Maritime Alps

Maritime Alps
French: Alpes Maritimes Italian: Alpi Marittimecode: it is deprecated
File:Maritime Alps.jpg Maritime Alps
Highest point
Peak	Monte Argentera
Elevation
Coordinates
Geography
Countries	France, Italy and Monaco
Region, Région	Piedmont, Liguria Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Range coordinates
Parent range	Alps
Borders on	Ligurian Alps, Cottian Alps, Provence Alps and Prealps and Mediterranean sea
Geology
Orogeny	Alpine orogeny

The Maritime Alps (French: Alpes Maritimes [alp maʁitim]; Italian: Alpi Marittimecode: it is deprecated [ˈalpi maˈrittime]) are a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps. They form the border between the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and the Italian regions of Piedmont and Liguria. They are the southernmost part of the Alps.

Geography

Administratively the range is divided between the Italian provinces of Cuneo and Imperia (eastern slopes) and the French department of Alpes-Maritimes (western slopes).

The Maritime Alps are drained by the rivers Roya, Var and Verdon and their tributaries on the French side; by the Stura di Demonte and other tributaries of the Tanaro and Po on the Italian side. There are many attractive perched villages, such as Belvédère at the entrance to the spectacular Gordolasque valley, some concealing unexpected architectural riches (for example in the south there are numerous churches decorated with murals and altar pieces by primitive Niçois painters).

Borders

The borders of the Maritime Alps are (anticlockwise):

• Vermenagna creek, Col de Tende - which connects them with the Ligurian Alps - and Roya (east);
• Mediterranean sea and Var valley (south)
• Verdon, Col d'Allos - which connects them with Provence Alps and Prealps - and Ubaye (west);
• Colle della Maddalena (which connects them with the Cottian Alps) and Stura di Demonte (north).

Peaks

The main peaks of the Maritime Alps are:

Name	Elevation
Monte Argentera	3,297 m
Monte Stella	3,262 m
Cime du Gélas	3,135 m
Cima di Masta	3,108 m
Monte Matto	3,097 m
Mont Pelat	3,053 m
Mont Clapier	3,046 m
Mont Ténibre	3,032 m
Enciastraia	2,955 m
Mont Bégo	2,872 m
Mont Mounier	2,818 m
Roche de l'Abisse	2,755 m

Passes

File:Allos001.jpg

Col d'allos (2,250 m)

The chief passes of the Maritime Alps are:

Name	Location	Type	Elevation
Col de la Bonette	Tinée Valley to Barcelonnette	Road (minor loop climbs to 2,802 m)	2715
Col de Restefond	Col de la Bonette to Barcelonnette	Road	2680
Bassa di Druos	Tinée Valley to Terme di Valdieri	Bridle path	2630
Colle di Ciriegia	Saint-Martin-Vésubie to Terme di Valdieri	Bridle path	2551
Col des Granges Communes	Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée to Barcelonnette	Bridle path	2512
Col de Pourriac	Tinee Valley to Argentera	Foot path	2506
Colle di Guercia	Tinee Valley to Vinadio	Foot path	2451
Col de la Lombarde	Isola to Vinadio	Road	2350
Col de la Cayolle	Var River valley to Barcelonnette	Road	2327
Col du Sabion	Tende to Valdieri	Bridle path	2264
Col d'Allos	Verdon River valley to Barcelonnette	Road	2250
Maddalena Pass	Barcelonnette to Cuneo	Road	1995
Col de Tende	Tende to Cuneo	Road, road tunnel Railway tunnel	1873
Col de Turini	Vésubie river valley to Sospel	Road	1607

Nature conservation

Mercantour National Park

The French Mercantour National Park (central area:68,500 ha + peripheral area:140,000 ha ) is part of the Maritime Alps as well as the Parco naturale delle Alpi Marittime, an Italian regional nature park of 28,455 ha.

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: 

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.fres:Alpes Marítimos y prealpes de Niza