French Alps

Last updated
French Alps
FrenchAlps 03270006a.jpg
Aerial photograph of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, from the west
Highest point
Peak Mont Blanc
Elevation 4,807.45 m (15,772.5 ft)
Coordinates 45°50′01″N06°51′54″E / 45.83361°N 6.86500°E / 45.83361; 6.86500
Naming
Native name French: Alpes françaises
Geography
Massif des Alpes map-fr.svg
Ranges of the French Alps.
French regions
Borders on Swiss Alps, Italian Alps
Geology
Orogeny Alpine orogeny
Rock age Tertiary
Rock types
  • Bündner schist
  • flysch
  • molasse

The French Alps (French : Alpes françaises; Arpitan : Ârpes francêses; Occitan : Aups francesas; Ligurian : Arpi françéixi) are the portions of the Alps mountain range that stand within France, located in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur regions. While some of the ranges of the French Alps are entirely in France, others, such as the Mont Blanc massif, are shared with Switzerland and Italy.

Contents

At 4,808 metres (15,774 ft), Mont Blanc, on the France–Italy border, is the highest mountain in the Alps, and the highest Western European mountain. [1]

Notable towns in the French Alps include Grenoble, Chamonix, Annecy, Chambéry, Évian-les-Bains and Albertville.

Ranges and summits

ChainRangeHighest summitElevation (m/ft)
Graian Alps Mont Blanc Massif Mont Blanc 4,807.45 metres (15,772 ft)
Graian Alps Beaufortain Massif Roignais 2,995 metres (9,826 ft)
Graian Alps Lauzière Massif Grand Pic de la Lauzière 2,829 metres (9,281 ft)
Graian Alps Vanoise Massif Grande Casse 3,855 metres (12,648 ft)
Graian Alps Graian Alps central group Pointe de Charbonnel 3,752 metres (12,310 ft)
Dauphiné Alps Belledonne Massif Grand Pic de Belledonne 2,977 metres (9,767 ft)
Dauphiné Alps Grandes Rousses Pic Bayle 3,465 metres (11,368 ft)
Dauphiné Alps Arves Massif Aiguilles d'Arves 3,514 metres (11,529 ft)
Dauphiné Alps Taillefer Massif Le Taillefer 2,857 metres (9,373 ft)
Dauphiné Alps Écrins Massif Barre des Écrins 4,102 metres (13,458 ft)
Cottian Alps Massif du Mont-Cenis Pointe de Ronce 3,612 metres (11,850 ft)
Cottian Alps Cerces Massif Grand Galibier 3,229 metres (10,594 ft)
Cottian Alps Queyras Massif Rochebrune Peak 3,320 metres (10,892 ft)
Cottian Alps Ubaye Massif (Orrenaye) Aiguille de Chambeyron 3,411 metres (11,191 ft)
Maritime Alps Mercantour-Argentera Massif Cime du Gélas 3,143 metres (10,312 ft)
Maritime Alps Pelat Massif Mont Pelat 3,050 metres (10,007 ft)
Maritime Alps Massif des Trois-Évêchés Tête de l'Estrop 2,961 metres (9,715 ft)
Ligurian Alps Ligurian Alps Punta Marguareis 2,651 metres (8,698 ft)
Savoy Prealps Chablais Alps Hauts-Forts 2,464 metres (8,084 ft)
Savoy Prealps Haut-Giffre Massif Haute Cime 3,257 metres (10,686 ft)
Savoy Prealps Aiguilles Rouges Aiguille du Belvédère 2,965 metres (9,728 ft)
Savoy Prealps Bornes Pointe Blanche 2,438 metres (7,999 ft)
Savoy Prealps Aravis Range Pointe Percée 2,750 metres (9,022 ft)
Savoy Prealps Bauges Arcalod 2,217 metres (7,274 ft)
Savoy Prealps Chartreuse Mountains Chamechaude 2,082 metres (6,831 ft)
Dauphiné Prealps Vercors Massif Grand Veymont 2,341 metres (7,680 ft)
Dauphiné Prealps Diois Mountains Mont Jocou 2,051 metres (6,729 ft)
Dauphiné Prealps Dévoluy Mountains Grande Tête de l'Obiou 2,789 metres (9,150 ft)
Provence Prealps Bochaine Mont Céüse 2,016 metres (6,614 ft)
Provence Prealps Digne Prealps Les Monges 2,115 metres (6,939 ft)
Provence Prealps Baronnies Mont Mare1,603 metres (5,259 ft)
Provence Prealps Vaucluse Mountains Signal de Saint-Pierre1,256 metres (4,121 ft)
Provence Prealps Luberon Mountains Mourre Nègre1,125 metres (3,691 ft)
Maritime Prealps Castellan Prealps Puy de Rent1,996 metres (6,549 ft)
Maritime Prealps Nice Prealps Pointe des Trois Communes2,080 metres (6,824 ft)
Panorama of Chamonix Valley Chamonix Valley Panorama.jpg
Panorama of Chamonix Valley

