View source for Cottian Alps

{{Short description|Mountain range on the France–Italy border}}
{{Infobox mountain
 | name              = Cottian Alps
 | other_name        = {{langx|fr|Alpes Cottiennes}}; {{langx|it|Alpi Cozie}}
 | photo             = Cottian Alps.jpg
 | photo_caption     = Aerial view of the Cottian Alps
 | country           = {{hlist|Italy|France}}
 | subdivision1_type = Provinces and regions
 | subdivision1      = {{hlist|[[Piedmont]]|[[Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]]|[[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]]}}
 | parent            = Alps
 | borders_on        = {{hlist|[[Graian Alps]]|[[Dauphiné Alps]]|[[Provence Alps and Prealps]]|[[Maritime Alps]]|[[Po plain]]}}
 | length_km         = 
 | length_orientation= 
 | width_km          = 
 | width_orientation = 
 | highest           = Monte Viso
 | elevation_m       = 3841
 | coordinates       = {{coord|44|40|18|N|7|15|13|E|type:mountain_region:FR_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline}}
 | range_coordinates = {{coord|44|45|N|7|0|E|type:mountain_region:FR_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
 | geology           = 
 | orogeny           = [[Alpine orogeny]]
 | map_image         = Alps - Cottian.JPG
 | map_caption       = Location
}}

The '''Cottian Alps''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ɒ|t|i|ə||n|_|ˈ|æ|l|p|s}}; {{langx|fr|Alpes Cottiennes}} {{IPA|fr|alp kɔtjɛn|}}; {{langx|it|Alpi Cozie}} {{IPA|it|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, Italy|Susa]] are important transportation arteries between France ([[Lyon]], [[Grenoble]]) and Italy ([[Turin]]).

== Etymology ==
[[File:Susa acquedotto.jpg|thumb|200px|left|[[Roman aqueduct]] of [[Susa (Italy)|Susa]]]]
The name ''Cottian'' comes from ''[[Cottius|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 [[Roman province|province]] of [[Alpes Cottiae]].<ref>''Bibliotheca classica or A classical dictionary'', John Lemprière, G. and C. Carvill, 1831; pag. 414</ref>

== 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 ''[[List of Counts of Albon and Dauphins of Viennois|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]].<ref>''Escartons, hommes libres'', [http://www.escartons.eu/?id=228 www.escartons.eu] (accessed on 2012-04-05)</ref> 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.<ref name=wald>
{{cite book
| title = The Waldensian Way to God
| publisher = Xulon Press
| author = Joseph Visconti
| year = 2003
}}</ref>

After the treaty annexing Nice and Savoy to France, signed in Turin in March 1860 ([[Treaty of Turin (1860)|Treaty of Turin]]), the north-western slopes of the range became part of the French republic.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://mjp.univ-perp.fr/traites/1860turin.htm | title = Traité de Turin, Signé à Turin le 24 mars 1860 entre la France et la Sardaigne. | access-date = 2010-01-01 | publisher = mjp.univ-perp.fr}}</ref>

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.<ref name=ME>Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, pp. 874&ndash;876</ref>

== Geography ==
Administratively the range is divided between the [[Provinces of Italy|Italian province]] of [[Province of Cuneo|Cuneo]] and the [[Metropolitan City of Turin]] (the eastern slopes), and the [[Departments of France|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 (Savoie)|Arc]] and their tributaries on the French side; and by the [[Dora Riparia]] and other tributaries of the [[Po River|Po]] on the Italian side.

=== Borders ===
The borders of the Cottian Alps are (clockwise):
* the [[Maddalena Pass]] to the south, which connects the Cottian Alps with the [[Maritime Alps]];
* the Ubayette Valley, the [[Ubaye]] Valley, the [[Serre-Ponçon Lake]], the high [[Durance]] Valley, and the Guisane Valley to the southwest;
* the [[Col du Galibier]] to the west, which connects the Cottian Alps with the [[Dauphiné Alps]];
* the Valloirette Valley, the [[Maurienne]] Valley, and the Chardoux Creek to the northwest;
* the [[Mont Cenis]] Pass to the north, which connects the Cottian Alps with the [[Graian Alps]];
* Mont Cenis Lake, the [[Cenischia]] Valley, the [[Dora Riparia]] Valley, the [[Po Plain]], and the [[Varaita]] Valley to the east.

