranges of Switzerland

Category:Mountain ranges of Piedmont

Category:Western Alps