Graian Alps

The Graian Alps ( ; ; ; ) are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps, and the name of an Ancient Roman 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 www.leganordavigliana.com Other sources claim that the name comes from the Celtic Graig meaning "rock" or "stone", literally the Rocky Mountains.

The name of the ancient Roman province comes from the local celtic god Graius.

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

Name metres feet Mont Blanc 4,810.45 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

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeetPointe de Charbonnel 3760 12,336Grande Aiguille Rousse 3482 11,424Aiguille de la Grande Sassière 3751 12,306Granta-Parey 3473 11,395Uia di Ciamarella 3676 12,061Roc du Moulinet 3469 11,382Albaron 3638 11,936Aiguille Pers 3451 11,323Pointe de Ronce 3618 11,871Pointe de la Galise 3345 10,975Levanna 3619 11,874Pointe de la Traversière 3341 10,962Bec de l'Invergnan 3608 11,838Ormelune/Pointe d'Archeboc 3283 10,771Tsanteleina 3606 11,831Signal du Mont Iseran 3241 10,634Bessanèse 3597 11,801Grand Assaly3174 10,413Croce Rossa 3566 11,703Torre d'Ovarda 3075 10,089Punta d'Arnas 3540 11,615Dôme de Val d'Isère3033 9,951Rocciamelone 3537 11,605Pointe de Tierce2973 9,754Punta Chalanson 3530 11,582Uia di Mondrone 2964 9,725Grande Traversière 3495 11,467Punta Lunella 2272 7,454Testa del Rutor 3486 11,438Monte Civrari 2302 7,553 It also includes Roche Michel at 3429 m.

Eastern group

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeetGran Paradiso 4061 13,324Grand Nomenon 3513 11,444Grivola 3969 13,022Mont Tout Blanc 3438 11,280Herbétet 3778 12,396Punta Sengie 3408 11,182Torre del Gran San Pietro 3692 12,113Punta Lavina 3308 10,854Ciarforon 3665 12,025Rosa dei Banchi 3164 10,381Roccia Viva 3650 11,976Becca di Nona 3142 10,309Becca di Gay 3623 11,887Punta Pousset 3046 9,994Monte Emilius3559 11,677Monte Colombo 2848 9,344Punta Tersiva3513 11,526Monte Marzo 2750 9,023

Western group

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeetGrande Casse 3855 12,648Pointe de l'Échelle 3422 11,227Mont Pourri 3779 12,398Bellecôte3417 11,211Dent Parrachée 3697 12,129Pointes de la Gliere 3386 11,109Grande Motte 3653 11,985Pointe de Méan Martin 3337 10,949Dôme de l'Arpont 3601 11,808Roche Chevrière 3252 10,669Dôme de Chasseforêt 3586 11,765Aiguille Rouge 3227 10,584Aiguille de Péclet 3566 11,700Pointe de la Réchasse 3223 10,575Aiguille de Polset 3538 11,608Petit Mont Blanc de Pralognan 2685 8809Pointe de la Sana 3436 11,273Mont Jovet25638409

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 11,536Col de la Grande Rousse Rhêmes Valley to ValgrisencheCsnow 350011,483 Col de Talefre Chamonix to CourmayeurMB snow 3,484 11,430Col de Gebroulaz Modane to MéribelW snow347011,385Col 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 11,060Col du Grand Paradis Ceresole Reale to ValsavarencheE snow334910,988Col du Charforon Ceresole Reale to ValsavarencheE snow333110,929Col de Teleccio Cogne to LocanaE snow 332610,913 Col du Chardonnet Chamonix to OrsièresMB snow 3,325 10,909Col de Lauzon Cogne to the ValsavarencheE bridle path330110,831Col du Bouquetin Bonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'IsèreC snow330010,827Col de St 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 10,709Col de l'Herbetet Cogne to ValsavarencheE snow 325710,686Col du Collerin Bessans to BalmeC snow 320210,506Col du Grand Etret Ceresole Reale to ValsavarancheE snow 315810,361Col de Bassac Rhêmes Valley to ValgrisencheC snow315310,345Col du Carro Bonneval-sur-Arc to Ceresole RealeC snow314010,302Col d'Arbole Cogne to BrissogneE snow313710,292Col de la Goletta Val d'Isère to the Rhêmes ValleyC snow312010,237Col de Rhêmes Val d'Isère to the Rhêmes ValleyC snow 310110,174Col de la Grande Casse Pralognan to TermignonW snow 310010,171Col de Sea Bonneval-sur-Arc to Forno Alpi GraieC snow 308310,115Col de l'Autaret Bessans to UsseglioC footpath307010,073Col de Girard Bonneval-sur-Arc to Forno Alpi GraieC snow 30449987Col Rosset Valsavarenche to the Rhêmes ValleyC bridle path 30249922Col d'Arnas Bessans to BalmeC snow 30149889Col de la Galise Ceresole Reale to Val d'IsèreC snow29989836Col de Sort Valsavarenche to the Rhêmes ValleyE bridle path29679735Quecees de Tignes Val d'Isère to TermignonW snow 29409646Col della Nouva Cogne to Pont CanaveseE bridle path29339623 Col de Breuil Bourg-Saint-Maurice to La Thuile MB snow 2,879 9,446Col de Garin Aosta to CogneEfootpath 28689411Collarin d'Arnas Balme to UsseglioC snow 28509351Colle della Finestra Rhêmes Valley to the ValgrisencheC footpath28479341Fenêtre de Champorcher Cogne to ChamporcherE bridle path28389311Col Vaudet Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise to the ValgrisencheC footpath28369305Col de Bardoney Cogne to Pont CanaveseE snow 28339295Col de Chaviere Modane to PralognanW footpath28069206Col de la Leisse Tignes to TermignonW snow27809121Col de l'Iseran Bonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'IsèreC road27699085Ghicet di Sea Balme to Forno Alpi GraieC footpath 27358973Col de la Sachette Tignes to Bourg-Saint-MauriceW footpath27298954Col du Palet Tignes to Moûtiers or Bourg St MauriceW bridle path26588721Col du Mont Ste Foy to the ValgrisencheC bridle path 26468681Col du Nivolet Ceresole Reale to the ValsavarencheE road26418665Colle della Crocetta Ceresole Reale to Forno Alpi GraieCbridle path26368649Col 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 8,311Col 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 footpath 2,500 8,202 Col du Bonhomme Contamines to Les ChapieuxMB bridle path 2,483 8,147 Col de Sageroux Sixt to ChampéryMB footpath 2,413 7,917Col 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 7,221Little St Bernard Pass Aosta to MoûtiersC road 21887179Mont Cenis Modane to Susa,_PiedmontC road 20836827Col 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 Les chiffres clés du Parc national de la Vanoise, National park official web-site www.parcnational-vanoise.fr (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 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 www.montavic.info (accessed on April 2012)

Maps Italian official cartography (Istituto Geografico Militare - IGM); on-line version: www.pcn.minambiente.it French official cartography (Institut Géographique National - IGN); on-line version: www.geoportail.fr Swiss official cartography (Swiss Federal Office of Topography - Swisstopo); on-line version: map.geo.admin.ch

See also Mont Blanc Massif Vanoise Massif Swiss Alps Mares Peak Uja di Calcante

References

External links

Ascents in Gran Paradiso group - Czech and English Graian Alps on Summitpost - English