Cottian Alps

The Cottian Alps (/ˈkɒtiən ˈælps/; French: Alpes Cottiennes [alp kɔtjɛn]; Italian: Alpi Cozie [ˈalpi ˈkɔttsje]) are a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps. They form the border between France (Hautes-Alpes and Savoie) and Italy (Piedmont). The Fréjus Road Tunnel and Fréjus Rail Tunnel between Modane and Susa are important transportation arteries between France (Lyon, Grenoble) and Italy (Turin).

Cottian Alps
French: Alpes Cottiennes; Italian: Alpi Cozie
Mont Cenis in the Cottian Alps, seen from the Rocciamelone
Highest point
PeakMonte Viso
Elevation3,841 m (12,602 ft)
Coordinates44°40′18″N 7°15′13″E
Geography
Location
CountriesItaly and France
Provinces and regionsPiedmont, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Range coordinates44°45′N 7°0′E
Parent rangeAlps
Borders onGraian Alps, Dauphiné Alps, Provence Alps and Prealps, Maritime Alps and Po plain
Geology
OrogenyAlpine orogeny

Etymology

The name Cottian comes from Marcus Julius Cottius, a king of the tribes inhabiting that mountainous region in the 1st century BC. Under his father Donnus, these tribes had previously opposed but later made peace with Julius Caesar. Cottius was succeeded by his son Gaius Julius Donnus II (reigned 3 BC-4 AD), and his grandson Marcus Julius Cottius II (reigned 5-63 AD), who was granted the title of king by the emperor Claudius. On his death, Nero annexed his kingdom as the province of Alpes Cottiae.[1]

History

For a long part of the Middle Ages the Cottian Alps were divided between the Duchy of Savoy, which controlled their northern part and the easternmost slopes, and the Dauphiné, which at the time was independent from France. The Dauphins also held, in addition to the southwestern slopes of the range (Briançon and Queyras, now on the French side), the upper part of some of the valleys that were tributaries of the Po River (Valle di Susa, Chisone valley, Varaita Valley). The Alpine territory of Dauphiné, known as Escartons, used to have a limited autonomy and elected its own parliament.[2] This semi-autonomous status lasted also after the annexation of the Dauphiné to France (1349), and was only abolished in 1713 due to the Treaty of Utrecht, which assigned to the House of Savoy all the mountainous area on the eastern side of the Cottian Alps.[3]

After the treaty annexing Nice and Savoy to France, signed in Turin in March 1860 (Treaty of Turin), the north-western slopes of the range became part of the French republic.[4]

Two eastern valleys of the Cottian Alps (Pellice and Germanasca) have been for centuries a kind of sanctuary for the Waldensians, a Christian movement that was persecuted as heretical from the 12th century onwards by the catholic church.[5]

Geography

Administratively the range is divided between the Italian province of Cuneo and the Metropolitan City of Turin (the eastern slopes), and the French departments of Savoie, Hautes-Alpes, and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (the western slopes).

The Cottian Alps are drained by the rivers Durance and Arc and their tributaries on the French side; and by the Dora Riparia and other tributaries of the Po on the Italian side.

Borders

The borders of the Cottian Alps are (clockwise):

Peaks

The Northern Cottian Alps from Pointe Clairy

The chief peaks of the Cottian Alps are:

