French Prealps

The French Prealps (French: Préalpes françaises, pronounced [pʁealp fʁɑ̃sɛz]) are a group of subalpine mountain ranges of medium elevation located immediately west of the French Alps. They roughly stretch from Lake Geneva southwest to the rivers Isère and Drôme; east to a line running from Chamonix, to Albertville, to Grenoble, to Gap, to Barcelonette; and south from Grasse to Vence.

French Prealps
Prealps — Préalpes (French)
Summits in the Chartreuse Mountains,
part of the French Prealps
Highest point
PeakHaute Cime
Elevation10,686 ft (3,257 m)
Geography
Ranges of the French Alps,
with the Prealps ranges highlighted in orange
CountryFrance
RegionsRhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Range coordinates43°59′N 6°6.65′E
Parent rangeAlps
Geology
OrogenyAlpine orogeny
Age of rockMesozoic and Tertiary
Type of rockSedimentary and Flysch

In the northern subalpine regions, the various ranges are easily identifiable by geographical separations, such as the Voreppe Gorge between Vercors and Chartreuse, or Chambéry, which sits in a valley between the Bauges and Chartreuse ranges. In the southern subalpine regions, the ranges are generally disorganized and lack the wide, deep valleys that divide them in the north.

Three non-contiguous ranges traditionally comprise the southern French Prealps: the Alpilles, Mont Sainte-Victoire and Sainte-Baume.

Ranges and peaks
Chain Range Highest summit Elevation (m/ft) Comments
Savoy PrealpsHaut-Giffre MassifDents du Midi, Haute Cime3,257 metres (10,686 ft)Highest summit in the French Prealps
Savoy PrealpsAiguilles RougesAiguille du Belvédère2,965 metres (9,728 ft)
Savoy PrealpsChablais AlpsHauts-Forts2,464 metres (8,084 ft)Peak on French side of the range
Savoy PrealpsBornesPointe Blanche2,438 metres (7,999 ft)
Savoy PrealpsAravis RangePointe Percée2,750 metres (9,022 ft)
Savoy PrealpsBaugesArcalod2,217 metres (7,274 ft)
Savoy PrealpsChartreuse MountainsChamechaude2,082 metres (6,831 ft)
Dauphiné PrealpsVercors PlateauGrand Veymont2,341 metres (7,680 ft)also called the French Dolomites
Dauphiné PrealpsDiois MountainsMont Jocou2,051 metres (6,729 ft)
Provence PrealpsBaronniesMont Mare1,603 metres (5,259 ft)
Dauphiné PrealpsDévoluy MountainsGrande Tête de l'Obiou2,789 metres (9,150 ft)
Dauphiné PrealpsBochaineMont Céüse2,016 metres (6,614 ft)also called the Pays du Buëch
Provence PrealpsMassif des Trois-ÉvêchésTête de l'Estrop2,961 metres (9,715 ft)
Provence PrealpsDigne PrealpsLes Monges2,115 metres (6,939 ft)
Provence PrealpsVaucluse MountainsSignal de Saint-Pierre1,256 metres (4,121 ft)
Provence PrealpsLuberon MountainsMourre Nègre1,125 metres (3,691 ft)
Provence PrealpsCastellan PrealpsPuy de Rent1,996 metres (6,549 ft)also called the Grasse Prealps
Maritime PrealpsNice PrealpsPointe des Trois Communes2,080 metres (6,824 ft)Highest point on the Authion Massif
Non-contiguousAlpillesTour des Opies498 metres (1,634 ft)Traditional southern range
Non-contiguousMont Sainte-VictoirePic des Mouches1,011 metres (3,317 ft)Traditional southern range
Non-contiguousSainte-BaumeJoug de l'Aigle1,148 metres (3,766 ft)Traditional southern range

Among the best known peaks in the French Prealps are:

References
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