The Cottian Alps (; ; ) 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).

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.Bibliotheca classica or A classical dictionary, John Lemprière, G. and C. Carvill, 1831; p. 414

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.Escartons, hommes libres, www.escartons.eu (accessed on 2012-04-05) 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.

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.

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.Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, pp. 874–876

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): 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

The chief peaks of the Cottian Alps are: namemetresfeetnamemetresfeet Monte Viso 3841 12,609Aiguille 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 10,958Bric Froid 3302 10,833 Pic de Rochebrune 3320 10,891Rognosa 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 10,590Pic du Thabor 3207 10,522 Pic du Pelvat 3218 10,558Mont 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 10,204Monte Sautron316610,387 Rocce del Rouit 3145 10,318 Punta Bagnà 3129 10,266 Mont Chaberton 3130 10,286Pelvo d'Elva 3064 10,053 Monte Meidassa 3105 10,187 Rocca Bianca 3059 10,307Monte Ferra309410,151Bric Ghinivert30379,963 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

The chief passes of the Cottian Alps are: name location type() 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 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: www.pcn.minambiente.it French official cartography ( – IGN); on-line version: www.geoportail.fr

References

Sources Statistics on the Cottian Alps are listed in tables on pages 741 and 742.

External links