namemetresfeetnamemetresfeet
Monte Viso384112,609Aiguille de Chambeyron341211,155
Aiguille de Scolette350611,500Pics de la Font Sancte338711,112
Brec de Chambeyron338811,116Dents d'Ambin338211,096
Rognosa d'Etiache338511,106Visolotto335311,001
Punta Ferrand336411,037Punta Sommeiller333310,935
Bric de Rubren334010,958Bric Froid330210,833
Pic de Rochebrune332010,891Rognosa di Sestriere328010,761
Punta Merciantaira329310,804Roche du Grand Galibier324210,637
Panestrel325310,673Rocca Bernauda322510,581
Peou Roc323110,601Pointe Haute de Mary321210,539
Grand Galibier322810,590Pic du Thabor320710,522
Pic du Pelvat321810,558Mont Thabor318010,440
Pain de Sucre320810,526Tete des Toillies317910,430
Pointe des Cerces318010,434Monte Platasse314910,331
Monte Granero317010,401Tête de Moïse311010,204
Rocce del Rouit314510,318Punta Bagnà312910,266
Mont Chaberton313010,286Pelvo d'Elva306410,053
Monte Meidassa310510,187Rocca Bianca305910,307
Grand Queyron306010,040Bric Ghinivert30379,963
Monte Albergian30419,977Monte Politri30269,928
Monte Barifreddo30289,933Viso Mozzo30199,905
Pic Caramantran30259,925Pointe du Fréjus29349,626
Bric Bouchet29989,836Pic du Malrif29069,535
Monte Orsiera28909,479Cima Ciantiplagna28499,347
Punta Cornour28689,259Mont Froid28229,410
Pointe de Bellecombe27759,104Monte Friolànd27388,981
L'Aiguille Rouge25458,350Gran Truc23667,762
Pic de Morgon23247,625Monte Birrone21316,991
Monte Ricordone17645,787Monte Freidour14454,741

Passes

Colle d'Agnello/Col Agnel, 2,744 m

The chief passes of the Cottian Alps are:

name location type
(as of 1911)
elevation (m/ft)
Col Sommeiller Bardonecchia to Bramans snow2993/9820
Col de la Traversette Crissolo to Abriès bridle path2950/9679
Col d'Ambin Exilles to Bramans snow2899/9511
Col de Saint-Véran Valle Varaita to the Queyras Valley footpath2844/9331
Col du Parpaillon Ubaye Valley to the Queyras Valley footpath2780/9121
Col d'Étache Bardonecchia to Bramans bridle path2799/9183
Col Agnel Valle Varaita to the Queyras Valley road2744/9003
Col Girardin Ubaye Valley to the Queyras Valley bridle path2699/8855
Col de Sautron Valle Maira to Barcelonnette bridle path2689/8823
Col de Longet Ubaye Valley to Valle Varaita bridle path2672/8767
Col de Mary Ubaye Valley to Valle Maira bridle path2654/8708
Col d'Abriès Perosa to Abriès bridle path2650/8695
Col du Fréjus Bardonecchia to Modane dirt road2542/8340
Colle della Rho /Col de la Roue Bardonecchia to Modane dirt road/briddle path2541/8338
Col de Clapier Bramans to Susa bridle path2477/8127
Col de la Vallée Étroite Bardonecchia to Modane footpath2434/7985
Col d'Izoard Briançon to the Queyras Valley road2388/7835
Col de la Croix /Colle della Croce Torre Pellice to Abriès bridle path2299/7541
Petit Mont Cenis Bramans to the Mont Cenis Plateau bridle path2184/7166
Col de Vars Ubaye Valley to the Queyras Valley road2115/6939
Mont Cenis Lanslebourg to Susa road2085/6840
Colle Sestriere Pinerolo to Cesana Torinese road2021/6631
Col de Larche /Maddalena Pass Ubaye Valley to the Stura Valley road1991/6532
Col de Montgenèvre Briançon to Susa road1854/6083
Col de l'Échelle Briançon to Bardonecchia road1760/5774

See also

Maps

References

  • Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Alps" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 737–754. Statistics on the Cottian Alps are listed in tables on pages 741 and 742.
  1. Bibliotheca classica or A classical dictionary, John Lemprière, G. and C. Carvill, 1831; pag. 414
  2. Escartons, hommes libres, www.escartons.eu (accessed on 2012-04-05)
  3. Joseph Visconti (2003). The Waldensian Way to God. Xulon Press.
  4. "Traité de Turin, Signé à Turin le 24 mars 1860 entre la France et la Sardaigne". mjp.univ-perp.fr. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  5. Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, pp. 874876
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