==Peaks==
[[File:Burning Monviso - East face.jpg|thumb|Monte Viso]]
[[File:Gruppo pierre menue da punta clairy.jpg|thumb|The Northern Cottian Alps from Pointe Clairy]]
[[File:Fort de Variselle and Signal du Petit Mont Cenis.png|thumb|[[Mont Cenis]] in the Cottian Alps, seen from the [[Rocciamelone]]]]The chief peaks of the Cottian [[Alps]] are:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! name!!metres!!feet!!name!!metres!!feet
|-
| [[Monte Viso]]|| 3841|| 12,609||[[Aiguille de Chambeyron]]|| 3412 || 11,155
|-
| [[Aiguille de Scolette]]|| 3506 || 11,500 ||[[Pics de la Font Sancte]]|| 3387 || 11,112
|-
| [[Brec de Chambeyron]]|| 3388 || 11,116 || Dents d'Ambin|| 3382 || 11,096
|-
| [[Rognosa d'Etiache]]|| 3385 || 11,106 || [[Visolotto]]|| 3353|| 11,001
|-
| Punta Ferrand|| 3364 || 11,037 ||[[Punta Sommeiller]]|| 3333 || 10,935
|-
| [[Bric de Rubren]]|| 3340|| 10,958||[[Bric Froid]]|| 3302|| 10,833
|-
| [[Pic de Rochebrune]]|| 3320 || 10,891||[[Rognosa di Sestriere]]|| 3280|| 10,761
|-
| [[Punta Merciantaira]]|| 3293 || 10,804 || Roche du Grand Galibier|| 3242 || 10,637
|-
| Panestrel|| 3253 || 10,673 ||[[Rocca Bernauda]]|| 3225 || 10,581
|-
| Peou Roc|| 3231 || 10,601|| Pointe Haute de Mary|| 3212 || 10,539
|-
| [[Grand Galibier]]|| 3228 || 10,590||[[Pic du Thabor]]|| 3207 || 10,522
|-
| Pic du Pelvat|| 3218 || 10,558||[[Mont Thabor]]|| 3180|| 10,440
|-
| Pain de Sucre|| 3208 || 10,526|| Tete des Toillies|| 3179 || 10,430
|-
| [[Pointe des Cerces]]|| 3180 || 10,434 || Monte Platasse|| 3149 || 10,331
|-
|   [[Monte Granero]]|| 3170 || 10,401  || Tête de Moïse|| 3110 || 10,204
|-
|[[Monte Sautron]]
|3166
|10,387
|
|
|
|-
|  Rocce del Rouit|| 3145 || 10,318 ||[[Punta Bagnà]]|| 3129|| 10,266
|-
| [[Mont Chaberton]]|| 3130 || 10,286||[[Pelvo d'Elva]]|| 3064|| 10,053
|-
|  [[Monte Meidassa]]|| 3105|| 10,187 || Rocca Bianca|| 3059|| 10,307
|-
|[[Monte Ferra]]
|3094
|10,151
|[[Bric Ghinivert]]
|3037
|9,963
|-
| [[Grand Queyron]]|| 3060|| 10,040 ||[[Monte Politri]]|| 3026|| 9,928
|-
|  [[Monte Albergian]]|| 3041|| 9,977 ||[[Viso Mozzo]]|| 3019|| 9,905
|-
|  Monte Barifreddo|| 3028|| 9,933 ||Pointe du Fréjus|| 2934|| 9,626
|-
| Pic Caramantran|| 3025|| 9,925  || Pic du Malrif || 2906|| 9,535
|-
|  Bric Bouchet|| 2998|| 9,836 || [[Cima Ciantiplagna]]|| 2849|| 9,347
|-
| [[Monte Orsiera]]|| 2890 || 9,479 || [[Mont Froid]]|| 2822 || 9,410
|-
| [[Punta Cornour]]|| 2868||  9,259 ||Monte Friolànd || 2738 || 8,981 
|-
| [[Pointe de Bellecombe]]|| 2775 || 9,104   ||  [[Monte Gimont]]|| 2646|| 8,681
|-
| [[L'Aiguille Rouge]]  || 2545 || 8,350    ||  Gran Truc || 2366 || 7,762  
|-
| [[Pic de Morgon]]|| 2324|| 7,625 || [[Monte Birrone]] || 2131 || 6,991
|-
|  Monte Ricordone || 1764 || 5,787 || [[Monte Freidour]] || 1445 || 4,741
|}