Ski areas

NASA photograph of the French Alps (26 October 2002). Alps of France NASA A2002274 1240 250m.jpg
NASA photograph of the French Alps (26 October 2002).

The largest connected ski areas are:

  1. Les Trois Vallées (Courchevel, Méribel, La Tania, Brides-les-Bains, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Les Menuires, Val Thorens and Orelle): 338 slopes, 600 km of pistes.
  2. Portes du Soleil (Avoriaz, Châtel, Morzine, Les Gets, Saint-Jean d'Aulps, La Chapelle d'Abondance, Abondance, Montriond, Swiss resorts): 288 slopes, 650 km of slopes not entirely connected.
  3. Paradiski (La Plagne, Peisey-Vallandry, Les Arcs), Champagny-en-Vanoise: 239 slopes, 420 km of slopes.
  4. Via Lattea (Montgenèvre, Italian resorts): 214 slopes, 400 km of slopes.
  5. Évasion Mont-Blanc (Combloux, Megève, Saint-Gervais, Saint-Nicolas-de-Véroce, Les Contamines Monjoie): 183 slopes, 420 km of slopes not entirely connected.
  6. Espace Killy (Tignes, Val-d'Isère): 137 slopes, 300 km of slopes.
  7. Grand Massif (Flaine, Les Carroz, Morillon, Samoëns, Sixt): 134 slopes, 265 km of slopes.
  8. Les Aravis (La Clusaz, Manigod, La Croix Fry, Merdassier, Le Grand-Bornand): 133 slopes, 220 km of slopes not entirely connected.
  9. Les Grandes Rousses (L'Alpe d'Huez, Vaujany, Auris-en-Oisans, Oz-en-Oisans, Villard-Reculas): 117 slopes, 236 km of slopes.
  10. Serre Chevalier: 111 slopes, 250 km of slopes.
  11. La Forêt Blanche (Risoul, Vars): 104 slopes, 180 km of slopes.
  12. Les Sybelles (Le Corbier, La Toussuire, Les Bottières, Saint-Jean-d'Arves, Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves, Saint-Colomban-des-Villards): 96 slopes, 310 km of slopes.
  13. Valloire and Valmeinier: 83 slopes, 150 km of slopes.
  14. Grand Domaine (Valmorel, Saint-François-Longchamp): 82 slopes, 150 km of slopes
  15. Espace San Bernardo (La Rosière, La Thuile - Italy): 73 slopes, 150 km of slopes.
  16. Les Deux Alpes and La Grave: 69 slopes, 220 km of slopes. (+ Freeride Zone)

The other large ski areas are:

Activities

A range of winter and summer activities are available in the French Alps. In the winter, these include skiing and snowboarding as well as alternatives such as snowshoeing, sledging. There is a range of other activities that happen such as gliding which most happens during the summer months. [2] Summer activities include hiking, mountaineering, biking and rock climbing. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savoie</span> Department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Savoie is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Southeastern France. Located in the French Alps, its prefecture is Chambéry. In 2019, Savoie had a population of 436,434.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chamonix</span> Commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, more commonly known simply as Chamonix (Chamôni), is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics, held in 1924.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Haute Route</span> Hiking or ski route between the Mont Blanc in France and the Matterhorn in Switzerland

The Haute Route is the name given to a route undertaken on foot or by ski touring between the Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France, and the Matterhorn, in Zermatt, Switzerland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Megève</span> Commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Megève is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France with a population of more than 3,000 residents. The town is well known as a ski resort near Mont Blanc in the French Alps. Conceived in the 1920s as a French alternative to St. Moritz by the Rothschilds, it was the first purpose-built resort in the Alps. Originally it was a prime destination for the French aristocracy; it remains one of the most famous and affluent ski resorts in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Argentière</span> Village in the French Alps