==Passes==
[[File:Colleagnello001.jpg|thumb|Colle d'Agnello/Col Agnel, 2,744 m]]
The chief [[mountain pass|passes]] of the Cottian Alps are:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! name
! location
! type<br>({{as of|1911|lc=on}})
! elevation (m/ft)
|-
| Col Sommeiller
| [[Bardonecchia]] to [[Bramans]]
| snow||2993/9820
|-
| [[Col de la Traversette]]
| Crissolo to [[Abriès]]
| bridle path||2950/9679
|-
| Col d'Ambin
| Exilles to Bramans
| snow||2899/9511
|-
| Col de Saint-Véran
| [[Valle Varaita]] to the [[Queyras]] Valley
| footpath||2844/9331
|-
| [[Col du Parpaillon]]
| [[Ubaye Valley]] to the Queyras Valley
| footpath||2780/9121
|-
| [[Col d'Étache]]
| [[Bardonecchia]] to [[Bramans]]
| bridle path||2799/9183
|-
| [[Col Agnel]]
| Valle Varaita to the Queyras Valley
| road||2744/9003
|-
| Col Girardin
| Ubaye Valley to the Queyras Valley
| bridle path||2699/8855
|-
| Col de Sautron
| [[Maira Valley|Valle Maira]] to [[Barcelonnette]]
| bridle path||2689/8823
|-
| Col de Longet
| Ubaye Valley to Valle Varaita
| bridle path||2672/8767
|-
| Col de Mary
| Ubaye Valley to Valle Maira
| bridle path||2654/8708
|-
| Col d'Abriès
| Perosa to Abriès
| bridle path||2650/8695
|-
| [[Col du Fréjus]]
| Bardonecchia to [[Modane]]
| dirt road||2542/8340
|-
| [[Colle della Rho]] /[[Col de la Roue]]
| Bardonecchia to Modane
| dirt road/briddle path||2541/8338
|-
| [[Col de Clapier]]
| Bramans to [[Susa, Italy|Susa]]
| bridle path||2477/8127
|-
| Col de la Vallée Étroite
| Bardonecchia to Modane
| footpath||2434/7985
|-
| [[Col d'Izoard]]
| [[Briançon]] to the Queyras Valley
| road||2388/7835
|-
| [[Col de la Croix (Cottian Alps)|Col de la Croix]] /[[Colle della Croce]]
| [[Torre Pellice]] to [[Abriès]]
| bridle path||2299/7541
|-
| Petit Mont Cenis
| Bramans to the Mont Cenis Plateau
| bridle path||2184/7166
|-
| [[Col de Vars]]
| Ubaye Valley to the Queyras Valley
| road||2115/6939
|-
| [[Mont Cenis]]
| Lanslebourg to Susa
| road||2085/6840
|-
| [[Colle Sestriere]]
| [[Pinerolo]] to Cesana Torinese
| road||2021/6631
|-
| [[Col de Larche]] /[[Maddalena Pass]]
| Ubaye Valley to the Stura Valley
| road||1991/6532
|-
| [[Col de Montgenèvre]]
| Briançon to Susa
| road||1854/6083
|-
| [[Col de l'Échelle]]
| Briançon to Bardonecchia
| road||1760/5774
|}

==See also==
* [[Alpes Cottiae]] (the original Roman province)
* [[Cottii Regnum]]
* [[Cottius]]
* [[Donnus]]
* [[Ambin group]]
* [[Monte Oronaye]]
* [[Pelvo di Ciabrera]]
* [[Punta Tre Chiosis]]
* [[Tour Jaune de Barabbas]]

==Maps==
* Italian official cartography (''[[Istituto Geografico Militare]]'' – IGM); on-line version: [http://www.pcn.minambiente.it/viewer/ www.pcn.minambiente.it]
* French official cartography ({{Lang|fr|[[Institut Géographique National]]}} – IGN); on-line version: [http://www.geoportail.fr/5069711/visu2D/afficher-en-2d.htm www.geoportail.fr]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
===Sources===
* {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Alps|volume=1|pages=737–754}} Statistics on the Cottian Alps are listed in tables on pages 741 and 742.
{{Western Alps}}
{{SOIUSA sections of the Alps}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mountain ranges of the Alps]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Italy]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Piedmont]]
[[Category:Western Alps]]