Argentière is a picturesque skiing, alpine walking and mountaineering village in the French Alps, part of the commune of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, at an altitude of 1,252 m (4,108 ft).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aiguille du Midi</span> Mountain in the French Alps

The Aiguille du Midi is a 3,842-metre-tall (12,605 ft) mountain in the Mont Blanc massif within the French Alps. It is a popular tourist destination and can be directly accessed by cable car from Chamonix that takes visitors close to Mont Blanc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combloux</span> Commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Combloux is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Southeastern France. A mountain village in the French Alps, it is also popular as a ski resort. Combloux is located 4 km (2.5 mi) from Megève and 30 km (19 mi) from Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Contamines-Montjoie</span> Commune in south-eastern France

Les Contamines-Montjoie is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mont Blanc massif</span> Mountain range in the Alps

The Mont Blanc massif is a mountain range in the Alps, located mostly in France and Italy, but also straddling Switzerland at its northeastern end. It contains eleven major independent summits, each over 4,000 metres (13,123 ft) in height. It is named after Mont Blanc, the highest point in western Europe and the European Union. Because of its considerable overall altitude, a large proportion of the massif is covered by glaciers, which include the Mer de Glace and the Miage Glacier – the longest glaciers in France and Italy, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurienne</span> Former Savoy province

Maurienne is one of the provinces of Savoy, corresponding to the arrondissement of Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne in France. It is also the original name of the capital of the province, now Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Col de l'Iseran</span> Mountain pass in the French Alps

Col de l'Iseran is a mountain pass in France, the highest paved pass in the Alps. A part of the Graian Alps, it is in the department of Savoie, near the border with Italy, and is crossed by the D902 roadway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saint-Gervais-les-Bains</span> Commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Saint-Gervais-les-Bains is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, southeastern France. The village is best known for tourism and has been a popular holiday destination since the early 1900s. It has 445 km (277 mi) of pistes, the third largest domain exclusively in France, and is one of the least busy ski areas of its size. In 1892, two hundred people were killed when a water pocket in a glacier above the town suddenly burst open and caused flooding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval</span> Commune in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France

Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France. It is located at the end of the Giffre Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Le Corbier</span> Ski resort in the French Alps

Le Corbier is a ski resort located in the commune of Villarembert, in the Savoie department and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France. The resort is in the Les Sybelles region of the French Alps, it is the fourth largest ski area in France with 310 kilometres (190 mi) linked by lifts and pistes. The longest run is 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi). It has a mixture of all the coloured slopes and is 1,550 m (5,090 ft) above sea-level. There are 26 chair lifts in Le Corbier and 50 drag lifts, the highest lift is at 2,600 m (8,500 ft). There are number of hotels in Le Corbier which include: Hotel Du Mont Corbier; Residence Maeva Les Pistes; Odalys - Les Alpages du Corbier

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Sybelles</span>

Les Sybelles is a linked ski area, located in the Savoie department in the French Alps. It is one of the largest skiable domains in France. The resort was the home base of Jean-Pierre Vidal, winner of the gold medal in slalom at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oisans</span> Valley in the French Alps

L'Oisans is a region in the French Alps, located in the départements of l'Isère and Hautes-Alpes, and corresponding to the drainage basin of the River Romanche and its tributaries. Between Livet-et-Gavet and Le Bourg-d'Oisans, the Romanche forms a deep gorge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goûter Hut</span> Mountain refuge in the French department of Haute-Savoie

The Goûter Hut, is a mountain refuge in the French department of Haute-Savoie. It is located at a height of 3,835 metres (12,582 ft) on the Arete du Goûter in the municipality of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. It overlooks the Glacier de Bionnassay, and is the highest wardened mountain hut in France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arves massif</span> Mountain range in the French Alps

The Arves massif are a massif in the French Alps located in the departments of Savoie, Isère and Hautes-Alpes. Oisans covers part of the massif.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourism in Savoie</span> The Savoie region has a thriving tourism industry

The Savoie region, which encompasses the French departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie, has a thriving tourism industry. The Savoie Mont Blanc brand represents the region in this sector.

References

  1. "Mont Blanc shrinks by 45cm in two years". The Sydney Morning Herald . 2009-11-05. Archived from the original on 2023-02-14.
  2. "frenchalps.co.uk - Your website dedicated to information on the French Alps". frenchalps.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-02-07. Retrieved 2016-01-27.
  3. "French Alps Mountain Activities | frenchalps.co.uk". frenchalps.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-03-08. Retrieved 2016-01-27.

Bibliography